After working together on the popular USA Network hit Psych, director John Landis, actress Maggie Lawson, and actor James Roday reunited on NBC to give horror fans the creeps in the Landis helmed and Victor Salvo penned Fear Itself episode "In Sickness and in Health" in which Lawson discovers her soon-groom-to-be, James Roday, is actually a serial killer. Although Psych fans might be yearning for a romantic hook-up between Shawn and Juliet in Santa Barbara, John Landis gives TV viewers an alternate take on what the future might look like if the two character were to ever get married. Leading up to the airing of "In Sickness and in Health," The Deadbolt caught up with John Landis and Maggie Lawson for an entertaining conference call to get the goods on what fans can expect the spooky USA/NBC actor crossover.

THE DEADBOLT: John, what fascinated you about this killer as compared to the killer in your Masters of Horror episode?

JOHN LANDIS: Well, the Masters of Horror - you know, this is not a show. This is not necessarily a story I would have created myself or done. Honestly - I’ll be very honest - when I read the script, my first reaction was how old fashioned it was. It was very much like an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. You know, it was a real old fashioned suspense kind of thing and, honestly, when I read it I thought, "Holy shit! Is this a good part for Maggie Lawson?" And that’s true. I just thought, because when you’re on a series you don’t often get a chance to do a lot of different things, and I just thought it would be a great opportunity. And it was funny, because NBC at first, they were like, "Don’t you want to get this person? Don’t you want that person?" And it was like, "No." James Roday, give me James. What was he, Maggie, like the sexiest... what was he?

MAGGIE LAWSON: Oh, yeah. This is so funny, he was one of the "100 Most Beautiful People" in People Magazine last year.

LANDIS: In People Magazine?

LAWSON: Oh, John. You were directing our episode last year when that came out. That’s hilarious.

LANDIS: Right, which you tortured him with. But the thing that was funny about that is the fact that they’re playing opposite one another. It was a tough sell because they were going, "But they’re already on a show that we showed on NBC. And they’re different characters. Won’t that confuse people?" I’m thinking, "Please don’t underestimate the audience that much."

THE DEADBOLT: What kinds of changes did you work through with Victor [Salvo], if any?

LANDIS: I made some minor changes. I added some red herrings. But, in fact, it’s pretty much Victor’s script; it’s his story, his characters.

THE DEADBOLT: What would you say is the most disturbing part of the episode? You said there’s no supernatural elements in it?

LANDIS: Well, it’s about Maggie’s character. What’s your name, Samantha?

LAWSON: Yeah.

LANDIS: Samantha. It’s about this Sam. She’s this very lovely girl and she’s given this ridiculous note and it’s about doubt and uncertainty and suspicion. And I think it deals with the fears of getting married. The fears of - Do we really know this person?

Fear Itself with John Landis and Maggie Lawson Page 2