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 am so upset this series is ending. Any chance of saving it?
I’m annoyed that USA is canceling IPS!
It has to mean something that even with continual delays between seasons and etc the fan base and ratings keep growing! You are stupid for canceling IPS & I hope your replacement show flops!
I am so sorry to see In Plain Sight ending. It was a show you looked forward to see. Not many out there anymore. It seems just when you start to enjoy a tv program they take it off. Mostly to add a bunch of trash. Too bad this was another good one set off with the rest of the good ones. Shame and sad.
this is a good show with an ensemble cast that continues to get better and better! Too bad it is being cancelled
They were stupid when I worked in Hollywood. Certainly seems like nothing’s changed. Who cancels a hit show when it’s still gaining numbers? Morons
I cannot believe ANOTHER great show is being canceled. There are only a couple of shows that I even watch anymore. I have watched IPS from the beginning and look forward to every episode and every season. What is it that you people want? You have a loyal fan base that tunes in every week to see this show. Most shows would die for that. What do we have to do keep quality entertain on the air? Please tell us and we will jump threw hoops. Otherwise, I’ll be canceling my cable.
I have looked forward to every season and can’t believe that you’re taking it off the air. I really wish you would reconsider and listen to your viewers. All the comments that I’ve read have been so positive. These characters have such great chemistry it’s hard to believe we won’t be seeing them together. Hopefully another station will pick up this series so that we can once again look forward to another exciting season.
Please dont cancel another great show I love. Been watching In Plain Sight since the beginning. All my shows are being cancelled. As said by other viewers; all the networks are going to those horrible Reality shows, I hate them and refuse to watch that trash. Please reconsider. I love Lesley Anne Warren. Marshal Marshall is the best. His unrequitted love for Mary, keep him single. Stan and the new agent in the office, love some color added to the show, she is beautiful and a great actress. They are normal looking people. Please keep this show.
In Plain Sight is one of the best shows USA has!! Leave it on!
Simple minded people are making the decision to cancel IPS. Common sense has gone out the window. You want to know the numbers and comments of viewers but you don’t want to listen to what they want. My wife and I have gone to ordering more movies and tv shows from Netflix instead of watching the **** shows like the reality shows, the bachelor, I just want my pants back, the amazing race it’s just ridiculous! We’ll just keeping ordering decent shows to watch from Netflix and on the Internet.
We love In Plain Sight and don’t want it to end. Please reconsider and keep In Plain Sight running. It’s a great show. Two many show are ending that are great and these stupid reality shows and got to stop. Let’s put up something good!!!!
Noooo, I love Mary! And Marshall! I thought it was over because Mary McCormick was leaving. Never thought USA would cancel it! Awesome show, very gripping yet love the wry humor. You are ******** uo USA
are you insane? we love this show….looked forward to it every week…and waited for it to come back on season after season…..the characters are perfect….its scripts are well written…actors well chosen….what is wrong with you people?…..these reality shows will be the death of us all…boring and trashy….USA , you are just alienating your audience…no more mary mary and marshall marshall? it makes me want to cry!!!!!.
I really do like this show and looked forward to its return to USA line-up. I hope USA re-thinks the decision to cancel this show. The starts have great chemistry, its serious makes you think and at the same time laugh, not many shows can do that anymore.
USA Are you going to turn into ABC and cancell good shows just when they reach their stride? You are insane USA. Recant, reconsider, don’t do this please!!