I just don't get In Plain Sight

To say that USA Network's latest series is wildly uneven is putting it mildly. It almost seems like it's two different shows (if not for the almost guaranteed-to-be lame subplots revolving around the protagonist's mother, sister, boyfriend [or whatever he is]). On the one hand, you have a light but generally compelling crime drama--as typified by the pilot, "Trojan Horst", and this week's "Iris Doesn't Live Here Anymore." On the other hand, you have credulity stretching episodes like...well, almost the rest of them--"Who Shot Jay Arnstein" and "High Priced Spread" being the most glaring examples of the lack of quality.

"Trojan Horst" is probably the best episode they've aired so far. The always funny Dave Foley did a great job as the snarky lowlife. The writers were able to skirt very cliched situations/conversations and make them work. The episode was capped with one of the best ending scenes I've seen this year--very subtle and powerful acting.

"Iris Doesn't Live Here Anymore" takes a look at the upheaval--personal, familial, professional, etc.--that people in the WitSec program go through when this change of life is thrust upon them. Wendell Price did a great job as the father watching everything he'd worked so hard for slip through his fingers. Whoever played the mother (can't find her name anywhere) did something I'm not used to seeing--out-act Price. And while Mary and Marshall were clearly present and vital to the plot, they weren't the focus--Iris and her family were. Just that small adjustment helped the episode.

Now I just have to hold my breath and see which series shows up next week.