A veteran of Canadian TV dramas, McCarthy began appearing in American-seen TV programs prior to her work in US features. She was a wife whose husband takes up smoking in "Trying Times" (PBS, 1989). The following year, she appeared in an unsold pilot for a series version of "Steel Magnolias", as Annelle (Daryl Hannah's role in the feature). McCarthy was in support of Sissy Spacek in "A Private Matter" (HBO, 1992) and played Jill Lansing, Lyle Menendez's attorney, in the 1994 CBS miniseries "Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills". She also co-starred in the 1995 NBC miniseries "A Woman of Independent Means", provided the voice of Annie in the animated series version of "Free Willy" (1994-96) and had a recurring role as the love interest to medical examiner Carter Pike (Kelly Connell) on the CBS drama series "Picket Fences" (1995-96).