Psych Season 3 Set Visit: Tim Omumdson
by Reg Seeton

During our visit to set of USA Network's Psych in Vancouver, actor Tim Omundson joined us to talk some Season 3 shop about what fans can expect from his by-the-book character, Santa Barbara Police detective Carlton Lassiter. Although James Roday and Dule Hill take center stage as Psych's two comedic co-leads, Tim Omundson is one of the funniest guys you'll ever meet. Every actor we talked to mentioned that Tim is the first to crack up during each shoot and is always keeping everyone in stitches. At the same time, Omundson is a grounded family man who knows his acting stuff and where he is as an actor. While keeping us laughing during the interview, Omundson also filled us in on what it was like to work with Cybill Shepherd, how we'll see more of Lassiter's emotional side this season, what he liked about the show when he signed on, and where he'd like to see his character go in Season 3.

THE DEADBOLT: I read an interview last night that even before they cast Cybill Shepherd you referenced Moonlighting as one of your favorite shows. How was it working with her?

TIM OMUNDSON: You know, I just started playing harmonica because I [worked with] Bruce Willis. I mean, was it The Return of Bruno? Come on, it was a brilliant album. So I watched that all the time, and I loved it. To get to work with her was just a bonus. She could not be nicer and still quite easy on the eyes. She was fun and game and I think perfect casting, and the fact that the storyline of Lassiter getting to reveal his innermost darkest secrets to this woman. And then, Steve [Franks], I believe his words were, "When you read the script, you're just going to say, 'Thank you. You're the most awesome writer in the world.'" I'm paraphrasing, but something like that. And sure enough, it was so much fun, and to finally get to see Lassiter with some other colors and some turns. But the private moments are always what's the fun thing for me to play. That's stuff that I don't think anybody is seeing, but of course the audience gets to see. And to be able to be that intimate with her and reveal those soft underbelly [layers] and then, have it just slammed back in your face...

THE DEADBOLT: Is there an emotional weight that continues for Lassiter this season?

OMUNDSON: As far as his relationship with his wife, absolutely. James is actually writing an episode where we actually meet my wife and it's the, "Are we getting back together? Are we signing divorce papers?" And there's been such a build-up of who this woman is. It's sort of his main back-story that that should be a very special episode, a very special Lassiter episode. So yes, that's definitely going to continue. And there may be some inappropriate crushes along the way this season.

THE DEADBOLT: You've done so many different shows. What was it about this show that appealed to you?

OMUNDSON: They offered to hire me. So that was one thing. And I've told this story before, but I will tell it again. I went in not knowing it was a comedy or drama because I got the "Sean's Interrogation" scene from the pilot, is what I read, and was like, "It's a cop show, all right." So I wore my blue cop suit and I go in, and literally not knowing, and it was August I think, so it wasn't really pilot season, it was just this weird out of the blue call. And they said, "Just so you know, before you start, it's not NYPD blue, you know, think Moonlighting." And I went, "Oh, well I know how to do that." And something just clicked. It's one of those weird little magical moments where you just clicked in the room, and I went home and - you know, the times that you go home as an actor and say, "Oh, yeah, that went well," are almost, for me, never. This was the one, like, "I think that went really well." And they all responded greatly. And they were so positive at the end of my audition, I said, "I need to leave here because if you keep saying nice things it means it's not going to happen."

THE DEADBOLT: After working with David Milch, how did you change as an actor after coming from Deadwood? Were you more confident an actor after that experience?

OMUNDSON: Yeah, certainly getting to work on a show like that and getting such a beautiful role as Brom was, it's going to give you more confidence. But it doesn't really change my acting at all. I'm still the same student actor I was in high school just trying to figure out how the hell you do this. I mean, that I think never goes away. I'm still trying to figure out just, in this case, how do I find the funny in those shows, how do I just not [mix it up] now that I'm playing Lassiter. You know, it's just pretty much the dream to life. But you know, you can have more confidence going into a room, it doesn't help you that much I think because ultimately it's like you're going to get the role or not. And I think as I've gotten older, and worked on more stuff, I have been able to relax a little more because, it's like you're - I'm not used to being on a steady gig.

I mean, most of my life has been guest starring, just always hustling for the next job. And on Judging Amy, I wasn't really under contract until the last year, and I think this - the hiatus between the first and second season of the show was the first time I ever had a job to go back to after hiatus, which was a weird thing. And it's a weird mindset to go, "Okay, I don't have to hustle." And that's why getting Jericho on the hiatus was like, "What do you mean? I’m not looking for a job, and I get another one? That's how it works!" So I'm a little more relaxed in that going into auditioning, having been around for a while, seeing a lot of the same people, which is a nice thing. When you're young, it's like, "Who's that f**ker over there? He's handsome." Okay, so I have good abs. And now you're like, "Hey, it's that guy. What are you doing? Nice to see you. Hey, we've survived. We're here."

And I really think you're right for the job or you're not. It's yours or it's not. So you can't begrudge not getting it. That's why it's like - the Deadwood thing, that one was mine, and those ten jobs I didn't get after that, they weren't mine in a way. Not to totally go, "That's cool. It doesn't matter, man," but you certainly have to prepare and do your work, and there are no guarantees.

THE DEADBOLT: Does that fear ever go away?

OMUNDSON: Never.

THE DEADBOLT: Like this might end?

OMUNDSON: Never. It never goes away. And to drop another name, Roy Scheider - my second job was SeaQuest. And Roy Scheider told Marco Sanchez and Ted Raimi, two of the guys on the film, he's like, "By the way, this never goes away. Like you always think your last job is your last job." And I mean, Dule may have a different experience - I don't think that fear will ever go away. But like I said, it's a little more relaxing.

THE DEADBOLT: Are there other places you'd like to see Carlton go?

OMUNDSON: Any time he's out of the cop shop is nice for me. It's a thin line, because the characters are very established with who they are. But now, at season three, I think we can afford to do scenes like we did with Cybill where we get to see a little bit of the soft underbelly, the squishy goo that is Carlton Lassiter because he's just a big girl, like any man that has a gun that's trying to be tough. I'm really excited to meet who the actress is for this wife. And you know, James and I have talked about what he's looking for in that. I can't wait to do that.

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