Sometimes I'm Even Persnickety-er

Episode 1.2: Credit Where Credit's Due. Original Airdate 9.28.04

"When Weevil's grandmother is arrested for credit card fraud, Veronica and Wallace reluctantly help the investigation to clear her name. Meanwhile, Logan's new girlfriend, Caitlin Ford, joins the 09ers in making Veronica's life difficult, while a new arrival in town, Troy Vandergraff, tries to get to know her better."

Zelda's Thoughts:

• hey it's an Ashmore!
• ew it's a Paris Hilton.
• yay it's a Weevil!
• must be a busted up 09er party
• ugh I forgot how completely racist Logan was. dammit
• I like that Veronica is sticking up for Weevil (especially because we know the future and he didn't do it) when her father and McCormack are just assuming he did it
• "You think you're this big outsider, but push comes to shove, you're still one of them. You still think like one of them. Take off, I don't want you around here."
• It is interesting, her approach. She defends Weevil, but then gently accuses him to his face. She trusts no one to their face, even if she'll give them the benefit of the doubt when they're not there to defend themselves.
• Wallace is an Office Aide. Veronica: "That's great." // "Yeah, for who?" // "For me!" The first of many favors.
• Oh look, the show noticed that they had only one regular female in the cast, and they hired Sidney Poitier's daughter, Sydney Tamiia Poitier. I wish she were actually good.
• Wallace is so sweet with his favor for Veronica, not realizing the pandora's box he's opened.
• Just as Veronica finds alibis for Weevil, he confesses. A classic VM curve.
• "No one cares what you think, Veronica Mars." Someone show Paris Hilton a mirror, because I'm pretty sure Veronica's rubber and she's glue.
• oh look Logan was a dick and flattened Veronica's wheels
• haha wow Duncan offers Veronica a ride and it's only partly because he's jealous she's getting attention from Troy.
• and there Veronica is, appearing to fulfill the condemnation from Weevil - driving by in Duncan's car, as Weevil cleans up highway trash in a prison jumpsuit.
• Keith sassing Don Lamb - never not fun
• aw man flip phones you guys. so cute. remember when flipping them closed was enough to hang up?
• cute detail that one of the stalls is out of order in Veronica's "Office" slash bathroom

• Chardo looks 40 (imdb tells he was 29 when filming this episode)
• Weevil's grandmother hates Paris Hilton as much as I do! (I know, I know, so say we all)
• awwww Veronica and Weevil hugged. THEY'RE BEST FRIENDS NOW.
• Dick had his first line, and it wasn't even a dirty joke! Someone's character hasn't been built yet.
• omg theyre not even making contact as they "beat up" Chardo in the background. what kind of low budget combat choreography is this
• Veronica sassing Don Lamb - also never not fun
• I wonder if that little scene of Caitlin being ostracized would actually mean something if Paris Hilton could communicate any emotion beyond bored irritation

#Emoting

Daniel's Thoughts:

• The thing about Duncan.  He’s supposed to be stoic – he’s supposed to be guarded and shut down – but that doesn’t mean he can’t have anything going on behind the eyes.  They could have cast someone who could go beyond that…but they cast someone who’s the surface of what they’re looking for. People make the same excuses about January Jones in Mad Men - and it's a lame and terrible excuse.  Having a character that's stoic and closed off is no excuse for not acting. On the plus side, I heard he's given up acting and gone into Law.  I hope he's more successful there.
• Troy Vandergraff!  One of those Ashmore twins who are in everything separately!  But which twin is he? (This one.)  He's the one that tends to do more TV than his brother.

"Hey good-lookin'"

• Fucking Paris Hilton.
• Oh dude.  I forgot how racist Logan is.
• I mean I love Francis Capra but he is NOT in High School.  Remarkably, he was only in his early 20s this first season, but he always looks so much older.  Kristen Bell is actually older than him.
• Weevil’s got some knowledge.  And that’s something I like about Veronica.  She’s fantastic, but she’s not without flaws.  Her white privilege is probably her biggest flaw.  And I’m glad Weevil points it out.
• One of my favorite things is Keith outsmarting Lamb every time.
• I love how Veronica revels in the fact that Wallace works in the school office so she can use him for information. (Thusly adding to our stats!)
• I really hate that Paris Hilton is in this.  She’s so bad.
• Man, Poitier just doesn’t have the talent of her father.  It’s such a weird casting decision – or…..not casting…..making a character decision?  I mean she’s such a non-character.  I feel like the producers told Rob Thomas that he needed an extra female character and he just shoved her in.  Frankly, I think Thomas would have been fine with just having Keith & Veronica as regular contract roles and having everyone else be recurring.  Supernatural did it with Sam & Dean.
• I like these flashbacks with Lilly.  It shows how different Veronica was.  But it also shows how much love these friends had for each other.
• Something this show did well was exposing socio-economic inequality; how you can  get away with anything if you’re rich.  Something we’re re-learning right now….
• Z pointed out that the actress playing the hotel clerk looks like Emma Caulfield in season 3/4 of Buffy 

She definitely has the Anya/Anyanka look here

• I love the list of numbers that Veronica is looking at.  They’re all 555 numbers!
• Oh busy signals.  Remember those?
• And those cell phones, man.  Flip phones were so simple.
• Chardo is not 18. He’s like 30. (IMDB backs me up - he was 29 when this aired.)
• And this is the beginning of Veronica and Weevil’s friendship.
• I mean, this is what Veronica does.  She saves someone and makes a friend….and then they spend the rest of their lives doing favors for her J
• Logan’s friends vs. Weevil’s gang is like the Jets vs. the Sharks.  But I mean, all this over Paris Hilton?  I kinda wanna call shenanigans over that…but…

Favorite Lines:

Zelda: "Way to stand up on your own two feet, Lamb, and say 'hey, the buck stops ... there.'" - Keith

Daniel: Troy: "Flat?" / Veronica: "Just as god made me"

Arc/Continuity:

Neptune Roll Call: Wallace, Duncan, Logan, Weevil, Mallory Dent

First Appearance - Troy Vandergraff, the bathroom as Veronica's Office, Dick Casablancas

Recurring - Felix Toombs, Sheriff Don Lamb, Deputy Jerry Sacks, Cliff McCormack, Lilly Kane, Jake Kane, Inga

Future Famous Person: Aaron Ashmore, Paris Hilton (past famous person)

Veronica's Alias: distressed pregnant girl (with Keith as angry dad), Lilly Kane paying off a traffic ticket

Stats:

Dead Humans - 0

Backup Sighting - 0 (mention, no sighting)

Veronica Breaks In - 0

Veronica Tases Someone - 0

Mac Hacks - 0

Wallace Does Veronica a Favor - 1

Veronica Wants a Pony - 0

Logan Punches Someone - 1

Dick's Single Entendres - 0

Shenanigans Called - 0

VERONICA WAS RIGHT - 1 (Weevil didn't do it)

VERONICA WAS WRONG - 1 (neither did Logan)