The switch in Raph's name is just the latest in either IPS funbits for fans to find or continuity or production gaffes.

That said, I don't think Raph's last name has ever been mentioned in an episode but only as an "identifier" in the video commentaries on this site. Looks like choosing "Molina" is a nod to guest star Josh Molina (McCormack's West Wing co-star), just as two sets of witnesses in season one were given the last name "Morris", Mary McCormack's married name. (Never the Bride and Iris Doesn't Live Here Anymore). Then again, Raph's name switch can be explained away as confusing the paternal and maternal surnames of people from Latin America/Spain (which is paternal first, maternal second). Perhaps his full name is Raphael Molina Ramirez.

That name switch is not nearly as bad as giving one of the dead FBI agents from season one (Kitchner? Kirchner?) the name "Harrison" in season two ("Who's Bugging Mary"). Tsk, tsk.

Also, Agent O'Conner was originally "William" in one view of the website Marshall's looking at in season one, and a couple of seconds later his first name is now "Robert" on the same website.

Meanwhile, the tv reporter in "Rubble" in season two reverses the previous/new names for the guy caught in the building collapse -- Fowler/Ford.

The goof of putting the prison in Pennsylvania (via identifier) when the terrain and flag clearly put it in California was big ("A Frond in Need") -- can it be fixed for the DVD?, just as the reflection of the camera crew in seaon one's "Good Cop Dead Cop" caused the set design to be changed to take out the glass in the doors. Production goofs aside, this is the "little show that could" and everyone involved has done a wonderful job. And they've put New Mexico on the map, finally. Gorgeous state.

Someone else on this site noted the nameplates on Mary's and Marshall's desks. I thought at first they must be triangular name plates, that can be flipped on another side with other names when witnesses come through, but they are slip-ins instead. So, oops. And even though I think it possible Mary shoots spitballs regularly, the fact that some of them remained around Marshall months after she shot them in "Let's Get it Ahn" was a good catch by a fellow poster.

There are other nice touches -- the photo on Eleanor's desk of her with her late FBI husband is actually a photo of the actress who plays Eleanor, Holly Maples, and her real life husband David Maples, IPS creator. Harder to explain away but a sweet touch was the photo on Mary Shannon's desk (for several episodes in season one, but now gone) of a little girl -- Mary McCormack's daughter #1. (And was the baby in "Hoosier Daddy" McCormack's daughter #2?)

Finally, catching the real life connections with what's on screen is also fun: Mary McCormack's brother as Agent O'Conner, Fred Weller's wife as shrink Shelly, David Maples as the cop who ticketed Mary's car in the pilot and Holly Maples as Eleanor, Cristian de la Fuente's wife as the revolutionary in the season finale; Mary McCormack's husband as director of that episode. It's all fine by me. It's all wonderfully entertaining.

I just hope the suits at USA don't wreck the series' tone by shunting aside David Maples and co-producer Paul Stupin in favor of someone unfamiliar with the mix of drama, humor, and characters that have created the fan base it has, to give the series something described as "more narrative drive". Please don't make this into just another procedural. There are enough of those to choose from already. IPS is character driven. We're invested in these characters. Keep it true to the narrative already established.

I completely agree with this. I hope that whoever USA finds to run the show, they know what works about it and what doesn't.

There is some room for improvement. I love IPS, but I've always felt like it has a whole lot of untapped potential. There are some things on the show that could be cleaned up, but other things that work extremely well and I hope they leave those elements alone. Like I think that Mary and Marshall are the heart and soul of the show, and I hope they don't mess around with that dynamic too much. I actually like the whole vibe of the WitSec office now. I like the new more in charge Stan, and I think Eleanor is a wonderful addition.

Hopefully, USA will remember their "Characters Welcome" slogan and keep that in mind when they choose the new person to run the show, and that person will realize that we are really tuning in for folks like Mary, Marshall, Stan, and Eleanor rather than the witness of the week.

I, too, think Eleanor is a wonderful addition. I would just add that I tune in also for the "other" side of the show -- Jinx, Brandi, Raph, and now Peter -- because it brings a whole other dimension to the storylines, and gives insight into what makes Mary tick -- and Mary's the core of the show. It's her journey.

It would be great to see a show focused on Marshall (I'm sure I'm not the first to suggest this). Have we even ever seen his house?? It would be interesting to see a little more on how he ticks. Does he have any family still alive? Does he eat brussel sprouts?...you know...just a glimpse into the inner sanctum

I agree that it would be good to get more insight to Marshall. I heard/read somewhere that his back story is that he's a fifth generation marshal. Perhaps as Mary "recovers" in season three there will be more opportunity for investigation of the other characters.

I apologize if my initial posting was taken as criticism of the show. Just the opposite. I think it's terrific -- the best thing on tv -- and I'm sure if I watched other shows with the same passion I have for IPS, I'd spot their idiosyncracies, too. What amazes me about IPS is how everyone involved with it has been able to turn out such consistently fine material on such a tight schedule while not filming in LA or New York with all their built-in support systems. (Besides, I wonder if they put in these little things to see if anyone notices, or when there's a goof if they see it upon broadcast and then kick themselves.)

And just as an aside, I'm glad to see the last few episodes get out into Albuquerque more. Really adds flavor to show the diners, street scenes, etc.

I discovered IPS late in the first season and was just blown away by the last two episodes -- the acting, the writing, the character development, along with the creative twists like getting rid of the crystal meth by putting it in the chalk liner at the ballpark. It was unconventional - no one was overacting or waiting for the laugh track. It was all within character and story line. And the throw-away lines and moments are hilarious or insightful -- Mary saying under her breath "The CIA CLANs have more leaks than a men's room at Oktoberfest" (CLANS= classified computer networks; "Training Video"), or making up to Raph by giving him the WITSEC book in a plain brown wrapper hand printed as "The Perfect Book for Dominican Ex-Shortstops". That's the type of small moment that makes IPS appealing and drew me in as a fan. I avidly look forward to every new episode. It's why I'm just hoping that no one ruins a good thing.