USA Network Orders A Second Season Of Psych

USA Network has placed a second season order for 16 episodes of its freshman hit, PSYCH, it was announced today by Jeff Wachtel, USA's executive vice president, original programming. The one-hour series, starring James Roday, Dulé Hill and Corbin Bernsen, is executive produced by Steve Franks ("Big Daddy"), in association with Tagline Pictures' Kelly Kulchak and Chris Henze and NBC Universal Television Studio. This along with THE DEAD ZONE joins the previously announced returns of original series MONK and THE 4400.

PSYCH has been a ratings success since its July 7 premiere on USA, which brought in 6.25 million total viewers and ranked as the highest rated new scripted series premiere on basic cable this year with a 4.63 household rating. During its summer run, which ended August 25, PSYCH was the #1 scripted series in cable television in the coveted 18-49 demo. PSYCH will return in January for the second half of its first season with seven new episodes.

"We couldn't be more excited about picking up PSYCH for a second season," stated Wachtel. "The series was a homerun from pitch to pilot to series. Steve, James, Dulé, Corbin and the whole team have exceeded our expectations on every level. We're looking forward to even more success in season two."

PSYCH, centers on Shawn Spencer (Roday), who possesses uncanny powers of observation honed by his police officer father, Henry (Bernsen), who drilled young Shawn to note even the smallest details of his surroundings. When Shawn is accused of committing a crime that he actually solved for the police department (by calling in a tip), he convinces the cops that he's a psychic, and with the reluctant assistance of his best-friend Gus (Hill), Shawn starts solving cases for an ever-skeptical – but grudgingly impressed – police force. The series also stars Timothy Omundson, Maggie Lawson and Kirsten Nelson.

Seen in 90 million homes, USA Network is cable television's leading network of original series and feature movies, sports and entertainment events, network shows and blockbuster theatrical films. The USA Network Web site is located at www.usanetwork.com. Characters Welcome.

USA Network is a program service of NBC Universal Cable a division of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.