Hoping to replicate the success of BURN NOTICE and PSYCH, this Sunday, USA Network premieres their latest sizzling summer drama IN PLAIN SIGHT.
Unfortunately, what sounds like a great concept on paper — Mary McCormack [THE WEST WING] playing a US Marshall tasked with protecting those unfortunate souls in the Federal Witness Protection Program — falls flat. Because creators David Maples and Paul Stupin apparently haven’t met a cop cliché they didn’t like.
Not only is McCormack’s Mary Shannon a [surprise!] tough as nails US Marshall, she’s saddled with a partner who has a snappy comeback for every situation [Fred Weller], a boyfriend who doesn’t ‘get’ the job [Cristián de la Fuente] and worst of all, a needlessly tacked on family subplot revolving around a flaky mom [admittedly played to perfection by Lesley Ann Warren] and a ditzy, blonde down-on-her-luck sister [Nichole Hiltz].
That said, what the show does have going for it — aside from the fact that it’s airing in the summer when virtually nothing else of interest is on — is the fact that the Federal Witness Protection Program conceit offers up some very exciting guest star opportunities. Coming episodes will have our protagonists cross paths with the likes of Dave Foley [NEWSRADIO], Percy Daggs III [VERONICA MARS] and Sherry Stringfield [ER]. Ensuring IN PLAIN SIGHT remains on our radar for at least a few more weeks. 
IN PLAIN SIGHT Premieres Sunday June 1 at 9PM on USA Network and June 17 on Canada’s GLOBAL TV