"Psych's" Christmas episode allows me to recycle huge chunks of my "Monk" Christmas-episode review

It may not surprise longtime readers of this blog to discover that I'm not a huge fan of holiday episodes of ongoing series, albeit for reasons they may not expect: Said episodes force shows to indulge in a sentimentality and spirit of uplift that they may not otherwise ordinarily truck in, making it all seem all the more forced and phony.

Additionally, I don't watch "Psych" all that often these days, though I will watch whenever a screener traverses my doorstep, and generally I'll be entertained.

But then, sometimes there's an episode like this one - the holiday episode, surprise surprise.

We'll make this one quick - a scam artist masquerading as Santa Claus and targeting holiday revelers is unnerved when his partner is killed. Shawn (James Roday) is unnerved when Gus's (Dulé Hill) sister Joy (Faune Chambers) comes to visit for the holidays, because they're hot for one another and that would threaten the user-friendly gay subtext within Shawn and Gus's camaraderie.

(Shawn doesn't want to hit that - perhaps he's seen her turns in "White Chicks" and "Epic Movie.")

Gus's parents - who figured into last season's Christmas episode - are unnerved because they're withholding big secrets from one another than could put a decisive end to the seasonal cheer. And I'm unnerved because I have to watch this through to the conclusion.

Actually, "Psych's" holiday episode this year is a smidgen better than "Monk's." Neither, however, is up to the shows' usual standards unless you've been hitting the eggnog and brandy with a vengeance.

- "Psych:" 10 p.m. Friday, USA Network.