There’s good news and bad news for fans of USA Network’s In Plain Sight TV series. The cable channel has renewed the drama for an abbreviated fifth season. Unlike the past seasons, there will only be eight episodes this time around — versus the usual 12-15 installments.
And sadly, season five will also be the last for In Plain Sight. USA has decided to end the series but has fortunately given the cast and crew advance notice to be able to craft a series finale. The final season will kick off next spring.
Here’s the press release about USA’s renewal and “cancellation:”
USA NETWORK’S “IN PLAIN SIGHT” RETURNS FOR FIFTH SEASON WITH EIGHT EXPLOSIVE EPISODES IN SPRING 2012
Mary McCormack, Frederick Weller, Paul Ben Victor and Rachel Boston Will Star in the Television Event of the Spring Featuring Unexpected Plot Twists and Surprising Guest Stars
NEW YORK – August 11, 2011 – After concluding its fourth season with season high ratings, IN PLAIN SIGHT, USA Network’s hit original scripted series starring Mary McCormack (“The West Wing”), will return for its fifth and final season in Spring 2012. The announcement was made today by USA Co-Presidents Jeff Wachtel and Chris McCumber.
“IN PLAIN SIGHT is an integral part of our original programming slate and we are proud of its critical and commercial success,” said McCumber and Wachtel. “With a talented cast led by the incredible Mary McCormack, the fifth and most explosive season is sure to bring in new audiences with its provocative themes and unexpected story arcs.”
In its shocking season four finale, Mary (Mary McCormack) saved Marshall (Frederick Weller), Stan (Paul Ben Victor) and a witness from near-death in an ambush, but later Mary goes into premature labor after seeing Brandi (Nicole HIltz) flee her wedding to Peter (Joshua Malina). With Marshall, Jinx (Lesley Ann Warren) and ex-husband Mark (Bryan Callen) at her side, a frightened Mary cries out, “I’m not ready.”
The final gripping season of IN PLAIN SIGHT will keep viewers on the edge of their seats with heart-pounding storylines all building to an unforgettable finale. Can Mary blend motherhood with her very dangerous profession? Or will she put the infant up for adoption? Will Marshall finally admit his feelings for Mary, or can he make his relationship with Abigail (Rachel Boston) work? Can Brandi and Peter ever reconcile? After opening up her heart to Raph (Cristian de la Fuente) and Faber (Steven Weber), is it possible for Mary to fall in love again? And the question that has haunted Mary her entire life, where is her father?
Mary McCormack and cast Frederick Weller, Paul Ben Victor and Rachel Boston will return as series regulars, and Lesley Ann Warren, Nichole Hiltz and Tangie Ambrose are expected to recur for the final season. The new season will feature the cast and top name guest stars in more exciting and surprising story arcs than ever. Ed Decter and John J. Strauss (“There’s Something About Mary”) will return as executive producers with Dan Lerner as executive producer/director. Natalie Chaidez is executive producer. Michael Reisz is co-executive producer. IN PLAIN SIGHT is produced by Universal Cable Productions and is shot entirely on location in and around Albuquerque, New Mexico.
IN PLAIN SIGHT stars McCormack as Mary Shannon, a U.S. Marshal working in the highly secretive branch of the witness protection program (WITSEC), who relocates Federal Witnesses, most of whom fall into three categories: career criminals, whistle-blowers or innocents who had the misfortune of witnessing a crime. They all have one thing in common – someone wants them dead. Mary’s job is to see that doesn’t happen, while at the same time attempting to manage her own dysfunctional family.
IN PLAIN SIGHT closed its fourth season with a season high audience, up +6% from last year’s finale. IN PLAIN SIGHT has shown double digit growth over season three among P25-54 (2.2 million, up +13%), P18-49 (1.9 million, +17%) and P18-34 (659,000, +20%) as well as seeing gains in total viewers (4.9 million, +8%) and households (3.7 million, +9%) [with Live+7 data].
Universal Cable Productions creates quality content across multiple media platforms for USA, Syfy and other networks. A leader in innovative and critically acclaimed programming, UCP is the studio behind USA’s “Royal Pains,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” “Psych,” “In Plain Sight,” “Covert Affairs,” “Fairly Legal” and “Suits,” along with Syfy’s “Eureka,” “Warehouse 13” and “Alphas.” The studio is also producing “Against the Wall” for Lifetime and “I Just Want My Pants Back” for MTV. UCP is a division NBCUniversal.
USA Network is the #1 network in all of basic cable and is seen in over 102 million U.S. homes. A division of NBCUniversal, USA is the cable television leader in original series and home to the best in blockbuster theatrical films, acquired television series and entertainment events. The award-winning USA website is located at www.usanetwork.com. Characters Welcome.
USA Network is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable a division of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.
What do you think? Are you sorry that In Plain Sight is ending? Do you wish that there was going to be a sixth season? Is eight episodes enough to end the TV show properly?
Image courtesy USA Network.
Jeeze. Why all the Psych hate?
I watched the first season of In Plain; loved Mary and Marshall but her mom and sister caused my family to drop the show.
Glove this show wish it had continued
i can’t believe it! is mm wanting a break w/baby #3 here? why else would a network that continues to renew that RIDICULOUS psych cancel the best show on ANY network????? unbeLIEVable!!!!!!!!!!
If it’s highly rated commercially and otherwise, Why Cancelling?????????? It’s my favorite show on USA.
This is one of my few favorites! Fabulous characters, originality and full of surprises. Please bring it back!
The Event, criminal intent, now ips! NBC is killing me!!! Why cancel a show that’s GROWING in viewership?!? I can’t take much more of the slash and burn tactics of this network!!! Maybe TnT would want IPS? Will they allow the creators to shop for a new home? I’d even watch it online if it’s available there…
@Grady: “Supply and demand” has nothing to do with it. The cable channels powers that be are not quite as moronic as the broadcast networks, but they’re getting there (USA, unfortunately, is owned by NBC, so you knew it was only a matter of time before the bozos on the NBC side started meddling); NBC is owned by Universal, who has been making idiotic decisions ever since they let Irving Thalberg defect to Mayer. Anyway, the moron networks worry about two things, most important to them, is the hallowed “18 to 49 year old” demographic. Second, the way they compile… Read more »
Another ridiculous move by a stupid network. Why kill the golden goose? I love this show. Its original and Mary McCormack is so fun to watch. Wonder what stupid show will take its place????
Someone else commented on the IMDB board that this show is another victim to the Comcast merger, and they’re probably right.
It’s like USA wants me to stop watching their network.
I agree – cancel Psych and keep IPS. Necessary Roughness has become formulaic and I’ve stopped watching. Burn Notice has been formulaic from Season 1. Last year I deleted 17 unwatched episodes from my DVR. In Plain Sight has great cast chemistry and Mary McCormack’s wise cracks were my favorite thing to look forward to about the show. Her character is multi-layered and complex. I was angry about Law and Order: Criminal Intent and now I’m angry about this, too.
Another great series bites the dust while so many duds remain on the air. Whatever happened to Supply and Demand?
Same question as Craig: why cancel a popular series? There must be a reason why there will be an abbreviated final season. Hopefully Universal will be more forthcoming with some answers.
James it’s cause Comast ..the biggest tv company owns NBC , USA and SYFY..they struck last week by cancling Eureka after renewing it.
WHY cancel this great show ! its part of the reason i even watch this channel !
OK confused.. If doing so well(I love this show) why cancel? Did the actors want to quit?
I guess they are going to replace it with some reality TV Crap.
So what is the reason for ending the series? Ratings are growing, so I think that something else other than performance is the cause of the show ending.
Why cancel I would rather you cancel Psyc I love In Plain sight you guys are foolish to cancel