Veronica Mars

Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell) was previously a popular girl in school next to her rich best friend Lilly Kane (Amanda Seyfried). When Lilly was murdered, her father Sheriff Keith (Enrico Colantoni) arrested Lilly's powerful father, but later someone else confessed. They ran Keith out of office and Veronica became a pariah. Now she investigates the deep dark secrets of her school divided between the ultra-rich and the poor minorities.

Rob Thomas has created a high school Nancy Drew with an edge. She's as smart as Sherlock Holmes. Only she's a girl trying to survive the High School world. It works as both a murder mystery, and a high school teen drama. This is Kristen Bell's break out role. She really gives a funny spunky likable compelling performance. This is a teen drama for smart people.

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.

The story of Veronica and her search for the truth in the spoiled and famous Nepture is far more compelling that your average UPN teen drama.

Real characters, complex situations and issues and topics beyond who is hooking up with whom. The detailed story arc might make it a bit challenging for new viewers to pick up the threads, but each episode stands alone.

Like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Veronica Mars mixes, humour and pathos, into both complicated life and death issues and high school life. Just as Buffy was about more than surviving high school with a social life, Veronica Mars looks at real things with a sceptical eye and an ironic twist.

The first two seasons of VM were my favorite two seasons of television ever. The writing was smart, the characters' interaction touchingly human, and the story lines fun (both the episodic and long arch story lines). It can be cerebral at times and laugh out loud funny others. I have watched the first three seasons back to back four times. I consider myself a true Marshmellow. These seasons were ahead of there time on so many issues. It is fun to watch the "before they were famous performances" of Amanda Seyfried, Tessa Thompson, Kristen Ritter, and Tina Majorino. Ken Marino slays the role of the slimy PI as does Darren Norris the role of dead pan smart-alec public defender. All the minor characters contribute to the overall enjoyable quality of the show VM's Dad, principal, the antagonists, the supporting crew are all great.

Season four was pure money grabbing garbage. Characters whose traits led you to watch the show week after week. (Yes, I used to set my DVR. I am old. I accept it) changed to fit a more female oriented demographic. Which is NUTS because what made the show great was empowerment without condescension and blatant pandering. Not shoving an agenda down the audiences' throat the made the underlying messages seasons 1-3 more potent.

So the first two seasons A+ Third season A-/B+ Fourth season F

I loved this show more than anything. It may or may not have had influence on me going to school to be a private investigator for some time.

It addressed concepts so before it's time. Rape, victim shaming, sexual freedom, women's rights, alcoholism, abuse on many levels. It took every concept seriously.

It seems like high school drama but it really was well written, well acted and funny at times.

Best show.