Psych: The Complete Fourth Season

As usual, the scary episodes stand out in the Scooby Doo-like way they blend humor with horror. This year, the detectives join forces with a priest (Ray Wise, well cast after his turn as Satan on Reaper), a self-described werewolf (Josh Malina), and their old nemesis Yang (Ally Sheedy), inspiring riffs on The Exorcist, Psycho, and other genre classics. They also have fun with music-themed stories, such as a case that works in some R&B stylings from Roday, Hill, Jaleel White, and SNL's Kenan Thompson. Plus, Boyz II Men gives the theme song some new jack swing (another episode gives it a Bollywood twist).

On the personal front, Gus and Henry (Corbin Bernsen) play the field, while Shawn continues to see Abigail (Rachel Leigh Cook), though he and Juliet (Maggie Lawson, Roday's real-life partner) still have feelings for each other. Like previous sets, this one comes loaded with extras: deleted scenes, a gag reel, entertaining audio commentaries, and insightful video commentaries. The latter feature, in which the writers hold sway, should hold special interest for fans and prospective screenwriters alike. Despite a few filler episodes, creator Steve Franks and crew deliver another enjoyable season--which ends on a chilling note. --Kathleen C. Fennessy