"Psych:" Out, or In?

“Psych,� a new USA crime-dramedy debuting Friday, July 7, concerns a flip, aimless guy with amazing powers of detection that he convinces the Santa Barbara Police Department comes from psychic abilities he clearly does not have. Nonetheless, the cops are duped into recruiting him to solve vexing crimes. Starring James roday, Dule Hill and Corbin Bernsen, “Psych’s� buoyantly, cheekily amusing.

As gratifying as it is to have a show that craps mirthfully all over serious psychic shows like “Medium� and “Ghost Whisperer,� it’s even more gratifying to report that USA has found the perfect companion to its other winning cop comedy, “Monk.�

Anyway, as a promotional item for the series, USA sent critics a fat, 4�-by-4� book entitled “The Book of Answers,� which is essentially a more expansive Magic 8-Ball, whose word-count-to-page-count ratio is disturbingly low and no doubt is responsible for the gratuitous and unnecessary deaths of many trees.

Here’s how it works: You ask the book a question, then open a page at random for your answer. So I decided to test it out with a series of questions about “Psych� itself:

Q: “Psych’s� pilot is certainly entertaining; can the show maintain that level of quality?
“Book of Answers:� “THE ANSWER IS IN YOUR BACKYARD.� (Note: I don’t have a backyard.)

Q: Will “Psych� be a hit for USA?
“Book of Answers:� “IT WILL CREATE A STIR.�

Q: Will “Psych� enter the pantheon of great television?
“Book of Answers:� “A YEAR FROM NOW IT WON’T MATTER.�

Q: Dule Hill had a sort of boring role on “The West Wing;� on basic cable, he’s being given a chance to be kind of funny. Is swapping a high-profile gig for a potentially more rewarding job on a show that’ll likely draw fewer viewers a good bet for him?
“Book of Answers:� “YOU WILL NEED TO ACCOMMODATE.�

Q: Will “Psych� receive any awards nominations?
“Book of Answers:� “BE PRACTICAL.�

Q: “Monk,� in its first season, scored good ratings when ABC aired it. Since USA is owned by NBC, which is in as dire need of viewers as ABC was when it grabbed “Monk� from USA – and, in fact, now owns USA – could NBC use “Psych� to boost its anemic ratings?
“Book of Answers:� “IT’LL COST YOU.�

Q: Is Corbin Bernsen as disagreeable as his character? He sure seemed so on “Celebrity Mole.�
“Book of Answers:� “DEFINITELY.�

Hmm, for the most part, this seems to be working pretty well. Perhaps I should expand my line of questioning.

Q: Will NBC do better next season?
“Book of Answers:� “THE SITUATION IS UNCLEAR.�

Q: Is “The Book of Answers� (Hyperion, $9.95) worth the money?
“Book of Answers:� “TRY A MORE UNLIKELY SOLUTION.�

Q: Will owning “The Book of Answers� impress members of the opposite sex?
“Book of Answers:� “THE OUTCOME WILL BE POSITIVE.�

Q: No. Seriously?
“Book of Answers:� “WATCH AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.�

Q: Will things work out for America in Iraq?
“Book of Answers:� “IF YOU DO AS YOU’RE TOLD.�

Q: Is there a God?
“Book of Answers:� “WAIT FOR A BETTER OFFER.�