Veronica Mars Gets A Clue On DVD!!! (1 Viewer)

[MaraKM]

Pleased with the new cover art. It's the same art that they used for the cardboard sleeve of the promotional-use dvd-single of the pilot that they were giving away at events over the summer. While it doesn't set up the plot in any way, it captures something of the show's spirit. And Enrico made it to the back cover at least.

Although I do wish there were more features, I'll be satisfied with OAR & original music, and hope for more features on a season 2 set. Maybe Rob Thomas can work with WB to start getting the bonus materials ready in advance. Not personally, I mean, he does have a show to run. But they could get some PA's to film interviews on-set, or follow the production of an episode, anything, so that if WB gives them a crazy deadline again, they'll have a bunch of stuff already in the can.

I'm sad that we won't get commentary on any of the season 1 episodes. But things lke bloopers and deleted scenes can be included in the eventual season 2 set (or can make their way onto the internet, as some other unedited blooper reals have) so the only thing that could make this a no-sale for me is music replacement.

 

[Ryan_Guah]

Pre-order is in.

 

[Jason Dixon]

I'm sorry to ask this, but i've never seen the show, is it super girly, or is it good for everybody?

 

[Citizen87645]

Oh, it's so girly no self-respecting hetero man should be watching it.

 

[Robert Ringwald]

Just remember that just because the title is a girl's name doesn't necessarily mean it's about "What am I gonna wear to prom!?" and "Did he call me back the next evening?"

I'd say the show is enjoyable for anyone.

 

[Jason Dixon]

thank you

 

[Jesse Blacklow]

Sure there's relationship stuff going on, but there's also murder, deviant sex, beatdowns, attack dogs, drug busts, and beautiful Southern Cali ladies (the title character included). Let's just say that even when she does go to prom (against her better judgement), she complains about looking like "Manila Whore Barbie".

 

[Robert Ringwald]

I think I'm going to rewatch the first 22 episodes again... I'm bored. Jesse's description got me all pumped to see these again.

Ms. Bell is so much hotter looking when they don't photoshop the hell out of her natural beauty...

I rewatched Reefer Madness the other night. VM is lucky to have found her. She's really got some talent in her, and I can see her being big in the future.

 

[seanOhara]

Well, Veronica often describes herself as a "girly-girl", but only in response to people suggesting that she makes Medea look well adjusted.

VM is about as un-girly as a show about a teenaged girl can get -- which is why so many people objected to the Sweet Valley High style cover WB originally put out.

 

[CherylJ]

I agree with this. Considering that the lead character of Veronica Mars is a teenage girl, this show is about as UN-girly as it could be. For one thing, she's the only female character in the main cast and her dad and her male classmates form the rest of the supporting cast. For another, it got sex, drugs, and lots of violence. In fact, some of the reviews criticized the "casual violence" in the Pilot and the general brutality of the whole murder and rape storylines. It's not Sweet Valley High, let's put it that way. It is quite dark and would generally appeal to the same type of fan who enjoys Buffy -- and nobody ever called Buffy a "girly" show, at least not that I can remember.

I have hooked several good friends into this show during the summer repeats, and the three who are married all say their husbands have been enjoying the show as much as they are, and the husband is usually surprised at how much he enjoys it. And these are guys who don't watch a lot of TV and wouldn't be caught dead watching Gilmore Girls or The O.C. One of them actually said to his wife, "Is it weird that I am developing a crush on Veronica Mars?" She laughed and said no, she'd have been surprised if he didn't have one.

If you're a guy thinking of watching the show, Kristen Bell is also extremely hot and wears a lot of short skirts, so keep that in mind if you need another reason to watch.

 

[Citizen87645]

It's good to see cooler heads prevailing :b

 

[MaraKM]

Another thought for anyone on the fence about blind buying -- rent the first disc and watch the pilot. While some shows stumble through their first episodes, Veronica Mars started out strong. The pilot sets up the characters, the tone, and the season's arc extremely well, and I think you'll know by the teaser whether or not you're going to be a fan.

 

[Ryan L. Bisasky]

I watched the pilot on cbs on dvr a few nights ago in glorious hd, and the show is great. Hope the rest of the season is as good. (question, in order to watch the show starting in september on upn, should i wait for the dvd, or record the remaining episodes on upn?

these are the remaining episodes upn has
July 27: Ruskie Business (15)
August 3: Betty and Veronica (16)
August 10: Kane's and Abel's (17)
August 17: Weapons of Class Destruction (18)
August 24: Hot Dogs (19)
August 31: M.A.D. (20)
September 7: A Trip to the Dentist (21)
September 14: Leave it to Beaver (22 - season finale)

 

[Joel C]

Wait for the DVD. It's a season-long mystery and should play out that way.

 

[MaraKM]

I have to agree with Joel -- and aside from the mystery, some characters have gone through significant changes by episode 15 so the relationships won't make sense to you based on what they were in the pilot.

I'd record (or have a friend record) season 2 when it begins and get caught up after you've finished the S1 dvds.

 

[CherylJ]

First off, I would say that the rest of the season dips a bit after the Pilot (there are a couple of so-so eps around 7-9), but after episode 10, the show only gets better and better each week. I liked the Pilot a lot, but there is no way I could have predicted how much I would love the show at the end of the season.

I will agree with the other posters above that if you've only seen the Pilot, you should wait for the DVD at this point instead of trying to watch the UPN repeats. I think it's okay for new viewers to miss some of the episodes between the Pilot and episode 10, but after episode 10, things start happening at a breakneck pace and signficant changes happen to some of the characters and relationships, so you will be confused.

Get the DVD on October 11, and enjoy all of season one without being spoiled for the mysteries. The show is great even if you know all the answers to the mysteries, but it's a lot more fun the first time around if you don't. The season two premiere is on September 28, so there will only be two episodes before the DVD comes out. Be sure to record the first couple of s2 episodes, because they will definitely spoil you for what happens at the end of season one.

 

[Robert Ringwald]

Episodes 2, 7, 13 were the only ones I wasn't too thrilled with. They were still good, just not at all amazing. The rest of the season was just brilliant though.

 

[CherylJ]

I would say that 7, 9, and 13 are the weakest episodes, although for me, even 7 and 13 are redeemed by everything going on that doesn't have to do with the actual mystery of the week. If that makes sense. The flashbacks and character interactions in 7 and 13 are good enough to make the episodes good, even if the mysteries are weak and predictable. Especially 7, because the detention subplot is hilarious and that episode has some of the funniest lines from all season. So 9 is the only episode I don't really care to rewatch. (Plus, it's Loganless, so that's another problem for me.)

If I ignore the guest "actress" who shall remain nameless in episode 2, I enjoy that episode a lot, because at that point, we are still learning about everyone and it's fresh and new, and much lighter and funnier than the dark Pilot. And I like that VM was wrong about the culprit at first, so we can see that she's not perfect.

But still, even a weak episode of VM is pretty darn good and the season as a whole is brilliant. We agree.

I can't wait for the DVD to come out, even if the extras are paltry. Just knowing that I will get to see missing scenes or some bloopers is very exciting. Yes, I know I'm sad and pathetic.

 

[Robert Ringwald]

Strangely I liked episode 9 with the hilarious "cult" storyline. Veronica had some funny one-liners, and her bit about the depressed kids and poetry "throw in a few lines hinting at teen suicide and you're gold" (or something similar) was really funny.

The biggest laugh was when she thought the head of the cult was hitting on her Voice Over - I knew I should have thrown in some descreet lesbian undertones...

 

[CherylJ]

Hmm . . . it seems like you and I are having our own conversation here. Is there nobody else excited about the VM DVD coming out on October 11? ::looking around::

The cult episode definitely has some funny lines, and the stuff about teen angst poetry in general was very funny. "I Cut Because I Can." Hee. (Not that cutting is funny, because it's not. But Veronica's knowing just what to say to get attention was funny.) Rob Thomas really knows teenagers. His experience as a H.S. teacher shows in the writing.

In somewhat related Veronica Mars DVD news . . . a friend sent me this info about Joss Whedon recently declaring VM the BEST. SHOW. EVER. So many people seem to follow his every word and worship him as their TV God, so there is some speculation that this will really spur DVD sales from the Joss fanatics who otherwise weren't willing to give VM a chance. (I guess some were put off by all the comparisons to Buffy and assumed VM was a Buffy "ripoff" when it is so far from that.)

Joss loves Veronica

The man knows good TV. I really love my Buffy DVDs (first three seasons esp.), but VM is the first show that gave me the same kind of thrilling entertainment value week to week. I actually think VM is much more "accessible" to the general audience than Buffy b/c of the absence of vampires and demons, and I would have expected VM to find a much larger audience.

It's still baffling to me why it hasn't found much of an audience at all. I have yet to meet a single person who has watched an episode or two and wasn't charmed by Veronica, even if they don't absolutely obsess over the show like many (most?) of its fans. It's been said that Kristen Bell (as Veronica) is as "universally likable as chocolate," and I'd have to agree. She makes SMG look like a rank amateur imho. (And I like SMG fine, but she's just not in KB's league. Few actresses are, particularly at her age.)