Mars-a-thon finished!
Thanks to monanotlisa, I was able to finish Veronica Mars' first season. Overall: I think it's excellent, but I'm not in love. Not yet, anyway. Sometimes this happens very quickly with me (BSG, for example), sometimes it takes a while (BtVS, Alias, or Farscape). No idea what makes the difference - it's not the quality of writing, because Babylon 5's first season was a mixed bunch and yet I was in love straight away (well, from Born to the Purple onwards).
Firstly, I thought Thomas played fair with the identity of the killer. While I hadn't guessed Aaron Echols, he has been portrayed consistently throughout the season as prone to extreme physical violence, with a volatile temper, and as someone who reacts extremely badly if he thinks he's, or could be, publically humiliated (at various times to Logan and Lynn both). He also screwed pretty much everything that was female and had a pulse, so there wouldn't be any scruples about Lily. (Lily having sex with Logan's father otoh takes some more suspension of disbelief, as that seems cruel - he was bound to find out one day; however, the show also established she was massively ticked off at Logan for kissing what-was-her-name, and her behaviour towards what-was-her-name for the perceived betrayal was cruel, too, so yes, there is set up for Lily having it in her.)
Secondly, one of the three scenarios I imagined did turn out to be true - Jake and Celeste Kane believing Duncan to be the killer while Duncan actually isn't; as the Kanes' behaviour re: Abel Koontz made no sense otherwise, I wasn't surprised there. Speaking of Duncan, that he broke up with Veronica because Celeste had told him she was/might be his sister was telegraphed rather early; his involvement in Veronica's missing night, otoh, was an unexpected twist. Very murky ethical area here, with both parties drugged (was it date rape by third parties then?) yet semi-consenting. I like the shades of gray.
Veronica remained a great, human and flawed heroine. I appreciate that Thomas gave her not-perfect reactions; she wasn't Mary Sue, all understanding, when Keith started to date again, but downright selfish the first time and less than gracious the second, and condescending with the assumption that Alicia was just temporary till her mother returned. All of which was just as much her as her bravery, wit and sassiness, and makes her a character who feels real. The later season Veronica scene that stands out for me is the showdown with her mother. Until then, I had been somewhat annoyed by Lianne because I thought Rob Thomas wanted us to see her as a pitiable victim and her return as a great thing. I should have been more trusting. Veronica's disillusionment with Lianne, Lianne taking the money in the end - just as she had taken Veronica's college money - all that was a great payoff, no pun intended.
However, it bears noting that mothers don't fare well in this universe. I mean, Alicia is pretty much the only decent recurring one. Otherwise, you have Lianne the alcoholic leech, Lynn who commits suicide in the full knowledge she leaves her son with his abusive father (and who apparently never did anything to stop the abuse before dying), and Celeste the ice queen who neglected her daughter and treated her son like a Ken doll. Meanwhile, Aaron is the only rotten father around, whereas on the other hand you've got Keith (perfect Dad, more about that later) and Jake Kane who isn't perfect but doesn't appear to have the same non-communication with his children, either. Oh yeah, and Abel Koontz who is willing to go to death row so his daughter can get lots of money. Ah well. I suppose we'll have to wait another season to see whether that was just a coincidence or whether someone has Mommy issues.
(And as far as one episode only mothers are concerned: the most touching proof of maternal love seems to be loving your child from a distance. The transgendered woman who is the father of Veronica's client of the week travels so many miles just to catch a weekly glimpse of her son, which Veronica cites as a stunning proof of love and which is very touching, but it's still a onesided thing, not the communication between fathers and their children shown in the series; and Mac's natural mother longingly watches her through the window of her car, again not actually communicating save in one gesture.)
In my last review, I complained about Keith being too perfect, a judgment which I'm happy to report I have revised. Him making the DNA test which Veronica didn't go through in the end was a reassuringly not-perfect human reaction, and now he's just a great father. I'm in two minds about him turning out to be Veronica's biological father after all, though. It seems to me the show wants to have their cake and eat it here. On the one hand, you have Veronica making her choice of Keith as the father she wants and loves, but on the other, the audience gets reassured that he is in fact her father. It would have been more powerful storytelling, in my opinion, if Keith and Veronica would have chosen each other as father and daughter and if the choice had not been supported by biology. It didn't have to be. Keith is Veronica's father in every way that counts.
(Maybe I'm influenced by the fact that Alias already gave us Jack telling Sydney he tested their DNA and would have continued to love her as his daughter anyway, but that she actually was his daughter. Just once, I want to see someone making such a declaration without biological backup after all.)
Now that I've seen the season, I was finally able to read rozk`s comments on the show in her new book, and was struck by her observation that Logan is Fanon!Draco. Because he is. That perhaps explains why I never really warmed up to him. (Sidenote: HBP was the first Harry Potter novel where I actually was interested and felt something for Canon!Draco. Before, I was indifferent to mildly annoyed. The existence of Fanon!Draco, otoh, he of the leather trousers, abusive father, sudden increase in wit and snark and heart of gold underneath it all, always irritated me beyond belief.) I mean, he's a good character. The show does the poor little rich boy thing, and the ability to care deeply (about his mother, Lily, Veronica and Duncan), but doesn't pretend the abusive father and much cash didn't really result in Logan behaving like a jerk quite often (buying homeless people for a prize fight comes to mind) and showing worrying signs of going his father's way in terms of his use of violence. (Is Logan beating up the undercover cop not a mini version of Aaron beating up Dylan, aka Trina's abusive boyfriend? They both have a psychological "I'm only doing this to protect a woman I love" excuse for themselves. And Aaron might not have been lying when mentioning his own abusive father and wish to protect his mother.) Still, when I'm seeking out fanfic based on the show now, I won't be looking for Logan stories. Which is unfortunate for me, because I can already see he's the woobie of choice for the fandom and gets most of the fanfic.
It's similar with what appear to be the main pairings: Logan/Veronica and Logan/Weevil. Like, say, Sheridan/Delenn on B5, or John/Aeryn on Farscape, I have no problems with them on the actual show, but am content with what I get there - I don't want to read explorations of these relationships in fanfic. I'm interested in Veronica and the Kane siblings, both Duncan and Lily, and Veronica and Wallace; some fictional follow-up on Meg and Mac would also be appreciated. Just not Veronica and Logan.
And now for the big question: I hear Charisma Carter is going to be on the show next season? Whom is she going to play?
Firstly, I thought Thomas played fair with the identity of the killer. While I hadn't guessed Aaron Echols, he has been portrayed consistently throughout the season as prone to extreme physical violence, with a volatile temper, and as someone who reacts extremely badly if he thinks he's, or could be, publically humiliated (at various times to Logan and Lynn both). He also screwed pretty much everything that was female and had a pulse, so there wouldn't be any scruples about Lily. (Lily having sex with Logan's father otoh takes some more suspension of disbelief, as that seems cruel - he was bound to find out one day; however, the show also established she was massively ticked off at Logan for kissing what-was-her-name, and her behaviour towards what-was-her-name for the perceived betrayal was cruel, too, so yes, there is set up for Lily having it in her.)
Secondly, one of the three scenarios I imagined did turn out to be true - Jake and Celeste Kane believing Duncan to be the killer while Duncan actually isn't; as the Kanes' behaviour re: Abel Koontz made no sense otherwise, I wasn't surprised there. Speaking of Duncan, that he broke up with Veronica because Celeste had told him she was/might be his sister was telegraphed rather early; his involvement in Veronica's missing night, otoh, was an unexpected twist. Very murky ethical area here, with both parties drugged (was it date rape by third parties then?) yet semi-consenting. I like the shades of gray.
Veronica remained a great, human and flawed heroine. I appreciate that Thomas gave her not-perfect reactions; she wasn't Mary Sue, all understanding, when Keith started to date again, but downright selfish the first time and less than gracious the second, and condescending with the assumption that Alicia was just temporary till her mother returned. All of which was just as much her as her bravery, wit and sassiness, and makes her a character who feels real. The later season Veronica scene that stands out for me is the showdown with her mother. Until then, I had been somewhat annoyed by Lianne because I thought Rob Thomas wanted us to see her as a pitiable victim and her return as a great thing. I should have been more trusting. Veronica's disillusionment with Lianne, Lianne taking the money in the end - just as she had taken Veronica's college money - all that was a great payoff, no pun intended.
However, it bears noting that mothers don't fare well in this universe. I mean, Alicia is pretty much the only decent recurring one. Otherwise, you have Lianne the alcoholic leech, Lynn who commits suicide in the full knowledge she leaves her son with his abusive father (and who apparently never did anything to stop the abuse before dying), and Celeste the ice queen who neglected her daughter and treated her son like a Ken doll. Meanwhile, Aaron is the only rotten father around, whereas on the other hand you've got Keith (perfect Dad, more about that later) and Jake Kane who isn't perfect but doesn't appear to have the same non-communication with his children, either. Oh yeah, and Abel Koontz who is willing to go to death row so his daughter can get lots of money. Ah well. I suppose we'll have to wait another season to see whether that was just a coincidence or whether someone has Mommy issues.
(And as far as one episode only mothers are concerned: the most touching proof of maternal love seems to be loving your child from a distance. The transgendered woman who is the father of Veronica's client of the week travels so many miles just to catch a weekly glimpse of her son, which Veronica cites as a stunning proof of love and which is very touching, but it's still a onesided thing, not the communication between fathers and their children shown in the series; and Mac's natural mother longingly watches her through the window of her car, again not actually communicating save in one gesture.)
In my last review, I complained about Keith being too perfect, a judgment which I'm happy to report I have revised. Him making the DNA test which Veronica didn't go through in the end was a reassuringly not-perfect human reaction, and now he's just a great father. I'm in two minds about him turning out to be Veronica's biological father after all, though. It seems to me the show wants to have their cake and eat it here. On the one hand, you have Veronica making her choice of Keith as the father she wants and loves, but on the other, the audience gets reassured that he is in fact her father. It would have been more powerful storytelling, in my opinion, if Keith and Veronica would have chosen each other as father and daughter and if the choice had not been supported by biology. It didn't have to be. Keith is Veronica's father in every way that counts.
(Maybe I'm influenced by the fact that Alias already gave us Jack telling Sydney he tested their DNA and would have continued to love her as his daughter anyway, but that she actually was his daughter. Just once, I want to see someone making such a declaration without biological backup after all.)
Now that I've seen the season, I was finally able to read rozk`s comments on the show in her new book, and was struck by her observation that Logan is Fanon!Draco. Because he is. That perhaps explains why I never really warmed up to him. (Sidenote: HBP was the first Harry Potter novel where I actually was interested and felt something for Canon!Draco. Before, I was indifferent to mildly annoyed. The existence of Fanon!Draco, otoh, he of the leather trousers, abusive father, sudden increase in wit and snark and heart of gold underneath it all, always irritated me beyond belief.) I mean, he's a good character. The show does the poor little rich boy thing, and the ability to care deeply (about his mother, Lily, Veronica and Duncan), but doesn't pretend the abusive father and much cash didn't really result in Logan behaving like a jerk quite often (buying homeless people for a prize fight comes to mind) and showing worrying signs of going his father's way in terms of his use of violence. (Is Logan beating up the undercover cop not a mini version of Aaron beating up Dylan, aka Trina's abusive boyfriend? They both have a psychological "I'm only doing this to protect a woman I love" excuse for themselves. And Aaron might not have been lying when mentioning his own abusive father and wish to protect his mother.) Still, when I'm seeking out fanfic based on the show now, I won't be looking for Logan stories. Which is unfortunate for me, because I can already see he's the woobie of choice for the fandom and gets most of the fanfic.
It's similar with what appear to be the main pairings: Logan/Veronica and Logan/Weevil. Like, say, Sheridan/Delenn on B5, or John/Aeryn on Farscape, I have no problems with them on the actual show, but am content with what I get there - I don't want to read explorations of these relationships in fanfic. I'm interested in Veronica and the Kane siblings, both Duncan and Lily, and Veronica and Wallace; some fictional follow-up on Meg and Mac would also be appreciated. Just not Veronica and Logan.
And now for the big question: I hear Charisma Carter is going to be on the show next season? Whom is she going to play?