Veronica Mars (Season 4)

Creator: Rob Thomas
Starring: Kristen Bell, Enrico Colantoni, Jason Dohring, Percy Daggs III, Francis Capra, Ryan Hansen, Max Greenfield, Patton Oswalt, J.K. Simmons, Izabela Vidovic, Clifton Collins Jr., David Starzyk, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Dawnn Lewis, Ken Marino
Release Date: 2019

★★★★ (out of ★★★★)

Veronica Mars is dead. No, that's not a spoiler for Hulu's newly resurrected fourth season of the series, coming five years after the Kickstarter-funded film and a full fifteen after its first episode aired on UPN. But as a viable franchise, it's felt deceased for a while now. Most of creator Rob Thomas' attempts at following up his groundbreaking first season about a teen detective investigating her best friend's murder has seen him trying to recapture a magic and creative spark that's long gone.

High school provided the perfect setting and backdrop for the outsider story Thomas was trying to tell, its moral and social complications playing directly to the strengths of one of the medium's greatest protagonists. Despite far lower viewership than deserved, critics and audiences expecting another teen drama discovered something far deeper, and were rewarded with a single season of "Peak TV" that could compete with the Breaking Bads and Mad Mens any day of the week.

Veronica Mars Title Card

Since then, Thomas has seemingly done everything possible to undo that achievement while simultaneously (and painfully) reminding us what once. And therein lies the problem. In trying to replicate that magic, he stalled, delivering "fan service" before the term, or even Twitter itself, existed. The fans can share in this blame by eating it all up, merely satisfied by having their favorite characters come back for a reunion or victory lap, as the focus irrelevantly remained on whether Veronica and Logan will stay together. That helped destroy the show, which isn't to say the 2014 movie wasn't fine for what it was. But it didn't move anything forward and it was suddenly becoming harder to envision a future for the character or series. To survive in any incarnation, it was clear a complete overhaul was needed. And if seasons two, three and the feature film were any indication, there was real concern Thomas wouldn't be interested in rocking the boat.

Well, he's done it. In bringing the show into current times, Hulu's 2019 Veronica Mars lets go of its complicated past, adjusting its style and format to the extent that it really is a full-fledged reboot. And aside from the timeliness of its central storyline, it's also a reflection of where the main characters would be now, notwithstanding all those unnecessary detours over the years. In adapting wonderfully to the streaming model his storytelling helped initiate over a decade ago, it's far and away Thomas' best effort since the first season. Crafting a tight, sophisticated mystery that maximizes its setting, we're also treated to its two most indelible characters front and center, working together again as they should. In a way, it addresses all the issues plaguing its start-stop comebacks, all while providing an entryway for new viewers who won't feel left out of the loop.

Kristen Bell has stated in numerous interviews that if she could play Veronica for the rest of her career, she would. For the first time, we can now actually envision a scenario where that's possible, as the series moves forward rather than relying on its past. While these 8 darker-leaning episodes are likely to infuriate some of those aforementioned fans who helped put the series in this predicament, it's exactly the eleventh hour save this franchise needed. With enough time having passed, new characters, better writing and a new platform to play on, the worthy follow-up we've been waiting fifteen years for has finally arrived.

Kristen Bell returns as private investigator, Veronica Mars

Taking place five years after the events of the film, Veronica (Bell) is still residing in the seaside town of Neptune, California, running Mars Investigations with her father, Keith (Enrico Colantoni), who's struggling with memory issues and walking with a cane due to injuries suffered from his accident. With business down, they're struggling to stay afloat as spring breakers descend upon Neptune with their wild beach parties. And many of them take place right outside the cramped one-bedroom boardwalk apartment Veronica shares with longtime boyfriend and Navy Inteligence officer, Logan Echolls (Jason Dohring), who's temporarily back from active military duty.

With turmoil brewing between Neptune's elite and small-business owners reaping the financial benefits of spring break, the shocking Sea Sprite Motel bombing sends the town into a tailspin, and involves a number of key suspects and witnesses. They include hapless, murder and publicity obsessed pizza delivery guy Penn Epner (Patton Oswalt), the motel owner's teen daughter Matty Ross (Izabela Vidovic) and Alex Maloof (Paul Karmiryan), the wealthy nephew of up-and-coming Congressman Daniel Maloof (Mido Hamada).

When the congressman hires Veronica and Keith to investigate the case under Police Chief Langdon's (Dawnn Lewis) nose, the bombings continue, with all clues seeming to lead back to real estate magnate Richard "Big Dick" Casablancas (David Starzyk) and his old prison buddy and fixer, Clyde Pickett (J.K. Simmons). But the arrival of two mysterious Mexican Cartel hitmen (played by Clifton Collins Jr. and Frank Gallegos) looking to take out the bomber could mean even bigger problems for Veronica.

Veronica and Logan

The most notable difference in this incarnation is how much grittier it feels and its higher production values, recalling the strongest aspects of its inaugural season on UPN. But that's where the comparisons end since the Neptune here not only looks and feels slightly different, but seems far seedier it has in the past. And the idea of Veronica, having never fulfilled what many (including her father and Logan) believed was her true potential, very much plays into the position she now finds herself. Living in a cramped boardwalk apartment, she's literally trapped in this town by her own choice, as closed in and cut off as ever, despite not losing any of her wickedly sarcastic sense of humor about it.

The show's content, no longer restricted by the confines of broadcast TV standards, has officially caught up to Veronica's more adult sensibilities, allowing the writers some slack to have characters actually swear and include more graphic depictions of violence and sex when necessary. And none of it seems gratuitous, mostly due to the fact that it's expertly incorporated to fit the demands and tone of the plot rather than as a transparent attempt to seem "grown up" or be taken more seriously. Try as they did to market it as such, VM was never a teen show, or at least its first season wasn't. It was a great drama that happened to revolve around them. Now with the shackles off, it can finally be marketed and shown for the gripping character-driven mystery it always was, minus that stigma. It's only fitting that what's on screen reflects that evolution, as we now get to see Veronica and Keith in an actual shootout. With guns. There are decapitations, drug use, and a bunch of other nefarious goings on you woudn't expect on Veronica Mars. And none of it's for shock value, but rather the needs of the central mystery.

What might be most impressive is how well this revival performs and adapts to its new limited episode format, as if cashing in on expectations of what could have always been. Even a Breaking Bad-like subplot involving two Mexican cartel hitmen works better than anyone could predict, mostly because those involved are committed enough to the show's dark, noir-ish tone this time around that it doesn't feel like a tease. That's evident in the spectacular opening title sequence that feels like a trippy, hallucinatory mash of Neon Demon and True Detective, backed by Chrissie Hynde's slowed-down, synth cover of the show's theme, The Dandy Warhols' "We Used To Be Friends." I'd even go as far as to say the opening titles surpass the first season's, which energetically undersold the show as something lighter and less substantial than it actually was.

The Sea Sprite Motel bombing

That the titles only features Bell, Colantoni and Dohring is revealing in how it conveys just how tightly focused the season is. It's all about answering a single question: Who's the bomber? There's so much going on during the actual Sea Sprite bombing scene in the premiere, "Spring Breakers," you'd be forgiven for not being able to track it. We're introduced to a lot of characters all at once, but almost immediately, the writers expertly deconstruct that information, leaving us with who and what's important as the investigation forges forward with its many twists and turns.

When old favorite characters do show up, their presence is entirely contingent on whether it makes sense. This isn't a reunion. Veronica pal Wallace Fennel (Percy Daggs III), PCH gang leader Eli "Weevil" Navarro (Francis Capra), Veronica ex and current FBI agent Leo D'Amato (Max Greenfield), obnoxious B-movie actor Dick Casablancas (Ryan Hansen), sleazy P.I.Vinnie Van Lowe (Ken Marino) and even ambulance-chasing lawyer Cliff McCormack (Daran Norris) all appear, but in different, if not entirely unfamiliar capacities from when we last saw them. Most of the focus is on the newer characters, as it should be.

While it's a genuine thrill to see each of those returnees used really well, Weevil and Leo are  the two biggest beneficiaries. Both their relationships with Veronica are more complicated than before, as Thomas follows through with the film's promise of having Weevil return to the wrong side of the tracks, testing whatever loyalty they have left to each other. Leo, however, picks up almost exactly where he left off with Veronica, this time as a visiting FBI agent assisting with the case, and perhaps a pointed reminder of the career path she could have continued to follow. He's also presented as a potential thorn for a jealous Logan who's not entirely privy to their history. Bell and Greenfield don't miss a beat, employing the same easygoing chemistry and back-and-forth banter as in season's past, only now with a more serious backdrop.

Patton Oswalt as pizza delivery guy, Penn Epner

Most of the season's action is driven by the Emmy-worthy performances of Patton Oswalt and J.K. Simmons, both of whom deliver big in very different, but equally complex parts. The best thing Thomas did was get the two of them onboard, as it's almost surreal seeing already established actors of their caliber dropped into this universe he's created to shake things up. And do they ever.

As pizza delivery guy and true crime superfan Penn, Oswalt paints a portrait of this pitiable man seemingly thrust into the middle of a media whirlwind he willingly encourages. As the founder of a "Murder Head" web group, his behavior wildly fluctuates between hilarious, endearing, tasteless and even flat-out offensive depending upon the situation. Victim, liar or hero? We're never quite sure, but Oswalt (paying tribute to his late wife's true crime investigating with this character) makes it impossible not to care.

Simmons' ex-con, Clyde, is a little smoother with his manipulation, but no less confounding, as we spend most of the eight episodes wondering what angle he's working. We know he can't stay in the background for long as Big Dick's cleaner but there's also considerable intrigue in the bromance he strikes up with a now physically ailing Keith. Yes, they're working each other the whole time since he and his boss are key suspects, but there's also a real bond there between two tired older guys looking for someone to shoot the breeze with. He may be a criminal, but he's an honest one operating within his own code of ethics, and Simmons, legendarily capable of flipping between cold-blooded and kind-hearted in an instant, has us nervously stirring over which side Clyde will eventually end up on.

Oscar-winner J.K. Simmons as ex-con Clyde Pickett

With Veronica's long-standing abandonment and trust issues now carrying into her mid-thirties, friends aren't easy to come by or keep, especially in a line of work where mistrust is a prerequisite. Her relationships with Wallace and Weevil are strained and she even starts things off on the wrong foot with a returning Logan. While our beloved Veronica sure ain't easy to deal with, some relief comes in the genuine friendship she strikes up with local bar owner, Nicole Malloy (The Good Place's Kirby Howell-Baptiste). But when her cynicism and guilty conscience takes over, it isn't long before she manages to potentially sabatage that as well.

The idea of giving Veronica a sidekick of sorts in the form of 16-year-old Matty is a great one, and probably could have been executed in any of the show's seasons if the situation warranted it. But it makes the most sense now, as she'd want to latch onto someone she sees as a reflection of herself at that age, and has just suffered a similarly immeasurable loss where she needs to get at the truth. Like Penn, Matty also works as a conduit to show how Veronica's history with the Lilly Kane case continues to informs her every decision as an investigator and person.

While Izabela Vidovic more than holds her own as the rebellious teen absorbing Veronica's knowledge and making scary missteps along the way, her presence never comes off as the transparent spin-off audition it easily could have. Dawnn Lewis also makes a strong supporting contribution as Neptune's newest no-nonsense police chief Marcia Langdon, who proves to be the latest bureaucratic roadblock for the Mars' to overcome, albeit a fairly likable one.

Keith and Veronica on the job

A creative zenith is reached in the depiction of Veronica and Keith's relationship, a bond that was always at the heart of the show, but fell by the wayside in the two subsequent seasons and film, the latter of which hardly saw them working together at all. This is a welcome return to top first season form, with the two joking, bickering and watching each others backs like no time has passed at all. The Mars Investigations office also looks exactly as it should after being given a somewhat shoddy treatment production-wise in the movie. But the kicker is that the dynamic between these two has evolved considerably, with Keith struggling with physical limitations and memory loss, giving Colantoni a chance to bring a vulnerability to the character he hasn't been afforded since the show's peak.

Roles are now reversed, with Veronica having to protect her own father just as he protected her as a teen. Both from himself and others. There's a memorable moment that comes about three quarters through the season that signifies that massive shift while confirming the series is back firing on all cylinders. It's when Veronica has to pause midway through one of their elaborate ruses to check on her dad. He's supposed to be faking a heart attack, but she stops, and the look on her face speaks volumes. Given his current condition, she can't be sure it's not real and abandons her cover to check on him. Juxtapose that with the show's first season finale, where super sleuth Veronica, unharmed through twenty-plus episodes investigating a murder, finds herself in actual physical danger. A suddenly helpless teen in need of dad's help. The same terrified feeling we all had watching that returns, only this time our fears are for Keith.

Kristen Bell slides back into this like it's nothing, and with even more experience as an actress under her belt and better, more engaging material to work with, the results far exceed anything she's been handed after the first season. While we always knew she'd be a successful enough actress to never need the show again, she's still taken for granted in how she carried it, especially during its rougher creative patches. Here, she gets more help from the writers and supporting cast in her entirely believable portrayal of an older, more jaded and bitter Veronica who's over a decade removed from Lilly Kane's murder, and with some life already behind her. And we the impression much of it wasn't what she wanted. At no point during the series' run did Bell ever seem to be going through the motions but the show sure did, so it's nice having the content catch up to her talent again

Jason Dohring returns as Logan Echolls

Veronica's carrying a lot of baggage, most of it in the form of her relationship with Logan, which always felt like it was holding the series back, before eventually becoming the very reason it flew off the rails. This time, it rarely takes center stage and supplements rather than overwhelms the crime proceedings. The problems they deal with feel like real adult issues stemming from Veronica's past trauma and Logan's anger issues. To Jason Dohring's credit, this is probably his best work to date, as he internally struggles to decipher his current role in Veronica's life. And because he also now more closely resembles an Jack Ryan-like action hero than the Logan we remember, the show's able to exploit that by cleverly making him one.

The controversial season finale,"Years, Continents, Bloodshed," feels like the point where everything we always thought the show was, and what it should be now, converge. While it's not news that creators and showrunners often have to make incredibly difficult decisions, what's talked about less is how frequently they opt out of making them. Whether it's to please the fans or network, they take the easy way out, often to the show's creative detriment.

With a final, brutal twist, Rob Thomas tuned all of that noise out and made the decision that was right for the story and its characters. The one that would most insure the series' future viability, while putting an exclamation point on the darker ride these 8 episodes have taken us on.  Having previously written for the fans and and seeing it get the the series nowhere, he's now given the characters and audience what they NEED instead of want, recreating that same mixture of tragedy, triumph and uncertainty that defined show's initial run.

Season 4's shocking finale, "Years, Continents, Bloodshed"

It's entirely possible this was too big a risk and Veronica Mars ends up losing the decade-plus loyal following it has. If that does happen, which it won't, this was still entirely worth it, if only to experience the series performing at its peak for the first time since 2004. But if early indicators can be trusted, it's likely viewers who appreciate great TV have noticed these strides and we'll get more where this came from.

Not only does is it complete vindication for seasons two and three, but an invitation for anyone who hasn't seen them to just skip straight to this, which feels like the first season's true successor. With a tight, self-contained thrill-ride on a new platform, and unencumbered by the pressure to fill over twenty hours of story, the series feels creatively reborn, giving us something more to contemplate afterwards. It's the darkest hole yet for the resilient Veronica to claw out of, with the possibility of even bigger obstacles ahead. But it's great having her back.   

Veronica Mars (2014)

Director: Rob Thomas
Starring: Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, Krysten Ritter, Ryan Hansen, Francis Capra, Percy Daggs III,
Chris Lowell, Tina Majorino, Enrico Colantoni, Gaby Hoffman, Jerry O' Connell, Martin Starr, Ken Marino, Max Greenfield, Amanda Noret, James Franco
Running Time: 107 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★★ (out of ★★★★)
  
Following the announcement that beloved cult series Veronica Mars would be kickstarted into a feature film to simultaneously be released on VOD and into theaters, I was surprised just how much more interested I was in the controversial crowdfunding issue than actually seeing it return in any form. But after considering it, that indifference makes perfect sense. The first season of Rob Thomas' Veronica Mars is unquestionably flawless, deserving of its standing amongst the most creatively realized single season television dramas of the past decade. It took the unremarkable premise of a high school private eye and turned it into something that transcended the genre with its writing, tone and execution. Arriving at a time when serialized, self-contained storytelling wasn't popular and shows didn't revolve around strong female protagonists, telling one story throughout a season or even an entire series was unheard of. After turning loyal watchers into "fans" and forcing casual viewers to catch up later through word-of-mouth or social media, a cult was born.

In 2004 delivering one season of TV at such high quality was an anomaly. Not anymore. In fact, many showrunners have now done it multiple times, slightly diminishing Thomas' accomplishment, even if he got there first. A second solid season aired followed by a third that deserves to be forgotten and mostly is. But that first season is still magnificent and represents the best kind of episodic storytelling the medium has to offer. That's why it's so disappointing that network brass and even many fans insisted on turning the show into something it wasn't, failing to realize the gift they were given. They wanted it to be The Gilmore Girls or 90210 and the CW network responded by attempting it, causing the show to limp to the finish line in a far lesser state than it started. For further proof look no further than the fact that re-runs started regularly airing on SoapNet of all places.

With its legacy somewhat tarnished and that magical first season in the rearview mirror, trepidation toward this project is understandable. Worse yet, it exists to provide "fan service," which is partially responsible for unraveling the show to begin with.  Freed from the constraints of network television, this is a big test for Thomas, as we finally find it whether he was a single season wonder or it was outside factors that caused the series' eventual downfall. So with that in mind, how did he do?

Picking up nine years after the events of the third season, Veronica (Kristen Bell) has left her hometown of Neptune, California, graduated law school and moved to New York City, where she's in a relationship with college boyfriend "Piz" (Chris Lowell). While awaiting an offer from prestigious law firm Truman-Mann, she's contacted by her ex Logan Echolls (Jason Dohring), who's been serving in the Navy and is under investigation for the murder of his girlfriend Carrie Bishop, a former Neptune High classmate who went on to find fame as troubled pop star "Bonnie DeVille." Veronica agrees to fly back to Neptune under the condition of helping him and his still obnoxiously hilarious best friend Dick Casablancas (Ryan Hansen) find an attorney to build a believable defense.

With her ten-year class reunion approaching and the case becoming more complicated, Veronica's soon drawn back in to the chaotic life she thought she left behind, much to the chagrin of her former sheriff father Keith (Enrico Colantoni). He's running Mars Investigations while sickened by the corruption overrunning Neptune under sleazy Sheriff Dan Lamb (Jerry O'Connell). With the help of old friends Wallace (Percy Daggs III) and "Mac" (Tina Majorino), Veronica has to find Carrie's murderer and exonerate Logan, all while coming to terms with the past and figuring out what it means for her future. 

The movie answers one of its biggest questions right away in how much background Thomas intends to give the uninitiated, with a brief, narrated prologue that's quick and painless, yet doesn't waste the time of diehards who know every detail of the mythology. Archival footage marks the extent of Amanda Seyfried's role, as we find out how Thomas handles the absence of the series biggest star. Since her character's long dead, the passing acknowledgment of Lilly Kane seems to be a pretty easy solution. With a nine-year gap to be accounted for, it was the right move to keep the Veronica voice-over (which the series eventually fazed it out) since it's as good a device as any to catch viewers up to speed provided it isn't abused. Thankfully, it isn't.

Clever choices are also made with the opening titles and theme song, which I won't spoil. But what's surreal is just seeing the characters ten years later, but in the context of a feature film. It took some adjusting to since it does look and feel different with the sheen of a higher end production, yet still strangely the same. Visually speaking, it's the best VM has ever looked on a technical level with Thomas and director of photography Ben Kutchins capturing the color palette of the series' early days, as well as Neptune's noirish atmosphere.

The tease that age has mellowed Veronica and she's left her rebellious streak behind to settle down with Piz and start a legal career is short-lived. It isn't long before she's back home making quips and trading one-liners with her dad, the writing still as quick and snappy as before, and Bell's delivery of it just as perfect. She slides back into this character like riding a bike with the actress clearly relishing the rare chance to step back into the role she was born to play. In that respect, it's almost as if no time passed at all. What's interesting about the murder set-up is how it transforms Veronica back into the outsider she once was when the show began, bringing everything full circle. All fans can at least agree that the father-daughter relationship between Keith and Veronica is the most missed aspect of the show and Thomas definitely doesn't disappoint in following through with the full implications of that reunion.

Veronica's reconnection with Logan is admirably treated with a restraint I wasn't expecting considering my biggest concern was that relationship taking over the picture, much like it eventually did the series. If one thing can be pointed at as creatively torpedoing the show, it's that. Unsurprisingly, there's one scene involving this I could have done without, but at least it's built up to well and handled painlessly. Until Veronica joins a monastery, I'll just have to accept to the fact that the depiction of their relationship is a necessary evil, but one hardly as integral to the show's initial success as many believe. Dohring actually gives a really interesting performance here, doing away with some of the more milquetoast elements of Logan that emerged pre-cancellation while reintroducing the darker, angrier aspects of the character. We know he probably didn't commit the crime, but Dohring thankfully doesn't play it like that. While few will be happy to see Piz again but his presence does make story sense and Chris Lowell, who's done okay for himself since, is a much better actor now than then.           

What's most surprising is how serious everything is treated while still somehow retaining much of the fun. In a PG-13 rated film we're treated to swearing, bar fights and shootouts that wouldn't have been possible during the series' run due to budget constraints and network interference. And the class warfare aspect of Neptune is not only emphasized but kind of enhanced with a legitimate sense of danger looming. There's a feeling that the first time our favorite characters could actually be hurt, or perhaps worse.

The nine-year layoff for the characters is a blessing in disguise, as their aging assures the series can longer be pigeonholed into a genre it never quite belonged. It's also a slight detriment, since part of the original thrill came from a story of such epic scope revolving around high schoolers. Supporting players Wallace, Mac and Dick are given much more to do here than they were in all of the show's third season and help move along the plot rather than merely stop in for appearances sake. The big surprise in that regard is Weevil (Francis Capra) who's given a subplot that's almost downright shocking, playing on the character's shady past in a clever way.

Unexpectedly, the film is filled to the brim with cameos, one of the more notable coming from James Franco, who probably jumped at the chance to appear considering how he seems to have his hands in everything in pop culture. Bigger roles go to Gaby Hoffman as an obsessed Carrie Bishop impersonator who could also be a key witness/suspect in her murder and hugely successful show alum, Krysten Ritter, returning as Veronica's frenemy Gia Goodman. The part is expanded accordingly to capitalize on her presence, reminding us how we underestimated the actress' versatility the first go around.

My personal favorite recurring character, goofy private investigator Vinnie Van Lowe (Ken Marino!) also makes a comeback, integrated briefly into the case. And yes, Max Greenfield does show up as Deputy Leo. It's hard to think of any big names left out whose absence damage the film, with maybe the exception of the original Carrie Bishop, Leighton Meester. The murder plot was probably conceived with the actress in mind so her unavailability is a blow, as it's easy to imagine she could have brought a lot more to it now. Jessica Chastain or Aaron Paul returning just isn't realistic but boy would that have been a shock had either appeared.

There is some clunkiness to the central mystery, but what really does work is how the film incorporates modern technology and social media into the investigation of the crime. This is technology that didn't exist (at least to this extent) during the show's run, so it's only fitting for a series that was always slightly ahead of the curve to now be able to pull the trigger on it. Thomas and crew delivered as promised, wrapping the show's and its title character's return into a thematic package about the battle between holding on and letting go.

The idea that Keith wants better life for his daughter than one in Neptune and is downright disappointed and angry at the possibility she'd consider throwing it away really resonates. In fact, it resonates in a way the series hadn't at the end of its run. It does surprisingly look and feel like authentic Veronica Mars and there's far less of a drop-off in the quality of writing than you'd expect. It's really as good as it could have possibly been, at many points recalling the mood and tone of the first and second seasons rather than the far lesser one that succeeded them. And although it's been called it, this doesn't merely come off as a reunion show with Thomas attempting to do more than reassemble the cast and call it a day.

None of the events or characters feel jammed in and it's unnecessary for us to adjust our expectations for who is and isn't there like we did for Netflix's revival of Arrested Development. It's unfair to compare such wildly different reboots (in separate mediums nonetheless) but it's really the closest thing to this situation we've got, proving how creatively risky bringing back defunct properties can be. While a solid effort, even diehards couldn't claim that fourth season holds a candle to the previous three, or even slightly resembles the show it was.

The waters should have been even choppier for VM, but unlike AD, its saving grace is that it went out struggling with some unfinished business. And since the show's quality fluctuated and it didn't deliver three perfect seasons like that series did, expectations are lower. It also has to deliver one powerful extended episode instead of an entire season, with the catch being that it has to look and feel cinematic, which it does. Add to that the pressure of the mainstream paying attention because of this untested funding and distribution model. Casual eyes have never really been on this series before and even if it is made to appeal primarily to fans, there has to be some entry point for everyone else. Or does there?

Whether this film appeals to those who haven't seen the show doesn't really even matter. When you consider how much work it took to resurrect this and the circumstances under which it eventually happened, the movie's potential success is dependent on the fan base being just large enough to eliminate risk for Warner Bros. This is being sold as a product with preexisting loyalty and familiarity so casual viewers just won't have the same long-term investment in the characters. But that doesn't mean someone who's never seen an episode wouldn't enjoy it. It just means they'd likely enjoy it on an entirely different level. As a smart mystery thriller.

As much potential as there is for this saga to continue or for the series to undergo a full-blown resurrection, ending it here would also be fine. Rob Thomas and this cast should never have to beg for money or hustle this hard because Warner Bros. won't financially support the series. The studio couldn't even manage to follow through on their basic publicity and marketing obligations. But regardless of those issues, there's no denying the Kickstarter approach works best for a property exactly like this. It wasn't about making Veronica Mars "happen" since that ship sailed a while ago, but rather giving the series the victory lap it deserves. And they delivered, making this trip back to Neptune one worth taking.

TV on DVD: Veronica Mars (The Complete Third Season)

Creator: Rob Thomas
Starring: Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, Enrico Colantoni, Percy Daggs III, Ryan Hansen, Tina Majornino, Micheal Muhney, Chris Lowell, Francis Capra, Julie Gonzalo
Original Airdate: 2006-2007

*** (out of ****)

"Now that we're on the CW, I feel like we're finally on the right network. As long as we hold most of the Gilmore Girls audience, we'll be successful. That's what we need to accomplish this year." -Veronica Mars Creator Rob Thomas

I wasn't there when Rob Thomas made that statement but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt that a CW executive was pointing a loaded gun directly at his head when he did. Anyone who's actually seen Veronica Mars knows that it ISN'T THAT KIND OF SHOW. And as long as network executives tried to shape it into one and gain that coveted teen demographic the more we realize the actual problem and why it really struggled in the ratings. It was on the wrong network…twice. Networks that just didn't deserve the show and had no idea what to do with it.

The audience who would have watched the show don't watch UPN or the CW but rather than try and promote the show for what it was (the best written and acted drama of the decade) they decided the show must have some creative problems that need fixing. It didn't, at least until they stepped in. All this off screen drama concerning the fate of Veronica Mars came to a head in its third and final season, one considered even by the show's most loyal devotees to be a massive disappointment plagued with creative issues.

Fans of the show are probably looking at my rating above, scratching their heads and thinking three and a half stars is excessive. That I'm bias. You're thinking three stars seems more on the mark. But that's the thing. Giving this season three stars would be like some kind of admission that even when this show isn't at its absolute best it can be categorized as "good," "average" or in the slightest bit comparable with anything else on television. What's really scary is despite the network clearly running interference it's still better than anything on television.

While I found some of the changes made to the show this season to be questionable (and there are times when you can almost see the network notes onscreen) I can't say I was angered or offended by any of them or that the overall integrity of the series was compromised. But there was something in this DVD set I was angered by and it had nothing to do with the third season. Instead, it was on a bonus disc of special features, one of which gives us a glimpse of what the show would have become in its fourth season had it been renewed and paints its cancellation in a whole different light for me.

Season 3 should stand as a warning sign against network meddling and what can happen when the wrong element of a show is emphasized. It's a testament to Thomas and his writers that by the end they were able to overcome this intrusion, finish strong and deliver a reasonably satisfying conclusion. It's also worth noting that this final season is nowhere near the disaster everyone has made it out to be and at worst it's merely uneven. A step down only in comparison to the other two. Haters are quick to point out the flaws but may have missed the flashes of brilliance that come in the form of interesting new directions for certain characters, a couple of great guest starring performances, and Thomas' refusal to lose sight of "the big picture," even when we we fear he has.

My first reaction upon popping in Season 3 was that it was a completely different show. Actually that was clear from the second I saw the DVD packaging, which is noticeably different and sleeker than that of the previous two seasons. It's obvious, with the show moving out of high school and into college an effort was made to make it seem more "mature," which is ironic considering there was nothing in the slightest bit immature about it to begin with. This carries over to the new opening, which features an opening title sequence that better emphasizes the noir aspect of the show and a slower, darker re-mix of the contagiously catchy Dandy Warhols theme song, "We Used To be Friends."

At least the change in the title sequence was a good idea and probably overdue, but unfortunately the tone of it is more applicable to the previous seasons than this one, which is the most lightweight of the three. The look of the show itself is even a little different as it appears it was shot on a higher budget this time around with more interesting camera work and in higher definition. My eyes could be playing tricks on me here, but although the same soft colors fans have been accustomed to are used, it appears to have been shot darker. The biggest change this season though has nothing to do with aesthetics, but narrative.

Hearing complaints from viewers that the second season's bus crash mystery was "too complicated" (which at times it was) Thomas takes a different approach to the mysteries this season, doing away with one giant story arc that pays off huge in the finale and instead replacing it with one mystery that wraps up halfway through the season and a second that concludes just before the final episode. The goal of making this season simpler and more accessible to casual viewers is accomplished but it comes at the expense of the forward moving momentum that were trademarks of the first two. It's simple, but at times it feels maybe too simple. It's almost as if the writers thought the audience was too stupid to follow a complex season-long mystery. With the show's future in doubt right up until the very last episode we got 20 episodes instead of the usual 22.
Unsurprisingly (and likely unavoidably) the shift of the setting from high school to college hurts the show some. The value of the high school setting was seeing how Neptune High was a microcosm of the class system in the town and reflected its prejudices and corruption. It hit on a universal truth that's reflected in high schools in wealthy ZIPs across the country. College is different. There isn't as much of a struggle and the dramatic potential is considerably lessened. So here the writers are called upon to do more to create it.

If the second season opened up the town of Neptune the first half of Season 3 closes it off, quarantining us at Hearst College. Anyone who attended college would be thankful if it bared little resemblance to the depressing Hearst, which boasts an entire student population consisting of sleazy frat boys and militant feminists whose extracurricular activities include rape, faking rape, murder, gambling and kidnapping. Good thing one of their incoming freshmen is Veronica Mars.

The season starts off on a note of confusion since when we last left Veronica we were under the impression she'd be attending Stanford. Now all of the sudden she's at Hearst joining her best friend Wallace Fennell (Percy Daggs III), who's there on a basketball scholarship. The lack of explanation is related to the final change Thomas (or more likely "the network") implemented on the show. In the opening episodes of this season the underlying mythology and references to past events are downplayed so not to confuse potential new viewers who have never seen the show.

There's a clearly conscious effort to start with a clean slate on a new network in what was a "do or die" situation for this series. But notice I say "downplayed" and not forgotten as will be evident as the season wears on. There is a quick wrap up to a lingering plot thread and cliffhanger from the second season finale in the first episode (3-1: "Welcome Wagon") and it's interesting in that it's the only time in the series where we see Keith Mars (Enrico Colantoni) in a position of real helplessness and weakness. He's bruised, battered, and really has no one to blame but himself. Like Veronica, we've come to view him as completely infallible, a notion that's challenged this season as Keith makes some morally questionable decisions. He even begins an affair with a married woman (guest star Laura San Giacomo), even if that relationship feels independent from everything else plot-wise and a little tacked on.

The shift to college puts the writers in an awkward position of having to come up with a new set of characters to fill the void left by Veronica's graduation from Neptune High. If Principal Clemmons served as Veronica's foil and sometime nemesis in high school, a similar role is assumed at Hearst by Dean Cyrus O' Dell, played by guest star Ed Begley Jr. And fans of Begley's guest starring performance in the other great cancelled show of this decade, Arrested Development, will be pleased to discover that this time around he has all of his hair in place. The character is written as kind of a buffoon but Begely brings so much more to the role, investing him with real depth and making him a likeable guy who always seems to be in on the joke. His lively performance helps save the more problematic portions in the first half of this season.

In an interesting development that carries throughout much of the season, Veronica becomes the star protégé of cocky criminology professor Hank Landry (Patrick Fabian) who has all the connections to hook her up with a summer internship in the FBI, but seems to be struggling more with personal problems of his own. He also has a teaching assistant who just might be the most unintentionally hilarious character in Veronica Mars history. For some reason I just laughed every time he appeared onscreen. Helping some was the actor playing him, who will look eerily familiar to diehard fans of the series.
Unintentional or not, anyone who enjoys this show for its comedy will have the most to laugh at by far in this season. You really do have to wonder how much of it was intended to be taken seriously at all and it's hard to get that upset at any of the flaws precisely because of that reason. When you have Veronica investigating the kidnapping of guest star Patty Hearst and Richard Grieco as a meth head abducted for his bone marrow you can't help but just sit back and have fun. Those who can let go and do that will find a lot to love about the third season, but those who can't probably won't care for it at all.

Michael Muhney and Tina Majornino, who both had big recurring roles in the first two seasons as Sheriff Don Lamb and Veronica's pal Mac, become series regulars, but it's in billing only as neither seem to have any more screen time. You could actually argue Muhney has less than ever. And unfortunately many times during this season the writers seem more preoccupied with Mac's love life than her helping Veronica solve cases. What they do well, however, is subtly address the tragedy that befell both Mac and the irritating Dick Casablancas (Ryan Hansen) at the end of the second season.

Without giving too much away I really liked how they showed how both were impacted differently and handled it in a way befitting their personalities. Casablancas reaches new unlikable heights with his abrasive and the over-the-top behavior but a twist late in the season teases us with the possibility we didn't think could exist: That he may actually have a soul. With so much focus on the newer characters the unfortunate consequence is that two of the most likeable regulars in the series are given very little to do this season.

Wallace is hardly seen or heard from until later episodes while Eli "Weevil" Navarro (Francis Capra) isn't given much more, but unfortunately I have a feeling that had more to do with the actor's health problems than neglect from the writers. That's a shame since Capra's done such tremendous work on the show, but it should be noted that he still has a couple of really strong episodes, including one early on (3-3: "Witchita Linebacker") where we see him in an interesting role we're not accustomed to, interacting and working with a major character he hasn't had any contact with over the course of the series.

There's a theory that's been floating around among fans that the character of Veronica is meaner this season and despite Thomas' denials on the issue I actually do think there's some truth to it. In fact, you could argue there are many instances early on where she comes off as a complete bitch.

Perhaps tired of being let down constantly by those who love her and victimized by the system, this attitude seems to take over her investigation into the first big mystery, the series of on-campus rapes that started last season. Criticisms have been lobbied against this storyline claiming that Veronica lacks the personal connection to this mystery that she had with the two previous cases in the series, which is probably true to an extent. But, really, how much longer can she go with everyone she's close to dying? What they're also forgetting is that Veronica herself is a victim of rape and many of her actions and harsh behavior could justifiably stem from that. She wants to get at the truth at any cost possible since she, of all people, knows what it's like to be dragged through the mud and have no one on your side.

Appropriately, and nicely harkening back to the first two seasons, this investigation once again puts Veronica on the outside looking in and makes her public enemy number to the social factions on campus. The revelation of the rapist isn't a shock, or even much of a surprise, but the episode that reveals it (3-9: "Spit and Eggs," the only episode in the series directed by Rob Thomas) sure is exciting and marks one of the very few times in the show's run when Veronica is put in immediate physical harm.

From there it's off and running with the second mystery, which concerns the potential murder of a prominent faculty member at Hearst. This fares better than the rape storyline largely because we actually grow to care about the victim. Unfortunately, it's REALLY obvious who the killer is and for the first time we're actually a few steps ahead of Veronica and she kind of comes off looking like an idiot for being an episode or two too slow to figure it out. Still, when the reveal comes (3-15: "Papa's Cabin") it makes for one of the most clever and entertaining scenes of the season.

One of the qualities we love most about Veronica is her reckless, rebellious attitude, but now she's called out on it by those closest to her as she continually risks her safety. Her behavior is becomes selfish (especially during the rape case) pushing away the people who love her. The relationship between Veronica and Logan (Jason Dohring) which was invested with such subtle depth the previous two seasons unfortunately turns into a glorified soap opera at times during this one. On again. Off again. On again. Off again. But that didn't bother me as much as the fact that it became the focal point of the show and crime solving was pushed aside to make room for it.

This is especially true of one episode where Logan is left to care for a little girl (3-13: "Postgame Mortem") and the whole universe seems to revolve around his relationship with Veronica. It's really the only major issue I have with the third season and I'm convinced the CW, in a silly attempt to lure in female teenage viewers and gain the "Gilmore Girls audience," are completely responsible for it. There are quite a few episodes toward the middle part of the season spent with Logan hauled up in the Neptune Grand Hotel moping. We should thank our lucky stars though that this material is being handled by two actors with the talent of Bell and Dohring because I can't even begin to think what a disaster this could have turned into without them to carry it.

When I reviewed the second season I said I could pretty much watch these characters do anything. Little did I know that theory would be put to the test.  Dohring deserves special praise here because this is the first time we get to see what he can do with writing that isn't at an "A" level and you could even argue in this season he's saddled with the series' all-time weakest material. But he still comes through. I believed he was a good actor before but after watching Season 3 I realize he was even better than I originally thought. He also has one of his best episodes at the start of the season (3-4: "Charlie Don't Surf"), where Logan's dysfunctional family past starts to rear its ugly head again.

A third wheel is even introduced into Veronica and Logan's relationship in the form of Wallace's roommate and campus D.J., Stosh "Piz" Piznarski (Chris Lowell), as Thomas exploits fans' over-protectiveness of Veronica and unwavering belief that only Logan deserves to be with her. The character of Piz starts off on an annoying foot, but as the season progresses a funny thing happens and he almost becomes likeable in his straightforward nice guy simplicity, at least to the point where we're not completely enraged to see Veronica with him. An attempt to pair off Logan with someone else (played another new addition, Julie Gonzalo) is less effective.

There's a big debate among fans whether Logan and Veronica are better together or apart. While the characters have been through the wringer and certainly earned the right to be a couple I can't say I care all that much. As long as the two of them are onscreen together in any capacity the viewer wins, so long as that storyline doesn't take over the show like it did at times during this season. Their relationship works best when it's subtly worked into the show, but doesn't have enough gas to exist independently outside of the other storylines. That's the one big miscalculation in Season 3. The show's in top form when Veronica is out in the field solving mysteries and the strongest episodes of this third season can match up with any of the strongest ones from the second.

The genius of the series is how it always finds a way to but Veronica in new and fresh situations, and even when the situations aren't new and fresh, they seem like they are because they're played so well and Bell is such a pro. This is true of possibly my favorite episode of this season, 3-11: "Poughkeepsie, Tramps and Thieves," where Veronica helps a geeky student track down a girl he met at Comic-Con. Full of twists, turns, reversals and surprises the mystery showcases everything that's so great about this show. I also got a feeling of déjà vu as I watched because I could swear the episode looked very familiar to me. Then it occurred to me this may have been the one episode I caught a part of when the series originally aired.

With the finish line in sight it's almost as if the writers had a fire lit underneath them as they approached the final episode (3-20: "The Bitch is Back"). A new mystery presents itself that's so compelling it could easily compete with anything from the first two seasons. There's the shocking return of a familiar face from Season 1 and big steps are made to get back to the mythology of the show and the class warfare of Neptune.

Keith Mars takes a very interesting turn as we get to see his character in a different capacity. You could claim a lot of supporting characters are brushed aside this season but you couldn't dare make that comment about Keith, who's given enough emphasis to consider renaming the show, Keith Mars. Certain aspects of the show may have been shortchanged this season but the relationship between Keith and Veronica hasn't.

Toward the end we're also treated to pretty great guest performances, specifically from Paul Rudd as a washed up rock star (3-17: "Debasement Tapes'). Rudd is an actor with many fans and I'm betting he earned some more with his hilarious turn in that episode. Ken Marino pops back in at just the right time as private investigator Vinnie Van Lowe and finally plays the major role I've been hoping he would throughout the entire series. What I like most about this character is even though he acts like a complete moron that's all it is, an act. He's a smart detective and an opportunist who's always playing a game or an angle.

Of all the recurring characters that travel through the revolving door that's Neptune Van Lowe is by far my favorite and if you think about it the only one who's a formidable opponent for Keith and Veronica. He's as smart as they are, except he's playing dumb. Marino is an actor who can shift from comedy to drama at the flip of a switch and we're never quite sure whether he's serious or not, making his presence that much more intriguing. The latter episodes suggest that he was set up to take an even larger role in the next season, which doesn't help to soften the already painful blow of losing this series.

In the final stretch Logan comes out of his self-induced depression and starts shows a spark we haven't seen from him since the first season. It's such a dramatic turnaround it makes me wonder if Thomas really did have a plan and was building him up for this the entire season. Wallace and Weevil who seemed to be in seclusion for much of the season come out of hiding in the final two episodes with the former having a scene in the finale more reminiscent of Saw than Veronica Mars.

There were some criticisms that with the prospect of a Season 4 very much still in the air, Thomas left some things open causing the final episode to feel more like a season finale than a series one. I disagree. I think he knew it was the end and the evidence can be seen in the show's final moments. If you pay attention to the last line of dialogue in the series and who says it we're reminded what this show at its core was REALLY about the whole time, making the fact that it didn't find a wider audience that much sadder.

There were some changes and an obvious tug-of-war with the network but enough of the elements that make this show special were retained, making this DVD set an easy buy for fans. I was overcome with a sense of dread as I neared that final disc knowing I'd never again have the chance to see a first-run episode of my favorite show. As a stand alone series you're not likely find better entertainment than this and I think a casual viewer with no previous knowledge of Veronica Mars would probably find this season more accessible and enjoyable than the second, even if it isn't up to its level creatively.

This is the only DVD set of the three seasons to contain a bonus disc with a variety of special features. It's still not enough for my taste, but it's noteworthy in that it contains something unprecedented for a cancelled television series: a look into what the next season would look like had the show continued...and it isn't pretty. Even those who had big problems with the third season will be crying and begging to run back to Hearst College after watching this horror of a presentation created by Thomas with the intention of selling the CW executives on a fourth season.

It's kind of sad to watch the interview with the defeated Thomas as he attempts to explain why the entire show has to be overhauled and flash-forwarded four years into the future with Veronica as a rookie FBI agent. You get the impression that he really doesn't want to do it but his hand has been forced and it's the only way he can keep the show on the air. He's been trumped by the network and is grasping at straws, attempting to create a new vision of the show that will please them. This is not in any way a criticism of Thomas, as I can't even imagine the pressure he must have been under having created the smartest show on television that no one watched and being told by executives (who had no idea how to market it) that it's not good enough.

Thomas says he was pleased to hear that many fans, while not crazy about the idea, would have remained on board and embraced the show if it meant the character of Veronica could stay on TV. I'm sorry to say I wouldn't have been one of them. To me it's more important that the essence of the series not be compromised and I'm relieved the CW didn't buy the pitch for another season if that was in any way a taste of what we'd get. It just wouldn't be the same Veronica Mars. I can't say I was thrilled about the prospect of a sophomore year at Hearst either, but the final episodes of the third season suggested had we continued down that road the show could have possibly returned to Season 1 form, making this FBI idea even worse.

Other than a great supporting turn from veteran character actor Bob Gunton (who adds his name to the elite list of guest stars) Thomas' FBI "presentation" is the longest 12 minutes in Veronica Mars history. Believe it or not, I actually do see the temptation to move Veronica to the Bureau and have her work on the largest scale possible since she's more than earned her pass out of dead-end Neptune. But it's still a temptation that should be resisted.

If you watch crime shows like CSI or Law and Order it's almost a joke how much smarter the character of Veronica is than all of them and how silly those storylines look in comparison to anything on this show. The case of a missing pet feels more important than a double murder on any of these trite police shows and Veronica could run circles around any supposed "forensics expert." Which is why the show shouldn't go there. She's different, and it's important she stays that way. Without the lawless corruption of Neptune to fight against, there's nothing to drive the character of Veronica anymore. It doesn't seem right that she'd now be on the side of the system she's spent all this time battling.
This new vision would also be a complete betrayal, doing away with all the great supporting characters we've become so attached to over the course of the series and, if this short glimpse was any indication, replaced them with far blander ones. In many ways this short pitch to the network proves just how invaluable the entire cast has been throughout the course of the series. Doing away with Keith, Logan and Wallace would be like driving a stake through the heart of the show. Even while recognizing this was just a rough version of what we'd eventually see, it was more than enough to cause concern. Thomas even boasts that this new show would be shot differently and have a Grey's Anatomy feel to it, mixing "adventure and romance." Ugh.

According to him, the plan all along was to eventually send Veronica to the FBI, but that's something I don't EVER want to see regardless of how far into the future it is. Veronica's true calling is as a P.I. working with her father at Mars Investigations because what goes down in Neptune is far more important than anything that happens on a lame police procedural.

The only big question that remains is whether we really have seen the last of Veronica Mars. As a television series we definitely have but now with the trend of cancelled shows being turned into feature films (Firefly, Sex and the City and The X-Files to name a few) there have been rumblings that Veronica could end up on the big screen at some point. At first I was against the idea, but it actually kind of makes sense. Veronica Mars has always felt like a story wide enough in scope that it almost couldn't be contained on the small screen. And with DVD having given it greater exposure, it's possible it could also find a wider audience in theaters.

This is the kind of show that could have spoken to a large cross-section of audiences if it were just on the right network and marketed properly. That it had to come down to something so simple and correctable is sad, but true. Because of its uniqueness it was perhaps always destined to always remain a cult show, which is maybe the higher compliment. If it was a huge mainstream success, the series would likely feel less like "ours."

The prospect of a movie is largely dependent on whether Thomas wants to write it (which he says he does) and Bell wants to star in it (an iffier prospect since her Hollywood stock is justifiably rising). There's also the issue of finding a balance between pleasing fans of the show by tying up unresolved story threads and attracting the many casual moviegoers who haven't seen it. If this does ever come to pass, I'd very much like the first scene to be Veronica throwing down her FBI badge and returning to Neptune as a giant middle finger to the CW for screwing over this show. But even if we never get a feature film, I can honestly express satisfaction that it ended before we witnessed a deterioration that would have adversly shaped our view of the series.

TV on DVD: Veronica Mars (The Complete Second Season)

Creator: Rob Thomas
Starring: Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, Teddy Dunn, Enrico Colantoni, Percy Daggs III, Francis Capra, Tessa Thompson, Ryan Hansen, Kyle Gallner
Original Airdate: 2005-2006


★★★ 1/2 (out of ★★★★)

After watching and reviewing the first season of Veronica Mars I told myself it would be a long time before I reviewed another full season of television. Honestly, when it ended I had a tough time even watching television again. After that experience I've discovered that every movie and TV show I watch now looks a little…WORSE. Looking back at my film reviews since then I noticed that I hardly had a positive word to say about anything and I don't think that's a coincidence. I've been spoiled, and as a result, everything's a little less fun now. The worst episode of this show is better than just about any movie I've seen in the past year.

The first season finale of Veronica Mars was one of the very few times I can remember watching a form of entertainment where my pulse was racing, my heart was pounding, my palms were sweating and I felt legitimate fear for the characters. I didn't know what would happen next and I was almost afraid to find out. It contained a twist so shocking I'm surprised I made it through the episode in one piece. But beyond just being shocking it made complete sense and the clues were there all along. Every piece of the puzzle we were given throughout the entire season started to fit into place and the momentum the show built episode by episode exploded like a powder keg. As a result, nothing was held back and, in a rare television anomaly, we weren't left with a frustrating cliffhanger.

Creator Rob Thomas put it all out there in that episode and as I watched I realized something I hadn't the entire season: How attached you become to the character of Veronica. While everything she did was dangerous there wasn't a single time during that first season, outside of the finale, where she was in immediate physical danger, even if in many instances you'd think she would be. She inched closer and closer to it but when it did come the tension was absolutely unbearable. Just the possibility of anything happening to this character that I grew to really care about over the span of 22 episodes was enough to have me screaming at the television. It's a testament to Bell's performance and the A+ quality writing that supports the show.

Everyone I know has grown tired of me ranting and raving like a lunatic about this show for the past month but they'll have to put up with it a while longer. I also have a feeling it didn't go over too well at Thanksgiving dinner when we had to each say what we were thankful for this year and my immediate response was "Veronica Mars." With my addiction in full swing there was no way I could NOT watch the polarizing second season, but the main reason I decided to review it is because it sure makes for an interesting case study: How do you follow-up the greatest season of American television ever produced?

Let's put something in perspective immediately: The second season of Veronica Mars isn't nearly as strong as the first. Now let's put something else in perspective: Neither is any other season of any show that's ever aired. The question now becomes whether you judge its sophomore season on its own terms or in comparison to the towering masterpiece that was season one. Looking at the star rating above you could probably guess which I chose. The second season has been the subject of great debate amongst even the most diehard Mars fans. Some absolutely despise it and see no reason why the show should have continued past Season 1, while I've spoken to others who actually prefer it over the first. After watching it I can understand exactly where both sides are coming from, even if I don't necessarily agree with either.

There is great value to be found in this season but to truly be able to wrap your head around it requires you to readjust your view of the show and examine it from a "big picture" perspective. The second season can't be viewed as a stand-alone entity or even in direct comparison to the first but rather as a chapter in a continuing saga not unlike, say, something like Star Wars. Whereas the first season focused entirely on Veronica and her battle as an outsider, the second opens up the town of Neptune and fleshes out all of the supporting characters, widening the scope of the story.

If someone told me that they thought the heart and soul of the series resided in its second year I'd have a tough time arguing with them. If they also claimed that, while obviously sloppier than the preceding season, it provided more pure fun I'd have trouble shooting them down on that as well. First seasons are called first seasons precisely for that reason: THEY COME FIRST. Second seasons can't be first seasons. The characters have to move on, as much as we may not want them to.

Watching the second season opener ("Normal is the Watchword") can be best described as coming down from a huge high and landing back on Earth. It was a shaky start and my immediate reaction to the first few episodes was bewilderment as they try to cram a lot in as far as introducing new characters and setting up what will become the big story arc of the season.

I could be wrong here but it almost appeared that there was a little pressure by the network to make the show more mainstream and bring in the teen viewers immediately by focusing more on Veronica's romantic entanglements early on rather than actual mystery solving. She even tackles a real part-time job as a barista at a coffee shop at the insistence of her father before we move on to this season's rather convoluted big mystery, a school bus crash that may or may not be related to the now solved Lilly Kane murder case.

Wrapping around that is a secondary storyline involving a fatal stabbing that could also be directly connected to the crash. While this doesn't carry nearly the same emotional weight as the murder case of the previous season and Veronica doesn't have the same immediate connection to it, the closer she gets the more we realize that could change. Really, the entire town of Neptune is deeply connected to it and the underlying theme that was touched on earlier in the series, but fully exploited here is the class struggle between the haves and the have-nots of Neptune. Tensions are higher than they've ever been as a battle rages between the 09ers and the PCHers, with Veronica sandwiched right in the middle as she enters her senior year. After the events that transpired last season Veronica isn't the outsider she once was but it makes little difference because she still feels like one.

This bus crash mystery covers so much ground and is so far-reaching you'd probably need a diagram to chart all the season's characters and their potential involvement in it. It also marks the first time we're introduced to some supporting characters that are unlikable and really take a while to warm up to. But that's the beauty of this show. It has a master plan and characters we rolled are eyes at in early episodes as useless poor additions to the show end up playing a bigger role than anticipated. Everything and everyone is important it just takes a little longer to fully present itself, which may have been the cause of some criticisms labeled against this season when it aired. On DVD however, it's much more obvious how each episode links together and the continuity is pretty much seamless.

After the creative euphoria that was the first season many actors and actresses were probably knocking down the door to just so much as earn a guest spot on the show so it's no surprise this season is fully loaded. There are a ton of cameo appearances from the likes of Kevin Smith, Joss Whedon, Lucy Lawless, Kristin Cavallari, and Arrested Development's Michael Cera and Alia Shawkat. But the two biggest additions this season are Steve Guttenberg as a suspiciously upbeat Mayoral candidate harboring a dark secret and Charisma Carpenter as the scheming trophy stepmother to obnoxious rich boy Dick Casablancas (Ryan Hansen) and his little brother Cassidy a.k.a. "Beaver" (Kyle Gallner). Dick and "Beaver," who both played a small but pivotal role in the first season finale, are given a promotion here to full-fledged supporting characters who get a ton of face time.
Fans of Veronica's sidekick and best friend Wallace Fennell (Percy Daggs III) will be happy to know that he steps out from the sidelines this season and plays a major role in key episodes. He even gets a girlfriend, new student Jackie Cook (Tessa Thompson) and of all the characters it takes a while to warm up to, hers arguably takes the longest. Eli "Weevil" Navarro (Francis Capra), might get the biggest bump as he's a key figure in the two big mysteries while Teddy Dunn's Duncan Kane kind of gets the shaft, as he admittedly isn't given nearly as much to do this season. I don't have much of a problem with that though since his sister's murder was solved and Dunn is easily the weakest actor on the show.

The two most important relationships in Veronica's life are deepened further this season. The first, which has always been the beating heart of the show, is her seemingly unbreakable bond with her father, Keith (Enrico Colantoni). While it's still unbreakable it does suffer some growing pains as Veronica's lies and deception (as well intentioned as they may seem sometimes) put an emotional strain on Keith and in a landmark terrific episode (Episode 11-"Donut Run") she goes too far, basically using him and putting them both in danger.

With everything that goes on in this show as far as plot, without these brilliantly realized characters none of it would hold together and it would seem like a jumbled mess. We're reminded of that every time there's an apartment or office scene with Veronica and Keith. It's those real father-daughter moments, whether it be loud, quiet, or funny ones, that make the human aspect of this show so special. Despite all the craziness that unfolds in Neptune the show is never winking at us and is always has its foot planted firmly in reality when it comes to thoughts and behaviors.

The love-hate relationship between Veronica and 09er bad boy Logan Echolls (Jason Dohring), which went through a roller-coaster ride last season, is always still simmering just below the surface in this one. At one point it's described as "epic" and I couldn't possibly think of a more accurate description. Looking back at the series it occurred to me that the episodes that prominently featured Dohring were noticeably stronger than those that didn't. I've already talked about what a travesty it is that Bell was never recognized with an Emmy, but that Colantoni and Dohring never received supporting actor nominations is just as unfair. They're the backbone of this series.

Once this season gets going it really hits the ground running, delivering some episodes that actually do match the first in entertainment value if not writing quality. We're treated to Veronica's investigations into the corporate corruption, the Irish mob, child abuse, rape, adultery, pirate radio and blackmail, many of which intertwine the big story arc and deliver the satisfying, unpredictable twists we've become accustomed to.

One of the coolest things about the show is how rewards diehard viewers by tying up loose ends as details from season's past keep springing up. It barely occurred to me that although Lilly Kane's murder was solved last season, the perpetrator (who I wouldn't dare reveal) still actually has to be convicted of the crime.
Even the most minor characters, who barely stopped in for a cup of coffee in season one return, but are expanded upon and developed so much more this time around that they could star in a spin-off of their own. The smarmy Sheriff Don Lamb (Michael Muhney) is a busy man this season and Ken Marino's goofball private eye Vinnie Van Lowe (whose Hall and Oates serenade to Veronica was one of last season's funniest moments) pops in again in a more important role. Guest star Harry Hamlin, who gave the performance of his life last season as Aaron Echolls is back as is his bitchy, D-level actress daughter Trina (Alyson Hannigan) in one memorable episode.

Not just knowledge, but intricate, detailed knowledge of the first season is mandatory in order to appreciate the second at all, which couldn't have helped the show any in the ratings department. Ironically, the highest rated episode in the series' history (Episode 10-"One Angry Veronica") is the one most reviled by hardcore fans, which probably has a lot to do with the fact that it was the most accessible to casual viewers and didn't require any past knowledge of the show's mythology to appreciate. It also (along with Episode 16-"The Rapes of Graff") helps set up what everyone tells me is the problematic third and final season of the series, where Rob Thomas supposedly buckled under the pressure to gain more viewers and made sacrifices creatively. I'll soon find out if that's really the case.

While Veronica may not be as central a focus as she was in the first season, Kristen Bell's performance is just as important, if not more so since there are a few chinks in the show's armor she has the task of covering up this season with her innate charm and likeability. And does she ever. Her character, as well as all the others, were so well developed initially that I'm convinced everyone could have walked onscreen to just do laundry for Season 2 and it would have still been fascinating. Fortunately, they do a lot more than that.

In a later episode I noticed a small detail that tipped me off as to just smart the writing in this series really is. Two characters were forced to work together and all of the sudden it hit me that they haven't even shared screen time since the pilot episode. This despite the fact they're two of the biggest characters on the show! I can't understand how they could even pull something like that off and it goes to show you just how broad in scope the story arc is. When episodes ended I often found myself scratching my head wondering how anyone could have possibly had the creativity to come up with this stuff. Supposedly Thomas knew exactly where Season 2 was going to go before Season 1 even aired and I believe it. You can really tell that this is a show with a big plan already in place and the writers just work backwords from there.

The season finale (Episode 22-"Not Pictured") contains the most memorable flashback in the show's history as well as a huge twist that, while not quite as shocking or tightly plotted as the previous season's, is still an absolute jaw dropper. It's also a little more far-fetched. I think the key for the viewer to figure out who was behind the "big mystery" each season is to look at ALL THE CLUES sprinkled about in every episode, not just the ones directly related to the case. You have to watch all the characters' behaviors…carefully.
The finale is a stretch but when it ended I could honestly say that it holds up to logical scrutiny and makes sense. It likely plays even better on repeated viewings once you know the resolution. It's a funny thing when you love a show so much that it can almost do no wrong in your eyes and you become blind to any flaws it may have. Or you see those flaws, but simply don't care and embrace them. You're having too good a time to do otherwise. It's strange that I've now become of those geeky hardcore Veronica Mars fans I used to laugh at a couple of years ago when I didn't even want to bother watching a "stupid show" about a teen detective. What the hell was I thinking?

Unlike the Season 1 DVD set that didn't contain a single special feature outside of a few deleted scenes, this does have some, but it's still a shameful, disappointing amount considering the quality of this series. In addition to some deleted scenes there's a short feature entitled "A Day On the Set of Veronica Mars" as Kristen Bell lets us tag along with her during a day of shooting. For anyone who's as taken with Bell as I am, any extra minutes spent with her is nothing to take for granted. After viewing it that fuzzy line separating the character and the actress playing her suddenly becomes even fuzzier. There's also a gag reel full of bloopers and outtakes that's surprisingly quite funny.

We hear the term "sophomore slump" a lot in television and I've found myself earlier in the year defending lackluster second seasons of current TV dramas like Friday Night Lights and Heroes, which in comparison to this look completely incompetent to me now. I've all but stopped watching one and you could probably guess the only reason I still watch Heroes. When she leaves, so do I. Since we've already lost Veronica Mars, I can't think of any future cancellation that could possibly bother me.

It's nearly impossible writing an effective second season when expectations are so high but when it was over I couldn't think of anything that could have been done better and it did seem like a natural progression. The first season established Veronica Mars as one of the best and smartest television dramas around. Season 2 just seals the deal.