>>REVIEW
VERONICA MARS
Thursdays at 9 p.m.
CTV
It’s no mystery that high school is hell – that is, unless you’re teen detective Veronica Mars.
Veronica Mars is the surprise UPN hit that mixes teen angst with a top-notch whodunit. More than just a contemporary Nancy Drew, the show is equal parts My So-Called Life and Murder, She Wrote (a morphing of Angela Chase and Angela Lansbury, if you will). The series successfully tackles typical teenage issues (i.e. sex, drugs, popularity and evil cheerleaders) while delving into complex mysteries that will keep even the most astute viewer guessing to the very end.
Veronica Mars even garnered its own "save our show" campaign last year, which sadly has become the sign of quality programming. Its fans did a pre-emptive strike and circulated an online petition, fearing that the show’s low ratings would result in cancellation. It worked and the series got picked up for a second season. (It airs in Canada on CTV.)
Created by Rob Thomas and producer Joel Silver, the show was intended to be a mid-season replacement for the UPN network, but received an instant cult following thanks to charismatic newcomer Kristen Bell.
Veronica Mars (Bell) is an outcast at her local high school in Neptune, California, an affluent beach community where rich Hollywood heirs attend class alongside their middle-class neighbours. The tenacious teenage sleuth is determined to uncover the town’s dirty little secrets, making her unpopular with her peers and their parents.
Trouble seems to follow the plucky 17-year-old everywhere and the series begins a year after the brutal murder of Veronica’s best friend, the rich and popular Lilly Kane. Veronica uncovers some disturbing secrets and the one-time teen-queen is ousted from her throne of popularity – labelled a snitch and ostracized by Neptune’s inner circle.
Every aspect of her life is haunted by her friend’s death. Veronica’s father, once a respected town sheriff, was fired from his job after accusing Lilly’s powerful father Jake Kane of the murder. The charges were later dropped when a stool pigeon named Abel Koontz suspiciously confessed to the crime.
Her family’s financial resources are depleted thanks to a lawsuit filed by the Kane family and Veronica loses her house, social status and longtime boyfriend Duncan Kane (brother to Lilly and son of Jake). Her mother walks out because of the supposed public humiliation (and a tawdry family secret) and her dad is forced to become a private investigator to make ends meet.
Veronica takes a sudden interest in the family business and sets out to clear the Mars name by uncovering the truth behind her best friend’s murder. She embraces her new role as social defect and becomes an observer rather than participant in the politics of high school.
Lilly’s murder investigation leads Veronica to question her own paternity and she discovers that this may or may not have been the reason for her boyfriend breaking up with her (it turns out there is a strong possibility that Veronica’s ex-beau is also her half-brother).
The series is designed for both the first-time viewer and diehard fan, with each episode beginning with a new mystery at her high school as well as a continuing storyline concerning Veronica’s past, Lilly’s death and the romantic lives of the town’s residents.
Like any detective worth her weight, Veronica has two unlikely sidekicks – an African-American nerd named Wallace and a Latino biker called Weevil, who help with her unorthodox investigations. The show excels at being upfront about cultural and racial stereotypes, sending out a strong message to its young viewers that there is more to a person than what is on the surface or how much money they have.
The risqué subject matter (i.e. brotherly love) and disturbing subplots are lightened with bawdy humour, quick wit and biting dialogue, making it one of the best-written programs on television right now. There is also a certain attention to detail not typically seen in most TV teen dramas and the show is rife with pop-culture references.
For example, in an episode entitled "Russkie Business" not only is there a story about the Russian mafia, but the show’s writers also manage to work an ’80s dance into the script. The characters poke fun at Tom Cruise and pay homage to the John Hughes classic Pretty in Pink, with two of the supporting cast members dressing in prom outfits that are identical to those worn by Molly Ringwald and Jon Cryer from the original movie.
If there’s one thing I love more than a good teen drama, it’s a great detective story, and Veronica Mars successfully unlocks the mystery behind being a teenage girl. Veronica has the unique perspective of having been on both sides of the high school food chain – prom queen and social leper. Veronica’s character escapes from being just another teenage caricature, finding balance between hardboiled private dick and a love-struck girl who is just trying to survive high school like everyone else.
Veronica is a proud non-conformist and the series revamps the image of young women on television. She is dark, sarcastic and jaded, refusing to play victim or fall to pieces when things don’t go her way. Instead, she finds strength and humour in tragedy, as well as a few bad guys along the way. |
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