Implied Polygamy? Check.

Episode 1.9: Drinking the Kool-Aid. Original Airdate 11.30.04

"Against her father's wishes, Veronica infiltrates what she believes to be a cult in order to investigate a classmate's sudden change in personality. But after meeting the people in the cult, she begins to feel like she is making a mistake. Meanwhile, her investigations into Abel Koontz's claims about her family continue."

Daniel's Thoughts:

• We start out exactly where we left off – Veronica sobbing over the fact that her father might be Jake Kane.
• The bigger realization here, of course, is that the guy she dated and kissed a bunch might be her brother.  Veronica shares my sentiments and throws up on the side of the road.
• She’s such an amazing detective. Everything falls into place.  I mean, it’s almost too perfect. Giant sign in the background – exact date and time due to specific circumstances – the suspect using a credit card that easily traces back to him.  I mean yeah, but I don’t care.  She still put all the pieces together and that’s why we love her.
• I love how excited Keith is to get Veronica something that she always wanted….from her childhood.  And it’s nice that Veronica considers it sweet, if not impractical.  I mean waterbeds are….just.  
• Keith’s new case: Rescue a kid from a cult.
• The way Veronica is getting Keith’s DNA is so obvious…to us….  But since Keith has no idea about what V’s been up to, I guess it’s a creative way.  Or…maybe he does know?
• Hey! It’s Aaron Samuels.  On October 3rd 17th, he asked me the date.

• It’s nice that Wallace is around, but not just as that guy that helps Veronica out.
• Oh no.  I hate that, “Let’s break into groups of”  That was always anxiety inducing in high school.  Poor Veronica. Convenient that the class is divisible by four with one left over.
• Wow, that was easy.  One conversation with Miss Mills and Veronica gets invited to visit the cult.
• “Implied polygamy – Check.”
• That place looks nice.  Maybe I’ll join a cult.
• “I’m Rain.” – Accurate cult name.
• I mean, you can’t have the word “moon” in your cultname.  It’s a dead giveaway.
• “You’re covered in mud.”  “See, that’s why you make the big bucks.”
• Greenhouse, cash-cow, secret barn.  Of course we all thought pot.  But….Poinsettias?  That’s kinda hilarious.
• But that’s how cults getcha – “we just want you to be happy”  - Because isn’t that what everyone wants?  ….Anyone know of a cult currently recruiting members?
• I wonder if Keith’s facial wounds were something Enrico got in real life….because it’s not important to the story but they had to explain it somehow.
• I mean, Abel Koontz’s main thought that Veronica is Jake Kane’s daughter is solely based on looks – but Veronica’s got Keith’s drive and personality.  Now this of course could be nurture as opposed to nature – but I think it’s definitely in her DNA.
• Again, Wallace never really has any stories of his own.  He’s just kinda there to be a sounding board for Veronica.
• Veronica’s also good at coy flirting. (SHE’S GOOD AT EVERYTHING)
• I love the giant picture of Rain on the milk carton.  Does milk still do  that? tl;dr: No.  They stopped in the late 80s.  Shenanigans?

This is totes her headshot

• “We have to call the police, Casey was just kidnapped.”  If she was that concerned, why didn’t she whip out her cell?
• I’m glad the twist is that things aren’t just black & white.   A lesser show would have found evidence that this was just a cult no matter how good it seemed.  It’s kind of an optimistic ending to the case – which again, isn’t standard tv writing.   Thought it does kinda suck what happens to Aaron Samuels.
• They’re doing that thing where a character just stands still while everyone walks fast around her.  Which I don’t get so much in this instance – how…long was Veronica standing there?  [Did Warren put that weird electrobug on her to make time speed up around her? - Z]

Zelda's Thoughts:

• Previously on Veronica Mars: Is she a secret Kane?
• I love that her realization that Duncan might be her brother gets a smash cut to her puking out the side of the car.
• Bless Veronica, using her detectivey skills to figure out who was stalking her. She won't let herself be victimized.
• Gasp! Her stalker, Clarence Wiedman, is Head of Security at Kane Software!
• They're talking like Keith's got this disfiguring scar, but the lighting is so poor. I wonder if the actor got injured and they had to write that in.
• He's so excited he got her a waterbed. I remember a childhood friend had a waterbed and I thought it was the coolest thing. Now I think I'd be kind of freaked out if I had one.

• We can see Keith's injury much clearer in the next scene in the office.
• Casey Gant, aka Aaron Samuels, has joined a cult! 
• "Veronica, do not under pain of slow agonizing death think about going to the compound yourself." So that means Veronica's definitely going to the compound.
• snort I like that Veronica fakes a pretentious angsty teen poem to get in with Miss Mills's writer crowd.
• I mean, I know the reveal is that the compound is just hippy dippy but it certainly is coding as culty from the get-go. "Forbidden barn? Check. Implied Polygamy? Check. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a cult."
• Aaron Samuels is almost too pretty to look at.
• "You're covered in mud." // "See? That's why you make the big bucks."
• I feel you, Veronica. Cold showers are the worst.
• Their cash crop is poinsettias. This is the dorkiest cult right now. 
• Montage of everyone happily preparing food and laughing. Have we seen Veronica this laugh-y since Lilly died? Kinda breaking my heart.
• Oops Keith crashed the cult and saw Veronica there. "Since when do you reserve the right to totally blow off my instructions? Does my judgment, my concern for your safety carry that little weight with you?"
• Ruh roh. The Gants hired a deprogrammer.
• *snort* The Deprogrammer closes the door and it immediately bounces back open. Oops. In the office shot, the door is closed, so maybe it was just a gaff they forgot to fix.
• "Thank you for being my own personal Springer audience. Should I check myself before I wreck myself?"
• Veronica has noticed how dreamy Aaron Samuels is. All he has to do is ask her the date and she'll have a full Cady Heron-shaped crush.

• Sidebar: Daniel's new ringtone is like a UFO landing and I'm dying. It's called scifi apparently. [MY RING TONE MADE THE BLOG - D]
• aw man milk carton missing children. but GASP it's Rain from the Moon-Calf Collective!
• I have never once in my life been to a graveside ceremony. Is this a real thing or just a thing in movies and television?
• Jonathan Bennett is like twice Kristen Bell's size and it's adorable.
• nooooooooooo they have abducted Casey Gant for deprogramming. Goodbye Nice Casey, Hello Douche Casey.
• awwwww Keith didn't turn in the Collective for having Rain the runaway. *hugs Keith forever*
• Duncan is almost charming in his brief scenes this week. Like, the dialogue is there. The delivery is not.
•  I don't know why, but I feel like this episode was made in a hurry. Not a criticism, necessarily, it just feels like they cut some corners getting things done, used some imperfect takes.
• Veronica has decided it doesn't matter who her biological father is - Keith is her father. I'M FINE.

Favorite Lines:

Daniel & Zelda: Keith: "You're covered in mud." // Veronica: "See? That's why you make the big bucks."

Arc/Continuity:

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

**Note: Sydney Tamiia Poitier is no longer in the credits. Her last appearance was in "The Girl Next Door," and her last billing in the credits was "Like a Virgin."**

First Appearance: Clarence Wiedman, Casey Gant

Recurring: Mrs. Murphy, Veronica's "Office"

Past Famous Person: Jonathan Bennett

Keith's Alias: Sal from the County Water Department

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