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.
In Plain Site and Suits are the only two shows on this network worth watching. I am saddened by the network’s decision to end it with a shortened season.
If In Plain Sight has increased its ratings , why is it being cancelled? That does not make sense. This is one program which has well-written scripts and a cast that has clicked from the first episode. I wish it were not going to be cancelled. Do one or more of the actors want out of the show. Are health issues at the root of this cancellation?
Not only is eight shows not acceptable, ending this series is unacceptable.
The regret is going to be the number of viewers you lose from cancelling this series.
If this is about more reality t.v. which is all about money, the greed will come back to haunt you.
Why does mgmt cancel all the good shows and leave all the crap on? I have been a fan of IPS since the beginning and am really sad it has been cancelled! Can you still bring it back ?
I just love this show and I’m very sad to see it go. I must not watch the shows that the network thinks are good, we’ll just see HOUSE reruns for the tenth time (which I don’t watch anyway). You need to reconsider..
Can’t believe you are cancelling such a good show, I like your network choices, but this is a bad one. Great show, looked forward to it all the time. You are making a big mistake, and will be loosing viewers with a move like this.
I have to agree with all the others on here. In plain sight is one of the best shows on. Every channel has something about reality on some trash. USA has shows that keep you interested and coming back over and over. Why cancel a show that is loved by so many. The entire cast is great. I went and got a DVR to record the USA network, should I return it. Because Mary had a baby in real life, if she decided to stay home with her baby it’s her choice, but for the powers to be to cancel… Read more »
I was extremely disappointed to hear they were canceling In Plain Sight. It’s an incredibly awesome show and with a +6% increase in viewership last year why they would consider canceling is beyond me.
Plain site is my VERY favorite show and I can’t believe it ia being cancelled. I love that it is filmed in Albuquerque and I love the characters. Mary maccormick completely rocks!!! Don’t cancel it!!!!!
USA what were you thinking you have a great show with drama, humor, and great plots not to mention awesome actors and you cancel the show!!!! Someone is being paid too much money to make the wrong decisions,
Have you lost your minds over at USA? This is the best show on t.v. If you people dont want it, please feel free to sell it to one of your competitor networks. I would be happy to flip the channel to watch it. I have always touted your network to my friends as an alternative to the “reality t.v.”, stupidity that children and brain dead viewers watch on other channels, but now I am ashamed of what you are doing. Bad form USA. Really bad form.
i think the cancellation of in Plain Sight is in poor taste. USA you have toeh Closer cancelled also you cancel all the great shows and keep bring back ok shows if you cancel anything cancel Suits the was ok but Mary,Marshall Marhall not good.
Hey, is Brian Frons making the decisions over at USA network now?
I think it stinks that the powers that be over at Universal Cable Productions allow quality shows like Eureka, & especially In Plain Sight to be cancelled, and go ahead and produce some shlocky sounding show called “I Just Want My Pants Back” to replace them!
People are finally realizing that In Plain Sights is a quality show which has been gaining in popularity, not to mention that their numbers have been increasing steadily since its inception.
USA has some great show out right now and I have always thought it always seemed like you had a good idea about putting one show on for so many episodes, and when that one took a break it was time for one of your other shows to come in with a new season… instead of seeing re-runs all the time we always got to see new shows. BUT, unless Mary herself wanted to end this show (since she’s the star) I can’t imagine why you would end such an original successful show. I looked forward to it and wish… Read more »
USA you have a winning show, In Plain Sight has laughter, and real acting from all characters. Why would you cancel a good thing?