#lianne x veronica

[juliareed]

Alias // Veronica Mars

You haven't said anything about your mother. What, am I supposed to say something insightful? The first time I see my mother in twenty years, and she almost kills me. Which would have made me the thirteenth CIA officer she's killed. She's former KGB. She's betrayed my father. She's betrayed me. She's betrayed this country. All anyone needs to know about that woman is that she's a bad guy. (Alias, “The Enemy Walks In")

I never want you to think your mom's the villain in all this. Isn’t she? No, it's not that simple. Yeah, it is. The hero is the one that stays and the villain is the one that splits. I don’t think that's a healthy perspective. It's healthier than me pining away every day praying she'll come home. (Veronica Mars, “Meet John Smith”)

[blackpilledkremlintsarina5294]

Most people are too hard on Duncan Kane and his relationship with Veronica. Most people tend to give characters like Logan Echolls and Lilly Kane a free pass. The writers dumbed Duncan down quite a bit in Season 1. He knew how Celeste is with his relationships with women. If his mother knew that he and Veronica were siblings, she could have told him from the very beginning. Since we have seen how smart Duncan is in Donut Run, it would make sense for him to find his mother’s claim on he and Veronica being brother/sister very suspicious and out of the ozone. Duncan&Veronica are no Dan&Serena. Yeah, his sister, Lilly, has a more outspoken personality than Duncan, but that is no excuse and reason to paint Duncan as the worst one out of the two. Lilly was the rebel of the family. In the episode, The Girl Next Door, Veronica had asked Lilly to talk to Duncan to figure out why he broke up with her so abruptly. The next day it was very obvious that Lilly knew the reason, but didn’t tell Veronica anyway. Perhaps, Logan also knew of that reason and didn’t tell Veronica, too. I see posts about people criticizing on how Duncan handled the break up by withholding information from her. If people were to say that he was so bad on that, then people should say the same about Lilly, and Logan, possibly.

We see in the exact same episode on Logan and Weevil being all buddy buddy with each other over their African-American teacher being a tight ass on them, giving them detention. The process of them becoming all buddy buddy was a bit slow due to their opposite beliefs on how things should run in the world. When they bonded over their dislike for Mr. Daniels, they decided to damage the teacher’s car by putting it over the flagpole. The result got Weevil expelled up until Logan confessed his part of prank. They then have to paint over the graffiti. While they were starting up, Logan sees a tattoo of Lilly’s name on Weevil’s back and gets pissy over it. Later on in the season, he gets involved with his best friend’s(Duncan) ex-girlfriend. Two years later he sleeps with one of his best friend’s(Dick) serious ex-girlfriend. He gets mad at Piz for being with Veronica, and Duncan for getting back together with Veronica. It’s as if his feelings matter more than any of his friends as long as his dick gets pleasure, which would make him as a horrible friend in that aspect. Duncan gets pissed at Logan over Veronica. Dick gets pissed at Logan over Madison Sinclair.

Most people shit over Duncan at what happened at Shelly Pomroy’s party. What he did in that episode wasn’t his fault. He wasn’t even in his right mind since one of his drinks(or more) have been laced with GHB. Logan and the other people in that crowd weren’t doing Veronica any good service. They used her as a toy for their own amusement, and didn’t care about the repercussions. If anything Dick let her make out with him. Madison spat in her drink and wrote SLUT on her car. Beaver actually raped her. He was in his right mind, and in that right mind he had sex with Veronica without her consent. There was no excuse on that. Logan and Dick got Veronica wasted. They had women and men doing body shots on her without her consent. Logan and Dick were the reason why Duncan and Veronica had sex that night. BOTH Veronica and Duncan weren’t in their right mind that night. Their  inhibitions  were lowered that they couldn’t process anything the right way. Yeah, Duncan was given false information about Duncan’s relations to Veronica by his mother, but he wasn’t in his right mind that night. If Dick and Logan weren’t using Veronica as their toy for the night, Duncan wouldn’t have to play the hero to Veronica that night. Duncan told his friends to leave Veronica alone. If it weren’t for him to tell them that, they would have to proceed to use her as a toy for their own amusement. Another valid comparison between Beaver’s and Duncan’s actions on having sex with Veronica is that she looked willing to consent to Duncan. With Beaver, Veronica was completely knocked out. He didn’t care. He just decided to unbuckle his belt, unbutton his jeans, and unzipped his fly to then proceed to have his dick inside of Veronica’s vagina. Beaver had no remorse towards his actions toward Veronica that night while Duncan clearly did. 

Some of the fandom shits on Duncan for his behavior on Veronica after the break up. They only put the blame all on him for how his own friends made a mockery of her when she picked to stick by her dad’s side. Logan has shown to taunt her and taking dibs at her while Duncan had told him to stop. Duncan still cared about Veronica throughout Season 1. It is just he had to be dumbed down in order for a storyline that wasn’t needed to happen. Again, it is highly suspicious of Celeste to bring up such unsettling information while one of her offspring was in a relationship with Veronica. Veronica to me has Keith like qualities in her. I don’t see any Jake in her.

Most of the VM fandom pays more attention to Logan’s trauma from his dad. I don’t condone what his father did to him, abusing him, enticing his dead girlfriend, and neglecting his mother. I honestly wouldn’t want that from any of my parents. Duncan had some abuse from his parents and trauma from them as well. Jake appeared to be out to get the Mars family.  Celeste was a worse parent than Jake. But they were both bad parents. You remember the ep where they're at the dinner table and he brings up Molly, their dog-and says they got rid of her because she ate one of Celeste's flowers, or something like that? Then Jake was always trying to control Duncan-by putting his name in for class President and he didn't even know it? Telling him life goes on...not understanding his grief over losing his sister like that? Just horrible parents. Very controlling. And just plain mean, when the kids didn't act a certain way like they were supposed to. Duncan has some mental problems that he has to take medication for them. Seeing people shit on a guy with mental problems, yet praise a man who has some problems who doesn’t have to take any medication just doesn’t really do it for me.

Most people often bring up the fact that Duncan never told his parents that he got back together with Veronica. I actually understood his reasons. It was never like he was embarrassed by being with Veronica or ashamed by the relationship. He loved Veronica to the moon and back. It is just that he knows that his mom told him a bullshit lie about he and Veronica being related, and how she is about the relationship. Like I’ve said that his parents tend to be controlling and close minded towards him. I have been through the same thing, but without a paternity reveal.

If the people who are too harsh on Duncan, they have to not be so blind sighted by Logan and own up to his defaults because I know damn well that he has some!

[marshmallowatheart]

Veronica Mars: A Thousand Dollar Tan Line + Favourite Quotes (Chapters 26 - 30)

@vmheadquarters

[vmheadquarters]

ASK THE FANDOM

Here’s this week’s Ask the Fandom from a lovely anon follower:

Did Jake Kane come from money?

We know in Lianne’s yearbook Jake writes that he’ll make his first million and then marry her.  They both attended Neptune High together, but in 3x20, Veronica references Jake’s “steamy boarding school” incidents from his past.  So, Jake went to boarding school (at some point), Neptune High, and then Stanford for college.  

Did his family have money? If not, how did the kid from a working-class background go to boarding school?

We know Celese Kane (attendee at Pan High School) was essentially treated as middle/lower-class in the way Lianne’s HS friend refers to her almost “white-trash” status of trying to catch Jake with a pregnancy scare.  

We know the significant role class plays with the younger generation (Duncan, Veronica, Lilly, Logan, etc), but how do social class, economic statuses shake out among the parents?

Please reblog and add your opinions. We’ll compile responses in a few days.

Have another Ask the Fandom question? Send us a note!

[amypc1]

VM Fanfic Review and Recommendation

Back in the Summer of '01

by @kayte76

The summer before Lilly started high school was a turning point in Neptune. Decisions have consequences and they all must live with them. I'm rewriting history.

Rated M (Reader's note: This rating is no doubt due to a rape early on, but other than that it's pretty tame.)

55,000 words; 17 chapters

Posted 3/11/2017 - 7/12/2017

Review may contain spoilers.

@kayte76 is one of the most enthusiastic vm fanfic readers, she's a consistent reviewer, and a LoVe cheerleader of the highest order. She's also a great writer! This preseason story goes alternate universe fairly quickly. It focuses mainly on the summer before 8th grade (9th grade for Lilly). It's a wholesome story about friendships and the family you choose. Some canon details happen earlier here, like Lianne leaving, some canon stories are avoided all together (no Duncan x Veronica here folks!) While the story focuses on friendship and young love, the characters we know and adore are recognizable and in character, they just don't have as much angst to deal with. Of course, it is Neptune so it's not all fluff and fun. There are some dark moments that shift the timelines a bit for the kids. The story is very well written and an easy read.

My favorite part was Veronica trying to figure out what tiny blonde Logan had a crush on! Oh V!

[invidiosa]

Fanfic Meme

@rozf​  asked me to answer for my Veronica Mars WIP, Damn, Damn the Circumstance

1.  What inspired you to write the fic this way?

In terms of writing this as a WIP, I’d never done one before in either fandom I’ve written in (VM and X-files). Most of my fics before this were short or complete before I posted. I wanted to get this idea out there ASAP because I’d seen a great short fic dealing with the same premise (eleventh hour by lennalie) and if someone else was already thinking of it, then others must be too.

As for alternating POVs, it felt right to tell the story from both Veronica & Logan’s POVs. I wanted to hear both their voices, not just in dialogue.

2.  What scene did you first put down?

I tend to write straightforward, so the first scene I wrote is the first scene.

3.  What's your favorite line of narration?

Ugh. I hate narration. Maybe the start of Part 7

4.  What's your favorite line of dialogue?

I do like dialogue. In this story, any scenes where Logan is talking were fun to write. But the Keith-Veronica scenes were fun too.

5.  What part was hardest to write?

The next part. Mwa-hahahahahahaha. WIP writer humour there. No seriously, the next part is actually pretty hard (if the 2 year hiatus hasn’t already told you that) because I came to the end of the outline I initially wrote for this WIP and haven’t figured out how to go on from there yet.

Other things that are hard are trying to remember what teens were like 13 years ago - the lingo, the dress, etc. Me:

6.  What makes this fic special or different from all your other fics?

My first WIP ever. The longest fanfic I’ve ever written.

7.  Where did the title come from?

It’s a snippet of lyrics from a song called Bleed a Little While Tonight by Lowest of the Low, a Toronto indie band. (Yes, I’m Canadian. And old.). My friend and I were talking about how that line would be a great title for a story, and *voila*.

8.  Did any real people or events inspire any part of it?

Lianne and Lynn being bad moms in this story were inspired by certain bad moms I know in real life.

9.  Were there any alternate versions of this fic?

No, but I completely changed a scene based on the opinion of one of my betas telling me it wasn’t believable. Tough to hear, but it was true and it forced me to think about how to get the characters to be more active rather than passive, especially when finding more clues to the mystery.

10.  Why did you choose this pairing for this particular story?

Because I can’t write anything other than Veronica x Logan. Even when they’re mad at each other.

11.  What do you like best about this fic?

When I can make canon work with my AU.

12.  What do you like least about this fic?

Anything that feels forced to me. If it feels forced to me the writer, it will feel forced to the reader.

 13.  What music did you listen to, if any, to get in the mood for writing this story? Or if you didn't listen to anything, what do you think readers should listen to accompany us while reading?

Pffff. I’ve listened to a lot of different stuff over the years. And I started this story in 2006. I guess listen to something angsty. Or listen to what was big at the time of VM. Or listen to the song linked above since it inspired the title.

14.  Is there anything you wanted readers to learn from reading this fic?

Learn? I don’t know. That I like Canadian spelling? That I’m a really slow-ass writer?

15.  What did you learn from writing this fic?

That I can write a long story given the right inspiration. And always listen to your betas. ALWAYS.

[vmheadquarters]

ASK THE FANDOM--RESPONSES

Here’s this week’s Ask the Fandom question:

Is Keith Mars ACTUALLY a good investigator since he a.) didn’t know his wife was cheating on him b.) didn’t run Logan Echoll’s car through border patrol c.) didn’t get a full file on Lilly Kane (which would turn up the speeding ticket) d.) got outsmarted by Vinnie Van Lowe in Welcome Wagon by a trick VM spotted immediately, etc.

And here’s what you had to say:

@cheshirecatstrut--Personally I think Keith is just like Veronica. He’s extremely clever, maybe a bit smug, good at improvising/mimicking, reckless in pursuit of justice…and has giant blind spots due to personal bias. Like he hates Jake (and I’m one who believes he at least SUSPECTED his wife was cheating). This hatred causes him to accuse Jake of covering up Lilly’s murder during interrogation (which gets him fired) and ignore other suspects and leads. (Not just Aaron or the speeding ticket, either–he doesn’t really investigate Weevil or Logan, despite knowing they were both Lilly’s lovers). He also dislikes boys who REMIND him of Jake (Logan, Troy) so he chases them away from his daughter, while seeming fine with both Known to be Mentally Unstable Duncan and Sketchy Adult Cop Leo. 

He sees himself as smarter and more ethical than Vinnie, and Vinnie uses  that blind spot repeatedly to trap him (in much the same way Weevil plays Veronica). He judges Jake and Logan harshly for sleeping with married women, but finds extenuating circumstances when he’s the one doing so. He thinks leaving Neptune, having a corporate career, and marrying a ‘nice’ person is the road to happiness (mostly because it’s the exact opposite of the path he chose). So he manipulates and guilts Veronica into living that life, even though it’s not at all what she wants.

So in my opinion, he’s not so much a BAD investigator as a cocky and biased one. And he suffers for his flawed judgment the same way Veronica does–by losing the things he most values.

@mrskissytaylor--I feel like Keith wouldn’t have been a respected Sheriff or a respected PI by his clients if he wasn’t a good investigator. I mean, as Sheriff, we know he was elected by the people to hold the position, and he wouldn’t have been elected if he wasn’t capable of doing his job, especially to the 09 standards. Same idea goes for the PI side. Mars Investigation seems to rely a lot on reputation, he wouldn’t have many clients or referrals if he wasn’t good at what he did.  I do however think that he, like Veronica - allows his own personal vendettas or issues with specific people cloud his judgement. Obviously Jake Kane was on his radar long before Lily’s death. He may not have known how long Leanne’s affair was going on for, but he had to have known on some level. I think that by going so far as to accuse Jake, he must have decided at some point that since his instincts were telling him Jake was somehow involved or responsible, he stopped looking at any other angle and ran with the circumstantial evidence. I bet if he continued to dig even after questioning Jake, he would have figured out the ticket. Same with Logan. This was the kid that he knew as the self entitled rich kid, used to not having consequences for his actions; and just also happened to be dating his daughter. He didn’t think Logan was ‘worthy enough’, so when she presents him with a plausible (yet very weak) motive…he goes with it - probably not with the intention of bringing Logan to justice based off of something circumstantial, but definitely because his little girl was emotionally hurt by it and he wouldn’t stand for that. What is it they say? Someone always has to pay? 

@captaine-carter--He definitely knew Lianne was cheating on him (there’s a reason he hates Jake so much) he just choose to ignore it because he didn’t want to destroy his family. And with Lilly he was blinded by how badly he wanted Jake to have done it just like Veronica gets when accusing Logan of evil. The one big difference between Veronica and Keith is Keith tends to be more of an optimist about people. Probably because he was an adult before being exposed to all the scandal while she was still a high schooler and so he does tend to miss a couple things Veronica picks up on because she’s always convinced everyone is up to something. (Unless they are a ‘nice’ guy)

[vmheadquarters]

ASK THE FANDOM--RESPONSES

Here’s this week’s Ask the Fandom question:

Why do you think Jake Kane married Celeste and not Lianne?

Also, when do think Lianne became an alcoholic and why? Did her drinking problem start in high school? Post-Jake? During their affair? After Veronica was born?

And here’s what you had to say: 

@susanmichelin-- I always thought that Lianne started drinking heavily when things got bad for the Mars family in Neptune (after Keith publicly accused Jake Kane and then lost his job) until I read TDTL. Here’s a quote from the book:

After reading that (and some great fanfic), there were events on the show that I now viewed in a different light. Like when Logan taunts Veronica in the parking lot: 

LOGAN: What do you say to a little hootch, huh? What’s the matter, aren’t you your mother’s daughter? Hmm? Now there was a woman who could drink. Hey, what’s she up to nowadays, maybe she’ll join us. Do you know where she is? Any clue? 

Logan and Veronica weren’t friends at this point and they hadn’t been for a long time so Logan was probably NOT referencing Lianne’s recent drinking, but using insider knowledge from the years they were friends. 

Alcoholism (as I understand it) is a slow, gradual progression. You don’t wake up one morning as a full-blown alcoholic. My guess is that Lianne used booze as a panacea. When things went wrong in her life she turned to the bottle. Jake breaks up with her (she drinks), fights and downturns in her marriage to Keith (she drinks), not knowing who Veronica’s father is (she drinks) etc… By the time she leaves Keith and Veronica, life is easier if she is always drunk because she can’t deal.

And that might be why Jake married Celeste instead?

[vmheadquarters]

ASK THE FANDOM

Here’s this week’s Ask the Fandom question, by a lovely anon follower:

Why do you think Jake Kane married Celeste and not Lianne?

Also, when do think Lianne became an alcoholic and why? Did her drinking problem start in high school? Post-Jake? During their affair? After Veronica was born?

Please reblog and add your opinions. We’ll compile responses in a few days.

Have another Ask the Fandom question? Send us a note!

[vmheadquarters]

ASK THE FANDOM--RESPONSES

Here’s this week’s Ask the Fandom question:

When did Jake Kane become a true villain? 

Did he only resort to blackmail and murder after he thought Duncan killed Lilly? 

Or was he was already deeply involved in illegal activity? 

And here’s what you had to say:

@cheekypineapples--I think that Jake Kane was already a villain; we just didn’t find out until Veronica started interacting with Clarence Weidman and The Castle. Then as you look back you see the seemingly less significant shady things that he did from the beginning. Such as the paternity issue with Veronica, keeping Duncan doped out of his mind, sneaking around with Lianne to name a few. He believed he was invincible and had the ultimate immunity to all things illegal or shady.

[vmheadquarters]

Twelve years ago today, UPN (RIP!) premiered a cult-classic neo-noir about murder, class warfare, sexual assault, and forbidden love. It was quippy and campy and smart as hell—and it just happened to center on a pint-sized blonde who looked like a cheerleader but thought like Sherlock Holmes. The show was Veronica Mars, and even if the last decade has muddled its legacy with a much-hyped but ultimately disappointing fan-funded follow-up film and, of course, the extremely meh third season, the high school years remain an unparalleled success. Veronica Mars seasons one and two were better than anything that had come before, far surpassed its competition in quality, and set a high bar for future shows that has only barely been met by a few episodes of television here and there. So give my regards to Friday Night Lights (a family show, not a teen show) and Degrassi (please), but Veronica Mars is the best teen show of all time*. 

1. Nuanced Class Conflict

Gossip Girl and The OC did it well, but Veronica Mars did it better. Even though Neptune, CA, is technically fictional, it's as real a place as has ever been portrayed on television. Its particular problems and reputation informed everything from law enforcement (the question of whether or not to incorporate the town into a city and make the sheriff's office into a police department) to the biker gangs riding through on their way up and down the PCH. The levels of privilege/lack thereof were so nuanced and specific. Other shows divide people into the Haves and the Have Nots; on Veronica Mars, everyone has something a little different. At the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder is Weevil, whose background is not only impoverished but criminal; the only community he can "afford" is a gang (though his crew isn't all bad—you'll find nary a broad stroke or generalization in the world of Veronica Mars). In the center of things are Veronica and Keith, who lived comfortably when Keith was sheriff, but have buckled their belts since he became a private eye. On the one hand, they own a small business! On the other, they live in a pretty crap apartment complex and have nowhere near enough saved to send Veronica to college. Then there's the nouveau-riche Echolls', who have all the glamorous trappings of wealth (cars, booze, mansion) and pretty much none of the cultural capital. At the top of the heap are the Kanes; while the Echolls' have enough money to "get away" with murder, the Kanes have enough money to get away with it, cover it up, frame someone else for it, and get the sheriff fired for looking into it. Money problems are basically the least-juicy of TV plots, but by using wealth disparity as a way to develop the characters, essentially building it into the DNA of the show, Veronica Mars created a TV universe just as interesting and complicated as that of Friday Night Lights or Parks and Recreation.

2. Lianne Mars

A girl with a missing mom is a fairy tale trope as old as time, rooted in a deification-of-the-female version of misogyny that I don't have time to get into right now. Suffice it to say, a dead or absentee mother is usually a sign of lazy writing. It's a way to reduce the character count and set a heroine adrift while, not coincidentally, making it so the (usually male) writer doesn't have to think of what a grown woman would think or talk or act like. At first, this is the fate of Veronica's mother, Lianne Mars. She was just conveniently...gone, another casualty of the fallout from the Lilly Kane murder investigation. Her absence lets Veronica be angsty and ill-supervised even as Keith Mars entered the canon of Bestest TV Dads of All Time (which he is! Love Keith forever and ever). But then she came back, with baggage, and the trope was, if not redeemed, at least put to good use. Lianne is an alcoholic who couldn't deal with the disappointing turns life took, and she finally cracked when her husband ran directly into conflict with her lost love Jake Kane, for whom she still pined. Even when she decides she wants to be a mom again, she can't quit being an alcoholic. And as heartbreaking as it is to watch Veronica play the parent, it's also a moment of growth. Veronica realizes—or rather, decides—that she isn't doomed to repeat her mother's mistakes. She is a stronger, better person than Lianne. A person big enough to love her flawed mother, even strong enough to forgive her. In the third episode, Veronica says, "The hero is the one that stays, and the villain is the one that splits." By the end of the series, Veronica has learned what true villainy looks like, and it ain't her mom. Showrunners, take note: This is how you do a realistic redemption story.

3. The Guest Stars and Bit Players

The casting department at Veronica Mars did flawless work. Obviously, the core cast is great, but the semi-regulars and guests are also amazing. There's an entire season devoted to Steve fucking Guttenberg. Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin play the negaverse versions of themselves. Ryan Hansen and Ken Marino do their Ryan Hansen/Ken Marino Shtick, and why shouldn't they? Max Greenfield (a.k.a. Schmidt on New Girl) and Tessa Thompson (from Dear White People and Creed) both had recurring roles long before they were famous, and even Tina Majorino (Mac) and Michael Muhney (Lamb), who didn't really "break out" in a major way after the show, are perfect in their roles. The second (SECOND) IMDb credit for one Jessica Chastain is an episode of Veronica Mars, and of course, Leighton Meester appears in two episodes. Yes, there are other teen shows that feature young actors who went on to bigger, better things, but I maintain that Veronica Mars is notable for encouraging real actors to do real work.

4. The Mysteries Were Smart AF

The show trusted its audience to keep up and pay attention. Maybe even a little too much. In the era before binge-watching and old episodes being able on demand, Veronica Mars suffered from the same issue that plagues the first few seasons of The X Files: Viewers who weren't "caught up" on the season-long mystery arc found it difficult to get into. VM had low ratings throughout its run, and when it used the shift from high school to college to introduce shorter, quicker mysteries, well, we all know how season three went. But looking back, it's clear that the show was ahead of its time, telling smart, twist-y weekly stories while teasing out a longer mystery that deeply impacted the main characters' lives. (Can't you just imagine how they'd advertise the show now? Moody teaser trailers with the tag line "Who Killed Lilly Kane?" and fansites and podcasts devoted to all the clues and hints and easter eggs from every episode?) There are other teen mystery/crime-fighter shows, sure, but they tend to put their characters in immediate peril, which makes the audience ask, "What's going to happen?" Instead, Veronica Mars is an intellectual exercise, evidence and theory based, and the question becomes, "What has already happened, and what does it mean?" That's the kind of meaty writing that inspires, if not legions of fans, a loyal audience to sing its praises. Veronica Mars was so smart it was niche. I'm not making a case for VM as overlooked prestige television, but then again I totally am. WHY didn't it win any Emmys?

5. They Didn't Explain Every Little Thing

See: above "trusting the audience smartness" factor. They didn't explain why sleeping with a "consenting" teenager is still wrong, or why Logan and Veronica went from adversaries to lovers in the space of like, a week, or why money equals power. They got that the audience got it. So, the exact opposite of a show like, say, Secret Life of the American Teenager. There were episodes that touched on privilege and entitlement and infidelity and the abuse of power by law enforcement, but it was subtle and real instead of, you know...Degrassi.

6. The Humor

It wasn't dark and humorous, it was darkly humorous and humorously dark. (Think combining the creepy weirdness of Twin Peaks with the banter of Moonlighting.) Logan's poignant answering machine messages, Veronica's epic takedowns, even Lamb got to be withering and snarky while he systematically fucked over the whole town.The humor kept us invested even when stories dipped into sentimental, Dawson's Creek-esque territory and deflected the romance-y moments that might have turned it into a mystery-style Felicity. Veronica's and Logan's jokes, in particular, also serve a psychological purpose: mask their pain at any cost. Unlike in Gilmore Girls, where every character speaks like a hyper-intelligent stand-up comic and not at all like a teenager or real human being, Veronica and the residents of Neptune make comments that feel true to their characters and relevant to their circumstances. If you watched any episode of Scream Queens and thought, "I guess they're trying to imitate...Scream? Heathers? Clueless? With the smart/bitchy blondes and the snappy comebacks and the eye rolls?" I understand. But actually, they were trying (and failing. Hard.) to do Veronica Mars. Smart sassy cute mean heart of gold flirty clever repartee? Yeah, that's Veronica Mars, and Ryan Murphy, bless his soul, is not Rob Thomas.

7. The Rape Plot(s)

From the very first episode when, in a flashback, golden-haired, white dress-clad Veronica walks, almost in a stupor (have you ever seen a more "perfect" victim?) into the sheriff's office to tell Lamb that she was raped—because she is a good girl and good girls go to the authorities—only to have him, basically, shrug it off, rape and sexual assault were core themes of the show, central to its purpose and story engine. Creator Rob Thomas initially envisioned the story as a YA novel with a male protagonist, and changing the lead's gender to female is arguably the best and most important decision he ever made. Veronica's sexuality is everything. How she flirts her way out of scrapes, plays innocent when it can help her, distrusts it when she's attracted to the "wrong" person, is allowed to enjoy it with Logan and, of course, how her virginity was taken from her one night she can't quite remember. The show takes Veronica's rape seriously as not just a plot point or easy motivation, but as a defining part of her character. She cleans obsessively and looks over her shoulder. She's sensitive to the potential aggressors—and victims—at her school. She knows that her rapist was someone she knew, and she has to live with that mystery every day. But it's complicated. That night she can't remember might have been semi-consensual, but then we learn, no it wasn't. Yes, there's a story about a false rape accusation (against Adam Scott!), but the truth only makes the situation murkier. And in an unfortunately rare move, Veronica Mars also depicts the aftermath of the sexual abuse of boys, including an exploration of how the stigma against male assault survivors re-traumatizes them. (The third season is, in my opinion, a missed opportunity to tackle the campus rape epidemic. By blaming the rapes on a psychological experiment gone awry, the show unfortunately ignores the fact that toxic masculinity isn't a role-playing aberration but a pervasive national issue. But its heart is in the right place, if not its logic.)

8. Veronica

Choker-wearing, dog-owning, private-detectiving blonde badass Veronica Mars. She's most often compared to Buffy, that other crime-fighting cutie with a ragtag army of friends and a ne'er do well love interest, and the comparison is apt. Both possess skills their peers do not and use those skills to solve problems both thrust upon them and sought. But the difference is that in the space that Buffy uses to explore the supernatural, Veronica Mars plays with loyalty and ethics. Is it wrong to snitch on your friends? Is a rumor evidence? Can you break the law to serve a higher good? These are issues Buffy doesn't wrestle with; it's pretty much a given that evil vampires are worth defeating (yes, there are definitely instances when Buffy is tested because she's fallen for a vamp or one of her friends is possessed or whatever, but that's not like, the thing of the show). And while so many other "outsider/observer/new kid" teen show protagonists (Ryan, Dan, Dawson, Lindsay Weir) long to get "in," Veronica's been there. She's been popular, and (a little) wealthy. She's not exploring a new world, she's re-learning her old one. In that she has more in common with Angela Chase, but way less whiny. You watch My So-Called Life and think, I'm totally Angela. You watch VMand think, I wish I were Veronica. When people talk about the strong but vulnerable but smart but flawed but cool but real but beautiful but relatable but empowered but conflicted but modern but iconic but a good role model but not unattainable with a job not defined by that job "interesting" female characters on television, a few names tend to come up again and again: Carrie, Murphy, Ally, Roseanne, Olivia, Dana. To that (very white!) pantheon I humbly submit: Veronica.

*....except for Freaks and Geeks.