Veronica Mars is always struggling with something. She tried to find the evil jerk who killed her best friend, Lily Kane. She struggled through nightmares to figure out who was responsible for the bus crash. And then she went to college, where she made lots more enemies as she solved a whole slew of mysteries. She also struggled to stay on the air.
Unlike Spaced, which certainly got more buzz from the notable celebs who loved it, it didn't even seem to help much that big-wigs like Kevin Smith and Joss Whedon adored Veronica. Both even had cameos on the show -- as a convenience store clerk and a fastidious car rental worker, respectively.
It's the usual tale of good television: Veronica Mars came, she kicked butt, and then she struggled to stay afloat. She barely got to go to college, and Rob Thomas struggled to keep her on the air by switching things up. Instead of one year-long mystery with some little ones along the way, Veronica got two big mysteries plus more smaller ones. That didn't help, so he tried to revamp the show into the world of the FBI. That failed, and Veronica seemed to be truly done for. Star Kristen Bell moved onto movies like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and jolting people on Heroes. Marshall moved onto other television work.
But now there is talk of a movie -- and it isn't from some gossip rag that has no real link to the truth, but rather, from Entertainment Weekly. They report that while Michael Phelps was picking up his latest gold medal, Bell and Thomas were meeting to discuss bringing Veronica to the big screen. Thomas says: "It's very tough to focus on it right now with two pilots on my plate. But as soon as I have any free time, that's my top priority."
He's even discussed this puppy with Veronica's executive producer, Joel Silver, so I'm hoping his "top priority" statement means that Joel wasn't completely against the idea. But how on earth would Thomas bring Veronica to the big screen, and how would fans want to see her?
Would she go back to college and have a big mystery in her final year? Or, would this be the chance to really explore her introduction to the FBI? If it's the latter, would fans flock to it?
I would probably see it out of curiosity, but maybe on DVD -- unless Thomas found a way to bring back her awesome array of friends. What is the Mars world without Pappa Keith struggling between PI work and Sheriff positions, Logan Echolls and his undying love for Veronica, Wallace and Mac's helpful sidekicking, Eli's quest for a more lawful life, Dick's immaturity, and Vinnie Van Lowe's meddling?
Bring them all back, and I'm there. Bring only Veronica back, and, well, some of that magic just won't be there.
But what do you think?
1. One of the best shows ever on television. Mars ran its course in Seasons 1 and 2. Let it go. The show jumped the shark with the college year and honestly a 2 hour mystery isn't 1/10th as long as a Mars mystery should be. A movie would be insultingly simple and bland...just like Season 3.
Posted at 9:14PM on Aug 20th 2008 by YouFaceTheTick