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