r/psych • u/pocketass011 • 23h ago
Underrated side character
I guess shes not REALLY a "side" character, but i dont think Detective Betsy Brannigan gets enough love.
She's definitely no Whip or Mary, or even Uncle Jack, but, considering how little she was in the show, and how often her reactions made me laugh, I think she made a decent case to be remembered.
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u/ILootEverything 21h ago
I liked her too!
And she was played by Mira.Sorvino, who is a damn good actress and a comedic treasure and should have had a bigger career (FU Weinstein!).
Trivia time- she's one of three Oscar winners to appear on Psych. Who are the other two? No googling!
ETA: This does not include Danny Glover, who has an honorary Oscar.
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u/Ok_Investigator5405 19h ago
Goochberg! (Mercedes Ruehl)
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u/Ok_Investigator5405 19h ago
currently searching my brain for the other one. I will not Google, I promise!
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u/CruzLutris SuckItStroke 19h ago
Ha, me too, racking my brain and trying to be honorable without Googling! Mercedes Ruehl is such a gem.
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u/sweetnsassy924 <Gus's Nickname Here> 18h ago
She and I went to the same college. Different times, of course, but she’s one of the biggest names to come from my Alma mater
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u/stratguy23 16h ago
I figured it out. I didn’t use Google to get the answer, but I did comb through IMDb because there were so many guest actors it’s hard to remember them all. I won’t spoil it because I sorta cheated (I wouldn’t have gotten it without looking up probably 50 guest stars on IMDb). I can give hints to the episode(s) the actor/actress is in.
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u/CruzLutris SuckItStroke 19h ago
Mercedes Ruehl, who played Goochberg, has an Oscar, a Tony, and a slew of other prestigious theatre awards
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u/pocketass011 21h ago
If i had to guess, id say Bruce Campbell and Val Kilmer?
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u/ILootEverything 14h ago
Nope.
Mira Sorvino
Mercedes Ruehl (Goochberg)
Louis Gossett Jr. (Lloyd in Heeeeere's Lassie!)
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u/cricketreds 14h ago
I love the Brannigan and McNab partnership so much. She would be the perfect kind partner to reassure Francie that she had McNab's back. I would love a future movie to be back at SBPD, but only if Brannigan and McNab are part of the story.
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u/Mzmouze 3h ago
I must be different than most. I hated her character and avoid the episodes she's in.
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u/unearthlydarling 1h ago
I like Mira Sorvino, but I'm with you on Betsy. Just not my cup of tea, a rare miss for me on Psych!
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u/CruzLutris SuckItStroke 22h ago
Thank you for the Brannigan love! She's hilarious, brings the weirdness that Psych is so good at achieving, and most importantly of all -- IMHO, she fulfills what the writers wanted to do at that late point in the series. Her character lets us know that the SBPD will be okay without Shawn, Gus, and Juliet; she makes it easier for them to leave Santa Barbara, and gives Lassiter a kindred spirit he hasn't had since Juliet departed. She helps tie up those loose ends before the series concludes, just by being there and doing her job so well. I truly think that's what the character's purpose is -- that, and making us laugh with her craft-loving, gun-loving self. Bonus! She sees potential in Buzz!
I think she's underrated just because some viewers (at least, based on what I read on this sub) tend to not watch season eight much, if at all, so they haven't spent enough time with Betsy.