Psych - Burton 'Gus' Guster - Essay, Links and Recs
Here are some recs for Burton 'Gus' Guster from Psych, who is one of my favorite characters ever. Gus is is the level-headed member of the dynamic duo that is the Psych detective agency and has been the best friend and partner in crime of Shawn Spencer, fake psychic for the SBPD, since they were kids.
I am, as you will probably be able to tell from my recs, a diehard Gus/Shawn (and Gus and Shawn) fan. To paraphrase, "It starts with a Holla! And ends with a creamsicle. And if there's time in between--Thundercats! Ho!" Their love is so pop culture bantery and ridiculous and adorable and married and third grade and BFF-for-life. If you were ever a nerd who had a best friend who dragged you into shenanigans against your own better judgment (with your parents secretly praying that crazy boy/girl wouldn't ruin your life; they could screw around and come back from it but you couldn't), then you'll see what I mean. Gus is Mr. Responsible (he even supports Shawn financially and claims him on his taxes!) but Shawn and his crazy schemes and the fake psychic detective agency gig give him the chance to be a kid again and have fun. He's also way quirkier than he might seem on the surface and Shawn gets that and him. It's hard to talk about Gus without talking about them together but in this I want to focus mostly on moments and recs that show the different sides that Dule Hill (who is fabulous) and the show bring out in Gus.
Gus is super smart, a grammar nerd (his one rule for their secret club when they were kids was good grammar), a comics fan and pop culture maven, and an endless mine of trivia and odd information that helps solve cases. He is a pharmaceutical sales rep with career ladder aspirations and a 401K, responsible son, organized to a fault, kind of uptight, a sharp dresser, and not as smooth as he thinks he is. He's also convinced his nose has super powers (the Super Smeller!), is Mulder to Shawn's Scully about supernatural stuff, not-so-stealthy (as The Jackal), prone to screaming and running away (as is Shawn) but he'll stiff-upper-lip it to help solve crimes. He's not just a sidekick who keeps Shawn in check or rolls with his spastic "visions," crazy plans, and bizarre nicknames ("And this is my partner Ovaltine Jenkins") and admonishments ("Gus, don't be exactly half of an 11 pound black forest ham"). He's also the integral other half that makes Psych (and Shawn) function. Plus, he is not-so-secretly gleeful at getting into it with him and holds his boundaries with Shawn while having fun doing dumb stuff and being the best friend anyone could have. I love him to death.
Some Reasons to Love Gus by Selected Episodes (Spoilers for all seasons)
1.2 Spellingg Bee: How can you not love a guy who is a spelling bee groupie and who remembers his tragic defeat in a bee years ago?
1.6 Weekend Warriors: This ep is set at a Civil War reenactment and one of the things I love about it is the conversation Shawn and Gus have about dressing up and sneaking into the regiment.
"Gus: Not in a thousand years.
Shawn: Dude, we are joining that regiment.
Gus: No, we’re not.
Shawn: They’re down to thirty guys.
Gus: Please, I have a meeting in…
Shawn: And this mystery is still wide open. Gus, think about it. Camping out under the stars. Living history. Eating beans and rotten meat with men who reek of valor.
Gus: There is just one thing you haven’t considered in this perfect scenario of yours, Shawn.
Shawn: That’s not true. I’ve considered everything.
Gus: Really? And what role would I play in this production of yours?
Shawn: I don’t…what do you…
Gus: What role would I play in the midst of all those hardcore down-to-the-last detail Civil War re-enactors? Would I be…
Shawn: No. Gus. No!
Gus: Okay, then maybe would I be…
Shawn: Never. Who are you talking to? You’re talking to me. This is me.
Gus: Then what, Shawn? What would I be? Because I tell you, there is no way, no way, that I would ever, never ever…
Shawn raises his hand to stop Gus from rambling.
Shawn: May I please tell you what I was thinking?
Gus: What?
Shawn: I was thinking Glory. I was thinking Denzel.
Gus: Did you just say Denzel? As in Denzel Washington?
Shawn: No, the other Denzel. Of course, and we’ll put you on a horse, and we’ll give you your own sword. You are a chestful of medals. You can be anything you want. You can be a pilot.
Gus: The Air Force wasn’t formed until World War I.
Shawn: That’s fair. So, you can’t be a pilot. Look, I called Mr. Mahoney, he’s Mr. Uniform, and I told him to make you something spectacular.
Gus: Denzel Washington!"
--transcription from episodeguides.blogspot.com
The Civil War riff also shows up again briefly in 2.16 Shawn (and Gus) of the Dead, when they have a Confederate flag discussion
Gus' nerdiness is often ragged on by the show but in an affectionate manner, which 1.8 Shawn vs. The Red Phantom shows. The whole episode is set at fake-Comic Con and Gus first tries to hide and then stands up to Shawn about his fannishness, which helps them work the case.
"Gus: I hear this movie’s going to bomb.
Man on PA: Check one. Check two.
Gus: Too bad. I kind of dug the Red Phantom.
Shawn: You haven’t even seen the trailer. You already hate it. How’s that possible?
Gus: Fortress of Attitude.
Shawn: What did you just say to me?
Gus: Fortress of Attitude. It’s this site that reviews movies based on comic books. The Malcontent, the guy who runs it, says he already saw a thirty-minute presentation here at the convention. He blazed it online.
Shawn: Can’t you just look at porn on the net like every other guy and his brother?
Gus: Everybody reads his blog.
Shawn: No. Not everybody.
Gus: Everybody here does, Shawn. And you know what? I don’t care what you think. So, why don’t you let me do the talking here at the convention, and try not to embarrass me. This is my turf. And yes, I know the guy in the codpiece. His name is Dave, and he’s a very nice guy.
Gus walks away.
Shawn: Snap."
--transcription from episodeguides.blogspot.com
Black geeks FTW!
Dule Hill's Michael Jackson impression in 2.1 American Duos is complete and total love. In a complete failure of YouTube, I cannot find the actual performance. YouTube only gives me everything but the relevant scene but here you go:
And just for fun, the "invisible against the wall" clip from that same ep that always makes me laugh.
2.4 Zero to Murder in Sixty Seconds: I already loved the show but it was cemented with the DWB scene and the commentary they did here and later with the suspect for the ep.
In 2.6 Meat is Murder, but Murder Is Also Murder, we first meet a Guster family member (played with loveable crankiness by John Amos) and Gus pretends to be psychic to impress him. This won't be the first instance of Gus both trying to please his family and standing up to them. In later eps of the season, we meet the whole Guster family, whom I also love to death. After all of Shawn and his dad's issues, it's nice to see the super nuclear Guster family. They have their own problems but they clearly love each other. Gus's parents (played brilliantly by Ernie Hudson and Phylicia Rashad) baby him too much and don't necessarily approve of Shawn and his antics but Gus takes a stand in 2.10 Gus's Dad may Have Killed an Old Guy and tells them he's all grown up and defends Shawn. Later, in 3.9 Christmas Joy, we meet Gus's sister who has secretly dated Shawn. I adore this entire episode so if I started picking things out, we'd be here forever. Let's just say it's a great look at Gus' background and his family and the bond between them all and go watch it! In 2.11 There's Something about Mira, we (and Shawn) learn that Gus is as capable of crazy antics and romance as anyone. Plus there's a priceless scene of Gus in a sweater vest "dancing" to early 90's music and Kerry Washington and Telma Hopkins show up in this ep and are fabulous.
In 4.7 High Top Fade Out (link to full ep on Hulu; limited time), we get more of Gus's backstory when they have to solve the murder of one of Gus's old college a capella singing group friends. Boyz II Men did a version of the Psych theme song and Jaleel White, Kenan Thompson and Tony Todd show up. There is a video with hammer pants! Gus as ladies' man makes an appearance, as he sometimes does (seriously not as smooth as he thinks he is). But best of all, we see a bit of Gus's life without Shawn and how seriously he takes friendship. Also, this episode slips in some social commentary in an organic way.
Throughout the series, we see how integral Gus is to Shawn. Rather than just being a sidekick, he's what makes everything possible. In 2.15 Black & Tan, Shawn and Gus pose as a modeling team, Black and Tan (Shawn is Black and Gus is Tan), and we see how much Gus drives their relationship and how lost Shawn is without him, which is a recurring theme. Plus, Gus, who is rarely physical, gets to smack the hell out of a jerky model with a pillow. In 3.1 Ghosts, we get to see Gus's job (and Stiffupperlip!Gus makes an appearance). We also see how important Gus is to Shawn and Psych when Shawn goes to extraordinary lengths to keep Gus when Gus's job makes him quit the agency. Some other favorites are 3.2 Murder?. . .Anyone?. . .Anyone?. . . Bueller? where Shawn's high school ex assumes Shawn and Gus are together and Shawn tells his whole high school reunion how much Gus means to him and 3.8 Gus Walks into a Bank where Shawn again does everything he can to make sure Gus is safe (and hugs him). Plus, in the outro, we see Shawn telling Gus how hot he is--"Sidney Poitier on a hot day"--and Gus doing the adorable little "I'm so sexy" swagger he does and quoting the "They call me Mr. Tibbs" line. Oh, and in 3.16 An Evening with Mr. Yang, they switch up and Gus goes to embarrassing lengths to help Shawn out and then crashes his date. These are just the tip of the iceberg.
I know I've missed stuff but this is already terribly long. Feel free to add stuff in comments. In conclusion, Gus!!!!
Gen
"White" and Nerdy by talitha78
Download at talitha78's livejournal or stream on YouTube.
My hands-down favorite Gus work of all time. It is, as she says, "A Gus vid that subverts the trope of white and nerdy." It is so true and completely hilarious. Money Maker: The Economics of Race and Sexuality in U.S. Mainstream Media is also great.
Burton Guster vs. The Robot Menace by thingswithwings
Young Gus is convinced Shawn is a robot
Sorting is Serious Business by kattahj
I adore this story about Gus' organizing schemes
Liberty Challenged by angelgazing
Shawn is always getting Gus into trouble. Has he ever thought of getting another BFF? In a similar vein is, A Thousand Miles From Graceland by Gatekeeper
Yes Shawn, There is a Santa Claus by Nicole DAnnais
Sweet Christmas fic with young Gus and Shawn
Deck the Halls with Glowing Deer by Sineala
Christmas case fic with older Gus and Shawn
sweet, sweet pineapple by oxoniensis
Gus--not a pushover! Full disclosure: written in part for my prompt
Less Traveled By by everysecondtuesday/tuesdayfic
I almost didn't rec this one because Psych is my happy place and this story was angsty for me. But it gives us Gus in a crossover AU where Psych never happened. WARNING: character death
There Are No Small Cases, Just Small Psychics (And Gusters) by nixa jane/laytoncolt
Gus/Shawn
Gus Goes For the Gold Star by Liviapenn
Gus Does Yuletide! Absolutely awesome.
Nine True Facts about Gus and Shawn, Detectives/Boyfriends by Kyra Cullinan
Sweet established relationship fic
Head Wounds Are Only Part of the Package by everysecondtues
Everysecondtuesday has other good Gus/Shawn fic but this is my favorite
The Curious Case of That Time with the Thing by giddygeek
When Gus gets hurt, Shawn gets protective
What's the Story, Morning Glory? by liviapenn
Angsty pre-series fic from Gus's POV
Growing Pains by thingswithwings
"It's a perfectly valid erotic identity, Shawn!" Gus slowly realizes some things about his identity and his relationship with Shawn. I love this fic a lot.
There's a whole bunch of fic where Shawn pesters Gus into coming out and dating him
The Swan Song of Detective Steve McGarrett by viciouswishes
When Gus Met Shawn (and She-Ra) by jesshelga
Christmas cartoon traditions and true love
The Magic Pineapple of Truth by hackthis
The Bitch Seat by hackthis
We'll Share a Seat on the Train by trascendenza
Pretty Much a Humperdinck by shrift (super late ETA: also written off one of my prompts)
commentfic by longsufferingly/chash
Het
Dancing on Air and Water by manicjoy
A snippet of Gus/Mira written for Porn Battle
More Recs and Stuff
ciderpress's Gus and Shawn and Gus/Shawn recs
Gus and Shawn and Gus/Shawn picspam by liviapenn
Gus/Shawn picspam by trascendenza
My Gus/Shawn love, let me share it by trascendenza
Shawn and Gus S1 appreciation picspam by goodnightsong
ETA: Also thingswithwings reminded me that there's going to be a Gus/Shawn ficathon at you_know_thats_right on Dreamwidth so come add to the list!
I am, as you will probably be able to tell from my recs, a diehard Gus/Shawn (and Gus and Shawn) fan. To paraphrase, "It starts with a Holla! And ends with a creamsicle. And if there's time in between--Thundercats! Ho!" Their love is so pop culture bantery and ridiculous and adorable and married and third grade and BFF-for-life. If you were ever a nerd who had a best friend who dragged you into shenanigans against your own better judgment (with your parents secretly praying that crazy boy/girl wouldn't ruin your life; they could screw around and come back from it but you couldn't), then you'll see what I mean. Gus is Mr. Responsible (he even supports Shawn financially and claims him on his taxes!) but Shawn and his crazy schemes and the fake psychic detective agency gig give him the chance to be a kid again and have fun. He's also way quirkier than he might seem on the surface and Shawn gets that and him. It's hard to talk about Gus without talking about them together but in this I want to focus mostly on moments and recs that show the different sides that Dule Hill (who is fabulous) and the show bring out in Gus.
Gus is super smart, a grammar nerd (his one rule for their secret club when they were kids was good grammar), a comics fan and pop culture maven, and an endless mine of trivia and odd information that helps solve cases. He is a pharmaceutical sales rep with career ladder aspirations and a 401K, responsible son, organized to a fault, kind of uptight, a sharp dresser, and not as smooth as he thinks he is. He's also convinced his nose has super powers (the Super Smeller!), is Mulder to Shawn's Scully about supernatural stuff, not-so-stealthy (as The Jackal), prone to screaming and running away (as is Shawn) but he'll stiff-upper-lip it to help solve crimes. He's not just a sidekick who keeps Shawn in check or rolls with his spastic "visions," crazy plans, and bizarre nicknames ("And this is my partner Ovaltine Jenkins") and admonishments ("Gus, don't be exactly half of an 11 pound black forest ham"). He's also the integral other half that makes Psych (and Shawn) function. Plus, he is not-so-secretly gleeful at getting into it with him and holds his boundaries with Shawn while having fun doing dumb stuff and being the best friend anyone could have. I love him to death.
Some Reasons to Love Gus by Selected Episodes (Spoilers for all seasons)
1.2 Spellingg Bee: How can you not love a guy who is a spelling bee groupie and who remembers his tragic defeat in a bee years ago?
1.6 Weekend Warriors: This ep is set at a Civil War reenactment and one of the things I love about it is the conversation Shawn and Gus have about dressing up and sneaking into the regiment.
"Gus: Not in a thousand years.
Shawn: Dude, we are joining that regiment.
Gus: No, we’re not.
Shawn: They’re down to thirty guys.
Gus: Please, I have a meeting in…
Shawn: And this mystery is still wide open. Gus, think about it. Camping out under the stars. Living history. Eating beans and rotten meat with men who reek of valor.
Gus: There is just one thing you haven’t considered in this perfect scenario of yours, Shawn.
Shawn: That’s not true. I’ve considered everything.
Gus: Really? And what role would I play in this production of yours?
Shawn: I don’t…what do you…
Gus: What role would I play in the midst of all those hardcore down-to-the-last detail Civil War re-enactors? Would I be…
Shawn: No. Gus. No!
Gus: Okay, then maybe would I be…
Shawn: Never. Who are you talking to? You’re talking to me. This is me.
Gus: Then what, Shawn? What would I be? Because I tell you, there is no way, no way, that I would ever, never ever…
Shawn raises his hand to stop Gus from rambling.
Shawn: May I please tell you what I was thinking?
Gus: What?
Shawn: I was thinking Glory. I was thinking Denzel.
Gus: Did you just say Denzel? As in Denzel Washington?
Shawn: No, the other Denzel. Of course, and we’ll put you on a horse, and we’ll give you your own sword. You are a chestful of medals. You can be anything you want. You can be a pilot.
Gus: The Air Force wasn’t formed until World War I.
Shawn: That’s fair. So, you can’t be a pilot. Look, I called Mr. Mahoney, he’s Mr. Uniform, and I told him to make you something spectacular.
Gus: Denzel Washington!"
--transcription from episodeguides.blogspot.com
The Civil War riff also shows up again briefly in 2.16 Shawn (and Gus) of the Dead, when they have a Confederate flag discussion
Gus' nerdiness is often ragged on by the show but in an affectionate manner, which 1.8 Shawn vs. The Red Phantom shows. The whole episode is set at fake-Comic Con and Gus first tries to hide and then stands up to Shawn about his fannishness, which helps them work the case.
"Gus: I hear this movie’s going to bomb.
Man on PA: Check one. Check two.
Gus: Too bad. I kind of dug the Red Phantom.
Shawn: You haven’t even seen the trailer. You already hate it. How’s that possible?
Gus: Fortress of Attitude.
Shawn: What did you just say to me?
Gus: Fortress of Attitude. It’s this site that reviews movies based on comic books. The Malcontent, the guy who runs it, says he already saw a thirty-minute presentation here at the convention. He blazed it online.
Shawn: Can’t you just look at porn on the net like every other guy and his brother?
Gus: Everybody reads his blog.
Shawn: No. Not everybody.
Gus: Everybody here does, Shawn. And you know what? I don’t care what you think. So, why don’t you let me do the talking here at the convention, and try not to embarrass me. This is my turf. And yes, I know the guy in the codpiece. His name is Dave, and he’s a very nice guy.
Gus walks away.
Shawn: Snap."
--transcription from episodeguides.blogspot.com
Black geeks FTW!
Dule Hill's Michael Jackson impression in 2.1 American Duos is complete and total love. In a complete failure of YouTube, I cannot find the actual performance. YouTube only gives me everything but the relevant scene but here you go:
And just for fun, the "invisible against the wall" clip from that same ep that always makes me laugh.
2.4 Zero to Murder in Sixty Seconds: I already loved the show but it was cemented with the DWB scene and the commentary they did here and later with the suspect for the ep.
In 2.6 Meat is Murder, but Murder Is Also Murder, we first meet a Guster family member (played with loveable crankiness by John Amos) and Gus pretends to be psychic to impress him. This won't be the first instance of Gus both trying to please his family and standing up to them. In later eps of the season, we meet the whole Guster family, whom I also love to death. After all of Shawn and his dad's issues, it's nice to see the super nuclear Guster family. They have their own problems but they clearly love each other. Gus's parents (played brilliantly by Ernie Hudson and Phylicia Rashad) baby him too much and don't necessarily approve of Shawn and his antics but Gus takes a stand in 2.10 Gus's Dad may Have Killed an Old Guy and tells them he's all grown up and defends Shawn. Later, in 3.9 Christmas Joy, we meet Gus's sister who has secretly dated Shawn. I adore this entire episode so if I started picking things out, we'd be here forever. Let's just say it's a great look at Gus' background and his family and the bond between them all and go watch it! In 2.11 There's Something about Mira, we (and Shawn) learn that Gus is as capable of crazy antics and romance as anyone. Plus there's a priceless scene of Gus in a sweater vest "dancing" to early 90's music and Kerry Washington and Telma Hopkins show up in this ep and are fabulous.
In 4.7 High Top Fade Out (link to full ep on Hulu; limited time), we get more of Gus's backstory when they have to solve the murder of one of Gus's old college a capella singing group friends. Boyz II Men did a version of the Psych theme song and Jaleel White, Kenan Thompson and Tony Todd show up. There is a video with hammer pants! Gus as ladies' man makes an appearance, as he sometimes does (seriously not as smooth as he thinks he is). But best of all, we see a bit of Gus's life without Shawn and how seriously he takes friendship. Also, this episode slips in some social commentary in an organic way.
Throughout the series, we see how integral Gus is to Shawn. Rather than just being a sidekick, he's what makes everything possible. In 2.15 Black & Tan, Shawn and Gus pose as a modeling team, Black and Tan (Shawn is Black and Gus is Tan), and we see how much Gus drives their relationship and how lost Shawn is without him, which is a recurring theme. Plus, Gus, who is rarely physical, gets to smack the hell out of a jerky model with a pillow. In 3.1 Ghosts, we get to see Gus's job (and Stiffupperlip!Gus makes an appearance). We also see how important Gus is to Shawn and Psych when Shawn goes to extraordinary lengths to keep Gus when Gus's job makes him quit the agency. Some other favorites are 3.2 Murder?. . .Anyone?. . .Anyone?. . . Bueller? where Shawn's high school ex assumes Shawn and Gus are together and Shawn tells his whole high school reunion how much Gus means to him and 3.8 Gus Walks into a Bank where Shawn again does everything he can to make sure Gus is safe (and hugs him). Plus, in the outro, we see Shawn telling Gus how hot he is--"Sidney Poitier on a hot day"--and Gus doing the adorable little "I'm so sexy" swagger he does and quoting the "They call me Mr. Tibbs" line. Oh, and in 3.16 An Evening with Mr. Yang, they switch up and Gus goes to embarrassing lengths to help Shawn out and then crashes his date. These are just the tip of the iceberg.
I know I've missed stuff but this is already terribly long. Feel free to add stuff in comments. In conclusion, Gus!!!!
Gen
"White" and Nerdy by talitha78
Download at talitha78's livejournal or stream on YouTube.
My hands-down favorite Gus work of all time. It is, as she says, "A Gus vid that subverts the trope of white and nerdy." It is so true and completely hilarious. Money Maker: The Economics of Race and Sexuality in U.S. Mainstream Media is also great.
Burton Guster vs. The Robot Menace by thingswithwings
Young Gus is convinced Shawn is a robot
Sorting is Serious Business by kattahj
I adore this story about Gus' organizing schemes
Liberty Challenged by angelgazing
Shawn is always getting Gus into trouble. Has he ever thought of getting another BFF? In a similar vein is, A Thousand Miles From Graceland by Gatekeeper
Yes Shawn, There is a Santa Claus by Nicole DAnnais
Sweet Christmas fic with young Gus and Shawn
Deck the Halls with Glowing Deer by Sineala
Christmas case fic with older Gus and Shawn
sweet, sweet pineapple by oxoniensis
Gus--not a pushover! Full disclosure: written in part for my prompt
Less Traveled By by everysecondtuesday/tuesdayfic
I almost didn't rec this one because Psych is my happy place and this story was angsty for me. But it gives us Gus in a crossover AU where Psych never happened. WARNING: character death
There Are No Small Cases, Just Small Psychics (And Gusters) by nixa jane/laytoncolt
Gus/Shawn
Gus Goes For the Gold Star by Liviapenn
Gus Does Yuletide! Absolutely awesome.
Nine True Facts about Gus and Shawn, Detectives/Boyfriends by Kyra Cullinan
Sweet established relationship fic
Head Wounds Are Only Part of the Package by everysecondtues
Everysecondtuesday has other good Gus/Shawn fic but this is my favorite
The Curious Case of That Time with the Thing by giddygeek
When Gus gets hurt, Shawn gets protective
What's the Story, Morning Glory? by liviapenn
Angsty pre-series fic from Gus's POV
Growing Pains by thingswithwings
"It's a perfectly valid erotic identity, Shawn!" Gus slowly realizes some things about his identity and his relationship with Shawn. I love this fic a lot.
There's a whole bunch of fic where Shawn pesters Gus into coming out and dating him
The Swan Song of Detective Steve McGarrett by viciouswishes
When Gus Met Shawn (and She-Ra) by jesshelga
Christmas cartoon traditions and true love
The Magic Pineapple of Truth by hackthis
The Bitch Seat by hackthis
We'll Share a Seat on the Train by trascendenza
Pretty Much a Humperdinck by shrift (super late ETA: also written off one of my prompts)
commentfic by longsufferingly/chash
Het
Dancing on Air and Water by manicjoy
A snippet of Gus/Mira written for Porn Battle
More Recs and Stuff
ciderpress's Gus and Shawn and Gus/Shawn recs
Gus and Shawn and Gus/Shawn picspam by liviapenn
Gus/Shawn picspam by trascendenza
My Gus/Shawn love, let me share it by trascendenza
Shawn and Gus S1 appreciation picspam by goodnightsong
ETA: Also thingswithwings reminded me that there's going to be a Gus/Shawn ficathon at you_know_thats_right on Dreamwidth so come add to the list!