For Mary, living a double life is all in day’s work. Mary
McCormack (The West Wing) returns as Mary Shannon, a U.S. Marshal
with the highly secretive Federal Witness Protection Program
(WITSEC), in Season Two of the suspenseful and quirky hit series
In Plain . For Mary, living a double life and getting
at on a regular basis are all in day’s work. So are teaming up
with her trusted partner, Marshall Mann (Frederick Weller), to
protect Federal Witnesses who relocate to Albuquerque and
juggling a complicated personal life. Gripping and refreshing, In
Plain co-stars Lesley Ann Warren (Desperate Housewives),
Paul Ben-Victor (The Wire) and Nichole Hiltz (s), and
features phenomenal guest stars that include Will McCormack
(Brothers and Sisters), Martin Landau (Entourage), Laura Prepon
(That '70s Show), Joshua Malina (The West Wing), Richard Schiff
(The West Wing) and David Denman (The Office). Get lost In Plain
!
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After closing its debut season on a harrowing note, the crime
drama In Plain returns for a sopre season filled with
the same clever scripting and sharp performances built around its
unique blend of action and dysfunctional family dynamics. Mary
McCormack is again the short-fused, -tongued glue that holds
the program and its cast of eccentrics together; having recovered
physically, if not entirely in an emotional sense, from the
kipping that ended the show's first season, her Mary Shannon,
U.S. Marshal with the Federal Witness Security Program, returns
to the double rigors of her job and her contentious family.
Neither side gives her much time to breathe in season 2; Mary's
cases with loyal partner Marshall (Fred Weller) include a
persistent rabbi (Richard Schiff, McCormack's former West Wing
costar), a witness (David Denman of The Office) who refuses to
testify until his missing son is found, an elderly mobster
(Martin Landau) who wants to attend his son's funeral, and a pot
salesman who cannot appear in court without copious as of
his own product. Meanwhile, an FBI agent (Will McCormack, Mary's
real-life brother) is hell-bent on bringing down her wayward
sister Brandi (Nichole Hiltz) for drug trafficking and
murder--Brandi was the original target of the men who kipped
Mary and killed two federal agents in the first-season closer.
Add to the mix Mary's mom (the terrific Lesley Ann Warren), who's
struggling with recovery from drinking, plus relationship
troubles with boyfriend Raph (Cristián de la Fuente) and new
office manager Eleanor (Holly les, wife of series creator
David les), who clashes with Mary at every turn, and the
result is another collection of smartly written and frequently
exciting episodes that, in many ways, surpasses the best of the
first season, even in its closing cliffhanger. Said wrap-out was
one of many controversies that swirled around the show in season
2; clashes with the network over the handling of the finale led
to les and co-executive producer Paul Stupin--the show's
guiding forces--leaving the program, which was then re-tooled to
focus more on Mary's work and less on her family. It's an
unfortunate decision that robs the show of much of its color, so
fans should appreciate what they can of that combination here.
DVD extras on the three-disc set include commentary tracks for
three episodes; les and Stupin are featured on "In My Humboldt
Opinion," where they recap in detail their history of working on
the show, as well as their appreciation for the cast. McCormack
and Weller handle two episodes--"A Frond in Need" and "Who's
Bugging Mary"--with a lighter touch that focuses on their
performances. Deleted scenes for eight episodes are actually
moments that could have fit well into their respective shows,
rather than the extraneous material that usually ends up on the
editing room floor, while the gag reel combines the usual flubs
with some moments of genuine humor. --Paul Gaita