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.
I hate to hear In Plain Sight has been cancelled. I just discovered it towards the end of this last season. Monk is gone, heard The Closer is going Boo Hoo. Bet the stats were up on both shows. Sure doesn’t make good sense to me.
I think I figured it out… In Plain Sight is TOO GOOD for TV. It lacks spastic camera work. No jump cuts. No shaky cam. The actors are good. They can speak clearly. The writing is tight. It is entertaining. I never miss a show (thanks to the marvels of PVR). Therefore, it is a candidate for cancellation. You know the future of quality TV programming is oblivion, when you find yourself watching old reruns from the 1960s and 1970s… I think I will save myself the grief, and just not watch any new premieres this fall. I will just… Read more »
There’s no sense in leaving any intelligent comment on a show that has gotten better with time as shown by the burgeoning list of watchers. I agree, keep the shows that suck & LOSE AUDIENCES but get rid obthe shows that are provocative, well acted & GAIN AUDIENCES!!! complete & total lunacy 🙁
You have got to be kidding. Do these executives know who their target market watching this show is? The ones who will apparently be spending their money else where.
Really?! Love the show. They got rid of criminal intent. What’s next Psych. There’s a few shows they could get rid of instead of In Plain Sight. The ratings have gone up not down. What are you thinking?
Sorry to hear it! Absolutely love this series. I have enjoyed many of the new shows on USA, but this has been my favorite. 8 episodes equals a blink of an eye. I guess USA will follow CBS, NBC and SYFY (ridiculous name change) in canceling shows when they are most popular and have good ratings–some even award winning. Looks like my TV will be in the off position more consistently.
This show is great. I don’t think the powers that be
In charge of canceling shows even watch them
I have loved this show from the very beginning. I love Mary’s spunk, her sarcasm, mouthy comments……Marshall’s goofy but caring ways, their boss’s whole attitude….even Mary’s ex! So I’m not surprised they’re cancelling it….they always get rid of the best ones!!!!!!!!
I agree with the comment already posted that you really have to wonder why the good shows (great scripts/character development) keep getting cancelled and the so called “Reality” shows keep getting produced. I know it has to do with money, but good grief, are there that many brain dead people out there that seem to like these stupid reality shows???
Cancelling this fine show is a seriously bad move for USA network. As stated they have had increased viewership this season. Which begs the question why cancel it? I realize this is due to the tax benefit that was repealed for where they film. My response to that is film elsewhere before deciding to cancel this and Breaking Bad. This is no way to retain viewers for your station or entice existing viewers to watch your new shows. I for one will not be watching USA network after this as I find this was done in bad form considering they… Read more »
well thanks for the heads up although i think its pointless. in plain sight is one of my favorite shows and one of the reasons i pay monthly for a dvr. the closer is next and then covert affairs. the closer is also ending. my point is, you get a really good show, people not only like and enjoy but they follow it while getting others to do the same, and then you cancel it. so maybe i’ll just cancel the dvr, your station and get on with my bad self with a little extre change in my pocket 🙁
Sucks, my daughter and I watch this show together and love it. It is a great story that has so much more that could be explored. There is way too much junk on TV!!!! Reality TV, almost all shows with same sex crap, warped and or loose morals and now you have a family whom start out rocky and the make excessive strides to improve themselves and the network cancels it. What a load of BS. We find it truly sad that USA network has decided to cancel it!!!!! Maybe there is hope that another network will pick up this… Read more »
True to form, they keep the crap and cancel the good stuff
There is so much story left to tell and they are canceling? I hope TNT picks it up because it is not fair to the fans of good writing! They’ve been building the father-story and the Marshall story and this last season was put on hold in my opinion due to Mary’s unexpected pregnancy. This was my least favorite season because there was less and less Mary/Marshall screen time. COME ON! Bring back Allison Janney and the sister Laura Prepon! Let’s see how many more West Wingers we can bring in (I didn’t even watch West Wing and I know… Read more »
Are you CRAZY? This is show is fantastic, and your going to cancel. I’m sick of all the reality garbage on TV. I’ve never been interested in nor understand the publics interest in watching spoiled rich girls, pregnant teens, drug addicts, people who want to date 20 guys/girls at one time, etc. etc. etc. flaunt their personal business on TV for all the world to see. Just more look at poor me, my poor behavior is not my fault. Whatever! I work hard and watch TV to entertain for entertainment. In Plain Sight is a good show with a different… Read more »