Mary McCormack and Frederick Weller star in "In Plain Sight"

Gone are the days of damsels in distress waiting for dashing heroes to come to their rescue.

Today, female characters on television can be just as tough as their male counterparts -- maybe tougher. After all, they not only deal with the same wacko criminals and treacherous terrorists, but pregnancy hormones, morning sickness and screaming babies may be the trump card.

Mary McCormack stars as one such character in USA Network's "In Plain Sight," airing Friday, May 4.

The episode marks the finale of the series, which is calling it quits after five successful seasons. Shot in and around Albuquerque, N.M., "In Plain Sight" follows the life of Mary Shannon, a U.S. Marshal who works for the Witness Protection Program. She and her colleagues struggle to keep their charges safe from those who want them dead.

Every day, Shannon deals with career criminals, whistle-blowers or innocent witnesses. But the heart of the series revolves around her dysfunctional personal life, including her relationship with her partner, Marshall Mann (Frederick Weller). Mann is also her best friend, though lately there have been indications the duo might be headed for something more.

Paul Ben-Victor stars as Mary's boss, Stan McQueen, and Lesley Ann Warren tackles the role of Mary's alcoholic mother, Jinx. Nichole Hiltz portrays Mary's free-spirited sister, Brandi. Newcomer Rachel Boston recently joined the cast as Det. Abigail Chaffee, Mann's latest love interest.

USA has promised an unforgettable finale for loyal fans of the series. There have been a lot of changes on the set in the past couple of seasons. Writers had to incorporate McCormack's real-life pregnancy into the show, throwing the no-nonsense character a real curveball.

McCormack's character is far from maternal, and she's suddenly got a baby to consider. Despite her decision to give the child up for adoption last season, Mary kept the baby girl. This season, she's had to decide whether she can truly balance motherhood with the demands of her stressful job.

Such a juggling act is in capable hands, as McCormack is arguably one of the industry's most versatile actresses. Her starring turn as Alison in Howard Stern's "Private Parts" in 1997 served as her breakout role. She then turned her attention to the stage, starring as Sally Bowles, opposite Alan Cumming, in a Broadway production of "Cabaret" for the Roundabout Theatre Company. She later earned a 2008 Tony nomination for her role in the Broadway revival of "Boeing-Boeing."

Fans of NBC's now-defunct political drama "The West Wing" may remember her from her recurring role as Deputy National Security Advisor and ex-CIA officer Kate Harper. Other TV credits include HBO's "K Street" and ABC's "Murder One."

Her role as Mary Shannon in "In Plain Sight" has earned her not only millions of TV-viewing fans but also a nomination for a 2009 Prism Award, which honor accurate portrayals of substance abuse, mental health and addiction.

McCormack and the rest of the "In Plain Sight" cast made the move to Fridays when the fifth season premiered in March. Friday nights are usually a dead zone for TV drama, and only the strong survive. Gary Sinise carries "CSI: NY" on CBS, and Fox has established a sci-fi following for Friday broadcasts of its hit "Fringe." USA has also overcome the Friday-evening curse with "In Plain Sight" and another hit, "Fairly Legal," a drama about a raven-haired mediator.

In fact, Fridays have proven to be particularly lucky for USA, as three of its most successful series have been launched on the night: "Monk," "Psych" and "White Collar." Such victories have made USA the No. 1 cable network for six years.

The future looks bright with three recent pilot pickups. Nathan Lane is set to star in "Local Talent," a half-hour comedy also boasting the talents of Cheyenne Jackson, Ken Jenkins, Caroline Rhea, Laura Bell Bundy and Richard Kohnke. USA has also snagged the comedy "Paging Dr. Freed" and a one-hour drama so far simply known as "The Untitled Jeff Eastin Project."

Some of the network's success can be attributed to those working behind the scenes of its hit series, and "In Plain Sight" is no exception. Executive producer Ed Decter and writing partner John J. Strauss wrote the cult-classic comedy "There's Something About Mary" (1998). Strauss, who also serves as an executive producer on "In Plain Sight," has amassed an impressive list of screenwriting credits, including "The Santa Clause 2" (2002), "The Lizzie McGuire Movie" (2003) and multiple episodes of "Boy Meets World."

Along with McCormack and her talented co-stars, Decter and Strauss can add "In Plain Sight" to their list of accomplishments. Find out how the series wraps up as Season 5 comes to a close Friday, May 4, on USA.