Veronica Mars: Top 5 Things We Hope to See

By starrymag | July 24, 2019

By: Dustin Bradley

 

 

Veronica Mars is back! The cult classic television series that aired from 2004-2007 on the UPN and then The CW and spawned a Kickstarter funded movie in 2014, as well as two novels, is returning for a new season on Hulu. We were scheduled for a release on July 26th, but we were surprised at San Diego Comic Con when it was announced to be already online by star Kristen Bell. 

 

This show means a lot to me. I first stumbled upon it when I was eight-years-old while flipping channels and I actually landed on the final episode of season one and even as a child seeing such a powerful teenager do the things Veronica does it enthralled me. Cut to when I was sixteen-years-old, I got a job and one of the first things I bought was the complete seasons 1-3 on DVD. I was finally able to binge them all back to back and I knew at that time I was seeing something special. Veronica (Kristen Bell) was a teen who got bullied and instead of taking it she fought back with her intellect. As someone getting bullied at the time for being different, I saw her as an example. She helped me learn that sometimes it truly doesn’t matter what people think of you as long as you have integrity. 

 

If you are new to the show or a returning “Marshmallow,” which the fandom calls ourselves, then you will be sure to enjoy this fantastic show and revival. Join me while I give you my Top 5 things I hope to see in it’s new season!

 

The Plot

 

Veronica Mars started out as a teenaged Private Investigator who works alongside her father Keith (Enrico Colantoni) at his agency, Mars Investigation, in the sunny seaside town of Neptune, California. This season we deal with Veronica’s reemergence into the 09’er crowd due to her relationships with Duncan (Teddy Dunn) and Logan (Jason Dohring) and her clearing Logan in the charges of murdering a PCH gang member.

 

The series, the books and the movie lead us to this current season, which has Veronica solving a case of bombings that are affecting spring break in Neptune. Once again it’s a struggle for the haves and the have-nots to save the tourism industry that powers so many small businesses. 

 

I really hope that this season we will get to see an adult Veronica navigate this Neptune that has changed so much and yet has stayed the same. The mystery is very intriguing and is as horrific, if not more so, than any other season. It will be interesting to see a more mature Veronica as she handles things now versus her high school days.

 

The Characters and Cast

 

A major strength of this show is its cast and characters. Heading into the revival are returning characters Veronica, Keith, Logan, Wallace (Percy Daggs III), Weevil (Francis Capra) and Dick (Ryan Hansen). Plus, we will be some fan favorite recurring faces as well.

 

Kristen Bell always shines as Veronica. This is the role that made her famous and boy is it a juicy and wonderful character. Veronica is tough, sassy and vulnerable in all the right ways. The complexities that Bell has gotten to play in this character that has been masterfully written by Rob Thomas and his group of writers proves why this character means so much not only to her, but to the fans as well.

 

This revival appearances I am most excited for are J.K. Simmons and Izabela Vidovic. Simmons portrays Clyde, a man that Dick Sr. met on the inside of prison and now that they are out he works as his “fixer.” And Vidovic portarys Marty, a teenage girl who loses a loved one in the first bombing and is determined to get justice. 

 

It is a huge get to have Simmons in the cast and I am excited to see him interact with Colantoni and to hear the writing that Thomas and the writers have for such a fantastic character actor. And Vidovic’s character reminds me of a young Veronica so seeing her explore those places of being too smart for your own good and so determined that you’ll do whatever it takes will be quite enjoyable to see Vidovic portray. Some other new cast member include Dawnn Lewis as the new Neptune bumbling Police Chief, Kirby Howell-Baptiste as a local bar owner who is affected by what’s happening this spring break, Patton Oswalt as a pizza guy who is a crime buff and Clifton Collins, Jr. as a member of the Mexican cartel. 

 

The Mystery 

 

Not since the bus crash of Season Two have the stakes been so high that multiple people are dying. These bombings are taking lives and destroying parts of the seaside town that rely on tourism to boost the local economy. Who is behind this mass murder and why?

 

The mysteries of this show have always been intriguing and this one is the most fascinating to me since Season Two. This is a matter of life and death that Veronica is solving. And if she doesn’t then who knows who will die next. I hope to not only get the answer to who is behind this mystery, but also pick up on some clues that might be of interest for my next rewatch of the series.

 

The Relationships

 

There are two very important relationships on this show for most friends and that is the father/daughter one with Keith and Veronica and “LoVe,” the ship name for Logan and Veronica.

 

Let’s start with Keith and Veronica. This show has always handled their relationship very well. These two constantly have each other’s backs and really know what it means to unconditionally love one another. The healthy relationship between parent and child is a rare one to really come across in the television landscape, but this show has never had a dull moment with these two main characters and I hope to see more with them since they are now officially coworkers, having been “partners” the past five years. 

 

Then there is “LoVe.” Fans have rooted for this couple since midway through Season One. We have seen them evolve from disliking one another to being deeply in love. Now, here we are with them being in a consistent relationship for the past five years that has had its ups and downs with Logan being stationed away from Neptune on and off during his naval service, but they have always pulled through. I’m excited to see what could possibly be in store for them this season as I’m sure many other fans are. 

 

The Marshmallows

 

This mini series! Hulu announced that it was picking this series up for not only a fourth season, but for exclusive streaming rights to the previous three and eventually the movie (after they get the streaming rights back from HBO who currently holds them now). Since the announcement fans and cast alike have been clamoring for more “Veronica Mars.” Kristen Bell has already said she is game for more mini seasons of this show and from the cast and fan reactions since comic con I imagine that’s a definite possibility. 

 

I’m excited to see the Easter eggs planted just for us major fans of the show and I’m hoping that there is enough to keep us entertained. The movie and books have so many hidden secrets and recurring characters in it that I am super pumped to see how they translate this to the new show. This is a rare thing where a cult classic show has been in the zeitgeist even when off the air and has inspired so many that all of us Marshmallows clamor for more story to be told. 

 

Be sure to stream Veronica Mars exclusively on Hulu and certainly tweet Hulu to show your support for this show! Tell them you want more! Make sure that you introduce your family and friends to the show and allow them to join our Marshmallow gang!