Carlton Lassiter

Infobox character | name = Carlton Lassiter
series = "Psych"


caption = Timothy Omundson as Carlton Lassiter
first = Pilot
last =
cause =
nickname = Booker (mother), Lassie (Shawn)
species =
gender = Male
age = 30s
occupation = Santa Barbara Police Head Detective
title =
family = Victoria (wife, separated)
children =
relatives = Mother, older sister, Peter (nephew), brother
portrayer = Timothy Omundson
creator = Steve Franks and Andy Berman

Head Detective Carlton Lassiter is a character in the American dramedy "Psych" played by Timothy Omundson.

Fictional biography

Carlton Lassiter is a ten-year veteran of the Santa Barbara Police Department, and the youngest Head Detective ever named to the force. According to Lassiter's blog, which is written by actor Timothy Omundson, he was a close friend of the former Santa Barbara police chief, who led him to enroll in the police academy during a "dangerous point" in Lassiter's youth. [Omundson, Timothy (July 7, 2006). [http://www.usanetwork.com/series/psych/blogs/lassiter01.html Lassiter Blog: Hey Carnack, Guess What I'm Thinking!] "USA Network". Retrieved on 2007-12-31.]

Upon his first appearance in the series pilot, Lassiter is said to be five months into a trial separation from his wife, Victoria, although he later, when drunk, confesses that they have in fact been separated for two years. ["Psych", Episode 1.10: "From the Earth to Starbucks". Original airdate: January 26, 2007.] Part of their marriage troubles appears to stem from a disagreement over the matter of children. Lassiter says his wife believes that he does not want children, although this is not the case. ["Psych", Episode 1.08: Shawn vs. the Red Phantom". Original airdate: August 25, 2006.] Omundson says that, despite Lassiter's long estrangement from his wife, it would likely be very hard for him admit that the marriage is over because "that means admitting failure, and Lassiter will never admit to failure." [Omundson, Timothy. [http://video.usanetwork.com/player/?id=137109 Failed Marriage] . "USA Network". Retrieved on 2007-12-31.] During the pilot, Lassiter is involved in a secret romance with his partner, Detective Lucinda Barry; however, soon after Shawn Spencer correctly determines the nature of their relationship, Barry is transferred and the affair appears to have ended. She is replaced by Junior Detective Juliet O'Hara.

Characteristics

He generally distrusts Shawn and does not believe that he is psychic as he claims to be, but has come to have a grudging respect for his investigational skill, something he admits in one episode while drunk. Omundson describes his character's animosity towards Shawn as stemming from the fact that, while Lassiter has worked hard to climb the chain of command and become good at his job, Shawn seems able to "sort of skip his way into his world and start getting successful at it without paying any of the dues," and "on a personal level, any time a Converse wearing, jeans wearing, unshaven little slacker boy comes in and starts messing with his domain it is going to piss him off. It's all Alpha male territory." [Steinberg, Jamie. [http://www.fanpop.com/external/21815 Interview: Timothy Omundson] . "Fanpop". Retrieved on 2007-12-31.] He says that while Shawn and Gus' increasing presence in police investigations is a great annoyance to Lassiter, "I think, secretly, he doesn't mind them too much because it always gives him a nice challenge." [Omundson, Timothy. [http://video.usanetwork.com/player/?id=137103 Relationships] . "USA Network". Retrieved on 2007-12-31.]

References