Topic: Veronica Mars Marathon

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Veronica Mars Marathon

A little bit Buffy. A little bit Bogart. A dash of Nancy Drew. 'Veronica Mars' takes the best and brainiest of the American culture of crimesolving and adds a unique vision of its own -- brooding, edgy, darkly funny and just plain dark -- to become one of the hottest, sleekest series of the new century.

Veronica (Kristen Bell) is an outcast in a trendy SoCal beach town. Once she ran with Neptune High's in crowd. But she's on the outside after her best friend is murdered and her sheriff father accuses the wrong man as the perp: the dead girl's billionaire father. Dad loses his job, Veronica loses her popularity and both struggle to build a detective agency and new lives. E-mail scams, cults, car thefts -- you name it, Veronica investigates it. But her obsession is the murder of her friend. And she'll take any risk to solve it.

Season 1: Disc 1

Episode 1: Pilot
Murder casts a long shadow. As Veronica and her father try to establish a new life in Neptune, the supposedly solved Lilly Kane murder case keeps pulling them back to the past.

My Thoughts:
The episode that started it all... when this originally aired I was hooked from the very first episode! This pilot episode not only sets up the main season long mystery very well... it shows how her and Wallace becomes such close friends as well as the start of the understanding and back and forth favors between her and Weevil. An awesome start to a great show that ended before it's time (in my opinion).

Episode 2: Credit Where Credit's Due
Slap the cuffs on Grandma. Weevil's grandmother is accused in a credit card scam. Veronica clashes with Logan's spoiled-rotten girlfriend and meets a great guy who belongs to the in crowd.

My Thoughts:
This was a good episode... Besides a good story of the week... it also brings the season long mystery a little further. The thought of letting an old lady... especially one you are related to... to take the fall for something like that... I just couldn't imagine. I do like they way it was handled in the end. Very satisfying.

Episode 3: Meet John Smith
How many John Smiths are there in the world? Veronica tries to track down a classmate's long-lost father, an undertaking that brings her a step closer to finding her own vanished mother.

My Thoughts:
Another good episode.... this one has a good surprise ending twist to it that I wasn't expecting the first time I watched it. But I won't go into that to much here because I want to do this with the least amount of spoilers as possible.

Episode 4: The Wrath of Con
Veronica turns cybersleuth when Wallace's wish-she-were-my-girlfriend loses cash in an internet fraud run by game geeks. Troy asks Veronica to homecoming, which stirs memories of last year's dance.

My Thoughts:
This was yet another good episode. One thing I really enjoyed on this one was all the flashbacks to when Lilly was alive... and all the fun she and Veronica had together. The mystery of the week was cool this time too... this is the episode when she really starts to get Wallace more involved in what she does. Very good episode!

[lyonsden5]

Pete, you are the marathon master!

BTW - does the theme song get stuck in your head too ?

[addicted2dvd]

LOL... I do love my marathons!   

To be honest... yes... for some reason this is one of the worst theme songs to me... because it always gets stuck in my head! 

I am looking forward to start disc two here shortly. With any luck I will get 2 discs done today.

[addicted2dvd]

Watching this series again... I just couldn't help myself... I went ahead and pre-ordered the 3rd (and final) season of Veronica Mars this morning.

[addicted2dvd]

Season 1: Disc 2

Episode 5: You Think You Know Somebody
Border incident. Troy's trip to Tijuana ends with him saying adios to his father's car when thieves nab the wheels. Good thing he has a detective for a girlfriend. Or is it?

My Thoughts:
This is a pretty good episode... but not one of my favorites... in this episode Veronica finds out that her father is dating her guidance counselor... and her father runs a background check on  Veronica's boyfriend Troy... giving it to her... telling her she can look at it if she wants... but the decision is hers. Also Veronica continues her search for her mom. In this episode I found myself more interested in the side stories then I was in that week's mystery.

Episode 6: Return of the Kane
Dirty politics in the school election has Veronica doing the Woodward-and-Bernstein bit. Plus: Logan creates a PR nightmare for his movie-star father when he sets up fight nights featuring homeless men.

My Thoughts:
This one was a good episode. Not only did we get a decent weekly mystery that was entertaining... it really worked hard on the season long mystery as well.

Episode 7: The Girl Next Door
Veronica's pregnant neighbor disappears right after an argument with her artist boyfriend. Pranksters: Weevil and Logan unleash their creativity when they serve detention together.

My Thoughts:
This was a decent episode... I enjoyed it... but it did have one major flaw in it. This is one of the episodes that works mostly on the single episode mystery. And I still remember the first time I saw it I found the end of the mystery to be very predictable. I saw it coming a mile away. This is something that don't happen all that often on Veronica Mars... but it does happen every now and then.

Episode 8: Like A Virgin
Pure hell. An online "purity test" ruins the reputation of Veronica's friend. Also: Keith helps Wallace's mother lose a bad-news tenant. And Veronica visits Abel Koontz on death row -- with disturbing results.

My Thoughts:
This was definitely a good episode... very entertaining... with a surprising ending. I especially liked how they handled who was behind the "purity test".

[addicted2dvd]

Season 1: Disc 3

Episode 9: Drinking the Kool-Aid
Drugs. Polygamy. Fraud. That's what Veronica looks for when she infiltrates a cult that has won the heart, soul, and bank account of a wealthy classmate. So why is everyone so darn nice?

My Thoughts:
This episode if pretty good. not one of my favorites though. It's just that there is nothing really special about it.

Episode 10: An Echolls Family Christmas
California Hold 'em. Weevil's the big winner at Logan Echolls' poker party but the $5,000 pot disappears. Keith attends the Echolls' swank Christmas party to discover who's been stalking Logan's father.

My Thoughts:
This was just a fun episode... had 2 single episode mysteries... and both of them was really entertaining. Obviously this is the first season Christmas episode.

Episode 11: Silence of the Lamb
Work ethic. While Keith helps the new sheriff search for a serial killer, Veronica goes into business doing background checks on her classmates' parents, which leads to a stunning revelation for her friend Mac.

My Thoughts:
This was a good episode. I liked that they did one on a serial killer... as they always make good stories for some reason. I also really enjoyed the sub-story of Veronica doing background checks on the other kids' parents... who wouldn't have loved an opportunity like that when we were kids?

Episode 12: Clash of the Tritons
You booze, you lose. The parents of a boy who's comatose after a bout of heavy drinking believe Veronica provided his fake I.D. The attempt to clear her name leads Veronica to a secret on-campus society.

My Thoughts:
This one really didn't impress me all that much... I mean it was ok... but a bit slow for my taste. It just didn't feel like all that much happened... and the story of the fake ID's just didn't hold my interest at all for some reason. Definitely could have been better.

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Season 1: Disc 4

Episode 13: Lord of the Bling
"Bone" Hamilton is a gangsta-rap impresario whose hits may include more than CDs. But he's also a desperate father eager to find his missing teen daughter. Logan suspects his mother is alive.

My Thoughts:
This was a pretty good episode... but one where not much happens for the season long mystery. But it does start another multi-episode mystery as well.


Episode 14: Mars vs. Mars
Both can't be right. When one of Veronica's favorite teachers is accused of sexual misconduct, she works to exonerate him while Keith finds details that discredit him. News about Lynn is bad... and good.

My Thoughts:
This was a good episode. Being a father of a daughter... a daughter that is just about to go into her teens... this is a subject matter that truly scares me... because the thought of someone like that taking advantage of my daughter in that way infuriates me even now!

Episode 15: Ruskie Business
From Russia with love. A lovesick Russian internet-order bride hopes to find her former fiancé. Another affair of the heart: Meg asks Veronica to help her discover the identity of her secret admirer.

My Thoughts:
Decent episode here... nothing really too special though.


Episode 16: Betty and Veronica
Bogart had a Maltese falcon. Veronica has a Neptune parrot. The school mascot is birdnapped just before the big game. From silly to serious: Veronica has found her mother... and more pieces to the puzzle of Lilly's murder.

My Thoughts:
This one was kinda fun...  I enjoyed it. This stealing of school mascots... is this real?... it is something I personally only ever seen on TV... to be honest the highschool where I went didn't even have a mascot... well not a real one at least... but being the Jaguars I guess that is a good thing! :-p

[addicted2dvd]

Season 1: Disc 5

Episode 17: Kanes and Abel's
Why would Abel Koontz confess to a murder Veronica believes he didn't commit? Perhaps for a huge payoff to his daughter. Someone's trying to make sure the school valedictorian doesn't win the Kane Scholarship.

My Thoughts:
This was a good episode... not so much for the weekly mystery.... more so for how far we got on the season long mystery. I didn't find the weekly mystery all that entertaining this time.


Episode 18: Weapons of Class Destruction
Bomb scare: A new student is under suspicion when bomb threats lead to school evacuations. Bombshell: Veronica and Wallace cope with unexpected news from their parents.

My Thoughts:
This one was a really good episode... it touched on the season long mystery a little... but was mainly about the single episode mystery. Trying to find out who is sending bomb threats to the school... Veronica gets herself into the middle of things as always. One thing I really enjoyed was seeing a familiar face guest starring in this episode... it had Jonathan Taylor Thomas (Randy on Home Improvement) on this episode.

Episode 19: Hot Dogs
Veronica Mars: pet detective. Her search for a missing terrier leads to darker secrets. Aaron confronts his daughter's batterer and Weevil is arrested after breaking into Lilly's room.

My Thoughts:
This was another good episode... I enjoyed both the single episode mystery as well as the side story with Logan's sister (Allyson Hannigan)... shall we say having boyfriend problems... and I just love the way the boyfriend problems was handled! :-)


Episode 20: M.A.D.
Blackmailing the blackmailer. Veronica plots to stop a friend's vengeful ex-boyfriend from posting a salacious video. The Kanes offer a $50,000 reward to get their runaway son back home.

My Thoughts:
This was a good episode... not the greatest... but good. Towards the end I would have liked to see the girl make the other decision... but what can you do? I did like how it all finally ended up though.

[addicted2dvd]

Season 1: Disc 6

Episode 21: A Trip to the Dentist
"You want to know how I lost my virginity?" Veronica once asked. "So do I." Determined to discover who drugged and assaulted her at a party months earlier, she sifts through conflicting stories to find the truth.

My Thoughts:
This disc is where it really gets good... These are the 2 episodes where she puts together the 2 season long mysteries. This episode solves the mystery of who drugged and rapped her at that party. It also does a very good job at setting up the final episode of the season. I have never been a fan of Logan... so the Logan/Veronica relationship is something I never liked.

Episode 22: Leave It to Beaver
Sex, lies and videotape. Veronica solves the murder of Lilly Kane, but not without betraying someone she cares for -- and putting her own life at risk.

My Thoughts:
This is it... the final episode of the season... the one with all the answers (well mostly). This was a great episode. I think they did a great job at putting everything together.

Overall Season 1 Thoughts:

OK... I wouldn't try to say that every episode in this series is a winner... but it is damn close to it!  Sure there is some better then others.. but I really can't think of a single episode that I didn't enjoy something about it. This is a great series... a modern day Nancy Drew.  I personally would have liked to seen a few more extras in the set... there is some nice extras but not as much as I would have liked.  But as I said... it is a great series... and I am looking forward to starting season 2 later today.

[addicted2dvd]

Season 2: Disc 1

1. Normal Is the Watchword
After the summer fireworks caused by a dangerous confrontation with Lilly Kane's murderer and a surprising visitor at her door, Veronica attempts to settle into "normal" life, complete with a new after-school job and a return to the popular fold at Neptune High, but she gets pulled back into the investigation business when Wallace is kicked off the basketball team for testing positive for drugs.

My Thoughts:
Awesome job on the season 2 premiere. And hello to another TV show star that I always liked... Charisma Carpenter (Buffy & Angel) as Kendall.  This episode did what any good season premiere would do... draw you right in to the new storyline right away.

2. Driver Ed
After tragedy strikes Neptune, Calif. and the local sheriff rushes to judgment, an emotional Veronica attempts to help a grieving family member rule out suicide as a contributing cause in the calamity.

My Thoughts:
Very good continuation from where the previous episode left off. The new season long mystery for season 2 really started out with a bang!

3. Cheatty Cheatty Bang Bang
Beaver believes that his sexy stepmother Kendall is cheating on his father, so he hires Veronica to investigate the situation, but neither are prepared for what they find.

My Thoughts:
A great episode with the always lovely Charisma Carpenter. I don't know what else to say other then it turned out to be a really well done episode... and I enjoyed every minute of it!

4. Green-Eyed Monster
While dealing with her own feelings of jealousy regarding Duncan, Veronica helps a young woman who believes that her new fiancé is secretly after her fortune by sifting through his background and even posing as a sexy, available coed to entrap the guy.

My Thoughts:
This is another good episode... though not one I would call a favorite from the second season. Nothing wrong with it... but I learned to expect just a tad more from this series... sure call me spoiled if you want... but I always expect the best from this show for some reason.

[addicted2dvd]

Season 2: Disc 2

5. Blast From the Past
Deciding to give Jackie the benefit of the doubt since she's dating Wallace, Veronica tries to help Jackie determine who stole her credit card, leading Veronica to appear on a psychic's community access show to pursue a lead.

My Thoughts:
Now... this episode... this was a fun episode... especially with Veronica and Jackie (Wallace's girlfriend) getting into it to see just who can be the bitch of all bitches. Jackie don't like how he jumps to help Veronica any time she calls. Of course Veronica does try to be the bigger person for Wallace but enough is enough at some point.

6. Rat Saw God
With Aaron Echolls (guest star Harry Hamlin) facing trial for Lilly's murder, the previously accused Abel Koontz appears to enlist Veronica's help in finding his missing daughter Amelia, leading to a confrontation with Kane Software's head of security.

My Thoughts:
Another episode that I did enjoy... though there really wasn't nothing that stood out as special to me. Just a good episode.

7. Nobody Puts Baby In A Corner
Veronica and Duncan discover that the still-comatose Meg had been babysitting an abused child, leading Veronica to take on an unfamiliar role as a babysitter to determine the kid's identity.

My Thoughts:
This episode was really good... I enjoyed it a lot! I remember the first time I saw this episode I figured it out right before they revealed it. I had to kinda laugh because of just how crazy Veronica saw that every family is. Just goes to show you... you see "weird" in every other family... just like every other family see "weird" in yours.

8. Ahoy, Mateys!
Veronica helps Keith determine who is haunting a school bus crash victim's parents, currently embroiled in a suit against the school district for negligence.

My Thoughts:
This episode... even though it is good is not one of my favorites. This episode's mystery is ok... but I don't feel that they did enough to make you care about the characters... I mean with what the episode is about sure... you go in caring about them... but there wasn't nothing to maintain that caring... if that makes sense to you.

[addicted2dvd]

Season 2: Disc 3

9. My Mother, The Fiend
After Veronica gets busted for breaking into the school office and ordered in detention to reorganize the school’s files, she stumbles on her mother’s permanent record and learns that she was suspended for reasons that cause Veronica to further question everything she knows about her mom.

My Thoughts:
This was a good episode... I enjoyed it.Even though I don't like her character on this series... I did like seeing Alyson Hannigan (Willow on Buffy) in this episode.... along with Charisma Carpenter (Cordellia on Buffy).

10. One Angry Veronica
Called to jury duty over Christmas break, Veronica must sit on a difficult, polarizing case against a pair of affluent 09'er defendants accused of assaulting a young Hispanic woman.

My Thoughts:
This was another episode I enjoyed... unfortunately very little Christmas stuff for a Christmas episode... but that is ok. Of course Veronica Mars works her magic while on Jury Duty... whether some of the other jurors likes it or not.

11. Donut Run
An FBI team, headed up by tough, seasoned Agent Morris, is called in to pursue Duncan after he breaks up with Veronica and flees with Meg's baby.

My Thoughts:
Yet another one I enjoyed... This time we have Lucy Lawless (Xena) in the episode playing an FBI Agent hunting for Duncan and his baby.

12. Rashard and Wallace Go to White Castle
Wallace is forced to turn to Veronica for help when a star player from his former Chicago high-school basketball team and his shady uncle falsely name Wallace as the driver in a tragic hit-and-run accident.

My Thoughts:
This one was pretty good... but nothing really special. Veronica has to help her best friend Wallace. but as I said... not that it was a bad episode... but I  for some reason just couldn't get into it.

[addicted2dvd]

Season 2: Disc 4

13. Ain't No Magic Mountain High Enough
When all of the proceeds for the senior class trip disappear while in her possession during the Neptune High Winter Carnival, Veronica must identify the clever thief among them and surprisingly finds herself defending Jackie as accusations fly.

My Thoughts:
This was a really good episode... I enjoyed it a lot! Of course I knew what happen when I watched it this time... but I do remember the mystery on this episode kept me guessing all the way through it when it originally aired. I would have to say this is one of my favorites of the season... if not the series.

14. Versatile Toppings
Neptune High's closeted gay teens, including cheerleader Kylie (guest star Kristin Cavallari), turn to Veronica for help when a blackmailer cracks into a private online bulletin board and threatens to publicly out everyone associated with the site unless they pay $5,000 apiece.

My Thoughts:
This was a good episode... had a decent single episode mystery.... but what I really enjoyed on this episode was how far they went on the season long mystery.

15. The Quick and the Wed
Wallace's new girlfriend Jane enlists Veronica's help when her older sister Heidi appears to be a "runaway bride," but the clues suggest something possibly more disturbing happened on the way to the altar.

My Thoughts:
This was a decent episode... though nothing really special about it. I found the single episode mystery only mildly entertaining.

16. The Rapes of Graff
While checking out Hearst College with Wallace, Veronica is stunned to run into her shady ex-boyfriend Troy Vandergraff during the tour, but the real surprise comes when Troy gets accused of date rape on campus and calls Veronica for help.

My Thoughts:
This episode was really good... had a great single episode mystery which sets up the third season very well... and it also works on the season long mystery quite a lot. Even though it is the third time I saw it... I was still glued to the TV for this episode!

[addicted2dvd]

Season 2: Disc 5

17. Plan B
Weevil enlists Veronica's help to finally prove who killed Felix and bring that person to justice.

My Thoughts:
Decent episode... but nothing here really impressive.

18. I Am God
A restless Veronica is plagued by dreams in which the students killed in the bus crash confront her.

My Thoughts:
This episode was enjoyable... although a little on the weird side what with all the dream sequences throughout the episode.

19. Nevermind the Buttocks
When Veronica decides to take on what seems to be an easy case of helping Harry, a Neptune senior, find the person who maliciously ran over his dog, she is taken aback by the startling facts she uncovers.

My Thoughts:
Good episode... brought the season long mystery much further... the single episode mystery was just mildly entertaining... but entertaining all the same.

20. Look Who's Stalking
When Gia is convinced she's being stalked, Veronica takes the case despite her dad's orders not to get involved because he believes Woody (guest star Steve Guttenberg) might be up to something, but what she discovers not only shocks both girls, but leads to further questions.

My Thoughts:
This was a good episode. Being the last 3 episodes of the season... they are concentrating more and more on the season long mystery... and even with that they still put out a decent single episode mystery as well. I really enjoyed this one!

Season 2: Disc 6

21. Happy Go Lucky
As Aaron Echolls' trial is about to conclude, tensions rise as Veronica, Keith and Logan take the witness stand to testify against him.

My Thoughts:
good episode.... this episode starts to pretty much tie up some of  the loose ends of the season... as well as tells you the outcome of Aaron Echolls' trial.

22. Not Pictured
After learning the identity of the perpetrator responsible for the bus crash, Veronica hurries to warn others, but ends up putting herself in an extremely perilous situation.

My Thoughts:
Excellent Episode!... this is the one that all comes together for the season long mystery. Once again they did a really good job putting everything together.

Over-All Season 2 Thoughts:

Well... that is the end of the second season... and the end of my marathon... It really was a lot of fun... once again... the second season was really enjoyable. The set also has a nice collection of extras... it is a really good set for an awesome show! If you never seen Veronica Mars... I highly recommend it!

[addicted2dvd]

I realized earlier that I never reviewed season 3 here. And since I been in the mood to watch some Veronica Mars here lately I thought I would fix that little problem.