(Season 3, Episodes 13-15)
Mystery two of the season has been wrapped up and I have to say that it didn’t deliver as well as the first mystery. It seemed like Keith did most of the heavy lifting with this case, while Veronica was relegated to doing silly college cases and mooning over Logan. The stakes seemed a lot higher in the rape story line and things were a whole lot more personal.
All comparisons aside, I wasn’t disappointed with how things turned out; the whole murder mystery was still very well done and complex, with all the twists and turns that I’ve come to expect from Veronica Mars.
“Postgame Mortem”
So… I’ve been trying to imagine a group of professional television writers, sitting in a room, trying to break stories for this episode. Who suggested that Logan babysit for a little girl? Forget that, who thought it was a good idea? I thought this whole plot was just laughable. It’s almost as if they realized that Logan sleeping with Madison made him look much worse than they had intended. How can we make Logan a sympathetic character again? Make him bond with a cute, precocious little girl! Clearly, it didn’t work for me.
As for the rest of the episode, the dead coach plot seemed like it was an afterthought in this episode and the next. With so much “relationship” stuff happening, as well as the investigation into the Dean’s murder heating up, this episode was almost too full. I suppose that’s why the coach’s death case leaked into the next episode….
“Mars, Bars”
Holy crap! Richard Grieco killed Don Lamb! I did not see that twist coming and to be honest, I was pretty disappointed with it. Lamb was a great character and I don’t know how I feel yet about Keith being suddenly (not to mention inexplicably) shoved back into his sheriff’s outfit. Wouldn’t there be other people in line before him?
Veronica in jail was really amusing, and it seems like she’s been extra snarky all season. Not that I’m complaining, I’ve actually been enjoying it. Again, though, the murder of the coach played second fiddle and seemed like an afterthought here, even as it wrapped up. It was definitely an interesting enough story that it could have been the star of any of these episodes.
“Papa’s Cabin”
So I was right about Tim, but I have to admit that I thought I was wrong after making my pick so early. I didn’t see the twist coming; the writers did an excellent job in making (the dearly departed) Mindy and Landry look guilty. Watching Veronica take down Tim in the middle of class was a great moment though; I can’t take anything away from that.
I also really enjoyed the episode leading up to that moment, with Veronica and Tim working together. They made an amusing team, with Veronica having all the street knowledge that Tim lacked. Oh well, guess we won’t be seeing that again.
Clacked by Bob Degon
on Aug 28, 2009 @ 10:01 EST5EDT
It was the overall ride more than the killer’s identity that made me really enjoy Papa’s Cabin. I loved how the two top suspects destroyed each other thinking the other was the killer, yet it was Tim the whole time.
Lamb’s death was shocking, but I didn’t feel sorry for him at all. After the “oh shit” reaction wore off I remembered his reaction to Veronica’s rape was basically, “Oh poor you. Get out.” Plus in terms of dumb lawmen we still have Vinnie who I liked as a character better.
Also in the last few diary posts Oreo was talking about how an interview with Thomas stated the finally mystery was supposed to involve Wallace or Mac as the “bad guy” yet Oreo never gave a link. Well I looked at Veronica’s wiki page and they mention it to with a source citation attached. I clicked the link and found the interview
-Wiki page (find the mention under Production: writing and format): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veronica_Mars
-Interview (its the last question): https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1549635,00.html
Actually the interview I read was after the show was already canceled and he still didn’t give any info.
Well I found another one to the same effect. I know Ivey was asking for a link to an interview where Thomas mentioned the never used 3rd mystery of the season.
Thanks, AC. I’d never heard that story.
But, I’ve got to be honest, I think it would have been one of the stupidest things that Thomas had ever done, if he’d gone through with it the way he mentions here. “No one will believe if, like, the big clue was in Wallace’s locker” You’re damn right I wouldn’t believe it.
Ahh… yeah they say the same info. I would have loved it if they explained what the mystery was going to be about. But I agree with Ivey, I think it would have been incredibly stupid. However what we got instead i doubt was any better.
I enjoyed this mystery better because the rape case was too dark for my taste. Maybe it’s because I’m a woman…? Whatever the case, I generally enjoy a good murder mystery. I really like how they kept you guessing until the very end, and kept the characters guessing too. I’m sad it’s the last time they got to do that, since all the remaining episodes are stand-alones.
I did like how they stretched the death of the coach over two episodes, it felt like it needed more time since so much other stuff was packed in those episodes. I’m sure when it aired they were going for the whole cliffhanger effect. But couldn’t they have given Wallace something to do with that case? Blink and you missed him, and it was his coach.
I was very shocked that they killed Lamb. Given that it’s towards the end of the last season, it doesn’t bother me too much that he’s missing. He was always great as the character you loved to hate. But I can’t help but wonder why they did that when at the time they didn’t know if they were going to be cancelled. Seemed like a waste of good character just to throw Keith back into his old job. And I agree…there wasn’t ANYONE else that could have taken the job? I mean I’m happy for Keith, but it seems a little contrived.
I enjoyed seeing Logan being a bum, if only see that scruffy beard (sorry, the closet fangirl in me just couldn’t help it). The whole babysitting thing was kind of lame though, and the funniest part of that episode was Dick’s Vegas wedding and attempts to pull Logan out of his funk.
I liked maybe loved Logan baby-sitter : he had good chemistry with the little Heather. Dick was awesome with his las vegas wedding.
Actually i loved the Dean mystery : it has a Chandler vibe, Mindy the Dean’s wife reminds a Lauren Bacall in “the Big Sleep” and Keith has a important role in the investigating.
I am not fond of Veronica in this last part of the season but she was still pretty cute in jail, and his duo with Tim was quirky cool.
Lamb was the character “to love to hate” so it was sad to see him leave. I missed him but i loved Vinnie Van low.
Keith as the sheriff : not my taste at all, bad idea.