I am not someone who can start new TV shows at the drop of a hat. I usually need to know the basic plot, the actors, and how my friends feel about it. When I determine I’ll like it, I’ll watch it, rewatch it and rerewatch it until someone in my circle brings up a new title. Then the cycle continues. But when “Veronica Mars” was put on Netflix in January, something about the red “recently added” tag drew me in.Â
I knew nothing about the show when I started. I had heard the title before, but nobody close to me had watched or recommended it. Going in blind, I was expecting to maybe watch the first two episodes and forget about it. That is evidently not what happened.Â
“Veronica Mars” aired in 2004 and stars Kristen Bell as the titular character. High schooler Veronica and her dad, sheriff of Neptune County, California, become social pariahs after Veronica’s best friend is murdered, and the Mars’ suspect the victim’s wealthy father as the culprit. Season one is spent trying to solve the crime, with each episode featuring a new mystery that clues them in to new details about the overarching case. Veronica spends several episodes looking for her mom, who skipped town, as well.Â
With the early 2000s coming back in style, I found myself drawn to the aesthetic and fashion of the show. Some of the plots are certainly dated, with rampant racism and misogyny being prevalent struggles side characters face. In that regard, I recommend the show with a grain of salt — it very clearly aired in 2004. The technology, however, feels nostalgic and brings back happy memories for me. What I wouldn’t give to go back to the time of flip phones and public computers.Â
What grabbed my attention the most was the slow burn, friends-to-enemies-to-lovers subplot between Veronica and the rich son of a movie star, Logan Echolls (ship name LoVe!). From the first episode, I could tell a romance would brew among these characters, but funnily enough, this storyline wasn’t intentional or planned. Writers only began fleshing out their romance halfway through season one, when the chemistry between the actors was palpable. This romance became so popular that after season three aired in 2006, fans funded a Kickstarter campaign to continue the characters’ story, successfully earning a movie that premiered in 2014 and a fourth season that aired in 2019.Â
As of right now, I have finished the first three seasons and watched the movie. I have yet to watch the fourth season, partly because the end of the show was spoiled online, and if I never see the finale (IYKYK), it doesn’t exist in my canon! I’m also not quite ready to be done with the show. I already miss the magic of season one, and I’m planning on rewatching it either before or as soon as I (if I ever do) finish the fourth season.Â
“Veronica Mars” has allowed me to venture into a new genre of TV shows that I never thought I’d explore alone. Not knowing anyone who’s seen this show has been interesting. Suddenly I’m on the other end, recommending it to anyone who will listen. This show has given me a new longing for the early 2000s, and I find myself bringing it up whenever I can. Though it is not without its flaws, this show has taken hold of me, and I don’t think it’ll let go anytime soon.
