Veronica Mars: Season 1

I am not exaggerating when I say that Veronica Mars is UPN's best show in... well ever I guess (I'm not counting Buffy the Vampire Slayer because it originated and had the majority of its run on the WB). Veronica Mars is well-written, intelligent, well-acted, fun, dramatic, witty, and all that other good stuff that makes people want to watch each week. While powerhouse shows like Lost (which deserves the hype it is getting) and Desperate Housewives (which I doubt deserves the hype it's getting) may get all the credit for making the 2004-2005 television season responsible for the return of the scripted show, critics (as well as a handful of loyal fans) never forget to mention Veronica Mars when discussing that topic.Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell) used to be a member of the "in" crowd at her affluent high school, Neptune High. Neptune California is one of the richest areas in America (probably something like Orange County, but that area is reserved for The OC), and as Veronica states in the pilot episode, kids who go to Neptune High have parents who are either millionaires or parents that work for millionaires. Veronica's dad doesn't exactly fit that profile, but he used to be the town sheriff. That was enough to get her enough status to date Duncan Kane (Teddy Dunn) and be best friends with Lily Kane (Amanda Seyfried), the children of the richest man in town, software designer Jake Kane (Kyle Secor). She also got to hang around with Lily's boyfriend, Logan Echolls (Jason Dohring), the son of A-list stars Aaron (Harry Hamlin) and Lynn Echolls (Lisa Rinna, who is actually married to Hamlin in real life). However, all that changed about a year prior to the beginning of the series, and the people that used to be Veronica's friends now try to have nothing to do with her. Lily was killed, and Keith Mars (Enrico Colantoni), who was still the sheriff at the time, concluded that Lily's father Jake was the culprit. But when a man named Abel Koontz (Christian Clemenson) confessed to the killing, the citizens of Neptune were outraged and had Keith replaced by the incompetant Don Lamb (Michael Muhney). Soon after, Veronica, in an attempt to prove that she was still cool, went to a girl's party. At some point, someone slipped her a date rape drug, and she woke up the next day without her underwear on.As the series begins, Keith is now a private investigator, and Veronica is in his tutelage. She helps him with his cases, while taking on a few herself. She has become cynical towards her classmates and the law system, and she begins to see her old friends for who they really are, especially Logan. While he was (usually) nice to the people he liked, he was a total jerk to those he didn't like, and he has a special kind of wrath towards Veronica. Fortunately for Veronica, she has her keen intellect on her side as well as a few new friends who are fellow outcasts. Wallace Fennel (Percy Dags III) is a new kid whom Veronica helps on his first day at Neptune High. After that, they become friends and she often has him do case-related work with her. Eli "Weevil" Navarro (Francis Capra) is a biker gang member who learns to respect Veronica, and does some of her dirty work for her. Finally there is Mac (Tina Majorino, famous for her role in Napoleon Dynamite), who does computer work for Veronica (sadly, she's only in a few episodes, but I hope that they use her more in Season 2).Early on in the season, Veronica discovers evidence that proves the innocence of Abel Koontz, and the driving story arc of the season is her search for Lily's true killer. However, there are many great and interesting sub-plots throughout the year, as well as stand-alone stories. The character development is amazing on this show. As I stated earlier, Logan is a bit of a psychopath, but as the episodes unfold, we learn that there may be a reason for his behavior. Many times, we think we have a character figured out, only to learn something new and unexpected about them in a few weeks, such as a supposed affair between Jake Kane and Veronica's mom Lianne (Corinne Bohrer), or an explanation to Duncan's erratic behavior.The guest stars on this show are just as strong as the regular cast. The Aaron Echolls character is one of my favorites, despite the fact that he is a scumbag. Hamlin plays him so well and gives a lot of depth to a role that, in the wrong hands, could make Aaron Echolls very one-dimensional. While the producers weren't able to get a lot of huge guest stars, they did get Alyson Hannigan for an episode as Logan's step-sister Trina Echolls, and the results were great.Many people have called this show "the next Buffy the Vampire Slayer", and I would have to agree with them. The writing and acting are on par with the amazing BtVS, and of all the shows that have used the theme of either "girl power" or "high school metaphors" (there's Charmed, Smallville, Kim Possible, and a bunch of others), this is by far the best and its mission statement is the closest to that of Buffy. The twist is that while the aforementioned shows involve some sort of special powers (witches, Superman, super secret agent with gadgets), Veronica has no powers. She is an ordinary girl with an extraoridnary mind. And that is probably one of its greatest strengths; while it aspires to be as great and in the same vein as Buffy, it does not blatantly rip off the premise.As I said at the beginning of this review, the two shows that most people credit for bringing back scripted TV this year were Lost and Desperate Housewives, even though most television critics listed Veronica Mars as just as worthy of that honor. Sadly, this show didn't get very high ratings, and many people ignored it (I didn't see it until the second-to-last episode of the season, but what do they expect, it's on UPN!). Fortunately, it won E! Online's annual "Save Our Show" poll with a huge margin over the number two show (Arrested Development, which thankfully won a similar poll in USA Today, which probably helped that show get a third season). I think that, without winning the poll, Veronica Mars would have been cancelled at the end of the season, and that would have been a shame. Fortunately, it has been renewed, and there were a few cliffhangers in the season finale that I can't wait to see resolved. This is a great show, and it has something for everyone. It's definitely worth a look.

"It's one of the best-written television series I have ever seen, and it has a lot to offer people still mourning the loss of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It's smart, funny, edgy, and rewards patient viewers with one hell of a mystery.17-year-old Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell, Spartan) has had a rough year. Her best friend was murdered. Her father Keith (Enrico Colantoni, Galaxy Quest), once the sheriff of the small Soouthern California town of Neptune, was fired during the investigation because his search led him to the very wealthy Kane family, including Veronica's ex-boyfriend Duncan (Teddy Dunn, The Manchurian Candidate). After being fired as sheriff, Keith became a private investigator and Veronica's mom disappeared. She lost her considerable popularity at the prestigious Neptune High, and now works for her dad, when she's not carrying on her own investigation of her friend's murder. She will stop at nothing to find the truth, even if it puts her own life at risk.Much of the credit needs to go to Rob Thomas, who obviously remembers clearly what it feels like to be a teenager. The teen cast is impulsive, uncertain, and frustrated, and watching them interact is almost uncomfortably reminiscent of high school. This could be a drawback for viewers who forget how it feels to be a teen, but it's an impressive feat to those able to remember with immediacy the uncertainty of teenage life. While that alone helps Veronica Mars stand against the competition, the adult characters are also surprisingly well-written. Some of the teachers come across as parodies, but the relationship between Veronica and her father is well developed, and avoids the usual TV parent stereotypes. The series also does a fine job of juggling references to pop culture and high culture. It's quite savvy, making references to things that are still fresh a year after the episodes were broadcast, but it also has a deep well of high culture references. Holders of useless English Literature degrees are going to eat this series up. Culturally adept viewers will also enjoy the celebrity cameos and inside jokes, none of which I will spoil here. Needless to say, it's a very cool show.Equal credit needs to go to the cast. Kristen Bell is truly fantastic as Veronica Mars, with enough charisma to easily carry the show on her own. Veronica is funny, smart, and fiery, but also wins our sympathy through her sincerity and vulnerability. She's good at what she does, even though she often makes very stupid choices. At first glance, the remainder of the characters are stereotypes. There's Weevil (Francis Capra), for instance, the tough local gang leader. A major antagonist early in the season comes is Logan (Jason Dohring), the spoiled son of a rich and famous actor. Wallace (Percy Daggs III) is one of Veronica's only friends at the start, a new guy to the school. As the episodes unfold, we gradually see beneath the generic surface of the characters. None of the characters are who they seem at first, and their web of relationships becomes ever more complicated as they interact through the season.After the first two episodes, I was a bit worried that Veronica Mars would settle into a bland TV series groove. It also looked like it may have had too many balls in the air, much like Joan of Arcadia. I didn't need to worry. As the show progresses, a dark edge starts to creep in. There are still a number of funny incidents, but they begin to be overwhelmed by the grim investigation of the main murder. The suspense surrounding the case builds throughout the season, leading to a final few episodes that are nail-bitingly suspenseful and even a bit creepy. Every detail in the series winds up being important, even the details of the cases that aren't part of the main plot. By the end of the season, whole sections of the jigsaw puzzle start to fall into place, until the truth is finally revealed at the very end. I'm looking forward to a second viewing of the season, if only to watch once again how all these details come together.Which brings me to another high point regarding Veronica Mars. Although some threads are left slightly open at the end of the first season, the show has the decency to close off the main plot thread in a satisfying way. If the series had been canceled after the first season (which it thankfully wasn't), it would still be a great story. So many series now seem to be constantly pushing towards the next big twist. Networks are so afraid of failure that they try to string viewers along viewers with the proverbial carrot-always held in front of us, but never within reach. I want to see the second season of Veronica Mars, not because I just have to find out what will happen next, but because the journey of this first season was such an enjoyable one. Whatever Veronica's next big case is, I don't want to miss it. And should the show jump the shark in the future, this season will still stand on its own as a monumental success.bY Dvdverdict.

Bought this after seeing bits of this series on E4 (I think). Anyway, yeah, it's fun, sometimes dark-ish, but ultimately occupies guilty pleasure territory. It's a good little, sunny, subversive (at the time, perhaps), series. I can understand why it's not more popular - some of the subject matter is not the kind of thing more mainstream US shows delve in to. That said it's one of those shows: if you like your cheeky little US series to be a bit different, but at the same time populist, then you might really dig it. I'm looking forward to the next series now...

First things first, this isn't Nancy Drew.Veronica Mars is a dark look at a community divided by wealth. It may be billed as a teen show but its not fluffy entertainment like The O.C or its contemporaries. The first season centres on the murder of Lilly Kane, Veronica's best friend and daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Neptune. As Veronica tries to prove her ex-sheriff father's hunch that the convicted killer is not actually the murderer, she also tackles mysteries for students at her school.It all sounds a bit silly but it's really not! The flashbacks to Lilly's murder are disturbing and often graphic which gives the series a darker edge than most teen shows. It's not always moody though, this series is devilishly funny and some of the exchanges (especially between Veronica and son of a movie star, Logan Echolls) are hilarious.Kirsten Bell is outstanding as Veronica and the rest of the cast are equally brilliant. If you missed this in its original UK broadcast on Living (and who can blame you, there was no promotion at all), then get this DVD and watch away. Superb!

Good acting, fun characters and entertaining plots!

Got this after reading a review in the Guardian's "Your next box set" column. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Although its a teen drama, it's quite dark and very watchable. Love that the first series wraps up the whole Lilly murder plot line. I have already ordered the next 2 series!

For those who are worried about this being the European import I wanted to reassure you that this plays in English perfectly. The packaging is in German but everything else is in English. Perfect boxset and the only way that we in the UK can own this excellent series.