Bohemian Cinema By Jonathan Pacheco

Life on “Mars”

Tags: TV, Veronica Mars, The CW, Rob Thomas

Some of you may know of my love for Veronica Mars. Week in and week out (at least the weeks that it’s not delayed because of the Pussycat Dolls), it’s the best show I’m watching on TV. I’ll take Veronica Mars over Lost, 24, The Office, or Battlestar Galactica any day of the week (but keep in mind I haven’t seen Deadwood or The Wire yet). You know how on most shows, each season you have a few totally awesome episodes, but then a bunch of “fluff” episodes to fill out the middle of the season? Mars is the only show I’ve seen that has managed to diminish the effect as much as it has (very few times do we get duds like Season 2’s “I Am God”).

Watching a lot of TV lately, I’ve sort of become disillusioned; shows aren’t as original as I had always thought them to be. It’s so easy to predict events, and I’ve become increasingly annoyed with each show’s “ticks” and “requirements” (24 splits into 4 screens just before the end of the episode, Entourage attempts to dramatize the smallest event just to make you feel like there’s a cliffhanger, every episode of The Office ends with a monologue from Michael, followed by a punchline…).

Stew’s worked on a lot of TV sets, and he tells me that most shows run on auto-pilot. A “guest director” usually only sits down and puts his stamp on one, maybe two scenes, and the rest of the episode is finished using the efficient “tried and true” methods that make up each show’s template (which is why the pacing and cinematography of your show is pretty much the same from episode to episode).

Yet when I watch an episode of Mars and I’m rejuvenated. I feel almost inspired watching something different. I see experiments on screen (such as the ultra-noir cinematography in episodes such as “Mars, Bars”), I see superbly portrayed relationships (Veronica and her dad, Keith), and I see that great writing will always be king (to me, at least). Only recently have I noticed a couple of methods begin to feel repetitive (usually how each episode’s mystery is introduced).

Veronica Mars has and will always struggle with the networks—it’s almost like a badge of honor. And it’s forced some changes, some for better, some for worse. Most of them came during this third season. First, the show barely made the switch from UPN to the CW. Then, instead of an over-arching mystery for the entire season, the third season was broken up into mini-arcs. I scoffed, but I got over myself because the Dean O’Dell arc is one of the most interesting and satisfying arcs I’ve seen in a long time. But then came word that, instead of airing a third arc for the season centering around Mac, Veronica Mars would begin showing “stand-alone” episodes that contain their own mysteries but do not contribute to a larger puzzle (think Law & Order or CSI). I’ve seen a few of these episodes, and they’re great, but I miss the big puzzle, and I miss watching in awe as the writers manage to effortlessly balance individual episode mysteries with the obligation of the larger scheme.

With the CW getting ready to announce its Fall ‘07 lineup, Veronica Mars once again finds itself on the teetering edge. Willing to do plenty of things to save his baby, creator Rob Thomas has offered the network a few scenarios:

1. Continue following Veronica through her sophomore year in college in Season 4.
2. Fast forward to Veronica’s freshman year at the FBI Academy and create a more “adult” atmosphere.
3. Cancel the show.

I’d love for the show to continue because I don’t know what I would do without it. Early word was that the CW seemed to be quite taken with Thomas’s faux trailer for the FBI Academy scenario—a scenario that would bring in a totally new supporting cast as well as possibly a new title to the show. I have faith in Rob Thomas, but would it be the same? Would the show be worth it without Logan, Keith, or Dick? Will new characters feel like “the New Wallace” or “this season’s Mac?”

I’ve always applauded the show for providing excellent minor characters, the ones that only show up for a handful or so episodes, but make you wish they were around longer. I’m talking about the likes of Professor Landry, Vinnie Van Lowe, Cliff McCormack (my fav), and Dean O’Dell. But these are guest roles. Could the show fill up Veronica’s new world with theme-song-credited characters like Weevil without feeling like they’re trying to recreate the glory days?

Well, I may not have to worry about that. Seems that Veronica Mars is going to be airing its final episode next week. Apparently it will not be included in the CW’s lineup announcement tomorrow (though fans are holding on to hope; technically the CW doesn’t have to make a decision on Mars until mid June). Would another network pick it up? Probably not. Maybe it’s better this way to keep the integrity of the show.

I feel helpless; what will I look forward to? I’ll move on, eventually, but I just know that for the time being, watching all these other shows is just going to feel like I’m going through the motions. And I know that when the new Nancy Drew movie comes out, I’ll get nauseous, then pop in a DVD of Veronica Mars to cure my ails.