Ordinarily, when I watch a show, I sit with bated breath, checkered pad, and pink pen while infinitesimally hitting pause and rewind to capture a specific quote or WTF moment. Yet, in the process of analyzing, I tend to forget the position of watcher. So, this time I watched (admittedly, with pad in hand) to see how I felt about this episode, particularly, when contrasted with the season in general. The result? Underwhelmed.
Admittedly, the last two seasons spoiled me and I expected a more dramatic season closer. On the one hand, it’s good. The show has clearly run out of leads to shoot and decided against creating unnecessary drama to urge me to return. However, while I liked Cougartown’s quiet season finale, I don’t think I wanted to see that in IPS. My feelings on the final ep reflect my overall thoughts regarding this season: good, but … I wanted more. Luckily, the one highlight was Joe ‘Tobias’ Spano (NCIS) as the witness of the week, Father Gabriel, who I shall unwittingly call Father Fornell.
So, use your optical mouse to scan my typical bullet-point observations (I’m still waiting for Keith\Debbie to tell me to stop lazing it up) regarding this episode and the season overall.
Witness(es) of the Week
- Why is Stan’s ‘witness’ angry at a government official for not telling her the truth? He isn’t obligated and that’s what people do. I have no doubt people will tell my family I was like a fragrant, placid lily.
- Father Fornell was totally hot as the bartender priest. On a scale of not to very, he was a capital V. Who wouldn’t want to have him listen to their woes? I loved his ‘Hail Mary’ forth and backs with the M-ster; but, he gets a thumbs down for doing what most of Mary’s witnesses did this season. Once the S3 DVD comes out, I’m all set for watching it and running an IPS drinking game. Why did Mary let Fornell take\have access to a laptop when he already Skyped with the stripper? Despite that, I give him the awesome, badass priest award for what happened at the bus station. I love that Fornell didn’t hesitate and I equally love that the dying assassin didn’t doubt Fornell would give him last rites. However, after his testimony, Fornell is the only witness I felt took returning to the real world realistically.
Family Matters
- Jinx wins the daytime Emmy for the best character improvement and I love watching her share her fragmented dreams with Mary.
- Although the Brandi-Peter move in seems rushed after Scott’s move out, I’m glad that this time Mary’s protest restricted itself to 1-2 lines.
Mary and Marshall vs. Mary and Faber
- Clearly, Marshall meant himself when he described a man who challenged Mary in messy ways, but the speech felt out of the western field. In the past few eps, the show has avoided showing Mary-Marshall connecting in their usual way. Plus, in S1 and S2 Marshall totally kowtowed to Mary. In S3, he didn’t necessarily challenge her, but had so much plain insight into her character that he knew how to nudge or direct her. Additionally, I don’t feel a Marshall-Mary relationship would hit messy heights. I think for Mary it would hit frightening, self-baring territory, which is different.
Seeing Mary in a boobtastic flowing gown in a tropical arena while playing the girl with Faber felt disconcerting at best. While Weber’s character is no Rafe, I do give him a shirtless towel award.
Overall Season Thoughts and Questions
- I still miss the following couples\characters: Stan and Eleanor, Mary and Eleanor, Mary and Marshal, and Bobby D.
- This season just didn’t do it for me. While the writing\cinematography has so many Easter eggs and experimental shots, as a passive watcher, I felt this episode was disjunctive and the season overall just missed the magic they hit in season 2 (or what someone called a sense of ‘fun’ a few weeks back). I’ve learned to trust the writers. In terms of family life, they’ve hit the balance, but regarding supporting characters, while I like they aren’t there 24-7, I miss their cameos. I don’t want Peter beefed up, but Josh Malina has a lot of potential. What do other people think?
- Also, what happened to the other agents? The office seemed pretty sparse. I thought this season’s drama would come from the mingling of the two offices, not the failed Pearson\Pearson clone plot line.
- I’m glad to see Stan back in the mix for the past two eps, but I really miss the character development his relationship with Eleanor wrought. Even if David Maples no longer serves as executive producer, he’s still gets writing credit on the show. I wish he could write his wife back into the script.
- USA Goodies: USA tends to release ‘behind-the-scenes’ shots on Facebook and their main site, so I started using those in the picture grabs. What do people think? Has anyone checked out their FB site?
- What is on everyone’s wish list for the next season?
Photo Credit: USA
Some posts that may be related to this:
Witness(es) of the Week
Family Matters
Seeing Mary in a boobtastic flowing gown in a tropical arena while playing the girl with Faber felt disconcerting at best. While Weber’s character is no Rafe, I do give him a shirtless towel award.
There were supposed to be three more episodes this season but USA cut them. It was in the news a couple weeks ago. Supposedly it was due to a medical issue and not ratings but who knows. I’m sure there was something far more dramatic planned for the end of the season. It’s a bummer that we didn’t get to find out what it was.
Here are the details from the USA statement:
“John McNamara, executive producer and showrunner of USA Network’s IN PLAIN SIGHT, took a leave of absence for medical reasons,” producer Universal Cable Productions said in a statement released to the site exclusively. “John Romano assumed executive producer responsibilities for the remaining episodes. Given the unexpected change, we decided to end the season at a natural spot — with the surprising cliffhanger of episode 13.”
(/via https://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2010/06/10/exclusive-usa-extends-burn-notice-royal-pains-explains-in-plain-sight-cut/8733/)
*POST AUTHOR*
Is it wrong that I’m happy John M. currently has a ‘medical emergency’? I understood why USA reduced Maples executive producer responsibilities. I agreed that Bobby D, Rafe/Raph, and Jinx were around 80% of the show last year and I wanted them reduced to 20% (or only to fit them in when necessary like they’re doing with Jinx and Brandi this year). However, I didn’t want Bobby D or Eleanor reduced to 0%. Plus, I think Maples had planned on putting Bobby D and Mary closer together (who I think had way better chemistry and would serve as more of dramatic obstacle for Marshal(l) i.e. Marshal Marshall).
Admittedly, 13 eps is a natural break. Even if it gave us an awkward, quiet season finale. If Watchel had wanted to swallow his pride he could’ve asked Maples to step in for the final 3. Although I’m happy Mary’s family went down and Mary matured in S3, during the final few eps she lost a bit of her personality and her Marshal(1) interaction. While I was fine with the new direction for S3 at the start, after looking at the semi-finished product, I think Maples had hit a nice balance last year. And, while I wish he had taken Watchel’s suggestions, I really hope Watchel reinstates him as exec or co-exec producer, because the show needs someone who has a vision and a good feel for the characters.
Any chance that final scene with Mary and Bobby D was a fantasy/dream sequence? I’m kinda hoping it was.
*POST AUTHOR*
I’d love it if the final scene were an actual scene (or even fantasy) with Mary and Bobby D or if Mary wakes up the next day to realize her runaway vacay with Faber was just a dream. Sadly, we’re stuck with hard cold celluloid reality :)
I just kept hoping the season would end. It somehow managed to be more miserable than normal, even without the baggage of Mary’s family.
Something I wondered about during the finale — the plots of each episode are so contrived, because each time “something” has to happen to one of these many witnesses that are under Mary’s and Marshall’s protection. And yet each one is new to us, because it would be impossible to just watch as they balance 100 protectees … might it not be better all around for each episode to be about their introducing new witnesses into the program and their new lives? We’ve seen that here and there, and that would allow lots of FBI roles, as well as fun transport stories, and settling-in mishaps. Could be worth a try … it can’t get any worse (did I just jinx it?).