Psych 2: The True Story Behind Lassiter’s Stroke Explained

Lassiter’s stroke in Psych 2: Lassie Come Home was actually written around the real-life medical situation of the actor that plays him, Timothy Omundson. Carlton Lassiter, one of the main characters through all eight seasons on Psych, was stuck in a hospital for the entire movie and was, unfortunately, unable to participate in the action.

After serving as the head detective of the SBPD for several years, Lassiter was promoted by the mayor to Chief of Police toward the end of season 8. Lassiter was featured in a cameo in the 2017 reunion film, Psych: The Movie, where he spoke with Juliet (Maggie Lawson) on a video call. He returned in a much more prominent role in the sequel, Psych 2: Lassie Come Home, which just launched on NBC’s new streaming platform, Peacock. The movie revolved around the main characters returning to Santa Barbara to help Lassiter, who was shot several times by a mysterious assailant. To make matters worse, Lassiter suffered a stroke.

Lassiter’s story in Psych 2: Lassie Come Home was built around what was really going on with Omundson. In April 2017, the 47-year-old actor had what he called a “massive” stroke that was so serious that he nearly died [via TV Guide]. It happened shortly before filming for Psych: The Movie, which is why he only had a cameo in that film; he was recovering when his scene was shot. According to Omundson, the stroke put him in a wheelchair for months, and for a long time, he didn’t know if and when he would walk again. It was a long recovery; in November 2019, Omundson tweeted that he had just walked for his first red carpet appearance since the stroke. Omundson has credited members of the Psych cast and crew for helping to regain his confidence and getting him back on his feet.

For both Lassie Come Home and his other show, This Is Us, Omundson’s stroke was written into the story. In the case of Lassie Come Home, Psych creator Steve Franks decided to build the movie on Lassiter’s disability. By having Lassiter get shot multiple times, Psych 2 provided a story-related reason for why Lassiter only stood up once the entire movie. The film took that a step further by revealing that Lassiter, too, had suffered from a stroke (on top of his gunshot wounds).

Adding the stroke to the movie and making it the basis for Lassiter’s arc amounted to a nice touch. It helped Psych 2: Lassie Come Home deliver an emotional story that reflected the actor’s own struggles with the difficulties of recovery and relearning how to walk. It culminated in a scene where Lassiter had to muster the strength to help beat the villain. After it was all over, Shawn (James Roday) and Gus (Dulé Hill) were watching when Lassiter stood up and walked to embrace his wife, Marlowe (Kristy Swanson). It was easily one of Psych’s most powerful moments yet.

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