Reviews & Ratings for
"Veronica Mars" More at IMDbPro »

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1006 out of 1516 people found the following review useful:
Are you kidding me?, 27 September 2006

Author: kmylml from United States

After reading quite a few comments from people who thought this show is "horrible," I was really surprised with their reasons. First of all, there are very few TV shows out there that are in every way true to life. Of course the situations aren't completely plausible! That's why we watch TV shows in the first place - we're entertained by things that we would not normally do or see. If I wanted to watch something "realistic" I'd just tape myself and watch it at the end of the day.

What's real in this show is that every character is complicated and has layers in their personality. The bad guy isn't all bad, and the good guy isn't so great either. There's just this gray area - just the way people are.

Then there's the complaint that Veronica Mars is "too smart." And that's a bad thing because...? I'm sick of mindless shows that give away the ending in the first minute and/or have the same tired plots. If witty is not your thing, that is sad and someone needs a good dose of "sense of humor." Maybe everything we watch on TV should be bland and predictable from now on? By the way, detective work is supposed to be logical - not flashy. When you want to look for someone, you'd automatically put a trace on things they own. What did you expect would happen? Some kind of laser tracking thingy?

The writing on this show is amazing, as are the actors and everything else. The artistic value is also incredible. If TV watchers can't appreciate that, then I really am worried about the population.

690 out of 1222 people found the following review useful:
I can't believe I'm saying this..., 4 April 2006
Author: ljs00b from United States

I hate being sucked in. More than anything. I avoid anything that's popular just because I can't stand the herd mentality. It took me three years before I touched a Harry Potter book. I would not have watched this show willingly. My one uplifting, redeeming quality is that I'm a good friend. Always. Even at the sacrifice of my Wednesday evenings. I originally started watching VM because I was taping it for a friend who didn't get UPN in her new town. I was just going to tape it, but I thought it would be nice if I cut the commercials for her. Now, half a season later...I can't stop watching it. It's horrible. I actually rented the entire first season and watched it in one twenty-four hour sitting. If you start watching this show, be warned you WILL get hooked, no matter how hard you try to resist. It is a great mystery. Each episode has its own mystery that is self inclusive, but the overall season mystery is what keeps you speeding through traffic to get home in time on Wednesday nights. Kudos to the creators, they did a great job!

548 out of 1021 people found the following review useful:
A real gem!, 28 November 2004

Author: patmac-6 from Oz

'Veronica Mars' - It's not Buffy, Twin Peaks or the Outsiders, but it's a worthy successor to each of them.

In today's market of Cookie Cutter television (CSI/Law&Order) - what a breath of fresh air it is to see someone actually making something entertaining about investigation and mystery.

While the two breakout hits of the year have been 'Lost' and 'Desperate Housewives' and rightly so - Veronica Mars deserves every bit as much acclaim. It's smart, fun, and spirited.

With a great cast, led by star-in-the-making Kristen Bell (for those who've seen Deadwood, then you'll have seen a glimpse of her range in 'Suffer the Little Children'), she's ably supported by Enrico Colantoni - a great roll for the former 'Just Shoot Me' regular - as her PI father. Surrounding the two are a host of intriguing characters, who each have their face value introductions, and yet, as the show progresses, are never just what they seem.

At the core of the show's story, is the mysterious murder of Veronica's best friend, and the ripple effect that this has had on her life around her. Nothing it would seem has been left untouched – ostracized by her former friends, she leads the lonesome life of a high-school student by day, and her Dad's PI assistant by night. The perfect launch point for the many adventures to come, as Veronica tries to untangle the web of intrigue that has been thrown across the world she lives in.

This isn't a ham-fisted Nancy Drew effort - Rob Thomas, the show's creator, has learnt well from those shows which have tread across similar territory; the teen angst of Buffy, the engaging mystery of Twin Peaks, the class struggle of the Outsiders, and perhaps even the sassy cool of Alias's Sydney Bristow – they all have echoes in Veronica Mars, yet the show is far more than just a clever knock off. It's a genuine original! And I for one, hope that audiences will give the show the support it deserves.

Give it a chance!

388 out of 715 people found the following review useful:
Remarkable TV (season one review), 16 April 2006

Author: Sweet_Ophelia from Australia

Despite dismal ratings and crazy scheduling, in 2 short years 'Veronica Mars' has obtained a cult following... so what is all the fuss? Well, I'll tell you...

Season 1 centers around the murder mystery of Lilly Kane (Amanda Seyfried); daughter to software billionaire and best friend of the show's protagonist, Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell). Before the murder of her best friend Veronica lived a pretty idyllic life in Neptune, California; a town, as Veronica puts it "without the middle class". By all means Veronica shouldn't have been apart of the elite 09ers (kids who live in the prestigious 90909 zip code), her parents didn't meet the pay-cheque quota and despite the fact that her father used to be Sheriff (which had a certain 'cachet') the only reason Veronica was one of the 'beautiful people' was because she was dating Duncan Kane (Teddy Dunn), Lilly's brother and heir to the Kane software company. But everything changed when Lilly was murdered –Veronica's father, Keith Mars (Enrico Colantoni) accused Lilly's father of murdering his only daughter and was booted out of the force when a video of the crime scene was released over the internet. Veronica's home-life began to fall apart when her family had to move out of their house and into a cheaper apartment, and when Veronica's mother could no longer handle being shunned by the elite community, she took off. Things got even worse for Veronica's social scene when Lilly's supposed murderer was captured after an anonymous tip-off. One-year on Veronica is no longer the preppy princes she once was; she has an attitude problem, no friends and now helps her father in the P.I business; 'Mar Investigations'; Veronica investigates everything from unfaithful husbands to a dog kidnapping conspiracy. But things begin to change with the arrival of new student and sidekick, Wallace (Percy Daggs III), as Veronica tries to figure out who really murdered her best friend, and who raped her the summer she was shunned by her former friends.

Veronica Mars is very reminiscent, but in no way a clone of previous successful teen dramas. VM has the same quick-witted writing jam-packed with pop-culture references as 'Buffy' and 'Gilmore Girls', combined with the mystery plot lines of 'Twin Peaks'. With a blonde, female P.I protagonist the show is constantly paralleled with 'Nancy Drew'; but be assured the investigative teen is the only similarity between the two. Veronica's mysteries aren't as corny or Scooby-Doo as figuring out who is really haunting the house on top of the hill – the show deals with infidelity, sexual abuse, murder and kidnapping…. Taking a page out of Joss Whedon's book, Veronica Mars is extremely character driven – while the season's big mystery is very edge of your seat, it's the characters you care about and keep coming back to watch. Kristen Bell brings many shades and layers to the jaded Veronica; she's a wise-ass who tries hard to keep her shields up, but at the same time she is very fragile; and some of the show's best and most memorable moments come when Veronica lets her guard down, or feels totally beat by life. Perhaps the best thing about the character of Veronica Mars is the fact that she's extremely flawed. Sure, she looks cute with her perfect shiny blonde hair and impeccably cool wardrobe, but she isn't always the best judge of character and sometimes she just plain screws up. Whether it's dating a drug dealer, accusing the wrong person of murder or faultily stereotyping someone; Veronica is the best kind of heroine because she isn't perfect, she's damaged and that makes her real and accessible to audiences. Veronica is the high school underdog; living on the fringe of popularity, shunning the 'cliques' and mainstream, unafraid to put herself on the front-lines of unpopularity for what she believes in. She is the ultimate outcast, and everyone at least once in their life can relate to her because of her constant social struggles.

One of the other great things about 'Veronica Mars' is the fact that Enrico Colantoni and Kristen Bell have a great rapport. Amidst the seediness of Neptune's underbelly, it's nice to see that the father/daughter relationship is quite often the beating heart of the show. Jason Dohring who plays Logan Echolls; Veronica's former friend and current rival; is also absolutely fantastic. His character is constantly shedding layers, going from 'psychotic jack-ass', to tormented teen. Logan is a conundrum, one minute he's the typical high school jerk, with lewd comments galore: "my underbelly is rock hard. It can go all night" the next he's quoting great minds like William M. Thackeray for his daily inspirational phone message: "To love and win is the best thing. To love and lose, the next best". Logan has one of the most interesting and complex character transformations that have endeared him to 'Veronica Mars' fans.

Veronica Mars is 'on the bubble'; a TV show term for when a show is about to make it big. 'Veronica Mars' constantly receives rave reviews, but poor ratings (usually due to yo-yo scheduling and bad time slots). The show has ferociously devout fans and an extremely dedicated cast. It is a breath of fresh air at a time when cookie-cutter TV shows like CSI are ruling the box and reality TV shows are being churned out and devoured for no good reason; 'the Bachelor', 'Dancing with the Stars'. Do yourself a favor and dip your toes into this TV show; I guarantee that from episode one you will be taken in, hook line and sinker.

183 out of 332 people found the following review useful:
TV history in the making, 12 September 2005

Author: sarastro7

Veronica Mars is a fantastic show - the greatest since Twin Peaks. I feel very sorry for those who can't appreciate its incredible acting, suave and wry humor, amazingly detailed storytelling and hyper-complex characters. The massive amounts of angst and intensity among these high schoolers is the only unrealistic (or rather, surrealistic) aspect of the show, and it is forgiven because this is an superbly crafted exercise in stylized fiction and symbolism.

The names, for one thing - Neptune, Tritons, Mars -, are not only planetary, but mythological. Neptune is a cold, distant place, but reluctant gods of war inhabit it. Keith and Veronica Mars do not instigate war, but when others declare it on them, they prove supremely good at it.

The show represents one of those very rare couplings of a great concept, great writing and great directing with a remarkable actress who totally "gets" the whole complex atmosphere of it, and can act the part perfectly. Kristen Bell is an incredible actress (I, for instance, became aware of this show solely because I took an interest in Bell after seeing her tiny but impressively acted part in the movie Spartan); she has every conceivable facial expression completely nailed, and on top of that she is also fabulously gorgeous - all the more so because of her obvious intelligence.

Veronica Mars is, as far as I'm concerned, one of the two best American TV-shows I've ever seen, and my rating of it would be 9 or 10.

This show WILL go down in history as a timeless TV classic.

111 out of 191 people found the following review useful:
Not just another teen drama..., 5 June 2006

Author: raindrop_chick from Canada

Okay, I admit...when I first started watching VM, I didn't really expect much. However, one or two episodes in and I was totally hooked. I really enjoy the noir aspect of it, and the fact that is doesn't hold anything back in terms of "real" issues such as drugs, and sex. Of course, these issues are dealt with in a fictional way that makes them intriguing (as opposed to depressing) to watch.

The writing simply got better in the second season, and every time I watch an episode, I find myself relating more and more to a piece of each of the characters. Its this aspect that I feel makes VM a truly great show, and I look forward to the seasons to come.

513 out of 997 people found the following review useful:
Unsubtle and Over The Top, 12 April 2006

Author: Brian Phillips from United States

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

I'm amazed how many comments on this show are about how "real" it is. Maybe I'm not part of the same universe because if Veronica Mars is anything, it's over the top in a big way.

The acting is chewing the scenery with enthusiasm and the plots have holes you could drive a truck through. That's not what I call real.

It is so earnest in its desire to be "relevant" that it only shows how cut-off from reality Rob Thomas and his staff are.

Overall, I found it to be at best a snooze-fest and at worst more than a little annoying. Kristen Bell looks like she could be a good actress, but it's hard to tell with the over-the-top style of the whole show.

44 out of 60 people found the following review useful:
dark and beautiful, Veronica mars is a witty and smart show for all ages, 13 June 2008

Author: (peacexlovexand_harmonybabe@yahoo.com) from Scottsdale, AZ

Veronica Mars is a dark and poignant tribute to teenage angst and isolation. As a sophomore, we find Veronica popular and happy. She is dating the most popular guy in school, Duncan, and is best friends with Duncan's sister- the wild Lily Kane. After Lily's brutal and highly publicized murder, Veronica loses her friends, her social status all because she choose to stick by her father who accused Lily Kane's own father, the rich and beloved Jake Kane.

Season 1 follows Veronica's life post Lily's violent murder. Veronica has become cynical and disheartened due to what she feels as betrayal by her closest friends. Overnight Veronica became the most hated girl in school. She formed a hard outer shell, cutting herself off from her emotions in order to handle all the events that occur after the murder, the taunts of classmates, and the current class war that's been waged through out her town.

Veronica Mars is homage to the noir film genre of the 1950s with our main character being a high school teenager. The uses of color in scenes are key to understanding the story. Every aspect of the show is used to tell parts of the story from lighting to background prop placement and it all comes together to tell a beautiful story about death, betrayal, love, revenge and redemption.

The best thing about Mars, besides the character develop, plot twist, and witty dialogue, are the issues that Veronica Mars faces on a daily bases. Including murder, rape, teen pregnancy, gang violence, reports on abuse, and drug trafficking. It also tackles the normal high school issues all teens face like peer pressure, cliques, and gossip but in a smart way. The story lines are tasteful and believable; the writers did a great job avoiding the normal camp and clichés found in a lot of teen shows.

Veronica Mars is hands down the best show ever to be featured on UPN/CW, and possible network TV in general. It is defiantly worth your time.

550 out of 1072 people found the following review useful:
Overrated, 7 August 2005
Author: laurie_lincoln74

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

I was all geared up to love Veronica Mars and, surprise, I wound up disliking it. The bad:

*The whole show rests on Veronica's "brilliant" abilities as a teenage private eye. However, most of the cases she investigates are pretty lame. For instance, Veronica searches for a missing person. To do this, she puts a trace on the missing person's credit cards. Oh, how clever! Why didn't the police or all of the other PI's searching for the missing person think of this? (Veronica's "genius" credit card trace seems all the more idiotic when you consider this missing person has been gone for FOUR months and no one has thought to cancel the credit cards or trace them before. Additionally, the person who is missing is VERY wealthy and famous.)

*Veronica's "outcast" status is a joke. A huge theme of the show is the way Veronica used to be Miss Popularity but now she's been branded an outsider. This is hammered home again and again, even in the show's theme song "We Used to Be Friends." However, Veronica still hangs with all the popular kids, goes to all the best parties, and has plenty of friends she can rely on in a pinch. Plus, Kristen Bell is too pretty and confident to pull off the loner/outcast role.

*The relationship between Veronica and the police officer is trite and convenient. The only reason it's there is to give the writers an easy plot device for whenever Veronica needs something (like a wire tap or a phone trace) that she couldn't get on her own.

*Kristen Bell is a likable actress, but her constant smart-mouthing gets old. Her quips are annoying, not cute. Most episodes, she comes across as a poor man's Lauren Graham. For a better example of witty dialogue, watch Gilmore Girls.

*A minor point, but I disliked the cutesy-poo planet names. Oh, look! Veronica MARS lives in NEPTUNE, California. How creative! Not.

*This show is supposed to be unique and fresh, yet it features so many stupid, overused story lines. The school mascot is kidnapped right before an important game! Veronica's friend has a secret admirer! Not original at all.

*The resolutions on most of the cases are stupid and convenient. Not to give anything away, but Veronica gets entangled with major crime bosses and some "really scary lowlifes" yet she always saves the day with a quick, oversimplified move. There is never a real sense that anyone is in danger. One storyline finds Veronica getting entangled with the Russian mafia. Yet this storyline is resolved effortlessly.

*Veronica is not convincingly upset about the Lilly Kane situation. The entire first season revolves around Veronica searching for her best friend's killer. It might have been nice to see her feel a TINY bit of grief about her best friend's death.

107 out of 189 people found the following review useful:
Clever writing, wonderful acting, great story lines..., 31 May 2006

Author: aotm345-1 from HP, NC

Veronica Mars is a cleverly written show that is unlike anything else on TV. The format is simple, yet the story keeps you engaged. Kristen Bell is the star and she is perfect in her role as the teen-aged detective. The story lines are crisp and always move along. You won't be stuck for seasons (as is the case in some shows) wondering when the story will move along, when the clues will all come together, and when resolution will come. Veronica Mars manages to find a mystery, keep you entertained with subsequent smaller mysteries, keep you intrigued as you find the clues throughout the season to the arc mystery, and wrap up the case. Though the show can lose focus at times with too much going on, it all will eventually be wrapped together and the writers really do learn from their mistakes, can admit that, and subsequently make amends. Hopefully, the show will find a much bigger audience and better schedule (not going months without airing) with the move to the CW. While the show has an often revolving door of supporting characters, the dynamic between Veronica and her father (Enrico Colantoni) is one of the best on TV. Also, throughout the seasons Jason Dohring has emerged his Logan Echolls as a breakout character (and the third most important) who has incredible chemistry with Veronica. These three actors are perfect in their roles.

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