'In Plain Sight': Always a Bridesmaid

This week on In Plain Sight, it's all about the con. And stolen conflict diamonds. And the ugly bridesmaid dress. But we'll get to that last part in a minute.

Six months ago, con artist Treena Morris (Missi Pyle) was on her honeymoon in Hawaii, watching her new husband make a deal with some African smugglers for $20 million in uncut conflict diamonds. As she tries to escape, she's headed off at the pass by FBI agents reeling off her lengthy list of aliases as well as the charges against her: fraud, grand theft, and five counts of bigamy. She cuts a deal to turn in her husband and the smugglers, and enters the program.

And turns up in Albuquerque, to Mary's chagrin. Our favorite U.S. marshal this side of Tommy Lee Jones hates con artists even more than murderers, and she goes through the terms of Treena's program agreement with more than her usual cynicism. You've got to have the courage to allow for the possibility of something greater in your life, she tells the con.

Six months later, Mary's not-boyfriend, Raph (Cristian de la Fuente) is getting called up to the major leagues, Marshal Marshall (Fred Weller) is taking mambo lessons, and Treena's wedding announcement is in the newspaper. Mary, furious, confronts Treena at the home of her future mother-in-law (Joanna Cassidy, looking va-va fabulous). Treena introduces Mary as her best friend from college (mistake #1, giving them a history in the cover story), and identifies her as a U.S. marshal (mistake #2, compromising Mary's identity) -- and Mary threatens to relocate her or throw her out of the program.

Back at the office, there's word that Treena's threatening to go to the wife of the FBI agent who brought her in with proof of his shenanigans if her wedding is interrupted. (She's marrying one of the richest men in New Mexico, and she's not about to let that meal ticket get away, even if "this time is different.") Meanwhile, Marshall and Stan do their impression of the Mambo Kings.

Mary reluctantly goes over to Raph's house to celebrate his great news, and he proposes with a ring baked into a cupcake. Which she promptly throws across the room. "You don't get married just because someone gets called up to the major leagues -- geez. What the hell's wrong with you?" she shrieks. Poor Raph. I mean, I'm sure he could've seen this coming, but it stinks to watch a nice guy get stomped on.

Did I mention that Treena's made Mary her Maid of Honor? In the midst of being f itted for her hideous dress of magenta with a red crinoline underneath, Mary spots a guy outside the bridal shop taking pictures. She gives chase, he tries to run her down with his car. Mary finds out during Treena's bridal shower (or "frou frou slutfest," as she describes it to her sister -- and oh what a number her sister does in getting her ready for this party. The dress isn't bad, but what's with the lavender bath mat masquerading as a shrug?), courtesy of Albuquerque police detective Bobby D (Todd Williams), that the photographer was a private detective working for the African diamond smugglers.

The smugglers kidnap Treena's fiance ("Hey hon -- quick question: did you steal $10 million worth of diamonds?" he asks, calling from where they're holding him). Treena sneaks out to meet with the smugglers at a stable, where Mary interrupts with a ridiculous cover story, flinging her ridiculous hair, and bringing poor horny Marshal Marshall (who, by now we now, clearly has a thing for her) along for the ride. She ends up beating the stuffing out of the smuggler, smushing his face into a pile of horse manure and throwing in a gratuitious "You just got your ass kicked by a girl!" for good measure. The smuggler's partner gets away on a horse, but is brought back -- no lie -- by Bobby D, who's got him lassoed as he rides back. Brilliant.

In the end, Treena gets married, opts out of the program, and reminds Mary that she too needs to allow for the possibility of something greater in her life. Raph calls -- he's at the airport, on his way to join the Marlins -- and she rushes to meet him. Of course, her car stalls on railroad tracks, blah blah blah, when she gets out to get out of the way of the oncoming train, her ugly dress gets caught in the door (over the past couple of months I've had occasion to look at a lot of bridal and bridesmaid attire, and I gotta say -- eesh), and she ends up pushing the car out of the way just in time. Of course, she doesn't make it to the airport, and this relationship isn't the greatness she's supposed to encounter.  But there's always next week.

What did you think? Do you feel like the show is evolving? Were you as relieved as I was that with the exception of setting up a sister storyline for the coming weeks that the B plot with Mary's family didn't really show up? Do you think Mary and Marshall will get all Moonlighting on us and lose the Dave-and-Maddy chemistry?

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