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Veronica Mars 1x05-1x06
Spoil me and die slowly, with your perfect ears hearing people yell, "Dear God, what is that thing?" Oh wait, wrong show. Movie. Yeah.
1x05 You Think You Know Somebody
I started out rather bored by the mystery of the week. Actually, I started out being totally confused as to who the guy in the car was. It's been a few weeks since I last watched VMars, and I keep getting Troy and Duncan mixed up.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
yhlee keeps telling me that Duncan is the broody, Angel-esque one (and Troy feels rather Riley-like. I wonder if Logan turns out to be Spike? Bwahah!). So I looked closely to see if he had a broody brow, and he didn't. And yet, he was sitting next to a dry-heaving Logan, so I thought maybe it was Duncan. I forgot Troy and Logan were sort of friends as well.
Anyhow, finally Duncan showed up, and I was able to distinguish by comparing brow bones.
I personally cared not a whit for Troy losing his dad's car. I mean, I am glad Veronica found a nice guy (well, seemingly), but the relationship dynamic wasn't interesting to me for some reason.
Ms. Dent (or whatever the name of the teacher who does the school newspaper is) is sort of annoying me because she is exactly like Rebecca on JoA and I keep thinking she is Rebecca. She also seems too nice.
Ah, poor Veronica, trying to be nice to Keith's girlfriend, despite the sheer awkwardness of having school and home clash.
Mostly I was bored until Veronica starting snooping into the girlfriend's past and Keith got mad at her. I love the Keith and Veronica relationship, and how Keith is angry and can draw boundaries with his daughter. And I admire that he is curtailing his personal life for his daughter, although I do find that a bit scary. And I like that he underplays it and that he seems a good dad who won't use this self-sacrifice as a way to perpetually guilt trip Veronica later for his doing something she never asked for. I so adored that he gave Veronica a choice even after she thrust the information in his face, letting her decide for herself. He does trust her, and I think that that is so much more effective than a lecture or anything.
And of course, Veronica opens it and confronts Troy.
I do wish that Troy didn't turn out to be evil drug dealer guy in the end, though, just so Veronica's inability to leave well enough alone wouldn't have been slightly undercut. Because he does make a good point about intimacy and trust and deciding when you can tell people things, and while I don't think the show meant to undercut the message (I have much trust in the show so far, which is good), I think it did just a bit by showing Veronica to be essentially right -- she probably couldn't have recovered the steroids without that information.
I really like how this show takes boring mysteries of the week and turns them into character studies.
1x06 Return of the Kane
Class tension! Very cool.
I continue to have a strange fondness for Duncan. I'm not sure why -- it may be the silent family dinners and the seemingly kind but relentless pressure from parents, or the fact that he is the overshadowed sibling. I seem to have developed a Thing for overshadowed siblings.
I wish the Lilly hallucination/dreams weren't quite so lucid; they make the show feel a little more fantasy-like.
I've never actually been to a "real American high school" (if such thing exists); even if such thing doesn't exist, I am quite sure my Taiwan bilingual school was pretty much nothing like many American high school experiences. So I have no idea how accurate the Pirates Points thing is, or the sports/cheerleader popularity bit. I know that it's so common it's cliche in teen settings, but is it actually like that in real life?
I also continue to dislike Logan, and this was further enforced in his treatment of the veteran at the gas station. Dude, you are just cruel. That's unnecessary. I don't care how secretly tortured you may be due to your sucky family life, it still doesn't justify acting like a complete asshat.
I think I have a higher tolerance for asshattery (I make up words left and right! And up and down sometimes as well) in the Buffyverse, just because it's a wee bit divorced from reality. VMars is so tied to reality with the class issues and broken families and the like; sometimes it stretches suspension of disbelief, but usually not by much. So I tend to judge the people in Buffy and Angel by empathy and the like, not as how I'd like them if I met them, whereas in VMars, I tend to think of how I'd think of said character if I met them in real life.
Jake Kane's talk to Duncan about ambition and only wanting what makes him happy (heh) reminds me way too much of my parents. Jake only wants what makes Duncan happy, but he's also firmly convinced that Duncan doesn't knows what makes himself happy and that Jake knows what's best for him. This drives me crazy.
Logan's dad is a little more caricature-ish, imho. Also, Logan totally sulks. And the fight thing was really not cool in the first place. Also, sticking your friend in when he doesn't want to run and getting his dad in on it is also not cool. I'm sure it can be fanwanked away as also wanting the best for Duncan or something, but it looks like pure selfishness. Also, of course his one act of niceness in the episode is to get back at his dad and hit him where it counts, not as an actual act of thoughtfulness. The scene at the end made me feel bad for him, but again, having a rotten childhood doesn't excuse you from being mean and cruel, as numerous rants against romance novel heroes has shown.
Meanwhile, the election stuff is going on in the background, but I pay no attention because the characters are much more interesting! I don't actually get the end; does Wanda set Veronica up somehow, or tip off the police? Huh.
And yet, while Logan is consciously and decidedly mean (which is why I don't like him), Duncan is sort of mean by default, because he sees things wrong and doesn't do anything. Veronica's outburst to him cuts to the chase.
And Veronia keeps sneaking behind Keith's back. And Keith knows! I'm so glad that Veronica decided to 'fess up; if it had gone on much longer it would have felt out of character or at least very painful on my end. And I like that she does get Keith interested in the case again.
Yay! Good ep, despite potentially boring mystery of the week. I'm just so amazed at how consistent the show has been so far (my only meh episode so far was "The Wrath of Con"), and it may not bring on the OMGSQUEE like good episodes of Buffy or Angel did to me, but it's just so solid and well-constructed and layered. And it feels so real, in the best way.
ETA: changed ep title that I got wrong
ETA2: Although "The Wrath of Con" had some really good flashbacks. Hrm. Ok, so far no meh episodes.
1x05 You Think You Know Somebody
I started out rather bored by the mystery of the week. Actually, I started out being totally confused as to who the guy in the car was. It's been a few weeks since I last watched VMars, and I keep getting Troy and Duncan mixed up.
yhlee keeps telling me that Duncan is the broody, Angel-esque one (and Troy feels rather Riley-like. I wonder if Logan turns out to be Spike? Bwahah!). So I looked closely to see if he had a broody brow, and he didn't. And yet, he was sitting next to a dry-heaving Logan, so I thought maybe it was Duncan. I forgot Troy and Logan were sort of friends as well. Anyhow, finally Duncan showed up, and I was able to distinguish by comparing brow bones.
I personally cared not a whit for Troy losing his dad's car. I mean, I am glad Veronica found a nice guy (well, seemingly), but the relationship dynamic wasn't interesting to me for some reason.
Ms. Dent (or whatever the name of the teacher who does the school newspaper is) is sort of annoying me because she is exactly like Rebecca on JoA and I keep thinking she is Rebecca. She also seems too nice.
Ah, poor Veronica, trying to be nice to Keith's girlfriend, despite the sheer awkwardness of having school and home clash.
Mostly I was bored until Veronica starting snooping into the girlfriend's past and Keith got mad at her. I love the Keith and Veronica relationship, and how Keith is angry and can draw boundaries with his daughter. And I admire that he is curtailing his personal life for his daughter, although I do find that a bit scary. And I like that he underplays it and that he seems a good dad who won't use this self-sacrifice as a way to perpetually guilt trip Veronica later for his doing something she never asked for. I so adored that he gave Veronica a choice even after she thrust the information in his face, letting her decide for herself. He does trust her, and I think that that is so much more effective than a lecture or anything.
And of course, Veronica opens it and confronts Troy.
I do wish that Troy didn't turn out to be evil drug dealer guy in the end, though, just so Veronica's inability to leave well enough alone wouldn't have been slightly undercut. Because he does make a good point about intimacy and trust and deciding when you can tell people things, and while I don't think the show meant to undercut the message (I have much trust in the show so far, which is good), I think it did just a bit by showing Veronica to be essentially right -- she probably couldn't have recovered the steroids without that information.
I really like how this show takes boring mysteries of the week and turns them into character studies.
1x06 Return of the Kane
Class tension! Very cool.
I continue to have a strange fondness for Duncan. I'm not sure why -- it may be the silent family dinners and the seemingly kind but relentless pressure from parents, or the fact that he is the overshadowed sibling. I seem to have developed a Thing for overshadowed siblings.
I wish the Lilly hallucination/dreams weren't quite so lucid; they make the show feel a little more fantasy-like.
I've never actually been to a "real American high school" (if such thing exists); even if such thing doesn't exist, I am quite sure my Taiwan bilingual school was pretty much nothing like many American high school experiences. So I have no idea how accurate the Pirates Points thing is, or the sports/cheerleader popularity bit. I know that it's so common it's cliche in teen settings, but is it actually like that in real life?
I also continue to dislike Logan, and this was further enforced in his treatment of the veteran at the gas station. Dude, you are just cruel. That's unnecessary. I don't care how secretly tortured you may be due to your sucky family life, it still doesn't justify acting like a complete asshat.
I think I have a higher tolerance for asshattery (I make up words left and right! And up and down sometimes as well) in the Buffyverse, just because it's a wee bit divorced from reality. VMars is so tied to reality with the class issues and broken families and the like; sometimes it stretches suspension of disbelief, but usually not by much. So I tend to judge the people in Buffy and Angel by empathy and the like, not as how I'd like them if I met them, whereas in VMars, I tend to think of how I'd think of said character if I met them in real life.
Jake Kane's talk to Duncan about ambition and only wanting what makes him happy (heh) reminds me way too much of my parents. Jake only wants what makes Duncan happy, but he's also firmly convinced that Duncan doesn't knows what makes himself happy and that Jake knows what's best for him. This drives me crazy.
Logan's dad is a little more caricature-ish, imho. Also, Logan totally sulks. And the fight thing was really not cool in the first place. Also, sticking your friend in when he doesn't want to run and getting his dad in on it is also not cool. I'm sure it can be fanwanked away as also wanting the best for Duncan or something, but it looks like pure selfishness. Also, of course his one act of niceness in the episode is to get back at his dad and hit him where it counts, not as an actual act of thoughtfulness. The scene at the end made me feel bad for him, but again, having a rotten childhood doesn't excuse you from being mean and cruel, as numerous rants against romance novel heroes has shown.
Meanwhile, the election stuff is going on in the background, but I pay no attention because the characters are much more interesting! I don't actually get the end; does Wanda set Veronica up somehow, or tip off the police? Huh.
And yet, while Logan is consciously and decidedly mean (which is why I don't like him), Duncan is sort of mean by default, because he sees things wrong and doesn't do anything. Veronica's outburst to him cuts to the chase.
And Veronia keeps sneaking behind Keith's back. And Keith knows! I'm so glad that Veronica decided to 'fess up; if it had gone on much longer it would have felt out of character or at least very painful on my end. And I like that she does get Keith interested in the case again.
Yay! Good ep, despite potentially boring mystery of the week. I'm just so amazed at how consistent the show has been so far (my only meh episode so far was "The Wrath of Con"), and it may not bring on the OMGSQUEE like good episodes of Buffy or Angel did to me, but it's just so solid and well-constructed and layered. And it feels so real, in the best way.
ETA: changed ep title that I got wrong
ETA2: Although "The Wrath of Con" had some really good flashbacks. Hrm. Ok, so far no meh episodes.
no subject
She is the same actress who played Rebecca on Joan of Arcadia.
Wanda is informing on her fellow students to avoid being charged by the police with drug possession. Veronica had told her that she'd be getting drugs, then Wanda told the police and Veronica's locker was searched.
I'm happy you're enjoying the show!
no subject
Yeah, I know... it's that the roles are so similar that sort of irritates me, though really, that's not the fault of VMars.
Wanda is informing on her fellow students to avoid being charged by the police with drug possession. Veronica had told her that she'd be getting drugs, then Wanda told the police and Veronica's locker was searched.
Oh! That makes sense! And I just looked up "narc" and realized it meant a snitch, as opposed to a person who used drugs, which is what I thought! Ahhhh, so much makes more sense when you know slang ^_^.
no subject
I love Keith and Veronica!
I didn't see the Troy thing coming myself, although I think there was some setup. Maybe not enough.
Joe felt that Veronica was intruding overmuch on Keith's personal life, and there is something to be said for this. I'm afraid my sympathies were greatly on Veronica's side. Divorce sucks. The kids in the divorce have less choice and power than the adults do. This isn't to say Keith should always bow to Veronica's needs (hell, he doesn't)--but dude, she's a high schooler, she's a survivor of rape, her best friend was murdered, her mother dropped out of her life--I think she needs time to deal.
Anyway, I shut up now.
no subject
I do feel like Veronica was intruding a bit, not because of her tetchiness toward her dad dating, which is understandable, but the using of the police reports. But then, even though Keith was angry, I think he got why she did it, which is why he broke off the relationship. And I just love that he gives her the same choice, but in a slightly nicer way.
And dude, Veronica is one tough cookie. Which is, of course, why I like her so much.
P.S.