Marshal Mary Shannon (In Plain Sight)
Marshal Mary Shannon (Mary McCormack) is a US marshal working in witness protection. She is a strict nonconformist, often leading to difficulties. Her father, a gambler, left her childhood family after robbing a bank. Mary has trust and abandonment issues, stemming in part from her mother's alcoholism. This occasionally is a good thing, however, as it has saved the lives of many of her witnesses.
Throughout the first season, Mary almost constantly fights with her mother, Jinx, and her sister, Brandi. She is unable to understand why they cannot obtain and hold steady jobs, which often leads to conflict. Meanwhile, Mary is dating Raphael, a minor league baseball player. He finds her difficult at times, but ultimately loves her. In the season finale, a two-part episode including "Stan by Me" (1.11) and "A Fine Meth" (1.12), Mary is kidnapped and Brandi is nearly arrested for distributing drugs, leading the family to begin recuperating.
During the second season, Mary's family continues to annoy her, but she can see past it more often. She becomes engaged to Raph, though she has feelings of uncertainty at times. She is, however, able to trust him enough to reveal the true nature of her job to him. Throughout the season, a new office manager, Eleanor Prince, is hired. Mary immediately decides she doesn't like her, but eventually, they become mild friends. In the second season finale, "Don't Cry for Me, Albuquerque" (2.15), Mary is shot while defending a witness. Marshall, Mary's partner, and Stan, her boss, work together to find the person who shot her. They eventually do, but Mary is still in danger of losing her life.
The third season opens with Mary being released from the hospital, very much alive and ready to get back to work. Very early on, Raph calls off their wedding. Soon, Mary meets FBI Special Agent Mike Faber, who asks her on a date. She refuses. Soon, Mary and Brandi's half brother, Scott Griffin enters their lives. She is very skeptical of his motives, especially when he asks Brandi to give him money. They learn he is addicted to gambling, much like their father. Mary becomes increasingly annoyed with Brandi, and it comes to a peak when she actually hands the money over to Scott. By the season finale, "A Priest Walks Into a Bar" (3.13), Mary and Faber had started dating. At the start of the fourth season, Mary had already ended the relationship with Faber in order to give him the opportunity to try to work things out with his ex-wife. In the fifth episode of the season, "Second Crime Around", it is revealed that she has an ex-husband, Mark, whom she married at 17 but divorced soon after. In the sixth episode of the fourth season, "Something A-mish", she finds out that she is pregnant by Mark after one night together. The pregnancy of Mary is written in to incorporate the real-life pregnancy of Mary McCormack.[1] She gave birth to her daughter, Norah, in "Something Borrowed, Something Blew Up" (4.13).
In the fifth and final season, Mary has to deal with the return (and later death) of her father, her feelings for Marshall, her mother and sister's unexpected return, and major changes to the WITSEC office. In the finale, she gives her blessings to Marshall and Abigail.
McCormack also made a guest appearance as Mary Shannon in the Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode "Contract".
Quotes·Quotations by Marshal Mary Shannon
Mary McCormack as Marshal Mary Shannon from In Plain Sight
¶ Mary: [voicover] There comes a time when every kid peeks behind a curtain and sees she's not the only one putting on a show. Fathers, mothers, cops and robbers, every member of the PTA: all playing dress up, all wearing their masks; a constant Halloween. [Meet the Shannons (4.04)]
References
[1]^ http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20483524,00.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_In_Plain_Sight_characters