It's Complicated

This week, In Plain Sight wrapped up its third season, and now that it's over, I can officially proclaim it uneven.  There were great moments and then there was the terrible decision to have Mary and Marshall work separate cases for more than one episode this season.  If nothing else, I hope the show gets constructive feedback on that decision and abandons it next season.  But I digress.  This week, we have an interesting finale to discuss.  There was a shoot-out, a priest on the run, Marshall getting this close to pouring out his heart and Mary leaving us all shocked at the end.

Happy Reunions

I have so much love for this week's episode of In Plain Sight!  It's my pick for best of the season thus far.  Maybe it was the simple fact that Mary and Marshall were working together on the same case at the same time, or maybe, that was just the icing on the cake.  Of course watching them together reminded me once again how we've been cheated this season with them working separately, but I didn't care because I was so excited to have them together again.  I watched most of the episode with my fingers crossed because I kept worrying that Marshall was going to get pulled to that other minor story involving the tip-happy witness that no one wanted to help.  Thankfully, Charlie saved us all by taking an interest in that witness and stumbling upon a shocking discovery.  But the thing that made this episode stand out was the story surrounding the witness-of-the-week.  It was an emotional ride that had me hooked from that first moment outside the library until the warmed-even-Mary's-heart ending.

'Plain' Old Truth

Who would have thought that Mary would find herself in her latest witness?  The woman, Judy, had Asberger's (it must be the special needs du jour for the TV world) and Mary was told to handle her with kid gloves, no sarcasm, and to keep everything fair.  So basically, she couldn't be her usual sarcastic, hard truth self.  After taking this advice for most of the hour, Mary finally ditched it and decided to be herself and let Judy know what was really at stake no matter how hard it was to take.  It worked, and the realization allowed Mary to see that she and Judy aren't that different.  Mary likes the truth -- not sugar-coated or twisted -- just the straight truth.  She doesn't appreciate BS and doesn't want people shielding her from the hard truth.  It was an interesting parallel and made for an excellent story line. Despite the great Mary story, there was still one downer about this episode and it's the same downer that has been hanging over the show most of this season.

A Friend Indeed

In Plain Sight is not supposed to be sad!  Mary's biting and charming wit is supposed to be cracking me up on Wednesday nights.  Instead, her tears were causing my own eyes to well up there at the end.  Having said that, it was nice to see the show's more emotional side this week.  We're used to seeing it employed for Mary's personal story, but this episode's sadder notes dealt with the witness-of-the-week.  Learning that Mia was dying from a terminal brain tumor certainly put a damper on things both logistically and emotionally.  The prosecutor dropped her testimony and WITSEC sent her on her way, but Mary wasn't willing to leave her out in the cold.  Mary always cares about her witnesses, but this one was special and she left a huge impact on Mary's life.  Maybe that's why the ending was just so darn sad.

'Sight's' Daddy Issues

Marshall's brand-new fancy cowboy boots: a lot of money.  Putting a young witness through boarding school: even more money.  Mary working with Marshall and his father: PRICELESS!!  The pleasure she took in watching the Mann men interact was just too good to be missed.  But it didn't stop there, Mary thoroughly enjoyed and took advantage of every moment she got to be a part of this family unit.  It wasn't all fun and games, though, as Mary soon discovered that Marshall and his father have very different ideas on how to deal with criminals.  And that difference came to a head over one of Marshall's witnesses and his young, troubled girlfriend.

Love in 'Sight?'

Well, isn't Agent Faber the sly devil!  He comes into town with a witness who is in need of a WITSEC agent and sticks around long enough to woo Mary with a picture of his 11-year old son and a bottle of wine.  When she politely (and awkwardly) declines, he shows up one last time on her doorstep on his way out of town and gets a little dash of hope before hitting the road back to Denver.  "I'd like that" -- three little words that Faber can take with him in hopes that one day when his timing doesn't suck, he might have a chance with Mary.  So, it wasn't exactly a Nora Ephron workplace romantic comedy where witty dialog leads to romance, but in the end, Mary sorta-kinda warmed up to Faber.  Meanwhile, she had a witness problem that seemed to go from bad to worse.

Fishy 'Sight'

Things certainly took an interesting turn on In Plain Sight with the WITSEC witness-of-the-week!  I'm used to Mary and Marshall protecting innocent people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time or people who used to be bad, but are now reformed.  This week, though, was a whole new ball game.  I'm so glad the show decided to go down this road.  It has to happen from time to time in real life, so it was interesting to watch how Mary and Marshall, WITSEC - fictional division, handled it.  Of course, I doubt there's much Mary can't handle with her job (her life, however, is a completely different story -- more on that later).  So, what happens when the person you're suppose to be protecting suddenly becomes the person you need to protect someone else from?  If you're Mary, you do whatever it takes to prevent a tragedy.  With only seconds to spare, she took a HUGE risk to save an innocent woman's life.

FBI on 'Sight'

USA Network has been using the "Characters Welcome" slogan for a few years and it has always been apropos for a network that has given us Shawn and Gus on Psych, every character from the since canceled The 4400, and of course, Mary Shannon of the U.S. Marshal service (WITSEC division) from In Plain Sight.  But this week, one tiny scene with one tiny moment (that, ironically, dealt with a lack of dialogue) proved why making "Characters Welcome" on your shows is so important.  Sure, the story surrounding the witness-of-the-week is usually interesting, but it is the characters that keep us coming back each week.  And there is no other character on TV quite like Mary.  I'm pretty sure they broke the mold after they made her.  This is what makes her fascinating (you never know what she's going to say next), but it's the more sullen moments that make her sympathetic and relatable.  Watching Marshall trying to keep up with her while simultaneously attempting to hide his very real feelings for her is always fun, but I don't think I've ever seen him unable to say anything at all.  He was completely vocally impotent for an awkwardly long pause.

The End in 'Sight'

I think this post is going to make me unpopular in the In Plain Sight community (unpopular in two separate fandoms within the same week -- must be a new record).  Something happened this week that needed to happen a long time ago.  Something that better stay as it is now and not go back to the way it was when the episode started.  Something, while sad, will be the best thing to happen to Mary's personal life in a long time.  It had nothing to do with the witness-of-the-week or Mary's co-workers, but it was the biggest thing of the hour.  And they went and snuck it in there right at the end, so now we've been left to stew over it ever since.  So, what is the enormous elephant in the room for this week's post?  It involves Mary, her future and finally getting it right.  That's a lot for one event, but this one was big enough to pull it all off.

Hind 'Sight'

I know the premiere was over a week ago, but last week's trip down memory lane has me feeling like In Plain Sight is really back.  The show didn't waste too much time putting Mary back in the fold after she was shot in last season's finale and Marshall complete his quest to find the party responsible.  So this past week's episode moved forward, er backward, in the always-intriguing world of WITSEC.  And just for fun, we also got another West Wing alum: Allison Janney.  This episode was stuffed with that trademark Mary sense of humor that makes this show so great.  It was comforting to know that she was just as sarcastic the day she met Marshall as she is today and that their bond has strengthened over the years.  Of course, it had no place to go other than to be made stronger because they weren't exactly buddies when Mary met Marshall.

In-'Sight'-ful Season Ender

According to In Plain Sight's outgoing showrunner David Maples, this week's episode of the hit series was not intended to be the finale. He told E! Online's Watch with Kristin that he had intended for last night's outing to be the second to last episode and the conclusion to be the finale, but creative differences with the network led to his departure and a bit of a re-work for the end of the season leaving all of us in the lurch until spring. Of course, I'm not worried about Mary (Cold Case already played this trick on me with Lilly), but I am curious to see how the show writes itself out of Mary being unconscious and facing the possibility of some brain damage and how they're going to proceed with the Marshall/Mary/Raph/Brandi love situation (square?). And with the departure of Maples, means the show is transferring to someone else's hands. This makes me a little nervous, especially since I think the show is coming off of it's strongest season. But, as How I Met Your Mother's Marshall would say, that's a problem for Future TVFan to worry about because it isn't happening until next year. Let's just stick to the episode that was and how it worked as the second season finale. As much as I dislike cliffhangers, I have to agree with the network in that they work better for a finale. I'm not sure, however, how I feel about using this device when the show is off the air for 8-10 months in between seasons. My life is jam-packed and I'm not going to be as invested in Mary and co. next spring as I am right now, which may make the conclusion feel a little heavy-handed. We'll just have to see.

I kinda knew what was coming with this story line -- I just didn't know how it was going to go down. Even though I knew, I still thought the actual shooting was pretty shocking. Maybe it has to do with what Marshall and Stan said: you never worry about Mary because she always seems like she's the stronger contender, like she always has the upper hand even when she shouldn't. And the truth is, she did this time too. Someone sucker-punched her while she was making sure Det. Dershowitz wasn't ambushed and also maintaining a safety net for her witness. It's hard to imagine the mighty Mary being felled by something as small as a single bullet, but then again, nobody is a match for gun powder and lead.

There were more allusions to Marshall's feelings for Mary this week. His full-fledged waterworks when he saw her on that stretcher and his "primal instincts" to find the person responsible and make them pay (as well as his "loved ones" discussion with Raph) drove it home. Both of which could easily be interpreted as friendship and his close relationship with his partner until you take a few weeks ago into consideration. As I said, I'm not worried about Mary -- I know she'll pull through. The real cliffhanger is whether or not Marshall will if Mary ultimately ends up with Raph. Next season suddenly began to feel a little further away.

In Plain Sight will return next spring on USA Network. If you missed this week's finale, check it out for free at Hulu.com. And for more on the show, visit USANetwork.com.

A Not So 'Plain' Witness

"Well that's a new one. We gave a fake identity to a man who already had one!" Marshall Mann

That pretty much sums up this week's intriguing episode. When Phillip (a.k.a. Roy) said that he and his good friend looked "so much alike," I had that sinking feeling that Phillip was really Roy, but I waited for it to play out. This explains why Roy, a lowly commoner from West Virginia, was so concerned about ripping people off and why that concern motivated him to turn against his associates and go into WITSEC. The real Phillip Ashmore may not have been as sympathetic to the common man. If nothing else, Roy did give Phillip a nice legacy and he certainly mastered that British accent! Of course, you have to wonder about a family that has one brother who's pretending to be a member of an important British family and another brother who is holding his brother's wife for ransom! The whole "pretending to be an Ashmore" thing doesn't sound as wrong all of a sudden. That train scene at the end was pretty intense. There was one shot that showed Marshall and Mary's car with the approaching train from the right and whoa! When Marshall says he can't make it, he can't make it.

This week we started to get some of the residual effects of Marshall's reaction to Mary's engagement. Only, I thought it would be Mary who started acting weird. Marshall was very bent out of shape that Mary told Raph what she does for a living. He made up some mumbo-jumbo about her telling Raph what she does is the same as her telling Raph what Marshall does and he isn't comfortable with Raph knowing what he does. While I see his point, I think that this was just scratching the surface and his over-blown reaction to it was some misplaced anger. He's upset that Mary is marrying Raph because he has feelings for her and that emotion manifested itself as anger this week. No matter what Mary said, it wasn't going to help. Maybe these two need to have a serious heart-to-heart and lay it all out on the table to see where they stand. Maybe then, Marshall could either get what he wants or get the closure he needs to move forward. Either way, some of that tension might finally disappear. And speaking of tension, I feel some brewing back at the Shannon household. I'm just not sure how this Raph/Brandi/Mary thing is going to play out and with next week's finale looming, it may be a while before we know for sure. But seriously, how awesome does next week's season ender look??? Can't wait.

In Plain Sight airs Sunday nights on USA Network. If you missed this week's episode, check it out for free at Hulu.com

Complications in 'Sight'

Since this show began last summer, I have suspected that Marshall had feelings for Mary. I kinda dismissed it as time went on (mainly because I just chalked it up to my overactive imagination when it comes to partners on crime shows because I've seen so many of these play out -- badly), but there was no mistaking it or misinterpreting it this week! In fact, I was shocked at how deeply his feelings run for her. I started to get it when he reacted to her news about being engaged. His reaction was strange (as in, not happy) and he never seemed to recover. Then, in case we weren't 100% sure about how he felt (and I'll admit, I wasn't 100% up until this point), the show got us all on the same page when Marshall gave Mary back the ring (which, in a very funny side story had gotten stuck on his finger when he tried it on -- don't ask). He looked defeated, disappointed and like someone had just ripped out his heart and stomped all over it. It was as if giving back her ring made the engagement real and sealed their fate as nothing more than partners, and it was a reality that Marshall wasn't prepared to face. His speech to her was so touching and I noticed how he couldn't look her in the eye even when he told her that he loved her (he wanted it to come across in a friendly/partner way, but we all knew what he meant -- including Mary). I was pretty shocked. Todd Rundgren's "Torch Song" at the end pretty much summed it up: "I will carry my torch for you" and "When you break somebody's heart." Yeah, it was all spelled out this week.

Clearly, Mary was not as aware of her partner's feelings for her as some of us had been. She definitely began to piece things together at the end when Marshall made that speech. It was actually more of what he didn't say and how that danced across his face when he finished speaking. That sad, defeated, heart-broken look wasn't lost on Mary, and she seemed to have a sad look of her own. I'm not sure if Mary and Marshall should be anything other than partners. I'm not even sure that Raph is the right guy for Mary. Heck, I'm not even sure that Raph doesn't still have feelings for Brandi. I thought that chapter was closed, but the two seemed very cozy in that awkward way this week. Something tells me that Mary and Raph won't be walking down the aisle anytime soon. And that suites me just fine. Now, how Mary and Marshall proceed from here should be very interesting. She isn't one to learn information of this caliber and move on, so I think it's going to have a big effect on her -- probably bigger than she thinks. Things just got even more interesting at WITSEC!

In Plain Sight airs Sunday nights on USA Network. If you missed this week's episode, check it out for free at Hulu.com

'Plain' Old Family Problems

Years of television viewing have taught me to predict certain story elements with the greatest of ease. For example, it was no surprise that Olivia stood up in the middle of the courtroom and moved to her father's side after realizing that her "Romeo" was still loyal to his father. Ergo, it was also no surprise that Jesus's fuzzy memory about his former boss's "business dealings" suddenly became crystal clear. Nor was it much of a surprise that Olivia was in love with the son of her father's enemy (after all, we've all read Shakespeare). A certain level of predictability is good -- it allows us to feel smart when we figure out something before the characters and/or our fellow viewing partners do. Along these same lines, I've also come to expect that characters with "daddy issues" aren't very fond of commitment and are unlikely to ever be truly happy or permanently attached in their personal lives. Both of these truths were blown to smithereens this week! Raph proposed to Mary (sort of) and she said yes!!!??? And it wasn't some strange dream sequence! Even as it was happening, I kept thinking, "No way!" It turns out, yes way. Like Raph, I assumed that commitment issues brought on by daddy/abandonment issues were at the root of Mary's very clear, adamant dismissal of his first proposal. It seems it was all about the timing (sort of).

What came across to Mary as a desperate, last-gasp effort before being called up to the Majors was actually 6 months in the making. Raph had the ring for six months! He just chose the wrong time to pop the question. This led to, as Mary put it, a "communication issue." This time, both were sure to lay it all on the table before proceeding. I'm proud of Mary. She realized her mistake and what it was costing her and she rectified it. Of course, I have little doubt that seeing Olivia and her father contributed to this new-found clarity. She saw what their differences were costing them and how putting them aside allowed them to share the greatest gift: love. She seemed determined not to let her hurt over her father's decision to leave the family (SIDE BAR: I still believe that he entered WITSEC and wanted to spare the family the burden of entering with him, but we'll see) ruin her chance to be with the person that she loves. Growth and character development are beautiful things. Characters welcome, indeed.

In Plain Sight airs Sunday nights on USA Network. If you missed this week's episode, check it out for free at Hulu.com

In Not So 'Plain Sight'

I wasn't sure where the "witness of the week" story line was going with the "missing child" and the ex-wife on the run, but I gladly went along for the ride. I certainly didn't foresee it leading to the desert and then the side of a Chicago highway. There was something very tragic about Ed and his quest to find his imaginary son, Miles. I so wanted Miles to be real even though the evidence suggested otherwise. And then the entire thing was made even more tragic by the discovery that the real Miles and his mother were dead -- victims of a human smuggling ring that Ed tried to save. Their faces haunted him so badly that he invented Miles as a coping mechanism. As much as I LOVE the funny lines and scenes on this show, there's something special about Mary's poignant moments near the end with her witnesses. They show her more vulnerable side and how much she cares for those she's charged with protecting. Her final scene with Ed on the porch with the telescope brought some nice closure and gave Mary something to think about ("It's amazing what you can see when you just open you eyes").

On another front, I can't say I'm disappointed that Marshall and the shrink didn't work out. Although, I did enjoy the irony of a shrink unable to see the self deprecating pattern that she found herself in and then back in at the end. She just wasn't Marshall's type. Not that I know exactly what his type is, but I feel pretty sure that she isn't it. Maybe it's just Marshall's awkwardness, but I've always thought that he had a little thing for Mary. Completely one-sided, of course.

I'm feeling a little dense after watching the Brandi story line. Don't get me wrong, I liked it -- A LOT. She needs to walk a mile in someone else's shoes so she can find out that the world does not revolve round her. But, I'm confused as to the story's purpose in the greater arc of Brandi: Mary's troubled little sis. I guess this is one of those "story lines in progress," and as such, we won't fully understand its ripples until future episodes. I have to say, I was impressed with her for putting herself aside and stopping to not only see if the man was OK, but to then pursue it until she knew he was going survive. Perhaps the gravity of the situation didn't hit her until she learned that the man had a clot and she saved his life and he's going to be fine. Whatever it was, Brandi seemed overcome at the end in a way that we haven't seen from her. I've been impressed with her progression this season and this was just the latest example.

In Plain Sight airs Sunday nights on USA Network. If you missed this week's episode, check it out for free at Hulu.com

'In Plain' Trouble

Photo: USA Network

About 50 minutes into this week's episode of In Plain Sight, I started to think, "Hmm... this must be a 2-parter because there's no way they're wrapping all of this up in 10 minutes." But, it turns out, I was very wrong. Not 2 minutes later, Mary was waltzing into the "private meeting" and turning the FBI's case completely upside down. In a flash Brandi, was walking out of jail and sleeping next to her mom back in her warm, safe bed. I have to say, it was all a bit rushed and too tidy for my liking. I was completely enthralled with the story and caught up in the stress and pressure that was weighing down on Mary, so I think I was expecting a less convenient and not quite as easy conclusion. Otherwise, I loved this episode. From the moment the FBI knocked down the door and hauled Brandi off in her PJs to Mary and co. finding that bug and Mary insisting that Lauren was not her half sister but an undercover FBI agent to the very end when Brandi almost signed that crap deal and Mary burst in just in time had me on the edge of my seat. Definitely, a stellar story this week.

Last week, I was going on and on about how much I love the dynamic between Mary and Eleanor and how they make me LOL constantly. This week -- not so much. Mary was so awful to her and Eleanor just seemed so hurt. I was so bummed. I really hope they can go back to being frienemies soon. I know that Mary was distraught over her sister and the possibility that Lauren really is her half-sister (and not an undercover FBI agent), but she was downright nasty to Eleanor and it was making me cringe. It seems that Marshall's talk got through to her because she calmed down after it. At the end, we saw Mary meeting with her father's old partner-in-crime and he revealed that her father had been caught, but a couple of suits came by his jail cell and he walked out with them. Could Mary's father be in WITSEC? Under her nose this entire time? Is this why he hasn't been able to write? The plot thickens.

In Plain Sight airs Sunday nights on USA Network. If you missed this week's episode, check it out for free at Hulu.com

Family 'In Plain Sight'

Photo: USA Network

I was on vacation last week, thus, I watched both last week's episode of In Plain Sight and this week's yesterday. So, please forgive me if I run the two together or get them confused throughout this post. Moving on...

I like Mary. I like the new administrative assistant, Eleanor. But I LOVE the two of them together! They're hilarious. There was so much back and forth banter between these two and then you had Marshall overhearing the private conversation between Eleanor and Stan and Mary not believing him... it was just too awesome! The woman is a perfect "Ying" to Mary's "Yang" and I'm loving their scenes together. When we last discussed IPS, I was shocked to learn that Stan and Eleanor were putting in some overtime together outside the office (wink, wink). This week, we learned that it was just a one-night thing. Makes sense, I guess, given Eleanor's pain over losing her beloved husband in the line of duty. I think that Stan would like to take things further (yes, he is the poster child for "ill-advised" (TM Vera/Cold Case)), but Eleanor is still hurting and it seems that entering into anything more than what already happened is just too much for her right now. In fact, I'm pretty sure that she's conflicted about the night they spent together. I know one thing -- Eleanor better get her groove back because I can't take any more lack of enthusiasm for bantering with Mary!

The case this week was sorta blah. And the wife as the knife-wielder was anti-climatic. But no fear because things took an interesting turn back at Mary's house (unbeknownst to her, of course). Since daddy took off (thanks to a pesky bank robbery thing), he has been busy with a new wife (too bad he's still married to the old one) and a new family (too bad he abandoned the old one). His new daughter showed up on Mary's front stoop, but Jinx and Brandi decided that it would be best to keep Mary in the dark for now just in case her knowing would lead to FBI involvement and jail time for dear old dad. Somebody's still holding a torch! Problem is, Mary has met the half-sister, but she thought that she was her mom's cousin's friend's daughter. Oh boy. It's only a matter of time before she figures out the truth and I'm pretty sure Jinx is going to be wishing she were still in rehab when that happens!

In Plain Sight airs Sunday nights on USA Network. If you missed this week's episode, check it out for free at Hulu.com

Stan By Your Man

Photo: USA Network

OK, this is really getting creepy! First, Cold Case plays In Plain Sight and now this week, IPS returns the favor! Seriously, are these two shows itching that badly for a crossover?! I can just imagine it now -- Lil and Mary can sit around and discuss their alcoholic mothers, daddy issues, and good-for-nothing sisters who are huge chips off their mothers' blocks. In between all of the "Me too!" and "If you think that's bad, wait until you hear what mine did," they could tag team with Lil solving old WITSEC murders and/or getting witnesses to spill what they saw while Mary lines them up with their new identities. Television crossover gold! In all seriousness, I found myself drawing comparisons between this week's episode of In Plain Sight and CC throughout the hour -- the flashbacks, the 80s, younger Stan, the 20-year old double murder, etc. The only thing that was missing (beside Lil and co.) was the totally rad 80s soundtrack. And now I know why CC relies on its music.

This week’s outing delved into Stan’s sordid past. He definitely crossed the line. No question. In fact, I'm pretty sure he went so far over it he couldn't even see the line anymore. Like Mary, I was surprised that straight-laced Stan allowed himself to get so carried away. Of course, nobody's perfect and we all have our own skeletons in our closets, so who am I to judge? The night's most shocking moment came at the end when we found out that Stan and Eleanor are, apparently, involved outside the office. It seems his penchant for "ill-advised" (TM Vera/Cold Case) relationships has followed him into the present. WWMS: What will Mary say?

I'm thinking that Brandi enjoys being unhappy. She has certainly gone out of her way to sabotage this relationship with the very rich, very kind, VERY patient Peter. I get it -- she thinks that if Peter gets to know the real her, he'll see that there's nothing there for him and he'll dump her. Meanwhile, she will have gotten too attached and the subsequent, inevitable break up will be too painful. So, get the dumping over with before things get to that point. The problem is, Peter isn't like the men Brandi has dated and he's certainly nothing like the men she grew up watching her mother date. Brandi's in unchartered waters, but she better learn to navigate them quickly before VERY patient Peter runs out of second chances.

In Plain Sight airs Sunday nights on USA Network. If you missed this week's episode, check it out for free at Hulu.com

Mary Keeps the Faith

When I saw the guest cast listed in the opening credits, the first thing I thought was, "OMG, a mini West Wing reunion!" I so wanted Mary McCormack, Joshua Malina and Richard Schiff to share a scene or two together, but alas, we had to settle for several awesome Mary/Richard scenes and one Mary/Joshua scene. It was better than nothing, but I wanted all three. Throughout the hour, I half expected Martin Sheen and Allison Janney to make surprise appearances. And then there's fellow former cast member Dule Hill who stars in that other USA Network show that I (heart) so much -- Psych. I smell crossover! In all seriousness, this episode had me at the opening credits. And how fabulous was Richard Schiff as a rabbi on a mission to get, well, a "get." I loved the love-to-hate chemistry between Mary and his character and how it morphed into a spiritual leader/"I find people" relationship. It was also nice to see Everwood's Hannah again as the wife desperately seeking a divorce from Avi/Andy.

Meanwhile, Jinx was home for a weekend visit and I have to say, she did pretty well. She didn't annoy me and seeing her sober may (and I do stress the word "may") have added something to the episode. It certainly threw Mary off her game which was worth the price of admission alone. She's so used to dealing with her alcoholic mother that she often appears to be on auto pilot with her, but this week, she had to turn off the auto pilot and fly the emotional plane herself. You could tell that she simply wanted to coast through the weekend, but Jinx forced her out of her comfort zone times and she scrambled to regain the control. The letter "confession" at the end was a nice touch and I liked the way Mary joked about being seriously angry about her mother dumping her tequila down the drain. Hey, at least she didn't drink it.

Finally, I'm not sure where this Brandi/Peter thing is going, I can't imagine it leading very far. Brandi, despite her advances in maturity and responsibility, is still a bit of a train wreck and wealthy- Governor's- Ball- going- I- own- half- the- city Peter is going to figure that out sooner or later even if she passes the first test at the ball. I hope she keeps it together because I like Joshua Malina and would like to see him stick around.

In Plain Sight airs Sunday nights on USA Network. If you missed this week's episode, check it out for free at Hulu.com

Mary's Witness Gets Caught 'In Plain Sight'

Is there really anything more entertaining than a super intense episode and Mary being, well, Mary complete with her quick wit and sarcasm? I didn't think so. This outing had the unfortunate timing of starting right after the awesome Cold Case finale on my viewing schedule, but it held its own nicely. I have to give the creators and the writers MAJOR props for creating a character who is both sarcastic as hell and compassionate and caring. It's a delicate balance that Mary juggles beautifully. She could easily be completely closed off, but she's not. She blocks out some, but lets in those who matter the most. The character reminds me a bit of Bones's Dr. Brennan, but where Mary is able to walk the line between her sarcastic/keep- people- at- arms'- length emotional issues and the right amount of care and compassion needed for her job (and life in general), Brennan is not. She's all closed off (and uses her enormous intellectual knowledge to keep others away) and lacking a lot in the caring/compassion column. It's nice to have a Mary out there who presents both.

One area where Mary has everything in common with Dr. Brennan is their kickass job skills. She's cool as a cucumber under pressure, always thinking ahead and good with people. All of these skills came in very handy as she tended to a witness trapped in a pile of rubble and a literal sitting duck for those who wished to knock him off before he could testify against them in a pending Department of Justice case. She sacrificed her own safety and played EMT while they desperately awaited help. All of this while the threat of a further collapse loomed overhead. And there was the overzealous "journalist" whose get- the- story- no- matter- the- cost tactics almost outed Mary and, in the process, could have ruined her career. Some quick thinking and a "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" exchange saved the day.

Something was missing in this one... what was it?? I just can't put my finger on it... something just felt lighter. Oh, right! The mother. Can't say I actually missed her. In all honesty, I just now realized that she wasn't in this one. This rehab development has done wonders for the side-story part of this show already!

BONUS: Read LillyKat's post on series star Frederick Weller (Marshall) from a recent conference call she attended with the actor!

In Plain Sight airs Sunday nights on USA Network. If you missed this week's episode, check it out for free at Hulu.com