Last night's episode of In Plain Sight just plain rocked.
The show, which stars Mary McCormack as Mary Shannon, a U.S. marshal who relocates people in the Witness Protection Program, first seemed like one of those cable action dramas that are long on plot but short on realism. But last night, we had a chance to see how shattering the idea of going into witness protection really would be.
In "Iris Doesn't Live Here Anymore," a girl from a wealthy, well-established family witnesses a gang shooting, which in turn puts her own life in danger. As a result, her family learns that in order to stay together they'll have to be completely uprooted -- within a matter of hours, they'll gather a few belongings, take off to an unfamiliar city, and leave everything and everyone they know behind for good. The idea is hard on all of them, but especially on the girl's father, a successful doctor who not only has to give up his own practice, but learns he can't even be an OB-GYN anymore. This part was well-written, well-acted, and just well-executed all around.
What's more, the interaction between Mary and her partner Marshall (yes, Marshall the marshal) was even funnier than usual. . . and he got to have some take-charge moments himself for a change. Even the subplot involving Mary's family, often an annoying distraction, was more engaging than usual, as hot-but-troubled younger sister Brandi began falling for Mary's disabled-athlete boyfriend. (Just wondering: Has there ever been a young-adult sister on a TV drama who wasn't hot but troubled?)
Sure, we had some quibbles -- the doctor's egotism and selfishness went beyond the point of believability, just so he could "learn his lesson" in the end. And as so often happens, a key plot point was telegraphed half an hour before it should have been. But so what? If things keep up this way, The Closer (whose new season starts tonight on TNT) has a rival for the best cable cop drama of the summer.
The episode will repeat throughout the week; afterward, you can watch it online here.
Photo: USA Network
Previously:
In Plain Sight: The Text Message Review
