I don’t feel the need to recap ‘Psych’ very often. Though I enjoy it, the show isn’t Day One, or even usually Week One viewing for me. However, when The Shat guest stars in an episode, and he plays Juliet’s father (!)… well, that merits taking note of.

The plot of ‘In for a Penny…’ is prompted by Juliet’s impending 30th birthday. When Shawn learns that she has daddy abandonment issues, he takes it upon himself to locate her father and invite him to the party. What he doesn’t understand is that Frank (William Shatner) is a con man. Juliet is embarrassed by her father, and expressly forbids Shawn from contacting him. Naturally, that doesn’t stop him.

Frank claims that he has gone straight and wants to repair the relationship with his daughter. Juliet remains skeptical, even (or especially) when he offers to help the police with the investigation into a gang of crooks plotting to steal a rare 1943 Lincoln penny worth $2 million from a Coin Expo. Of course, this is all really a ploy for Frank to steal the coin himself and blame it on the other criminals. Eventually, Shawn convinces Frank to do the right thing and return the coin, which he does in his own roundabout way by planting it on someone else.

Shatner makes a fun guest star, although he consciously tones down his usual persona and underplays the role. The episode as a whole is a little flat and underwhelming. The mystery isn’t all that involving, and most of the jokes are only mildly amusing. The best bit involves Shawn and Gus comparing the coin robbery to the movie ‘The Town’, which then somehow segues into a discussion about ‘Good Will Hunting’ and Gus embarrassing himself with the worst attempt at a Southie accent ever recorded.

In its sixth season, ‘Psych’ kind of feels like the gag is wearing thin. Truly inspired episodes are few and far between these days. Unfortunately, this isn’t one of them.