veronica mars - worth it, or no?

[beelzebozo]

i saw a thread on gaf about this show, and i'm extremely intrigued.  a couple of factors make me a bit reticent, and i wondered if someone in the  know might clear them up for me:

- are the characters interesting in a way that goes beyond "high schooly" interesting?  in other words, am i going to be in a deluge of garbage about the senior prom and becky dumping johnny if i pick up the first season?
- the show clearly has some interesting storyline threads, but i'm coming off the second season of the wire, so my expectations are maybe a bit high.  are the main plotlines clever enough that they come across as refreshing and not trite?

last, i guess anyone who likes the show could help me out a great deal just by briefly tossing out what it is they like so much about it, and maybe a couple of other tv shows they like for reference.  in the interest of guiding the conversation, a few other shows i enjoy:

- oz
- the wire
- the x-files (1-7)
- nip/tuck (the first season)
- curb your enthusiasm
- p&t bullshit

and others.  but let's focus on veronica mars.  do you think it'd line up with my tastes, guys?
all help much appreciated.

[Solo]

I will give you my standard breakdown:

S1 - fucking fantastic. Possibly my favorite season of any show, ever.
S2 - the seams began to show, and the it felt like the show wasnt "about anything" anymore, due to the lack of a mystery to give a damn about.
S3 - continuing the downward trend, its not even the same show I used to love.

My advice (which will be refuted by Whitey, whos a S2 fan): get S1, watch it, love it, then stop right there. PERFECT conclusion to the season.

[TVC15]

My advice (which will be refuted by Whitey, whos a S2 fan): get S1, watch it, love it, then stop right there. PERFECT conclusion to the season.

You make it sound like I enjoy season 2 more than 1 :p

1 is fantastic, 2, well, you have to like the characters, and even then it's a bumpy ride.  The ending of the season has made me not watch 3, yet.

[Solo]

You may not want to. However, I will say that last night was the best episode in ages. A MAJOR CHARACTER = dead!

[TVC15]

You may not want to. However, I will say that last night was the best episode in ages. A MAJOR CHARACTER = dead!

I'll probably watch it once all the eps are out.  I have a season pass for it on iTunes.

[Solo]

There have been several pretty good episodes this year, but I feel the shorter arcs actually havent helped the show at all. I am curious to see if it gets another season. Also, you can really see how tight the budget is. Characters like Wallace go AWOL for about 5 episodes at a time.

[TVC15]

Yeah, I saw people saying there's not enough Mac?  I thought she effectively joined the main cast this year?

[Solo]

Her and Lamb both got into the credits this year, yet, like Wallace, they both pop up ever few episodes at best. Same with Dick. Its pretty much the Logan and Veronica show.

[TVC15]

Ugh, does that mean it's not cool asshole Logan, and instead it's pussywhipped Logan?

[Solo]

For about 90% of the time, its the latter, unfortunately. Logan and Veronica were at their best when they were just starting to get together in S1, when they still had enough snark between them to fill a thesaurus. Now, not so much with Logan tamed.

[Bacon]

Logan is always doing funny things with his hands.

[beelzebozo]

thanks for the advice, guys.
coincidentally, my philosophy prof mentioned this show in class today and when prompted strongly recommended it.
ultimately it was your breakdowns that fully convinced me, though, and i ordered the first season.
thanks again!

[Saint Cornelius]

I have never seen an episode of VM but they film in San Diego ALL the time... you always see these bright yellow "V. MARS" signs all over the place.

[TVC15]

Corny, you need to find a way to be an extra in an episode.  Be someone's drug dealer or something.

[Saint Cornelius]

They actually film right down the street from my local street pharmacist

[beelzebozo]

so i spent the last week or so gradually working my way through the first season, and i'm bumping this because--just fucking wow--so many things that shouldn't work about this show do, and i'm a little shocked.

to get the obvious negative out of the way first:  the high school teeny bopper stuff can be a little off-putting at times.  but for a show that deals primarily with high school, all the cliches about high school ordeals and relationships generally have interesting twists that take the situations a step further than you expect them to. 

the really impressive part of the show, i think, is the relationship between veronica and her dad.  solo, i know you said that the 21st ep of the season, "a trip to the dentist," was your favorite, but the last episode had two moments between veronica and keith that seriously sent me into huge grins and (i'll admit it) i got a little misty. 

so i just wanted to bump this and say thanks to you guys for nudging me along.  it's a great show that i'm completely proud to have in my collection, and the season-long mystery format has inspired me to check out twin peaks, which i've never actually seen.

[Solo]

Awesome, glad you loved it!  Try S2 and S3 at your own peril!

[makaveli]

isnt this shit for like teenage girls

[Solo]

No, its for hard ass thugs. 2-Pac would have loved it.