Psych Season 3 Set Visit: Corbin Bernsen
by Reg Seeton

At the very end of our visit to the Season 3 production of USA Network's Psych (premiering July 18), we gathered in the living room inside Henry Spencer's house with actor Corbin Bernsen, who plays the rustic, ex-law enforcing father of fake psychic Shawn Spencer. After a full day of interviews with the entire cast, kicking back in Henry's pad was a relaxing break and an awesome way to round out our visit. For those not in the know about Corbin, he was one of the most popular actors on television back in the '80s and early '90s in his Emmy and Golden Globe nominated role of hot-shot attorney Arnie Becker on L.A. Law. When L.A. Law was on the air, Corbin was everywhere - magazine covers, talk shows, newspapers. He was as popular then as any of today's current TV stars. Bernsen also went on to star in the wildly popular feature film hit comedy Major League, before going on to appear in a variety of roles in both film (including Shane Black's Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) and TV prior to landing his regular role on Psych.

Although we had a bit of a wait before Corbin arrived on set, we later found out that he was flying up from L.A. for a few hours just to talk to the select few of us who were invited to the set before he was headed back home on an 8pm flight. Although Bernsen is committed to Psych, he's even more admirably committed to his family, which says a lot about who he is and why he fits so well in the role of Shawn's father despite the stark differences between actor and character.

As we sat in front of Henry's fireplace, with his prize catch of a huge Marlin hanging over the mantle, Corbin gave us the lowdown on everything from what it was like to have Cybill Shepherd on the show and how he compares to Henry to his view on real psychics and how both he and television have evolved since his days on L.A. Law.

THE DEADBOLT: So what kinds of stories have you been hearing from Steve's [Franks] dad?

CORBIN BERNSEN: Really, not much. It's just if I occasionally have an idea about something it sort of gets run through Steve's dad - "Can it be done that way?" "There's some stuff that I think looks more appropriate but in actuality police work is done like this." I think anything he has to do with the police stuff, he's already run it through a filter, so I've stopped questioning it.

THE DEADBOLT: Given the popularity of L.A. Law back in the day, and now with Cybill [Shepherd] on the show, and her popularity on Moonlighting around the same time as L.A. Law, how has been for you?

BERNSEN: Well, it's all part of everything that's sort of successful about this show. It's been fun. I haven't, since L.A. Law, even though that had this enormity to it... I guess it was really sort of ground-breaking. But because USA, as I see it, is still in its - and I say this in all kindness - in its infancy, it's just starting to stand up. I feel kind of like when we were doing L.A. Law I saw how Fox with The Simpsons and Married with Children started happening all of a sudden. And not since L.A. Law have I really been around a project that feels the same. And having Cybill on it, I mean, certainly added to that but it's just the kind of guest stars that we've been getting, people wanting to come up and do the show this year. Not that others didn't last year, but people now know about the show. It's a cool show to do and it's sort of hip. So that was fun. And I knew her from the days. We used to shoot three stages apart at Fox, so she used to honk her horn [at me a lot]. She had a big bus.

THE DEADBOLT: Throughout your career, have you been as disciplined as Henry on Psych, or have you been more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of guy?

BERNSEN: No, I'm much more fly by the seat of my pants. But I understand Henry because I can apply it to something I'm doing, whether it's directing a movie or things that I do. Build a house or whatever it is. I had a garage sale this weekend that was pretty intense. And I didn't finish until I finished last night. In my work ethic I have a discipline. I put it like this: I've always likened myself and the way I approach life to bowling. I like the pins to be set up. I like them to come back to me very organized and disciplined. Then you pick up whatever ball you want and you bowl the sh*t out of it, whatever you want to do. It's a little bit messy. Sometimes it's a gutter ball. Sometimes it's a strike. Sometimes you dribble it down. Sometimes you throw it. Whatever it is. And that's what I am. I just like to start out - the beginning of my day, I have my list of stuff to do, and then I bowl.

THE DEADBOLT: And all the creativity comes in there?

BERNSEN: And all the creativity comes in there. But I have to have a structure to see the forest. I am not a, "Well, what do I do today?" Kind of like my kids. I'm not that.

THE DEADBOLT: So what does success mean to you now, today, as compared to L.A. Law? Did you have more of something to prove back then, or is that kind of weight off your shoulders?

BERNSEN: What is success? Success is different. Success then was, can I be a guy on the street that's actually working as an actor? Working. I just fortunately got a hit show. It was super success. Today I have a little bit of a different challenge for myself, and even though I have a certain amount of celebrity and I've been around the business for years and most people, there are still certain things I want to do. With L.A. Law there came this - and I haven't gotten over it, quite frankly. I've gotten over it, but the perception hasn't. There's this flash-in-the-pan mentality that I still don't - sometimes I feel like I don't - A: get to the do the work that I want to do, and - B: I'm not recognized for what I can do.

Psych Season 3 Set Visit: Corbin Bernsen Page 2