‘Psych 2: Lassie Come Home’: Timothy Omundson Explains ‘Amazing’ Story Behind Joel McHale Playing His Father

Psych 2: Lassie Come Home brings together friends Joel McHale and Timothy Omundson. Keep reading to learn how the comedian and actor came to play father and son in the Peacock original movie based on the TV show, Psych. 

Timothy Omundson starred in ‘Psych’ as Carlton Lassiter 

Omundson, now 50, began his time playing Carlton “Lassie” Lassiter in 2006. A no-nonsense detective with the Santa Barbara Police Department, Lassiter is all about his job.

So, when Shawn Spencer (James Roday Rodriguez) starts working with law enforcement as a psychic detective, he wants nothing to do with him. 

With help from his best friend, Burton “Gus” Guster (Dulé Hill), Spencer’s able to fake it as a psychic detective. In reality, he’s not clairvoyant but extremely observant.

While Lassiter continues to be skeptical but over time he becomes friends with Spencer and Guster. Psych went off the air in 2014 putting an end to Omundson’s time playing Lassiter. 

The cast reunited in 2017 for Psych: The Movie but due to a stroke, Omundson only made a brief appearance. Returning for the sequel, Psych 2: Lassie Come Home, the story focuses on Omundson’s character. 

How did he and Joel McHale meet? 

In a July 2020 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Omundson provided details on his friendship with McHale. As the actor describes it, he and McHale “have been pals for a while.” 

They have a lot in common. Both grew up in Seattle, but it wasn’t until their children attended the same school in Los Angeles did they get to know each other. What’s more, Omundson’s Psych co-star, Maggie Lawson, knew McHale from Santa Clarita Diet. 

‘Psych’ surprised Timothy Omundson by casting Joel McHale as his father in sequel

The cast of Psych: Lassie Come Home can keep a secret. They surprised Omundson by casting McHale as his father and he only found out when he showed up on set. As the actor told EW, he’d been curious about who would be playing his father but no one budged. 

Not even the director of the movie, Steve Franks, or executive producer, Chris Henze. They went so far as to put a fake name on the call sheet to throw Omundson off. The actor recalled how he reacted when he learned McHale would be playing his father. 

“So, I’m sitting on set and Steve [Franks] made an announcement, and in walks Joel, and I just burst out laughing. It was like the biggest belly laugh I think I’d had since I had the stroke,” he said. “It was just incredible.”

How did it go starring in Psych 2: Lassie Come Home with his friend? 

“We had an amazing time together,” he said. “Joel immediately felt like he’d been with us forever.”

Judging by Omundson’s positive response, we wouldn’t be surprised if McHale made an appearance in a future Psych movie.