- A few years ago, I heard about a new show called Veronica Mars premiering on UPN, a network not exactly known for quality scripted programming. I'm not sure why, but I watched the pilot on something of a whim, possibly due to some strong early reviews that placed it alongside ABC's Lost as one of the must-watch shows of the new fall season. I liked the idea of mixing film noir with high school drama, and the name of the show alone, Veronica Mars - there was something about it that to me screamed coolness. I tuned in, and was soon hooked - I mean, within the span of a few episodes, it was clear that this wasn't just another show. This was something special. This was a classic in the making.
Since I started this blog, one of my own little pet projects has been promoting this show at any chance I can get. I think I succeeded in turning at least a few people on to the show, and I'm glad that I could do my small part to spread the gospel.
But it wasn't enough. Despite an impassioned fan base, Veronica Mars could never find the kind of quantifiable success it needed to stay afloat in the cutthroat world of network television, and that, to me, is a total shame. Sure, it had many things going against it - it began its life on a network known for courting young, urban males, as a high school drama with a female lead. And yet, if fans of shows like 7th Heaven or One Tree Hill tuned in looking for another teen soap, well, they would have been shocked by what they saw - an uncompromisingly dark, unabashadly smart, neo-noir detective show that was unlike anything else on TV. For this reason, VM became that rare show that is elusive to the average viewer. There was little network-generated hype, and zero built-in audience. Like some indie rock band with a cult following, this was a show that had to be FOUND, by those actively seeking something new and different and BETTER than the usual network TV crap. But indie rock bands can toil away in obscurity for years before achieving their big break. In TV Land, prohibitive costs and the constant pressure for bigger and better ratings doesn't allow for this kind of growth period. You'd think, you'd THINK, that of all places, a fledgling, struggling network like the CW would give its best-reviewed show a shot to find that audience, but I guess they couldn't be bothered to make a move that would actually create goodwill with audiences.
But forget all that for a second, let's talk about the show.
24. Lost. Heroes. Pick a show. Over the last three years, Veronica Mars has been as good if not better. When the show hit its stride in seasons 1 and 2, every episode was a puzzle, a character drama, a film noir, and a high school melodrama wrapped into one thrilling package. Every episode had this stark, barren atmosphere that pulled you in and didn't let go. High school was Hell, and Veronica was caught in its depths.
Kristen Bell should have won an Emmy for this show. Other than the similarly unrecognized Lauren Graham, I can't think of another female lead who carried a show on her back like Kristen did this one. Bell played Veronica to perfection - a former cheerleader and Mean Girl who had, in a sudden turn, fallen from grace, and was left bitter and world-weary before her time. Bell's narration somehow had the weight needed to make Veronica Mars a modern day Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe. One wouldn't expect that a high school sleuth could compare to those legendary private eyes, but Bell pulled it off - sly, witty, quick with a snappy comeback, handy with a tazer, and (almost) always one step ahead of the game. Bell convinced you that Veronica was pretty much always right. Except, sometimes she wasn't, and it was in those moments of vulnerability that Bell really turned in some award-worthy stuff. What can I say, the girl's got it.
Now, when I say that Bell carried the show, that is to take NOTHING away from this show's superlative supporting cast - one of the absolute best in the biz. First and foremost is Enrico Colantoni as Veronica's dad, Keith Mars, the best private gumshoe in all of Neptune, CA. Like most, I only knew Enrico as that guy from Just Shoot Me before he appeared on Mars. But wow, who knew this guy was such an amazing actor? Keith, like Veronica, was a fallen man - his wife had left him, he was relieved of his job as Sherriff after trying to bring down the wealthy and powerful Jake Kane - but he compensated with world-weary humor and a keen sense of right and wrong. Keith and Veronica had one of the best father-daughter relationships on TV. It was fileld with tension, humor, love, and mutual admiration. Percy Daggs III as Wallace - his introduction to the show, strung up on a flagpole, hazed as the new kid in school, Wallace became an instant fan favorite - the Dr. Watson to Veronica's Sherlock Holmes. Jason Dohring as Logan Echols was at his best as a psycho loose cannon - sure, his charms at times won over Veronica, but he was a guy who could never quite overcome his screwed-up upbringing as the son of a famous actor, and the sins of his father continually came back to haunt him. One of my favorites was Francis Capra as Weevil, the misbegotten gangsta who at times could have a heart of gold, but who too often feel back into old habits. Weevil was emblematic of how VM so cleverly dealt with themes much greater than who was hooking up with who. The show tackled themes like class struggle, morality, and justice with intelligence and complexity. And, it was just bursting at the seems with cool characters. In season 1, Amanda Seyfried was haunting as Veronica's best friend, Lily Kane - her murder the impetus for the great season-long mystery that at first propelled the show to greatness. Tina Majorino as Mac was such a great character - what started as a peripheral computer geek soon became a living breathing three-dimensional character that was another fan fav. You've got to love State alum Ken Marino as Vinnie Van Lowe. Charisma Carpenter was seemingly born to play femme fatale Kendall Casablancas. Harry Hamlin played one of the best villains in recent memory when he assumed the role of murderous actor Aaron Echols. Ryan Hansen was funny and tragic as Dick Casablancas, and Kyle Gallner was disturbingly-screwed-up as his younger brother Beaver.
And there's so many more great characters to mention ... for a show that only ran three seasons, it really is amazing. Chris Lowell was cool as Piz, the everyman fanboy who got a shot with Veronica. Ed Begley Jr. was great in Season 3 as Hearst College's Dean O'Dell, and Patrick Fabian was similarly superb as rival and murder suspect Hank Landry. There was Steve Guttenberg in a memorable turn as Mayor Woody Goodman, and Julie Gonzalo as Parker, who slowly grew into a great character in Season 3.
One thing about Veronica Mars is that it could, plain and simply, TELL A GOOD STORY. In an era when shows seem to meander endlessly yet never get to the point, Veronica Mars was so packed with meticulous detail, so filled with clever plotting and spot-on dialogue, that by each season's end the finales would be bursting at the seams as the writers tried to wrap up all of the expertly crafted loose ends. When this show featured a mystery, big or small, it was expertly told, with clues laid out, suspects lined up, and red herrings cunningly dangled before us as we tried to guess whodunnit. While watching VM, I was constantly blown away by the writing. The mysteries weren't just logic puzzles either - they featured interesting characters, genuinely surprising twists, and never failed to keep you on the edge of your seat. Forget the mysteries of a remote island ... Who killed Lilly Kane? Who was behind the Neptune High bus crash? Who killed Dean O'Dell? These were mysteries expertly crafted and resolved in thrilling and conclusive fashion.
And the dialogue. Now THIS was dialogue. Fact is, the guys behind VM wrote their asses off each and every week. Thanks to them, Veronica and co's words crackled with the rythm of classic films and the freshness of the best modern TV shows. Pop culture references that zinged, geek-out moments galore (Frak! Lebowski refrences up the wazoo!), and back and forth repartee that was a joy to listen to. As someone who aspires to write for TV, this was a show that I always felt like I should be taking notes on while watching, it was that good.
So here's to VERONICA MARS - a show that never quite got its due except from the select few who were cool enough to get it. An instant-classic with a finger-snapping theme song, a genre-bending joy with sensibilities that were truly too cool for school - it was aces, gangbusters, what more can I say - I'm just sad to see it go so clearly before its time.
VERONICA MARS Series Finale:
- Oh. man. This can't be right. I need to know how Keith handles this wrench in his campaign for Sherriff. I need to see if and how Veronica and Logan patch things up. Does Jake Kane seek revenge on Ms. Mars? What does Wallace do? Piz? Parker? Mac? Dick? What becomes of the amazing, surprising, soon-to-be severely missed world of Veronica Mars?!?!
As a season finale, this was great, great stuff. It showed me that this show is still as good as ever, that it can still tell an intense, riveting mystery story better than anyone. As a SERIES finale, oh man, I just don't know ... it was such a downbeat, hard ending. Fitting with the show, which has never gone in for the standard sunny-side up Hollywood way of telling stories? Sure, yeah, of course. But was it the kind of closure I wanted for the show? Well, something tells me this isn't exactly how Rob Thomas and co wanted to go out, exactly. It just didn't have that final punch to give that real sense of finality, to give the show a real ending. But it's okay, I forgive 'em. I can only guess at what kind of uncertainty and jerking around by the network the show had to put up with in its final days.
As an episode ... this was two hours of classic VM. The ending to the first half, with a bloodied Logan approaching Veronica after having just wrongfully gone Mike Tyson on Piz - wow, talk about intense. And the first half's main mystery, with some classic Veronica sleuthing as the teen titan brought down a rich-kid conspiracy and exonerated Weevil once again, was just plain good stuff, a vintage VM caper. In the second half, we got an old-school Veronica and Wallace teamwork, as Wallace infiltrated a skull and bones-esque secret society in order to figure out who was screwing with Veronica. Well, the trail of corruption led all the way back to Jake Kane, in a mystery that really brought things full circle for the show. What we got then was the real kicker - Keith Mars having to make the hard choice - risk jeapordizing his daughter's future by following the letter of the law and allowing the Kane's to press charges, or else tamper with the incriminating evidence that would implicate Veronica, thus sabotaging his chances to win the race for Sherriff. Again, the ep brought some of the big themes of the series full circle - falling rom grace and rebuilding, rising from the ashes, coping with tragedy, and coping with a society that will beat you up and drag you through the mud. The ending here was tragic, dark - Veronica got her man and got off free, but at what price?
Two great hours - you couldn't ask for better quality storytelling from a show that rarely fails to deliver despite so many factors being against it. I guess I can find hope in knowing that the good stuff will live on. Long after the latest lame reality shows and sitcoms are gone and forgotten, people will still be rediscovering Veronica Mars. A curious consumer will buy the DVD or download an episode from iTunes, and spread the word to their friends - "Hey, you ever see that show Veronic Mars? Man, that was good stuff." Meanwhile, those of us who were in the know the whole time (who, likely, never filled out a Nielson survey, go figure), can take comfort in the idea that we were there to witness a great show in its prime.
Because damn, Veronica Mars was cool as hell.
My Grade: A
No comments:
Post a Comment