In Plain Sight seems like an apropos name for a show that hides people in the Federal Witness Protection Program in, well, plain sight. But, it's also fitting for a show that hides elements from other shows in, yes you guessed it, plain sight. See, much like the witnesses that Mary is charged with hiding and protecting after they turn state's evidence, this new series hides a few cliches, characterizations, and hooks under the guise of originality it's seeking to accomplish. It's not that In Plain Sight is a bad show or even a lousy entry into the over-crowded crime drama field. It just doesn't have enough innovation to make it memorable. Sure, the premise is different from your run-of-the-mill cops and robbers series, but the protagonist isn't. She's a been-there- done-that female cop (in this case, U.S. Marshall) with plenty of attitude and spunk who comes complete with family issues (thanks to a flighty mom and a nothing-but-trouble little sister) and commitment issues. And, she has a chip the size of Texas on her shoulder. Think Lilly Rush before she had the life sucked out of her.
All of this should make me dislike this show, but it doesn't. It took me about 3/4 of the way through the series premiere to get into it, but by the end, I was intrigued enough to give it a try for the rest of the summer. Navigating the dicey waters of witness protection, the original setting, and the charm of series star Mary McCormack are enough to keep me watching this light, summer fare. After all, what else am I going to watch on Sunday nights now that Lilly Rush is on summer vacation?In Plain Sight airs Sunday nights on USA Network. If you missed this week's premiere, check it out for free at Hulu.com.
2 comments:
I have to say I liked this show. It was a little in your face at first (which I write off to trying to cram A LOT into the pilot ep to set-up the whole character and/or series), but I was really impressed with the rapid fire dialogue - some seriously quick wit/banter back and forth (which I always enjoy). It kinda reminded me of The West Wing in a sense. On that show, there was always so much going on between the characters - and so quickly - that you really had to listen to catch all of the clever 1-2s. Ironic Mary McCormack was on The West Wing for a time.
It seems some of the reviews for this show aim to compare it to The Closer and Saving Grace. It's easy to do given the obvious strong female crime fighter lead. But I have to say I found it to be anything BUT similar to The Closer. To me, there's a certain finesse and cleverness to that show whereby it does not rely on being so "raw" (if that makes sense). However, I did find the Saving Grace comparison hard to ignore.
Still, In Plain Sight did not seem so over the top. My issue with Grace has always been that it goes way too far with its portrayal of Grace's hard life and reckless abandon for just about everything, and thus, you end up not caring one way or the other if she is supposedly "saved" by her angel. Moreover, they just recycle the same premise every single episode (as in, she goes nowhere, doesn't believe, doesn't care). Yet, in one episode of Sight, I saw Mary change colors multiple times, and thus, found her much more compelling and/or relatable.
Looking forward to seeing how the show plays out (plus, I know nothing about Witness Protection, so it is even more interesting!)
Also liked the voice over narration ... a la Dexter. ;)
I completely agree with you about the lack of similarities to The Closer and more obvious comparison to Grace. But like you, I see Grace as a stagnant character devoid of redeemable characteristics whereas Mary is kinda fun (thanks to the spunk) and she seems to grow through her charges. Much better character IMO.
I'm looking forward to seeing where the show goes.
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