Alas, Veronica Mars, We Hardly Knew You

This set contains the third and final season of Veronica Mars. To be honest, I'm surprised that this show made it through three seasons because the ratings were so low. However, I am highly disappointed this show didn't last longer because I love it so much.

Those unfamiliar with the series could jump in here. In this seasons, teenage sleuth Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell) leaves the world of high school behind and enters college. Most of the supporting cast comes along for the ride, but the situations are all new. Having said that, the solution to the season long mystery of season two would be spoiled if you started here. So, while a new viewer could jump in here, I wouldn't recommend it.

Veronica is a freshman at Hearst College, located in her home town of Neptune, California. She had wanted to get out of Neptune, but finances didn't come together and she had to stay. In fact, she is living with her father Keith (Enrico Colantoni) to save money. Keith is a PI in town, and Veronica sometimes helps him. When she's not solving cases on her own.

For example, best friend Wallace's (Percy Daggs III) new roommate Piz (Chris Lowell) is robbed of his stuff as soon as he arrives on campus. Can Veronica track down the "Welcome Wagon?" Boyfriend Logan (Jason Dohring) discovers money is missing from his trust fund. Something weird is going on at a sorority house. Veronica and her friend Mac (Tina Majorino) go undercover to find a missing monkey. And, in a bit of stunt casting, Patty Hearst plays a member of the board trustees for Hearst college who disappears right before a crucial vote.

The first two seasons have had a season long mystery (or two) that Veronica was also working on solving. This time around, there are two shorter arcs. The first involves a serial rapist that is preying on women at the college and then shaving their heads. Veronica has just solved that when dean Cyrus O'Dell (Ed Begley, Jr.) is found dead in his office.

And, as if all this weren't enough, we get plenty of personal drama. Wallace is struggling to keep his grades up in engineering and keep his basketball scholarship. And poor Veronica faces a love triangle when her relationship with Logan hits snags just as Piz begins pursuing her. What's a girl to do?

The reason I fell in love with this show on day one was the smart writing. The mysteries are great. Most of the time, they keep this mystery lover guessing until the end. This not only applies to the bigger mysteries but to the individual episode mysteries as well. Heck, there were a couple where I had to watch them twice to make sure I followed everything. But everything was indeed there logically laid out. I just missed it.

Adding to the great writing is the wit. The show has a noir feeling, and can be dark at times as a result. To help lighten the tone, Veronica has a sarcastic streak that I love. And we get it not only in her retorts to the other characters but also in her voice over narration.

Finally, I love the characters. Not only are they expertly drawn, but the cast does a great job of bringing them to life. There's no doubt about it, these are real people. Kristen Bell especially leads the way in remarkable acting. And her scenes with TV dad Enrico Colantoni are amazing.

I do have a couple complaints about this season, however. While there was always a bit of teenage angst soap opera to the show, it seemed to be more pronounced this season. I don't mind a little, but I tune in to watch the mystery, not to watch the romances.

The show was always dark, dealing with some very adult topics. That really intensified here, especially due to the rape storyline. While it didn't bother me most of the time, there were a few times it seemed a bit too much. This is definitely a show for adults and older teens and not for kids.

Season three was slightly shorter, but this set contains all 20 episodes. In the way of extras, we've got such standards as delete scenes, gag reels, and behind the scenes bits with cast and crew. The real bonus feature is the pitch for season 4. In an attempt to give the series new life, creator Rob Thomas pitched the CW the idea of skipping ahead a few years to follow Veronica in the FBI. That idea didn't work out, but here we get to see what might have been.

This is yet another exhibit of why I love DVDs. I will miss getting new episodes of the show. But at least I can enjoy this sly combination of wit and noir whenever I want.

Veronica Mars Reviews:
Season 1
Season 2