101 Brooding Comments

Episode 3.3: Wichita Linebacker. Original Airdate 10.17.06

"Veronica is hired by a Hearst football player to help him find his stolen playbook before the next practice, or risk losing his scholarship. As a result of the expose Veronica wrote about the  campus sorority, Dean O'Dell threatens to expell her if she doesn't reveal one of her sources. Logan tells Veronica his schedule is keeping them apart, but she realizes he has been spending time participating in illegal gambling. Meanwhile, Veronica convinces Keith to hire Weevil to assist with office work at Mars Investigations."

Daniel's Thoughts:

• Football!  College! 
• Coach acting like a dick.
• “jealous would involve piano wire.”
• Football player is missing something.  Could this be a case for Veronica Mars?
• Weevil is still part of this show? Veronica is visiting him at his new job at the car wash.
• She takes a call while she’s talking to him.  Rude.
• Piz’s thing is that he’s trying to join a radio station.
• Oh hey, the football player is Armie Hammer!
• So the dean of Neptune University  is Ed Begley Jr. Ok
• Aww, Armie Hammer is very pretty but he’s never been a great actor. He’s kinda boring in this…as he is in most things.
• The stare – lol – that worked!

• Oh man – I don’t really remember this – Weevil being Keith’s new ‘secretary’.
• Z and I are both not writing much as we usually do.  It’s just not very interesting, right now. [I had to come back weeks after we watched it together, to rewatch it and take new notes. I miss Buffy - Z]
• Aww, but Eli is doing some fine detective work.
• Art student guy.  I think what’s getting to me this season is how many stereotypes there are.  The militant feminists, the dumb sorority girls, the meathead athletes, the douchey frat guys…
• “I’m an artist.” “So was Hitler.”  Jesus, Veronica.
• Veronica finds popcorn in meathead’s bag – so…that incriminates the popcorn guy.  Cause…he’s just got…popcorn on him…all the time…stuck to his…sleeve…?  What?
• So we see the struggling relationship of the Logan/Veronica relationship– Logan just seems to be getting into the newness of college which means he’s pulling away from Veronica.  He loves her but maybe needs some space…but Veronica is getting uncharacteristically jealous.  And she traced his phone which is totally uncool.
• Boys of Neptune are really into poker…  It’s a recurring activity…
• “The surveillance thing is starting to bug…” Nice pun, Logan.
• Aww, and Veronica is sulkily listening to sulky music cause she’s sad about Logan.
• Weevil’s anger problems got the best of him – and he’s fired from Keith’s office.
• Piz got his show, so that’s cool, I guess.
• So Trish is the culprit – and I guess she’s doing it cause…she loves him? I guess?
• There are too many endings and culprits in this mystery.  It’s like a procedural episode.
• Yay, Weevil gets another job.  And conveniently it just might help Veronica in future cases.
• I like when Veronica & Logan make up.  She’s right – there’s a reason she has trust issues.

Zelda's Thoughts:

• is weightlifting class really a thing?
• bicker bicker bicker
• ARMIE HAMMER. BABY ARMIE HAMMER
• WEEVIL HI WEEVIL WE'VE MISSED YOU
• Weevil plea bargained out of a murder charge for Thumper to assault. So that's something
• And because his asshole boss is also causally racist, Weevil lets his temper show. I just feel so awful about everything that's happened to him
• oh right Piz does radio
• aw man, Ed Begley Jr. Always a delight
• "Mrs. O'Dell was my grad student, back when you could do things like that." wow I just
• and now he's threatening to expel V if she doesn't reveal her sources for the sorority story last week. so that's fun
• I take back what I said about Ed Begley Jr.'s delightfulness
• is Guitar Hero a sponsor? Is that why we have the insightful dialog of "Dude that game rocks." "Yeah it does."

• interesting twist. V refers Weevil to work for her dad: "Eli Navarro, remember?" // "You mean Weevil?"
• "Didn't he get busted for murder?" // "Assault." // "See, so he's not even a very good murderer."
• I don't super love how this show portrays the women trying to fight the, you know, systemic rape culture (to say nothing of the serial rapist for this season) as overly militant Angry Women tropes. It's a weird tonal dissonance, particularly with a show that had its protagonist raped in the pilot. You can say it doesn't age well, especially with the current #MeToo movement, but it left a bad taste in the mouth back then too. (at least it's not acting like the dipshit satirists are in the right either. they're just morons)
• it's a weird thing the show hits, with the LoVe ship this season: we've gotten past all the drama of high school, Logan's probably not going to be convincingly wearing the Villain Hat again, and the chemistry between the two is undeniable. So we're upping V's distrustful nature (which, yes, has always been there, but this is a step backward in her development) to build up tension between the two of them, and give them an excuse to break up later in the season. and I dunno, it feels inorganic.
• Wow, so that throwaway moment of V looking for Mac and not being able to find her is the excuse for not having her in the episode this week.
• awwww Keith likes Weevil's detectiving. He's got his know-how and it's kind of awesome.
• also wtf to V's "So was Hitler" exit line
• oh joy, Mercer Hayes has entered the show
• and they tip us off almost immediately that he's a tool when he makes fun of the dude with a stutter
• aw damn, Weevil fucked up his second assignment from Keith, beating up a child abuser, and getting Keith fired from that particular job
• aw and Weevil trying to be strong and hide how gutted he is: "I get it. I'd fire me. Man, I just ... I really dug this stuff, you know. I actually thought I was okay at it."
• Weevil: "The Dean's a pal of yours? You actually made friends with somebody?" // V: "Actually he wants me expelled." // W: "That sounds more like it."
• Oh dang, V tells O'Dell she got his car fixed for free. But she told Weevil it was a $2k job. So she paid Weevil?
• And Claire ("the blonde in the middle") was raped
• "Is this the help desk? Cuz I need a little help." // "Let me guess, you have this pathologically suspicious girlfriend, and you hope maybe there's a guidebook?" // "No, it's more like, uh ... what's beyond pathological?" ... and V apologizes. I don't love this saga, but Kristen Bell and Jason Dohring are acting the hell out of this scene.

Also: Chemistry

Favorite Lines:

Daniel: “I don’t understand boys.  Or football.” - Trish

Zelda: Keith, holding out a camera; "You familiar with these things?" // Weevil: "Yeah, toasters, right?"

Arc/Continuity:

Neptune Roll Call: Logan, Dick, Piz, Weevil (Absent: Wallace, Parker, Mac, Sheriff Don Lamb)

First Appearance: Mercer Hayes, Trish, Claire Nordhouse, Dean Cyrus O'Dell

Recurring: Nish Sweeney, Fern Delgado

Future Famous Person: Armie Hammer

Generally Known TV Face: Lindsey McKeon, Ed Begley, Jr.

Veronica's Alias: athlete looking for a trainer, sorority hazee

Stats:

Dead Humans - 0

Backup Sighting - 0

Veronica Breaks In - 0

Veronica Tases Someone - 0

Mac Hacks - 0

Who's Your Daddy? - 0

Wallace Does Veronica a Favor - 0

Veronica Wants a Pony - 0

Logan Punches Someone - 0 

Dick's Single Entendres - 0

Shenanigans Called - 0

VERONICA WAS RIGHT - 0

VERONICA WAS WRONG - 0

D'oh!

Episode 3.2: My Big Fat Greek Rush Week. Original Airdate 10.10.06

"Veronica is hired by the campus newspaper to do an undercover expose on the Zeta Theta sorority sisters during rush week to investigate Parker's rape. Throughout the investigation, Veronica realizes that everything is not exactly what [it] seems in the sorority house. Meanwhile, Logan and Wallace participate in a prisoner/guard role-playing experiment for their Sociology class, which challenges them psychologically."

Zelda's Thoughts:

• Ugh, poor Parker. V: "The thing about being roofied and raped? You may not remember the who, when, where, or why, but you know the what."
• And both V and Mac are feeling guilty, Mac for slut shaming, V for having been in the room while it was happening but not realizing.
• And fucking Lamb calls it "wolf cry number two" when he sees Veronica, because he refuses to believe teenage girls.
• You guys, Wallace and Logan's teacher is Homer Simpson
• it's lucky he's telling them about their big assignment in the not-first-class, since we know Logan missed that class
• This Theta Beta house is full on Stepford Terrifying

• gasp a vampire!
• Wallace and Logan continue their maybe-friendship with a side bet of which side will win the prisoner experiment.
• it's cool how this douche gets to brush off being offensive and racist and twelve shades of awful as "just playing the part." that's super cool
• good job, Keith! you used the animal trap in this weird weird side plot to take Cormac down
• ... well, hobble him anyway
• ah okay so Liam was the one tracking Cormac through Vinnie's pen
• I still don't think I get why Cormac shot Kendall. I feel like I missed a step or two in the Fitzpatrick plot, which I've never really cared about anyway, but still. They're spending a lot of time and energy and valuable Keith screen time on this.
• gasp Chip Diller is back
• I just find so much of this entire prison experiment plotline unpleasant. I'm sorry I'm not more entertaining but I'm not particularly entertained by this. It's just too toxic and I'm too tired.
• Yay on top of body shaming, racism, there's also homophobia, this guy is everything worst
• Do we ever find any bodies in the Fitzpatrick storyline? Is Kendall confirmed dead? Is Cormac?
• OH GOOD ANTISEMITISM THIS IS FUN
• when is this episode over
• and Mac convinces Parker to stick around and be a season regular after all
• and we finally see what was in the Pulp Fiction briefcase ... a Van Gogh. Which Keith is selling and donating the proceeds to a food bank because guilt (and also any money from that painting is blood money)
• It's really weird to hear Horshack saying Rafe (the bag of dicks played by Rider Strong) is a cool guy, that that was all an act. Is that supposed to make us okay with it? Because I'm super not okay with it.  

• And at least Wallace isn't either. I guess the one good thing is Wallace won the prison experiment through outwitting the prisoners (changing the clock) rather than through the torture and abuse methods
• and now that stupid ep is over 

Daniel's Thoughts:

• We continue from the previous ep.  Parker is sitting in bed talking to a female cop – her head shaved.
• Now Mac & Veronica are kicking themselves for slut-shaming
• Parker’s accusation that Veronica just ‘let this happen’ is unfair, but given to what happened to her - not unexpected.
• Keith is still in the desert – oh no.  Does Veronica know?
• Homer Simpson is teaching a course at Neptune University.  Intro to Sociology.

• Oh man, they’re doing that thing – that prisoner/student experiment thing.
• Recurring frakking RA.
• Reporter woman wants Veronica to infiltrate a sorority to help out with the serial rape case.  Quel Coincidence.
• Parker’s considering going home.  And Mac doesn’t blame her.  Neither do I.
• Of course Logan & Wallace are on separate sides.  And of course Logan is a prisoner.
• Rider Strong of Boy Meets World fame is the lead guard.  And he’s right-away acting like the part – which doesn’t bode well for his future – or what it says about him as a human being. 
• Ugh, more Fitzpatricks and betrayal and I don’t care…
• Veronica’s really in hell at this sorority party.  She’s pretending to act totally drunk.
• Veronica calls her weapon Mr. Sparky like Buffy called hers Mr. Pointy.
• I mean even if she’s not drunk, she still shouldn’t be just dropped off at a park.
• I never really got the point of the prison experiment – show people at their worst?  I guess?
• Oh poor Keith.  He’s really taking this hard.  Glad he has Veronica.
• Parker’s mom is a total jerk – but I guess there has to be a reason for Parker to stay.
• Biscotti?  No!
• I love when Logan/Veronica banter.
• If they escaped – why did they go somewhere where they’d get caught?  I mean prisoners escape – why didn’t they just go somewhere to lay low for the rest of the night.
• Oh man – who knew. The weed.
• Hahah. Homer D’oh’ed!
• Mac convinces Parker to stay – which of course –is pretty easy.  All she has to do is say ‘stay’.
• They’re really showing a divide of the ‘type’ of girl deemed to be a ‘feminist’ and then the typical sorority girl.  It’s kind of offensive…
• At least the dumb prisoner experiment is over.  I really couldn’t take the Rider Strong bit.

Favorite Lines:

Zelda: "Lemonade? Worst Roman orgy ever." - Veronica

Daniel: "D'oh!" -Dr. (Homer Simpson) Kinney

Arc/Continuity:

Neptune Roll Call: Logan, Wallace, Dick, Parker, Mac, Sheriff Don Lamb (Absent: Piz, Weevil)
First Appearance: Nish Sweeney, Hallie Piatt, Mrs. Lee
Recurring: Moe Flater, Liam Fitzpatrick, Cormac Fitzpatrick, Chip Diller, Fern Delgado
Generally Known TV Face: Samm Levine, Rider Strong, Rachelle Lefevre, Dan Castellaneta (well, voice)

Stats:

Dead Humans - 1
Backup Sighting - 0
Veronica Breaks In - 1
Veronica Tases Someone - 0
Mac Hacks - 0
Who's Your Daddy? - 0
Wallace Does Veronica a Favor - 0
Veronica Wants a Pony - 0
Logan Punches Someone - 0
Dick's Single Entendres - 0
Shenanigans Called - 0
VERONICA WAS RIGHT - 0
VERONICA WAS WRONG - 0

Move Uranus, the Mercury's Rising

Episode 3.1: Welcome Wagon. Original Airdate 10.03.06

"Veronica is in true form from the moment she and boyfriend, Logan, along with close friends, Wallace and Mac, set foot on the campus of Hearst College. Wallace enlists Veronica's help when his new roommate, Piz, has all his belongings stolen. While working on Piz's case, Veronica learns that the campus serial rapist has struck again. Meanwhile, Keith runs into trouble while transporting a recently released convict through the desert to reunite him with Kendall."

Daniel's Thoughts:

• Welcome back to Veronica Mars.  Veronica’s in college now!
• It’s really funny how Buffy’s & Veronica’s first college episodes are both about Freshman getting robbed of all their stuff.
• “New School, Fresh Start – how about you try not to piss anyone off this time around.” 
• Veronica is of course taking Intro to Criminology.
• “Murder of the Riverboat Queen” – first assignment  - I was just on a riverboat queen!  (On the Mississippi from New Orleans to Memphis) 

There was a welcome band literally right outside my cabin

• [But did you get murdered? - Z]
• Of course, Veronica solves the case given to her by her professor in record time, but for some reason she sits there with a magazine just to be a douche?  Just to make the douchey assistant come up to her so she could make him look like a dick?  Or I guess to make the teacher ask her the question that would make her choose from the 50/50….still feels weird.  Feels like making enemies in her very first class.
• So Veronica & Logan are together again… He tells Veronica that Dick is kind of a mess from what happened to his brother last year.  We’ll see how long that lasts.
• Vinnie Van Lowe!  He wants to work with Keith.  Keith says no, but when Chekhov places a Vinnie Van Lowe in the first act, he will be fired off by the last act.
• Veronica “the one handed self-portrait” – Do…You mean a selfie?  I guess that word wasn't invented yet?  Apparently not til 2013 
• I’m glad that Veronica & Keith ended up going to NYC together this summer.
• BACK-UP!
• And we’re introduced to Piz – who is roommate to Wallace.
• Oh no!  Piz’s things are gone!  Time to call in our teen detective.
• Early 2000s nerd: "Frak"
• So now we’re introduced to the season arc – at least part of the season.  And it’s a continuation from an episode last year where there was a serial rapist who was shaving the heads of the women they raped.
• Mac is back and a regular!
• And there’s Dick.  Looking good in a speedo, tbh – but also being a total…well…Dick.
• I guess we’re not done with the Fitzpatricks. Oy.
• Whoa, Veronica & Logan – hot and heavy.
• Logan actually looks happy which is nice.
• Deputy Sachs!  College doesn’t mean we have to stop seeing our regulars or our recurrings.
• Hey, it’s Parker!  She was on another show right after Veronica Mars that I really liked her in.  It was called Eli Stone. 
• OMG Veronica is wearing that thing on her arms that looks like sleeves of tattoos but are just…sleeves.  That was popular for like a year.

• Dick has a run-in with Mac – and he’s of course…a dick.  Calling Mac Beav’s beard.  I know he's hurting but it's just cruel.
• Oh Mac.  Veronica avoids breaking in by having Mac doing her a favor.
• I mean, we realize Dick is acting like a dick because his world has exploded.  But how can you tell? Since he’s a total dick anyway. [yeah I'm not seeing a huge shift in his behavior from like any episode ever - Z]
• I love Piz’s question to Veronica about why she does it – and she doesn’t really come up with a definitive answer.  I mean, her answer “because I’m good at it” is good enough – but of course, not the whole truth.
• Veronica walks in on…something she doesn’t realize.  Parker is being raped…and Veronica thinks just regular college shenanigans are going on.
• And bye bye Kendall.  Get home safe, Keith.
• I’m glad they didn’t just drop Dick’s story.  I’m glad they followed through.  It’s crazy to feel sorry for such a dick…but.
• And there it is – poor Parker….and our short season arc.

Zelda's Thoughts:

• omg it's been so long!
• First shot includes a Take Back the Night banner, because this is the rape season (even though every season is a rape around here)
• Oh right Prof Landry and Tim isn't-he-also-Lucky Foyle
• Prof Landry: "The current record for solving this case is 16 minutes, courtesy of the amazing Mr. Foyle." V's face: challenge accepted
• And she looks up the answer online
• Also her hair looks gorgeous this season.

LOOKIT THE PRETTY HAIR

• I'd say she's unnecessarily dickish to Tim, but he was condescending and dickish to her first, so.
• Hi emo college years credits. Also hi Sheriff Lamb in the credits (more importantly: HI MAC IN THE  CREDITS)
• And Logan explains how contrivance managed to get all our friends from Neptune High into Hearst, our convenient university
• VINNIE VAN LOWWWWWWWWWWWWWE
• It's interesting that we're sitting on answering the questions left open by the end of last season, esp regarding Keith.
• "I hate you." // "You love me." // "Yeah but it's all instinct."
• "Did you make any friends?" // "Lord no." // "Enemies?" // "...." Ah Keith knows Veronica so well.
• Man I'm jealous of the layout of Wallace and Piz's dorm room and I want to steal it.
• Gasp! Piz's stuff got stolen! We've got our case of the week!
• And we've got our instacrush, because Veronica is a knockout.
• The RA uses loose tea, plays string instrumental, and uses Battlestar Gallactica slang. Man, to be a student again.
• Boo, there's another woman with a shaved head. This is jumping way ahead, but it's kind of amazing the rapist gets caught, considering how many get away with it.
• MAC. HI MAC.
• and hi Dick
• wheeeee V and Logan are doin' it because they're all adultish now
• also I cannot remember why Keith and Cormac are on a road trip except I think it has something to do with Kendall and her Pulp Fiction briefcase?
• Oh look Dick's being a dick to Mac. "My little brother never cared about you. You were just his beard." Fuck you very much and why are you on this show.
• The clothes V brings for Piz -- are they Duncan's?
• Ugh the male gaze in this episode. Sure, V calls it out with "you two have fun being gross" but it's just so THICK and I'm just tired
• gasp! Veronica volunteering for mentoring was just to get into the records for the dude with the guitar! It's all so convoluted
• aw and Logan's being very sweet with Veronica my shippppppppppppppppp

• and rando guy is beating up Dick, for unspoken reason ... not surprised
• And Logan recognizes that Piz is wearing Duncan's shirt (dang, this transcript points out that Logan has also borrowed this shirt. that thing gets around!).
• Wow, I'd half remembered that guitar guy was part of the crime conspiracy, but I'd forgotten the three nimrod teens were part of it too. The deflection of the chubby-blonde-who's-actually-skinny, etc., was a well-functioning red herring.
• So this whole road trip was just delivering Cormac to Kendall? I...?
• Oh right, Vinnie was tapping the whole convo. Vinnie, you shit.
• ... did Logan just throw his toothbrush on the couch? like ... ew?
• shoutout to V's old job at Java the Hut.
• shit, Parker got raped :(
• and so THAT story arc continues

Crossfire!

Z: This ep is called Welcome Wagon

D: Oh this is the one where her stuff gets stolen

Z: Wait, what?

D: And then she has to go fight vampires!

Z: We need more variety in our TV.

Favorite Lines:

Daniel: Keith: All right, honey. Give Logan my regards as you're shaking his hand good night and I'll be sure to call unexpectedly again.

Zelda: Keith: "Did you make any friends?" Veronica: "Lord no." Keith: "Enemies?" Veronica: "...."

Arc/Continuity:

Neptune Roll Call: Logan, Wallace, Dick, Parker, Piz, Mac (Absent: Sheriff Don Lamb, Weevil)

First Appearance: Professor Hank Landry, Timothy Foyle, Piz, Cormac Fitzpatrick, Parker, Moe Flater, Nancy Cooper, Fern Delgado

Recurring: Vinnie Van Lowe, Deputy Jerry Sacks, Kendall Casablancas

Wait a Gosh-Dern Second: Yes, Tim Foyle is played by James Jordan, who also played Lucky last season. But, you know, different hair, so

Stats:

Dead Humans - 1

Backup Sighting - 1

Veronica Breaks In - 0

Veronica Tases Someone - 0

Logan Tases Someone - 1

Mac Hacks - 0

Who's Your Daddy? - 0

Wallace Does Veronica a Favor - 0

Veronica Wants a Pony - 0

Logan Punches Someone - 0 

Dick's Single Entendres - 1 "I mean is this thing we feel real or are we just in it for the torso butter?"

Shenanigans Called - 0

VERONICA WAS RIGHT - 0

VERONICA WAS WRONG - 0

Do You Smell Bacon, Season Two?

Series Stats:

Dead Humans - 21
Backup Sighting - 14
Veronica Breaks In - 16
Veronica Tases Someone - 3
Mac Hacks - 7
Who's Your Daddy? - 3
Wallace Does Veronica a Favor - 13
Weevil Does Veronica a Favor - 3
Leo Does Veronica a Favor - 3
Mac Does Veronica a Favor - 4
Cliff Does Veronica a Favor - 1
Veronica Wants a Pony - 3
Logan Punches Someone - 6
Dick's Single Entendres - 16
Shenanigans Called - 14
VERONICA WAS RIGHT - 4
VERONICA WAS WRONG - 7

Season Two Stats (including comparison to previous season):

Dead Humans: 19 (+17)
Backup Sightings: 4 (-6)
Veronica Breaks In: 6 (-4)
(Keith Breaks In: 2 (+1))
Veronica Tases Someone: 2 (+1)
(Beaver Tases Someone: 3)
(Keith Tases Someone: 1)
Mac Hacks: 4 (+1)
Who's Your Daddy?: 0 (-3)
Wallace Does Veronica a Favor: 1 (-11)
Weevil Does Veronica a Favor: 0 (-3)
Leo Does Veronica a Favor: 0 (-3)
Mac Does Veronica a Favor: 0 (-4)
Cliff Does Veronica a Favor: 1 (+1)
(Veronica Does Weevil and Logan a Favor: 1)
Veronica Wants a Pony: 2 (+1)
Logan Punches Someone: 3 (=)
(Logan Kicks Weevil in the Head: 1)
(Jessie Punches Someone: 1)
Dick's Single Entendres: 12 (+8)
(Logan's Single Entendres: 4)
(Duncan's Single Entendres: 1)
Shenanigans Called: 7 (=)
VERONICA WAS RIGHT: 0 (-4)
VERONICA WAS WRONG: 2 (-3)

Additional Stats

Absences: 52 total (Wallace 5, Duncan 10, Logan 0, Weevil 10, Dick 7, Beaver 10, Jackie 10)
New Recurring Characters: 40 total (Cute as a Bug Manager, Veronica's Other Job, Vincent "Butters" Clemmons, Kendall Casablancas, Gia Goodman, Woody Goodman, Terrence Cook, David "Curly" Moran, Richard Casablancas, Jane Kuhne, Mr. Pope, Nathan Woods, Stewart Manning, Rose Manning, Grace Manning, Cora Briggs, Michelle Thompson, Dr. Tom Griffith, Thumper, Deborah Hauser, Rodney Goodman, Mrs. Goodman, Danny Boyd, Liam Fitzpatrick, Principal Alan Moorehead, Ryan, Molly Fitzpatrick, Kelly Kuzzio, Astrid, Super Huge Deputy, Hannah Griffith, Leonard Lobo, Arturo, Chip Diller, Drew, Foreman, Marcos Oliveres, Lucky, Peter Ferrer, Ethan Lavoie)
Future Famous Person: 3 total (Krysten Ritter, Ari Graynor, Laura Bell Bundy)
Already/Past Famous Person: 6 total (Steve Guttenberg, Julie Chen, Kevin Smith, Joss Whedon, Michael Cera, Alia Shawkat)
Generally Known TV Face: 13 total (Cress Williams, Michael Kostroff, Christine Estabrook, Lucas Grabeel, Bradford Anderson, Michael Hyatt, Robert Maschio, Ivonne Coll, Lucy Xena Cylon Lawless, B.J. Britt, Jessy Schram, Kristin Cavallari, Matt Bush)
(New) Buffy Alum: 3 total (Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase), Charles Duckworth (Glenn), Gil Birmingham (Peru Man from Inca Mummy Girl))
America's Next Top Model: 3 total (Naima Mora (Ms. Dumas), Kim Stolz (Stacy), Furonda Brasfield (Beverly Simms))
Famous Musician Cameo: 2 total (Courtney Taylor-Taylor (The Dandy Warhols), Britt Daniel (Spoon))
Logan's Nicknames: 11 total (Action (Duncan), Nurse Ratched (School Nurse), Zippy the Pinhead (Corny), Bessie (Kendall), Nip/Schmuck (Dr. Tom Griffith), Mars-wan Kenobi (Veronica), Rode Hard (Trina), Put Away Wet (Kendall), Mopey (Duncan), Angel of Mercy (Veronica), Princess (Hannah))
(Veronica's Nicknames: Sleazy (Logan))
(Sheriff Don Lamb's Nicknames: Brer Rabbit (Veronica))
Veronica's Alias: 13 total (Deputy Ann Shaughnessy, Dawn Lamb, assistant to the District Attorney, Curly Moran's niece whose name is coincidentally Veronica Mars, UCSD student with a flat tire, Vocational Ed Coordinator Mae Hadwell, Margot Schnell's friend, colleague of a jerkface, a version of Veronica that wants plastic surgery, Laurie Zachs, adult Veronica Mars P.I., UCLA rep, Gia Goodman)
Keith's Alias: 1 total (angry caller to tech support)
Cliff's Alias: 1 total (Amelia's distraught father)
Logan's Inspirational Greeting: 2 total ("To love and win is the best thing. To love and lose, the next best." - William M. Thackeray; "Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late." - Ben Franklin)

While we've got a marked increase in dead bodies (thanks for that, Beaver) and in Dick's single entendres (being a regular instead of recurring helps with that), a lot of our other stats have dropped. We're tempted to blame the lower favor count on the fact that most of our regulars missed a fair amount of episodes (except for Logan, who has perfect attendance. Four for you, Logan Echolls). And it appears we got much stingier this time around with doling out VERONICA WAS RIGHT.

Zelda's Thoughts (with heavy cribbing of Daniel's Thoughts):

As Daniel pointed out several times, this show and this season have a high percentage of grown men sexualizing teen girls, and it's always been gross, and is increasingly hard to stomach in our current era. I think there's a lot of that that I definitely brushed off or ignored on my initial watch, not because I didn't think it was problematic as hell, but because it felt so ingrained in the culture and it's easier sometimes to numb yourself to the grossness. My more recent heightened awareness of this kind of mentality infiltrating way too much of media and society has definitely thrown a spotlight on it. And in light of what's currently going on in Washington, my god is the Aaron Echolls of it all just too much. And that's not even getting into the serial sexual assault perpetuated by Woody on all those young boys, and how deeply he scarred so many children. The world is full of monsters, and a number of them live in Neptune, California.

Context and internal raging aside, I still think the show is good, but that it never quite lives up to Season One, in terms of seasonal arc. All the work they put into V taking the bus bombing personally felt forced, as a means to get her as invested in solving the crime as she was in finding Lilly's killer. But perhaps I feel that because on our rewatch, I know just how little to do with V the crash was. And her obsession with it, as a result, waxed and waned as the episodes required, for whatever else was going on that week. And then, again as Daniel pointed out, the many hops and leaps in detectiving that Veronica made in the finale, without taking us along with her (until the showdown with Beaver), was less engaging because of how convoluted it was. With Lilly's killer, we followed her on that journey. With the bus crash, we had to run to keep up.

That being said, I still love the Mars family, and their dynamic is beautiful and performed by two stellar actors. (Also god bless the good ship #LoVe)

Close Your Eyes and Think of England

Episode 2.22: Not Pictured. Original Airdate 5.09.06 

"The second season ends as Veronica, on her graduation day, learns who is responsible for the bus crash. After uncovering the culprit, her life is endangered as she tries to warn those closest to the killer. Also, Wallace learns some surprising information about Jackie, Keith enlists Veronica's help in his ongoing investigation of Woody, and the seniors celebrate their graduation with a lavish party at the Neptune Grand."

Zelda's Thoughts:

• fuck you Aaron Echolls. you're the worst and everyone hates you
• "So this is how it is. The innocent suffer. The guilty go free. And truth and fiction are pretty much interchangeable. There is neither a Santa Claus nor an Easter Bunny, and there are no angels watching over us. And nothing makes any sense" We talked about this a bit in the comments for the last episode, but this is such a concise summing up of Veronica's (and the show's) world view. It's a very noir outlook, the cynicism, the lack of faith in law enforcement or the judicial process to actually achieve justice. That's why the Marses are P.I.s and that's why Veronica goes vigilante so much.
• Okay it's time for me to change tacks and have a petty rant. Because this is making me too angry and V's hair looks great. What is it with TV shows that have a tough female lead, giving them too-short and not-always-flattering hairstyles, that almost instantly get undone as the shows go on, and by the end the hair is long and glamorous and red carpet ready? I'm thinking mainly of Stana Katic on Castle, but I know it happens a lot and it's dumb.

It's dumb. Source

• omg the Mars faces. V's face, then Keith's when Vinnie calls on the phone.
• AND HE CALLED FROM PRISON THIS IS AMAZING I LOVE IT.
• Vinnie is awful, but Ken is the best.
• oh man, V's face when Keith reads out that Woody has had chlamydia. Because Beaver got it from Woody and gave it to V ... Duncan needs to get his stuff checked out.
• Oh man, V's graduation dream, so heartbreaking. They're in their old house, Lianne is there and she and Keith are happily married, Keith is still Sheriff. Duncan's still around, but interestingly, V's with Logan in this dream. And she doesn't know Wallace at all. That one hurts.
• Though I am confused that not-as-cool-Wallace needs corrective lenses and our Wallace doesn't.
• And there's our Lilly, alive and well, back from her first year at Vassar, but standing in front of her memorial fountain.

• "Do you smell bacon?"
• Keith and V, tracking down Woody.
• V and Wallace's mom cheering loudly for Wallace as he walks across the stage at graduation.
• Fuck. Fuck. They're arresting Weevil at graduation, in front of his family. And it's deliberately cruel timing. "Just let me graduate ... please don't do this, man."
• It's not quite the same moment of Buffy's class protector, but everyone cheering loudly when Veronica's name is called (including Keith's beautifully proud papa moment) is very sweet.

• Aw Keith didn't get V a pony, but he did buy her a trip to NYC. As a New Yorker, I agree, this is a great gift.
• And now we reveal Jackie's true backstory I guess? She's a waitress in Brooklyn (which explains how she was so instantly good when she got the job at The Hut)
• Aaron has the stones to come stay at the Neptune Grand. Just leave town, you shit.
• Logan's his dependent again? Is Logan not 18 yet?
• Go Keith! You found that shithead Woody!
• Woody justifying how he molested those boys, thinking it means he cared about them. Gross gross gross gross.
• NOT PICTURED: CASSIDY CASABLANCAS
• HAVE WE FIGURED IT OUT, VERONICA? HAVE WE FIGURED IT ALL OUT?
• And shit, Beaver saw V's text to Mac, trying to warn her, and he is luring her to the roof.
• And on her way to the roof to meet a murderer, she shares an elevator with another murderer. Fuck you, Aaron Echolls, and your mustache twirling shittiness.
• I wish V had been recording his out and out confession just now. At least I know Clarence Wiedman will fix this.
• Wow, why is Beaver pretending he murdered Mac with his "better place" nonsense? Is that just to make sure V thinks he's not kidding around?
• I do like how the season finales on this show always bring back literally everyone we've seen all season. Even if it involves Beaver plowing a car into Curly Moran and killing him, after the PCHers beat him up.
• I hate that it turns out V was raped after all, when they sort of undid it last season.
• What's really frustrating about Beaver's turn here is the unrepentant and seeming indiscriminate nature to Beaver's kills. The other ones felt more pointed, but now it's just killing anyone. Actually no, I take it back. He killed a lot of people on the bus, just to silence Peter and Marcos. Fuck Beaver. I guess I will still complain that we had very little hint of this, because it's one thing to ruthlessly orchestrate his father leaving the country; it's quite another to rape people, kill a bunch of people, and feel no remorse. And his molestation from Woody doesn't cover all that, or excuse any of it. At least with Aaron last season, we had clues from the beginning of how violent he was, and how sexually loose he was. This feels more like a deliberate twist of the villain where we least suspected one.
• I don't want to interrupt this very tense and scary scene, with Logan fighting Beaver, but that roof set looks almost as fake as The Room's roof set. 

We're totally on a roof. That's totally really the outside, and
these are totally skylights to the building that's totally
below us.

• and V's ready to shoot Beaver. "You're not a killer, Veornica. Give me the gun." Logan's as scared as she is.
• "Beaver, don't!" // "My name is Cassidy." // "Cassidy, don't."  // "Why not?" And Logan can't give him a reason. "That's what I thought."
• And Beaver is dead. Good riddance.
• Mac is alive, thank goodness, but she's so confused and scared. "He took my clothes. He took everything. Why?" And V just holds her as they both cry.
• Ew Kendall and Aaron. Ew.
• Wow so I guess Kendall will come out of the shower to a super dead Aaron because HE'S SUPER DEAD.
• Thanks Clarence Wiedman.
• Daniel: "Hey Duncan. Get tested. Get your baby tested."
• Not a bad farewell to Duncan, all things considered: nice moment in a dream sequence, and he exacts revenge for his sister's killer. And then hangs out in Australia.
• And a good farewell to Jackie too, as she takes responsibility for her life.
• I love the visual parallel to the beginning of the season, with V passed out in Logan's lap.

• BUT KEITH IS ALIVE.
• And Logan quietly lets himself out when the Marses reunite.
• And Kendall inherited Beaver's company. Welp.
• Interesting that there's almost no follow up on Aaron's murder.
• And LOGAN AND VERONICA ARE BACK TOGETHER AND DOING THAT THING WHERE THEY SPIN WHILE THEY MAKE OUT
• Man, this is the weirdest cliffhanger for the season though: Kendall and her mysterious Quentin Tarantino briefcase, and Keith doesn't meet V at the airport. It's weird. it's just weird. I love this show, but that is a weirdass final moment.
• it is kind of funny to think about it, though - our big villains from the first two seasons are all dead: Aaron, Woody, Beaver. The Fitzpatricks are still kicking, and I think they have something to do in S3, but we're mostly tying up a lot of loose ends (aside from the weirdass cliffhanger). So we can go into season three with a mostly wiped slate.

Daniel's Thoughts:

• We begin where we left off.  Aaron Echolls is giving a speech outside of the courtroom to the press and all his fans.  And people are cheering that a murderous statutory rapist and assaulter is not being prosecuted.  It’s so sick.  It's so apropos of today.  And yesterday.  And probably tomorrow.
• Aww poor Wallace.
• Yay! Vinnie Van Lowe made the season finale.
• Oops, Vinnie’s in jail.
• Woody’s got Chlamydia (still not a flower, Gia – ask your dad)
• Aww, Lianne in a dream scene.  In a dream sequence, her parents are together, her dad’s Sheriff,  Duncan is still here, she’s dating Logan – and she’s never met Wallace.  That last part is weird.  It’s bizarro world. But here’s the best part.  Lilly is there…standing in front of a memorial for herself.  What an odd dream.  But it was nice to see Lilly back for a little bit. 
• Veronica doing an impression of Gia is scarily good.
• Haha, “I checked Google Earth”. 
• Wallace Fennell graduates!  And aww, his mom is there.  We haven’t seen her in a while.
• And fucking Lamb.  He can’t wait ten minutes until Weevil walks across the stage?
• That is so damn sad.
• Cindy Mac MacKenzie is a couple of people before Veronica Mars..alphabetically, so they get to chat during graduation.  Cool coincidence.
• “I can’t decide if my life is going to be easier or more difficult” – Aww, Mr. Van Clemmons.
• Why is Dick not graduating? 
• Awww, Wallace flew to Paris to be with Jackie…except…
• Jackie is in Brooklyn working at a diner.
• Veronica figures all this out because…well, she’s Veronica…and sends Jackie to JFK  for his layover – except…post-9-11, Jackie wouldn’t be able to meet him there….unless she buys a ticket. (She did.)
• Ugh, Woody’s excuses for molesting children – it’s just so …I can’t listen to this.
• I forgot that Woody owns a fast food chain.  A lot of people are going to be out of a job, soon.
• And finally, Veronica sees who also might be a victim of Woody’s: Beaver.  But why does she think he’s dangerous?
• I don’t want to feel sorry for Beav but a child molester monster destroyed his life.  Again, it doesn’t excuse the things he’s done.
• And like she didn’t have enough to do – here’s Aaron Echolls in an elevator rubbing it in.
• And ‘Veronica was right’ but I still don’t understand how she figured it out.
• Ok, so she put together about 100 different things that I didn’t notice – and that’s why she knew it was Beaver.  That’s why she’s the private detective and not me.
• Oh wow, and he killed Curly too.   And wrote “Veronica Mars” on his hand.  It’s all coming together!
• And the 2 year long mystery of who raped Veronica Mars is answered as well, but it feels a bit thrown in and convenient…
• Wow, Beaver has murdered a lot of people.  Eight people on the bus, Curly – and now a bunch of people on a plane …including what may be Keith.  Can he be classified as a serial killer or a mass murderer?  Probably the latter.
• And Veronica gets tased…twice.
• And poor Mac.  “He took my clothes, he took everything.”  She doesn’t even know the half of it.
• Wowww, and Duncan’s the one who hired Wiedman to kill Aaron Echolls.  So that’s two creeps we’ll never see again which is kinda cool.
• And Jackie bought a ticket to get in to see Wallace.  And she has a son? What?
• It’s the next day and Veronica still thinks Keith is dead.
• But he’s not! Surprise!
• Wow, And  Cordelia is getting away with a lot of cash.
• Keith: “Carol Channing’s still alive, isn’t she?”  12 years later, still true.
• Aww, and Logan & Veronica are kissing.  When did this happen?  When he saved her life I guess?

Crossfire!

Veronica: And pepper spray, for if we run into that Trump character.
D & Z: *simultaneous gasp and scream of horror*

Favorite Lines:

Daniel: “I can’t decide if my life is going to be easier or more difficult." - Principal Van Clemmons on the graduation of Veronica Mars
Zelda: "Do you smell bacon?" - Dream Lilly

Arc/Continuity:

Neptune Roll Call: Wallace, Duncan (gasp!), Logan, Weevil, Dick, Beaver, Jackie (Absent: NO ONE. GOLD STARS ALL AROUND)★★★★★
Recurring: Aaron Echolls, Sheriff Don Lamb, Mac, Vinnie Van Lowe, Lilly Kane, Lilly's memorial fountain, Clarence Wiedman, Lianne Mars, Marcos Oliveres, Peter Ferrer, Alicia Fennel, Kendall Casablancas, Woody Goodman, Principal Van Clemmons, Corny, David "Curly" Moran
Veronica's Alias: Gia Goodman

Stats:

Dead Humans - 5
Backup Sighting - 0
Veronica Breaks In - 0
Veronica Tases Someone - 0
Beaver Tases Veronica - 2
Beaver Tases Logan - 1
Keith Tases Someone - 1
Mac Hacks - 0
Who's Your Daddy? - 0
Wallace Does Veronica a Favor - 0
Veronica Wants a Pony - 1 
Logan Punches Someone - 0 (it's more a tackle fight than a punching fight)
Dick's Single Entendres - 0
Shenanigans Called - 0
VERONICA WAS RIGHT - 0
VERONICA WAS WRONG - 0

Elementary, My Dear Wallace

Episode 2.21: Happy Go Lucky. Original Airdate 5.02.06

"As Aaron Echolls's trial is about to conclude, tensions rise as Veronica, Keith and Logan take the witness stand to testify against him. Meanwhile, after Veronica finds a suspicious e-mail in Woody's computer, Keith turns to Lamb with evidence to arrest Woody, but Lamb refuses, believing that Keith is trying to turn him into a laughing stock. Also, to everyone's surprise, Lucky brings a gun into school with the intent to find Gia."

Daniel's Thoughts:

• And it’s time for Aaron Echoll’s trial.  And he’s totally playing it up for the jury and they’re totally buying it.
• Wow, and he’s really claiming that he didn’t have sex with Lilly.  Follow-up from the previous episode when lawyer asked Veronica about his relationship with Lilly.
• Duncan is being set-up and he’s not even here to defend himself.
• “Easy Going Veronica Mars – that’s what the kids at school call me.”
• It’s nice that they remember that Gia & Veronica are in health class together.
• Also, it’s nice to finally see Veronica actually studying – the thing I always get on her case about.
• Oh crap.  Gun shots.  It’s Lucky The Janitor.
• And good-guy without a gun, Wallace tackles Lucky to the ground.  He shoots at Wallace, but the gun is full of blanks.  The security guard’s aren’t.  He shoots Lucky dead and fuck, this is going to be really traumatic for the kids at Neptune High.
• “Nobody likes a blonde in a Hamster Ball.”
• “Why should you break in when I’m invited?” – This should be on the Mars family crest.
• They’re actually showing Jackie a lot these finally few episodes.  That’s nice.
• Oh hey, it’s Beaver.  I mean, they should show him once or twice before the finale.
• Aww, MySpace mention.  Remember them?  I’m so old I used to be on Friendster.
• And we/Veronica finally sees how Woody Goodman is a really horrid person…and how he might be connected to the bus crash.  Except Veronica doesn’t recognize the voices yet.
• And Veronica is being sworn in.  This is always nerve-wracking.

• And the prosecutor is totally slut-shaming Veronica now, and the judge is allowing it and it’s totally gross.
• Aww, Mac is helping out Weevil and Beav – even though neither of them really deserve it – especially Beav.
• I don’t really understand why Keith is going to Woody with this before going to the police.
• I know I’m late to the game of realizing this – but has Jackie been living by herself for like the last six months with no guardian?
• Damn, they’re really trying to tarnish Veronica’s reputation to get Aaron off and it’s really super gross.
• “If I get you an A, will you shiv him?” - Mac
• “Is your ego really that enormous that you can turn the murder of 8 people about you?”  - Yeah that pretty much sums up Lamb.
• I love the Weevil passing Algebra is a major plotpoint in the penultimate episode of Season 2.
• And oh no.  Just as Weevil passes Algebra, he’s being pegged in a crime.
• Wallace: “It was worth getting taped to a pole…”  Awww.
• Instead of starting her final, Veronica books it to the trial.  Which is very irresponsible of her…considering how important getting the Kane scholarship is to her.  There’s no need for her to be at the trial.   And especially to find out that Aaron has been acquitted on all counts.

Zelda's Thoughts:

• We open on Aaron Echolls. We open on talking garbage.
• AND HE IS LYING. LYING. lying sack of shit, claiming he never had sex with Lilly, claiming he broke up with her, saying Duncan "probably" killed her. I hate him, I hate him so much.
• I thought witnesses weren't allowed to watch other people's testimony if they haven't testified yet? Did I make that up? Is that just something I mistakenly picked up from other TV shows?
• V has everything riding on acing her finals so she can get the Kane scholarship and go to Stanford. Since we know the future, we know this will somehow go wrong. She walks out on a final or something, right? Something heartbreaking.
• Shit, I forgot about the gun. Fuck. This is. This is not something good. And probably not something they would be able to do like this now, with the frightening increase in school shootings.
• Shit, and when Lucky aims the gun at Wallace after Wallace tackled him. Fucking terrifying.
• And then the school guard shoots Lucky dead.
• I don't have anything funny to say.
• Woody reveals that Lucky was a bat boy for something or other - a clue to the ultimate reveal
• Woody's password is "mrgoodwood" ew ew
• Rando: Hey Veronica. // V: Hey ... you. // Rando: Hart. // V & Me: yeah we've never seen this dude before (except IMDB says he's been on the show before, so--ah, he's the one who had the film of Logan's mother jumping off the bridge)
• gasp V found an audio recording, of the boys talking about what Woody did to them! if only we can figure out the voices on the recording
• Also why was the subject heading about preventing the incorporation? Is this really just about Beaver's company?
• Woody, being the Uber Creeper "Are you as smart as you think you are?"
• I'm amazed he's being chill (well except for the creeperness) with V, considering what's been going on between him and Keith
• Ohhh the one who sent the tape edited himself out of the tape
• EW EW EW EW EW Aaron is claiming Veronica propositioned him? EW EW EW EW
• WHY WOULD THE JUDGE ALLOW THAT DICKWAD TO QUESTION VERONICA ABOUT GETTING TREATMENT FOR AN STD WHY WHAT THE GARBAGE AND HOW IS THIS RELEVANT. I fucking hate this.
• I do like that V figured out how to help both Beaver and Weevil with their problems - scratched car and passing Algebra - and matchmade them. Although ... they're not gelling well.
• But Mac chimes in and is the best and I love her hi Mac please become a season regular.
• ew though this is also so she and Beaver can rekindle, just so we can hurt her more
• "I'm not a fifteen year old boy, Woody. You don't scare me." man I can't wait for Woody to go down.

love Keith so much

• Aw Terrence is finally free! Thanks Leonard Lobo!
• Oh but Lobo is here to tell us just how he wants his thanks. With Terrence glad handing all his casino patrons for the next decade, until his debt is repaid
• I just. I don't understand this and I never will. I don't understand why they don't get to testify to what they saw, but instead are told what lies Aaron said, and are asked questions as if that were the fact. It makes me want to vomit.
• And I hate that this shithead Lavoie provoked Keith enough that he assaults him in court.
• GASP V figured out that it's not the bat boys for the Sharks that Woody assaulted (well, not just them), but also Woody's little league team also called the Sharks - and several of the bus crash victims were players.
• I'm confused. It seems like Jackie's also lying to Terrence about the Sorbonne (knowing the future is rough). Wouldn't he know she can't afford it, and that she'd actually just be going back to her mom? Or was that not a lie, and she was going to go to the Sorbonne before Terrence lost his fame and fortune?
• And then fucking Lamb, embarrassed several times over when trying to find the person who caused the bus crash, won't act on Keith's evidence that Woody is a serial predator and could also be the one behind the bus crash (though he isn't).
• Oh man, Weevil just wants to to pass algebra, make his grandma proud.
• And just in time, the boys who saw Weevil when he knocked out Thumper have come forward, now that Thumper's remains have been found.
• "You better enjoy this, because this is as nostalgic as I get. I just wanted to say, it was worth getting taped to a pole. Gonna miss ya." // "And my stupid ass face?" Aw babies.

• And now it's time for V to sabotage her final exam and a chance at the scholarship and Stanford - because she wants to see the verdict in person. And it's the wrong verdict. I hate this. Everything is garbage.
• Meanwhile, Woody fled on a private plane.
• BUT SERIOUSLY HOW DID AARON NOT GET CONVICTED FOR ANYTHING. Even putting aside his tap dancing evidence around Lilly, he assaulted both Marses. 
• SO ANGRY.

Crossfire!

D: We should have had a stat for how many grown men sexually objectify teenage girls. It happens so much on this show.

Z: But then our stats would break.

D: It's so gross.

Favorite Lines:

Daniel: Easy Going Veronica Mars – that’s what the kids at school call me.  - Veronica

Zelda: "It was worth getting taped to a pole." - Wallace

Arc/Continuity:

Neptune Roll Call: Wallace, Logan, Weevil, Beaver, Jackie (Absent: Duncan, Dick)

Recurring: Aaron Echolls, Ethan Lavoie, Gia Goodman, Lucky, Woody Goodman, Mrs. Goodman, Terrence Cook, Hart, Sheriff Don Lamb, Deputy Jerry Sacks, Leonard Lobo, Mac, Rodney Goodman

Stats:

Dead Humans - 1

Backup Sighting - 0

Veronica Breaks In - 0

Veronica Tases Someone - 0

Mac Hacks - 0

Who's Your Daddy? - 0

Wallace Does Veronica a Favor - 0

Veronica Wants a Pony - 0

Logan Punches Someone - 0

Dick's Single Entendres - 0

Shenanigans Called - 0

VERONICA WAS RIGHT - 0

VERONICA WAS WRONG - 0