Mars from Neptune

The cult hit Veronica Mars has made it to our shelves at Dundee and a couple of us Media Cornerists really dig this show. It is a fabulous blend of high school drama, mystery, and wit with a dash of class and racial commentary. When we first meet  Veronica (Kristen Bell), she is beginning junior year at Neptune High. A year prior, her best friend Lilly (Amanda Seyfried), was murdered and things for her and her family have since gone downhill. Her father loses his job as the sheriff, her mother abandons the family, and having once enjoyed popularity, she is now an outcast (the irony is that she's actually the coolest chick in school). In flashback sequences throughout the season you see how things used to be. As Veronica tries to solve Lilly's murder, she makes money on the side by solving other, smaller mysteries or crimes, usually for fellow classmates.

The relationships Veronica shares with the other characters are complicated. Since most people in her life have disappointed her, she becomes a bit of a rebel; she defies her peers and authority figures alike. She does reluctantly befriend the new kid in school, Wallace (Percy Daggs III), after helping him out of a jam. Since he doesn't know of her past downfall in social standings at Neptune High, he's a great candidate for friendship. She still carries a torch for her rich ex-boyfriend (and brother to the deceased Lilly) Duncan (Teddy Dunn). Ex-friend Logan (Jason Dohring) hates Veronica and the feeling is mutual, at least for a while. She's friendly with the local teen gangster Weevil (Francis Capra), but mainly because they use each others connections or expertise to get out of trouble. The one relationship that is still truly solid is that with her father. Keith Mars (Enrico Colantoni) is, basically, the perfect dad. He's caring, funny, and trusting for the most part. I cannot think of another example on television that portrays such a connected father-daughter relationship.

Once you watch season one, you'll be hooked.
Seasons 1-3
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