Three by Three - In Plain Sight

Three things I like about the new USA series, In Plain Sight.

• Mary McCormack. As a put-upon Federal Marshall charged with shepherding various low-lifes through the witness protection program, she strikes a quite delicious blend of sour and smart that never edges into the cutesy. A wonderfully pitched performance.
• The tone - the series does real emotion, but doesn't take itself too seriously. Sure, if you don't take yourself seriously, you don't get something like Deadwood or even Breaking Bad, but we wouldn't want everything to be too serious, no would we?
• The setting. Hey! We're not in L.A. or New York! Or Miami.

Three things I do not like about the new USA series, In Plain Sight

• The stories are, so far at least, a little soft. No surprises, no compelling twists, just pretty straightforward TV drama stuff. These plots could've appeared on a fair-to-middling 70s cop show.
• The boyfriend - I think they jumped a bit too quick into the "romantic angst" well.
• The mother - a bit too pathetic to be taken seriously so far.

Until Whenever