To paraphrase the comments of a reader with whom I frequently exchange e-mail (Hello, Wendy), the demise of “Veronica Mars” has me sadder than I thought I’d be (despite seeing this coming a long way off), and also a little relieved.
Am I relieved that this wonderful three-year old drama, which has its series finale 7 p.m. Tuesday on WGN-Ch. 9, is ending for good? No. I’m relieved that fans of the show will be spared another year of nail-biting over whether the CW network would ax the show, mess around with its scheduling (again) or change it beyond recognition into something that might demean the legacy of Ms. Mars and her memorable friends and family.
I still remember picking the “Mars” DVD off the giant pile of pilots for fall 2004. I hadn’t heard much about the show, and watching the very first “Veronica Mars” episode, I had the reaction that is one of the best things about this job: I felt like I’d seen something really special, and I couldn’t wait to tell the world.
During the last three seasons, I’ve had my share of quibbles with the show, but none of that matters now. All I’m thinking about is that I’m going to miss the distinctive banter Veronica traded with her equally witty, acerbic friends. I’m going to miss watching a drama in which a young, intelligent woman uses her brains and perceptive abilities to explore the darker corners of the human heart (including her own). I’m going to miss the memorable array of guest stars and supporting characters (even, or especially, the enjoyably sleazy competing detective Vinnie Van Lowe).
I think what I may miss most is Veronica’s relationship with her father, Keith Mars. Kristen Bell, who plays Veronica, has rightly received a truckload of glowing press notices for her work as the tightly wound, emotionally resilient young detective. Thanks to Bell’s compassionate, intelligent approach to the role, Veronica wasn’t as brittle or off-putting as she could have been (occasionally she was brittle, yet in a very witty way). But when Veronica was hurting, she often didn’t say a word. Thanks to Bell’s performance, she didn’t have to. You just knew.
As Keith, Enrico Colantoni was the unsung hero of the Keith-Veronica relationship. Keith was funny, smart, wise and tough as nails. You knew that Keith would do anything for his daughter, and that he loved her ferociously. Even when she disappointed him, he never doubted her intelligence and the fact that, despite all her travails, she had a good, kind heart.
Truly, they had one of the best, if not the best, parent-child relationship on television. I’ll miss that. And I’ll miss Jason Dohring as Logan; Logan and Veronica’s on-screen chemistry, even when the couple wasn’t together, was sizzling.
Every year, “Veronica Mars” has been in trouble, thanks to its low ratings. So the fact that the show is ending is not a huge surprise. Still, it stings. Add to that the fact that the CW is going to air another edition of that witless Pussycat Dolls show (which, ugh, got better ratings than “Veronica Mars”) and silly fare such as “The Farmer Wants a Wife” and, well, what is there to say? Let us all curse silently, using the colorful epithets we love best.
Still, there’s a small part of me that was prepared to let “Veronica Mars” go. I’d rather have the show go out now than suffer through endless network wrangling over in what creative direction it should next head. And to be brutally honest, I was more desperate for “Friday Night Lights” and “30 Rock” to get additional seasons (which they will — thank you, NBC). “Veronica Mars” had its shot. It didn’t make it, and that makes me sad, but we can’t say we didn’t see this coming.
I know fans are putting together petitions to save the show, but I’m going to thank the cast, crew and writers for three great seasons, and let Ms. Mars go.
