Come, My Pretties, Talk About In Plain Sight With Me!

[redbrunja]

First of all, let me rec this show to my flist.

Why you want to be watching:

–A complex, abrasive, epically flawed, lead female character. (Mary Shannon is one of those roles that is so complex and difficult that it feels like someone wrote it for a man and then decided to cast a female because it would be more awesome that way).

–Hilarious dialogue. The lead actress read for the part because she laughed out loud reading the script, and it's no surprise.

–The writers. With rare exceptions, they do not do the predictable plot move. 

–Main characters verbalizing who their best friends are.

–Actual legitimate character growth. Mary and every member of Mary's family, including her long-term boyfriend (yes, think about that, a lead in a procedural with a long-term relationship and the complications therof) goes through stresses and challenges and makes choices with consequences.

How to get into this show:

Watch the second episode first. The pilot, while possessing the skeleton of the show In Plain Sight will become, is too long, sluggish in places, and introduces the two leads with a mumbling exchange that requires three viewings to understand. Go straight to "Hoosier Daddy" for a crisper, tighter show.


–Okay, so when Mary Met Marshall was one of my favorite episodes so far. It was pretty much exactly how I imagined their first meeting to have gone, and I think it's awesome that Marshall was the one to bring her into Witsec. I loved the scene at the end where they're rearranging their desks. (Plus, bangs! And brushing her teeth with bottled water! And snow!)

–As much fun as the Mary/Marshall pairing is to play around with in fandom, I am so thrilled with Raphael/Mary on the show. First, because OMG, two partners with UST is so done on tv these days. Secondly, watching Mary actually have to deal with a longterm relationship and growing and changing because of it is infinitely more interesting than endless will-they/won't they. That's one reason I love this show - the writer never does the trope everyone else is doing.

–On that subject, I am really impressed with the finale. The first season finale was all about the fall-out from Mary getting kidnapped and last half of the second season closer had Mary in the hospital.

Anyway, talk to me about the awesome! Tell me favorite episodes, favorite lines, writing choices you had problems with! Favorite weird facial expressions!

Comments

[seren-ccd.livejournal.com]

"But I don't want to represent entropy!"

I love Marshall in that episode. He has so become my tv-boyfriend. I just love him to pieces.

[qualapec.livejournal.com]

I loved When Mary Met Marshall. My favorite line was: "Oh god...you're the perfect son." "My family has problems." "Problems? Nonono. My family has problems. Psychotic, unsolvable problems. Your family had cute. little. dilemmas."

As much fun as the Mary/Marshall pairing is to play around with in fandom, I am so thrilled with Raphael/Mary on the show. First, because OMG, two partners with UST is so done on tv these days.

Agreed. Very much.

Secondly, watching Mary actually have to deal with a longterm relationship and growing and changing because of it is infinitely more interesting than endless will-they/won't they. That's one reason I love this show - the writer never does the trope everyone else is doing.

Yeah, it seems like Mary could have more to gain as a character from dealing with those challenges than she would from the opposite. I also love how Raphael doesn't just seem like a temporary side-note. Like, think Fiona's relationship with the ambulance driver.

[keirelle.livejournal.com]

I haven't been watching this show, but my mom does, and I'm usually in the room when she does, and just in passively watching it I totally love it. Mary and Marshall's rapport is so much fun to watch. The most recent ep I saw had Mary accidentally helping a man discover his lost bio parents, and one minute she's nuanced and emotional when telling the dad its his son and the next shes mooning over how great this free potato salad is at a funeral and Marshall is eyerolling at her insensitivity, and I totally love her for that. I need to watch this from the beginning someday.

[anenko.livejournal.com]

I just started watching IPS (I've watched the first two episodes). I wasn't thrilled with the first episode--you're right about the mumbling exchanges!--but I did think Mary's bored phone sex scene was a laugh.

[strange_quark]

Agreed about the first episode, although I have to say, the part where Mary's on the phone faking an orgasm while Marshall just stands there looking uncomfortable/exasperated was priceless.

And as someone who's a bit sick of the fact that you can't seem to have a male/female cop partnership that isn't steeped in UST, I'm very much in favor of Raphael and Mary's relationship. (I like Mary/Marshall fine, but I like their friendship more.)

My favorite quote recently was from S3 episode 9, so I'm not sure I should share it!

[despairinbeauty.livejournal.com]

Wow. :3 Another awesome show to add to my list. Now, if only I could schedule my time wisely enough to watch...;A;

Damn it...so many things to look at...

[babydolleyez.livejournal.com]

One of the small bits I love is Mary's rhapsodic love of food.

From a more recent ep "ah yes, your ability to keep things in confidence, one of your most endearing qualities, that and your ability to shoot accurately while downing a big gulp".