Back to the tube tonight is USA’s In Plain Sight, which kicks off its second season. If you’re not familiar with the show, IPS is all about the Witness Protection Program and follows Mary Shannon (Mary McCormack), who is tasked with helping people find new identities.
The show is somewhat off the same template as fellow USA drama Burn Notice, serving up great procedural action and smart jocularity. And it’s worth mentioning that IPS was the number one new original cable series of 2008.
Last we saw of Mary, she got herself into one heck of a jam. Her irresponsible sister Brandi got caught up with the wrong crowd (her boyfriend got her mixed up in a drug deal) and this resulted in Mary being kidnapped. Not only that, Mary was put on administrative leave when her federal friends found out the drug deal had been orchestrated from her place.
This season starts off with and episode titled “Gilted Lily.” Mary is still on “AL,” as her boss Stan (Paul Ben-Victor) refers to it and Mary seems to be coming apart at the seams. She’s suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder from the kidnapping. What’s pushing her even closer to the edge is the fact that one of her witnesses is discovered dead and she’s forced to the sidelines by Stan, who gives it to her laid-back partner Marshall (Frederick Weller). Not that things needed to be even more interesting, Stan has also hired a new administrative assistant who is sure to clash with Mary all season long.
IPS owes all its ability to captivate to the strength of McCormack in the role. The stark contrast between her zest for her job and the dysfunction of her family makes for a good tug of war for viewers to watch. And fittingly, this double-life serves as the perfect metaphor of the lives of those she’s protecting.
The new season on In Plain Sight premieres tonight at 10/9c on USA Network.
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