As we mentioned not too long ago, USA Network's In Plain Sight works best when it's about the inner workings of the witness-protection program. Or when U.S. Marshals Mary and Marshall, played by cool hottie Mary McCormack and deadpan-funny Fred Weller, have to hunt down all manner of quirky bad guys. It's at its worst, on the other hand, when dealing with Mary's too-close family -- mom "Jinx" (played by the usually great Lesley Ann Warren, whose flibbertigibbet act here wears thin quickly) and gorgeous-yet-troubled sis Brandi.
So guess which part this week's big season finale was about?
In the past couple of episodes, the ridiculous subplot about Brandi's drug deal finally came to a head. In order to earn her boyfriend's love (or simply because she's an idiot), Brandi agreed to sell a suitcase full of enough crystal meth to fuel an army of biker gangs for a decade. The exchange goes bad, of course, and in the end Brandi still has the drugs and a couple of FBI agents have been killed.
Last week, in a violent episode that was entirely out of character with the show's usual light tone, we got to see the drug dealers kidnap Mary, chain her up, threaten to rape her and nearly shoot her. This week, we get the upshot of all that -- which, to be clear, was entirely Brandi's fault. But instead of focusing on the topic of how Brandi almost got Mary killed, the three women have one of those endless arguments about their roles in the family dynamics. At this point, does anyone really care that Mary has a better handle on her finances than the other two?
After a whole lot of this talk, Mary sides with Brandi against the FBI agent who wants to see her convicted for the role she played in the whole mess. And we're supposed to as well -- the fed comes off as mean for no reason, while we're still intended to feel protective of the poor li'l hottie. Except that she did it -- she took part in a criminal enterprise in which two FBI agents were killed. And yet the show clearly wants us to root for her not to be punished in any way.
Then Mary tries to hide the drugs, which makes her a criminal too. So how are we supposed to take her seriously as a law-enforcement officer after this? She gets away with a lot on the job, but that's a bit much.
In the end, it's Mary's ballplayer boyfriend Rafe who manages to to get rid of the meth, and the whole thing is treated as a joke. (He apparently adds it to the powder that makes white lines on the baseball field.) So, happy ending, yay?
Here's the main problem: This show simply doesn't know what it wants to be. Is it dark or light, serious or funny? (You can be both, but there are limits.) Is it about the witness-protection program or not? And how far can Mary bend the rules until she isn't a good guy anymore?
Let's hope the writers have figured out some answers before the next season begins.
Photo: USA Network
Previously:
In Plain Sight Is Finally Getting Good
In Plain Sight: The Text Message Review
