Yeah, Mac, I know how you feel.
At long last, my thoughts on the Veronica Mars season finale! This is possibly the longest LJ entry I have ever written. I didn't intend it to be so detailed, and I hope it's not too pedantic. If you want to skip over my "issues" to the end, where I explain why I still love Veronica Mars, please feel free! :)
I'd also like to preface this by saying that *nothing* I think about Cassidy/Beaver has anything to do with Kyle Gallner's portrayal, which I found to be consistent and moving throughout the season. Kyle, I'm going to miss you! However, I am not satisfied with the reveal of the killer because, for me, it doesn't hang together characterologically - and I mean that psychologically, as opposed to a through line in the fictional character.
I read a post-finale interview with Rob Thomas in which he said that Beaver was conceived as a killer. Last year, they knew when they introduced him as Dick's picked-on little brother that he would be this year's mass murderer. I assume then that the choice to have Beav rat on Logan to Veronica was a calculation on RT's part to make us think that Beav wasn't totally comfortable with the 09er's behaviors and that, maybe, he had some conscience. I have no problem with RT including that; I expect misdirection in mystery. But, RT also said that when they filmed "A Trip to the Dentist" the plan was not to make Beav the rapist; that they only realized later that they left the door open for a ret-con of of that scene. So what's my problem? Well, it's because that rape is actually a more in-character crime for a sociopath to commit - impulsive and opportunistic. And since they didn't know Beav was going to be the rapist then, what was Beav's motivation in telling Veronica the truth?
And that leads me back to my original point about the psychology in this story. Was he supposed to be a sociopath or a psychopath? Because either way, Cassidy did not meet the criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder (of which sociopathy and psychopathy are subsets.) Here's an exerpt from Diagnostic Criteria ( DSM-IV™ ) made easy:
Antisocial personality disorder is characterized by a lack of regard for the moral or legal standards in the local culture. There is a marked inability to get along with others or abide by societal rules. Individuals with this disorder are sometimes called psychopaths or sociopaths.
1. Since the age of fifteen there has been a disregard for and violation of the right's of others, those right's considered normal by the local culture, as indicated by at least three of the following:
A. Repeated acts that could lead to arrest.
B. Conning for pleasure or profit, repeated lying, or the use of aliases.
C. Failure to plan ahead or being impulsive.
D. Repeated assaults on others.
E. Reckless when it comes to their or others safety.
F. Poor work behavior or failure to honor financial obligations.
G. Rationalizing the pain they inflict on others.
2. At least eighteen years in age.
3. Evidence of a Conduct Disorder, with its onset before the age of fifteen.
4. Symptoms not due to another mental disorder.
So, definitely 1A and 1G, but, unless we include his real estate venture in 1B (though I think technically it was legal), he doesn't make the cut. Also, criteria 3 states people who are diagnosed with APD as adults have a history of Conduct Disorder as children, which Cassidy definitely did not have. (Research has shown that a large percentage of individuals with this disorder have recognizable behaviors prior to age 15. These behaviors include difficulty with authority, legal altercations, cruelty to animals, fire setting, and a dislike or anger toward authority.) In RL, I know more people than most with a history of sexual abuse as children (though they are mostly women) and, anecdotally, they tend to be self-destructive; it's very common for there to be substance abuse issues and impulsive acting-out physically. A predator like Woody *would* be looking to prey on a character like the Beaver we saw on screen; a loner, ignored by parents and ridiculed by peers. Those sexually abused as children can develop Borderline Peronality Disorder and there can be a co-morbid diagnosis of Borderline (or Narcissistic) Personality Disorder with APD, but Cassidy doesn't meet the criteria for those either. My major problem with this arc is that APD is not born out of sexual abuse; it's a characterological disorder evident very early on by a cluster of behaviors and a child that fits that criteria is probably not the type of child Woody would have picked out for special attention.
Lest you think I'm taking this all too seriously (Moi?) I do a lot of handwaving when I watch tv and movies, as Hollywood tends to glamorize the sociopath/psychopath, making them highly intelligent, cultured, calm, calculating and always in control. Not exactly in keeping with this list of psychopathic traits: "Glib and superficial charm; Grandiose sense of self-worth; Need for stimulation; Pathological lying; Conning and manipulativeness; Lack of remorse or guilt; Shallow affect; Callousness and lack of empathy; Parasitic lifestyle; Poor behavioral controls; Promiscuous sexual behavior; Early behavior problems; Lack of realistic, long-term goals; Impulsivity; Irresponsibility; Failure to accept responsibility for own actions; Many short-term marital relationships; Juvenile delinquency; Revocation of conditional release; Criminal versatility." Again, outside the lack of remorse/empathy, that doesn't much sound like the Beav.
Now, here's a list of sociopathic traits: "Egocentricity; Callousness; Impulsivity; Conscience defect; Exaggerated sexuality; Excessive boasting; Risk taking; Inability to resist temptation; Antagonistic, deprecating attitude toward the opposite sex; Lack of interest in bonding with a mate." That also doesn't sound much like Beav, though it sure does sound like ... Aaron Echolls! (As a side note, a high level of first degree relatives of those with APD have the diagnosis as well, so watch out Veronica!) I think part of my disappointment with this year's reveal is that last year's made retrospective sense. We had seen Aaron exhibit almost all those traits at various times throughout the year. Aaron was written in a manner that allowed Harry Hamlin to let bits of his real personality leak out sometimes through his facade. In particular, I remember having an exchange in this journal last year with denyeverything1 about the scene in "M.A.D." when Aaron came upon Logan and Veronica making out on the couch and acted all flustered. At the time I said it seemed odd that someone who was as promiscuous as Aaron was would be uncomfortable when confronted with his son's sexuality, and we agreed that it was almost as if he was 'acting' the way a 'normal' father would. There was no corresponding scene for me with Cassidy. Yes, the scene when he stopped Dick from hitting him by saying "Remember Sally?" did give one pause, as intended, but even now we don't know what it meant. In fact, in opposition to the characteristics revealed on the roof of his inability to feel empathy or remorse, he was consistently shown as sincere in his relationship with Mac. That doesn't track.
I had the sinking feeling when I was watching "Plan B" that Cassidy was going down. I didn't want to accept it, though, and tried my best to come up with an alternative theory. (Which, even though it wasn't true, was still better than Veronica's theory about Weevil! Hee) In part, it was because I liked the character of Beav, but as I've just explained at great length, character and motivation-wise, it just didn't make sense to me. Plotwise, I still think there were too many elements left to chance, primarily that Cassidy planned to kill Marcos and Peter on the way home from the trip, *after* they'd had the chance to talk to Woody and possibly cause a scene in front of all their classmates.
On a positive note, I've watched the second scene on the roof about 20 times and it is viscerally amazing. Even with the issues I have with Cassidy's arc, seeing him fight Logan and Veronica, having his secrets exposed, and watching the full weight of his realization that it's all over crush him is awful. Kyle Gallner does a great job in that scene, standing on the ledge plaintively crying out his name, then the little shrug when he gets the final non-response of his life and he steps back. Even though I didn't buy into the plot as a whole or the premise on which it was built, he made me feel the tragedy of Cassidy. For me, that's what's so wonderful about this show - the dialogue and the characterization are so consistently phenomenal.
Kristen Bell is so good, I realize I just sort of take her for granted. I expect her to bring the fabulous and she always does. She keeps Veronica's lid on pretty tight, but when she lets it go, she really lets it go. And Jason Dohring continues to bowl me over with his craft. The myriad of emotions that cross his face as Logan realizes he has no answer for Cassidy and then watches him die is heartbreaking. A reviewer said that watching that scene on the roof was like watching Logan grow up, and I agree. (ETA: As I noted in the comments) This scene was a great example of the noir convention that the truth may be revealed ... but it doesn't help or make anything better.
Random bits:
I've never been a huge fan of Weevil, but for crissakes, can Lamb be anymore of an asshole? I'm with comice on the abject confusion of why the fangirls love him.
Oh subconscious, how I love you! Veronica's graduation day dream was awesome, in that disjointed way dreams have of combining wishes and sorrows and the occasional knowledge that you're dreaming.
Duncan, ordering 2 in the hat? Dude, I never thought you had it in you!
I do so love Keith and see him as so integral to the show that when the plane blew up in the sky over Neptune, my reaction was one of total dissonance and I asked "Is this a dream?" Because there was no conceivable way that could have happened!
Put me in the camp of those who felt the scenes between Wallace and Jackie could have been in the previous episode, because there were lots of other scenes I wanted to see. For example, even a non-verbal, wide shot of the crime scene in front of the hotel, with Mac and Dick being led out past Cassidy, or Logan finding out about his father's assasination, or Logan and Veronica's reconciliation and first kiss scene. Oh, well, maybe some nice fic author will write those.
Hey denyeverything1, I forgive the schmoopy LoVe action at the end, because the show had to serve as both a season finale and a possible series finale, in which case something definitive was needed (see the bitter XF fandom for further info.) Plus, Veronica was so in-character in that scene - "Everything will be just fine!" Forget Wallace; denial is her BFF! :) And I actually liked the symbolism of Veronica at the gate, waiting and wondering, just like us ... Hope we see you in September!
I'd also like to preface this by saying that *nothing* I think about Cassidy/Beaver has anything to do with Kyle Gallner's portrayal, which I found to be consistent and moving throughout the season. Kyle, I'm going to miss you! However, I am not satisfied with the reveal of the killer because, for me, it doesn't hang together characterologically - and I mean that psychologically, as opposed to a through line in the fictional character.
I read a post-finale interview with Rob Thomas in which he said that Beaver was conceived as a killer. Last year, they knew when they introduced him as Dick's picked-on little brother that he would be this year's mass murderer. I assume then that the choice to have Beav rat on Logan to Veronica was a calculation on RT's part to make us think that Beav wasn't totally comfortable with the 09er's behaviors and that, maybe, he had some conscience. I have no problem with RT including that; I expect misdirection in mystery. But, RT also said that when they filmed "A Trip to the Dentist" the plan was not to make Beav the rapist; that they only realized later that they left the door open for a ret-con of of that scene. So what's my problem? Well, it's because that rape is actually a more in-character crime for a sociopath to commit - impulsive and opportunistic. And since they didn't know Beav was going to be the rapist then, what was Beav's motivation in telling Veronica the truth?
And that leads me back to my original point about the psychology in this story. Was he supposed to be a sociopath or a psychopath? Because either way, Cassidy did not meet the criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder (of which sociopathy and psychopathy are subsets.) Here's an exerpt from Diagnostic Criteria ( DSM-IV™ ) made easy:
Antisocial personality disorder is characterized by a lack of regard for the moral or legal standards in the local culture. There is a marked inability to get along with others or abide by societal rules. Individuals with this disorder are sometimes called psychopaths or sociopaths.
1. Since the age of fifteen there has been a disregard for and violation of the right's of others, those right's considered normal by the local culture, as indicated by at least three of the following:
A. Repeated acts that could lead to arrest.
B. Conning for pleasure or profit, repeated lying, or the use of aliases.
C. Failure to plan ahead or being impulsive.
D. Repeated assaults on others.
E. Reckless when it comes to their or others safety.
F. Poor work behavior or failure to honor financial obligations.
G. Rationalizing the pain they inflict on others.
2. At least eighteen years in age.
3. Evidence of a Conduct Disorder, with its onset before the age of fifteen.
4. Symptoms not due to another mental disorder.
So, definitely 1A and 1G, but, unless we include his real estate venture in 1B (though I think technically it was legal), he doesn't make the cut. Also, criteria 3 states people who are diagnosed with APD as adults have a history of Conduct Disorder as children, which Cassidy definitely did not have. (Research has shown that a large percentage of individuals with this disorder have recognizable behaviors prior to age 15. These behaviors include difficulty with authority, legal altercations, cruelty to animals, fire setting, and a dislike or anger toward authority.) In RL, I know more people than most with a history of sexual abuse as children (though they are mostly women) and, anecdotally, they tend to be self-destructive; it's very common for there to be substance abuse issues and impulsive acting-out physically. A predator like Woody *would* be looking to prey on a character like the Beaver we saw on screen; a loner, ignored by parents and ridiculed by peers. Those sexually abused as children can develop Borderline Peronality Disorder and there can be a co-morbid diagnosis of Borderline (or Narcissistic) Personality Disorder with APD, but Cassidy doesn't meet the criteria for those either. My major problem with this arc is that APD is not born out of sexual abuse; it's a characterological disorder evident very early on by a cluster of behaviors and a child that fits that criteria is probably not the type of child Woody would have picked out for special attention.
Lest you think I'm taking this all too seriously (Moi?) I do a lot of handwaving when I watch tv and movies, as Hollywood tends to glamorize the sociopath/psychopath, making them highly intelligent, cultured, calm, calculating and always in control. Not exactly in keeping with this list of psychopathic traits: "Glib and superficial charm; Grandiose sense of self-worth; Need for stimulation; Pathological lying; Conning and manipulativeness; Lack of remorse or guilt; Shallow affect; Callousness and lack of empathy; Parasitic lifestyle; Poor behavioral controls; Promiscuous sexual behavior; Early behavior problems; Lack of realistic, long-term goals; Impulsivity; Irresponsibility; Failure to accept responsibility for own actions; Many short-term marital relationships; Juvenile delinquency; Revocation of conditional release; Criminal versatility." Again, outside the lack of remorse/empathy, that doesn't much sound like the Beav.
Now, here's a list of sociopathic traits: "Egocentricity; Callousness; Impulsivity; Conscience defect; Exaggerated sexuality; Excessive boasting; Risk taking; Inability to resist temptation; Antagonistic, deprecating attitude toward the opposite sex; Lack of interest in bonding with a mate." That also doesn't sound much like Beav, though it sure does sound like ... Aaron Echolls! (As a side note, a high level of first degree relatives of those with APD have the diagnosis as well, so watch out Veronica!) I think part of my disappointment with this year's reveal is that last year's made retrospective sense. We had seen Aaron exhibit almost all those traits at various times throughout the year. Aaron was written in a manner that allowed Harry Hamlin to let bits of his real personality leak out sometimes through his facade. In particular, I remember having an exchange in this journal last year with denyeverything1 about the scene in "M.A.D." when Aaron came upon Logan and Veronica making out on the couch and acted all flustered. At the time I said it seemed odd that someone who was as promiscuous as Aaron was would be uncomfortable when confronted with his son's sexuality, and we agreed that it was almost as if he was 'acting' the way a 'normal' father would. There was no corresponding scene for me with Cassidy. Yes, the scene when he stopped Dick from hitting him by saying "Remember Sally?" did give one pause, as intended, but even now we don't know what it meant. In fact, in opposition to the characteristics revealed on the roof of his inability to feel empathy or remorse, he was consistently shown as sincere in his relationship with Mac. That doesn't track.
I had the sinking feeling when I was watching "Plan B" that Cassidy was going down. I didn't want to accept it, though, and tried my best to come up with an alternative theory. (Which, even though it wasn't true, was still better than Veronica's theory about Weevil! Hee) In part, it was because I liked the character of Beav, but as I've just explained at great length, character and motivation-wise, it just didn't make sense to me. Plotwise, I still think there were too many elements left to chance, primarily that Cassidy planned to kill Marcos and Peter on the way home from the trip, *after* they'd had the chance to talk to Woody and possibly cause a scene in front of all their classmates.
On a positive note, I've watched the second scene on the roof about 20 times and it is viscerally amazing. Even with the issues I have with Cassidy's arc, seeing him fight Logan and Veronica, having his secrets exposed, and watching the full weight of his realization that it's all over crush him is awful. Kyle Gallner does a great job in that scene, standing on the ledge plaintively crying out his name, then the little shrug when he gets the final non-response of his life and he steps back. Even though I didn't buy into the plot as a whole or the premise on which it was built, he made me feel the tragedy of Cassidy. For me, that's what's so wonderful about this show - the dialogue and the characterization are so consistently phenomenal.
Kristen Bell is so good, I realize I just sort of take her for granted. I expect her to bring the fabulous and she always does. She keeps Veronica's lid on pretty tight, but when she lets it go, she really lets it go. And Jason Dohring continues to bowl me over with his craft. The myriad of emotions that cross his face as Logan realizes he has no answer for Cassidy and then watches him die is heartbreaking. A reviewer said that watching that scene on the roof was like watching Logan grow up, and I agree. (ETA: As I noted in the comments) This scene was a great example of the noir convention that the truth may be revealed ... but it doesn't help or make anything better.
Random bits:
I've never been a huge fan of Weevil, but for crissakes, can Lamb be anymore of an asshole? I'm with comice on the abject confusion of why the fangirls love him.
Oh subconscious, how I love you! Veronica's graduation day dream was awesome, in that disjointed way dreams have of combining wishes and sorrows and the occasional knowledge that you're dreaming.
Duncan, ordering 2 in the hat? Dude, I never thought you had it in you!
I do so love Keith and see him as so integral to the show that when the plane blew up in the sky over Neptune, my reaction was one of total dissonance and I asked "Is this a dream?" Because there was no conceivable way that could have happened!
Put me in the camp of those who felt the scenes between Wallace and Jackie could have been in the previous episode, because there were lots of other scenes I wanted to see. For example, even a non-verbal, wide shot of the crime scene in front of the hotel, with Mac and Dick being led out past Cassidy, or Logan finding out about his father's assasination, or Logan and Veronica's reconciliation and first kiss scene. Oh, well, maybe some nice fic author will write those.
Hey denyeverything1, I forgive the schmoopy LoVe action at the end, because the show had to serve as both a season finale and a possible series finale, in which case something definitive was needed (see the bitter XF fandom for further info.) Plus, Veronica was so in-character in that scene - "Everything will be just fine!" Forget Wallace; denial is her BFF! :) And I actually liked the symbolism of Veronica at the gate, waiting and wondering, just like us ... Hope we see you in September!