Worst Easter Egg Hunt Ever

Episode 3.8: Lord of the Pis. Original Airdate 11.21.06 

"Selma Rose, the wealthy granddaughter of the founder of Hearst College and a member of the Hearst College Board of Trustees, mysteriously disappears the night before she is to cast a swing vote that will determine the fate of the Greek system on campus. Keith, with Veronica's help, is hired by Dean O'Dell to investigate the disappearance. Meanwhile, Veronica has been rehired as a photographer at the Hearst Free Press, but she and Logan fight over her involvement in the rape case."

A quick apology: We know our posts here have been woefully infrequent of late. It's mostly Zelda's fault. Okay, it's entirely Zelda's fault. She's been going through the rather stressful process of buying a home and moving all her worldly possessions into said home. But we're happy to report that not only is she now a proud homeowner, but these next few episodes were watched in her new apartment! Rejoice! And now back to the mystery.

Zelda's Thoughts:

• Dang, Chip Diller’s gotten punished for something.
• “I’m off to steal the souls of the rich with my evil image capturing device!”
• I don’t think Logan’s right, but at least this fight feels more organic than the contrived stuff earlier this season. He’s worried about Veronica after the aborted attack, and we know how overprotective he can get.
• “Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Selma Hearst Rose!” And like the Von Trapp Family Singers, she is nowhere to be seen. 

I make no apologies for this

• Time for Veronica’s Schmuck Bait scene.
• Dean O'Dell: “Look, the Sheriff is an idiot. I’ve met smarter sandwiches.” Quickest way to win the Mars family over is trashing Don Lamb.
• Mr. Rose’s assistant Brant is delightful. “Mr Rose is understandably distraught, as I’m sure you can … understand.”
• LOL Keith picking up the phone while V is duping Lamb. Way too fucking good. Lamb's face is a delight. 

• Keister Eggs is way cleverer a joke than I would normally give Dick credit for.
• It just occurred to me, V using her job as library help desk to do her own research is a nice substitute for taking advantage of Wallace’s job in the school’s office, in the high school years. Now she’s not playing on his friendship over and over. (but it is HURTING our STATS. honestly)
• Meanwhile, even though she put on a brave (defiant) face with Logan about keeping on the rape case, we see that she’s still very nervous about someone springing on her when she’s alone and vulnerable.
• “You don’t know the first thing about me, Veronica.” // “I know like eight, possibly nine things. But you're right, I have no idea which one is first.”
• “Do you want to know where I buried Jimmy Hoffman?” // “Dustin’s brother?”
• As Keith helps Veronica sneak over a fence. “This is just like that time we went to Disneyland!”
• Gasp Selma Hearst Rose isn’t missing even a little bit gasp! I totally forgot about this.
• Our friend Sophia, who's watching with us this week: “She was just in the pool house? … No one … even checked there?”
• So our stunt-cast of Patty Hearst as Selma HEARST Rose is … she’s SO BAD AT SAYING HER LINES.
• Daaaaamn that fight escalated quickly. Wallace is in, Veronica tases someone, and then Veronica’s big secret bodyguard picks her up and carries her out of danger. Thanks, Logan?
• “You had no right to do that.” // “Look, that’s probably true. Okay. It's just that I don't care ... I care that you're safe." // “That's all sweet and great, but it doesn't really work that way. It’s not like this is all some new facet of my personality. You know who I am! You know what I do.” // "And?" // "And it isn't gonna change. And if you can't accept that, this isn't gonna work." // “You know who I am. And you’re constantly expecting me to change. And even right now as you're thinking 'Crap, he's got a point,' you still think you're ultimately right. I love you, Veronica. I love you. Do you love me?” // “Yeah.” “Well then, can we try to go a little easier on each other?” // “Yeah, I think that’s a good idea.” // “So are we okay?” // “Yeah, we’re okay.” These two are so good. [For Now - Veronica Mars Writers]
• “How many of them were real, I mean, other than Chip Diller's?” Shit this is SO BAD. I’d forgotten that in fact these women had faked several rape claims in order to get the frats banned. And V is right, Chip was raped when they shoved that egg up his ass. I have to hope the show wouldn’t pull off a storyline like this today, with all these false rape claims. It perpetuates this ugly narrative that helps people decide not to believe actual victims. And yes, V calls them out with "Nothing hurts the cause more than that," BUT I HATE THIS. I hate that fake rape claims get fairly equal screen time to actual sexual assault on this show, as if they occur with like frequency. 
• Ugh, I thought LoVe had solved their issues, but no, V screens a call from Logan, and he sees her do it, and just stares at her, his heart breaking. While I don’t think he’s been in the right in a lot of their fights (neither has Veronica been entirely in the right), Jason Dohring is soooooo good at heartbreak face.

Daniel's Thoughts:

• It’s been so long, we forgot where we were and started watching the previous episode.
• We start at Neptune college where Chip Diller (thanks extra person for telling me who that was) passed out on the ground in his underwear and head roughly shaved.
• Out at the college newspaper class, Veronica is getting a job to take photos at a Hearst Neptune anniversary event.
• Meanwhile, the two extra dudes bring in a photo of Chip Diller they douchedly took.
• Veronica is evidently still avoiding Logan who in return is very worried about Veronica.  He wants her to stop investigating the rapes.
• The party: We meet Selma Rose – or at least we’re supposed to.  Selma’s missing.
• Sheriff douche shows up and doesn’t take it seriously, of course because he’s Sheriff douche.
• What is with the fog machine at college.  

You can actually see the fog pumping from the machine.

• Veronica takes out her taser but she doesn’t need it.
• Interestingly Patty Hearst, famous kidnap victim, is playing Selma. (also, geddit, Patty & Selma?)
• Mr. Rose is played by Charles Shaughnessy (Mr. Sheffield) –  (Also, his name is Budd Rose - geddit? Rose Bud?)
• For some reason his assistant is trying to stop Keith from seeing him…..maybe there’s a reason why. 
• Ok some clue about a car – Dog walker who goes to Hearst.
• I love when Veronica does accents – and her Martina isn’t half bad…until Keith unwittingly interrupts.
• Dick’s a repugnant dick, but at least Veronica can rely on him for gossip. [Repungent? - Dick]
• “Poor Chip, you really rect-um”
• Selma’s brother, much like most guys on this show, is a dick.
• Wallace is back from his….long weekend.
• So the egg in Chip’s bum had roman numerals that translate to a date…one from almost three years ago.  Veronica goes to a library instead of the internet.  This was a transitional time, I guess.
• But then gets really spooked out.  Her PTSD is showing.
• Hallie, the valley girl sorority girl, is the dog walker.  Possible motive?  Selma had the authority to vote against the Greek houses.  But she says it’s the assistant.  EVERYONE IS A SUSPECT.
• Love these father/daughter spy missions.
• So it turns out Selma Rose was just hanging out in the pool house.
• They’re talking all this business talk and I don’t really care.
• “Have you ever been a walking punchline, Mr. Mars? I mean on a national level?" So Patty is pretty much talking about her life story.  Kind of a coincidence that her last name is Hearst like the fake college.
• Logan hired some guy to tail Veronica.  They fight about it.  They both make good points.
• The fake rape narratives really hurt this show a lot, especially in retrospect.  It’s part of the show that really didn’t age well at all.
• Logan & Veronica’s last argument seemed to end in an understanding that they both need to lay off each other and grow with each other.  It seemed to end on a good note – but then when Logan tries to call Veronica, she doesn’t pick up.  This looks bad on both of them since he did it while looking straight at her.  He was testing her and she failed.  But he also failed just by testing her.

Crossfire!

Frisbee Bros: *discover an unconscious fratboy on the lawn*

Frisbee Bro: Dude, it’s Chip Diller.

Daniel: Hah! Thank you.

Favorite Lines:

Zelda: “I’m off to steal the souls of the rich with my evil image capturing device!” - Veronica

Daniel:  "Poor Chip, you really rect-um" (wrecked him) - Veronica

Arc/Continuity:

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

First Appearance: Wilson Behan, Bonnie Capistrano

Recurring:  Chip Diller, Dean Cyrus O’Dell, Nish Sweeney, Fern Delgado, Claire Nordhouse, Hallie Piatt, Deputy Jerry Sacks

Already Famous Person: Patty Hearst

Generally Known TV Face: Charles Shaughnessy

Veronica's Alias: Martina Vasquez (the Hottie from Ch. 9)

Stats:

Dead Humans - 0

Backup Sighting - 0

Veronica Breaks In - 1

Veronica Tases Someone - 1

Mac Hacks - 0

Who's Your Daddy? - 0

Wallace Does Veronica a Favor – He failed us all

Veronica Wants a Pony - 0

Logan Punches Someone – 0

Dick's Single Entendres – 2 "His where-the-sun-don't-shine place. And you know where that is."; "He had to get one of his brothers to help unpack his suitcase."

Shenanigans Called - 0

VERONICA WAS RIGHT - 0

VERONICA WAS WRONG - 0

Put Back Together and Blown Again

Episode 3.7: Of Vice and Men. Original Airdate 11.14.06

"Veronica is disappointed in Keith for his ongoing relationship with his client, Harmony, who invites him on a romantic weekend getaway. When Veronica retreats to Wallace and Piz's dorm room for some quiet time, Logan seeks her help in clearing Mercer of the rape  charges, but refuses to give her his alibi."

Daniel's Thoughts:

• Veronica’s annoyed with her dad for having an affair.  So much so, that she’s not living at home.
• Ok, she’s crashing at Wallace’s while she’s mad at her dad.  But also, I guess she’s mad at Logan, too because she’s not crashing there. Is it because of the Mercer thing?
• Amanda Walsh is guest starring. I thought she was Riki Lindholme at first, but it’s not.  I actually know her from season 2 of  Dirk Gently. She was really crazy and awesome in that.
• Piz is staring at Veronica and it’s kinda creepy.
• New mystery.  Someone’s missing.  Since Veronica just happens to be at the right place at the right time, she takes the case.
• In the very next scene, Veronica’s hair is perfectly dry and coifed.  She must have seen her hair stylist on the way.  SHENANIGANS.

Before ...  and after two minutes of walking down the hall ...

• Veronica’s next assignment in criminology is to Plan the Perfect Murder.  What a fun class.
• So it’s a school day.  Is Wallace still ‘crashing in a motel room to study’?  Ugh, it’s so contrived.
• Logan just keeps way too many secrets.  Inventing retconned secrets is such a soap opera trope to make things interesting.  This show is better than that.
• Amanda Walsh (Meryl) opens up the door as if it’s Sully, her boyfriend, but is disappointed that it’s Veronica. But why would he knock on his own door?
• Oh hey, it’s Ben from Buffy.
• Wait, Veronica asks Charlie Weber why he’s back early for the weekend.  But she had class today.  Does she have class on weekends? SHENANIGANS.
• Uh oh, It’s Vinnie.
• Omg, are we still talking about the Fitzpatricks?
• Isn’t Kendall dead?
• Aaaand now Keith is getting blackmailed.
• Now it’s Friday. Oy.  So Wallace and Sully’s roommate both think weekends start on Thursday, I guess?  I still stand by my shenanigan.
• Piz: Where am I sleeping?  Veronica: Play your cards right…..the floor!
• Yikes, I was wondering if Veronica was going to tell Piz about Parker’s rape but I guess it came up pretty organically.
• Logan asks if Veronica can trust him. And that’s not really the point?  It’s the secrets that are the problem. 
• Veronica name-checks Jake Kane – which brings back memories of an awesome season 1.
• Fitzpatricks are invading two story lines….ugh.
• Vinnie to the rescue – that’s unexpected.
• “If I hadn’t been in love before, I wouldn’t have believed it.” – OH SNAP, MERYL.
• Sully is found in the jail cell – they’re going to take him to the hospital because he’s having memory issues and has a bad bump on the back of his head. But….he’s asleep in the jail cell.  If this was a concussion, he could have died… 
• Uh oh uh oh uh oh.  Veronica’s been roofied.  Fuck.
• Piz knows what Logan suspects and he doesn’t correct him. 
• Veronica is smart – she scares off her would-be attacker by setting off her car alarm.  At least she tries to.  The would-be attacker shaves off a little of Veronica’s perfect hair.  Maybe they got spooked off by Logan conveniently being there.
• Veronica invokes Stan Marsh from South Park.  Heh.

Zelda's Thoughts:

• Mystery Not!RikiLindhome is confused because every clue they find in the dorm room screams not!herboyfriendSully
• I kind of love that the final assignment is Plan the Perfect Murder. It sounds like such a cool and not at all actionable creative project.
• Landry: Veronica I am recommending you for a summer internship at the FBI, aka the Hail Mary pitch for the show’s fourth season.
• “It’s better for everyone if the secret stays that way, okay? Please have a little faith.” // “How bad does your alibi have to be if Mercer would rather stay in jail than divulge it?”
• See, this—whatever it is—is at least a more legitimate source for LoVe to fight, for the trust to be breaking, rather than the stuff earlier this season where she was stalking his phone and making them both feel terrible.
• Wowwww Meryl is convinced that Sully is on the run from sinister forces because he invented a magic laser cannon and I kind of want to be friends with her imagination. Not with her, she seems lacking in self awareness.
• BenGlory, what is with your Samson hair.

BENGLORIOUS MANE

• At least Keith, for all that he told Veronica it was his business, not hers, is trying to not go further with Harmony, with her marriage and child.
• Butttttttt she talks him into it anyway.
• Aannnnnnnnnnnd Vinnie Van Lowe is at Keith's office and knows exactly who Harmony is … because he photographed their hotel tryst.
• Wow, he’s been on retainer for the Fitzpatricks, following Keith all this time, to find whatever money Kendall Casablancas left behind. But … isn’t she like … dead?
• I do have to question, if Vinnie was following Keith, not Harmony, how he was able to know which room to be watching, and to get those photos in time (photos that were clearly taken early in the encounter, since everyone’s still dressed). Keith rushed back to the hotel after his car accident, didn’t he? Naw, you know what? Shenanigans.
• Ah yes, I was right. This is how Veronica alibis Mercer out of the rapes, with Mercer’s radio schedule. She floats that he could have prerecorded it, but Piz says it’s a call and request show.
• “Can you leave it alone? Can you trust me?” // “No, I can’t. I’m not built that way.”
• Veronica really does have magical hair this season, Daniel wasn’t kidding. She wakes up with comically sloppy bedhead (nice touch) and not long after, we see her gorgeously curled tumbling locks.
• “You’re not that jaded.” // “I didn’t used to be. I had this one shining example that gave me some faith.” Ouch, Mars family. Ouch.
• Oh damn, Meryl was right to be worried. Sully's phone’s in the River Stix aka Fitzpatrick Land.
• Jesus it’s awful watching the Fitzpatrick drag Veronica’s body around, slowly suffocating her.

one of my very least favorite scenes

• And amazingly, Vinnie is there to the rescue, taking a picture and getting him to put her down, let her leave.
• And Meryl and Sully are reunited at last and it’s very sweet. “Meryl? I was looking for you.”
• And Keith once more breaks his own heart, breaking it off with Harmony.
• I fucking hate this. Veronica JUST got Mercer off the hook, and she gets roofied in the cafeteria. Is that to clear him as much as possible in our minds, while also terrifying us because STOP DOING THIS TO VERONICA.
• I’m wondering though, since her hair gets partially shaved, but she isn’t sexually assaulted, does that mean the shaving happens before the assault? Or is it just a warning for her to keep out of it?
• But Logan got there in time to prevent more than drugging and a bit of hair loss.
• “I think we all learned a valuable lesson about faith. You give it to the people you love. But the people who really deserve it are the ones who come through even when you don’t love them enough.” as V wakes up, her two men asleep after keeping watch over her.

Crossfire!

Guest Credits: *lists names*

D: Ryan Devlin. I know that name.

Z: He plays Mercer Hayes.

Part two:

D: *looks up Ryan Devlin’s credits and recognizes most of them*
Z: Is he your Tom Hardy of TV?

D: He MIGHT be my Tom Hardy of TV!

Favorite Lines:

Daniel: Piz: Where am I sleeping? // Veronica: Play your cards right...the floor!

Zelda: "Have you ever heard of Occan's razor, Meryl?" // "Is that a space laser?"

Arc/Continuity:

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

Recurring:  Harmony Chase, Liam Fitzpatrick, Vinnie Van Lowe, Danny Boyd, Mercer Hayes, Professor Hank Landry, Moe Flater

Buffy Alum: Charlie BenIsGlory Weber

Generally Known TV Face: Amanda Walsh. Fine, Charlie Weber goes here too

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 - 3

VERONICA WAS RIGHT - 0

VERONICA WAS WRONG – 1 (Sully wasn’t skipping out and avoiding Meryl; he really was in trouble)

This Must Be a Real Kafkaesque Experience For You

Episode 3.6: Hi, Infidelity. Original Airdate 11.07.06

"Veronica is accused of plagiarizing her paper for Professor Landry's criminology class. In trying to clear herself, she discovers that her mentor is not who she thought he was. Wallace is pardoned by Dean O'Dell for cheating on his exam, but makes a decision that could affect his college career. Piz invites Veronica to a night of bowling and she decides to bring Logan and Parker, unaware Piz wanted the evening to be more of a date."

Zelda's Thoughts:

• Wow, Dean O’Dell is expelling Claire for lying about knowing the guy in the ATM photo, EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS STILL QUITE OBVIOUSLY RAPED WHAT THE FUCK
• Now they’re implying the rapes were all faked? What the damn hell
• I miss Principal Clemmons
• Dang, Prof Landry brushes off Tim Foyle to take V to lunch and offer to mentor her. Gosh, I wonder if this rivalry will come to anything.
• And Harmony’s asking Keith out on a date
• Ugh, V’s being framed for plagiarizing her paper.
• “You think it’s me? You think I’m trying to get you out of Landry’s class because I don’t like you?” “Wait, you don’t like me?”
• Oh Piz still exists.
• Wallace, amazingly, was given the out of dropping the class he cheated in, without further punishment. I mean, there’s further punishment in terms of he’d also have to change his major, but no double-weighted zero, no note in his record, revocation of scholarship, or penalty in his athletics arena.
• Meanwhile Claire got expelled.
• Let's sit with that.
• “Do you have any idea who I am?” // “I don't, and I don’t care” *slips his test in the middle of the pile so it can no longer be invalidated*
• Now the excuse for NO MAC AGAIN is “Mac’s had this project all week” WHERE THE HELL IS MY BEST FRIEND MAC
• “Look if you don’t wanna go because you’d rather see me fed to bears …”
• NO KEITH NO
• Dean O’Dell doesn’t lock his office door. He was clearly not warned by Clemmons.
• And is the least suspicious person ever apparently, because he believes V’s clearly bogus excuse about losing an earring.
• Wallace is staying in class and taking the 0. That’s good but I’m still kind of amazed neither he nor Veronica were threatened with worse for what looks like blatant cheating.
• Piz has a bowling shirt, which is kind of adorable.
• “When did crappy old shirts with stupid stuff on them become cool?” It’s like Keith never watched an episode of Buffy.
• Keith remains in denial about dating a married lady, and V is calling him out.
• Tina is my new favorite. “This isn’t illegal, is it?” Logan/V: look caught. “No, I’m just kidding, hold on.” 

My new best friend since Mac is missing

• Also the summary above is wrong. Piz wanted Wallace there so it specifically wouldn’t look like a date, and now everything is awkward.
• But Parker is really kind of sweet, and I’m glad she’s having fun smack talking everyone in bowling.
• And shoutout to Horshack and Rafe, who both got caught cheating in class … together. Omg are they in cheating love? Is that why he didn’t hold his shitty behavior during the prison experiment together?
• Poor Wallace. His athletic career vying with his mechanical engineering academic career.
• Ew Mercer introducing himself slimily to Parker as if he didn’t rape her and shave her head.
• OMG AND PARKER’S HAVING A MEMORY. She remembers his cologne.
• I forgot that they clued him as the rapist so early, but of course it’s a classic move. Point right at the baddie, then do something to make them seem clear of the crime (in this case, I think he at some point seems alibied out because of his radio show but it was a pre-record?)
• And Lamb shows some actual police competency by connecting the fact that Mercer’s cash box had some vials of date rape drugs in it.
• Wallace is taking a semester off from basketball to focus on academics … and magically gets to keep his scholarship. I don’t properly understand how all this works.
• Gasp Mrs. O’Dell is having a fling with Prof Landry … who posted her paper, framing her for plagiarism. The hell.
• And Keith can no longer fool himself. Harmony got a room in the hotel and is asking Keith to come upstairs with her.
• Keith just got T-boned and both Daniel and I completely forgot that plot development because we gasped in terror.
• But I guess this is what helps him decide that he’d rather have an affair with Harmony than count that what-if as a regret? Slash adrenaline from having survived an almost-death.
• Oh right, Landry didn’t frame Veronica. Tim Foyle did it, but wanted Veronica to follow the breadcrumbs to find Landry and Mrs. O’Dell in the hotel. His mentor has abandoned him, his idol has fallen, and he wants to make sure hers does too.
• Oooh Tim Foyle is also investigating the serial rapist.
• V is making a habit of lunching with faculty. Dean O’Dell just asked her to sit down with him.
• His enjoyment of the burger makes the second stupid secret he’s asked her not to tell his wife. Random and dumb.
• And an emotional Logan begs Veronica to help clear Mercer, because he can alibi him out for the summer rape … an alibi he won’t tell Veronica. I forget how that all sorts, since … you know … we know the truth.
• Wait, was there a tag team, Scream-style? Did Mercer have an accomplice?

Daniel's Thoughts:

• I really hate that fake rape charges so often happen on TV – it’s so rare in real life, but you’d never know it when you watch TV and movies.  It’s perpetuated this fear among men today – and has made things worse for women.
• Also I’m getting really sick of these women constantly laying suspicious on Veronica as if she’s not on their side.
• And now it’s Wallace’s turn to meet the Dean.   I wonder if Veronica knows.
• Veronica talks about text messages as if it’s a new-fangled fad.
• Ok, more plagiarism talk.  I guess this is a big thing in schools. [Super very yes. - Z, the daughter of two professors]
• Oh hey, it’s Piz – he’s a…main character?
• It’s nice to know Wallace still plays basketball and is still a rockstar.
• Jeff Ratner, douchie college guy, to Veronica: Deal with it.  THOSE ARE YOUR FAMOUS LAST WORDS.

"Deal with it"

Read: "Oh I will, Dumbass"

• Logan’s sociology teacher is also a douche.  So many douches in an episode.
• Every time I see Mercer Hayes, I ask Zelda if we’ve met him before.  Apparently he’s been in a million episodes. (See crossfire below)
• “I think I just ate something’s beak” – Parker
• Oh hey, Keith and Harmony are having an emotion affair.
• Veronica’s breaking in to Dean O’Dell’s office….no security?  Seems unlikely, but OK.  And…the door is open – because…the Dean is still there.  Shit.
• She gives a totally lame excuse.  You know.  I was a good kid – I think because I remember trying to come with excuses if I got caught in advance and I could never come up with something I thought was believable.  But, also, I was just a good kid.
• Veronica has enough to prove she’s innocent but she still wants to nail the person who did it.  That’s why we love Veronica.
• “It’s not a date.  We saw a movie, had a drink and talked” “Which is a date.”
• “This isn’t illegal is it?  No, I’m just kidding, go on.” – I love this girl.
• I love insecure Veronica “girlfriend, Veronica” – but I love that Logan is just as insecure.
• And now Parker meets Piz.  Cool.
• Piz has really cool early 2000s hair.  Just sayin’ [So pretty, so shiny. - Z]
• Oh look,  the main suspect is the guy who told Veronica to DEAL WITH IT.  OH SHE’S DEALT WITH IT ALL RIGHT.
• OH NO WALLACE IS LATE FOR HIS TEST.  RUN WALLACE RUN.  Oh. He’s just late for basketball practice.  That’s okay.
• Poor Piz, he’s love-smitten with Veronica.
• After all that studying– Wallace only gets a D on his next test.
• Veronica has never been more uncomfortable than she is when setting up two friends.
• Mercer introduces himself to Parker and now they I know who he is…it’s so gross.
• She finds clippers in Mercer’s dorm room but a lot of guys have that.
• Wow is Lamb actually working with Veronica?
• Wallace drops basketball for a season putting his scholarship in jeopardy which is all noble and stuff but the Coach is cool and tells him to keep his scholarship – also very noble but…  Is that…kosher?  I mean it’s nice and all but the basis of his scholarship is to play basketball…so…shrug. 
• Wow, so…professor Landry was setting Veronica up? Why?  To prove she’s good at Criminal Investigation?
• Again, Laura SG is so good here.  I like this story line, it’s atypical of your usual affair story line.  And Keith takes the moral highground which is great, but also kinda sad…and on his way home, he gets into a car accident….which is also really interesting because it makes him think he doesn’t want to give up a potential love.
• TA doucheface used Veronica to get back at his professor.  Smart, though.
• Heh, Veronica set up Ratner – which, oops.  But he did tell her to DEAL WITH IT.
• So Logan tells Veronica that Mercer (I know who he is now) – but he can’t tell her why because …of course they were probably doing something illegal at the time.

Crossfire!

D: Who is that?

Z: Really?

D: Do we know him?

Z: Yeah.

D: Have we seen him before?

Z: Yeah.

D: Has he been in 30 episodes?

Z: Yeah.

D: Is he the rapist?
Z: Yeah.

D: What’s his name?

Z: Mercer Hayes.

D: And we’ve seen him before?

Z: Yeah.

D: See, that’s why he’s the perfect suspect, because I have no idea who he is every time I see him.

Z: That’s me with Chip Diller. I know we’ve met him but he’s a blank.

D: Who’s Chip Diller?

Z: The frat guy V accused in season two.

D: And who’s this guy?

Z: Mercer Hayes.

Mercer Hayes                                               Chip Diller
.....right?

Favorite Lines:

Zelda: “This isn’t illegal, is it? … No, I’m just kidding, hold on.” - Tina

Daniel: Keith: “It’s not a date. We saw a movie, had a drink, and talked.” Veronica: “Which is a date.”

Arc/Continuity:

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

First Appearance: Tom Barry, Jeff Ratner, Tina Callis

Recurring:  Harmony Chase, Mason, Nish Sweeney, Professor Hank Landry, Tim Foyle, Mercer Hayes, Claire Nordhouse, Max, Professor David Winkler, Mindy O'Dell, Dean Cyrus O'Dell

Professor Hank Landry’s Alias: Rory Finch

Logan's Nicknames: Admiral Moneybags (himself)

Stats:

Dead Humans - 0

Backup Sighting - 1

Veronica Breaks In - 2

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

SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY

Episode 3.5: President Evil. Original Airdate 10.31.06

 "It's Halloween at Hearst and while Veronica is looking for Logan at the underground campus casino, the place is robbed and the thieves take Veronica's necklace, given to her by Lilly Kane. Meanwhile, Dean O'Dell and his wife Mindy seek Keith's help in tracking down Steve, the biological father of Mindy's son, who is deathly ill. Wallace, distracted by a new group of friends, struggles to pass his Mechanical Engineering class."

Daniel's Thoughts:

• Claire is wearing a terrible baldcap/wig…
• That awful TA from the first episode also looks like he’s wearing a terrible wig.

Definitely not Lucky who got killed last season. Totally different person.

• I don’t get this – this oral presentation.  Veronica is smartly using Weevil as her ‘audio-visual’ which her professor, Landry, I think would have been more impressed with.  But I’m not really sure the point.  Also it feels like it’s taking all class – there are like 100 kids in that class.  They couldn’t possibly all give their oral presentations if it takes all class.
• It’s Halloween.  You can tell with the cheaply put up decorations.  Whose job is that?  I don’t remember my university’s quad looking like this…  It feels more like a HS thing.
• Hey, it’s Wallace.  He seems like he’ll be used for more than exposition this time.
• Hey! Another on my soap: Jamie Ray Newman.  She played Kristina, Alexis’s sister who got killed off way too early.  But at least she’s had an okay career since then.  She’s the dean’s hotter, younger wife.
• Oh shit, Veronica walked into a Halloween party that’s getting robbed by stereotyped burglers in president masks.
• Also, what is she dressed as? I honestly don’t have a clue
• I don’t know what Logan is dressed as either.  But they’re obviously a couple’s costume.

Does ANYONE know who they're supposed to be?

• Me: AH RICHARD GRIECO!  Zelda: Who’s that? ME: WHO’S THAT?  Johnny Depp’s MUCH BETTER replacement on 21 Jump Street. 
• Wallace’s friend quotes En Vogue as a life’s mantra – so I automatically like him.
• Veronica thinks Weevil is the culprit….but I don’t see it – it didn’t seem like Weevil’s build, as Veronica proclaims.
• I hate when Veronica accuses Weevil – she’s usually wrong.  They’ve been through too much together, as Weevil points out.
• Yay, Cliff! I like when he guest stars.
• So Richard Greico’s the deadbeat dad.
• They find the stolen jewelry in Weevil’s car.  And there’s other corroborating evidence.  I still don’t believe it.  I think Weevil was framed.
• Aww, I love when Veronica runs into fans.  Danny from the pizza joint is one such fan.
• Cliff is having a meal with Keith at his office – they’re having…sandwiches.  Why not.
• Uh oh.  Keith’s in trouble. 
• “If I don’t bring up the law, this won’t be considered a billable hour.” –Cliff
• “I can say half a sentence and get her to yell at me for three hours” –Dean.   Marriage.
• The theater department is not amused with Veronica’s humor.  Also, more college stereotypes.  But seriously, where’s the stage manager? She’d be all over this.
• Oh Wallace.  Your C-plot is annoying and pointless.
• So campus security did it.  Yeah, he doesn’t really have Weevil’s build.
• I love that Back-Up knows instinctually who the bad guy is.  He should be on all Veronica’s cases.
• So Veronica finds her necklace, grabs it off the shitty little girl.  (yay!), Richard Greico saves his son’s life and exonerates Keith (and the Dean and her wife) (yay!),  Weevil, too, is exonerated (yay!), and Wallace gets caught cheating…. (boo!)
• Wallace and Veronica have had no interaction in this episode – but there’s a cute email that we see on screen with the subject line “Snickerdoodleme”.

Zelda's Thoughts:

• Man, poor Claire. You can see how much she’s still hurting.
• Oy Tim Foyle is leading class today. My favorite pretentious tool. “Veronica Mars, why don’t you come down here and blow us all away.”
• Her presentation is … Weevil?

• "Dr. Landry said we were allowed audio visual aids. He’s both. Audio:"// "Yo." // "And visual:" // 
• *pose*
• This is actually quite adorable, and I do always like when they let us hang with Weevil.
• Aw, Weevil recognizes that the necklace V is wearing is Lilly’s. I like when the show/characters remember her.
• Also shoutout to V being good at poker.
• It’s … kind of weird that Weevil is so upset V is dating Logan (again), and using Lilly as his reason (especially considering how close WeLo got in S2 trying to find Felix’s killer). I don’t get it.
• Dean and Mrs. O’Dell are hiring Keith for … something. This really is the smallest town.
• Ah, his stepson is dying … is this the same kid who trashed his car?
• We can’t tell what V’s Halloween costume is.
• Also wow the racist “latino” accent the thieves at the party are using. It’s gross. (yes yes he's doing Al Pacino's racist latino accent from Scarface, fine. but like ew stop)
• And they steal her Lilly necklace. V, with angry and scared tears in her eyes and a wry smile, “You’re gonna regret that.”
• Seconding Daniel, I have NO clue what LoVe's couples costume is.
• Oh and V is gonna accuse Weevil because of the racist accent the thief used and because she knows he’s mad at her over Logan/Lilly
• And he’s rightly mad: “I can’t believe you’d think I’d do that. To you. After all we’ve been though.” //“After all we’ve been through, can you really blame me?” // “Hey Backup, you can stay. Your girl’s gotta go.” Damn straight.
• YESSS CLIFF McCORMACK. And he’s doing delightful “I’m a voice actor” riffs and it’s perfect because his voice.

• Weevil: “Any reason why everyone suspects me for a crime I don’t even know about?"

• Seriously, I don’t get the renewed antipathy between Logan and Weevil (bc Logan’s being extra-tool-y too). I thought they reached a peace. I’m so confused.
• Ugh, Weevil’s gotten framed. “Or you could save yourself the trouble and take my word.” *both V and W laugh* “That was good. Well done.”
• Okay seriously who is Wallace’s new toolbag bad!influence! friend?
• Haha this pizza guy is fanboying all over V. “Remember when you …” over and over.
• “Hello Square One. Nice to see you again.”
• Oh right. The gross gum from the little shit kid.
• Dang, Botando the deadbeat stepdad is awol. I have no memory or investment in this plot
• “Excuse me officers, but if I don’t bring up the law, this won’t be considered a billable hour.” I love Cliff so much.
• And it’s the introduction of Max! I forget if we ever actually care about Max but I currently don’t.
• But also sigh Wallace this is a bad path. Cheating on the exam is not a good way to earn a degree. Because you’re earning nothing.
• The O’Dells are the worst? Like the worst.
• And the thieves were the Hearst security guards. That’s great. Just great.
• At least Weevil is cleared.
• And that little shit girl is wearing V’s necklace.
• As Wallace goes in to face judgement for cheating, Weevil is released from prison.
• Backup’s had three scenes this ep! He’s so busy.
• Gasp! How could Claire be that dude's girlfriend when she claimed not to recognize him in the photo?

Crossfire!

Show: shot with weirdass poster in the background

Z: *stentorian voice* THIS IS YOUR GOD

D: Yeah, what IS that

Editor: Turns out the poster was designed by Shepard Fairey, best known for “Andre the Giant Has a Posse” and the Barack Obama “Hope” poster.

Favorite Lines:

Daniel: "If I don’t bring up the law, this won’t be considered a billable hour." - Cliff

Zelda: "Had his dog put to sleep, and let the record show, the dog was quite surprised by this decision." - Cliff

Arc/Continuity:

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

First Appearance: Mason, Professor David Winkler, Mindy O'Dell, Steve Botando, Max, Jenny Budosh

Recurring: Tim Foyle, Mercer Hayes, Cliff McCormack, Claire Nordhouse, Dean Cyrus O'Dell, Deputy Jerry Sacks

Future Famous Person: Dianna Agron

Already Famous Person: Richard Grieco

Generally Known TV Face: Robert Ri'chard, Jamie Ray Newman, Todd Bosley

Veronica's Alias: organizer of Camp Waterloo reunion (and so very southern); receptionist at a voiceover audition

Keith and Cliff’s Aliases: voiceover auditionees

Keith's Alias: Adrian Monk, building inspector

Danny the Pizza Boy’s Alias: Walter Wolfcastle

Logan's (Racist) Nicknames: Jose Lunchpail (Weevil)

Stats:

Dead Humans - 0

Backup Sighting - 1

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 – 1 (Weevil didn’t steal her necklace)