Veronica Mars: Extended Pilot

Kate says I admit I approached this show with some trepidation. I am not a fan of excessive angst nor am I a fan of shows that make (or think they will make) me keep watching. I also wasn't sure if Veronica was going to be sweet tough heroine (like Buffy) or a whiny, defensiveness-disguised-as-toughness heroine (a la Maddie Hayes from Moonlighting; really, I can't stand the character).

The show had one major plus: Enrico Colantoni whom I've loved ever since Galaxy Quest. He does a very good job in the pilot.

And, I am happy to say, Kristen Bell makes a good heroine. She has a wry voice; her character, Veronica, is clever, heartsick but resilient. She is believably tough without being obnoxious. Granted, it does seem like every crazy bad thing in the world that could happen to her has happened, but those things do account for her change in approach/lifestyle.

The dialog is quite good. I was a little bothered by the lack of humor. There were funny moments and some clever lines, but I've been spoiled by Whedon and the Bones' writers: I expect ongoing quips and quick repartee whenever I watch any television these days. This is, possibly, an unfair standard.

The pilot left more unanswered questions than answered questions. I admit to having a problem with this. I realize a pilot must present some kind of arc: Monk's dead wife, Jane's dead wife, Bones' missing mother, Daniel's missing wife. But there should also be a complete story. The complete story for Veronica tackles Fennel's clash with the motorcycle gang; this is nicely paid off, but it is the only thing paid off.

The one thing I really liked was the number of off-kilter/just outside the law characters: Navarro, the sheriff, McCormack (the defense attorney), Logan, and Celeste Kane. I had precisely zero interest in V's ex-boyfriend. Anyone that weaselly isn't worth rooting for.

As the inaugural show in this list, it is a pertinent one: the detective/cop story has always been shadowed by the private investigator story (and vice versa). Occasionally, shows like Columbo seem to be both. However, in general, the two mystery types have quite different feels. Veronica Mars is more Bogart than Law & Order. And, with Buffy a glint in everyone's eye, it was only a matter of time before television produced a female Bogart. Since Veronica has been canceled, it'll be interesting to see if this is a possible trend or a one-time deal.

Mike says I love Veronica Mars. No, you misunderstand--the character, Veronica, is possibly one of the great loves of my life. Luckily my wife likes her too, so that, combined with the whole fictional existence of the character, allows for an amicable, marital-strife-free crush.

The pilot of Veronica Mars is very good, but I do admit that there is a tad less humor in the pilot than in the rest of the season. Veronica has so many dark and terrible things pressing on her heart, that it's hard to balance out the humor. But, the story is constructed to guide you through her universe and introduce the viewer to the underworld of the city Veronica lives in. You have questionable characters of every kind, and even more are introduced down the line. In this aspect, a very noirish version of Star Trek's "setting the scene," the pilot really succeeds. I view the pilot almost as the thesis statement for the show. It sets up the purpose of the show and Veronica's motivations.

A true tragedy of the pilot is that many of the trademarks of the show are missing. Veronica's humor and depth are a continual high point. Other staples include ghostly visitations a la Twin Peaks, Veronica's surprisingly drama light (but not free) love life, and her undercover work/disguises/voices. The other thing that sometimes bothers me is that the first episode isn't so much a mystery as a PROBLEM. Problems are good, but mysteries are really what I watch the show for.

While I know Kate isn't a huge fan of the serial, I'm an addict. I would go so far as to say that a show without some sort of interior continuity, in my opinion, is just not worth watching. One shot episodes are nice for sampling a show, but for me, it's hard to care for a character if there's no discernible growth or change in the environment (Buffy blew up her high school for goodness sake!).

Throughout the show, Veronica's snarky comments, and downright brilliant detective work make the show really groove. The big mysteries of the show (three, to be exact), are paid off beautifully, and it's also really clever how the three are entwined with each other. The pilot, unfortunately, is burdened with presenting all three mysteries, thus eating up the time normally spent on the weekly mystery, which is reliably solved at the end of each episode. There are only a few "pure" mythology episodes, and when they hit, they're usually taut, well written, and fun to watch.

In the end though, if you like one-off mysteries, and are hesitant to invest in the characters or a long term story (all three mysteries are nicely wrapped up and solved by the last episode, cliffhanger free), Veronica Mars probably isn't for you. But if you are, like me, a fan of serial story telling, Veronica is a good pick. If you're in the middle, I'd say give it a chance. If you're on the fence after the first episode, please, give the second episode a chance (that means you, Kate!).