Would You Describe the Sound as Hitchcockian?

Episode 1.7: The Girl Next Door. Original Airdate 11.9.04

"Veronica becomes suspicious when a young pregnant woman who lives in their apartment complex suddenly disappears; fearing the worst, Keith steps in to help his daughter investigate this case for the girl's estranged parents. Meanwhile, Logan and Weevil get thrown into detention together after arguing with a teacher, leading the rivals to discover some surprising things in common. Later, while working on an alumni photo project in her journalism class, Veronica is shocked to discover that her mother and Jake Kane were high-school sweethearts."

Daniel's Thoughts:

• Oooh, we’re doing one of those _____ days/hours earlier tropes
• One week earlier!
• Hey! It’s Jessica Chastain! I love it.
• That dog looks so sedated.
• And right now he’s staring at the trainer. I love when dogs do this. You can so tell. Because dogs can’t act.
• Logan is hilarious. It’s nice to have 30 year old writers with quick wit write for HS students.
• Hey it’s General Redhead! (Bonita Friedericy from Chuck)

• And Steven Williams! There are so many people in this episode. I love this guy. He’s one of those “that guy”s that you see everywhere. But I know him most from 21 Jump Street.
• I mean Weevil’s tattoos are so expensive. I don’t remember anyone in HS having tattoos. Actually that’s not true. But they were more subtle. One girl had a vampire bite on her neck which I thought was totally cool.
• (Keith) is so damn likeable and I expect him to be likeable in other things but mostly he plays a lot of assholes in other things.
• I mean the King & Queen of the prom doesn’t necessarily mean they’re together.
• I love Parker Abrams with facial hair. And he has such Peter Gallagher eyebrows.
• So her neighbor’s dog is barking bloody murder but Back-Up is nowhere in sight.
• Second clue that Duncan & Veronica may be siblings…
• And that’s Weevil/Logan in a nutshell: Weevil: Blood and guts; Logan: Emotional torture. Together, they can do anything.
• Logan: Never estimate the size of my cajones.
• Hey! It’s Mac from General Hospital! 
• Like how did they actual do this? Put a car through a pole? I don’t feel like it’s feasible.
• My god, the blatant racism by these guys.
• Wow, Logan using his prestige to get Weevil out of his expulsion – is this the beginning of a beautiful friendship?

• Wow, Weevil went so far as to put a tattoo with Lilly’s name on his arm.
• I mean, I can’t believe Jessica Chastain ran away and left her dog to fend for itself. Not cool, Chastain, not cool.
• Aww, Uncle Mac is a rapist. And he’s been shot!

Zelda's Thoughts:

• Oh, I'd forgotten this entire episode is a flashback, leaving us to wonder who's being carted off in a stretcher.
• ONE WEEK EARLIER
• Why, it's Jessica Chastain, everybody! The fist time I saw this I was way more fixated on her boyfriend Parker Abrams because Buffy, but now it's like hi A-lister.
• Logan's brought his A game to snarking, and I am enjoying it.
• Y'all it's General Redhead from Chuck!  She's, wow, very different.
• Miss Dent: "And please, keep her away from me." Veronica: *ignores when General Redhead once again corners Miss Dent to talk her ear off*
• Wow, Logan, wow. You just got a 0 on your test and you continue to dig yourself in deeper, because you can't stand to not have the last word.
• Weevil has amazing facial hair. He was cleanshaven two episodes ago; this episode he's got a healthy beard and stache. Daniel has informed me that this is indeed possible for certain men. Maybe not a lot of high school boys, but.
• I mean, werewolves are also a thing. We had one last episode.
• Parker Abrams looks good scruffy.
• Hmmm I wonder if this episode is intended as an homage to Rear Window? Veronica hears Jessica Chastain cry out, and a thump of something - or someone - hitting the ground. Wait, it's entirely intentional. The very next scene, Keith calls Veronica's wonderings/the sound she heard as "Hitchcockian." Also that was so delightful that Daniel and I both laughed forever.
• "The people that say high school years are the best years of your life are usually on the yearbook staff."
• gasp Lianne and Jake were prom king and queen!
• gasp! Felix confirmed that Weevil and Lilly hooked up!
• SO MUCH GASPING.
• Veronica: Did you know your dad and my mom were sweethearts? // Duncan: What? You're not my sister. This is totally not incest. What? 
• Or is that just my interpretation of the text?
• I will say, if Veronica actually thought Parker Abrams killed Jessica Chastain, wouldn't telling him that to his face while she thinks they're alone be kind of ... royally stupid? She's lucky he's just a laconic sardonic asshole. She didn't even bring Backup!
• (speaking of, we've got the upstairs dog barking away)
• wow. WOW. I just noticed that the dog is named Killer. Was On the Nose taken?
• Man, why do Weevil and Logan have to take their anger at their teacher out on the books? The poor innocent books?
• Logan: "Never underestimate the size of my cojones." AND THEN HE WINKS AT WEEVIL. I KNOW THE SLASHFIC EXISTS.

• Man, that flagpole certainly is Weevil's chosen shaming ground. First naked Wallace, now teacherman's car.
• I would like to know how they achieved that particular stunt.
• Oh but look. Weevil and Logan have achieved a bit of not-quite-friendship. It was all about that wink. I guess we got over Logan's racist slurs.
• And because Weevil didn't turn Logan in, Logan's confessed to Clemmons. And is using his dad's famous boots - which Clemmons was angling for - to get out of punishment for both of them. Using his privilege for good?
• "You realize you're paranoid." // "I do. Everyone reminds me. But it doesn't mean I'm not right."
• hahaha and then Weevil and his gang go make a mess of the store in order to get back Jessica Chastain's stolen journal from her "friend"
• Weevil telling Logan his Lilly tattoo is for his little sister. I don't think he's afraid to - that's not his thing. I think he doesn't see the need to hurt Logan further on this, at least not at this time. They've brokered a peace for the moment. Telling the truth at this time wouldn't help, just cause further pain.
• "A mans gotta be pretty committed to a woman to agree to raising another man's child." WHAT'S THAT, KEITH MARS? WHAT'S THAT? VERONICA MIGHT BE A KANE?
• "Are some things better left buried?" An apt question on which to end the episode. 

Crossfire!

Mr. Daniels: Mr. Navarro, I wonder if you'll find Mr. Echolls so amusing ten years from now.

Daniel: gasp WHEN WE SEE THE MOVIE

Andre: That must have been when I cracked her head open with a candlestick and she crumpled to the ground. No wait, that was Professor Plum in the study.

Zelda: HE USED THE REVOLVER

Favorite Lines:

Daniel: It's just High School. What happens here doesn't mean anything -Veronica

Zelda: VP Clemmons: Mr. Echolls, I was wondering if I could have a word. Logan: Anthropomorphic. All yours, big guy. 

Arc/Continuity:

Neptune Roll Call: Logan, Mallory Dent, Weevil, Duncan (Absent: Wallace)

Recurring: Vice Principal Van Clemmons, Felix Toombs, Lilly Kane, Mrs. Murphy (first appearance, unnoted was in Pilot), Dick Casablancas, Veronica's "Office," Hector

Future Famous Person: Jessica Chastain, Bonita Friedericy, Steven Williams (past & future)

Buffy Alum: Parker Abrams (Adam Kaufman)

Stats:

Dead Humans - 0

Backup Sighting - 0 

Veronica Breaks In - 1

Veronica Tases Someone - 0

Mac Hacks - 0

Who's Your Daddy? - 0 (WE'RE STARTING TO WONDER, THOUGH)

Wallace Does Veronica a Favor - 0

Weevil Does Veronica a Favor - 1

Veronica Wants a Pony - 1

Logan Punches Someone - 0

Dick's Single Entendres - 0

Shenanigans Called - 0

VERONICA WAS RIGHT - 0

VERONICA WAS WRONG - 0

All Around Righteous Dude

Episode 1.6: Return of the Kane. Original Airdate 11.2.04

"The tension between the 09ers and non-09ers comes to a head when the school elections appear to be rigged. Veronica helps Wanda, the underdog, campaign to beat Duncan, despite her feelings for him. Meanwhile, Logan clashes with his father, movie star Aaron Echolls, when he is caught in the press engaging in unruly behavior."

Zelda's Thoughts:

• Wow Logan rode a freaking scooter down to get the newspaper. What even.
• Oh look you guys it's HARRY HAMLIN. I love Harry Hamlin but boy do I hate Aaron Echolls.
• Ah we've been told Wallace's dad is dead. But we live in the future.
• The Marses doing Marlowe 40s jargon, I love it all. "Didja put the screws to him?" // "He sang like a canary."
• Keith: "Shouldn't we try something at the base of the food pyramid, you know, fruits or vegetables?" Veronica: 

• "Why would he have wanted to kill you?" // "Honestly! I was awesome, right?"
• Ugh I just. Duncan is such a bad actor and Logan is such a good actor, their scenes hurts sometimes.
• And just when I was liking - well, I wasn't liking Logan, not yet - look, it's the episode where he's running a hobo boxing match. Fuck you, Logan.
• Omg Aaron Echolls is Duncan Kane's celebrity endorsement, what GARBAGE. What self-aggrandizing garbage. They're succeeding in making me feel bad for Duncan.
• Gasp! Lilly's shoes - the ones used to incriminate Abel Koontz - were photographed in her bedroom on the night of the murder. What does it meeeeeean.
• Jane Lynch! Hi Jane Lynch! We like your game show. And you.
• "And for what possible reason would you have my student ID memorized?" Oh Wallace, it's like you don't know Veronica at all!
• "Please?" // "How hard was that?" YEAH VERONICA IF YOU WANT TO ADD TO THE STATS, YOU GOTTA ASK NICELY.
• OOOH DRAMATIC IRONY I SEE YOU. Flashback Veronica drew Duncan's name in a heart on Lilly's shoe. Lilly: "Oh yeah, now that's just creepy." Because incest, get it? Get it? INCEST AND DUNCAN. IT'S HIS FAVORITE PLOT.
• Gasp they're calling Wanda a narc! What could it meeeeeeean?
• Also, this rewatch was when I finally figured out why Logan stammers Wanda's name.
• "Say it, Veronica. What's my usual way?" // "You. Stand. Idly. By."
• Hint number two to Lilly/Weevil, courtesy of Wanda.
• Aaron Echolls sits in the dark next to a framed photograph of himself, then walks in front of a framed magazine cover of him and Lynn. The entire house is a monument to his vanity.
• It's horrific to see how small and young Logan instantly becomes when his father so much as touches him. More hints to Aaron's violent tendencies.
• And then. And then. He volunteers his dad to donate half a million dollars to the food bank, in order to call him out on his hypocrisy of signing on for movies he thinks are shit because they pay well.
• And then we see Logan picking out the belt for his dad to beat him with. While Lynn sits and drinks. This show. 

• "There's a couple of suckers ... in the bag, if you want them." Oh Veronica snark.
• And Duncan won the election. And Wanda's a narc. And Veronica didn't vote for her.
• And Duncan gets some credit - pirate points, even - for expanding the qualifications for Pirate Points to include more than the preppy clique stuff.
• Whoops Keith changed the combination on the safe. No more sneaky access to Lilly's file for Veronica.
• But here we get to what I love about the Marses. Veronica realizing Keith is onto her makes her come clean - to end their "own game of spy vs spy" - and now the two of them are - finally - working together on the case.

Daniel's Thoughts:

• Love meeting Logan’s parents. Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin are married in real life.
• Pirate points. The whole idea is so dumb.
• Where is Back-Up and why is he not begging for ice cream the way all dogs do.
• Lily Kane is so cool. I would have loved to see a prequel about Lilly kinda like Fire Walk with Me was to Twin Peaks. (Also, Amanda Seyfried was just in the Twin Peaks revival)
• Wanda Varner’s fashion choices, tho. Amazing.

• Ugh, the things Logan does is so repulsive.
• “All around Righteous Dude.” Omg.
• Veronica votes for Wanda…as I would have. TBH, I don’t remember my school elections at all.
• Man this show did class warfare so well.
• Hey, it’s Jane Lynch! And she hasn’t changed in like twenty years.
• She’s so good at being the mean teacher.
• I love that Veronica has Wallace’s student ID number. Even though Wallace is a little freaked by it.
• It’s actually pretty smart what the 09ers did. I definitely enjoyed my more artsy classes because of students who were in them.
• Madison Sinclair looks a lot like Paris Hilton.
• Duncan’s “usual way” as per Veronica: “Standing idly by”. He doesn’t initiation things, etc, but he stands by. That causes a lot of shit – people who just stand by and do nothing while evil is at large. A lot of that is happening now.
• I think there’s exactly one hallway at Neptune High.
• It’s nice, though, that Veronica has a flashback of Duncan not standing idly by. That at one point, he did make an effort to be a good person instead of just standing on the sidelines.
• Aaron Echolls pumping his own gas? Golly. Love his car though.
• “Dad told me on the way over that he’s donating half a million dollars to the Neptune food bank.” – Pretty underhanded, sure. But I mean, from a guy who just said he’s making 8 figures on his next film, half a mil isn’t terrible.
• Yet watching Logan choose a belt for his father to beat him with…man, that’s hard to watch.
• I mean the idea that Pirate points was only for sports, is kinda a problem with the faculty staff too.
• Love seeing Mr. Kane looking at Duncan all proud.
• But solving the case, Keith, is not just about you and your daughter and your respective happiness – it’s about getting justice for Lilly – who is the victim here. It’s about getting Abel Koontz off for a crime he didn’t commit.

Favorite Lines:

Zelda: 

Daniel: Veronica: Why would he have wanted to kill you? Lilly: Honestly. I was awesome, right?

Arc/Continuity:

Neptune Roll Call: Logan, Duncan, Wallace, Mallory Dent, Weevil
First Appearance: Lynn Echolls, Aaron Echolls, Madison Sinclair
Recurring: Jake Kane, Vice Principal Van Clemmons, Felix Toombs, Abel Koontz, Sheriff Don Lamb, Lilly Kane, Corny, Dick Casablancas, Deputy Jerry Sacks
Future Famous Person: Harry Hamlin (past), Lisa Rinna (past), Jane Lynch

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 - 1
Veronica Wants a Pony - 0
Logan Punches Someone - 0
Logan Hires Someone to Punch Someone Else - 1
Dick's Single Entendres - 0
Shenanigans Called - 0
VERONICA WAS RIGHT - 1 (the election was fixed)
VERONICA WAS WRONG - 1 (Logan didn't start the narc rumor)

Dude, Where's Your Car?

Episode 1.5: You Think You Know Somebody. Original Airdate 10.26.04

"After a night in Tijuana, Troy finds himself in a tough situation when his car is stolen and turns to Veronica for help. But what she finds changes her relationship with him. Meanwhile, Keith and Rebecca begin dating against Veronica's wishes, and Veronica makes another shocking discovery about her mother."

Daniel's Thoughts:

• Tijuana! Where in American TV, nothing good can happen. Kinda shitty, that.
• Hey! Dude from Being Human! I know all three of these actors, so I can tell them apart, but they’re definitely a ‘type’. They all look similar. They all have that 90s/early 2000s hair.
• Hey, Troy just came back from the bathroom looking very suspicious…. It’s something you might not notice on the first viewing.
• “Dude where’s your car?” Awww, 2000s reference!
• But I mean, Logan has no friends that he could have called? Veronica was their only hope?

LOOK IT'S THE FUTURE

• Man, the banter between Veronica and Logan – so good; so flirty.
• Wallace calls Veronica Velma, but Veronica prefers to be Daphne. I kinda agree with Wallace on this one. She’s definitely a Velma.
• Back-Up! You know on TV when people come home and their dog doesn’t have to go outside immediately and pee? Yeah, so not realistic.
• Miss James = Jenny Calendar light?
•  I love that there’s just a random safety deposit box key in the one box of her mom’s things. How convenient...  And how did Keith not catch that when he was filling the box with things?  So I'm calling my first Shenanigan of the series.  Now it's possible that Keith just didn't want to use it since he's said in the past that he doesn't want to investigate Lianne - but he certainly would have hidden it from Veronica, because he doesn't want her to investigate either.
• Hey, contract character Ms. Dent has one line in this episode….(she has more later)
• Oh crap. I forgot about this part of the mystery – photos of Veronica with bullseyes on them. That’s freaking scary.
• I’m wondering how Veronica can afford this car….but I’m sure she has her wily ways.
• The things guys will do for a pretty girl – I’m kinda glad Veronica takes advantage of this. It’s only fair.
• Luke doing the Ferris Bueller run through the backyards.
• It’s nice when Veronica looks happy. It won’t last.
• Oh right, this is the first clue to the part of the mystery where Veronica and Duncan might or might not be siblings. They’re really good at laying down these subtle clues.
• I love when we see Keith doing his under cover thing. Because you can see where Veronica gets it from.
• Oh HS, where ending a three week relationship is the scariest thing.
• “Poor Miss Dent” – Agreed, Veronica. Such a pointless character.
• I don’t like when the Mars’ fight,  but I’m glad they do since it makes it more realistic.
• 2003 – GPS at its earliest.
• Troy is so lying but at this point, we want to believe him. He’s one of those guys are too good to be true.
• I love that she took Back-Up to her meeting with the bodybuilder.
• “Remember this moment. Because you’re gonna regret it!” – Love you, VM.

• All that investigating and she still has time to make a cake for her dad. Awww.
• OK, so Troy kinda planned this the whole time, and I guess that kinda makes sense in regards to how this episode is structured. He used Veronica for her PI skills – but did he seek her out from the very beginning for that purpose? That part is unclear.
• But Veronica of course got the jump on him…and that’s why we love this show.

Zelda's Thoughts:

• I remember watching this episode for the first time and realizing how much I couldn't tell the boys apart. When Luke (aka Josh the werewolf from Being Human!) showed up in the opening Tijuana scene, I thought it was Duncan or Logan. Ah, youth. (basically, it wasn't clear to me that this was a new character)
• Ah but there's Logan and there's Troy. So then I thought it was Duncan. Which is how unmemorable Duncan's face is, I guess? Sorry Teddy.
• Okay so back to the episode. Here we are at border control.
• Maybe the source of my confusion was also knowing that Troy was more friends with Duncan than with Logan.
• Logan, making a musical reference (Brigadoon). I love me some musical references.
• Topical reference no longer topical! "Dude, where's your car?"
• "Does this mean you're gonna play nice now?" // "Walk in front of the car. We'll see. *revs engine*"

• Mars banter is my favorite banter. "And now, your birthday will be spent skydiving. Alone."
• Keith wants to put Lianne's stuff in storage. CUZ HE'S DATING VERONICA'S GUIDANCE COUNSELOR
• Gasp! V found a mysterious safety deposit box key in her mom's things!
• "I don't help dealers find their lost products." Yeah, werewolf, even a junior PI has standards.
• Man, I'd forgotten about the stalker photos with V in the crosshairs. That had to have been so scary for Lianne.
• Man, why does Luke play baseball? He should clearly be on the track team, doing vaulting. This chase scene is quite impressive.

Cue: The English Beat - March Of the Swivel Heads

• Listen, Veronica, I totally get your being upset that your dad is dating. However, it is fairly shitty to be passive aggressive and surly to Rebecca James after you said - to both your dad's face and to Rebecca's - that this was fine. Use your words, stop punishing. I likes the Marses better when they communicate.
• God this is heartbreaking. Veronica mailing out burner phones to everyone she can think of, in hopes that her mom will call her. "It's my version of a message in a bottle."
• "I'll be nice to your boyfriend if you'll be nice to my girlfriend." Touche, Keith Mars.
• Oh come ON, Miss Dent. Veronica gets in trouble for her rude question, but Ashley doesn't? Her question was just as cruel.
• Veronica, who can't help herself: doing a background check on Miss James and bringing it to her dad. "Did you know she was still married?" // "I did. I'm still married, Veronica."
• "Protect me? I'm an ADULT, Veronica." I love Enrico Colantoni.
• "You can find anybody. If [Lianne] were a criminal, you'd make a couple grand tracking her down and you'd have her back in a week!" I also love Kristen Bell. Her fragility breaking through the tough exterior.
• This show is just so well done.
• And Keith's got an envelope on Troy for Veronica. "You can open it, you can throw it out. It's your choice."
• Fuck, and then he breaks up with Rebecca. Because Veronica is the most important thing to him.
• gasp Troy is the bad guy! He stole the 'roids and faked his car theft.
• Luckily, our Veronica is a smart cookie and replaced his stolen drugs with taffy.
• AND she gave Zigman's name and photo to border patrol, so he gets his too.
• AND Lianne called Veronica and she missed the call WHY IS THIS SHOW SO CRUEL.

Favorite Lines:

Daniel: The best way to dull the pain of your best friend's murder is to have your mother abandon you as soon as possible. It's like hitting your thumb with a hammer, then when it's throbbing so badly you don't think you'll survive, you cut the damn thing off.

Zelda:

Arc/Continuity:

Neptune Roll Call: Logan, Wallace, Mallory Dent, Weevil (Absent: Duncan)

First Appearance: Luke Halderman

Recurring: Troy Vandergraff, Rebecca James, Lianne Mars, Veronica's "Office"

Future Famous Person: Sam Huntington

Veronica's Alias: personal assistant to Lawrence Vandergraff

Keith's Alias: James Anderson, head of security to L.T. Vandegraff

Stats:

Dead Humans - 0

Backup Sighting - 1

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 - 1

VERONICA WAS RIGHT - 0

VERONICA WAS WRONG - 0

I Don't Feel So Good, Papa Bear

Episode 1.4: The Wrath of Con. Original Airdate 10.19.04

"In an attempt to help out Wallace win over a potential girlfriend, Veronica takes on the case of tracking down an Internet fraud ring, which leads her to an underground gaming community. Meanwhile, Logan agrees to assemble a video of Lilly to mark the one-year anniversary of her death, and Troy becomes closer to Veronica."

Zelda's Thoughts:

• God I love the Marses. Veronica comes inside after making out with Troy. "So what did you think of him?" Keith, sitting and reading by the lamp, "Oh hey, honey, you're home early."
• "He's taking up a lot of Daddy-Daughter Time." snort 
• Aw Wallace has a crush. You can tell because he doesn't even seem bothered that she just undid all his Office Aide work.
• Troy: "I give good parent." CUE SONG FROM CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND 
• Props to them giving Celeste Kane her hair from the Pilot for the flashbackaw, they're so innocent and sweet (except Lilly, who has never projected innocence) in their Homecoming flashback
• I feel like Jimmy/Karl was a reject from the Leo auditions, but maybe it's just his poor man's Max Greenfield vibe.
• Aw she looks so cute in her Gamergirl disguise! Though I have to say, I'm getting flashbacks of another petite blonde in a black pageboy wig. 

Men!  With your sales!

• This is the second time (first time was the Pilot) that Logan's brought up his dad and his punitiveness. Planting them seeds early  ...
• "What part of my ignoring you makes you think you're welcome?" props for Logan's use of proper grammar while sassing.
• The Homecoming flashbacks are pretty incredible, really. It's the highest concentration we've gotten of Lilly so far, and it makes it clear not only how undeniably charismatic she was, but also how much she held everyone together - look at the three survivors of that friendship now, and they can barely hold a conversation. But when she's there, everything's more fun, everything's more memorable, everything's worth holding onto.
• Troy's face when Keith says he cancelled Troy's hotel reservation - he's realizing just how formidable it is to date the daughter of a Private Detective slash former Sheriff. 

• And I like that those memories are what begins the rebridging between Veronica and Logan - remembering what they loved about Lilly, and what it was like to have her around. So she shares with Logan the video footage she has, so he's not just stuck with the Celeste-approved videos.
• I notice Logan's parents aren't there when the limo crew gets busted by the parents Kane and Sheriff Mars (no Leanne either).
• Another A+ performance from Kyle Secor, watching the montage Logan put together.
• OH LOOK LOGAN AND VERONICA SHARING A MEANINGFUL LOOK OH LOOK MY SHIP HAS BEGUN 

• (also, I see you show, showing that Weevil is crying at the video of Lilly. I SEE YOU PLANTING THINGS)

Daniel's Thoughts:

• The Veronica/Keith banter. I love it so much.  They have such a good relationship….except for all the secrets.
• Aww, she has a little ceramic Back-Up.  But where is Back-Up?

• Aww, Wallace’s friend fell for a scam email.   It’s 2004 where all of this is relatively new.
• I love when Veronica does her little aliases.  “Amber” is totally the best.
• Whenever I watch VM, the theme song gets stuck in my head for days.  Now that we’re doing the recaps, it’s going to be in my head for years.
• Wow, Celeste Kane with long hair.
• Veronica’s flashback homecoming dress is so plain.
• Wow, Veronica curled her hair just for one afternoon.
• Omg, this actor is so stupid, I love it. (The actor who’s a character, not the actor himself).  “Duped!” 
• LOL, Backstage West.  Nice plug for that awful rag.
• Omg, Gamer Girl Veronica. I want to see the closet/wardrobe she has full of extensive wigs and disguises.
• Aww, when we had actual physical pictures instead of just everything on our phones.  I mean it’s only been 13 years since this aired.  Things change fast.
• “I don’t feel so good, papa bear!”
• Man, Veronica’s hair has changed so much in this episode.   
• I absolutely love they used a clip of Amanda Seyfried as a child singing, and you can tell it’s her because of those huge Disney eyes that she’s apparently always had.

Those Disney Princess Eyes

• Yay! Back-up!  (Recast!)
• That’s a pretty sweet dorm room – they have an extra room.
• I’m not 100 percent confident in calling a shenanigan, but knowing a keycode based on sound isn’t feasible. I’m pretty sure all ten numbers don’t have a different tone…or at least not discernable to the human ear.  Of course, I don’t have anything to test it with.
• Keith using his detective skills to be a protective dad is both cool and a little bit scary.  I mean, trust your daughter, Keith.
• Oh man, her delivery is just so good.
• Wallace has a girlfriend!   ….And that’s the last we’ll see of her.
• Lilly Kane is so cool.
• Oh no, Neptune High’s instrumental version of “Wind Beneath my Wings”  Oy.
• All the teenage boys in this show have the same hairdo.
• Lilly Kane, a recurring dead character is in more episodes than some of the regulars.  But there’s a reason for that. Amanda is so captivating.
• Uh oh…what’s Weevil’s connection to Lilly??

Favorite Lines:

Zelda: "Wow. I can't believe there's no party. I feel so duped." - Wallace, snarking the con artists
Daniel: "Oh, hey, I forgot to tell ya.  If he's gonna be kissing my daughter on my porch for eight and a half minutes, I'll need to meet him.  Sweet dreams, honey!" - Keith Mars 

Arc/Continuity:

Neptune Roll Call: Wallace, Logan, Duncan, Weevil (but he skipped most of the day) (Absent: Mallory Dent)
First Appearance: Lilly's fountain
Recurring: Troy Vandergraff, Lilly Kane, Veronica's "Office," Celeste Kane, Jake Kane, Felix Toombs
Future Famous Person: Adam Wylie (ish? he's at least a Hey! It's That Guy)
Veronica's Alias: Amber, Gamergirl, prospective freshman/"nerd hag" (with Wallace)

Gamergirl 

Keith's Alias: DEA Agent, Bill Smith (Admissions)

Stats:

Dead Humans - 0
Backup Sighting - 1
Veronica Breaks In - 3
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