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Episode #01.01: Pilot

Original Air Date: September 22, 2004
Written by: Rob Thomas
Directed by: Mark Piznarski

  • Report Card (Capsule Episode Review)
  • Yearbook (Recurring & Guest Stars/Character Statistics)
  • Drama Club (Performances: Highlights and Lowlights)
  • 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)
  • Detention (While the Censors Were out to Lunch ...)
  • Philosophy (Unanswered Questions)
  • Principles of Democracy (Hindsight is 20/20)
  • Role Call (Written/Compiled By ...)




    Staff Grade: A
    Membership Grade: A (72.6% / 84 votes)

    The Pilot for Veronica Mars features the best of what the show has to offer: Strong performances and snappy dialogue that can bite as easily as it can break a heart, wring tears as easily as bring on the laughs. Of course, none of these strengths would stand up unless they were skillfully woven into a compelling plot. The series' premiere episode succeeds beautifully in this. It showcases a complex storyline that includes several characters, a multitude of flashbacks and delivers all of the above in a steady pace that never flags and never fails to hold interest. From frame one, this episode is on GO! and it's near impossible to stop watching.



    Starring

    Kristen Bell Veronica Mars
    Jason Dohring Logan Echolls
    Enrico Colantoni Keith Mars
    Percy Daggs III Wallace Fennel
    Teddy Dunn Duncan Kane
    Sydney Tamiia Poitier Mallory Dent (2004) *
    Francis Capra Eli 'Weevil' Navarro

    * Credited cast not appearing in this episode.

    Guest Stars

    Corinne Bohrer Lianne Mars
    Brad Bufanda - Felix Toombs
    Linda Castro Mrs. Murphy
    Jonathan Chesner - Corny
    Duane Daniels Mr. Clemmons
    Brandon Hillock - Deputy Sacks
    Annie Hinton - Judge
    Seraina Jacqueline Inga
    Michael Muhney Sheriff Lamb
    Daran Norris - Cliff McCormack
    Kyle Secor Jake Kane
    Amanda Seyfried Lilly Kane
    Lisa Thornhill Celeste Kane
    Patrick Wolff - Hector Cortez

    Who's Who in Neptune

    Veronica Mars - Kick-ass title character. Currently an outcast at Neptune High School after the death of her best friend, Lilly Kane. Daughter of Keith and Lianne Mars, she used to date Duncan Kane.

    Logan Echolls - Son of movie stars Aaron and Lynn Echolls. Best friend to Duncan and Lilly's ex-boyfriend.

    Wallace Fennell - New to Neptune High and friend to Veronica.

    Duncan Kane - Neptune's most adored student. Brother of Lilly, ex-boyfriend of Veronica, and best friend to Logan.

    Eli 'Weevil' Navarro - Leader of the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) biker boys and all-around badass.

    Keith Mars - Father of Veronica, once Neptune's Sheriff, now a private investigator.

    Sheriff Don Lamb - Formerly Keith's Deputy, now Sheriff of Neptune (and a lousy one at that).

    Lianne Mars - Alcoholic mother of Veronica.

    Lilly Kane - Best friend to Veronica, sister to Duncan, and ex-girlfriend of Logan.

    Celeste Kane - Mother of Lilly and Duncan.

    Jake Kane - Father to Lilly and Duncan, software billionaire.

    Van Clemmons - The somewhat anal Vice Principal of Neptune High.

    Inga - The receptionist at the Sheriff's department.

    Abel Koontz - Confessed killer of Lilly Kane.

    Loretta Cancun - Cliff's client.

    Cliff McCormack - Lawyer Extraordinaire.

    Hector Cortez - Yet another member of the PCH gang.

    Mrs. Murphy English teacher at Neptune High.

    Hey! It's That Guy/Girl

    Enrico Colantoni (Keith Mars) - Best known as the alien leader in Galaxy Quest, Colantoni also played a series regular on the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me as Lothario photographer Elliot DiMauro.

    Corrine Bohrer (Lianne Mars) - Bohrer has a wide list of credits to her name in supporting roles on film and guest-starring turns on television; recently, she is best known from her stint on Joan of Arcadia as Rocky's mom, a character she played in two memorable episodes.

    Kyle Secor (Jake Kane) - As Detective Tim Bayliss, Secor made a name for himself in the world of episodic television on NBC's hit criminal drama, Homicide: Life on the Streets.

    Amanda Seyfried (Lilly Kane) - Playing one of the Plastics in the Lindsay Lohan hit, Mean Girls, her character, Karen Smith, who was the nicest and least intelligent of the three popular girls, believed that her breasts had psychic weather ability.



    Highlights

    Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars) - Obviously the writing is a huge factor in creating a believable, likable kick-ass heroine, but unless the actress embodying the character is able to pull off the accompanying trick, it all falls flat. In the case of Veronica Mars, Kristen Bell succeeds in beautifully rendering the coolest chick on television. Her impeccable timing (so important in delivering those quips with the right amount of zing), facial expressions, tonal inflections, and ability to convey subtext round the character out to a fully fleshed out person who feels real.

    Despite the fact that Bell is about as tiny as they come, and the phrase "perky, little blonde" definitely fits, the edge she brings to all of Veronica's words and actions make the viewer believe that she truly IS this badass wonder who can do absolutely anything. More impressively, she manages to bring all of this to the table while delivering the heart and soul of this sixteen-year old girl in such a wonderfully captivating package.



    Scene One: And the Role of the Jackass is Played By ...

    When Veronica is going around the 09er table, you'd expect that the description of who Logan is would have taken place before she got to telling about the history with Duncan. But nope. We have the Duncan intro/flashback -- which briefly includes Logan (more on that later) -- and then it ends on "and let's not forget Logan Echolls. His dad makes twenty million a picture. You probably own his action figure. Every school has an obligatory psychotic jackass; he's ours."

    Why end on Logan and not on Duncan? Wouldn't the former boyfriend be the more likely choice to end the introduction of "main" characters on? You'd think so. But no, Logan gets it. And furthermore, from pretty much the moment the scene comes back from flashback, Logan is staring at Veronica. Duncan seems practically oblivious to her presence, while Logan is just so intently all about her. It appears as if he's talking about her in the first shot of him looking at her, then to Duncan; he's looking at her, putting on the little show on Duncan's lap for her. I mean, he's basically "performing" for Veronica. He WANTS her attention. Very interesting.

    Now back to the flashback scene for a moment, when Veronica turns from her locker and sees Duncan walking by and basically ignoring her, Logan is with him. And guess what he's doing? You got it ... staring at Veronica. Logan. Does. This. A LOT.

    Scene Two: A Long Time Ago, We Used to Be Friends

    Next up is the flashback where Logan confronts Veronica about what her dad is doing. Wouldn't it make sense to see interaction of some kind with her ex-boyfriend/Lilly's brother as opposed to laying it on Logan and Logan only. It's as if Logan is the barometer of before and after in a way. She seems completely stricken by Logan's pain and his accusation against her. Why is the concentration on Logan and not on Duncan?

    And just a note, Logan is also the first one we recognize who sees her at the party. A bigger deal is made of Duncan (because he's being macked upon), but Logan is who we first see staring at her. Of course, staring at her.

    Scene Three: 'Hey, Ronnie!'

    Ah, the drive-by. I commented elsewhere that I think that Ronnie was a nickname he called her on occasion when the foursome were all together. And I think it was a name that only he did. I'm not quite sure what to make of this scene. I mean, he almost -- no, not almost, he DID seem sincere in asking her if she wanted to join them. But of course, she didn't, and so he started being snarky and sarcastic. And she was ignoring him; I don't think Logan likes being ignored by Veronica, so he went from an almost playful teasing (the Duncan/no shirt) to barbed, painful teasing (her mom's drinking). It's like he is striking to hurt when she doesn't, I don't know, play whatever game he is playing. There is just such a push-pull with their interaction. It's very fascinating.

    Scene Four: The Bong Show

    We have the lovely, little fact that he calls her "cute." And, of course, he does a lot of staring. What is interesting is that he is looking at her, calling her cute, pointing at her all in what appears to be a show of gamesmanship. She just set him up to be arrested, most likely suspended as well, and he is grinning. His attitude is almost a show of "Okay, you got me this round, just wait 'til it's my turn!" Which flashes back to the last scene before where he kept digging and digging and was just so nasty; he was nasty in a way we really don't ever see him at any other time. And taking in this scene and his reaction of near-glee, one wonders if the object was to show that the only spark that Logan got out of life then was his little back-and-forth game of one-upmanship with Veronica. In the parking lot scene, she hadn't played along. Now here with the bong, the vicious cruelty of the "Hey, Ronnie" scene is missing because she is playing with him again.

    Which leads to the final scene between the two ...

    Scene Five: No Fun, Fun, Fun!

    I don't know if I can even put my finger on what it is about this last scene with Logan and Veronica, but it's almost like he is taunting her to do something, to retaliate. And it's like, as in the first scene, as if he's "performing" for her. The way that he looks at her, holds her gaze with that sweet, almost innocent smile, the way he bends down to get close to her, the way that there are moments where it's as if she is the only one there. It's all very tense and, ooh, I can't put my finger on the right word. But there is definitely an underlying emotion there.

    And then we have Veronica's reaction to Logan being hit -- we actually see Veronica reacting to Logan's pain twice in this episode: The emotional in the flashback when he talks to her about her dad destroying the Kane family, and the physical in this scene. Veronica seems really bothered by Logan being hurt, which may simply have to do with the friendship they once shared. She doesn't make the snappy comment or comeback during that, but once he's gone, she's immediately back to wearing that facade with Weevil. It's clear that she is very conscious of Logan's pain, and it takes her out of "Veronica Mars: Badass Extraordinaire" for a moment. I dunno, maybe I'm seeing too much, wanting to see more, but I think that some connection of sorts with him was being laid all the way in this episode. HE pushes her buttons the way no one else appears to and SHE pushes his as well.

    And just for the record, they really, *really* do have some damn fine chemistry.



    Welcome to Neptune, California, "the town without a middle class." On your right, you'll see billion dollar mansions and palatial estates that are home to the obscenely rich and terribly famous. On your left, you'll see no, farther keep going ... farther left ... yes, that's it ... the small and shabby spot in the distance near the Pacific Coastal Highway that is home to those unfortunate individuals employed by Neptune's obscenely rich and terribly famous. And straight ahead you'll find Neptune High, where the rich kids mingle with the unwashed masses. Right out front you'll see a magnificent flagpole that is currently sporting the naked figure of a poor, unfortunate soul, whose last shred of dignity is only preserved by the grace of the artfully placed duct tape holding him to the aforementioned pole. (I guess that stuff really is good for everything. Hmm.) To add insult to injury, the poor kid -- who we also learn is new to Neptune -- has the word "snich" printed across his well-defined pecs. And no, that isn't a misprint. The individual responsible for this spectacle is clearly a Rhodes Scholar. Gooooo Pirates!

    We first meet the heroine of our tale, Veronica Mars, as she is confronted with this poor flagpole-bound soul upon her arrival to school. Many of the clearly soulless rich kids are enjoying this poor guy's torment a little too much, and Miss Mars is clearly disgusted. She shoves aside some miscreant taking photos with his camera phone, and breaks out a small but rather lethal looking knife. Rather than gutting or perhaps emasculating the crappy kid with the camera phone, she turns her attention to cutting the poor guy down off the flagpole to spare him any further humiliation. Welcome to Neptune, my young friend.

    We next see Veronica at lunch, sitting alone at a table, puncturing that day's mystery meat with her spork, while observing the rituals of the "in" crowd at Neptune High. We learn that Veronica used to belong to that crowd, not because her family was worth millions, but because her father used to be Sheriff and because she used to date Duncan Kane, the son of a software billionaire.     Flashback to the young couple strolling down the hallways of Neptune High the picture of young love before Veronica informs us via voiceover that the previous year, he dumped her without warning and explanation. (What a prince!)

    The happy couple is then replaced in Veronica's reminiscing by Duncan and a baby-faced studmuffin (who could that be?). This duo walk just about as closely together as did Veronica and her former beau. And while they may not be locking lips, the studmuffin is whispering into her ex's ear as he gazes over his shoulder to stare at our heroine this becomes a pattern -- who watches in sadness and confusion from her locker. Woe is Veronica who inexplicably does not seem to realize that when a guy dumps you without a word and then proceeds to ignore you, it's generally a sign that said guy is, oh, a pathetic scumbag who is so very beneath you. And when he hangs on that closely to his best bud, he may swing the other way. I'm just sayin'.

    And who would that baby-faced studmuffin be? Why none other than Logan Echolls, son of a $20-mil-a-picture actor father, who also holds the school title for "Obligatory Psychotic Jackass." Mr. Echolls can't seem to help but stare holes into Veronica -- see: Pattern! -- before putting on a lunchtime burlesque show that includes the opening number, "Let me give Duncan Kane a lap dance," the main number, "When I malevolently stare at you I touch myself (a lot)," and for an encore, "I love to taunt and torment you, Veronica Mars." Apparently Mr. OPJ loves the spotlight as much as daddy dearest. I wonder if they give you your own action figure for being a jackass. Hmmmm.

    Veronica's musings are interrupted by the new kid who has chosen to join her for lunch. (And on a quick side bar, is it me, or does it look like the new kid hasn't slept since the fifth grade? Word to the wise, kid: Get some tea bags or cucumbers from the lunch lady -- STAT!) Her first reaction is a dose full of "get the hell away from my table, ya freak," but before he can leave, her sense of guilt and outcast camaraderie kicks in and she graciously invites him to sit wherever he wants.

    The as-yet-unnamed one earnestly thanks Veronica for saving him from the duct-taped bonds of humiliation, but before they can trade names and life stories, a bald, bad-ass, tattooed young man sporting all manner of Catholic-themed bling sits down and gets right into the new kid's face. Seems Baldy is more than a little pissed off that new kid didn't stick around to meet him at the flagpole that morning, despite what, by all accounts, was a very firm invitation to do so. The new kid (and can we get a name here? I mean really) is clearly freaked and is initially trying that thing that small animals do when faced with a large, hungry predator -- the "maybe if I stay real still and don't look directly at him, he'll forget I'm here and go away" tactic. But no such luck. The new kid stutters through a whole attempt at being cool speech, you know, ha ha, very funny, and now we're all even. He all but gives the "can't we all just get along?" line in an effort to avoid further conflict. But, as you might expect, this does not exactly appease Baldy.

    Veronica interrupts and demands that Baldy leave the new kid alone, which causes the tattooed and his pack of dudes to turn their malevolence her way. Snarky banter involving all sorts of phallic references and sexual innuendoes follows, where it is clear that Mr. Clean and his guys are no match for Veronica's wit. Just as things appear to be getting out of hand, the Vice Principal approaches the table and instructs Baldy (whom we learn is named Weevil), his dude (whom we learn is named Felix Toombs), and the rest of the crew to move along.

    So the $64 million question is: What on earth did the new kid do, in his relatively short time in Neptune, to become the proverbial "dead man walking?"     The new kid tells Veronica that he has a part-time gig at a local convenience store called the Sac-n-Pac. The other night, two of Weevil's dudes came into the store, headed right to the back, and started loading up their pockets with 40's like everything was on a take one get one free sale. After cleaning out the cooler, they paraded to the front of the store, gave Wallace (AHA! Thanks be, a name!) a buck for a pack of gum, and laughed their sorry asses off on the way out -- because stealing beer is both macho and thoroughly entertaining.

    What the delinquents didn't know was that Wallace hit the silent alarm long before they grabbed that pack of Juicy Fruit. So the two compadres waltzed out of the store thinking they were home free, only to be met by their friendly neighborhood police officers. Veronica tells Wallace that Neptune only has a Sheriff's office, not a police department. Wallace learned the hard way that the friendly Sheriff isn't actually friendly at all. In fact, he's quite a prick.

    Sheriff Prick called Wallace outside to the parking lot, where several officers, the two compadres, and their bunch of biker buddies (nice) were all waiting to hear Wallace's testimony on the theft. That above-referenced Rhodes Scholar was there to holler out an ominous "What's up, snitch?" Sheriff Prick informed Wallace that the two amigos swear they paid for the booze and he was looking to Wallace to confirm or deny the lame tale.

    Wallace, in the face of all of those less-than-pleasant looking bikers, decided that he didn't have any desire to learn how to breathe through a tube and wanted to keep the family jewels intact long enough to procreate so he decided to tell the Sheriff that the guys did pay for the beer -- and that he hit the alarm by accident. Not surprisingly the Sheriff was not convinced by Wallace's testimony, but also wasn't worried because he'd just check the security camera footage and get the real story. (Side note -- um, dude, if you know you have the video and the kid's testimony is useless, why bother asking him? Oh, right, I remember now -- because you're a prick.)

    Sheriff Prick then made his parting shot to Wallace: "You need to go see the wizard. Ask him for some guts." I'm sure he thought it came across very bad-ass and all Dirty Harry-like, but unfortunately, rather than Clint Eastwood, all anyone can see when they look at the Sheriff is a walking, talking penis. But I digress. Veronica congratulates Wallace on managing to piss off both the local biker gang and the new Sheriff in his short time in town.

    After school, Veronica is working at an office under the heading Mars Investigations -- I wonder if it's the family business? While her dad (yes, it is!) is with a client, an attorney named Cliff (he of the smooth delivery and deliciously tawdry voice) drops by and asks if perhaps the Mars family can give him a little help with a case. One Ms. Loretta Cancun, an (ahem) "dancer" at a classy establishment known as The Seventh Veil, has apparently been arrested and charged with the assault and battery of a washing machine that stole her quarters at Suds & Duds. Ms. Cancun apparently has some inside info on how the club manages to keep its liquor license, despite its rather lax I.D. policy. And she wants to make a deal. Perhaps someone could look into it for him?

    While staking out the disreputable Camelot Motel on a case for her dad, Veronica has another run-in with Weevil and his gang. Of course, they think they can intimidate the little blonde girl, but quickly learn that she, her Backup (a fiercely loyal and well-trained pit bull), her high-powered taser gun, and her acerbic wit are not to be trifled with. After dropping two of Weevil's guys without ever leaving the driver's seat of her vehicle, Veronica offers to call a truce. If Weevil and his boys will leave Wallace alone for a week, she'll make sure that his two guys walk for the Sac-n-Pac theft. Weevil agrees, but tells Veronica that if she doesn't make good on her promise, in a week they'll be after Wallace, Veronica, and "her little dog, too." Oh Weevil, how sharp is thy wit!

    When Veronica arrives at school the next day, Mr. OPJ rolls up with Duncan and some other guys in his banana yellow Xterra, and invites her to join them for a day surfing at the beach as an alternative to higher education. He snarks that he'll even make DK promise to take off his shirt to sweeten the pot. Veronica refuses to take the bait, so Logan ups the ante. Offering to take his shirt off -- oh, wait, that was just my fantasy. No, his offering is a bit more of the illegal-for-minors liquid variety.

    He offers Veronica a sip of "hooch" out of his flask with a comment about her being "her mother's daughter," alluding to the fact that perhaps mommy dearest had a bit of a drinking problem. Clearly, he's unable to help himself -- it appears that snarking at Veronica Mars is Logan's favorite game. Duncan clearly feels that his friend has really crossed a line and lashes out, telling him to knock it off. Logan gets pissed off that Duncan is putting a premature end to his favorite pastime. He pouts and mumbles "she used to be fun" under his breath as he burns rubber departing the parking lot, leaving Veronica glaring in his dust.

    At lunch, Wallace has again joined Veronica at her table. He wonders if she knows about the clearly interesting and less-than-flattering things that people say about her. Veronica cops a 'tude and asks him why he's sitting with her if he's heard such awful things. Wallace, it seems, has wisely come to the conclusion that at Neptune he has two choices: He can (A) hang with the kids who laughed at and mocked him and photographed his humiliation for posterity, or (B) he can hang with the cool chick that cut him down. Way to boil it down to the essentials, Wallace -- good man. Bolstered by this vote of confidence, Veronica offers Wallace the opportunity to get the PCH bike club off his back.

    Phase One, Step One: Veronica and Wallace pay a visit to ceramics class and ask a hysterical stoner kid named Corny for help with a "project." Corny is more than happy to help, and for Veronica he'll even do the glazing gratis. Dude! Phase One, Step Two: Veronica stakes out The Seventh Veil and takes an incriminating video of one of Sheriff Prick's boys in brown getting a special 'favor' of the oral variety from one of the (ahem) "dancers" at the club.

    Phase Two: At school the next day, Veronica and Wallace sneak through school in just enough time to watch Logan be subjected to one of the school's "random" locker searches. And surprise, surprise, what does the V.P. and the nice deputy find in Mr. Echolls' locker but a bong disguised as a cherubic, nude statue. One can only assume that this lovely "art piece" is Corny's handiwork. Sweet! At just that moment, the school bell rings, guaranteeing that the masses will bear witness to Logan's humiliation, providing plenty of juicy gossip for the rumor mill. Payback's a bitch, Logan, and hell hath no fury like a cagily intelligent blonde girl whose mother you have unwisely insulted. Way to kill two birds with one stone, Veronica!

    That afternoon, Wallace and Veronica make a trip to the Sheriff's Department for phase three of the plan. Sitting in Veronica's car in the parking lot, Wallace uses a large remote control to wreak some unknown havoc. We flash inside the building, into the evidence room, where we see the ignition of an incendiary device hidden in "Logan's" bong. Smoke pours out into the hallway, the alarm sounds, and the fire department is called into action. Success!

    The next stop for our partners in crime is the fire station where Veronica "Smokey the Barely Legal" Mars takes a quick meeting with Chief Phil. Phil passes Veronica a large manila envelope and confirms that he was able to make the switch. Apparently there is still considerable love for Papa Mars in some circles, which enables Veronica to ask for the occasional illegal favor from other county employees. Very handy.

    We next see Veronica back at the county building in search of the Cortez/Nguyen preliminary hearing. She enters the courtroom in just enough time to catch Sheriff Prick's testimony regarding the apprehension of the compadres, with liquor-filled pockets, at the Sac-n-Pac. He goes on to say that despite the biker's protests that they paid for the booze, he was able to gain custody of the surveillance tape.

    The prosecutor directs the court's attention to the surveillance video -- except what appears isn't PCHers pocketing 40's. Rather, it looks like one of Sheriff Prick's deputies getting his, um, pipe laid (to borrow a charming phrase) by one of the dancers at The Seventh Veil. The judge is horrified and Sheriff Prick looks bewildered while the judge takes the Sheriff to task in front of the whole court. We shift our attention to the defense table where we see the two bikers and their lawyer, tawdry Cliff. Cliff takes that moment to wisely ask if perhaps this is a good time to request the dismissal of "People v. Loretta Cancun?" Did I say two birds? Our girl took out a whole damn flock with that stone of hers!

    After seeing justice done, Veronica heads to the beach where she finds Wallace flying a remote control plane. She bestows upon her new friend the priceless gift of the original Sac-n-Pac surveillance video. Wallace is appropriately grateful and declares that he owes Veronica big time. (Nice understatement there, Wallace.) Veronica brushes him off by trying to say that she had her own reasons for doing it that had nothing to do with him, but Wallace isn't buying it. He knows that underneath that angry and brittle exterior lies a slightly less angry chick thats just, and I quote, "dying to bake me something." Okay, it's official -- I love this kid.

    Later, as Wallace and Veronica are bonding on the beach, Wallace notices that Logan and his crowbar have made themselves comfortable on the hood of Veronica's car. Mr. OPJ is mighty pissed because Veronica's little stunt with the bong has cost him the use of his precious Xterra, and now he's looking for a little payback of his own. He tries to engage Veronica in a little pop quiz, and takes great pleasure in taking his crowbar to Veronica's car for every wrong answer.

    Just when things are starting to get a tad intense as Logan stands before Veronica, staring down into her steely gaze, Weevil and the PCHers arrive on the scene. It seems that it's Weevil's turn to be put out with Logan for the vandalism he's engaging in, because all vandalism in Neptune must first be cleared by Weevil. Logan apparently failed to submit his request in triplicate with the appropriate fees.

    Mr. OPJ protests that he doesn't have a beef with Weevil, but Weevil disagrees. He borrows Logan's crowbar and proceeds to whale on the SUV that Logan and his friends arrived in, despite the fact that the vehicle doesn't belong to Logan. He then dismisses the toadies, and encourages them to head for the hills. Logan, however, is not permitted to leave until he apologizes to Veronica. Logan declines, and, in a scene that eerily echoes Logan's earlier moments with Veronica, for every wrong answer Logan gives, Weevil gives Logan a punch in the face or the gut. After a few shots, Veronica decides that she can't watch any more and tells Weevil to stop -- she doesn't need his apology anyway.

    Logan and his toadies run for the hills as directed while Weevil comments to Veronica on the timely and mysterious disappearance of the Sac-n-Pac surveillance video. She concurs that the timing is amazing. Perhaps impressed by Veronica's wily ways, Weevil then tries a bit of wicked wooing -- he tells Veronica that his uncle owns a body shop on the highway and he'll give her "body" the full-service treatment if she brings it in. Weevil, you dirty bird, you. Dirty, but surprisingly nice somehow, too.

    Veronica ignores his offer (not in the mood to be wooed by a Weevil?) and demands that the biker apologize to Wallace. When he declines, she mentions that Wallace has the only copy of the incriminating surveillance video and if Weevil isn't going to apologize, they are just going to have to go figure out what to do with it. Weevil, understanding the nature of his predicament, offers the apology. Wallace accepts, but wisely decides to hang on to the video -- presumably for insurance purposes. And in the afterglow of a grand scheme well-played, we see the beginning of a beautiful friendship between Veronica and Wallace.


    - As Veronica strolls past the pool at the apartment complex she and her dad currently call home, she flashes back to a happier, sunny day when her mom treated her to a surprise birthday party. A group of happy, well-wishing friends -- including Logan and the Kane siblings -- a loving mom, a poolside party and cake! What more could a girl have asked for? Of course, at the time, Keith Mars was Sheriff of the fine city of Neptune. His position in the community, and steady paycheck, allowed the Mars family to live comfortably in a nice house, complete with a pool they didn't have to share with their neighbors. (Ah, good times, indeed.) Being the daughter of the town Sheriff also allowed Veronica a foot inside the privileged 09er circle, although the 09er boyfriend ticket was more likely what granted her full entrance.

    Then, everything changed after Lilly Kane was found murdered next to the Kane family pool. The publicity that followed her death shoved Keith's investigation onto the radar of more than just the simple billionaire townsfolk he was hired to protect and serve. With news of Lilly's death making the cover of People Magazine and video segments airing on Entertainment Tonight, the case became national news. Journalists descended upon the town to report on Keith's investigation of the victim's poor grieving father and the town's financial hero, Jake Kane.

    Things got even worse for Keith six weeks after Lilly's murder. Veronica noticed a couple of boys in the school library intently watching something on a computer screen. Wondering what could possibly rivet the attention of teenage boys so completely, she asked them if they somehow found a way to unlock the porn. Sadly, no. They were watching a video of the Lilly Kane crime scene and wondering how the Kane family must be feeling about the image of their daughter's corpse being available to anyone with a sick curiosity. Little did Jake Kane know that his streaming video technology would one day be used for this horror show. Veronica, attempting to run away from the sight of her best friend's corpse on display, ran into Lilly's equally distressed ex-boyfriend, Logan. He offered no comfort, however, as he confronted her about Keith's investigation of Jake Kane. Seeing only that her father was destroying the Kane family, he demanded to know what was "wrong" with the Mars family that would cause them to act this way.

    And clearly Logan wasn't alone in his feelings about Sheriff Mars. Due to the video being leaked by someone at the Sheriff's Department, as well as Keith's extremely unpopular investigation of Jake Kane, the fine citizens of Neptune demanded an emergency recall election and Keith was removed from office. In a perfect example of karmic payback, those same fine citizens now have Don Lamb as their Sheriff. With Keith's career and reputation destroyed, the Mars family could no longer afford their nice house, so they moved to an apartment away from the 90909 zip code.

    - In an attempt to fight the losing war on high school drug use, Neptune High has instituted random locker searches. Veronica, well-connected smarty pants that she is, knows when these "random" searches are going to take place, even before Vice Principal Clemmons does. (Even if we don't know how she knows.)

    It's Veronica's turn to be searched, and she gets called out of class to open her locker for Clemmons and Deputy Sacks, who is familiar enough with the girl to expect something good to turn up. Speaking of familiarity, when Sacks' drug-sniffing German Shepard starts to bark at Veronica as she works her combination lock, he's immediately silenced by a stern "Buster!" from the former Sheriff's daughter. Opening her locker, Veronica reveals to the gentlemen its contents. Or rather, lack of contents. For there is nothing in the locker but a simple decoration on the back of the door. A photo of Vice Principal Clemmons ... in a heart. "How embarrassing," Veronica smirks. Somehow I don't think she's the embarrassed one here.

    - Veronica's dog is named Backup. (The dog seen in the Pilot was replaced for future episodes.)

    Pilot Backup Series Backup


    - Veronica carries a knife and a taser.

    - Veronica's camera is a Nikon.

    - Veronica takes AP English and Calculus.

    - Veronica has a top locker.

    - Veronica drives a black Chrysler LeBaron convertible, with the license plate number 6BLA504.

    - Duncan was Veronica's first serious boyfriend.

    - Veronica and Keith live on the bottom floor in an apartment complex with a pool.

    - Veronica has a bad reputation at school.

    - Veronica enjoys photography as a hobby. Her bedroom has a board covered with candid photos of various couples.

    - The last time Veronica was in the Sheriff's office was the morning after her rape.

    - Veronica's favorite movie is South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut.

    - The phone number for Mars Investigations is 555-0137.

    - Logan drives a bright yellow Nissan Xterra.

    - Logan has a top locker.

    - Wallace works at the Sac-n-Pac.

    - Wallace likes playing with radio controlled planes.

    - Wallace reads comic books while behind the counter at the Sac-n-Pac.

    - The head of the PCH Bike Club (motorcycle gang named after the Pacific Coast Highway) is Weevil Navarro. Felix Toombs, Hector Cortez, and Phuong are in the gang.

    - Weevil's uncle owns a body shop on the highway.

    - Lianne Mars has a reputation for drinking.

    - Celeste Kane drives a red convertible jaguar with license plate number Kane 2.

    - The day that Kane Software went public, Jake Kane, as president, made one billion dollars and everyone else who worked for the company were made millionaires.

    - Neptune High School is home to the Pirates.

    - John Enbom's father owns an airline.

    - Shelly Pomroy's father was the Ambassador to Belgium.

    - The social elite clique at Neptune is known as the 09ers due to their zip code.

    - The 09ers can have food delivered at lunch instead of eating cafeteria food.

    - Neptune doesn't have a Police Department, only a Sheriff's Department.

    - Neptune has a dog beach.



    - Veronica arrives at the Mars Investigations office in the afternoon and finds Celeste Kane, mother of her former 09er sweetheart (I say with overwhelming sarcasm) of a boyfriend, leaving the office. Keith tries to deflect Veronica's inquiries into why Celeste, who hates the whole Mars family, has hired Keith to follow her husband, Jake, around, to no avail. Veronica correctly speculates that it's because Celeste thinks Jake's got a piece on the side. Keith, noting the complex history between the two families, warns Veronica to stay away from the case while he's out of town. However, knowing his daughter, Keith follows that warning with a reminder to take backup when she ignores that request and begins her surveillance of Jake.

    After work, Veronica trails Jake from his home to his office at Kane Software, the business that made him a billionaire when his streaming video technology hit the market and the company went public. Mr. Kane is apparently beloved in Neptune because when he became a billionaire, every employee of the company also made millions. Veronica tells us that, at one time, she knew the family well. Not only was Duncan Kane her boyfriend and first love (gag me), but Lilly Kane was also her best friend.

    Much later that night, at 1:00 am, Veronica watches from the seat of her car as Jake runs into a room at the Camelot Motel. She muses that even if her dad was wrong about Jake before, it appears that Celeste is right about him now. When Jake finally exits the room some time later, the mystery woman manages to stay hidden inside the motel room and Veronica is denied her money shot.

    Veronica tells us that after her father lost his job. This caused problems in the Mars' marriage not only because they were forced to move from their Sheriff-salary-affordable house -- as evidenced by her parents angrily packing up their belongings - but also by Keith's assertion that Jake Kane committed the murder. It was during one such fight that a news report came on showing the proud new Sheriff holding up evidence indicating that Lillys murderer, one Abel Koontz, had been caught. Not long after the move, Veronica woke one day to find that her mother had disappeared. Lianne left her only child a music box with a dancing unicorn and a note saying she'd be back someday. Veronica, unimpressed by the gesture, tossed both the letter and the box in the trash.

    When Keith arrives home the following night after successfully bagging his bail-jumper 100 yards from the Mexican border, Veronica gives him an update on the Kane case. She tells him that although she wasn't able to get the money shot, she did get some photos of license plates, figuring he could run them later. She hands Keith one of the photos she printed out and something in the picture gives Keith serious pause. After a tense moment, he tells her to stay away from Jake Kane and not to do anything else on the case because they are dropping it. Veronica is less than pleased by this announcement and her father's attitude, but on this point, Keith isn't budging.

    Veronica, clearly not one to accept defeat lightly, is determined to find out whatever it is her father isn't telling her. At the Mars Investigations office, she places a call to a fellow police department, dons an interesting accent, and pretends to be someone named "Inga." She tells the other cop, Tony, that their computers are down again and she needs him to run a license plate for a car involved in a hit and run. If only it were that easy!! "Inga" gives Tony the plate information, and Tony provides her with a name she was not expecting. It appears that the mystery woman meeting Jake at the Camelot was none other than Veronica's missing mom, Lianne.

    As Veronica hangs up her call with Tony, Keith comes out of his office and tells her that they should call it a night - maybe go see a movie. Veronica asks again why they are dropping the Kane case. He pauses and contemplates the grinds in the bottom of his coffee cup before telling Veronica that he did check out the license plate and it was just what he thought. The meeting at the Camelot was white-collar espionage, not a clandestine affair. Liar, liar, pants on fire, Keith.

    Veronica, troubled that her father is lying to her about her mother and clearly knowing that Lianne is somehow involved with Jake Kane, makes a late night trip to her father's office to check out his safe. Inside she finds the Lilly Kane murder file, which should clearly be closed since the confessed murderer is now behind bars. What is more interesting to Veronica is that some of the notes her father has made in the file are less than a month old. As Veronica continues to flip through the file materials she comes across her photograph of Lianne's license plate from the Camelot and wonders, like us, what it is doing in Lilly's murder file. Clearly there is more going on here than Veronica can comprehend. She wonders what the connection is between Jake and her mother, but is even more concerned about the fact that her father is lying to her.

    While she sits at her desk contemplating her life and computer screen, her dad arrives, wondering why she's back at the office. She lies and tells him she forgot a few of her school books and stopped by to pick them up. He urges her to get up so they can go home for family fun night - he ordered take-out from Mama Leone's and picked up the South Park movie, Veronica's favorite. Veronica smiles a winsome smile at her beloved father and tells him she has a stop to make so she'll meet him at home.

    After Veronica leaves, Keith notices that the music box Lianne left Veronica is sitting on her desk, pinging out the sounds of the Beatles' classic tune, "All You Need Is Love." Sadly, in Neptune, that sentiment seems to ring particularly hollow. In voiceover, Veronica muses that she has to believe that her father is lying to her to protect her. But even so, she has too many questions to wait until he's ready to share.

    Veronica gathers her courage and pays a visit to the room her mother and Jake met in at the Camelot, but it appears Lianne has already left town. As Veronica contemplates the empty parking lot, she vows to find out what really happened - both to her the night she was raped, and to her murdered best friend - and to bring her family back together. With that, the stage is set for a year of compelling stories and tempting tales in the noir world of Veronica Mars.

    - In a flashback to happier times, we see Lilly and Veronica working at a carwash, for what appears to be a school fundraiser. When Veronica comments on Lilly's overly peppy mood, Lilly gives her a Cheshire cat grin and responds that she has a secret - a good one. Veronica goes on to tell us that those ominous words were the last she and Lilly ever shared, because that night, on her way home with her father, a call came across the police radio that there had been a "disturbance" at the Kane estate. Keith, with Veronica in tow, went right over to the Kanes' house, but begged Veronica to stay in the car. Clearly she was no better at following orders then than she is now, because when Veronica saw Duncan through the window, she went right inside the house. There she found Duncan rocking himself in a near-catatonic state. He was visibly disturbed and was unable to answer any of Veronica's questions, most notably: Where's Lilly?

    Veronica ran outside to the Kanes' backyard and found a scene both heartbreaking and horrifying. Her father was by the Kane family pool, crouched over the prone form of her best friend, Lilly Kane. Poor Lilly was still in the pep squad uniform she'd been wearing earlier in the afternoon, but now had a horribly bloodied head and the vacant stare unique to the dead. We learn from Veronica's voiceover that the murder was fodder for a media frenzy. The whole world read about the death of Lilly Kane, and the bungling local Sheriff who accused the wrong man of murder. That Sheriff, as we know, was Veronica's father. The man he accused of murder was Lilly's father, Jake Kane.

    In another flashback, we learn that due to Keith's insistence that Jake Kane was responsible for Lilly's death, an emergency recall election had him removed from office. Not long after, the new Sheriff, Don Lamb, arrested a man named Abel Koontz for Lilly's murder. It seems that Koontz was a disgruntled former Kane Software employee who was fired during the creation of the streaming video software, and who apparently confessed to the crime. A pair of Lilly's shoes and her backpack found on Koontz's house boat were compelling evidence that Koontz, not Jake Kane, was responsible for the terrible crime.

    - Shortly after Lilly's murder, Veronica went to a party at Shelly Pomroy's house to show the kids at Neptune High that their whispers and backstabbing didn't affect her. To say that this was not her brightest move is a massive understatement. Not only did she have to watch her beloved (gagging again) ex make out with some random chick, but she was handed a drink by a fellow partier that turned out to be your basic rum, coke, and roofie. Veronica, in a drug-induced haze, passed out in a lounger by the pool. The next morning she woke up in a guest bedroom with one strap on her party dress broken and her underwear on the floor, with no memory of how either thing had happened.

    Veronica never told her father what happened that night, because she knew no good would come of it. According to Veronica it doesn't matter anymore because, as she reminds us, she's no longer that girl.

    The morning after her rape, Veronica managed to get herself together enough to make it to the police department and report the crime. Unfortunately, Sheriff Lamb was, well, just as much of a prick a year ago. In the most unbelievable display of insensitivity I have ever seen from a human being, Lamb responds to Veronica's painful confession with scorn and derision. He basically tells her that he doesn't have any evidence to go on and he's not going to just start rounding up the favorite sons of Neptune on her claims. The bastard scoffs at her tears and fragile emotional state and tells her she should "go see the wizard" and ask for a little backbone. I'm thinking if she finds the wizard, she ought to ask him to emasculate Lamb in the slowest, most painful way imaginable - and in a humiliating public forum, if at all possible.


    - Veronica and Duncan walk down the hallway in happier times and then Duncan and Logan walking down a similar hallway, while Logan, Iago-like, stares over his shoulder at Veronica, while whispering in his friend's ear.     (Read detailed breakdown.)

    - Veronica witnessing Lilly's crime scene video via streaming video in the library and then being confronted by Logan. (Read detailed breakdown.)

    - Wallace remembers Weevil's guys robbing the Sac-n-Pac. (Read detailed breakdown.)

    - Veronica remembers a surprise birthday party her mom threw at an undisclosed location. (Read detailed breakdown.)

    - Lilly at the car wash the morning of her death. (Read detailed breakdown.)

    - Veronica and Keith arriving at the Kane house the night of Lilly's death. (Read detailed breakdown.)

    - Lianne and Keith fight, as Veronica sees the news report that Abel Koontz has been arrested. (Read detailed breakdown.)

    - Shelly Pomroy's party. (Read detailed breakdown.)

    - Veronica finds the music box and note from her mother. (Read detailed breakdown.)

    - Veronica goes to Lamb and tells him she was raped. (Read detailed breakdown.)



    "We Used to Be Friends" (The Dandy Warhols)

    Scene: We get glimpses of our pretty cast over this rather addictive beat.

    "La Femme D'Argent" (Air)

    Scene: While on stakeout, Veronica muses about marriage and how she ain't having nothin' to do with it -- the in and out of the adulterous lovers at the Camelot no doubt influencing that decision. (Note: This scene is only available in the extended cold open from the Pilot as seen on the     Season 1 DVD set.)

    "What You Want" (The Wayouts)

    Scene: The marshmallow reveals herself to Wallace upon first meeting. She cuts the boy down when no one else will.

    "Insincere Because I" (The Dandy Warhols)

    Scene: While enjoying a "savory" Salisbury steak dish, Veronica reflects upon a long time ago (sorry, wrong song) when she and Duncan sat in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G, before segueing into the present and a staring contest with our favorite OPJ.

    "Sittin' On Top Of The World" (Botany Boyz)

    Scene: Two members of the motorcycle gang laugh and laugh as they stiff the Wallster at the Sac-n-Pac.

    "Just Another" (Pete Yorn)

    Scene(s): Staring into the watery depths of her apartment complex pool, Veronica recalls her birthday party of yore (including sleeveless-tank-garbed Logan!!). Same song, different scene a bit later while playing catch with Backup at the beach.

    "White Lines (Don't Do It)" (Grandmaster Flash)

    Scene: At the car wash
    Talkin' about the car wash yeah!

    And Lilly's got a secret! A good one. (Right, Lilly, you just keep telling yourself that ... when your good secret bashes your brains in!)

    "Give You More" (Taxi Doll)

    Scene: It's flashback time and Veronica's getting GHB'd via a handed-off drink. Why would anyone drink from a random cup handed to them? That Veronica was REALLY naive.

    "Girls" (Death In Vegas)

    Scene: Stumbling and about falling over, Veronica finally does -- onto a chaise lounge chair.

    "Bathroom Stall" (DAMe Lee)

    Scene: Aww, the first present-day scene with Logan and Veronica face-to-face, speaking-to-one-another interaction. Too bad Logan's a total ass in his BRIGHT yellow Nissan Xterra, egging Veronica on about her ex and her drunken louse of a mother. Oh, and Veronica has the bitchiest bitch-face ever seen on the show. Of course, that one there might have a little something to do with the afore-mentioned assishness of Logan.

    "Weak Become Heroes" (The Streets)

    Scene: A girl's gotta have a hobby ... and Veronica's is apparently printing out license plate pics. Okay. Whatever floats her boat. (The LoVe boat ... soon will be making another round ...)

    "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" (Blue yster Cult)

    Scene: Firing up the hibachi, Keith and Veronica are indeed preparing their meal like the upper middle-class lifestyle to which they aspire.

    "Pata Pata" (Miriam Makeba)

    Scene: And there goes Wallace's trigger finger, and then there goes Logan's bong catching on fire, and here comes Inga in hysterics!

    "Atomic Girl" (The Wannabes)

    Scene: Soon-to-be BFFs frolicking on the beach. Or, erm, just, you know, talking, while Wallace plays with his airplane.

    "Butterflies" (Davd Garza)

    Scene: The first episode is wrapping up and RT and co. had a few seconds to kill while Veronica sits idly by in the office all depressed.

    "All You Need Is Love" (original artist: The Beatles, instrumental version)

    Scene: She's got some near-to-impossible-to-achieve goals, but Veronica Mars, you know what they say about her: She's a marshmallow. And the sappiest of sappy songs in music-box instrumental bangs home that point as the first episode ends.



    LoVe Lines

    Veronica Mars Voiceover: And let's not forget Logan Echolls. His dad makes twenty million a picture. You probably own his action figure. Every school has an obligatory psychotic jackass. He's ours.


    Logan: Hey Ronnie. Hey, we've decided that we'd, uh, we'd rather surf than study today. You wanna come with? Duncan will promise to take his shirt off. Does that sweeten the pot? Does it make you horny? Hey DK, flex for your ex.
    Duncan: (Angrily.) Shut up, Logan.
    Logan: All right, all right. (Trying to get Veronica's attention.) Hey. Hey. Hey! (Veronica stops and faces Logan, who pulls out a flask.) What do you say to a little hooch, huh? What's the matter, aren't you your mother's daughter? Hmm? Now there was a woman who could drink. Hey, what's she up to nowadays, maybe she'll join us. Do you know where she is? Any clue?
    Duncan: (Getting annoyed and grabbing Logan by the shirt.) Leave her alone, man.
    Logan: Ooh, chill pill, man. All right. Aw, she used to be fun, man.


    Clemmons: Well, what's this, Logan? This would appear to be a device they use to smoke marijuana.
    Sacks: That's exactly what it looks like.
    Clemmons: Back to the office. Come on.
    Logan: (Spots Veronica watching in the hallway.) It was you? (Veronica does a "who me?" gesture. Logan laughs without humor and points at Veronica.) Listen, I know it was you. This isn't over, okay. (Veronica feigns a yawn in response.) You're so cute. Listen, I'll get you for this.
    Clemmons: Let's go.
    Logan: (To Veronica.) I will!


    Logan: Hey, Veronica Mars. (Holding a crowbar, he slides off the hood of the car.) Do you know what your little joke cost me?
    Veronica: Well, I'm pretty sure you won't be getting your bong back. (Swinging the crowbar, Logan takes out a headlight on Veronica's car.)
    Logan: Wrong answer. Would you care to guess again?
    Veronica: Clearly your sense of humor. (Logan takes out the other headlight.)
    Logan: Nope. You're usually so good at pop quizzes. No, the correct answer is my car. That's right. My daddy took my T-Bird away. And you know what I won't be having? (Pausing.) Fun, fun, fun. (Logan moves to stand in front of Veronica, the crow bar angled around his shoulders as he smirks down at her -- the air crackling around them.)

    LoVe Lines in Memory

    Logan: (Tearfully to Veronica.) So does your, uh, does your dad still think that Lilly's father did this? That's my girlfriend. Your friend. Duncan's sister. Your dad is destroying the Kane family. What's the matter with you people, huh? What's the matter with you?

    In Memory

    Veronica: God, Lilly, I see the Prozac's working.
    Lilly: High on life, Veronica Mars. (Grinning wickedly.) I've got a secret ... a good one.


    Lamb: Is there anyone in particular you'd like me to arrest, or should I just round up the sons of the most important families in town? I've got not a shred of evidence to work with here, but that doesn't matter to your family, does it? Oh, she cries. Tell you what, Veronica Mars, why don't you go see the Wizard, ask for a little backbone.

    Quotable Quotes

    Veronica Mars Voiceover: This is my school. If you go here, your parents are either millionaires or your parents work for millionaires. Neptune, California, a town without a middle class. If you're in the second group, you get a job; fast food, movie theatres, mini-marts. Or you could be me. My after-school job means tailing philandering spouses or investigating false injury claims.


    Mrs. Murphy: Congratulations, you're my volunteer. Pope: An Essay on Man, Epistle I.
    Veronica: "Hope springs eternal in the human breast;
    Man never is, but always to be blest.
    The soul, uneasy and confined from home,
    Rests and expatiates in a life to come."
    Mrs. Murphy: And what do you suppose Pope meant by that?
    Veronica: Life's a bitch until you die.
    Mrs. Murphy: Okay, thank you Ms. Mars for that succinct and somewhat inappropriate response.


    Veronica Mars Voiceover: Random locker searches. It's the latest tactic the administration has adopted in their losing war on drugs. Except the searches aren't really random -- I know when they're gonna to happen before Vice Principal Clemmons does.
    Sacks: Veronica Mars, this should be good.
    Clemmons: Veronica, will you please open your locker?
    Veronica: (Shushing the barking police dog.) Buster! (Veronica opens her locker, which is completely empty except for a picture of Clemmons -- framed in a heart.) Wow. This is a little embarrassing.


    Veronica Mars Voiceover: I used to sit there. At that table. It's not like my family met the minimum net worth requirement. My dad didn't own his own airline like John Enbom's, or serve as ambassador to Belgium like Shelly Pomroy's, but my dad used to be the Sheriff and that had a certain cachet. Let's be honest, though. The only reason I was allowed past the velvet ropes was Duncan Kane, son of software billionaire, Jake Kane. He used to be my boyfriend. Then one day, with no warning, he ended things.


    Veronica: Leave him alone.
    Weevil: Sister, the only time I care what a woman has to say is, is when she's riding my big old hog -- but even then it's not so much words, just a bunch of oohs and aahs, you know?
    Veronica: So it's big, huh?
    Weevil: Legendary.
    Veronica: Well let's see it. I mean if it's as big as you say, I'll be your girlfriend. (Breathless with faux anticipation.) We could go to prom together! (Weevil hesitates, a bit taken aback by Veronica's attitude.) What? What seems to be the problem? I'm on a schedule here, vato.


    Veronica: (To Wallace.) Congratulations, sport. In your short time here, you've already managed to piss off the motorcycle gang and the local Sheriff.


    Cliff: One of my clients, Loretta Cancun, dances at the Seventh Veil ...
    Veronica: Classy.
    Cliff: These are my people, V. She was busted for vandalism, taking a baseball bat to the washing machine that stole her quarters at Suds-n-Duds.
    Veronica: And Johnnie Cochran was booked?
    Cliff: I make no apologies. I like this case, it's ... tawdry.


    Keith: How's school?
    Veronica: If you think we're going talk about my school day and not the fact that Celeste Kane was in your office ten minutes ago, you're deluded.
    Keith: Um-hm. You making good grades?
    Veronica: Kane's got something on the side, doesn't he?
    Keith: You know what? Say what you want about real cheese, I am a fan of the orange powder packet stuff.


    Veronica: Do you want a rental car in Texas?
    Keith: Yeah, nothing fancy this time, Veronica, seriously.
    Veronica: A Blazer is not fancy, and we can bill it anyway. (At his look.) Fine, I'll get you a Crown Vic, once a cop ...
    Keith: Don't do anything on the Kane case. I'll handle it.
    Veronica: Okay.
    Keith: Given our relationship with that family I just ...
    Veronica: Fine! I said okay!
    Keith: Okay, if all goes well I'll be back tomorrow night, if not, the night after. I'll call and I'll check in ...
    Veronica: You always do
    Keith: And, Veronica?
    Veronica: Yes?
    Keith: When you go after Jake Kane, you take Backup.
    Veronica: I always do.


    Veronica: I'll tell you what. We'll call it a draw.
    Weevil: Baby, come on, it's too late for that.
    Veronica: Here's the deal. Leave that kid at school alone for a week and I'll make sure your boys walk.
    Weevil: Why you care so much for that skinny Negro anyway? Things I heard about you, he must really lay the pipe right, huh?
    Veronica: (Sarcastically.) Yeah, that's it. (Felix tries to crawl up into Veronica's car window and she threatens him with her taser.)
    Weevil: All right, all right, all right. Felix, we get it, you're a badass, okay? But for once don't be stupid.
    Veronica: Not bad advice.
    Weevil: All right, one week. After that, we come for you, your boy and (Doing a "Wicked Witch of the West" impersonation.) your little dog, too.
    Veronica: (To a growling Backup.) Backup, be cool.
    Weevil: You get lonely out here remember -- Weevil love you long time. (Makes kissy noises.)


    Veronica Mars Voiceover: Quite a reputation I've got, huh? You want to know how I lost my virginity? So do I.


    Veronica Mars Voiceover: I went to a party at Shelly Pomroy's just to show everyone their whispers and backstabbing didn't affect me. It was a mistake. I don't know who handed me the drink. I wish I did. It turns out it was your basic rum, coke, and roofie.


    Veronica Mars Voiceover: I never told my dad. I'm not sure what he would have done with that information, but no good would have come of it. What does it matter? I'm no longer that girl.


    Wallace: Girl, you should hear what people say about you.
    Veronica: So then what are you doing sitting here?
    Wallace: You sat next to me.
    Veronica: This is my table.
    Wallace: And what a fine table it is. What do you suppose this is made of? (Knocking on the table.) Oak?
    Veronica: Look, if people are saying such awful things ...
    Wallace: Well, I figure I've got a choice. I can either hang out with the punks who laughed at me, took pictures of me while I was taped to that flagpole, or I can hang out with the chick who cut me down.


    Keith: Who's your daddy?
    Veronica: Ugh. I hate it when you say that.
    Keith: You know what? This is important, you remember this: I used to be cool!
    Veronica: (Skeptically.) When?
    Keith: '77. Trans Am, Blue yster Cult in the 8-track, a foxy stacked blonde riding shotgun, racing for pink slips. (Pause.) Nah, wait a minute, I'm thinking of a Springsteen song. Scratch everything, I was never cool.
    Veronica: I don't know which bothers me more, "foxy" or "stacked."
    Keith: I nailed our bail jumper one hundred yards from (Talking in a singsong voice.) Me-xi-co! (Pulling out the check.) Twenty five hundred bucks. No sack dinners tonight! Tonight, (Doing a little soft-shoe shuffle.) we eat, like the lower middle class to which we aspire. Fire up the 'bachi!


    Veronica: Let's go!
    Wallace: Hey, Flo-Jo, slow your ass down.


    Phil the Fire Chief: (To Veronica.) Well, if it isn't Smokey the Barely Legal.


    Cliff: Your honor, is this an appropriate time to ask for a dismissal in People versus Loretta Cancun?


    Veronica: Got a present for you. (Hands Wallace an envelope with the Sac-n-Pac video.)
    Wallace: I owe you big time.
    Veronica: I had my own reasons for doing it, trust me.
    Wallace: Oh no, you don't. You really think I'm gonna let you get away with that? That might play with the masses. But underneath that angry young women shell, there's a slightly less angry young woman who's just dying to bake me something. You're a marshmallow, Veronica Mars, a Twinkie!


    Weevil: (Seeing the damage to Veronica's car.) What do we have here? Vandalism? No, no, no. Only vandalism that happens in this town goes through me.
    Logan: Listen man, I don't have a problem with you.
    Weevil: That's where you're wrong.


    Felix: Hey, yo. Is this O-Town any good? I mean, my little sister likes it, but you know, she likes ponies and juice boxes too.


    Wallace: I suddenly feel like I'm in a scene from The Outsiders.
    Veronica: Be cool, Sodapop.


    Weevil: That's it. Head for the hills. I'm not gonna say it twice. (All but Logan return to the car.) Except for you. (Pointing to Logan.) You say you're sorry.
    Logan: Rub a lamp. (Weevil punches him in the stomach, putting an end to Logan's smirking.)
    Weevil: I said, say you're sorry.
    Logan: Kiss my ass. (This time, Weevil punches Logan in the face and down he goes. Standing up quickly, he's bleeding, but not ready to apologize.)
    Weevil: Now ...
    Veronica: Let him go.
    Weevil: Are you sure? I could do this for a while.
    Veronica: I don't want his apology.


    Weevil: My uncle has a body shop on the highway. If you come in, you know, I can make sure your body gets the full service treatment.
    Veronica: Okay, now you apologize.
    Weevil: I'm sorry, w-was that too dirty? 'Cause ...
    Veronica: Not to me, dork. (Gesturing to Wallace.) To him.
    Weevil: Right. No.
    Veronica: Fine. He has the only copy of the Sac-n-Pac video. Wallace, let's go decide what to do with it.
    Weevil: Okay. Wait, wait, wait, look, look. I'm sorry, man, umm, for, you know, taping you to the-the flagpole, I'm sorry.
    Wallace: All right.
    Weevil: Can I have the tape back now?
    Wallace: (Grinning.) Nope.


    Veronica Mars Voiceover: This morning when I woke up I had one person in the world I could count on, but if there is something I've learned in this business, the people you love, let you down.


    Keith: It's up and at 'em, Atom Ant, come on. It's family fun night. I called out to Mama Leone's. I rented the South Park movie.
    Veronica: My favorite.
    Keith: Hey, who's your daddy?
    Veronica: (Smiling.) You are.


    Veronica Mars Voiceover: Okay, so he lied to me, but I've got to believe he has his reasons. He's probably trying to protect me; that's what dads do. Still, I've got too many questions swirling around in my head to wait until he's willing to share. These questions need answers; that's what I do. Okay, it's a long shot, but I can't help myself. I used to think I knew what tore our family apart. Now I'm sure I don't. But I promise this, I will find out what really happened and I will bring this family back together again. I'm sorry, is that mushy? Well you know what they say, Veronica Mars, she's a marshmallow.



    Mars ... (Referenced as the surname of the titular character and her father.)

    Mars is the fourth planet from the sun. It is named after the Roman god of war and is also called the "Red Planet" because of its reddish appearance. Mars is thought to be the only other planet in our solar system to potentially harbor liquid water and life. The highest mountain in the solar system, Olympus Mons, is found on the surface, along with the largest canyon, and polar ice caps. Mars has two moons called Phobos and Deimos, which are named after the sons of the Roman god Mars.

    The reddish appearance of Mars' surface is caused by iron oxide (rust) and the planet has one-tenth the mass of Earth.

    Neptune ... (Referenced as the town where Veronica and co. live.)

    Neptune is the eighth and outermost (Sorry, Pluto) planet in our solar system. It is named after the Roman god of the sea. Neptune's atmosphere is composed of hydrogen and helium, with traces of methane which give the planet a vivid blue appearance. The planet is seventeen times the mass of Earth, and it has thirteen known moons, the largest of which is called Triton (heehee, see episode 1.12).

    The planet is almost never visible from Earth. The next dates it is expected to be visible are April 11, 2009, July 17, 2009, and then, for the last time for the next 165 years, on February 7, 2010.

    Alexander Pope ... (Referenced by Mrs. Murphy as a classroom assignment.)

    Born in 1688 in London, England, Alexander Pope was largely self-taught, but would become the greatest poet of the 18th century. He began writing original poetry early, without success. His translations of Homer's Iliad and The Odyssey brought him financial security enabling him to be the first English poet able to live off the sales of his work. He suffered from Pott's disease, a form of tuberculosis that affects the spine, causing him to only reach 4 feet 6 inches. Some of his famous quotes include: "To err is human, to forgive divine," "For fools rush in where angels fear to tread," and "A little learning is a dangerous thing." He was often quoted during his own lifetime and died in 1744.

    Essay on Man (Referenced by Mrs. Murphy as a classroom assignment.)

    "An Essay on Man" is a poem written by Alexander Pope in 1734. It is a rationalistic effort to use philosophy in order to, as John Milton attempted, justify the ways of God to man. (To wit: "Life's a bitch and then you die.") More than any other work, it popularized optimistic philosophy throughout England and the rest of Europe.

    The essay is composed of four epistles. Pope began work on it in 1729, and had finished the first three by 1731. However, they did not appear until early 1733, with the fourth epistle published the following year. The poem was originally published anonymously. Pope did not admit to its authorship until 1735.

    "An Essay on Man" was originally conceived as part of a longer philosophical poem, with four separate books. What we have today would comprise the first book. The second was to be a set of epistles on human reason, human arts, and sciences, human talent, and the use of learning, science and wit "together with a satire against the misapplications of them." (The Logan Echolls guide to life). The third book would discuss the Science of Politics (perhaps Lamb could brush up on the basics), and the fourth book would concern "private ethics" or "practical morality." (Which would have been totally lost on the collective population of Neptune.)

    Belgium (Referenced by Veronica as she tells us Shelly Pomroy's father is the ambassador there.)

    A northwest European country, bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France, and the North Sea. The Kingdom of Belgium covers a little more than 30,000 square kilometers and has a population of more than ten million people. The headquarters of both NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and the European Union can be found in Belgium. The government is structured as a federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch. The current monarch is King Albert II and the Prime Minister is Guy Verhofstadt.



    Brussels, the largest city and capital of Belgium, is officially bilingual, with the majority of the population speaking French and the minority speaking Dutch. The country is divided into three official language communities -- the Flemish (Dutch-speaking) in the northern region, the French in the south, and the German-speaking community in the east. Tensions between the Flemish and the French regions led to recent constitutional amendments granting them more autonomy.

    Dead Man Walking ... (Referenced by Weevil about Wallace due to his premature flagpole cut-down.)

    A phrase that refers to the walk a death row inmate takes from his cell to the place of his execution. It was made famous in an anti-death penalty book by Sister Helen Prejean based upon her experiences counseling death row inmates. In 1995, Tim Robbins directed a movie of the book starring Susan Sarandon (who won an Oscar for her performance) and Sean Penn.

    Hog (Harley-Davidson) (Referenced by Weevil as he tells Veronica he doesn't care what a woman has to say.)

    Harley-Davidsons are heavy motorcycles, known for their distinctive exhaust noise, customer loyalty, and good resale value.



    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 toward 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 Wizard/"You, your boy and your little dog, too." ... (Referenced by Sheriff Lamb to Wallace after he doesn't out the PCHers who stole from the Sac-n-Pac and when Veronica is reporting her rape. Also referenced by Weevil outside the Camelot when threatening Veronica after her taser and Backup held the PCHers off.)

    Both references are from the Lyman Frank Baum book The Wizard of Oz. Baum was born in New York in 1856 to wealthy parents. He held many jobs but finally was encouraged to write down the stories he had been telling for years and achieved great success as an author. Over the years, until his death in 1919, he would write 40 books exploring the wonderful world of Oz. MGM filmed The Wizard of Oz in 1939, resulting in an enduring classic starring Judy Garland and featuring the song "Over the Rainbow."

    In recent years, Gregory Maguire wrote a novel, entitled Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, that told a politically enhanced tale of the events that took place before Dorothy reached Oz, focusing on Elphaba (The Wicked Witch of the West, so named for Baum's initials, L.F.B.) The novel was later adapted into a Tony-winning musical (Lead Actress for Idina Menzel as "Elphaba"), and Maguire has since written a sequel, Son of a Witch.

    Johnnie Cochran ... (Referenced by Veronica when speaking to Cliff at Mars Investigations.)

    Reaching prominence in 1994 as the lead lawyer on O.J. Simpson's "Dream Team" defense, Johnnie Cochran was born in 1937 in Louisiana. He passed the California Bar in 1963 and quickly took many high publicity cases, earning him a reputation in the black community of Los Angeles. Doing a brief stint in the L.A. District Attorney's office, he then returned to private practice in 1983. Shortly thereafter, he made headlines again when he negotiated an out-of-court settlement for Michael Jackson's first molestation charge. In the Simpson trial he polarized America with his use of racism as a defense and his use of the phrase, "If the glove don't fit, you must acquit." He died of a brain tumor in 2005.

    Kraft Macaroni and Cheese / "Orange powdered stuff" (Referenced by Keith as he and Veronica eat macaroni and cheese for dinner at the office and he tells her he's a fan of the "orange powder packet stuff.")

    This easy to make pasta dish was introduced to the U.S. and Canada in 1937. Manufactured by the Kraft Company as Kraft Dinner, the product became extremely successful during World War II, due to the rationing of meat, milk, and eggs.

    While the product is still known as Kraft Dinner in Canada, the world's largest per capita consumer, it is also known as Kraft Mac 'n' Cheese, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, KD, KayDee and, in the UK, Cheesey Pasta. Each box consists of dehydrated macaroni pasta and a packet of powdered processed cheese. Once the pasta is boiled, simply add milk, butter, and the cheese powder and you have yourself a yummy, cheesy dinner.

    Since 1975, additional pasta shapes have been introduced, including spirals, wheels, and popular cartoon characters such as the Flintstones and Bugs Bunny. In the 1990s, additional product lines were created: Thick n' Creamy, Deluxe Four Cheese, Cheesy Alfredo, Light Deluxe, Premium White, and Easy Mac.

    San Diego (Referenced by Keith as he tells Andy, on the phone, that he'll catch a plane out of San Diego.)

    It is believed that the first humans settled in the San Diego area some 20,000 years ago, along the coast, and 12,000 years ago in the desert area. However, 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 thousand 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. Following that, 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 seventeen miles from the Mexican border, with seventy 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.

    El Paso (Referenced by Keith as he tells Veronica that Andy has picked up the trail of someone there.)

    With its history as a part of the American Wild West, complete with gunfighters, rustlers, saloons, the Texas Rangers, and such historical Western figures as Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett, and Wyatt Earp, El Paso is a city that has become a blend of Native American, Spanish, Mexican, and the American Cowboy cultures.

    Located in Southwest Texas, adjoining New Mexico and Mexico, the area was originally named El Paso del Norte (the Pass of the North) in 1581 when Spanish explorers reached the Rio Grande River and came upon the pass between two mountain ranges in the desert. In 1598, the area was colonized by the Spanish and named El Paso, Texas. Spanish colonists and Tigua Indians of Northern New Mexico sought refuge at the Pass during the Pueblo revolt of 1680. Two years later, the settlements of San Lorenzo, Senec, Ysleta and Soccorro were founded there. At the end of the U.S.- Mexican war, in 1848, El Paso became part of the United States. A year later, the military post that is today known as Fort Bliss was built. The city was incorporated in 1873 and became even more accessible when the Southern Pacific Railroad arrived in 1881. Thousands of Mexican refugees arrived during the Revolution of 1911, further mixing the cultures of the area.

    Today, El Paso is the second largest U.S.- Mexican border city, home to 564,000 people and the focal point of an annual $20 billion trade industry between the U.S. and Mexico. Spectator sports offered by the city include the minor league baseball team, the El Paso Diablos, the El Paso Patriots Soccer Team, and the Southwestern International Livestock Show & Rodeo. Higher education can be pursued at the University of Texas at El Paso and the El Paso Community College.

    Texas (Referenced by Veronica as she asks Keith if he wants a rental car there.)

    Texas is a state in the South and Southwest regions of the United States. It joined the United States in 1845 as the 28th state, after nearly ten years as the Republic of Texas, an independent country. The state name derives from a word in a Caddoan language of the Hasinai, tysha (or tejas, as the Spaniards spelled it), meaning "those who are friends," friends or allies. Spanish explorers mistakenly applied the word to the people and their location.

    With an area of 268,581 square miles and a population of 22.5 million, Texas is the second largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous 48 states in area. (Alaska is the largest U.S. state in area and California is the most populous.) Texas has historically had a "larger than life" reputation, especially in cowboy films.

    Other information on the state of Texas: The state flower is the bluebonnet, the state motto is "friendship," it is often referenced as "The Lone Star State," and the state bird is the mockingbird. A fun fact relating to Veronica Mars is that the show creator, Rob Thomas, grew up in Texas. Also, before he created Veronica Mars, he was a high school teacher and journalism advisor for a high school in Texas.

    Chevrolet Blazer ... (Referenced by Veronica as she argues with her dad over what kind of rental car to book him.)

    A popular off-road vehicle, the Chevrolet K5 Blazer was originally manufactured by General Motors in 1969 as the smallest full-size SUV in the C/K family (the Chevrolet/GMC full-size pickup line). From 1969-1991, the K5 was built on the C/K pickup truck chassis, with both two-wheel (until 1982) and four-wheel drive models available. The K5 had a removable top until it was changed to the half-cab body style from 1976-1991. A smaller model, the S-10 Blazer came out in 1983, and then in 1992 the K1500 Blazer was introduced, built on the GMT400 platform. Beginning in 1994, the Blazer line was discontinued as it was renamed the Chevrolet Tahoe.



    Ford Crown Victoria (Crown Vic) (Referenced by Veronica as she tells Keith she'll rent him one -- the cop's car of choice.)

    The Crown Victoria, commonly referred to as the Crown Vic, is a top of the line full-size sedan manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada. The first Crown Vics were introduced from 1955-1956 as two-door, six-seat hardtop coupes. The line was started up again in 1980, when a deluxe version full-size sedan was released. The model has undergone several redesigns since 1992, and carries a current price tag of $25,000 to $32,000.

    Due to its "heavy duty" nature, the Crown Vic is frequently used for taxi and rental car fleets and is the most common vehicle employed by North American law enforcement agencies. Originally known as the P71 Crown Victoria, the police car models were reclassified as "Police Interceptors" beginning with the 1999 models.

    In Canada, as of the year 2000, Crown Victorias are no longer sold directly to individuals through the Ford Dealerships. New Crown Victorias are only sold as part of commercial fleets or as Police Interceptors.


    Streaming Video (Referenced by Veronica as she explains that it was invented and perfected at Kane Software.)

    Streaming video is a sequence of moving images that are sent in compressed form over the internet and displayed by the viewer as they arrive. Streaming media is streaming video with sound. With streaming video or streaming media, an internet user does not have to wait to download a large file before seeing the video or hearing the sound. Instead, the media is sent in a continuous stream and is played as it arrives. To view or listen to the media, a media player (such as Windows Media Player, RealPlayer, etc.) is required. These programs decompress the data and send it to the appropriate output device (i.e. the screen for video or speakers for audio). A player can be either an integral part of a browser or downloaded from the software maker's web site.

    Streaming video was developed in the late 1990's and became popular in the early part of the 21st century based on significant developments in computer technology, including increased bandwidth, increased network access, consistent use of standard protocols and formats (such as http and html), and commercialization of the internet. These advances, combined with powerful home computers and modern operating systems, made streaming media practical and affordable for ordinary consumers.

    Streaming video is usually sent from prerecorded video files, but can be distributed as part of a live broadcast "feed." In a live broadcast, the video signal is converted into a compressed digital signal and transmitted from a special web-server that is able to perform multicast functions, which allows the same file to be sent to multiple users at the same time.

    The most common uses for this powerful technology include listening to music; watching videos, television programs, sporting events, or webcasts; sharing home videos or pictures; and, in some cases, video footage from a heinous crime scene highlighting the tragic demise of a popular high-school princess. Lord knows that's what I look for when I'm surfing the web or browsing at YouTube.com. It's bound to be way more entertaining than the new video from Jessica or Britney.

    Prozac ... (Referenced by Veronica in regards to Lilly's super happy attitude during the car wash flashback.)

    Known widely as Prozac, although it sells under different names in different countries -- Symbyax (compounded with olanzapine), Sarafem, Fontex (Sweden), Foxetin (Argentina), Fluctin (Austria, Germany), Prodep (India), Fludac (India), and Lovan (Australia) -- the chemical name is fluoxetine hydrochloride. The drug is an antidepressant used medically in the treatment of depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bulimia nervosa, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and panic disorder. Prozac has become the name drug, popularized in Elizabeth Wurtzel's best-selling autobiography, Prozac Nation: Young and Depressed in America: A Memoir, which was later made into a film starring Christina Ricci.

    People Magazine ... (Referenced by Veronica when recounting the interest in the media about Lilly's murder.)

    People is a weekly magazine that generally features celebrities on the cover, but occasionally also highlights non-celebs in newsworthy situations. Often jokingly referred to as the glossy-pages version of a tabloid, the magazine has managed to stay a step above the term by covering their subjects (even in the more salacious moments) with a touch of class. The magazine is published by Time, Inc., and was actually inspired by Time magazine's people page.

    Entertainment Tonight ... (Referenced by Veronica when recounting the interest in the media about Lilly's murder.)

    The most well-known of the entertainment-tabloid journalism shows that features daily gossip on the lives of celebrities, personal and career-wise. While the show has featured several hosts throughout the years, the most well known are John Tesh (who later went on to have a successful, if ridiculed, music career), Leeza Gibbons (who moved on to Extra and her own radio show), and Bob Goen, the current co-host. The most famous of them all is Mary Hart, with the show since its debut in 1982, who is known for insuring her legs (highly praised gams) and whose voice caused a viewer to have a seizure, which was chronicled in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1991.

    Camelot ... (Referenced by the name of the quickie motel, the Camelot, of Neptune.)

    The legendary land of King Arthur, his best friend, Sir Lancelot, and Arthur's Queen, Guinevere, who loved and was loved by Lancelot. The King Arthur tale has been retold thousands of time through verse, book, play, Broadway, and film, including the musical, titled ... Camelot.

    Roofie ... (Referenced by Veronica when describing the events of Shelly Pomroy's party that led to her rape.)

    Flunitrazepam -- marketed under the trade name Rohypnol -- is manufactured worldwide, particularly in Europe and Latin America. Its most common street name is roofie, and it generally sells for below $5.00 per small white tablet. It is ten times more potent than valium and can be habit forming, one of the reasons that it is illegal to own in the U.S. Rohypnol is one of the drugs most commonly implicated in drug-facilitated rape and due to its high usage, blue dye was added to it in 1999 so that it would no longer be clear in liquid. Common effects from usage are memory impairment, drowsiness, visual disturbances, dizziness, confusion, excitability or aggressive behavior and it can mentally and physically paralyze an individual. Effects of the drug are of particular concern in combination with alcohol and can lead to amnesia, where events that occurred during the time the drug was in effect are forgotten.

    In response to Rohypnol abuse and use of the drug to facilitate sexual assaults, the U.S. Congress passed the Drug Induced Rape Prevention and Punishment Act, effective October 13, 1996. The law provides for harsher penalties regarding the distribution of a controlled substance to an individual without the individual's consent and with the intent to commit a crime of violence, including rape. The law imposes a penalty of up to twenty years in prison and a fine for the importation and distribution of one gram or more of Rohypnol. Simple possession is punishable by three years in prison and a fine.

    PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) (Referenced by Veronica as she tells Wallace she'll help him get the PCH Bike Club off his ass.)

    Pacific Coast Highway refers to sections of California's Route 1, beginning at San Juan Capistrano, south of Los Angeles, and ending where Route 1 merges with Highway 1 at Leggett, in Northern California. Route 1 is one of the longest (644 miles) and most scenic routes in California, providing breathtaking views of a large part of the Pacific Coast. It travels past dozens of historical landmarks and through such cities as San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

    Unicorn (Referenced by Veronica remembering how her mother left a unicorn music box and a note when she skipped town.)

    The unicorn is a legendary creature usually depicted with the body of a horse, but with a single -- usually spiral -- horn growing out of its forehead. In fact, the name "unicorn" is derived from the Latin word for horn, cornus. The unicorn is a mystical creature whose blood and horn supposedly have magical healing properties.


    Though the modern popular image of the unicorn is sometimes that of a horse differing only in the horn, the traditional unicorn is actually way, way less pretty. It has a billy-goat beard, a lion's tail and cloven hooves, which distinguish him from a horse. Less My Pretty Pony, more hell-beasty. Despite their unconventional appearance, unicorns have been described as "the only fabulous beast that does not seem to have been conceived out of human fears. In even the earliest references he is fierce yet good, selfless yet solitary, but always mysteriously beautiful."

    In medieval lore, the alicorn, the spiraled horn of the unicorn, is said to be able to heal and neutralize poisons. The unicorn is also generally a symbol of innocence. It is said that the unicorn can only be tamed or ridden by a virgin woman.

    Who's Your Daddy? (Referenced by Keith as he returns home, having caught the bail jumper he was pursuing.)

    The phrase, which rose to popularity in the 1990s, is used as a command for respect ... and sometimes as rather disturbing-if-you-think-about-it-too-much dirty talk (see Bill Murray and P.J. Soles in Stripes). Since Keith is such a baseball fan, I'm sure he'd remember that in September 2004, Boston Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez, after his team lost again to the New York Yankees, was quoted as saying, "I tip my hat and call the Yankees my daddy ... I can't find a way to beat them at this point."

    Yankees fans ran with it and took up the chant, "Who's your daddy?" whenever their team played against Martinez's. As the Red Sox and the Yankees faced off in the 2004 ALCS, the Major Baseball League added to the situation by selling t-shirts with the slogan. When the Red Sox staged a surprising comeback, their fans turned it around by asking "Who's your daddy now?"

    Pontiac Trans Am (Referenced by Keith as he tries to convince Veronica that he used to be cool back in 1977.)

    Popular muscle car produced by the Pontiac division of General Motors. Four generations were released between 1967 and 2002, when the line was discontinued. The Trans Am's two-door coupe body style was based on the Pontiac Firebird.


    The 1977 model.


    KITT, the star (with David Hasselhoff) of the popular 1980s television series Knight Rider, was a modified third generation Trans Am.

    Blue yster Cult ... (Referenced by Keith when regaling his coolness of the '70's.)

    Blue yster Cult is a psychedelic/heavy metal band. Beloved by Keith, they are probably best known for two songs: The 1976 single "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" (which played in the Pilot shortly after Keith's mention of them) and the 1981 single "Burnin' for You." The band got together in the 60s and are still together today, having performed at Retrofest in Chilliwack, British Columbia in 2005.

    8-Track ... (Referenced by Keith when regaling his coolness of the '70s.)

    The 8-Track tape, foreign to most people under 30 today, is a bulky hard plastic cartridge that was to a cassette tape what a record player is to a compact disc. It was invented in 1963 by the founder of Learjet, William Powell Lear. Lear was looking for a long-playing tape system to install in his jets. The 8-Track tape hit mass market in 1966 when the Ford Motor Company included 8-Track tape players in their Ford Mustang. Quickly seeing the potential for home use, the music industry began replacing records with the player. By the early 80s, advances in technology led to the smaller cassette tape and, like many former whiz inventions, the 8-Track tape went the way of the dinosaur. Today, the adjective "8-track" is synonymous with "quickly obsolete."

    Bruce Springsteen ... (Referenced by Keith when regaling his coolness of the '70s.)

    The American singer was born in 1949 in New Jersey and played music from an early age. His band, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, achieved international renown with the release of their 1982 album, Born in the USA. Selling over twelve million copies it stayed on the U.S. Billboard's chart for two and a half years and garnered hit after hit. Springsteen married actress Julianne Phillips in 1985, but they soon divorced shortly thereafter, and he married his back up singer, Patti Scialfa. Springsteen continues to record, his latest album coming out in 2005. Nicknamed "The Boss," he is widely regarded as one of the rock and roll greats, among other luminaries, such as Elvis Presley and Billy Holly.

    Mexico (Referenced by Keith as he tells Veronica he caught the bail jumper one hundred yards from the border.)

    Mexico is a country located in North America, approximately 753,665 square miles in size, bordered at the north by the United States, and at the south with Guatemala and Belize in Central America. It is the northernmost and westernmost country in Latin America, and with a population of 106.5 million, Mexico is also the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world. The official name is Estados Unidos Mexicanos, which translates as the United Mexican States. The term State of Mexico (Estado de Mexico) does not refer to the country, but only to one state within Mexico, located near the center of the country adjacent to the Federal District.


    U.S. citizens, like Keith's crazy bail-jumper, have been known to cross the border into Mexico to evade U.S. authorities and skip tracers (like Papa Mars). Most often, these individuals cross the border into Tijuana due to its proximity to the world's busiest border crossing. What is interesting is that criminals continue to cross into Mexico to evade criminal prosecution despite the extradition treaty that has been in place between the U.S. and Mexico since 1980.

    According to EscapingJustice.com, the Treaty provides for extradition of a party who has been charged with or found guilty of an offense committed in the United States, who has fled to Mexico. An offense is extraditable if it is a crime in both countries and punishable by incarceration for a period of one year or more. The Extradition Treaty further provides that where the offense for which extradition is sought is punishable by death, extradition may be refused unless assurances are given that the death penalty shall not be imposed, and if imposed, shall not be executed.

    Hibachi (Referenced by Keith as he tells Veronica to fire it up for a steak dinner.)

    The Japanese term "hibachi" translates to "fire bowl." The hibachi is actually a portable heating device that originated in China, but has been traditionally used in Japan for the past thousand years or so. Early Japanese hibachis were made of cypress wood lined with clay. The round or box-shaped container had an open top and was designed to hold burning charcoal, which was used as a home-heating device. Gradually, more decorative hibachis were made of strong materials like metals and ceramics.

    Although the Japanese hibachi is not normally used for cooking purposes, in North America a hibachi is actually a small cooking stove made of aluminum or cast iron and used as a portable barbecue.

    Flo-Jo ... (Referenced by Wallace as Veronica hurries to catch Logan get bong-in-the-locker caught.)

    Florence Griffith Joyner was born in 1959 in the projects of South Central Los Angeles. She raced to international prominence in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. With her flashy one-legged running outfits, long hair, and brightly painted fingernails, she captured four medals and the attention of the world with her speed, grace, and charm. She broke world records in the 100- and 200-meter events, earning the title World's Fastest Woman. Her race times still stand unbroken. She was appointed as co-chair of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports where she was an eloquent spokeswoman who shared her expertise and enthusiasm for fitness with the nation. In her career she earned three gold and two silver metals. She died under mysterious circumstances in 1998.

    Marijuana (Referenced by Clemmons as he finds the bong in Logan's locker.)

    The Cannabis plant -- known more commonly as marijuana, with many a nickname, including pot, mary jane, reefer, etc. -- is often dried or otherwise processed to create a "product" that offers medicinal and psychoactive effects. Despite past use as an accepted medicine, in the early 20th century, the drug became illegal due to the overwhelming consumption of the recreational variety.

    To this day, marijuana usage remains against the law despite the mellow side affects as opposed to the harder drugs of the day. While not widespread, legalizing marijuana has been the effort of activists for some time; among those fighting for its legal use is Oscar-nominated actor Woody Harrelson. Apparently, none of these activists (including Woody) have ever heard of the dangers that can befall one who has been taken over by reefer madness. Just ask Mary Lane.

    Smokey the Barely Legal ... (Referenced by the Fire Chief when helping Veronica to steal evidence from the Neptune County Sheriff's Department.)

    A play on "Smokey the Bear," Smokey has been the official mascot of the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service since 1944. Smokey's correct, full name is Smokey Bear. In the popular song "Smokey the Bear," written in 1952 by Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins, a "the" was added to his name to keep the song's rhythm. This small change has caused confusion among Smokey fans ever since. For over sixty years he has encouraged youngsters with his catch phrase, "Only You Can Prevent Wildfires." Whichever name he goes by, Smokey Bear or Smokey "the" Bear is surely one of the most recognizable fictional characters in the world.

    San Juan Capistrano (Referenced as the police department Veronica calls, pretending to be Inga, in order to trace the license plate of the car she saw at the Camelot.)

    Located in Orange County, California, this city was named after the Mission San Juan Capistrano, the seventh and "Jewel" of the twenty one Spanish Missions built in California by Franciscan Padres. San Juan Capistrano was first founded by Father Fermin Lasuen, in 1775. Eight days later, he and his party received news of an impending Indian attack, and they were forced to bury the mission bells and return to San Diego. A year later, Father Junipero Serra returned with another party of missionaries. They recovered the bells and built the first chapel there that still stands and is in use today. Known as Father Serra's Church, it is believed to be the oldest church in California.

    Over time, the community grew with the arrival of the railroad in 1881, the San Diego Freeway in 1958, and city incorporation in 1961. The city adopted a General Plan in 1974 to emphasize their town's village-like character, setting aside a minimum of 30% of the city as open space. Today, with a population of over 36,000, nearly 40% of the city is still devoted to open space and park land.

    A popular annual city event is the Swallows Festival, or "Fiesta de las Golondrinas," a two-month long celebration of the return of the migrating Cliff Swallows.

    Twinkie ... (Referenced by Wallace in describing Veronica's inner marshmallow-y softness.)

    A golden-sponge treat with creamy filling, the Twinkie is commonly regarded as the quintessential junk food. Sold by Hostess, the snack is oblong in shape and can be eaten in one bite if one is tempted or in tiny nibbles that savor the mix of cake and cream. Twinkies are quite durable with a purported shelf life from several years to a century. Alas, there is no proof to support this factoid.

    "My Daddy took my T-Bird away ... Fun, fun, fun" ... (Referenced by Logan in between smashing Veronica's headlights.)

    The song, "Fun, Fun, Fun," that Logan is quoting is actually autobiographical. Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love and released in 1964, it is about Dennis Wilson's relationship with a girl from a rich family in Palos Verdes, Los Angeles. Murry Wilson, father of Brian and Dennis, was a conservative as well as manager of their band, the Beach Boys, and was against the song and denounced the whole idea for it. When the song became a top-five hit, the argument that ensued led to the dissolution of the career relationship between the father and sons.

    The lyrics:
      Well she got her daddy's car
      And she cruised through the hamburger stand now
      Seems she forgot all about the library
      Like she told her old man now
      And with the radio blasting
      Goes cruising just as fast as she can now

      And she'll have fun fun fun
      'til her daddy takes the T-Bird away
      (fun fun fun 'til her daddy takes the T-Bird away)

      Well the girls can't stand her
      'cause she walks looks and drives like an ace now
      (you walk like an ace now you walk like an ace)
      She makes the Indy 500 look like a Roman chariot race now
      (you look like an ace now you look like an ace)
      A lotta guys try to catch her
      But she leads them on a wild goose chase now
      (you drive like an ace now you drive like an ace)

      And she'll have fun fun fun
      'til her daddy takes the T-Bird away
      (fun fun fun 'til her daddy takes the T-Bird away)

      Well you knew all along
      That your dad was gettin' wise to you now
      (you shouldn't have lied now you shouldn't have lied)
      And since he took your set of keys
      You've been thinking that your fun is all through now
      (you shouldn't have lied now you shouldn't have lied)

      But you can come along with me
      'cause we gotta a lot of things to do now
      (you shouldn't have lied now you shouldn't have lied)

      And we'll have fun fun fun now that Daddy took the T-Bird away
      (fun fun fun now that Daddy took the T-Bird away)
      And we'll have fun fun fun now that Daddy took the T-Bird away
      (fun fun fun now that Daddy took the T-Bird away)
      Repeat and fade
    O-Town ... (Referenced when Felix points out the music in the 09er vehicle after the Logan/LeBaron incident.)

    MTV's series Making the Band did indeed make a band in 2002. O-Town featured Jacob Underwood, Ashley Parker Angel, Erik-Michael Estrada, Trevor Penick, and Dan Miller as the members of a boy band that hit the airwaves with two albums at the tail-end of the Boy Band era. The band did have one top ten hit that reached #3, "All or Nothing."

    The Outsiders ... (Referenced by Wallace and Veronica in regards to the tenseness of the PCH gang against the 09ers on the beach after the Logan/LeBaron incident.)

    The Outsiders is a 1967 novel written by S.E. Hinton when she was just sixteen years old. It is the story of three brothers' struggle to stay together after their parents' death as they search for an identity among the conflicting values of their adolescent society in which they find themselves "outsiders." A movie was released in 1983 starring Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, C. Thomas Howell, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, and Tom Cruise. Lowe played the Wallace-nicknamed "Sodapop."

    Aladdin / "Rub a lamp" (Referenced by Logan in response to Weevil's order for him to apologize to Veronica.)

    The story of Aladdin's lamp is one of many tales of The Book of One Thousand and One Nights. It is a rags-to-riches story of a young boy, Aladdin, who is asked to retrieve a magic oil lamp from a booby-trapped magical cave. When the sorcerer double-crosses him, Aladdin keeps the lamp and discovers that rubbing it summons forth a powerful genie who will grant his every wish.

    Aladdin's story has been adapted into many films, including the animated 1992 Disney film, Aladdin. Many of the genies of the lamp are represented as bald men with gold hoop earrings, much like our own Eli Navarro. As an amusing side note, in the (really bad) 1996 film Kazaam, Francis Capra (Weevil) starred as Max, a young boy who finds in a boom box a genie (Shaquille O'Neal) who offers to grant him three wishes.

    Hmm, maybe Logan knows a little something about Weevil's secret past. Behold a much younger (and hairier) Francis Capra:



    Atom Ant ... (Referenced by Keith as he urges Veronica to hurry up in the final scene.)

    Created by Hanna-Barbera (they of the 70s cartoon empire), Atom Ant is an ant AND a superhero. Co-starring in The Atom Ant/Secret Squirrel Show with Secret Squirrel, his superpowers mostly consisted of the ability to fly, super speed, and amazing strength. The superant's catchphrase was: "up and at 'em, Atom Ant!"

    The South Park Movie ... (Referenced by Keith in the final scene, which Veronica confirms is her favorite movie.)

    The feature-length feature film, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, is based on Comedy Central's long-running, hilariously off-color, profane cartoon. Created by Trey Stone and Matt Parker, the animated show features four grade-schoolers with potty mouths. The plot of the film involves a couple of Canadian comic actors being sentenced to execution for their profane hit, Asses of Fire. This sets off a nation-wide assault on obscenity. While incredibly hilarious and raunchy, the film is quite the brilliant satire on censorship in the United States. Despite being animated, the film is NOT meant for children -- and it says so on the DVD cover!



    - The word "Snitch" ("snich") on Wallace's chest was purposefully spelled wrong.

    - In the flashback with Duncan ignoring Veronica, while Logan glances at her, we see a very rare great Veronica 1.0 wig day!

    - Logan and Lilly actually looking happy in Veronica's birthday flashback. ALso, check out those his amazing arms!

    - In the scene with Celeste at Mars Investigations, there is a goof in the editing. First, Celeste turns and starts walking toward the door, then it cuts to Keith's reaction and on the left bit of the frame, you can see Celeste is still facing him. Then she turns and starts walking away. Again.

    - In Keith's office, there is a framed photograph hanging on the wall that is signed "To dad. Happy Birthday!!! [Heart] Veronica."

    - Logan is not wearing the Puka shell necklace in the library flashback nor in the present-day scene in the Xterra where he goads Veronica about Lianne.

    - Keith's great resigned look as he kisses Veronica's forehead after telling her to take Backup.

    - Weevil's "Wicked Witch of the West" impression and his kissy face.

    - Another editing goof takes place (unfortunately) in one of the series' most quietly intense scenes. When Veronica sits up in the bed after the morning after, you can clearly see one strap off of her shoulder, in the last moment of the close-up of her crying, she pulls that strap up onto her shoulder. When the shot shifts to a medium shot, the dress