Veronica Mars - The final season

The third and final season of Veronica Mars is now available on DVD. It’s a shame this show didn’t last longer because it was so well-written and the plotlines were so intricate. This season only runs 20 episodes, as opposed to the standard 22, and from what I’ve read the show will not be coming back. Out of the three seasons, this one was my least favorite, and the overly sexual nature of almost every story is probably what put the final nail in the coffin of this series. This DVD boxed set contains six discs, including the 20 episodes plus a bunch of special features.

The first two seasons were about Veronica being in high school, but in this season she has finally gone on to college. In the second season, the plot from the first season carried over into a bit of a jumble, but the slate has been wiped mostly clean with her in college. Rather than having one big mystery which spanned the entire season, this one has two distinct plotlines. The first plot, which lasts through the first ten episodes, is a carryover from an episode in the previous season where Veronica visited the college as a high school student. This plot involves a serial rapist on campus. The other plot, which contains the last ten episodes of the season, is a murder mystery. Elements of the first plotline carry over into the second.

Some new cast members become regulars this season, with the main one being a guy named Piz, played by Chris Lowell. In the first episode, Veronica helps him get his stuff back after he gets robbed while moving into his dorm room. Piz forms a strong crush on Veronica that becomes a subplot that lasts through the entire season. Veronica’s old boyfriend from last season (Logan Echolls) is still around, but their relationship continues to go up and down with various incidents. Dick Casablancas (Ryan Hansen) also returns as the goofball who seems to be acting out in order to hide some deep-seated emotional issues. At the end of last season, his little brother committed suicide after killing a bunch of people and his father ended up in jail.

As a whole, I thought this third season had a lot of weak parts. The first half, with its rape story, wasn’t all that good because I figured out what was going on very easily. The way that plotline played out might have been unique, but I think it would have turned off a lot of viewers. The second plot with the murder is resolved pretty quickly, then the rest of the season focuses on the personal relationships of the other characters. There’s a strong sexual theme in a majority of the episodes, ranging from first experiences to trouble caused by characters sleeping with each other. I know that sex and violence are as popular as ever, but this show went a bit overboard in this season.

This season wraps up the main plotlines pretty well, but it still leaves a few things open, just as the previous season did. I found it a major letdown that two big events which bookend the season will never be explored, because they left some big questions unanswered. Since the show is now officially finished, I’m hoping the series will continue in novel form, as do many television shows these days. The show’s creator, Rob Thomas, actually considered setting the next season several years ahead where Veronica has become an FBI agent, but the idea never went anywhere. This is discussed at length in the Special Features in this DVD boxed set. I would like to have seen that forth season. Maybe a Veronica Mars movie is in order, instead. I’m certain that Kristen Bell could carry her own feature film.

Here’s what the main cast is working on now that this show has been cancelled:

- Kristen Bell has landed a supporting role on the new hit TV series Heroes. She also has a couple of new movies due out next year. I expect her to go on to be a big star, and years from now people are going to look back on this show to see where her career began.
- Jason Dohring has gone on to land a major role as a vampire in the new series Moonlight. I think he has a pretty promising career ahead if he chooses his roles carefully.
- Percy Daggs III, who played Veronica’s closest friend throughout the show, will next appear in the movie American Son.
- Ryan Hansen has four new movies coming out, including one directed by Rob Thomas, the creator of this show.
- Chris Lowell, who played Piz in this season, is now starring in the new TV series Private Practice.
- Enrico Colantoni, who played Veronica’s always understanding father in one of the best father-daughter relationships ever to grace the small screen, will be appearing in several new movies plus a couple of TV shows over the next few years.