Unicornicopia

Episode 2.05: Blast from the Past. Original Airdate 10.26.05

"Despite the fact that she dislikes Jackie, Veronica helps her find out who stole her credit card by going on a local psychic TV show. Meanwhile, Wallace's world is turned upside-down when his real father returns home, and Veronica gets a huge piece of new evidence in the bus case."

We're excited to welcome back our friend Melodie to our blog! Welcome back, Melodie!

Melodie's Thoughts:

• starting the episode strong with Wallace confronting his mother about Nathan Wood, the man who claims to be his father.
• Alicia stands firm that Hank Fennell is his real father, despite what DNA tests would say. This is kind of a cool juxtaposition to last season with Veronica questioning who her own father was. While DNA solidified her answer, she didn’t need a DNA test to tell her that the man who raised her was her father. Alicia is asking Wallace to consider the same, despite the fact that the DNA test would tell him differently. 
• Aw Veronica sees Wallace is upset and tries to cheer him up but he’s not having it.
• Undeterred Veronica nominated him for homecoming King even though it’s clear that’s the last thing he wants. 
• But ruh-roh, Veronica is also being nominated by a stoner bro, much to both Logan and Jackie’s annoyance.
• Aw, Mandy is back to be Veronica’s cheerleader. It kind of hurts because Veronica wasn’t even that nice to her but she did find her dog so I get it. 
• And if Jackie wasn’t jealous enough already, Wallace ignores her talking about wanting to go to homecoming and goes to tell Veronica about his problem.
• I’d feel bad for Jackie but she’s a bitch so I don’t. #sorrynotsorry
• Keith is leading Lamb by 12 points for the election so he’s feeling mighty confident.
• I was shocked to learn that Jackie believes in fortune tellers, seems like the sort of thing that would be beneath her and it looks like she can’t afford it. 
• Swallowing her pride to ask Veronica for help after being a bitch to her. Veronica is better than me because she agrees to help.
• I laughed when Veronica mentioned that the credit card stealer didn’t hit up unicornicopia because her love of ponies and unicorns, ironic or not gives me life. 
• Oh no, Keith and Alicia are fighting. He stole her information and yeah, that’s pretty shitty but I still hate to see them fight. I like them together.
• Wallace’s Dad claims that Alicia kept him from knowing him. This felt very fake and manipulative to me the first time I watched it but it’s just a really messy and complicated situation. Another nice juxtaposition to Veronica and her mom. 
• Wallace is homecoming King nominee. Mandy is gutted to learn that Veronica is not in the running. Jackie and Logan are enthused and I hate Jackie because like, bitch, Veronica is helping you right now. Show some respect.
• Veronica makes plans with Cora to go to the outlet mall where she claims to have bought her expensive jacket. Cora seems really sweet. I actually don’t remember how this plays out so I’m interested to see if she’s the culprit. I have a feeling that Jackie is playing Veronica and I can’t tell if that’s me remembering the episode or just my hatred of Jackie shining through. 
• Duncan and Logan making a play date is kind of adorable.
• Ugh, I hate Sheriff Lamb. He’s the worst. And wow, bringing up an old DUI case from 1989 as a way of blaming Keith for the eventual bus crash was super low. Lamb plays dirty. 
• Turns out Cora works as a chicken mascot for a fast food chain. She also worked during the purchase times so she’s cleared. I knew she seemed too nice.
• Duncan and Veronica actually have a cute moment. Unfortunately, he really comes across as stupid because he doesn’t even realize he hasn’t asked his girlfriend to the dance. Up your game, Dude. 
• Keith is now in a dead heat with Lamb. I’d say that Lamb’s accusation wouldn’t be enough to do that but I’ve seen people be led by dumber things in real life so this is accurate. *sigh*
• Wallace confronts Alicia about the letters. She forbids him to see his father and I get that she’s scared but this is not the way to handle things when you’ve lied to your son. 
• Wallace wants to believe in his father but Veronica is jaded because of her mother. Juxtaposition! Is he like Lianne or is he actually turning his life around?
• Lol at Veronica bugging Lamb with a literal bug under the guise of being a gift from the Kane's. He's not bright. 
• Veronica tracks down the psychic and discovers that she's the one who stole the card.
• Jackie says she wants to get even by going on the psychic's show. And I'm now remembering that I was definitely right about Jackie. Don't tell her your embarrassing story in commiseration, Veronica!!
• Lamb is blackmailing Jackie's dad. Apparently he throws games for money. Yikes.
• It turns out that the girl talking about the bus crash on the psychic's show is legit and has a voicemail recording of the crash happening. 
• Veronica thinks she's conning the psychic but the psychic and Jackie are conning her. And using Lilly and her relationship with Logan to do it. I. Hate. Jackie!
• "I'm slathering up my boobs as we speak" at least our girl has a good sense of humor about it.
• Veronica wants vengeance but Wallace asks her to drop it as a favour to him. He also yells at her for not being there for him about his dad. I want to say he isn't being fair but then...
• Wallace tells off Jackie for humiliating his friend. He doesn't take her apology at all and tells her he's not going to the dance with her.
• Veronica reveals the tape to her dad. The bus crash wasn't the driver's fault. There was an explosion but Keith won't use the info to win the election. Keith is the best most noble person. 
• Veronica decides against her vengeance on Jackie but loses it on her when she sees her dance with another guy at Homecoming.
• Keith hands the evidence to Lamb but Lamb is a moron. 
• Keith spots the bug and takes it.
• Oh no, Wallace ran away and this is the start of his absence from the show for a bit. I'm le sad. 
• Veronica tries to apologize for screwing up but Wallace is leaving town with his dad. Boo! Come back, Wallace. 

Daniel's Thoughts:

• And we start off where we left off.  Wallace comes in and confronts Alicia.
• So Wallace is going through some stuff.
• Let’s see what Veronica is up to.
• She can’t read Wallace’s expression although she’s trying.
• It’s nice hearing about how much people like Veronica – even if it’s crossed with how many people hate her…
• Maybe one day Jackie & Veronica will be friends.
• Hey it’s Christine Estabook.  She’s one of those tv personalities who’s in everything.
• I was wondering if Veronica was going to tell Keith about Wallace’s bio-dad – but he already knows.  She didn’t have to.
• Wallace is working again.  I kinda like that about this show. Both Wallace and Veronica work.  It partly shows the socio-economic realities of the world.   But also, it shows that these kids are responsible. They’re good role-models for teens watching this show.
• Duncan and Wallace are running against each other as homecoming king.
• No homecoming queen nom for Veronica though.
• Ooh, are Jackie & Logan flirting?
• “League of Women Voters”
• I recognized the actress who played Cora.  She was in Franklin & Bash, a little seen show.  But she was good in it.  She was also in Heroes – I remember liking her character in that but unfortunately they never did much with it.  Coincidently Kristen Bell had a role in that show's second season, too.
• VM is cool, but she’d still liked to be asked to homecoming.
• Veronica’s biggest lie to her dad is calling everything a “school project”.  We shoulda had a stat.
• “The one who sticks with you is the one who cares.”  - Veronica’s advice to Wallace.  She’s said something similar to Keith about her own mom.  It’s sweet and consistant.
• I love the literalness of the “bug”

• Again, with the amazing amount of time Veronica has on hands.  She’s listening to hours of spy tape at the sheriff’s office.  I guess she’s not interested in must-see-tv.
• That voicemail message that Veronica listens to of the bus crashing is super creepy.
• It’s nice – Logan & Duncan kissing and making up.
• Although – what is that video game system?
• Whoa – and it appears Jackie was right – everyone does watch this dumb psychic show.
• Wallace “It’s your world, I just live in it.” – Yep, welcome to the club, boo.
• I love how Wallace can ream Veronica out – but he’ll still punish the person who did Veronica wrong.  He’s a loyal friend whether he wants to be or not.
• What we love about Veronica and Keith are things that can also be frustrating. Keith knows that winning the election would be good for the town, but he’s not going to stoop low to do it.  Which unfortunately means he won’t win the election.
• And Jackie really lets Veronica have it.
• Keith recognizes the “bug” in Lamb’s office.
• Poor Wallace running away.  I’m glad Veronica is realizing that she screwed up.  Let’s hope she can fix it.

Zelda's Thoughts:

• Wallace is aaaaangry. Which, legit. He thought his dad was dead. "Who we put in the ground back in Cleveland? Who was it I cried for all those months?"
• So Alicia lied about who Wallace's biological father is (Hank Fennel, whom they buried, is his adopted father), but that's because Nathan became someone she couldn't trust, as he got in too deep with his drug dealing cover.
• Hey there, Corny and Mandy, the two non-Wallace students who like Veronica!
• Ugh Jackie, you're just being awful. I hate her plot this episode, and I hate it a lot.
• Welp, this is probably the end of Alicia and Keith. :(
• " I will not invite chaos into my house." // "Oh come on, Alicia, you invited chaos. All you did was postpone it."
• Veronica is so adorably excited for Wallace being on the Homecoming Court. 
• And then Logan and Jackie are snarking at poor Mandy about Veronica not making it.
• Duncan's attempting to bury the hatchet, make friends with Logan again.
• Veronica to Duncan" You're here for your looks." He is? "Why don't you leave the heavy thinking to me." Fair.
• Shit man. This is really rough, watching Wallace and Alicia fighting.
• But Veronica's on Alicia's side: "The one who sticks with you is the one who cares."
• hah, that's why Veronica wanted Kane stationary: to sneak her "bio project" bug into Lamb's office.
• Daniel and I are SO astonished that Veronica bugged Sheriff Lamb.
• hey hey hey Lamb is a blackmailer this is fun
• because Terrence Cook has a gambling problem, and because he helped throw games when he was a professional ball player.
• meanwhile, amidst people being awful, we're getting more clues about the bus crash - a voicemail from one of the victims, Rhonda. And that's when we learn there were two explosions before the bus went off the cliff.
• guh-gasp! the psychic has a message from Lily! "You should have stayed away from her boyfriend."
• Yeah, fuck you, Jackie, and fuck you, fake psychic.
• Wallace has a point that he's going through a lot, and that Veronica's not there for him. But Jackie was flipping awful about Veronica. At least the next scene we see him realize that. He's not here to pick a side between two women. He's got his own thing. But if they're going to be shitty, he doesn't have time for them.
• aaand Jackie's all over Logan at Homecoming
• whoops Keith recognizes Veronica's "bio project" on Lamb's desk and swipes it.
• Wallace has skipped town with Nathan Woods, thus facilitating his upcoming quota of episode absences.

• I just. I hate all of this. I hate everything that happens in this episode. I hate everything Jackie does, I hate how much the lying and manipulation of both of Wallace's parents is hurting him, I hate everything about Sheriff Lamb, and I also hate the false equivalency drawn between what Jackie's doing and what Veronica's doing, when she's trying to protect her friend. I hate all of it.

Crossfire!

Keith: What kind of bug is that?

Veronica: You worry about the election, I'll worry about my bio project.

Z: *laughs forever*

D: *rolls eyes* "Bio project." She's such a liar.

Favorite Lines:

Melodie: Terrence: Right - promised you wouldn't wash that hand.

Veronica: I haven’t. People are starting to complain. 

Daniel: "It's your world, I just live in it." - Wallace

Zelda: "I think she hit every store in the mall." // "Except for Unicornicopia." - Jackie/Veronica

Arc/Continuity:

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

First Appearance: Cora Briggs, Michelle Thompson

Recurring: Alicia Fennel, Mrs. Murphy, Corny, Mandy, Veronica's "Office," Nathan Woods, Sheriff Don Lamb, Deputy Jerry Sacks, Terrence Cook

Generally Known TV Face: Christine Estabrook

Veronica's Alias: Vocational Ed Coordinator Mae Hadwell

Logan's Nicknames: Zippy the Pinhead (Corny, whose real name is apparently Douglas)

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 - 0

VERONICA WAS RIGHT - 0

VERONICA WAS WRONG - 0