Episode #01.14: Mars vs Mars
Original Air Date: February 15, 2005
Written by: Jed Seidel & Diane Ruggiero (Story by Rob Thomas)
Directed by: Marcos Siega
Report Card (Capsule Episode Review)
Yearbook (Recurring & Guest Stars/Character Statistics)
Drama Club (Performances: Highlights and Lowlights) (None)
Chemistry (The Analysis of LoVe Scenes)
Journalism (The Mystery of the Week)
Study Hall (Miscellaneous Plot Details)
Extra Credit (Clues to the Season Mystery Arcs)
History (Flashbacks)
Band Class (The Music of Veronica Mars)
Literature (LoVe Lines/In Memory/Quotable Quotes)
Social Science (In Reference To ... Pop Culture & The World)
Homeroom (On Second Viewing, Get a Clue)
Pep Squad Practice (Ambiguously (Or Not) Gay Logan Moments) (None)
Detention (While the Censors Were Out to Lunch ...)
Philosophy (Unanswered Questions)
Principles of Democracy (Hindsight is 20/20)
Staff Grade: B+
Membership Grade: A (54.0% of 63 votes)
In Mars vs Mars, no one performance, one scene, one creative aspect is outstanding. However, that is perfectly fine because what we are left with is, simply put, a solid episode. While nothing stands out, the entire hour is strong -- the performances, A and B stories, dialogue, direction all work. And an episode that, while lacking that extra something, is able craftsmanship is absolutely a-okay.
Recurring Guest Stars (Previous Episode Appearances)
Eric Beck - Dr. Levine
- Meet John Smith
Christian Clemenson - Abel Koontz
- Pilot
- Like a Virgin
Duane Daniels - Van Clemmons
- Pilot
- Return of the Kane
- Like a Virgin
- Clash of the Tritons
Max Greenfield - Deputy Leo D'Amato
- Silence of the Lamb
Daran Norris - Cliff McCormack
- Pilot
- Credit Where Credit's Due
- Like a Virgin
- Clash of the Tritons
Guest Stars
Mike Gaarde - Hart
Christine Lakin - Susan Knight
Leighton Meester - Carrie Bishop
Adam Scott - Chuck Rooks
Deborah Vancelette - Sondra Bolan
Who's Who in Neptune
Hart - Aspiring director and freshman at Neptune High who caught certain footage, much to Logan's dismay.
Susan Knight - A Neptune High student, extemporaneous speaking champion and best friends with Carrie Bishop. Susan had an affair with and was impregnated by the school's history teacher, Mr. Rooks.
Carrie Bishop - Catty Neptune High student, known as one of the school's biggest gossips and best friend to Susan Knight, who claims to have had an affair with Mr. Rooks in order to discredit him on Susan's behalf.
Chuck Rooks - History teacher, much loved by most students, who is accused of having an affair with one of his students.
Sondra Bolan - Obsessed fan of Aaron and Lynn Echolls, who claims to have seen Lynn alive after she jumped.
Scene One: Who's at the Door, Part Deux
In an interesting move (that I don't believe had happened before), the previouslies segues straight into the episode with a slightly different take in Veronica's line reading of "Logan, what are you doing here?" It's a little softer, a little less 'what the hell?' and the camera angles are a tad more intimate with shots that are a bit closer-up. Hmm, interesting. Moving along. We see the further play-out of what I wrote about the final scene in Lord of the Bling:
Scene Two: After the Karate Chop
In our second scene, once again we had that slight awkwardness, but this was played mostly by Logan. Veronica had regained her equilibrium in regards to him and was back to the slight insults, the snarky banter. But that makes sense, it's not her mother who supposedly jumped off of a bridge and she wasn't the one who initiated the war in the first place. So while Veronica is throwing lines at him like: "Contrary to popular belief, you can't beat the truth out of someone," as well as the whole "tenacious wit, etc." bit, Logan remained serious and determined to stay on target.
He didn't rise to her bait and as the scene progressed that slight touch of tentativeness disappeared in his need to find out the truth about his mother. And Veronica responded to that. I think the reason she did was three-fold: First of all, I think that Veronica had decided to put Logan in the "case" category in an effort to distance herself (even if she thought she was just doing a favor). Also, she IS a marshmallow. Thirdly, and off-shooting of reason number two, regardless of all that Logan has done, he WAS her friend, he DID lose his mother and she can completely relate to that.
Now a question that may seem off-topic at first, but bear with me: What was the moment for you? The one moment where the chemistry really *really* jumped out and just smacked you in the face? My moment was in this scene. Sure, I thought they had chemistry from the Pilot and by An Echolls Family Christmas, I knew that they were the couple I wanted, but this was the moment where I just sat up and went "dayum!" and I was completely hooked, no turning back, take me out to the ballgame, I'm sold.
Veronica, while walking away, explained to Logan how she'll stop him from coming to the station ("Force of will, strength of character, tenacity, karate chop (with accompanying hand motion) ...") and Logan -- who was walking beside her -- put his hand on her arm and turned her to face him. And when he did, when he did ... oh boy, something about that moment, I don't know what it was but I remember clear as the day the first time I watched this scene and when that moment happened, I sat up and actually hit pause on my DVR. And rewound and watched it a few times before continuing on with the scene. And every single time I watch it now, it still reaches out and grabs me. That is my moment.
Ahem, back to the scene: The intensity of his delivery persuaded Veronica to let him come along, which really wasn't a surprise. See "she is a marshmallow" above. This isn't the first time she's given in to a client's request to join the sting operation. So, sigh, as much as I'd like to give her capitulation to burgeoning feelings of love (feel free to roll your eyes), I think it's just, well, she's a marshmallow, LOL!
Scene Three: Down, Boy
What I found interesting about this episode -- which is most palpable in this scene -- is you can really sense how torn Veronica is in helping Logan. It's a case, it's a favor, it's helping Logan who was an ass, but isn't being one now and once upon a time he was a friend, he lost his mother, she lost her mother, she knows how to control him ("down boy") but when he goes off, she can barely keep him off of the woman. He's not being a jerk to her, but some of his comments to the woman (who Veronica had insulted herself, "white trash talking") seemed to bother Veronica just that little bit.
In this scene, we also had the first time that Logan saw Leo. It's not much and it may have actually been nothing, but when Veronica sees Leo and tells him "Hi" there is a quick look from Logan towards him. Again, it may have been nothing, or it may have been something thrown in there by Dohring (or the director) possibly, knowing the upcoming growing relationship between Logan and Veronica.
Scene Four: Maintaining Balance
In the second scene, Veronica had been the one who seemed to be getting back on track with the usual push-pull of their relationship but after what happened at the Sheriff's station, she regressed back to that tentativeness that we witnessed at her apartment. And here we have the reversal: Logan, much like Veronica at the school, is now trying to establish some of that same back-and-forth acidity. Perhaps it's because he needs it for his equilibrium, to maintain his balance. Upon entering, he overhears a phone conversation Veronica is having as she tries to make a doctor's appointment. While he does make the rather snarky, pointed reference to VD (and excuse me while I laugh -- heehee, VD!), his tone just does not even remotely have the usual bite. It's as if he is saying the words just to say them, recapture the solid ground upon which he usually stands when interacting with one Veronica Mars.
And as in the second scene, the sparring partner doesn't return the favor. Whereas before, Veronica was keeping things to a degree of status quo between them while Logan did not, we have Veronica simply going with the sincerity of the situation and not playing games. Veronica ignored Logan's lack of retaliation (for lack of a better word), Logan, perhaps for the same reason he made the initial snarky comment, does retaliate. Yet again, his heart is not in it; I just don't think he cares about this stupid vendetta that he had created against Veronica. His mother very well may be dead; that rather puts things in perspective -- although, you would think that Lilly's death would have done that trick. Hmm, on that thought, it's interesting ... It was one huge, life-altering event -- a death, Lilly's -- that put Logan and Veronica on the bitter path that they were on and it is another huge, life-altering event -- another death, his mother's -- that is seemingly healing that bitterness. God, I love this show.
Sorry, back to the scene: So, it seems that Logan has realized somewhere inside, due to his lack of overt asshattery, that the vendetta against Veronica just does not matter. Still, I don't think that realization has hit conscious level yet. After all, he has spent the last year and a half building and nurturing said vendetta and so the show must go on. Thus we had the VD comment and now we have:
Scene Five: The Loss of Hope
Our interaction between Logan and Veronica doesn't hit until the final seconds of this scene, but they're a doozy. Leaning against the partition, Veronica's voice was soft -- it very well may be as soft as we ever hear it when talking to a client -- as she showed empathy for him, something that wouldn't have been expected or believed to be even remotely plausible nine episodes ago. But yet it is, thanks to the brilliant groundwork laid out in the flashbacks and last four episodes, as well as the skill and chemistry of Bell and Dohring.
Scene Six: V and Sympathy
Sigh. These are usually filled with lighthearted fun, sweet and/or snarky moments recounted, but dang is this an episode a downer or what?! I'm on the last scene and am just depressed. Even the next episode has some moments that I can have fun with, but this one, damn! It's just so incredibly sad. And it continues and just about ends on that note. As in the scene before, the interaction here is not between Logan and Veronica but for the ending, and so my analysis comes mostly from how Veronica deals with the situation.
We've seen Veronica handle cases, upstarts, varying situations from silly to serious and she generally does with a smart-ass comment and a blithe grin, not so here. The closest similarity would be her reaction to Justin Smith's parentage reveal in Meet John Smith, but even then, there was a distance. Yes, Veronica clearly personalized the case then, but not to the degree that she is personalizing Logan's case. And it didn't come across so much in this scene here that she was empathizing with Logan -- as it did in the earlier scene -- but rather, she is showing sympathy. Her pain, and it's clear that she is pained by this, is for Logan. There just wasn't the sense that she was thinking of her maternal loss, but only of Logan's loss. And she also felt his high. When she got that text message, when she ran out there yelling his name, breathless with the quick desire to reach him, again, we had Veronica wanting to be there for him, give him hope, relieve his pain.
Quite a change, but bless Rob Thomas, a believable one, from the girl who gleefully set him up for a drug-related bust in the Pilot. But then again, in that same episode, the same girl couldn't stand to see Weevil knock Logan down. Oh yeah, it's been there all along and how beautifully the show has brought it to the surface.
As this episode probably marks the beginning of the romantic phase of LoVe, Im sure most of you have forgotten the mystery of the week ... if you didnt just fast forward through the whole thing in the first place. So Im here to help.
We begin in Mr. Rooks history class. The students are stomping, banging their desks, and chanting, all part of a world history review game. Which immediately makes me suspect that the mystery of the week will involve one of them losing it and breaking a desk over Mr. Rooks head. In fairness, that may be because their chant sounds like ouga shaka to me, which immediately gets "Hooked on a Feeling" stuck in my head.
Apparently the students dont know their Blue Swede songs all that well, as they seem to love the game. They take turns giving a reason for the fall of the Roman Empire, which he deftly reveals on an overhead. Well, at least until we come to Carrie Bishop, who responds by saying that shes not pregnant, doesnt need his money, and is giving his key back. Mr. Rooks does not have a spot for this one on his transparency.
Veronica stays after class to offer her help to Mr. Rooks. He says he never touched Carrie and never wanted to do anything but teach, but by now, everyone will have heard her story, and his career will be ruined. If she is just making all this up, I might have expected outrage as opposed to the resignation we see on his face.
At lunch, Carrie is being serenaded by three girls singing "Dont Stand So Close to Me." So a new candidate for mystery of the week is whether there are currently three high school students anywhere in America who still know the words to that song. But its a nice way to show that things are rough for Carrie, as Mr. Rooks is very popular.
As usual, Veronicas first step is to have Wallace get Carries permanent record, and then to read it while standing smack dab in the middle of lunch. Really, what would Veronica have done if Wallace hadnt gotten that office job? Anyway, the next time Veronica sees Carrie she asks why Mr. Rooks would have called Carries parents in for a conference if he was having an affair with her. Good question.
After school at work: Keith asks Veronica if she knows Mr. Rooks, as theyve been hired to help the Bishops with their sexual harassment suit. Veronica says Carrie is a liar and this is a witch hunt. So, Mars vs. Mars is set up.
Flashback to a pre-Lilly-murder scene of Veronica in a bathroom stall, while two girls discuss how Duncan was always too good for her. Also, shes apparently made him crazy, evidenced by him being taken to the hospital, foaming at the mouth, screaming her name. She comes out and identifies the girls as Carrie Bishop and Susan Knight. This scene simultaneously explains Veronicas distrust of Carrie, advances the Duncan storyline, and sets up later revelations in this MotW. All in thirty seconds. Man, this show rocks.
Veronica shows up at Mr. Rooks' house to learn more about that parent-teacher conference. Hes one of the few characters this season to ask her if this shouldnt be left to adults. But he goes on to tell her it was because he gave Carrie a C, ruining her chances at the Ivy League.
Back at the office, Veronica is barely speaking to Keith. Still, he tells her that Rooks is a bad egg and that Carries diary has details of secret rendezvous - including dinner in San Diego after Carrie won the state extemporaneous speaking competition -- that match his credit card records. Sounds quite damning to me, but Veronica sticks by him. With some logic about Kid Rock worked in there, which I dont fully get, probably because its too modern for someone who still listens to Blue Swede and The Police.
Arriving home later, Veronica finds Keith making lasagna with double cheese and a salad, which apparently signifies sympathy cooking. The sympathy is because things keep looking worse for Mr. Rooks he was fired from his last job based on the complaints of two girls. Veronica is still not convinced, and manages to track down the new combination to Keiths safe, break in, find the conveniently placed box marked Bishop, open it, and take a bomb of blue ink to the face. On behalf of fathers everywhere, I say, hah! And laugh along with Keith when he tells her not to get blue in the face about it. But, one well placed line from Veronica, asking whether he can relate to the trashing of a good mans reputation, and he lets fathers everywhere down by giving her the diary.
Back at school, Veronica asks Mr. Rooks why he was fired from his last job. He responds that parents there felt that, by questioning American imperialism, he was attempting to turn their daughters into little Bolsheviks. Sounds too much like a plot from the girls' school version of Dead Poets' Society for me to believe it, but Veronica seems to. Which lends credence to Carries subsequent accusation that shes in love with him. Carrie follows this up with details for "Veronicas fantasies" including that he has black silk sheets and likes to seduce girls with side two of Rolling Stones Tattoo You. Veronica counters that she has that same Sweet Valley High novel. So, at a minimum, Mr. Rooks has better taste in plots to rip off. Veronica continues that Carrie could not have been with him at a hotel at a time the diary says, as she was part of a winning 1600 Meter Relay team that weekend.
That fact seems pretty convincing, but does not come up at the School Board hearing that we see next. Rather, we hear Carries version of the affair - seduced after her parents broke up; dumped after becoming pregnant; motivated to action by seeing him flirt with other girls - which she attempts to prove via raunchy text messages on her phone. Theyre addressed to SK, which Carrie claims means Sweet Knees, Mr. Rooks' pet name for her. Pushing the callback button confirms theyre from Mr. Rooks' phone. Id have thought the credit card records Keith got for the family would have worked better. And, indeed, Veronica easily refutes this evidence by using Vice Principal Clemmons' phone to leave raunchy messages on the School Board Chairpersons phone.
Mr. Rooks is acquitted. Veronica shows up at his house to return his phone. He invites her in for pizza. Everyone in the audience starts to wonder. She asks to use the bathroom, sees black silk sheets on his bed, hears side two of Tattoo You come on, starts to wonder with us, and bolts.
Next day in school, Veronica (with help from a very chatty Duncan), uses school newspaper records to realize that Susan Knight (from the bathroom flashback) won the state extemporaneous speaking competition. And it clicks for her - Carries friend, Susan Knight, initials: SK.
Veronica goes to see Susan, who says she wasnt brave enough to come forward, even though her parents disowned her for not revealing the father (which, sadly, is probably the more common response to such situations than what Carrie did), but Carrie felt he needed to pay, so she told the story as her own. Veronica tells her to make Carries struggles mean something with a phone call.
Apparently, she does, as the next day Mr. Clemmons reports that Mr. Rooks has resigned, and that hell be teaching the class until a replacement can be found. Wonder if Veronica is having second thoughts with that news? For some bizarre reason, Mr. Rooks sets himself up for a walk of shame by showing up in the middle of class to pick up his things. Well, it makes good TV.
- Logan comes to Veronica to find Lynn, who he is still convinced is alive. A woman saw her jump and has been blabbing to every news reporter with a microphone. Veronica has a friend at Logans bank that is going to tell her if Lynns credit cards, which are missing, are used. She also has discovered that the witness will be making a statement at the Sheriffs department the following day and plans on dropping in. Logan invites himself along as well because he feels he will know if she is lying.
At the police station, Logan is prepared to confront the woman when Veronica stops him. She has a plan. Cliff! confronts the witness, named Ms. Stanton, and pretends to be a reporter from Weekly World News. When Cliff says that he is interested in an exclusive and presses for details, Ms. Staunton makes it obvious that she will say anything at the right price. Logan, listening on an earpiece explodes and confronts her, saying that he knows she is lying. She leaves without giving them any more information and Veronica tries to reassure Logan that it is good news that they know she is lying.
The next day, Logan comes to Veronica with a story from a tabloid about a witness who claims that Lynn got into a van with a mysterious stranger, laughing and having fun, on the bridge. Logan instructs Veronica to find the witness, Sondra Bolan, and tells her that he is paying her for her help, insisting that they are not friends. Veronica picks up the phone, tracks her down, and arranges to meet her at a local coffee bar.
When they get there, Sondra claims that she has received no money and just wanted the truth to be known. As Veronica presses for details, the woman pulls out a scrapbook and proceeds to say that the van used was the same as was used in one of Lynns movies. It is obvious that the woman never saw Lynn that day and Logan, very upset, leaves the bar. Veronica follows and tells him that she would have held out hope as well, but he blows her off and leaves. Weevil sees him and seems a little sad about his situation.
The next day, Weevil comes to Veronica and tells her that there is a freshman at school who says that he has proof Lynn jumped. Weevil promises to get more information for her on his name and his evidence. A few days later, he has found the kid, Hart. When Logan arrives, Hart tells them that he and his buddy were filming a student war film under the Coronado Bay Bridge the day Lynn disappeared. When they were editing the footage they noticed something falling from the bridge at the exact time Lynn was supposed to have jumped. Veronica and Weevil threaten Hart if the footage ever goes public. Just as a despondent Logan seems to be accepting his mothers death, Veronica gets a phone call that Lynns credit card has been used, giving him hope again.
- Lynn carries a Platinum card.
- Mr. Rooks has broken his class into two teams: the Age of Enlightenment Rock Stars and the Children of the Industrial Revolution. The IRs Team captain is Corazon Soliman.
- Wallace and Veronica have world history together.
- Carrie Bishop is the gossip queen of Neptune High.
- Keith knows that Veronica dreads going to school every day.
- Mr. Rooks has a daughter named Olivia.
- Mr. Rooks is a faculty union representative.
- Carrie wants to go to Cornell.
- Susan Knight won the District Extemporaneous Speaking Competition.
- Carrie runs track, specializing in the 1,600 meter relay, where apparently she is really good. Her team won a meet in Sacramento the weekend of April 23.
- Dr. Levines receptionist/nurse is named Nancy.
- Aaron and Lynn met on the movie The Pursuit of Happiness, which they were filming together.
- Lynn starred in a movie named Delta Blue Bombers. She attended the premiere with Aaron.
- Keith cooks lasagna; his secret recipe is to double the cheese.
- There is a fish tank on top of the safe in the Mars Investigations Office.
- When Keith cooks, Veronica knows that he has bad news for her.
- Keith taught Veronica that it's the rare individual who chooses meaningless numbers as a safe combination. Nine times out of ten, an individual will select numbers that mean something - birthdays, anniversaries, or addresses. Most people keep the combination written down on a post-it, tacked to a bulletin board or scribbled on a birthday page of their page-a-day calendar.
- Words used to describe Veronica in the teachers lounge include unique, gifted and unsettling.
- Mr. Rooks is the faculty advisor for Mock UN.
- Mr. Rooks was voted best teacher three of the four years he's taught at Neptune High.
- Jessica Fuller is the Chairman of the School Board. Members include Edward Reed, Jean Horton and Pat Bryan.
- Susan Knight lives on Ninth Street in Neptune.
- In the previous year, Veronica had overheard Carrie Bishop and Susan Knight talking about her and Duncan. After saying various unflattering things about how Veronica is after Duncans money and that they feel sorry for him, Carrie reveals that she heard Duncan was brought in kicking and screaming to the local hospital, foaming at the mouth and calling out Veronica's name. Apparently it took three orderlies to get him in a straight jacket. Veronica, upset, comes out of the bathroom stall and Susan looks uncomfortable at being overheard. Veronica, convinced that Carrie is lying, has disliked her ever since.
- While at the police station with Logan, Veronica sees Leo and once again apologizes for her behavior in Silence of the Lamb. She tells him what she has discovered about Lillys death, including that the time of death was off, that Wiedman made the crime stoppers call and that the shoes exonerate Koontz. She then tells him that she fell for him, which he seems happy to hear.
- Veronica gets Duncan to tell her the name of his doctor, Al Levine, and then makes an appointment. After the doctor tells her she has slight allergies, Veronica hides in the bathroom cabinet (wow!) noting that he probably wouldnt let her rifle through his files, even if she asked nicely. After everyone leaves, she comes out and looks for Duncans file and copies the information she wants. She also finds Koontzs file and takes it. When she hears someone coming, she hightails it back to the exam room and pretends to still be waiting for the doctor.
- Lynns body has not been found yet. She left a note, but her credit cards are missing.
- She was supposed to have jumped at 4:37 pm.
- Duncan is taking Oxcarbazepine, which is used for type IV epilepsy. Symptoms include hysterical, violent, emotional fits that can't be controlled and are often accompanied by complete blackouts and loss of memory.
- Veronica visits the jail and tells Abel Koontz that she knows he is dying and knows that he confessed to the murder to be someones fall guy.
- Veronica in the bathroom stall overhearing Carrie tells Susan about Duncan's epileptic fit. (Read detailed breakdown.)
"Don't Stand So Close to Me" (Originally performed by the Police)
Scene: Due to Carrie's accusations, her peers decide the time is right to serenade her with what they, no doubt, consider a perfectly appropriate ode to her current situation, courtesy of Gordon Summers.
"Tulips" (Bloc Party)
Scene: Thanks to Sondra, Logan loses the last bit of hope he had that Lynn had not indeed gone the way of potential bloat and bug-eyes.
"Worried About You" (Rolling Stones)
Scene: You know that somewhat icky feeling that some had regarding Mr. Rooks and the fact that those accusations might just be true, well thanks to good Ole Mick and some black satin sheets, Miss Mars now gets that same feeling.
LoVe Lines
Logan: Relax, I'm not asking you to drag the lake. My mother didn't really kill herself.
Veronica: (Softly.) Come inside, okay?
Logan: (Impatiently.) Why does everyone assume that she's not? I mean, there's no body.
Veronica: What about the woman who saw her jump? It's been on every channel.
Logan: (Quietly sarcastic.) Well, if she's on the TV, she must be telling the truth.
Logan: (Insistent.) I know my mother!
Veronica: Okay ... I heard she left a note.
Logan: Well, yeah, she wants people to think she's dead. But if she was going to really do the deed, it'd be chardonnay and sleeping pills. You know, she wouldn't risk being found bug-eyed and bloated in some shrimp net.
Veronica: I'll see what I can find out.
Logan: (Turns to go.) You know, I ... (Pauses in doorway.) I just need to know she's ... okay.
Logan: Well, I'll go with you.
Veronica: Actually, despite popular opinion, you really can't beat the truth out of someone. (Walks away. He chases after her.)
Logan: Listen, I'm going.
Veronica: You're not.
Logan: 'Kay, what are you going to stop me with?
Veronica: Force of will, strength of character, tenacity. (Gesturing.) Karate chop ...
Veronica: (Sitting beside an impatient Logan.) We should do this more often.
Veronica: (Putting her hand on a rising Logan.) Down, boy. Relax. I've got it covered. (Speaking softly into her sleeve.) White trash walking. (Hands earpiece to Logan.) I know, gadgets and all.
Veronica: Can't say I was expecting you.
Logan: Yeah, yeah, I usually avoid buildings with stained glass.
Veronica: (With girly-girl sweetness.) That's why you haven't come to visit.
Logan: (Slaps tabloid down in front of her, excited.) There's a woman who saw my mom get out of her car and get in a van with a (Air quotes.) mysterious stranger.
Veronica: There's also a jungle tribe that worships Donald Trump's hair. It's a tabloid.
Logan: (Smiles.) What, so the girl with the pig arm can't really bowl?
Veronica: I just don't want you to get your hopes up.
Logan: (Harshly.) I'm not paying you to worry about my hopes. I'm paying you to follow leads.
Veronica: I wasn't aware you were paying me.
Logan: This isn't a favor. It's a job, you know. I mean, we're not ... exchanging friendship bracelets.
Veronica: (Softly.) I'll stop braiding.
Veronica: I would have done the same thing.
Logan: (Turning to look at her.) Done what?
Veronica: If it was my mother, I would have let myself believe that story.
Veronica: I'm sorry.
Logan: (Quietly.) Yeah, so am I.
Quotable Quotes
Mr. Rooks: Two more answers. Uh-oh. I see someone hiding back there, trying to disappear completely. Carrie Bishop. (With gusto.) Sock it to me, baby!
Carrie: The answer is I'm not pregnant. So you can quit dodging my calls and you can keep your money to (Air quotes.) take care of it. And while we're at it ... (Tosses him a key.) here's your key back. I won't be needing it anymore.
Veronica: Don't look to me for sympathy. Carrie has had a long and storied reign as the gossip queen of Neptune High.
Wallace: You get a crown with that?
Veronica: Do something for me?
Wallace: Let me guess. Borrow her permanent file?
Veronica: I remember when you were new and eager to please. Good times.
Wallace: Carrie's file. (Holds it out, but snatches it back as she starts to take it.) If you are caught with this, I will disavow any knowledge of you or your mission. You'll be on your own.
Veronica: Don't worry. I've got a cyanide capsule in a false tooth. If I'm caught, I'll do the honorable thing.
Wallace: (Hands her the file.) It's been a privilege knowing you, Mars.
Veronica: Mr. Rooks is an amazing teacher, one of the few good teachers at Neptune High! And you're just going to join the witch hunt to get him fired?
Keith: I'm just running a background check. I'm not organizing a stoning in the town square.
Veronica: Thanks, Cliff. You're the best.
Cliff: Yeah, if by best you mean willing. You owe me one, kid.
Veronica: Hi, Olivia. I'm one of your dad's students, Veronica. She must be going through a shy phase.
Mr. Rooks: No, not really. She's usually pretty gregarious. She must really dislike you.
Veronica: There's a club she can join.
Veronica: She's adorable.
Mr. Rooks: Well, if you get past her megalomania and reactionary politics.
Veronica: So? That doesn't prove anything. I could write down that I met Kid Rock every weekend at the Hedonism Lodge for sensual massage and smoothies, but that doesn't make it true.
Keith: I did a cross check of Rooks' credit card history. The charges match Carrie's diary.
Veronica: She could have followed him.
Keith: Sweetie, it's very specific. And I don't want you seeing Kid Rock.
Weevil: (After Logan bumps into him.) Hey! Manners, Opie! (To Veronica.) What, did he lose a puka shell?
Veronica: No. Just the last ounce of hope that his mother was still alive.
Veronica: Is that lasagna I smell?
Keith: Keith Mars' secret recipe.
Veronica: You double the cheese. Your secret is out. You're making salad? I know pity cooking when I see it. There must be more bad news.
Veronica Mars Voiceover: It's the rare individual who chooses meaningless numbers as a combination. He taught me that. Nine times out of ten, an individual will select numbers that mean something - birthdays, anniversaries, addresses. Of course, dad is smarter than that. You wouldn't believe the number of people who keep the combination written down on a post-it or tacked to a bulletin board or scribbled on a birthday page of their page-a-day calendar. Somehow, I doubt Dad's that careless. (On the page-a-day calendar, she spots the entry for 10 February upon which is written: 12 1663. She smiles and heads for the safe.) Then again, he'll be glad to know how much I've soaked up listening to him. (Opens the safe.) And what do we have here? (Pulling out a steel box, she brings it to the desk and opens it. Blue dye explodes out all over her.) I suspect there's also a lesson to be learned here.
CUT TO: Veronica at home, scrubbing her blues away (trying anyway).
Keith: Hey, honey. What have you been up to?
Veronica: Tell me where to put your father-of-the-year trophy, 'cause there's some place I'd like to put it.
Keith: Wow. Good thing I didn't go with a bear trap.
Veronica: This is not funny. I need to see that diary. She's lying. I know it. I can feel it with every fiber of my being.
Keith: Honey, you don't have to get all blue in the face.
Veronica: You're patronizing me?
Keith: To be fair, I am your patron.
Veronica: Do you want to be responsible for taking a good man down? Destroying his reputation? Can you possibly relate?
Weevil: If you're looking for my trophy, it's back by auto shop.
Veronica: A lube job? Or can you medal in stealing hubcaps?
Weevil: Is this 1970? Rims, baby.
Veronica: So you got a trophy for a rim job?
Weevil: (Laughing.) Forget it. Look, I got some information for you.
Veronica: (Sweetly.) Finally, a Deep Throat to call my own.
Weevil: I'm not going to touch that one.
Veronica: Who's the kid?
Weevil: Do you want me to find out?
Veronica: Do you even have to ask?
Veronica: Why were you fired from your last job?
Mr. Rooks: How on earth do you know --
Veronica: I just do.
Mr. Rooks: Wow. Maybe I should give more credence to the teacher's lounge gossip. Colleagues said you were ... unique. (Off Veronica's expectant look.) Gifted. (Trying again.) Unsettling?
Veronica: I was hoping for delightful, but what can you do?
Mr. Rooks: My firing, yeah, um. It was an all girls' school on the conservative side. I had the temerity to suggest U.S. Imperialism wasn't necessarily a good thing. They thought I was trying to turn their daughters into little beret-wearing, clove-smoking Bolsheviks.
Veronica: Were you?
Mr. Rooks: Nyet.
Veronica: Did you ever consider that I just really dislike you?
Carrie: (Sarcastically.) Wow! Does that mean you won't be signing my yearbook?
Carrie: Are you interested in details, Veronica? Can I help enrich your fantasy life? He says "baby" a lot when he touches you. His sheets are black, silk. His mood music is side two of the Rolling Stones' "Tattoo You." He'll tear up as he tells you the story of his ex-wife leaving him. You'll turn to jelly.
Veronica: Yeah, I have that same Sweet Valley High book.
Veronica: You were part of the winning 1,600 metre relay. People say you're fast.
Veronica Mars Voiceover: One problem with doctors, besides their fetish for making you wait half-naked in cold rooms, is they won't just let you ransack their files, even if you ask real nice. So someone like me has to resort to methods the insurance companies would probably not support.
Veronica Mars Voiceover: (Crawling out from beneath a bathroom sink.) Okay, yes, I am petite and it does come in handy every now and then.
Jessica: I have three new messages.
Mr. Rooks: Can you read 'em out loud?
Jessica: The first one says: True pirates share their booty. The second: I'll be your little spoon. And finally: Vice Principals make the best lovers. (Veronica nods, satisfied, as Clemmons sinks in his seat.)
Veronica: Nice. You must have a gay friend.
Mr. Rooks: No, I literally duplicated a page from the Z Gallerie catalogue.
Duncan: Whatcha doing?
Veronica: Googling myself. Like I'm the first.
Duncan: Find out anything interesting?
Veronica: There's a Veronica Mars in Vermont who sells pinecone porcupines.
Hart: We were making this war movie, Storm on the Beach. It's just on high def, but it's pretty cool. It's these two brothers who get sent to war and --
Veronica: Don't care. Point?
Hart: Did you see it?
Logan: Yeah, it sucks, and?
Veronica: This footage better never make it out into public consumption.
Weevil: Don't worry about my boy, Hart. He knows if that happens, his last movie will be a snuff film. And he'll star in it, right?
Keith: Honey? If I were in trouble, I'd want you on my side.
Veronica: Well, that's where I'd be.
Abel: So. What would you like to know now, Veronica Mars, intrepid girl reporter?
Veronica: Nothing. This time I just want you to know what I know. (Holds up his medical records.) You're dying, Abel. (He loses his smirk.) You knew you were dying when you confessed. You didn't kill Lilly Kane. You're just somebody's patsy.
Age of Enlightenment (Referenced by Mr. Rooks during the history class review, one team being named "The Age of Enlightenment Rock Stars.)
The Age of Enlightenment refers to the 18th century in European philosophy. The term specifically refers to the historical intellectual movement, "The Enlightenment." The movement advocated rationality as a means to establish an authoritative system of ethics, aesthetics, and knowledge, and represented a departure from the "Dark Ages." The movement provided the framework for the American and French Revolutions as well as leading to the rise of liberalism, socialism, and communism.
One idea championed by philosophers of this movement is that society is a contract between individuals and some larger entity. This concept denotes an implicit agreement within a state regarding the rights and responsibilities of the state and its citizens, or a similar agreement between a group and its members, or between individuals. This concept was originally taught by Thomas Hobbes (1651) and John Locke (1689), and several philosophers of The Enlightenment (Jean-Jacques Rousseau) brought back a resurgence of this idea.
Johann Gottfried von Herder (and other like-minded philosophers) began the practice of hermeneutics, or a philosophical technique concerned with the interpretation and understanding of certain texts on biblical texts. The focus of these scholars was to discover deeper meaning in the Bible in order to gain more understanding.
In addition to the developments in political and religious thought, there were major advances in mathematics with the integration of algebraic thought and Sir Isaac Newton's work in geometric thought.
Industrial Revolution (Referenced by Mr. Rooks during the history class review, Veronica and Wallace's team being named "The Children of the Industrial Revolution.")
The Industrial Revolution was a major technological, socioeconomic, and cultural change in the late 18th century and early 19th century, which began in Britain and spread throughout the world. It began with the mechanization of the textile industry and the development of iron-making techniques, as well as a marked improvement in trade expansion enabled by the introduction of canals, improved roads, and railways.
Some key inventions and developments of the Industrial Revolution include the steam engine and machine tools. The Second Industrial Revolution began around 1850, and expanded developments in chemical industries, petroleum refining and distribution, electronic industries and, in the twentieth century, the automotive industry.
Fall of the Roman Empire ... (Referenced by Mr. Rooks in the question for the world history review.)
The term was first used in the 18th century by Edward Gibbon, but there are many theories ascribed to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. The decline of the Roman Empire is dated back to September 4, 476 when Romulus Augustus, the Empire of the Empire, was deposed.
The historian Vegetius attributes the fall of the Roman Empire to a combination of increasing contact with barbarians and the subsequent "barbarization." Edward Gibbon placed the blame on the loss of civic virtue among the Roman citizens. Ludwig von Mises blames hyperinflation, and Bryan Ward-Perkin attributes the fall to a vicious cycle of political instability, foreign invasion, and reduced tax revenue.
Huns (Referenced by a student during Mr. Rooks' history class review.)
The Huns, who Mr. Rooks referred to as invading Germanic hordes, were a confederation of Eurasian tribes who appeared in Europe in the 4th century. The most famous of these was Attila the Hun.
The Huns were able to gain military and diplomatic superiority over rivals through advanced weaponry like the Hun bow and a system of pay-offs, financed by plundering the wealthy parts of the Roman Empire. The Hun Empire fell after the death of Atilla.
The Weakest Link ... (Referenced by Mr. Rooks during the history class review "game".)
A popular catch phrase from the TV quiz show of the same name. This BBC import first aired in the US in the spring of 2000 and soon became the most successful new quiz show in a decade. The show pits six to eight contestants against each other to answer rounds of trivia questions as they are insulted by the host, Anne Robinson. The players must work together and each correctly answered question earns money, while a wrong answer will lose it all. At the end of each round, one player is voted off as the Weakest Link until only two remain. The two remaining players face each other in a lightning round and whoever answers the most questions becomes the winner.
"Sock it to me!" / Laugh-In (Referenced by Mr. Rocks as he uses the quote to preface an answer from Carrie during the history class review.)
Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In was an American comedy show that aired for 140 episodes between January 22,1968 and May 14, 1973 on NBC. The title Laugh-In came from the 60s hippie culture's "love-ins" or "be-ins," which were derived from the techniques of a "sit-in". The show was characterized by a rapid-fire series of gags and sketches. Judy Carne was a regular performer on the show from 1968-1970, best remembered for introducing the phrase "Sock it to me!" at which point she was doused with water or in some other way assaulted.
Death Valley (Referenced by Veronica as she tells Duncan that her physician retired.)
Death Valley is located in California, southeast of the Sierra Nevada range in the Great Basin and the Mojave Desert. Death Valley is considered one of the best geographical examples of the Basin and Range configuration, and it the principle feature of the Mojave and Colorado Deserts Biosphere Reserve. Temperatures can range from 130F in the day, to below freezing at night. While there is very little rain in Death Valley, it is prone to heavy flooding and the runoff is known to produce dangerous flash flooding.
Death Valley is home to the Timbishi tribe, who have inhabited the valley for the past 1000 years. It is also home to the Death Valley National Park.
Weekly World News ... (Referenced by Cliff when he tells White Trash Walking who he works for.)
Weekly World News is a humorous tabloid published by American Media, Inc. It combines wire reports of strange imaginary news with in-house writings and columns. Since its first edition in 1979, the WWN has traditionally claimed to print nothing but the truth, but as so many of the stories are obviously bogus, it seems those claims are intended as a joke.
Semi-regular stories follow the progress of Bat Boy, the half-bat, half-boy superhero; and P'lod, an extraterrestrial who became involved in U.S. politics. The tabloid is also credited with starting the wave of Elvis sightings in the early 1990's with a series of articles claiming that Elvis Presley had faked his death and was preparing for a comeback.
Other public figures have been featured in an "ALIVE!" cover story (anyone from Santa Claus to Marilyn Monroe) and the existence of merpeople (Lynn's favorite "animal") is frequently reported in the WWN.
Jerry Springer (Referenced by Logan as he yells at the woman who reportedly saw Lynn jump off the bridge.)
Jerry Springer, once a well-respected Cincinnati mayor, developed his own talk show in the early 1990's. Although Springer personally, conducted himself in a completely respectable and professional way, his guests and show topics were notoriously outrageous. Fights would regularly break out, wigs would be pulled off, women would reveal themselves as men, and family members would admit their affairswith each other. The guests' behavior was so outrageous that it defined the show and garnered an unprecedented number of viewers, even more than Oprah at one point.
The theatrics were literally so over the top, that the show was oft accused of being a dramatization with actors not real people. No proof of this ever surfaced, however, and the show still thrives today. It has also been made into a feature film "Ringmaster" and several pay-per-view events.
Jerry Springer is now universally recognized as a lovable symbol for exploitative entertainment.
Spam ... (Referenced by Logan as he yells at the woman who reportedly saw Lynn jump off the bridge.)
This meat product, sold in cans, is a registered trademark of Hormel Foods Corporation. It is made of chopped pork shoulder, ham, salt water and sugar. Spam's name was chosen in a contest with the winning entry being submitted by the brother of a Hormel executive. It was very popular all over the world during World War II because of rationing that caused fresh meat to be hard to come by.
Hormel sold 20,000 cans in the four years of the war and by 1993 five billion cans had been sold. SPAM is currently made in two US States, Minnesota and Nebraska, and in seven other countries. Today there are several different types of Spam sold including the original Spam, SPAM Lite, SPAM Smoke Flavored, SPAM Less Sodium and SPAM Oven Roasted Turkey.
Cornell (Referenced by Mr. Rooks as he tells Veronica that Carrie was worried her low mid-term grade would keep her out of the school.)
Cornell University is a private research university established in 1968 in Ithaca, New York. The school's motto, "I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study," is reflected by the practice of admitting students from all ethnicities and religions and by offering instruction in all fields of knowledge.
The university ranked thirteenth in the 2006 U.S. News and World Report National Universities ranking, and twelth globally in an academic ranking of world universities by Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2005.
Cornelliaina is a term for Cornell's traditions, legends, and lore. One tradition that dates back to 1901 is Dragon Day, where celebrations include burning a dragon built by the architecture students. The school colors are carnelian (a shade of red) and white, a play on the names of the school's founders, Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White. The university has no mascot, but the unofficial mascot is a bear named "Touchdown" that was brought to games in 1915.
Ivy League (Referenced by Veronica as she discusses Carrie's possible motives with Mr. Rooks.)
Ivy League refers to an athletic conference of eight private colleges and universities located in the Northeast of the United States: Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, Columbia University in New York City, Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey, the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. The conference was established in 1954, but the schools have been around as early as 1701. The academic excellence of these eight institutions is consistently recognized by the U.S. News & World Report's published yearly list of college and university rankings.
Admission to the Ivies is highly selective, with admission rates ranging from 8.6 percent for Yale to 24.7 percent for Cornell. Admitted students typically have SAT Math and Verbal composites well over 1400 and are in the top ten percent of their high school classes. Really, though, Ivy admissions give a whole new meaning to the term "crapshoot". Admissions committees also do not ignore non-academic factors like legacy status, race/ethnicity or state of residence.
The Ivy League sponsors 33 men's and women's sports, and each schools has, on average, more than 35 varsity teams. All eight institutions rank among the top twenty of NCAA Division I schools for the number of sports offered to men and women.
San Diego (Referenced by Keith as he tells Veronica that Carrie's diary mentions a dinner with Mr. Rooks.)
It is believed that the first humans settled in the San Diego area some 20,000 years ago, along the coast, and 12,000 ago in the desert area, but it was in 1542 that Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo sailed from Mexico into the Bay and claimed the area for Spain, naming it San Miguel. At the time, there were 20-30,000 of the Kumeyaay tribe living there. In 1602, explorer Sebastian Vizcaino arrived on his ship, San Diego, and named the area for the Spanish Catholic saint, San Diego de Alcal. Then, in 1769, the first of a chain of twenty-one missions along the California coast was founded by Father Junipero Serra and the California Governor Gaspar de Portola. It was built on Presidio Hill and named Mission San Diego de Alcal. The first colonists arrived in 1774 and San Diego came under Mexican rule in 1821 when Mexico won its independence from Spain. Then, in 1848, a treaty ending the war between the U.S. and Mexico set the official international border and declared San Diego an American city. Two years later, San Diego County was created and the City of San Diego was incorporated.
Today, with a population of around 1.25 million, San Diego is the second largest city in California and the seventh largest in the nation. According to the San Diego city website, more than 96 percent of the residents are employed, with a median family income of almost $40,000. The top industries are manufacturing, defense, tourism and agriculture, with an additional focus on biotechnology/biosciences, electronics manufacturing, software, telecommunications, financial and business services, and defense and space manufacturing.
Located only 17 miles from the Mexican border, with 70 miles of coastline and an overall land area of 342.4 square miles, San Diego is also home to many popular tourist attractions, such as Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Wild Animal Park, Legoland California and the Del Mar Thoroughbred Races. Professional sports teams include the San Diego Chargers (football), the Padres (baseball) and the Gulls (hockey). In addition to ten community colleges located throughout the county, the city is also home to San Diego State, the largest California State University campus, and the University of California, San Diego.
Kid Rock (Referenced by Veronica to Keith as she demonstrates how easily one can write lies in a diary.)
Kid Rock, born Robert James Ritchie, is an American rapper and rock musician. He was born January 17, 1971 in Romeo, Michigan. He ran away from home to the housing project in Mount Clemens, Michigan and began rapping at basement parties. He signed a contract with Jive Records at 17 and went on the "Straight From the Underground Tour" with heavyweight rappers like Ice Cube, Too $hort, D-Nice, and Yo-Yo.
His first studio album, Grits Sandwiches For Breakfast, was unsuccessful due to a FCC ban on the first single, "Yo Da Lin in the Valley." Central Michigan University was fined $23,700 for playing it. The monumentous failure of white rapper Vanilla Ice persuaded Jive Records to drop Kid Rock, but he was later picked up by an indie record label, Continuum. He had more success with his second album; its first single "Back From the Dead" was a Top 20 Hot Rap Track. However, after the album's second single plopped, Continuum dropped him from the label.
He continued to make music from his own record label Top Dog and later from Whiterooms Studios where he worked as a janitor to pay for studio time. Finally, he was able to sign a deal with Atlantic Records for $100,000 in 1997. At the time of his mainstream success, Kid Rock's band (Twisted Brown Trucker) included Kenny Olson, Jimmie Bones, Uncle Kracker, Mike Bradford, Joe C, Jason Krause, and Stephanie Eulinberg. Joe C passed away of celiac disease in November 2000.
Some other albums include Devil Without a Cause (1998), The History of Rock (2000), Cocky (2001), Kid Rock (2003). Kid Rock gained country music acclaim for his performance in "Picture," a duet with Sheryl Crow, and for "Luckenbach, Texas," a track on a Waylon Jennings tribute album.
He has one son, named after himself, and was briefly engaged to Pamela Anderson. He is an outspoken supporter of President Bush, but was not allowed to perform at a pre-inauguration youth concert due to the profanity and sexual innuendo in his lyrics.
Penicillin (Referenced by Logan as he jokes with Veronica after hearing her make a doctor's appointment.)
Penicillin was discovered by Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming in 1928. It belongs to a class of drugs called β-lactam antibiotics, which treat bacterial infections by interfering with the synthesis of a bacterium's cell wall. The cell wall is formed by the cross-linking of peptidoglycan, a process that is catalyzed by the enzyme transpeptidase. Penicillin binds to the active site of transpeptidase and inhibits the enzyme from working. As the bacterial cells try to divide, the bacteria lengthen but cannot separate themselves by a cell wall. Eventually the cell lyses, or bursts.
Two to three percent of hospitalized patients in the United States have allergic reactions to penicillin. Severe anaphylactic reactions to the drug account for about 400 deaths annually among Americans.
Donald Trump (Referenced by Veronica as the subject of one of the stories in the tabloid Logan has brought her.)
Donald John Trump, Sr. (born June 14, 1946 in Queens, New York) is a business executive, founder and CEO of Trump Organization of the USA, mainly involved in the premium American real estate segment. Trump is of German, Scottish and Swedish ancestry. He has recently enjoyed a great deal of publicity following the success of his reality television show, The Apprentice (in which he serves as both executive producer and host for the show).
Trump is almost as well known for his hair, as he is for his business acumen. He is the king of the "comb-over" hair helmet and there are websites whose sole purpose is to comment on the current status of his "hair wave." (That may not be true, but it should be ... there is something quite sinister about that hair of his. The FBI should investigate for missing children and laundered money up there.)
Opie ... (Referenced by Weevil as Logan rudely bumps into him.)
Character played by Ron Howard for the eight year run of The Andy Griffith Show. The show told the story of town Sheriff, Andy Taylor, and his well-mannered son Opie and their lives living with Aunt Bee in Mayberry. The show was popular for its folksy charm and innocent representation of small town life, which was actually based upon Griffith's real hometown. Don Knotts who played Andy's cousin, Deputy Barney Fife, won five Emmy Awards during the run of the show. Jim Nabors played the town gas attendant named Gomer Pyle and had his own spin off called Gomer Pyle USMC.
Rimjob ... (Referenced by Veronica when speaking to Weevil about stolen hubcaps and (in amusement) misinterpreted by Weevil.)
A rimjob is one of many forms of slang for anal-oral contact, also referred to as anilingus. Other common euphemisms include rimming, tossing the salad (See The Quick and the Wed Social Science/Detention), pepe'ing, or 87 (compare 69). Performing a rimjob is a sexual activity involving contact between the anus or perianal areas of one person and the mouth of another. Lovely. Whatever floats your boat.
Deep Throat ... (Referenced by Veronica to Weevil when he tells her he has some information for her.)
Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, working for The Washington Post, investigated the 1972 break-in at the Democratic Party national headquarters in the Watergate apartment complex in Washington, D.C. During their investigation they found a high-ranking FBI agent who provided them information in exchange for total anonymity. The reporters met with Deep Throat in parking garages where he gave them clues to help them in their investigation including the phrase "Follow the Money."
The name Deep Throat was given to the informant by Post senior editor Howard Simons after the adult movie that was popular at the time. The investigation led Woodward and Bernstein to publish a story naming the burglars as employees of President Richard Nixon's re-election campaign. The deep background provided by the informant was instrumental in the reporters breaking their story. The scandal ultimately forced Nixon to resign in 1974.
The investigation was chronicled in the book All the President's Men, which was later made into a movie staring Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford. The movie was nominated for eight Oscars and won four. Woodward and Bernstein kept Deep Throat's identity a secret until he came forward in 2005, revealing himself to be an FBI agent named W. Mark Felt.
Bolsheviks ... (Referenced by Mr. Rooks when he gives Veronica his version of events that led to the end of his last job.)
The Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 began by a demonstration of women workers against the problems in Russia caused by World War I. The Czar sent troops in to quell the protest, but the women convinced the solders to put down their guns. Without the support of his army, Czar Nicholas II was overthrown and in the ensuing power vacuum, Vladimir Lenin rose to power. He created the Bolshevik party, and coined the term "Soviets" to describe his followers.
The word Bolshevik means majority and is used synonymously with Communist. In fact, the Bolsheviks are today known as the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, having dropped the word Bolshevik in 1952.
1989 Harley Davidson (Referenced by Mr. Rooks as he tells Veronica that driving one didn't endear him to his former administration.)
Harley-Davidsons are heavy motorcycles, known for their distinctive exhaust noise, customer loyalty and good resale value. The snazzy highway traveler below is the referenced 1989 version.
The Harley-Davidson legend began in 1901 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, when 21 year-old William S. Harley drew up a blueprint for an engine that could be fit onto a bicycle. By 1903, Harley and his friend, Arthur Davidson, working out of a 10 by 15 foot wooden shed introduced the first Harley-Davidson motorcycle, which was built to be a racer. The first dealer shop opened in Chicago the following year and, by 1906, a new 28 by 80 foot factory was built with six full-time employees manufacturing the motorcycles. In 1907, the Harley-Davidson Motor Company became incorporated and sold its first motorcycle to be used for police duty. Exports to Japan began in 1912. With the advent of World War I, almost half of the motorcycles produced were sold to the U.S. military. By 1920, Harley-Davidson was the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world, with models available for purchase from over 2,000 dealers in 67 countries.
The Harley-Davidson motorcycle became a legendary racing bike, used to win numerous races and break countless speed records. The 'hog' nickname began in 1920, the year that Leslie 'Red' Parkhurst broke 23 speed records on a Harley-Davidson. The racing team's mascot was a pig and each time a race was won by the team, the pig -- or 'hog' -- was carried on the victory lap. Harley-Davidson has been unsuccessful in its attempts to trademark the 'hog' term.
By 1931 and until 1953, Harley-Davidson and Hendee Manufacturing (of the Indian motorcycle) were the only two motorcycle manufacturers in America. The famous art-deco "eagle" design made its debut on gas tanks, starting in 1933. World War II served as another interruption to civilian production, almost entirely suspending it in favor of the production of almost 90,000 WLA models for military use. With Hendee Manufacturing going out of business in 1953, Harley-Davidson became the sole U.S. manufacturer for the next 46 years. Purchasing majority stock in the Tomahawk Boat Manufacturing Company was the first step towards Harley-Davidson's eventual manufacturing of its own components.
The Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) was formed in 1983 as a way for Harley-Davidson owners to share their common passion for the motorcycles. It is the largest factory-sponsored motorcycle club in the world, with more than 500,000 members. In 2003, more than 250,000 people gathered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for Harley-Davidson's 100th anniversary celebration.
The Rolling Stones (Tattoo You) (Referenced by Carrie as she describes for Veronica Mr. Rooks' seduction techniques.)
The Rolling Stones are a British rock band founded in the 1960s. They are influenced by a variety of American music forms, especially electric blues and early rock. Second in popularity to The Beatles, the Stones are one of the world's biggest and most-influential bands. The founding members of the Stones are Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, and they took their name from the title of a Muddy Waters song. In 1989, The Stones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Some of their top singles include "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," "Paint it Black," "Mother's Little Helper," "Under My Thumb," "Sympathy for the Devil," "You Can't Always Get What You Want," and "Start Me Up."
The Stones' song "Start Me Up" was used by Microsoft to launch their Windows 95 operating system after Bill Gates purchased rights to the song for $13 million. The Verve's 1997 hit "Bittersweet Symphony" uses a five-note sample from an orchestral version of the Stones' song "The Last Time," and were subsequently sued by Allen Klein, who owns copyrights to The Rolling Stones' pre-1970 songs.
The group played during the half-time of Super Bowl XL, and in February 2006, they performed for the biggest audience of their career in Copocabana. The current members of the band include Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ron Wood, and Charlie Watts.
Tattoo You released in 1981, and was composed partly of new material, and partly of unused songs from earlier recording outlines. It is celebrated as one of their finest full-length releases.
Sweet Valley High (Referenced by Veronica to Carrie as she dismisses Carrie's description of Mr. Rooks' seduction techniques.)
Sweet Valley High is a young adult book series written by Francine Pascal and several ghostwriters. The series revolves around the lives of twin sisters Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield, two beautiful blondes living in the fictitious Sweet Valley, California. A total of 150 books were published in the series between 1984 and 1998.
Elizabeth was characterized as sweet and conservative while her sister Jessica was superficial and self-absorbed. The Sweet Valley High series has often been criticized for its unrealistic portrayal of teenagers and ridiculous plots.
Veronica Mars is actually in the Pop Culture References for the series' Wikipedia entry. I'll quote:
Sacramento (Referenced by Veronica as she lets Carrie know that she was at an overnight track meet there on a night she allegedly spent with Mr. Rooks.)
Sac, Sacto, River City, Capital City -- these are all names given to the capital of California, the city of Sacramento.
Originally inhabited by Maidu, Valley Miwok and Snonommey Indians, Sacramento was named by the Spanish explorer who discovered the Sacramento Valley and River in the early nineteenth century, Gabriel Moraga. The name is based around the word 'sacrament.' The city of Sacramento was founded in 1848 by John Sutter, growing out of the trading colony and stockade he established, Sutter's Fort. During the gold rush, the town was a major distribution point. Incorporated in 1850, Sacramento is the second oldest in the state (after San Francisco). In 1854, the California State Legislature officially declared Sacramento the state's capital.
Located in California's Central Valley at the confluence of the American and Sacramento Rivers, the city has a population of 457,514 (2006), making it the seventh largest in the state. It is the fourth largest metropolitan area in California and is made up of five counties: El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter and Yolo. The city has a total area of 99.2 square miles and a mild climate. California State University, Sacramento ("Sac State") is the local university. The largest employer is the State of California.
The State Capital building in Sacramento and the landmark Tower Bridge,
which crosses the Sacramento River.
Professional sports teams include the Sacramento Kings (NBA basketball), the Sacramento Monarchs (WNBA basketball) and the River Cats (minor league baseball).
Once used just for transportation and commerce, the American and Sacramento Rivers are now also popular recreational waterways. Other popular attractions include the California State Fair, the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee (every Memorial Day), the Sacramento Ballet, the Crocker Art Museum, and the California State Railroad Museum. The area where the original city was located is referred to as Old Sac and has become a bit of a tourist attraction with its cobbled streets, historical buildings, paddle steamers and steam-hauled trains.
The last California State Governor to make Sacramento his permanent residence was Ronald Reagan in 1967.
Z Gallerie ... (Referenced by Mr. Rooks to Veronica as the source of his living room design.)
This privately owned, upscale retail store sells home furnishings. It was founded by three siblings in 1979 as a small poster shop in Sherman Oaks, California. Now there are 58 stores in 17 states, with over 100 employees, that sell items for every room of the house. Their web site is www.zgallerie.com if you wanted to decorate your living room like Mr. Rooks. Silk sheets sold separately.
Mick Jagger (Referenced by Veronica as she hears the Rolling Stones album playing in Mr. Rooks' bedroom.)
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger was born on July 26, 1943 in Dartford, Kent, England. Jagger co-founded the rock and roll band The Rolling Stones with guitarists Brian Jones and Keith Richards. He and Richards were schoolmates before secondary school and ended up reuiniting later on. Neither had any formal musical training, and Jagger admitted that as the lead singer he did not have much stage presense when the band started out. He said that he able to work through that by emulating other artists until he felt comfortable developing his own style. The band's debut album was self-titled and was relreased in the United Kingdom in 1964.
The Rolling Stones song that Veronica hears playing in Mr. Rook's house is "Worried About You" from their 1981 album Tattoo You.
Oxcarbazepine (Referenced by Veronica as she researches the medication Duncan has been taking.)
Oxcarbazepine (brand name Trileptal) is an anticonvulsant that is used alone or with other medications to treat certain types of seizures in patients with epilepsy and bipolar disorder. It is structurally similar to Carbamazepine, but has an additional oxygen atom. Carbamazepine is the less preferred drug due to its tendency to decrease a patient's white blood count. White blood cells account for the body's ability to fight infections. Oxcarbazepine has its share of side effects, though; it is associated with nausea, vomiting and hyponatremia (decrease in sodium concentration in the blood).
Type IV epilepsy ... (Referenced by Veronica as she researches the uses of the medication Duncan is taking.)
Epilepsy is a neurological condition that causes seizures by affecting how the brain cells send electrical signals to each other. Seizures can range from a mild disruption of the senses to convulsions and loss of consciousness. Occasionally epilepsy patients also have cognitive disorders that affect attention, memory, mental speed, and language.
Many people who have epilepsy also have episodes of dysphoria where they lose the ability to experience pleasure or joy. These episodes can last up to a few days and symptoms include depressive moods, irritability, lack of energy, pain, anxiety, insomnia, and euphoric moods. The disease can be inherited, but not always, and it can affect people of all races and ages at any time of life. It is treated with anti-seizure medicines that allow the sufferers to live mostly normal lives. Many famous leaders have suffered from epilepsy, including Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar and Napoleon Bonaparte.
According to some fans who work in the medical community, there is actually no such thing as "type four" epilepsy.
Google (Referenced by Veronica as she tells Duncan she's "googling" her own name.)
Google is a search engine owned by Google, Inc. whose mission statement is to "organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful." Google receives over 200 million queries a day. The name "Google" is derived from a play on the word "googol", which refers to the number represented by 1 followed by one hundred zeroes. Google's headquarters, located in California, are referred to as "the Googleplex."
Google began as a research project in January, 1996 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, two students at Stanford University. The term "to google" has come to be used as a verb synonymous with "to search for something on the internet," though Google officials discourage the use of this phrase for fear that it will lead to trademark dilution.
Similar to the Search Engine Olympics Veronica took part in in Donut Run, there are several games that can be played with Google. In "Gwigle," participants learn advanced Google search tricks as they go through the puzzles. In "Googlewhack," you attempt to find two words that produce exactly one search result. (Examples: "dork turnspit", "unconstructive superegos", "bibliophilic sandwiched", "dripstone ingles") "Googlefight" pits two keywords against each other to find which one has more results. In "Guess the Google," the objective is to guess which search term resulted in the displayed images.
In addition to its webpage search engine, Google also provides services for searching images, Usenet newsgroups, news websites, videos, searching by locality, maps, and items for sale online.
Vermont (Referenced by Veronica as she tells Duncan there is a Veronica Mars selling pinecone porcupines there.)
Vermont is a small state (with only 9,620 square miles of land, ranking 43rd in land area) located in the New England region of the United States. Vermont also ranks as the second smallest state by population, with its roughly 623,050 people. It borders New Hampshire to the east, New York to the west, Massachusetts to the south, and the Canadian province Quebec. The Green Mountains, for which Vermont is nicknamed, are a mountain range that extends about 250 miles through the state. Vermont produces more maple syrup than any other state, and is also known for its quality dairy products. Like most states in New England (New Hampshire generally being the exception), Vermont is a liberal state and one of very few that has granted civil unions for same-sex couples.
Vermont was occupied by Native American tribes until the 17th century, when France claimed the area of Lake Champlain as part of New France. Vermont then became a British possession after France was defeated in the French and Indian War. During the American Revolutionary War, the 1777 Battle of Bennington (not taking place in Bennington, Vermont, but just over the New York border) resulted in a British defeat. Vermont was thereafter an independent republic for fourteen years. It was the 14th state to join the Union in 1791.
- Watch closely the end of Lord of the Bling (the previous episode) and then the very beginning of this one to see the slight pro-LoVe slant that was added.
- Veronica does not seem to be wearing her choker in the history classroom scenes.
- Nice camera work in the bathroom scene with Keith in the mirror.
- There's a transitional fade on Veronica into the shot of Logan and Veronica sitting in the Sheriff Department. It's muy cool!
- Logan sticks his gum on the underside of the chair in the Sheriff's department.
- The penny seems to drop for Rooks while Carrie testified at the school board meeting.
- Clemmons looks hysterically mortified when Mrs. Fuller reads the messages on her cell phone.
- As Veronica is watching the playback of Hart's movie, you can see Logan's leg to her right, propped up. (It's kinda hot if you find Jason Dohring hot.)
- Veronica displays her less than sexual know-how (as do the censors by letting this slide) when asking Weevil: "You got a trophy for a rimjob?" Well, what's wrong with that, the more innocent of you might object. She's talking about his tire rims, silly. Yes, she is ... but Weevil is clearly thinking of this.
- What is with the weird lighting inside Veronicas apartment in the teaser? Did the pool move up a flight? Actually what is the deal with the lighting in the whole episode? The sunlight in the office and in the coffee house is intrusive to say the least.
- What happened to Lynns credit cards?
- If Wallace is so concerned about people seeing him give Veronica permanent files, why doesnt he find a more surreptitious place/way to do it?
- If Lynn did commit suicide, why did she pick such a messy way to do it?
- Does Veronica have medical insurance?
- If Rooks was so concerned about his job, why did he take Susan out in public and pay for it on his credit card?
- If Veronica thought so highly of Mr. Rooks, why didnt Keith know he was one of her teachers?
- Did Carrie plan on making the accusation like she did, or could she just not take it any more?
- How many other people know about Duncans fit? Have there been others? How did the Kane family keep it such a secret?
- Why did Mr. Rooks get divorced?
- Will he lose custody of this daughter now?
- Why didnt Rooks insist that a representative from another school district come to his hearing if he was the only one for his district?
- Weevil mentions Logans puka shell necklace. Is that because he knows it was a gift from Lilly?
- Why didnt Veronica think it was weird that the Lilly murder file wasnt in the safe?
- Why did Weevil suddenly decide to help Logan?
- Why was Rooks really fired from his previous school?
- Why is Duncan being so chatty with Veronica?
- Once Carrie filed the sexual harassment claim, why didnt the administration remove her from the class? There have to be other history classes or maybe independent study?
- Even being petite, how did Veronica fit under that sink?
- Is history the only class Carrie is struggling in? Even with a B how does she expect to get into an Ivy League college?
- How did Veronica get Mrs. Fullers cell phone number? Was it in the pamphlet she was reading? If so, where did she get that?
- Was Rooks really stupid enough to try and seduce Veronica?
- Is there really a Veronica Mars in Vermont who sells pinecone porcupines?
- How do all these students get on campus after hours? Wouldnt the teachers frown upon that without chaperones there?
- How did no one realize that Susan had dropped out of school? If she is under 18, wouldnt the state have a problem with that?
- If Lynn was supposed to have jumped at 4:37 pm, why are there no witnesses? That is practically right when rush hour traffic is in full swing and that bridge should have been bumper to bumper. Also, why is the car the only thing on the bridge at the end of Clash of the Tritons? Again, that is a very heavily traveled bridge; there should have been some cars on it.
- Why did Rooks pick the middle of class to get his stuff?
- What is Koontz dying of? Why did he agree to confess to a murder he didnt commit?
- How did Rooks figure Susans story wouldnt come out once Carrie started making accusations?
- If teaching is the only thing Rooks ever wanted to do, was it just for the sex with teenage girls? Because, yuck!
- Did Leo tell anyone Veronicas theory of the murder?
- If Trina is using Lynns cards in Ruskie Business, how did she get them if she was in Australia?
Written/Compiled By:
JenniferH: Report Card; Chemistry; Band Class; Literature; Homeroom
Mastermia (Maria): Yearbook; Study Hall; Extra Credit; History; Social Science; Homeroom; Philosophy; Principles of Democracy
SeluciaV (Alli): Social Science
smlf70 (Mark): Journalism
Tar Frimmer (Joanne): Study Hall; Literature; Social Science
Additional Help:
samwg (Shannon): Social Science
genova (Cara): Social Science
Original Air Date: February 15, 2005
Written by: Jed Seidel & Diane Ruggiero (Story by Rob Thomas)
Directed by: Marcos Siega
Staff Grade: B+
Membership Grade: A (54.0% of 63 votes)
In Mars vs Mars, no one performance, one scene, one creative aspect is outstanding. However, that is perfectly fine because what we are left with is, simply put, a solid episode. While nothing stands out, the entire hour is strong -- the performances, A and B stories, dialogue, direction all work. And an episode that, while lacking that extra something, is able craftsmanship is absolutely a-okay.
Recurring Guest Stars (Previous Episode Appearances)
Eric Beck - Dr. Levine
Christian Clemenson - Abel Koontz
Duane Daniels - Van Clemmons
Max Greenfield - Deputy Leo D'Amato
Daran Norris - Cliff McCormack
Guest Stars
Mike Gaarde - Hart
Christine Lakin - Susan Knight
Leighton Meester - Carrie Bishop
Adam Scott - Chuck Rooks
Deborah Vancelette - Sondra Bolan
Who's Who in Neptune
Hart - Aspiring director and freshman at Neptune High who caught certain footage, much to Logan's dismay.
Susan Knight - A Neptune High student, extemporaneous speaking champion and best friends with Carrie Bishop. Susan had an affair with and was impregnated by the school's history teacher, Mr. Rooks.
Carrie Bishop - Catty Neptune High student, known as one of the school's biggest gossips and best friend to Susan Knight, who claims to have had an affair with Mr. Rooks in order to discredit him on Susan's behalf.
Chuck Rooks - History teacher, much loved by most students, who is accused of having an affair with one of his students.
Sondra Bolan - Obsessed fan of Aaron and Lynn Echolls, who claims to have seen Lynn alive after she jumped.
Scene One: Who's at the Door, Part Deux
In an interesting move (that I don't believe had happened before), the previouslies segues straight into the episode with a slightly different take in Veronica's line reading of "Logan, what are you doing here?" It's a little softer, a little less 'what the hell?' and the camera angles are a tad more intimate with shots that are a bit closer-up. Hmm, interesting. Moving along. We see the further play-out of what I wrote about the final scene in Lord of the Bling:
Quote:In this first scene, we truly see the reality of that as their dialogue continued. Not only because of the fact that Logan had gone to Veronica for help and not only because Veronica hadn't turned him away, but in the tentativeness with which they spoke. For the first time ever in their present-day interaction, there were no insults, no sarcasm, no witticisms and there was awkward care in the way they stood, shifted, phrased words. You could see the both of them -- and this is part of where the brilliance of both Kristen Bell and Jason Dohring came into play -- carefully measuring each sentence, each word before they spoke. I doubt that this was completely unfamiliar territory for either one of them as, a long time ago, they used to be friends. However, after a year or so of living on equally self-appointed battlegrounds, to speak to each other like two human beings who have feelings was an almost forgotten experience. And both Bell and Dohring played that subtext beautifully.
THIS scene, all 13 seconds of it, was the culmination of the softening, the moments of understanding, the turn from viciousness to insult-by-rote.
Scene Two: After the Karate Chop
In our second scene, once again we had that slight awkwardness, but this was played mostly by Logan. Veronica had regained her equilibrium in regards to him and was back to the slight insults, the snarky banter. But that makes sense, it's not her mother who supposedly jumped off of a bridge and she wasn't the one who initiated the war in the first place. So while Veronica is throwing lines at him like: "Contrary to popular belief, you can't beat the truth out of someone," as well as the whole "tenacious wit, etc." bit, Logan remained serious and determined to stay on target.
He didn't rise to her bait and as the scene progressed that slight touch of tentativeness disappeared in his need to find out the truth about his mother. And Veronica responded to that. I think the reason she did was three-fold: First of all, I think that Veronica had decided to put Logan in the "case" category in an effort to distance herself (even if she thought she was just doing a favor). Also, she IS a marshmallow. Thirdly, and off-shooting of reason number two, regardless of all that Logan has done, he WAS her friend, he DID lose his mother and she can completely relate to that.
Now a question that may seem off-topic at first, but bear with me: What was the moment for you? The one moment where the chemistry really *really* jumped out and just smacked you in the face? My moment was in this scene. Sure, I thought they had chemistry from the Pilot and by An Echolls Family Christmas, I knew that they were the couple I wanted, but this was the moment where I just sat up and went "dayum!" and I was completely hooked, no turning back, take me out to the ballgame, I'm sold.
Veronica, while walking away, explained to Logan how she'll stop him from coming to the station ("Force of will, strength of character, tenacity, karate chop (with accompanying hand motion) ...") and Logan -- who was walking beside her -- put his hand on her arm and turned her to face him. And when he did, when he did ... oh boy, something about that moment, I don't know what it was but I remember clear as the day the first time I watched this scene and when that moment happened, I sat up and actually hit pause on my DVR. And rewound and watched it a few times before continuing on with the scene. And every single time I watch it now, it still reaches out and grabs me. That is my moment.
Ahem, back to the scene: The intensity of his delivery persuaded Veronica to let him come along, which really wasn't a surprise. See "she is a marshmallow" above. This isn't the first time she's given in to a client's request to join the sting operation. So, sigh, as much as I'd like to give her capitulation to burgeoning feelings of love (feel free to roll your eyes), I think it's just, well, she's a marshmallow, LOL!
Scene Three: Down, Boy
What I found interesting about this episode -- which is most palpable in this scene -- is you can really sense how torn Veronica is in helping Logan. It's a case, it's a favor, it's helping Logan who was an ass, but isn't being one now and once upon a time he was a friend, he lost his mother, she lost her mother, she knows how to control him ("down boy") but when he goes off, she can barely keep him off of the woman. He's not being a jerk to her, but some of his comments to the woman (who Veronica had insulted herself, "white trash talking") seemed to bother Veronica just that little bit.
In this scene, we also had the first time that Logan saw Leo. It's not much and it may have actually been nothing, but when Veronica sees Leo and tells him "Hi" there is a quick look from Logan towards him. Again, it may have been nothing, or it may have been something thrown in there by Dohring (or the director) possibly, knowing the upcoming growing relationship between Logan and Veronica.
Scene Four: Maintaining Balance
In the second scene, Veronica had been the one who seemed to be getting back on track with the usual push-pull of their relationship but after what happened at the Sheriff's station, she regressed back to that tentativeness that we witnessed at her apartment. And here we have the reversal: Logan, much like Veronica at the school, is now trying to establish some of that same back-and-forth acidity. Perhaps it's because he needs it for his equilibrium, to maintain his balance. Upon entering, he overhears a phone conversation Veronica is having as she tries to make a doctor's appointment. While he does make the rather snarky, pointed reference to VD (and excuse me while I laugh -- heehee, VD!), his tone just does not even remotely have the usual bite. It's as if he is saying the words just to say them, recapture the solid ground upon which he usually stands when interacting with one Veronica Mars.
And as in the second scene, the sparring partner doesn't return the favor. Whereas before, Veronica was keeping things to a degree of status quo between them while Logan did not, we have Veronica simply going with the sincerity of the situation and not playing games. Veronica ignored Logan's lack of retaliation (for lack of a better word), Logan, perhaps for the same reason he made the initial snarky comment, does retaliate. Yet again, his heart is not in it; I just don't think he cares about this stupid vendetta that he had created against Veronica. His mother very well may be dead; that rather puts things in perspective -- although, you would think that Lilly's death would have done that trick. Hmm, on that thought, it's interesting ... It was one huge, life-altering event -- a death, Lilly's -- that put Logan and Veronica on the bitter path that they were on and it is another huge, life-altering event -- another death, his mother's -- that is seemingly healing that bitterness. God, I love this show.
Sorry, back to the scene: So, it seems that Logan has realized somewhere inside, due to his lack of overt asshattery, that the vendetta against Veronica just does not matter. Still, I don't think that realization has hit conscious level yet. After all, he has spent the last year and a half building and nurturing said vendetta and so the show must go on. Thus we had the VD comment and now we have:
- Logan: This isn't a favor, it's a job, you know. I mean, we're not exchanging friendship bracelets.
Scene Five: The Loss of Hope
Our interaction between Logan and Veronica doesn't hit until the final seconds of this scene, but they're a doozy. Leaning against the partition, Veronica's voice was soft -- it very well may be as soft as we ever hear it when talking to a client -- as she showed empathy for him, something that wouldn't have been expected or believed to be even remotely plausible nine episodes ago. But yet it is, thanks to the brilliant groundwork laid out in the flashbacks and last four episodes, as well as the skill and chemistry of Bell and Dohring.
Scene Six: V and Sympathy
Sigh. These are usually filled with lighthearted fun, sweet and/or snarky moments recounted, but dang is this an episode a downer or what?! I'm on the last scene and am just depressed. Even the next episode has some moments that I can have fun with, but this one, damn! It's just so incredibly sad. And it continues and just about ends on that note. As in the scene before, the interaction here is not between Logan and Veronica but for the ending, and so my analysis comes mostly from how Veronica deals with the situation.
We've seen Veronica handle cases, upstarts, varying situations from silly to serious and she generally does with a smart-ass comment and a blithe grin, not so here. The closest similarity would be her reaction to Justin Smith's parentage reveal in Meet John Smith, but even then, there was a distance. Yes, Veronica clearly personalized the case then, but not to the degree that she is personalizing Logan's case. And it didn't come across so much in this scene here that she was empathizing with Logan -- as it did in the earlier scene -- but rather, she is showing sympathy. Her pain, and it's clear that she is pained by this, is for Logan. There just wasn't the sense that she was thinking of her maternal loss, but only of Logan's loss. And she also felt his high. When she got that text message, when she ran out there yelling his name, breathless with the quick desire to reach him, again, we had Veronica wanting to be there for him, give him hope, relieve his pain.
Quite a change, but bless Rob Thomas, a believable one, from the girl who gleefully set him up for a drug-related bust in the Pilot. But then again, in that same episode, the same girl couldn't stand to see Weevil knock Logan down. Oh yeah, it's been there all along and how beautifully the show has brought it to the surface.
As this episode probably marks the beginning of the romantic phase of LoVe, Im sure most of you have forgotten the mystery of the week ... if you didnt just fast forward through the whole thing in the first place. So Im here to help.
We begin in Mr. Rooks history class. The students are stomping, banging their desks, and chanting, all part of a world history review game. Which immediately makes me suspect that the mystery of the week will involve one of them losing it and breaking a desk over Mr. Rooks head. In fairness, that may be because their chant sounds like ouga shaka to me, which immediately gets "Hooked on a Feeling" stuck in my head.
Apparently the students dont know their Blue Swede songs all that well, as they seem to love the game. They take turns giving a reason for the fall of the Roman Empire, which he deftly reveals on an overhead. Well, at least until we come to Carrie Bishop, who responds by saying that shes not pregnant, doesnt need his money, and is giving his key back. Mr. Rooks does not have a spot for this one on his transparency.
Veronica stays after class to offer her help to Mr. Rooks. He says he never touched Carrie and never wanted to do anything but teach, but by now, everyone will have heard her story, and his career will be ruined. If she is just making all this up, I might have expected outrage as opposed to the resignation we see on his face.
At lunch, Carrie is being serenaded by three girls singing "Dont Stand So Close to Me." So a new candidate for mystery of the week is whether there are currently three high school students anywhere in America who still know the words to that song. But its a nice way to show that things are rough for Carrie, as Mr. Rooks is very popular.
As usual, Veronicas first step is to have Wallace get Carries permanent record, and then to read it while standing smack dab in the middle of lunch. Really, what would Veronica have done if Wallace hadnt gotten that office job? Anyway, the next time Veronica sees Carrie she asks why Mr. Rooks would have called Carries parents in for a conference if he was having an affair with her. Good question.
After school at work: Keith asks Veronica if she knows Mr. Rooks, as theyve been hired to help the Bishops with their sexual harassment suit. Veronica says Carrie is a liar and this is a witch hunt. So, Mars vs. Mars is set up.
Flashback to a pre-Lilly-murder scene of Veronica in a bathroom stall, while two girls discuss how Duncan was always too good for her. Also, shes apparently made him crazy, evidenced by him being taken to the hospital, foaming at the mouth, screaming her name. She comes out and identifies the girls as Carrie Bishop and Susan Knight. This scene simultaneously explains Veronicas distrust of Carrie, advances the Duncan storyline, and sets up later revelations in this MotW. All in thirty seconds. Man, this show rocks.
Veronica shows up at Mr. Rooks' house to learn more about that parent-teacher conference. Hes one of the few characters this season to ask her if this shouldnt be left to adults. But he goes on to tell her it was because he gave Carrie a C, ruining her chances at the Ivy League.
Back at the office, Veronica is barely speaking to Keith. Still, he tells her that Rooks is a bad egg and that Carries diary has details of secret rendezvous - including dinner in San Diego after Carrie won the state extemporaneous speaking competition -- that match his credit card records. Sounds quite damning to me, but Veronica sticks by him. With some logic about Kid Rock worked in there, which I dont fully get, probably because its too modern for someone who still listens to Blue Swede and The Police.
Arriving home later, Veronica finds Keith making lasagna with double cheese and a salad, which apparently signifies sympathy cooking. The sympathy is because things keep looking worse for Mr. Rooks he was fired from his last job based on the complaints of two girls. Veronica is still not convinced, and manages to track down the new combination to Keiths safe, break in, find the conveniently placed box marked Bishop, open it, and take a bomb of blue ink to the face. On behalf of fathers everywhere, I say, hah! And laugh along with Keith when he tells her not to get blue in the face about it. But, one well placed line from Veronica, asking whether he can relate to the trashing of a good mans reputation, and he lets fathers everywhere down by giving her the diary.
Back at school, Veronica asks Mr. Rooks why he was fired from his last job. He responds that parents there felt that, by questioning American imperialism, he was attempting to turn their daughters into little Bolsheviks. Sounds too much like a plot from the girls' school version of Dead Poets' Society for me to believe it, but Veronica seems to. Which lends credence to Carries subsequent accusation that shes in love with him. Carrie follows this up with details for "Veronicas fantasies" including that he has black silk sheets and likes to seduce girls with side two of Rolling Stones Tattoo You. Veronica counters that she has that same Sweet Valley High novel. So, at a minimum, Mr. Rooks has better taste in plots to rip off. Veronica continues that Carrie could not have been with him at a hotel at a time the diary says, as she was part of a winning 1600 Meter Relay team that weekend.
That fact seems pretty convincing, but does not come up at the School Board hearing that we see next. Rather, we hear Carries version of the affair - seduced after her parents broke up; dumped after becoming pregnant; motivated to action by seeing him flirt with other girls - which she attempts to prove via raunchy text messages on her phone. Theyre addressed to SK, which Carrie claims means Sweet Knees, Mr. Rooks' pet name for her. Pushing the callback button confirms theyre from Mr. Rooks' phone. Id have thought the credit card records Keith got for the family would have worked better. And, indeed, Veronica easily refutes this evidence by using Vice Principal Clemmons' phone to leave raunchy messages on the School Board Chairpersons phone.
Mr. Rooks is acquitted. Veronica shows up at his house to return his phone. He invites her in for pizza. Everyone in the audience starts to wonder. She asks to use the bathroom, sees black silk sheets on his bed, hears side two of Tattoo You come on, starts to wonder with us, and bolts.
Next day in school, Veronica (with help from a very chatty Duncan), uses school newspaper records to realize that Susan Knight (from the bathroom flashback) won the state extemporaneous speaking competition. And it clicks for her - Carries friend, Susan Knight, initials: SK.
Veronica goes to see Susan, who says she wasnt brave enough to come forward, even though her parents disowned her for not revealing the father (which, sadly, is probably the more common response to such situations than what Carrie did), but Carrie felt he needed to pay, so she told the story as her own. Veronica tells her to make Carries struggles mean something with a phone call.
Apparently, she does, as the next day Mr. Clemmons reports that Mr. Rooks has resigned, and that hell be teaching the class until a replacement can be found. Wonder if Veronica is having second thoughts with that news? For some bizarre reason, Mr. Rooks sets himself up for a walk of shame by showing up in the middle of class to pick up his things. Well, it makes good TV.
- Logan comes to Veronica to find Lynn, who he is still convinced is alive. A woman saw her jump and has been blabbing to every news reporter with a microphone. Veronica has a friend at Logans bank that is going to tell her if Lynns credit cards, which are missing, are used. She also has discovered that the witness will be making a statement at the Sheriffs department the following day and plans on dropping in. Logan invites himself along as well because he feels he will know if she is lying.
At the police station, Logan is prepared to confront the woman when Veronica stops him. She has a plan. Cliff! confronts the witness, named Ms. Stanton, and pretends to be a reporter from Weekly World News. When Cliff says that he is interested in an exclusive and presses for details, Ms. Staunton makes it obvious that she will say anything at the right price. Logan, listening on an earpiece explodes and confronts her, saying that he knows she is lying. She leaves without giving them any more information and Veronica tries to reassure Logan that it is good news that they know she is lying.
The next day, Logan comes to Veronica with a story from a tabloid about a witness who claims that Lynn got into a van with a mysterious stranger, laughing and having fun, on the bridge. Logan instructs Veronica to find the witness, Sondra Bolan, and tells her that he is paying her for her help, insisting that they are not friends. Veronica picks up the phone, tracks her down, and arranges to meet her at a local coffee bar.
When they get there, Sondra claims that she has received no money and just wanted the truth to be known. As Veronica presses for details, the woman pulls out a scrapbook and proceeds to say that the van used was the same as was used in one of Lynns movies. It is obvious that the woman never saw Lynn that day and Logan, very upset, leaves the bar. Veronica follows and tells him that she would have held out hope as well, but he blows her off and leaves. Weevil sees him and seems a little sad about his situation.
The next day, Weevil comes to Veronica and tells her that there is a freshman at school who says that he has proof Lynn jumped. Weevil promises to get more information for her on his name and his evidence. A few days later, he has found the kid, Hart. When Logan arrives, Hart tells them that he and his buddy were filming a student war film under the Coronado Bay Bridge the day Lynn disappeared. When they were editing the footage they noticed something falling from the bridge at the exact time Lynn was supposed to have jumped. Veronica and Weevil threaten Hart if the footage ever goes public. Just as a despondent Logan seems to be accepting his mothers death, Veronica gets a phone call that Lynns credit card has been used, giving him hope again.
- Lynn carries a Platinum card.
- Mr. Rooks has broken his class into two teams: the Age of Enlightenment Rock Stars and the Children of the Industrial Revolution. The IRs Team captain is Corazon Soliman.
- Wallace and Veronica have world history together.
- Carrie Bishop is the gossip queen of Neptune High.
- Keith knows that Veronica dreads going to school every day.
- Mr. Rooks has a daughter named Olivia.
- Mr. Rooks is a faculty union representative.
- Carrie wants to go to Cornell.
- Susan Knight won the District Extemporaneous Speaking Competition.
- Carrie runs track, specializing in the 1,600 meter relay, where apparently she is really good. Her team won a meet in Sacramento the weekend of April 23.
- Dr. Levines receptionist/nurse is named Nancy.
- Aaron and Lynn met on the movie The Pursuit of Happiness, which they were filming together.
- Lynn starred in a movie named Delta Blue Bombers. She attended the premiere with Aaron.
- Keith cooks lasagna; his secret recipe is to double the cheese.
- There is a fish tank on top of the safe in the Mars Investigations Office.
- When Keith cooks, Veronica knows that he has bad news for her.
- Keith taught Veronica that it's the rare individual who chooses meaningless numbers as a safe combination. Nine times out of ten, an individual will select numbers that mean something - birthdays, anniversaries, or addresses. Most people keep the combination written down on a post-it, tacked to a bulletin board or scribbled on a birthday page of their page-a-day calendar.
- Words used to describe Veronica in the teachers lounge include unique, gifted and unsettling.
- Mr. Rooks is the faculty advisor for Mock UN.
- Mr. Rooks was voted best teacher three of the four years he's taught at Neptune High.
- Jessica Fuller is the Chairman of the School Board. Members include Edward Reed, Jean Horton and Pat Bryan.
- Susan Knight lives on Ninth Street in Neptune.
- In the previous year, Veronica had overheard Carrie Bishop and Susan Knight talking about her and Duncan. After saying various unflattering things about how Veronica is after Duncans money and that they feel sorry for him, Carrie reveals that she heard Duncan was brought in kicking and screaming to the local hospital, foaming at the mouth and calling out Veronica's name. Apparently it took three orderlies to get him in a straight jacket. Veronica, upset, comes out of the bathroom stall and Susan looks uncomfortable at being overheard. Veronica, convinced that Carrie is lying, has disliked her ever since.
- While at the police station with Logan, Veronica sees Leo and once again apologizes for her behavior in Silence of the Lamb. She tells him what she has discovered about Lillys death, including that the time of death was off, that Wiedman made the crime stoppers call and that the shoes exonerate Koontz. She then tells him that she fell for him, which he seems happy to hear.
- Veronica gets Duncan to tell her the name of his doctor, Al Levine, and then makes an appointment. After the doctor tells her she has slight allergies, Veronica hides in the bathroom cabinet (wow!) noting that he probably wouldnt let her rifle through his files, even if she asked nicely. After everyone leaves, she comes out and looks for Duncans file and copies the information she wants. She also finds Koontzs file and takes it. When she hears someone coming, she hightails it back to the exam room and pretends to still be waiting for the doctor.
- Lynns body has not been found yet. She left a note, but her credit cards are missing.
- She was supposed to have jumped at 4:37 pm.
- Duncan is taking Oxcarbazepine, which is used for type IV epilepsy. Symptoms include hysterical, violent, emotional fits that can't be controlled and are often accompanied by complete blackouts and loss of memory.
- Veronica visits the jail and tells Abel Koontz that she knows he is dying and knows that he confessed to the murder to be someones fall guy.
- Veronica in the bathroom stall overhearing Carrie tells Susan about Duncan's epileptic fit. (Read detailed breakdown.)
"Don't Stand So Close to Me" (Originally performed by the Police)
Scene: Due to Carrie's accusations, her peers decide the time is right to serenade her with what they, no doubt, consider a perfectly appropriate ode to her current situation, courtesy of Gordon Summers.
"Tulips" (Bloc Party)
Scene: Thanks to Sondra, Logan loses the last bit of hope he had that Lynn had not indeed gone the way of potential bloat and bug-eyes.
"Worried About You" (Rolling Stones)
Scene: You know that somewhat icky feeling that some had regarding Mr. Rooks and the fact that those accusations might just be true, well thanks to good Ole Mick and some black satin sheets, Miss Mars now gets that same feeling.
LoVe Lines
Logan: Relax, I'm not asking you to drag the lake. My mother didn't really kill herself.
Veronica: (Softly.) Come inside, okay?
Logan: (Impatiently.) Why does everyone assume that she's not? I mean, there's no body.
Veronica: What about the woman who saw her jump? It's been on every channel.
Logan: (Quietly sarcastic.) Well, if she's on the TV, she must be telling the truth.
Logan: (Insistent.) I know my mother!
Veronica: Okay ... I heard she left a note.
Logan: Well, yeah, she wants people to think she's dead. But if she was going to really do the deed, it'd be chardonnay and sleeping pills. You know, she wouldn't risk being found bug-eyed and bloated in some shrimp net.
Veronica: I'll see what I can find out.
Logan: (Turns to go.) You know, I ... (Pauses in doorway.) I just need to know she's ... okay.
Logan: Well, I'll go with you.
Veronica: Actually, despite popular opinion, you really can't beat the truth out of someone. (Walks away. He chases after her.)
Logan: Listen, I'm going.
Veronica: You're not.
Logan: 'Kay, what are you going to stop me with?
Veronica: Force of will, strength of character, tenacity. (Gesturing.) Karate chop ...
Veronica: (Sitting beside an impatient Logan.) We should do this more often.
Veronica: (Putting her hand on a rising Logan.) Down, boy. Relax. I've got it covered. (Speaking softly into her sleeve.) White trash walking. (Hands earpiece to Logan.) I know, gadgets and all.
Veronica: Can't say I was expecting you.
Logan: Yeah, yeah, I usually avoid buildings with stained glass.
Veronica: (With girly-girl sweetness.) That's why you haven't come to visit.
Logan: (Slaps tabloid down in front of her, excited.) There's a woman who saw my mom get out of her car and get in a van with a (Air quotes.) mysterious stranger.
Veronica: There's also a jungle tribe that worships Donald Trump's hair. It's a tabloid.
Logan: (Smiles.) What, so the girl with the pig arm can't really bowl?
Veronica: I just don't want you to get your hopes up.
Logan: (Harshly.) I'm not paying you to worry about my hopes. I'm paying you to follow leads.
Veronica: I wasn't aware you were paying me.
Logan: This isn't a favor. It's a job, you know. I mean, we're not ... exchanging friendship bracelets.
Veronica: (Softly.) I'll stop braiding.
Veronica: I would have done the same thing.
Logan: (Turning to look at her.) Done what?
Veronica: If it was my mother, I would have let myself believe that story.
Veronica: I'm sorry.
Logan: (Quietly.) Yeah, so am I.
Quotable Quotes
Mr. Rooks: Two more answers. Uh-oh. I see someone hiding back there, trying to disappear completely. Carrie Bishop. (With gusto.) Sock it to me, baby!
Carrie: The answer is I'm not pregnant. So you can quit dodging my calls and you can keep your money to (Air quotes.) take care of it. And while we're at it ... (Tosses him a key.) here's your key back. I won't be needing it anymore.
Veronica: Don't look to me for sympathy. Carrie has had a long and storied reign as the gossip queen of Neptune High.
Wallace: You get a crown with that?
Veronica: Do something for me?
Wallace: Let me guess. Borrow her permanent file?
Veronica: I remember when you were new and eager to please. Good times.
Wallace: Carrie's file. (Holds it out, but snatches it back as she starts to take it.) If you are caught with this, I will disavow any knowledge of you or your mission. You'll be on your own.
Veronica: Don't worry. I've got a cyanide capsule in a false tooth. If I'm caught, I'll do the honorable thing.
Wallace: (Hands her the file.) It's been a privilege knowing you, Mars.
Veronica: Mr. Rooks is an amazing teacher, one of the few good teachers at Neptune High! And you're just going to join the witch hunt to get him fired?
Keith: I'm just running a background check. I'm not organizing a stoning in the town square.
Veronica: Thanks, Cliff. You're the best.
Cliff: Yeah, if by best you mean willing. You owe me one, kid.
Veronica: Hi, Olivia. I'm one of your dad's students, Veronica. She must be going through a shy phase.
Mr. Rooks: No, not really. She's usually pretty gregarious. She must really dislike you.
Veronica: There's a club she can join.
Veronica: She's adorable.
Mr. Rooks: Well, if you get past her megalomania and reactionary politics.
Veronica: So? That doesn't prove anything. I could write down that I met Kid Rock every weekend at the Hedonism Lodge for sensual massage and smoothies, but that doesn't make it true.
Keith: I did a cross check of Rooks' credit card history. The charges match Carrie's diary.
Veronica: She could have followed him.
Keith: Sweetie, it's very specific. And I don't want you seeing Kid Rock.
Weevil: (After Logan bumps into him.) Hey! Manners, Opie! (To Veronica.) What, did he lose a puka shell?
Veronica: No. Just the last ounce of hope that his mother was still alive.
Veronica: Is that lasagna I smell?
Keith: Keith Mars' secret recipe.
Veronica: You double the cheese. Your secret is out. You're making salad? I know pity cooking when I see it. There must be more bad news.
Veronica Mars Voiceover: It's the rare individual who chooses meaningless numbers as a combination. He taught me that. Nine times out of ten, an individual will select numbers that mean something - birthdays, anniversaries, addresses. Of course, dad is smarter than that. You wouldn't believe the number of people who keep the combination written down on a post-it or tacked to a bulletin board or scribbled on a birthday page of their page-a-day calendar. Somehow, I doubt Dad's that careless. (On the page-a-day calendar, she spots the entry for 10 February upon which is written: 12 1663. She smiles and heads for the safe.) Then again, he'll be glad to know how much I've soaked up listening to him. (Opens the safe.) And what do we have here? (Pulling out a steel box, she brings it to the desk and opens it. Blue dye explodes out all over her.) I suspect there's also a lesson to be learned here.
CUT TO: Veronica at home, scrubbing her blues away (trying anyway).
Keith: Hey, honey. What have you been up to?
Veronica: Tell me where to put your father-of-the-year trophy, 'cause there's some place I'd like to put it.
Keith: Wow. Good thing I didn't go with a bear trap.
Veronica: This is not funny. I need to see that diary. She's lying. I know it. I can feel it with every fiber of my being.
Keith: Honey, you don't have to get all blue in the face.
Veronica: You're patronizing me?
Keith: To be fair, I am your patron.
Veronica: Do you want to be responsible for taking a good man down? Destroying his reputation? Can you possibly relate?
Weevil: If you're looking for my trophy, it's back by auto shop.
Veronica: A lube job? Or can you medal in stealing hubcaps?
Weevil: Is this 1970? Rims, baby.
Veronica: So you got a trophy for a rim job?
Weevil: (Laughing.) Forget it. Look, I got some information for you.
Veronica: (Sweetly.) Finally, a Deep Throat to call my own.
Weevil: I'm not going to touch that one.
Veronica: Who's the kid?
Weevil: Do you want me to find out?
Veronica: Do you even have to ask?
Veronica: Why were you fired from your last job?
Mr. Rooks: How on earth do you know --
Veronica: I just do.
Mr. Rooks: Wow. Maybe I should give more credence to the teacher's lounge gossip. Colleagues said you were ... unique. (Off Veronica's expectant look.) Gifted. (Trying again.) Unsettling?
Veronica: I was hoping for delightful, but what can you do?
Mr. Rooks: My firing, yeah, um. It was an all girls' school on the conservative side. I had the temerity to suggest U.S. Imperialism wasn't necessarily a good thing. They thought I was trying to turn their daughters into little beret-wearing, clove-smoking Bolsheviks.
Veronica: Were you?
Mr. Rooks: Nyet.
Veronica: Did you ever consider that I just really dislike you?
Carrie: (Sarcastically.) Wow! Does that mean you won't be signing my yearbook?
Carrie: Are you interested in details, Veronica? Can I help enrich your fantasy life? He says "baby" a lot when he touches you. His sheets are black, silk. His mood music is side two of the Rolling Stones' "Tattoo You." He'll tear up as he tells you the story of his ex-wife leaving him. You'll turn to jelly.
Veronica: Yeah, I have that same Sweet Valley High book.
Veronica: You were part of the winning 1,600 metre relay. People say you're fast.
Veronica Mars Voiceover: One problem with doctors, besides their fetish for making you wait half-naked in cold rooms, is they won't just let you ransack their files, even if you ask real nice. So someone like me has to resort to methods the insurance companies would probably not support.
Veronica Mars Voiceover: (Crawling out from beneath a bathroom sink.) Okay, yes, I am petite and it does come in handy every now and then.
Jessica: I have three new messages.
Mr. Rooks: Can you read 'em out loud?
Jessica: The first one says: True pirates share their booty. The second: I'll be your little spoon. And finally: Vice Principals make the best lovers. (Veronica nods, satisfied, as Clemmons sinks in his seat.)
Veronica: Nice. You must have a gay friend.
Mr. Rooks: No, I literally duplicated a page from the Z Gallerie catalogue.
Duncan: Whatcha doing?
Veronica: Googling myself. Like I'm the first.
Duncan: Find out anything interesting?
Veronica: There's a Veronica Mars in Vermont who sells pinecone porcupines.
Hart: We were making this war movie, Storm on the Beach. It's just on high def, but it's pretty cool. It's these two brothers who get sent to war and --
Veronica: Don't care. Point?
Hart: Did you see it?
Logan: Yeah, it sucks, and?
Veronica: This footage better never make it out into public consumption.
Weevil: Don't worry about my boy, Hart. He knows if that happens, his last movie will be a snuff film. And he'll star in it, right?
Keith: Honey? If I were in trouble, I'd want you on my side.
Veronica: Well, that's where I'd be.
Abel: So. What would you like to know now, Veronica Mars, intrepid girl reporter?
Veronica: Nothing. This time I just want you to know what I know. (Holds up his medical records.) You're dying, Abel. (He loses his smirk.) You knew you were dying when you confessed. You didn't kill Lilly Kane. You're just somebody's patsy.
Age of Enlightenment (Referenced by Mr. Rooks during the history class review, one team being named "The Age of Enlightenment Rock Stars.)
The Age of Enlightenment refers to the 18th century in European philosophy. The term specifically refers to the historical intellectual movement, "The Enlightenment." The movement advocated rationality as a means to establish an authoritative system of ethics, aesthetics, and knowledge, and represented a departure from the "Dark Ages." The movement provided the framework for the American and French Revolutions as well as leading to the rise of liberalism, socialism, and communism.
One idea championed by philosophers of this movement is that society is a contract between individuals and some larger entity. This concept denotes an implicit agreement within a state regarding the rights and responsibilities of the state and its citizens, or a similar agreement between a group and its members, or between individuals. This concept was originally taught by Thomas Hobbes (1651) and John Locke (1689), and several philosophers of The Enlightenment (Jean-Jacques Rousseau) brought back a resurgence of this idea.
Johann Gottfried von Herder (and other like-minded philosophers) began the practice of hermeneutics, or a philosophical technique concerned with the interpretation and understanding of certain texts on biblical texts. The focus of these scholars was to discover deeper meaning in the Bible in order to gain more understanding.
In addition to the developments in political and religious thought, there were major advances in mathematics with the integration of algebraic thought and Sir Isaac Newton's work in geometric thought.
Industrial Revolution (Referenced by Mr. Rooks during the history class review, Veronica and Wallace's team being named "The Children of the Industrial Revolution.")
The Industrial Revolution was a major technological, socioeconomic, and cultural change in the late 18th century and early 19th century, which began in Britain and spread throughout the world. It began with the mechanization of the textile industry and the development of iron-making techniques, as well as a marked improvement in trade expansion enabled by the introduction of canals, improved roads, and railways.
Some key inventions and developments of the Industrial Revolution include the steam engine and machine tools. The Second Industrial Revolution began around 1850, and expanded developments in chemical industries, petroleum refining and distribution, electronic industries and, in the twentieth century, the automotive industry.
Fall of the Roman Empire ... (Referenced by Mr. Rooks in the question for the world history review.)
The term was first used in the 18th century by Edward Gibbon, but there are many theories ascribed to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. The decline of the Roman Empire is dated back to September 4, 476 when Romulus Augustus, the Empire of the Empire, was deposed.
The historian Vegetius attributes the fall of the Roman Empire to a combination of increasing contact with barbarians and the subsequent "barbarization." Edward Gibbon placed the blame on the loss of civic virtue among the Roman citizens. Ludwig von Mises blames hyperinflation, and Bryan Ward-Perkin attributes the fall to a vicious cycle of political instability, foreign invasion, and reduced tax revenue.
Huns (Referenced by a student during Mr. Rooks' history class review.)
The Huns, who Mr. Rooks referred to as invading Germanic hordes, were a confederation of Eurasian tribes who appeared in Europe in the 4th century. The most famous of these was Attila the Hun.
The Huns were able to gain military and diplomatic superiority over rivals through advanced weaponry like the Hun bow and a system of pay-offs, financed by plundering the wealthy parts of the Roman Empire. The Hun Empire fell after the death of Atilla.
The Weakest Link ... (Referenced by Mr. Rooks during the history class review "game".)
A popular catch phrase from the TV quiz show of the same name. This BBC import first aired in the US in the spring of 2000 and soon became the most successful new quiz show in a decade. The show pits six to eight contestants against each other to answer rounds of trivia questions as they are insulted by the host, Anne Robinson. The players must work together and each correctly answered question earns money, while a wrong answer will lose it all. At the end of each round, one player is voted off as the Weakest Link until only two remain. The two remaining players face each other in a lightning round and whoever answers the most questions becomes the winner.
"Sock it to me!" / Laugh-In (Referenced by Mr. Rocks as he uses the quote to preface an answer from Carrie during the history class review.)
Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In was an American comedy show that aired for 140 episodes between January 22,1968 and May 14, 1973 on NBC. The title Laugh-In came from the 60s hippie culture's "love-ins" or "be-ins," which were derived from the techniques of a "sit-in". The show was characterized by a rapid-fire series of gags and sketches. Judy Carne was a regular performer on the show from 1968-1970, best remembered for introducing the phrase "Sock it to me!" at which point she was doused with water or in some other way assaulted.
Death Valley (Referenced by Veronica as she tells Duncan that her physician retired.)
Death Valley is located in California, southeast of the Sierra Nevada range in the Great Basin and the Mojave Desert. Death Valley is considered one of the best geographical examples of the Basin and Range configuration, and it the principle feature of the Mojave and Colorado Deserts Biosphere Reserve. Temperatures can range from 130F in the day, to below freezing at night. While there is very little rain in Death Valley, it is prone to heavy flooding and the runoff is known to produce dangerous flash flooding.
Death Valley is home to the Timbishi tribe, who have inhabited the valley for the past 1000 years. It is also home to the Death Valley National Park.
Weekly World News ... (Referenced by Cliff when he tells White Trash Walking who he works for.)
Weekly World News is a humorous tabloid published by American Media, Inc. It combines wire reports of strange imaginary news with in-house writings and columns. Since its first edition in 1979, the WWN has traditionally claimed to print nothing but the truth, but as so many of the stories are obviously bogus, it seems those claims are intended as a joke.
Semi-regular stories follow the progress of Bat Boy, the half-bat, half-boy superhero; and P'lod, an extraterrestrial who became involved in U.S. politics. The tabloid is also credited with starting the wave of Elvis sightings in the early 1990's with a series of articles claiming that Elvis Presley had faked his death and was preparing for a comeback.
Other public figures have been featured in an "ALIVE!" cover story (anyone from Santa Claus to Marilyn Monroe) and the existence of merpeople (Lynn's favorite "animal") is frequently reported in the WWN.
Jerry Springer (Referenced by Logan as he yells at the woman who reportedly saw Lynn jump off the bridge.)
Jerry Springer, once a well-respected Cincinnati mayor, developed his own talk show in the early 1990's. Although Springer personally, conducted himself in a completely respectable and professional way, his guests and show topics were notoriously outrageous. Fights would regularly break out, wigs would be pulled off, women would reveal themselves as men, and family members would admit their affairswith each other. The guests' behavior was so outrageous that it defined the show and garnered an unprecedented number of viewers, even more than Oprah at one point.
The theatrics were literally so over the top, that the show was oft accused of being a dramatization with actors not real people. No proof of this ever surfaced, however, and the show still thrives today. It has also been made into a feature film "Ringmaster" and several pay-per-view events.
Jerry Springer is now universally recognized as a lovable symbol for exploitative entertainment.
Spam ... (Referenced by Logan as he yells at the woman who reportedly saw Lynn jump off the bridge.)
This meat product, sold in cans, is a registered trademark of Hormel Foods Corporation. It is made of chopped pork shoulder, ham, salt water and sugar. Spam's name was chosen in a contest with the winning entry being submitted by the brother of a Hormel executive. It was very popular all over the world during World War II because of rationing that caused fresh meat to be hard to come by.
Hormel sold 20,000 cans in the four years of the war and by 1993 five billion cans had been sold. SPAM is currently made in two US States, Minnesota and Nebraska, and in seven other countries. Today there are several different types of Spam sold including the original Spam, SPAM Lite, SPAM Smoke Flavored, SPAM Less Sodium and SPAM Oven Roasted Turkey.
Cornell (Referenced by Mr. Rooks as he tells Veronica that Carrie was worried her low mid-term grade would keep her out of the school.)
Cornell University is a private research university established in 1968 in Ithaca, New York. The school's motto, "I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study," is reflected by the practice of admitting students from all ethnicities and religions and by offering instruction in all fields of knowledge.
The university ranked thirteenth in the 2006 U.S. News and World Report National Universities ranking, and twelth globally in an academic ranking of world universities by Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2005.
Cornelliaina is a term for Cornell's traditions, legends, and lore. One tradition that dates back to 1901 is Dragon Day, where celebrations include burning a dragon built by the architecture students. The school colors are carnelian (a shade of red) and white, a play on the names of the school's founders, Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White. The university has no mascot, but the unofficial mascot is a bear named "Touchdown" that was brought to games in 1915.
Ivy League (Referenced by Veronica as she discusses Carrie's possible motives with Mr. Rooks.)
Ivy League refers to an athletic conference of eight private colleges and universities located in the Northeast of the United States: Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, Columbia University in New York City, Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey, the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. The conference was established in 1954, but the schools have been around as early as 1701. The academic excellence of these eight institutions is consistently recognized by the U.S. News & World Report's published yearly list of college and university rankings.
Admission to the Ivies is highly selective, with admission rates ranging from 8.6 percent for Yale to 24.7 percent for Cornell. Admitted students typically have SAT Math and Verbal composites well over 1400 and are in the top ten percent of their high school classes. Really, though, Ivy admissions give a whole new meaning to the term "crapshoot". Admissions committees also do not ignore non-academic factors like legacy status, race/ethnicity or state of residence.
The Ivy League sponsors 33 men's and women's sports, and each schools has, on average, more than 35 varsity teams. All eight institutions rank among the top twenty of NCAA Division I schools for the number of sports offered to men and women.
San Diego (Referenced by Keith as he tells Veronica that Carrie's diary mentions a dinner with Mr. Rooks.)
It is believed that the first humans settled in the San Diego area some 20,000 years ago, along the coast, and 12,000 ago in the desert area, but it was in 1542 that Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo sailed from Mexico into the Bay and claimed the area for Spain, naming it San Miguel. At the time, there were 20-30,000 of the Kumeyaay tribe living there. In 1602, explorer Sebastian Vizcaino arrived on his ship, San Diego, and named the area for the Spanish Catholic saint, San Diego de Alcal. Then, in 1769, the first of a chain of twenty-one missions along the California coast was founded by Father Junipero Serra and the California Governor Gaspar de Portola. It was built on Presidio Hill and named Mission San Diego de Alcal. The first colonists arrived in 1774 and San Diego came under Mexican rule in 1821 when Mexico won its independence from Spain. Then, in 1848, a treaty ending the war between the U.S. and Mexico set the official international border and declared San Diego an American city. Two years later, San Diego County was created and the City of San Diego was incorporated.
Today, with a population of around 1.25 million, San Diego is the second largest city in California and the seventh largest in the nation. According to the San Diego city website, more than 96 percent of the residents are employed, with a median family income of almost $40,000. The top industries are manufacturing, defense, tourism and agriculture, with an additional focus on biotechnology/biosciences, electronics manufacturing, software, telecommunications, financial and business services, and defense and space manufacturing.
Located only 17 miles from the Mexican border, with 70 miles of coastline and an overall land area of 342.4 square miles, San Diego is also home to many popular tourist attractions, such as Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Wild Animal Park, Legoland California and the Del Mar Thoroughbred Races. Professional sports teams include the San Diego Chargers (football), the Padres (baseball) and the Gulls (hockey). In addition to ten community colleges located throughout the county, the city is also home to San Diego State, the largest California State University campus, and the University of California, San Diego.
Kid Rock (Referenced by Veronica to Keith as she demonstrates how easily one can write lies in a diary.)
Kid Rock, born Robert James Ritchie, is an American rapper and rock musician. He was born January 17, 1971 in Romeo, Michigan. He ran away from home to the housing project in Mount Clemens, Michigan and began rapping at basement parties. He signed a contract with Jive Records at 17 and went on the "Straight From the Underground Tour" with heavyweight rappers like Ice Cube, Too $hort, D-Nice, and Yo-Yo.
His first studio album, Grits Sandwiches For Breakfast, was unsuccessful due to a FCC ban on the first single, "Yo Da Lin in the Valley." Central Michigan University was fined $23,700 for playing it. The monumentous failure of white rapper Vanilla Ice persuaded Jive Records to drop Kid Rock, but he was later picked up by an indie record label, Continuum. He had more success with his second album; its first single "Back From the Dead" was a Top 20 Hot Rap Track. However, after the album's second single plopped, Continuum dropped him from the label.
He continued to make music from his own record label Top Dog and later from Whiterooms Studios where he worked as a janitor to pay for studio time. Finally, he was able to sign a deal with Atlantic Records for $100,000 in 1997. At the time of his mainstream success, Kid Rock's band (Twisted Brown Trucker) included Kenny Olson, Jimmie Bones, Uncle Kracker, Mike Bradford, Joe C, Jason Krause, and Stephanie Eulinberg. Joe C passed away of celiac disease in November 2000.
Some other albums include Devil Without a Cause (1998), The History of Rock (2000), Cocky (2001), Kid Rock (2003). Kid Rock gained country music acclaim for his performance in "Picture," a duet with Sheryl Crow, and for "Luckenbach, Texas," a track on a Waylon Jennings tribute album.
He has one son, named after himself, and was briefly engaged to Pamela Anderson. He is an outspoken supporter of President Bush, but was not allowed to perform at a pre-inauguration youth concert due to the profanity and sexual innuendo in his lyrics.
Penicillin (Referenced by Logan as he jokes with Veronica after hearing her make a doctor's appointment.)
Penicillin was discovered by Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming in 1928. It belongs to a class of drugs called β-lactam antibiotics, which treat bacterial infections by interfering with the synthesis of a bacterium's cell wall. The cell wall is formed by the cross-linking of peptidoglycan, a process that is catalyzed by the enzyme transpeptidase. Penicillin binds to the active site of transpeptidase and inhibits the enzyme from working. As the bacterial cells try to divide, the bacteria lengthen but cannot separate themselves by a cell wall. Eventually the cell lyses, or bursts.
Two to three percent of hospitalized patients in the United States have allergic reactions to penicillin. Severe anaphylactic reactions to the drug account for about 400 deaths annually among Americans.
Donald Trump (Referenced by Veronica as the subject of one of the stories in the tabloid Logan has brought her.)
Donald John Trump, Sr. (born June 14, 1946 in Queens, New York) is a business executive, founder and CEO of Trump Organization of the USA, mainly involved in the premium American real estate segment. Trump is of German, Scottish and Swedish ancestry. He has recently enjoyed a great deal of publicity following the success of his reality television show, The Apprentice (in which he serves as both executive producer and host for the show).
Trump is almost as well known for his hair, as he is for his business acumen. He is the king of the "comb-over" hair helmet and there are websites whose sole purpose is to comment on the current status of his "hair wave." (That may not be true, but it should be ... there is something quite sinister about that hair of his. The FBI should investigate for missing children and laundered money up there.)
Opie ... (Referenced by Weevil as Logan rudely bumps into him.)
Character played by Ron Howard for the eight year run of The Andy Griffith Show. The show told the story of town Sheriff, Andy Taylor, and his well-mannered son Opie and their lives living with Aunt Bee in Mayberry. The show was popular for its folksy charm and innocent representation of small town life, which was actually based upon Griffith's real hometown. Don Knotts who played Andy's cousin, Deputy Barney Fife, won five Emmy Awards during the run of the show. Jim Nabors played the town gas attendant named Gomer Pyle and had his own spin off called Gomer Pyle USMC.
Rimjob ... (Referenced by Veronica when speaking to Weevil about stolen hubcaps and (in amusement) misinterpreted by Weevil.)
A rimjob is one of many forms of slang for anal-oral contact, also referred to as anilingus. Other common euphemisms include rimming, tossing the salad (See The Quick and the Wed Social Science/Detention), pepe'ing, or 87 (compare 69). Performing a rimjob is a sexual activity involving contact between the anus or perianal areas of one person and the mouth of another. Lovely. Whatever floats your boat.
Deep Throat ... (Referenced by Veronica to Weevil when he tells her he has some information for her.)
Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, working for The Washington Post, investigated the 1972 break-in at the Democratic Party national headquarters in the Watergate apartment complex in Washington, D.C. During their investigation they found a high-ranking FBI agent who provided them information in exchange for total anonymity. The reporters met with Deep Throat in parking garages where he gave them clues to help them in their investigation including the phrase "Follow the Money."
The name Deep Throat was given to the informant by Post senior editor Howard Simons after the adult movie that was popular at the time. The investigation led Woodward and Bernstein to publish a story naming the burglars as employees of President Richard Nixon's re-election campaign. The deep background provided by the informant was instrumental in the reporters breaking their story. The scandal ultimately forced Nixon to resign in 1974.
The investigation was chronicled in the book All the President's Men, which was later made into a movie staring Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford. The movie was nominated for eight Oscars and won four. Woodward and Bernstein kept Deep Throat's identity a secret until he came forward in 2005, revealing himself to be an FBI agent named W. Mark Felt.
Bolsheviks ... (Referenced by Mr. Rooks when he gives Veronica his version of events that led to the end of his last job.)
The Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 began by a demonstration of women workers against the problems in Russia caused by World War I. The Czar sent troops in to quell the protest, but the women convinced the solders to put down their guns. Without the support of his army, Czar Nicholas II was overthrown and in the ensuing power vacuum, Vladimir Lenin rose to power. He created the Bolshevik party, and coined the term "Soviets" to describe his followers.
The word Bolshevik means majority and is used synonymously with Communist. In fact, the Bolsheviks are today known as the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, having dropped the word Bolshevik in 1952.
1989 Harley Davidson (Referenced by Mr. Rooks as he tells Veronica that driving one didn't endear him to his former administration.)
Harley-Davidsons are heavy motorcycles, known for their distinctive exhaust noise, customer loyalty and good resale value. The snazzy highway traveler below is the referenced 1989 version.
The Harley-Davidson legend began in 1901 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, when 21 year-old William S. Harley drew up a blueprint for an engine that could be fit onto a bicycle. By 1903, Harley and his friend, Arthur Davidson, working out of a 10 by 15 foot wooden shed introduced the first Harley-Davidson motorcycle, which was built to be a racer. The first dealer shop opened in Chicago the following year and, by 1906, a new 28 by 80 foot factory was built with six full-time employees manufacturing the motorcycles. In 1907, the Harley-Davidson Motor Company became incorporated and sold its first motorcycle to be used for police duty. Exports to Japan began in 1912. With the advent of World War I, almost half of the motorcycles produced were sold to the U.S. military. By 1920, Harley-Davidson was the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world, with models available for purchase from over 2,000 dealers in 67 countries.
The Harley-Davidson motorcycle became a legendary racing bike, used to win numerous races and break countless speed records. The 'hog' nickname began in 1920, the year that Leslie 'Red' Parkhurst broke 23 speed records on a Harley-Davidson. The racing team's mascot was a pig and each time a race was won by the team, the pig -- or 'hog' -- was carried on the victory lap. Harley-Davidson has been unsuccessful in its attempts to trademark the 'hog' term.
By 1931 and until 1953, Harley-Davidson and Hendee Manufacturing (of the Indian motorcycle) were the only two motorcycle manufacturers in America. The famous art-deco "eagle" design made its debut on gas tanks, starting in 1933. World War II served as another interruption to civilian production, almost entirely suspending it in favor of the production of almost 90,000 WLA models for military use. With Hendee Manufacturing going out of business in 1953, Harley-Davidson became the sole U.S. manufacturer for the next 46 years. Purchasing majority stock in the Tomahawk Boat Manufacturing Company was the first step towards Harley-Davidson's eventual manufacturing of its own components.
The Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) was formed in 1983 as a way for Harley-Davidson owners to share their common passion for the motorcycles. It is the largest factory-sponsored motorcycle club in the world, with more than 500,000 members. In 2003, more than 250,000 people gathered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for Harley-Davidson's 100th anniversary celebration.
The Rolling Stones (Tattoo You) (Referenced by Carrie as she describes for Veronica Mr. Rooks' seduction techniques.)
The Rolling Stones are a British rock band founded in the 1960s. They are influenced by a variety of American music forms, especially electric blues and early rock. Second in popularity to The Beatles, the Stones are one of the world's biggest and most-influential bands. The founding members of the Stones are Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, and they took their name from the title of a Muddy Waters song. In 1989, The Stones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Some of their top singles include "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," "Paint it Black," "Mother's Little Helper," "Under My Thumb," "Sympathy for the Devil," "You Can't Always Get What You Want," and "Start Me Up."
The Stones' song "Start Me Up" was used by Microsoft to launch their Windows 95 operating system after Bill Gates purchased rights to the song for $13 million. The Verve's 1997 hit "Bittersweet Symphony" uses a five-note sample from an orchestral version of the Stones' song "The Last Time," and were subsequently sued by Allen Klein, who owns copyrights to The Rolling Stones' pre-1970 songs.
The group played during the half-time of Super Bowl XL, and in February 2006, they performed for the biggest audience of their career in Copocabana. The current members of the band include Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ron Wood, and Charlie Watts.
Tattoo You released in 1981, and was composed partly of new material, and partly of unused songs from earlier recording outlines. It is celebrated as one of their finest full-length releases.
Sweet Valley High (Referenced by Veronica to Carrie as she dismisses Carrie's description of Mr. Rooks' seduction techniques.)
Sweet Valley High is a young adult book series written by Francine Pascal and several ghostwriters. The series revolves around the lives of twin sisters Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield, two beautiful blondes living in the fictitious Sweet Valley, California. A total of 150 books were published in the series between 1984 and 1998.
Elizabeth was characterized as sweet and conservative while her sister Jessica was superficial and self-absorbed. The Sweet Valley High series has often been criticized for its unrealistic portrayal of teenagers and ridiculous plots.
Veronica Mars is actually in the Pop Culture References for the series' Wikipedia entry. I'll quote:
Quote:And she's not alone there. As many times as Veronica has quoted The Simpsons, could it really be a coincidence that they are the only other television series listed as bashing these books? In "Homer the Moe," after Homer tells the guys at the bar a bizarre story, Moe responds, "That is the stupidest story I ever heard, and I read the entire Sweet Valley High series."
Veronica Mars episode 1.14 "Mars vs. Mars:" After a student tells Veronica that their teacher seduced her, Veronica replies by saying, "Yeah, I have that same Sweet Valley High Book." This refers to Sweet Valley High book #11, Too Good to be True, when a visitor to the Wakefield house claims that Mr Collins, the English teacher, attacked her.
Sacramento (Referenced by Veronica as she lets Carrie know that she was at an overnight track meet there on a night she allegedly spent with Mr. Rooks.)
Sac, Sacto, River City, Capital City -- these are all names given to the capital of California, the city of Sacramento.
Originally inhabited by Maidu, Valley Miwok and Snonommey Indians, Sacramento was named by the Spanish explorer who discovered the Sacramento Valley and River in the early nineteenth century, Gabriel Moraga. The name is based around the word 'sacrament.' The city of Sacramento was founded in 1848 by John Sutter, growing out of the trading colony and stockade he established, Sutter's Fort. During the gold rush, the town was a major distribution point. Incorporated in 1850, Sacramento is the second oldest in the state (after San Francisco). In 1854, the California State Legislature officially declared Sacramento the state's capital.
Located in California's Central Valley at the confluence of the American and Sacramento Rivers, the city has a population of 457,514 (2006), making it the seventh largest in the state. It is the fourth largest metropolitan area in California and is made up of five counties: El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter and Yolo. The city has a total area of 99.2 square miles and a mild climate. California State University, Sacramento ("Sac State") is the local university. The largest employer is the State of California.
The State Capital building in Sacramento and the landmark Tower Bridge,
which crosses the Sacramento River.
Professional sports teams include the Sacramento Kings (NBA basketball), the Sacramento Monarchs (WNBA basketball) and the River Cats (minor league baseball).
Once used just for transportation and commerce, the American and Sacramento Rivers are now also popular recreational waterways. Other popular attractions include the California State Fair, the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee (every Memorial Day), the Sacramento Ballet, the Crocker Art Museum, and the California State Railroad Museum. The area where the original city was located is referred to as Old Sac and has become a bit of a tourist attraction with its cobbled streets, historical buildings, paddle steamers and steam-hauled trains.
The last California State Governor to make Sacramento his permanent residence was Ronald Reagan in 1967.
Z Gallerie ... (Referenced by Mr. Rooks to Veronica as the source of his living room design.)
This privately owned, upscale retail store sells home furnishings. It was founded by three siblings in 1979 as a small poster shop in Sherman Oaks, California. Now there are 58 stores in 17 states, with over 100 employees, that sell items for every room of the house. Their web site is www.zgallerie.com if you wanted to decorate your living room like Mr. Rooks. Silk sheets sold separately.
Mick Jagger (Referenced by Veronica as she hears the Rolling Stones album playing in Mr. Rooks' bedroom.)
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger was born on July 26, 1943 in Dartford, Kent, England. Jagger co-founded the rock and roll band The Rolling Stones with guitarists Brian Jones and Keith Richards. He and Richards were schoolmates before secondary school and ended up reuiniting later on. Neither had any formal musical training, and Jagger admitted that as the lead singer he did not have much stage presense when the band started out. He said that he able to work through that by emulating other artists until he felt comfortable developing his own style. The band's debut album was self-titled and was relreased in the United Kingdom in 1964.
The Rolling Stones song that Veronica hears playing in Mr. Rook's house is "Worried About You" from their 1981 album Tattoo You.
Oxcarbazepine (Referenced by Veronica as she researches the medication Duncan has been taking.)
Oxcarbazepine (brand name Trileptal) is an anticonvulsant that is used alone or with other medications to treat certain types of seizures in patients with epilepsy and bipolar disorder. It is structurally similar to Carbamazepine, but has an additional oxygen atom. Carbamazepine is the less preferred drug due to its tendency to decrease a patient's white blood count. White blood cells account for the body's ability to fight infections. Oxcarbazepine has its share of side effects, though; it is associated with nausea, vomiting and hyponatremia (decrease in sodium concentration in the blood).
Type IV epilepsy ... (Referenced by Veronica as she researches the uses of the medication Duncan is taking.)
Epilepsy is a neurological condition that causes seizures by affecting how the brain cells send electrical signals to each other. Seizures can range from a mild disruption of the senses to convulsions and loss of consciousness. Occasionally epilepsy patients also have cognitive disorders that affect attention, memory, mental speed, and language.
Many people who have epilepsy also have episodes of dysphoria where they lose the ability to experience pleasure or joy. These episodes can last up to a few days and symptoms include depressive moods, irritability, lack of energy, pain, anxiety, insomnia, and euphoric moods. The disease can be inherited, but not always, and it can affect people of all races and ages at any time of life. It is treated with anti-seizure medicines that allow the sufferers to live mostly normal lives. Many famous leaders have suffered from epilepsy, including Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar and Napoleon Bonaparte.
According to some fans who work in the medical community, there is actually no such thing as "type four" epilepsy.
Google (Referenced by Veronica as she tells Duncan she's "googling" her own name.)
Google is a search engine owned by Google, Inc. whose mission statement is to "organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful." Google receives over 200 million queries a day. The name "Google" is derived from a play on the word "googol", which refers to the number represented by 1 followed by one hundred zeroes. Google's headquarters, located in California, are referred to as "the Googleplex."
Google began as a research project in January, 1996 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, two students at Stanford University. The term "to google" has come to be used as a verb synonymous with "to search for something on the internet," though Google officials discourage the use of this phrase for fear that it will lead to trademark dilution.
Similar to the Search Engine Olympics Veronica took part in in Donut Run, there are several games that can be played with Google. In "Gwigle," participants learn advanced Google search tricks as they go through the puzzles. In "Googlewhack," you attempt to find two words that produce exactly one search result. (Examples: "dork turnspit", "unconstructive superegos", "bibliophilic sandwiched", "dripstone ingles") "Googlefight" pits two keywords against each other to find which one has more results. In "Guess the Google," the objective is to guess which search term resulted in the displayed images.
In addition to its webpage search engine, Google also provides services for searching images, Usenet newsgroups, news websites, videos, searching by locality, maps, and items for sale online.
Vermont (Referenced by Veronica as she tells Duncan there is a Veronica Mars selling pinecone porcupines there.)
Vermont is a small state (with only 9,620 square miles of land, ranking 43rd in land area) located in the New England region of the United States. Vermont also ranks as the second smallest state by population, with its roughly 623,050 people. It borders New Hampshire to the east, New York to the west, Massachusetts to the south, and the Canadian province Quebec. The Green Mountains, for which Vermont is nicknamed, are a mountain range that extends about 250 miles through the state. Vermont produces more maple syrup than any other state, and is also known for its quality dairy products. Like most states in New England (New Hampshire generally being the exception), Vermont is a liberal state and one of very few that has granted civil unions for same-sex couples.
Vermont was occupied by Native American tribes until the 17th century, when France claimed the area of Lake Champlain as part of New France. Vermont then became a British possession after France was defeated in the French and Indian War. During the American Revolutionary War, the 1777 Battle of Bennington (not taking place in Bennington, Vermont, but just over the New York border) resulted in a British defeat. Vermont was thereafter an independent republic for fourteen years. It was the 14th state to join the Union in 1791.
- Watch closely the end of Lord of the Bling (the previous episode) and then the very beginning of this one to see the slight pro-LoVe slant that was added.
- Veronica does not seem to be wearing her choker in the history classroom scenes.
- Nice camera work in the bathroom scene with Keith in the mirror.
- There's a transitional fade on Veronica into the shot of Logan and Veronica sitting in the Sheriff Department. It's muy cool!
- Logan sticks his gum on the underside of the chair in the Sheriff's department.
- The penny seems to drop for Rooks while Carrie testified at the school board meeting.
- Clemmons looks hysterically mortified when Mrs. Fuller reads the messages on her cell phone.
- As Veronica is watching the playback of Hart's movie, you can see Logan's leg to her right, propped up. (It's kinda hot if you find Jason Dohring hot.)
- Veronica displays her less than sexual know-how (as do the censors by letting this slide) when asking Weevil: "You got a trophy for a rimjob?" Well, what's wrong with that, the more innocent of you might object. She's talking about his tire rims, silly. Yes, she is ... but Weevil is clearly thinking of this.
- What is with the weird lighting inside Veronicas apartment in the teaser? Did the pool move up a flight? Actually what is the deal with the lighting in the whole episode? The sunlight in the office and in the coffee house is intrusive to say the least.
- What happened to Lynns credit cards?
- If Wallace is so concerned about people seeing him give Veronica permanent files, why doesnt he find a more surreptitious place/way to do it?
- If Lynn did commit suicide, why did she pick such a messy way to do it?
- Does Veronica have medical insurance?
- If Rooks was so concerned about his job, why did he take Susan out in public and pay for it on his credit card?
- If Veronica thought so highly of Mr. Rooks, why didnt Keith know he was one of her teachers?
- Did Carrie plan on making the accusation like she did, or could she just not take it any more?
- How many other people know about Duncans fit? Have there been others? How did the Kane family keep it such a secret?
- Why did Mr. Rooks get divorced?
- Will he lose custody of this daughter now?
- Why didnt Rooks insist that a representative from another school district come to his hearing if he was the only one for his district?
- Weevil mentions Logans puka shell necklace. Is that because he knows it was a gift from Lilly?
- Why didnt Veronica think it was weird that the Lilly murder file wasnt in the safe?
- Why did Weevil suddenly decide to help Logan?
- Why was Rooks really fired from his previous school?
- Why is Duncan being so chatty with Veronica?
- Once Carrie filed the sexual harassment claim, why didnt the administration remove her from the class? There have to be other history classes or maybe independent study?
- Even being petite, how did Veronica fit under that sink?
- Is history the only class Carrie is struggling in? Even with a B how does she expect to get into an Ivy League college?
- How did Veronica get Mrs. Fullers cell phone number? Was it in the pamphlet she was reading? If so, where did she get that?
- Was Rooks really stupid enough to try and seduce Veronica?
- Is there really a Veronica Mars in Vermont who sells pinecone porcupines?
- How do all these students get on campus after hours? Wouldnt the teachers frown upon that without chaperones there?
- How did no one realize that Susan had dropped out of school? If she is under 18, wouldnt the state have a problem with that?
- If Lynn was supposed to have jumped at 4:37 pm, why are there no witnesses? That is practically right when rush hour traffic is in full swing and that bridge should have been bumper to bumper. Also, why is the car the only thing on the bridge at the end of Clash of the Tritons? Again, that is a very heavily traveled bridge; there should have been some cars on it.
- Why did Rooks pick the middle of class to get his stuff?
- What is Koontz dying of? Why did he agree to confess to a murder he didnt commit?
- How did Rooks figure Susans story wouldnt come out once Carrie started making accusations?
- If teaching is the only thing Rooks ever wanted to do, was it just for the sex with teenage girls? Because, yuck!
- Did Leo tell anyone Veronicas theory of the murder?
- If Trina is using Lynns cards in Ruskie Business, how did she get them if she was in Australia?
Written/Compiled By:
JenniferH: Report Card; Chemistry; Band Class; Literature; Homeroom
Mastermia (Maria): Yearbook; Study Hall; Extra Credit; History; Social Science; Homeroom; Philosophy; Principles of Democracy
SeluciaV (Alli): Social Science
smlf70 (Mark): Journalism
Tar Frimmer (Joanne): Study Hall; Literature; Social Science
Additional Help:
samwg (Shannon): Social Science
genova (Cara): Social Science
