TV has yet another great drama definitely worth checking out.
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"Veronica Mars" is probably one of the best shows on TV you´re not watching. Smart and savvy, fans know the series´ strength resides in a myriad of aspects, from its heroic teenage sleuth, a colorful cast of supporting characters, and the topsy-turvy plot twists that are never quite what they seem. Factor in a healthy dose of sardonic banter with an added splash of Buffy style attitude and the result is an intelligent, fun filled hour of television.
Season Two begins at the onset of Veronica´s (Kristen Bell) senior year. The episode ("Normal is the Watchword") runs with concurrent flashback bringing viewers up to speed with Veronica´s current life situation, she´s trying to lead a normal life after last year´s events involving Harry Hamlin´s actor turned murder, Aaron Echolls. Her then boy friend Logan Echolls (Jason Dohring) has been accused of murdering a PCH gang member and her off again, on again boyfriend Duncan (Teddy Dunn) has come back into her life. Of course things can´t remain all hunky dory in Neptune as it turns out that her best friend, Wallace (Percy Daggs III), is kicked off the basketball team, along with other star athletes, after testing positive on a drug test. Things take a turn for the worse when a field trip to visit Mayor Woody Goodman (Steve Guttenberg) ends in tragedy.
Needless to say, it´s this bus crash mystery that´s the driving force behind season two, leading Veronica to suspect local Irish gangsters, plastic surgeons and some of Neptune´s more elite community members. Series creator, Rob Thomas has heightened the mystery element this season, adding an intricate web of lies, deception and reversals that keep you guessing until season´s end. Plus there are also quite a few stand alone episodes, which work well on their own, but never lose site of the overarching mystery sustaining the second season´s intrigue. Thomas demanded a lot from his viewers creating a myriad of concurrent story lines that end in a very rewarding end of season climax. While this may have been difficult to sustain over the course of the regular season, as collected here on DVD the plot threads aren´t nearly as confusing.
The season also manages to effectively delve into the world of Neptune a bit more, offering viewers a glimpse into the lives of some the community´s residents. Whether its Dick and Beaver´s devious step mother played with sexy attitude by Charisma Carpenter, or the dealings of Weevil Navarro´s (Francis Capra) biker gang, or the plight of Mayor Woody Goodman who hopes to go through with incorporation, essentially heightening the racial and class divides of the city, all of it is intriguing and gives a little more depth to the world in which "Veronica Mars" takes place.
A big part of the show´s appeal, besides the clever writing, resides in the shows excellent cast. Enrico Colantoni is brilliant as Veronica´s former Sheriff turned private-eye father, Keith Mars. He nicely blends old school tough guy bravado (along the lines of say Cagney or Bogart) with new school soft hearted parenting skills. Tina Majorino is great to watch in her beefier role as Veronica´s gal pal and gadget guru Mac. Dohring lends his Logan a quiet and devilish charm with an air brooding anger bubbling up just under the surface. You´d have issues to if your dad slept with your girlfriend and was responsible for her murder. Daggs nicely rounds out the cast as Veronica´s loyal and trustworthy best friend Wallace, Neptune High´s star basketball player, acting as the perfect foil to Miss Mars´ acerbic gifts.
Worth mentioning is the shows stamp of approval from the likes of Kevin Smith, who guest stars in an episode playing, conveniently enough, a store clerk. Plus there´s a guest spot by Sunnydale´s own papa, Joss Whedon, effectively handing over the torch of girl power proclivity prevalent in both shows. Fitting, considering "Veronica Mars" is always compared to Whedon´s creation and often called "Whedon-esque" in spirit.
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