Veronica Mars

[ffutures]

No spoilers, just...

Last night I watched the two new episodes this month, and they were OK. Not the best thing I've ever seen, but reasonably enjoyable TV. I'd forgotten to check when it was resuming - I'd simply assumed that the general level of LJ comments would remind me. Instead there was total silence, and I only got caught up because someone reviewed my old BtVS / VM crossover and reminded me to check.

Have people really lost interest that completely? Did ditching the story arc make the difference, or is there something else I've missed? And what does this say about the viability of the show for a 4th season?

Comments

[cobrabay.livejournal.com]

I'm assuming your talking about episodes 16 & 17 just shown in the USA. I've only seen the first of these, I have 17 but have not had a chance to watch it yet. It seems like they are trying to use the relationships as the glue to hold the episodes together, along with continuing plot themes such as Keith Mars becoming sheriff again rather than using a story arc so far. On the whole I liked the season-long mysteries, but they sometimes felt awkwardly dragged out and I though having a couple of major mystery arcs per season may well have worked better. On the basis of the one episode I've seen post-hiatus ("Un-American Graffiti") it's hard to see how things will pan out. It was an OK episode, but seemed more like an effort to remind viewers where we were without getting into anything complex.
As for season 4, the rumours are that it will skip forward a few years and put Veronica in the FBI, and there may be a name change to the show. It is hard to see how they will do that and retain many if any of the current supporting cast and that will change it into something very different.

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

That would be pretty fantastic if they did skip ahead a few years.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Yes, those two. As I said, OK but not brilliant, I won't say anything spoilerish. I like the "FBI Trainee" concept for S4, though doesn't that woman agent (forget the name) regard her as an accomplice in the kidnapping of the baby? You'd think something like that would tend to cause problems...

[dsample.livejournal.com]

You mean Xena?

The accomplice to a kidnapping thing, along with all the times she's been arrested for making fake IDs, and other such things, would make it extremely unlikely that she'd ever pass the FBI's background check. This is something that the writers have chosen to ignore.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Yes, her. Xena alias Cylon no. whatever it is alias the FBI agent whose name I can't remember. Now that would be a weird crossover...

Maybe the CIA hire her, with FBI as her cover.

[i_kender]

I've been wondering about this show myself... I haven't seen the new eps, but I must confess to having found Season Three a little lacklustre, to be honest. Still enjoyable, just a little vague and lacking focus.

The good news is that Season Four a) may well go ahead, and b) sounds like an interesting idea for a relaunch of the tired format:

http://www.tv.com/story/9507.html?q=veronica%20mars&tag=search_results;additional_links;0

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Yes, looking forward to seeing what comes of that.

[uninvitedcat.livejournal.com]

I believe booster17 has just rediscovered his love (http://booster17.livejournal.com/305992.html) for VM!

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Yes, I saw that though it was older episodes he was looking at. I liked S1 a lot, S2 was pretty good too, and the shorter story arcs at the start of this season were OK. But it feels like they are trying to strip out some of the stuff that made the show special in the last few episodes, and if audience figures fall they may change their minds on S4.

[uninvitedcat.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes you're right. He's in the process of catching up to S3 isn't he? Having managed to avoid watching any VM so far, I loose track a bit easier!