Veronica (Kristen Bell): “You want to know how I lost my virginity? So do I.”
Veronica Mars was a cult hit during its run from 2004-2007, and has since been brought back to life as a feature film coming out in a few months thanks to one of the world’s most successful Kickstarter projects. The sheer fact the fans of the series have solely funded an entire feature-length film shows the power of a cult success. So, I thought it was high-time I saw what all the fuss was about.
The series follows the titular character’s high-school life while she simultaneously solves mysteries, using her father’s detective background as a stimulus. The premise didn’t seem all that catchy to me, which is one of the reasons it took so long for me to give it a shot. I watched episode 1 before Christmas and thought it was very average… Then, this weekend, I thought I’d give it another try. And watched six episodes. I think I’m hooked.
The show investigates three major mysteries which I’m assuming will be season-long-arcs, all slowly revealed alongside each episode’s individual, smaller mystery. These three big mysteries are Veronica’s mother abandoning her; who raped Veronica before the series began; and the murder of her best friend, Lily Kane (Amanda Seyfried).
Lily Kane’s murder is the plot’s main focus, and so far the show is balancing hit-and-miss humour with some very intriguing dark story-lines. I find that I can’t wait to finish writing this so I can watch another episode and find out more about the murder. It’s very much a who-dunnit, and I’ll admit to already guessing a lot of the cast are behind it. Though my main theory right now is that it was Lily’s mother – she seems rather unhappy about Lily’s wild-side and the effects it was having on her family.
Every episode feels different from the last, and things don’t get too stale thanks to every episode having its own standalone mystery. There have been a couple of episodes that I’ve breezed through and not been too interested in, but there have been far more that I’ve loved and enjoyed the constant twists and turns. One thing is for sure – this isn’t a show to watch while you’re busy doing something else. You need to sit down and pay attention to every line, or the constantly shifting plot will just confuse you and put you off.
It didn’t hook me right from the get-go, but few things do. I’m already finding myself thinking: “why didn’t I watch this sooner?!”
If you’re in the same position as me and are wanting something new to watch but don’t know if V Mars is for you – give it a go. But don’t give up after the pilot. Give yourself three episodes to see if it’s for you or not.
Take Two 
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