Episode #03.13: Postgame Mortem
Original Air Date: February 13, 2007
Written by: Joe Voci
Directed by: John Kretchmer
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) (None)
Band Class (The Music of Veronica Mars)
Literature (LoVe Lines/In Memory/Quotable Quotes)
Social Science (In Reference To ... Pop Culture & The World)
Homeroom (On Second Viewing, Get a Clue)
Pep Squad Practice (Ambiguously (Or Not) Gay Logan Moments) (None)
Detention (While the Censors Were Out to Lunch ...)
Philosophy (Unanswered Questions)
Principles of Democracy (Hindsight is 20/20)
Extra Curricular Activities (Beyond the Broadcast)
Role Call (Written/Compiled By ...)
Staff Grade: A
Membership Median Grade: A
What a lovely bounce back from the horror of last week. In Postgame Mortem we see some recurring characters who add a bit of oomph to the preceedings, the continued toned down Keith/Veronica relationship, Wallace (yes, Wallace!) pops in for a few minutes and Veronica actually shows sadness over her break-up with Logan more than once. In addition, Logan receives a strong B-story in which he interacts delightfully with an adorable 11-year old. A cliche? Yeah, but both actors involved sell it beautifully. Add to that the return of Cliff!, Dick getting married (and a hint at a meeting with Cliff for a divorce), clues (real clues!) to the second mystery arc, as well as a mystery of the week that intrigues and it ain't even over yet!, this one's a keeper.
Credited Cast Non-Appearance
Julie Gonzalo - Parker Lee
Chris Lowell - Stosh "Piz" Piznarski
Tina Majorino - Cindy "Mac" Mackenzie
Recurring Guest Stars (Previous Episode Appearances)
Mario Ardila, Jr. - Arturo
- Season Two Appearances
Anna Campbell - Tina Callas
- Hi, Infidelity
Patrick Fabian - Professor Hank Landry
- Welcome Wagon
- Hi, Infidelity
- Of Vice and Men
- Spit & Eggs
- Show Me the Monkey
Brandon Hillock - Deputy Sacks
- Season One Appearances
- Season Two Appearances
- Welcome Wagon
- President Evil
- Lord of the Pi's
- Spit & Eggs
- Show Me the Monkey
- Poughkeepsie, Tramps & Thieves
David Magidoff - Jeff Ratner
- Hi, Infidelity
Matt McKenzie - Coach Tom Barry
- Hi, Infidelity
Jaime Ray Newman - Mindy O'Dell
- President Evil
- Hi, Infidelity
- Spit & Eggs
- Show Me the Monkey
- There's Got to Be a Morning After Pill
Daran Norris - Cliff McCormack
- Season One Appearances
- Season Two Appearances
- President Evil
Robert Ri'chard - Mason
- President Evil
- Hi, Infidelity
Jeremy Roberts - Mel Stoltz
- Spit & Eggs
Guest Stars
Jonathan Chase - Josh Barry
Juliette Goglia - Heather Button
Lisa Jay - Melinda Button
Tracey Needham - Mrs. Kathleen Barry
Who's Who in Neptune
Josh Barry - Son of murdered Hearst basketball coach Tom Barry, also former member of the team. Accused by Sheriff Lamb of being the killer.
Heather Button - Younger sister of Dick's lady friend, Melinda. Spends the weekend with Logan in his suite.
Melinda Button - Dick's lady friend who leaves her little sister with Logan. Ends up running off to Vegas with Dick and marrying him.
Mrs. Barry - Coach Tom Barry's widow.
Hey! It's That Girl
Juliette Goglia (Heather Button) - Although she's only been acting for three years, Juliette has already made her mark. She is best known for her role as Little Girl God on Joan of Arcadia, a role she began when she was only eight years old. Her portrayal of a wise, all-knowing God in the guise of a quirky little girl quickly made her a favorite God avatar among fans of the show. In 2006 Juliette made an unforgettable guest appearance on CSI as Hannah West, the genius younger sister of a boy accused of murdering a classmate. She was sufficiently creepy in the role, leaving CSI investigators and viewers alike guessing at the truth even after the credits had rolled. Prior to this role, she was last seen in multiple episodes on Desperate Housewives.
Highlights
Jason Dohring (Logan Echolls) - There's a kind of absolute stillness to the way Jason Dohring plays Logan's dejection at the beginning of the episode. All his movements are slow, as if he's under water. He hardly makes eye contact (and of course is silent). His body language is closed-in -- fingers laced over a pillow when we first see him, hugging his arms outside on the balcony, not once, but twice, frequently looking down. His eyes look hurt (how does he do that?), and he doesnt react at all to Dick's assays at humor. When Dick throws clothes on him, he flinches but takes it, as if dirty laundry is the punishment he deserves.
The first time he shows any sign of life is when Melinda and Heather come in: He sits up and begins to look more like a person and not a piece of furniture. But the first time he really starts responding to Heather (or anyone) is during their first Mario Kart game. Watch his delivery of Amy's ice cream supremacy: "It can. And it is." It's the first time in this episode he has that quintessential Logan snap in his voice. This scene marks a real turning point for the character. He engages for the first time, wakes up. And Dohring brings it on in the way he sits (leaning forward, engaging with the game), in his voice, and in the way he begins looking sideways at Heather, referencing her as he speaks.
By the midway point when Heather pulls her prank, Dohring has brought his normal physicality back to the role. The irritation in his voice at Dick, the low-five he gives Heather when he says, "Well played," and the faster pace of his walk, it all has noticeably more energy. He's no longer wading through mud in slow motion depression. And then when he and Veronica see each other, Dohring returns to his original non-responsive body language. He stands motionless, avoiding Veronica's gaze even when he talks to her, and his voice is once again muted. Though, in keeping with the theme of this storyline, he snaps out of it somewhat after Heather's pushiness gets to him, allowing for that amazing intense mutual stare with Veronica.
The next scene shows him back in bed, only now he's curled on his side in a defensive posture rather than on his back in a "I would rather be dead, thank you very much" position, and then when he knocks on the bedroom door to invite Heather for ice cream, his affect is still low, he's looking at the ground and his voice is thick. But when she opens the door, he gives her the sweetest smile on earth and you just know this is the healing moment, he's come out of his shell for this little girl. Which is evident in his warmth with Heather as they say goodbye, the quirk of his eyebrows as he teases Dick about the latter's wife, and the smart-aleck way he presents his professor with the apple, it's all quintessential ironic, amused Logan, and Dohring sells it as a full recovery. He's taken us on a complete journey from motionless sadness to fully awake and engaged, largely through body language and intonation. A truly wonderful performance.
Juliette Goglia (Heather Button) - Juliette Goglia plays Heather as a sunny but tentative character, with an unusual attention to subtle undercurrents. When she first enters the hotel room, for example, she gives a Logan hesitant smile (which, of course, he doesnt respond to), but by the time Dick and her sister leave, she's reacting entirely neutrally to him, with no intimacy. I loved the way she walks around the living room in her first scene, exploring and touching everything. It's a very eleven-year old action, but it also echoes her later attitude toward Logan: Curiosity and a friendly pushiness.
During the first Mario Kart scene, watch her expressions when she asks, "Are you all sad about a girl? Oh, I guess so." She plays at least half a dozen different beats there, from puzzlement (complete with cute little frown lines between her eyes) to "Oops, he's not responding." Every beat is so completely transparent, you know just what she's thinking. She's also completely adorable when she pulls the met a guy online stunt. Her eyebrows go up for emphasis, and when she laughs at Logan for falling for the trick, she throws her head back in delight. In the elevator scene, her voice breaks with her semi-whispered excitement and she lets out little thrilled squeaks and I just want to bring her home and hug her, she's so adorable. And yet it's not at all over the top and is just the tweener affect needed to make this scene positively excruciating for our heroes without ever tipping over into giggling or anything else that might make us want to belt her.
This is a very fine line, and Goglia does a dynamite job with it here and throughout the episode. She's surprisingly unaffected and natural for a child actor but with an awareness of how to play the emotional beats. I also thought she and Dohring created a wonderful, touching and totally believable rapport by the end of the episode. The physicality in how she threw her arms around his midsection in a goodbye hug was a final, perfect touch. Showing their journey from hesitation to ease.
Anna Campbell (Tina) The desk clerk at the Neptune Grand, last seen in Hi, Infidelity, does a lot with a small slice of screen time. This is only her second episode, but we get such a kick out of her. Why? I think it has everything to do with the husky amusement in her tone. When she says "Precisely," she doesn't just say it, she gives it a casual lilt, as if to say, "Nothing fazes me." Her delivery of "Crme brulee just before midnight," complete with oh-so-slight eyebrow raise, speaks of intimacy in the hotel room. This young woman sees all, knows all, and relishes all.
Scene One: She's Done ... Or Maybe He Is?
You know, I'm kinda with Heather on this one. I'm not really thinking that Logan tried hard enough. Which is rather telling in a way. I mean, "I poured my heart out on her voicemail?" That's it? He poured his heart out on her voicemail, oh yeah, and he also ragged on her ass before the heart-pouring came about. Now, I'm not saying that Logan wasn't right completely in what he said before the mushy stuff, but when trying to win a girl back ... do you really start out by basically starting a fight? No, you don't ... unless a part of you -- a part you don't even realize is there -- doesn't want to win her back. At least on those terms.
Look, I'm not saying that Logan doesn't love Veronica. At all. I'm not saying that he doesn't want to be with her. However, I said over and over and over again during their first round of dating this season that Logan was walking on eggshells. He literally subdued himself for her, in the hopes that it would be enough to keep her by his side. It didn't work. They broke up. Sure, she came back, but once they got back together that tinge of anxiety came back with it. Maybe he wasn't quite walking with the same care on the eggshells, but the fact that she was still questioning him and not just accepting had to have been a pain in the ass. I mean, SHE came to him this time ... and yet, he may have felt that he was still on trial. And that's gotta suck.
So when Veronica latched onto something else "bad" that Logan did and used it as justification to dump all over him and them again -- this time leaving her in the position of power -- maybe there was a part of himself, some measure of self-esteem that kicked in and said: Enough is enough! And I'm not sure he even realized it, but the fact that he considers a voicemail that began with him reaming her out before telling her he loves her is all he could do to get her back is, as I said above, telling. I don't want to believe that it's over between them, and I really don't ... I just believe that Logan has finally accepted that some major changes have to take place before he and Veronica will get back together. He may not realize it, but the fact that he didn't even remotely give it his all and yet he was ready to conclude that she's done means that maybe he's just tired of playing the game and needs a break himself.
I know that this sounds depressing and all that jazz, but honestly I don't think it is. If I look at this as a long-term situation and not likely only seven episodes left to get these two back on track, this is probably the best thing that could have happened to them. Will Logan and Veronica get back together before the end of this season ... which is possibly the series end? I don't know. But, looking at it more long-term, as if there were the two additional seasons definitively to come in the five-year arc that Rob Thomas mentions, this really does work. Logan (and Veronica) needs to realize that he is just as important as Veronica in this relationship and as of this point, that has not happened. He's always trying to catch up, make up, be enough and that's not healthy at all.
I do believe that Logan and Veronica are IT; they belong together in the long haul and are made for each other. However, neither one is ready to be together right now and this time apart -- although painful -- could be the best thing they need to realize what they both need to do to make this relationship work. Because it can ... they just need to figure out how to do it. And neither one has so done that figuring out yet.
Scene Two: A Sad Boy and a Special Girl
See?! Logan totally COULD get her back if he really tried. I was not happy with Kristen Bell's performance last week, but this (and the next) scene were beautifully played. Everything about it ... from how she stood stock-still when she heard her name, how her lips parted, her eyes widening as if considering (yes, considering) when the DJ said "he's sorry, girl, and he wants you back" to the slow turning and painful yearning as she listened to the lyrics:
Scene Three: It's Her
See!?!? The love is still there. The look on both of their faces when they first saw each other. Sigh. And here we see a play on the analysis I offered in the above two scenes. Veronica is the one to talk to him first, a soft anxiousness in her voice. She is also the one looking at him ... looking for a sign. And when Heather starts saying all of the things that Veronica is waiting for from Logan, you can see it on her face. Veronica is looking at him, expecting something, waiting for him to say everything this little girl is and all he does is cut Heather off and usher her out of the elevator.
And her final look ... man, that's it right there. Veronica wants him to come to her, she wants him to apologize and pledge eternal love so she can take him back. Not right away, but soon enough, dangle hope and then acquiesce which puts them back on the ground she's comfortable with -- she in the position of power, he as her willing supplicant. Now, I'm not saying that she specifically sees it that way, but that's how it's been and that is what she's used to and feels right for them. However, take a look at his final look.
He's done. He's not going to apologize for something wrong he didn't do; he's not going to prostrate himself and declare undying love and beg her to take him back. Dick didn't realize it, but the fact that Logan was holing himself up in his suite was his way of reclaiming his balls because he didn't want to see Veronica, he didn't want to get her back ... not like this, not under these circumstances. In other words, he finally discovered that he still has some pride. And if they're going to get back together, she's going to make the first move ... not him.
Rocky road, indeed. Ups and downs like a rollercoaster, oh boy, and if we knew for sure that we had a fourth season, I'd actually be thrilled about this turn of events, not expecting or wanting them back together at the end of the season. Heck, I'd even be fine with them even dating other people, because they need this now. They need to understand that they only belong with one another ... but as the people they were when they fell in love. A Logan, in all of his extravagant, over the top, a tad bit of a bad boy glory and a Veronica, wary, weary but with trust and faith in her feelings for him -- as they both sure seemed to be that brief first period of dating before accusations of rape and murder and revenge and ex-boyfriends came between them. They need to relearn to be those people with each other again and if it means staying apart, becoming strangers or friends, seeing other people to see how they are not right for them, so be it. Sadly, I don't think we have the time ... but if we did, oh if we did, I think it would be one helluva journey with an amazing pay-off.
It's half-time during the big basketball game at Hearst. Wallace, Mason and their fellow ballers are getting royally reamed out by their coach for doing, well, seemingly everything wrong. Where's the passing? Where's the defense? Where are their heads? Although everyone is feeling Coach's wrath, none is feeling it more intensely than a player named Josh -- who, in addition to being Coach's favorite target, is also his son. Lucky kid (she says in a voice dripping with sarcasm).
The Coach starts ranting a blue storm at Josh about his lack of focus, how he's getting dogged every time he drives the ball down the court, and then something about how he needs to grow up. Not sure what that has to do with dribbling or passing skills, or just playing college basketball for that matter, but Coach clearly feels strongly about this. Coach hammers and hammers at Josh, telling him to buck up, do better, be stronger, get his head out of his ass (which, nice Dad), blah, blah, blibbidy freaking blah, until Josh has finally had enough. Standing up to his father, both literally and metaphorically, Josh tells his father (in a voice shaking just slightly with cold rage) that the one thing he knows he can do is quit. He all but spits the words at his father while simultaneously throwing his jersey in his pop's face.
All I can say is "Go Josh! Go Josh! Go, go, go Josh!" Somebody get some cheerleaders in here now to do one of those inspiring "Give me a 'J'!" cheers, or something with the word "appreciate," 'cause that boy deserves some serious applause for having the guts to stand up to the old tyrant that way. That's the spirit lad!
After that rousing and inspiring beat-down from the Coach, capped off with an entirely unpleasant father/son confrontation, the Coach taps Air Fennell to jump into Josh's vacant space and tries to rally the troops. I'm thinking that's about as likely now as that old adage about snow in hell.
When we next see our favorite freshman basketball star, he's lunching (or having a consolatory bowl of ice cream?) with his BFF (and can I just say FINALLY!) who's trying to help him find the bright side of a twenty-point loss. Guess that rallying was about as effective as I thought it would be, which is to say NOT EFFECTIVE AT ALL. Veronica points out that one of the bright sides is that he got a lot of court time for a guy who quit the team -- kind of -- first semester. (And I just want to wave a quick hello to continuity since I'm sure it is only here for about ten minutes.) Good one Veronica! But sadly, that's offset by the fact that Coach put Wallace in first string ahead of Mason. Veronica, good and supportive friend that she is, assures Wallace that he was chosen because he's the better player. Wallace, sadly, is not convinced. Clearly neither is Mason since he's now giving Wallace the old cold shoulder. In Wallace's mind, that kind of makes the sides break even. Veronica tries to come up with another silver lining on this cloud, but alas, she's got nothin' for Wallace but an empty platitude and the remains of her bowl ice cream. In return, Wallace decides to bring up the dark cloud in her sky ... one uber hot ex-boyfriend described as the "Logan situation." Clearly as unhappy with Wallace's conversational topics as he was with hers, she skedaddles with a glum look on her face, determined not to think of said uber hot ex-boyfriend and the fact that he's an ex.
The next day Veronica storms into Mars Investigations hollering at her father about the unfairness and questionable legality of his breakfast contract, but her tirade of righteous indignation is brought to a screeching halt when she realizes that Daddy dearest has clients in his office. Keith invites Veronica to join the meeting and tells her that Coach Barry was murdered the night before on the PCH. Cliff brought in the Coach's wife and son -- you remember Josh -- because Lamb is looking to Josh as his primary murder suspect. The Barry's have hired Keith to find the real killer to keep Josh far away from the perils of community soap.
Keith asks Josh to give him a rundown of what happened the night before. Josh recounts his unpleasant convo with dad in the locker room at half-time that ended in his quitting the team. He tells Keith that his dad goes to this little strip of land on the PCH overlooking the ocean (and, um, doesn't like the whole PCH do that?) to meditate or something when he loses. Josh went out there to talk to him, perhaps mend a few fences, but when he arrived his Dad's car was no where to be found. Unfortunately, his father's body was. Josh found his dad lying in a pool of blood, shot dead by the side of the highway.
Josh goes on to say that he couldn't get a cell signal out there on the PCH so instead of calling the police, he rushed straight home to tell his mom and little brother Bobby so they wouldn't hear it from anyone else. It's apparent that he was distraught and not thinking clearly because we all know how bad this looks. And that's before he gets to the really bad part of the story. Mom continues that when Josh arrived home he was in bad shape: He looked like he was in shock and there was blood all over his clothes. She didn't want her youngest son to see his older brother like that so she encouraged her son to take a shower and change. *FacePalm* Jesus, lady! And you didn't think that might look, oh, I don't know, suspicious?
Cliff takes over and finishes the sad (in so many ways) tale. It seems someone found Coach Barry on the side of the road and called it in because the Sheriff arrived at the Barry's residence just as Josh was getting out of the shower. Lamb found Josh's bloody clothes and Coach Barry's NIT championship ring and jumped to all the wrong conclusions. Keith is troubled that Josh might have taken the ring off his father's finger, but not to worry. Apparently after Josh quit the team, when he came back from his post-game shower, his dad had left the ring in his locker. Josh saw it as a peace offering, and it was what made him want to seek his father out that night for a heart to heart.
Cliff points out that the PCH'ers have been responsible for a number of carjackings out on the PCH and Mrs. Berry jumps on this with both feet. She doesn't know why Lamb is so fixated on Josh when those horrible gang boys clearly shot her husband, stole his car, and left him for dead.
Trying to tie up loose ends, Keith wonders if anyone else might have had it in for the Coach. You know, aside from the ENTIRE ANGRY BASKETBALL TEAM. (Minus Wallace, of course) Josh pipes right in with the fact that Mel Stoltz hated his father. You remember Mel, right? The guy chompin' on a big stogie and dropping thinly veiled threats at the Dean on the day he was murdered? Turns out he had it in for Coach Barry and wanted him fired. Veronica reminds everyone -- or maybe just Keith, or maybe just the viewing audience, I can't really tell -- that Stoltz is Hearst's primary benefactor. Keith assures him that they will look into it, and then offers the only words of comfort he has at his disposal: "Don't worry about the Sheriff. He has a long and proud history of being wrong." Hee!
After the Barry's leave, Cliff hangs around for a little follow-up chat with Mars 1 and Mars 2. He assures them that by the look on the Sheriff's face at the time of the arrest, he really did have it in for Josh -- or he had to pee really bad. It's hard to say which. (And hee! To the look of 'yeah, true' on Veronica's face after that comment.) For what it's worth -- which isn't much, based on Cliff's track record -- he believes them. There's another piece of bad news though that he hadn't yet shared. Unfortunately, young Bobby won't be able to corroborate their stories because he's severely autistic. Things do not look too bright and sunshine-y for Josh right now.
Veronica pays a visit to Weevil and asks if he can hook her up with the current head of the PCH'ers. Weevil is all full of snark as he tells her that he's glad to do it, no problem. First he just needs to give his parole officer the head's up that he'll be consorting with known criminals. After a beat he reminds Veronica for like the zillionth time that he's on the straight and narrow. Now, I'm all for your new leaf here Weevs, but perhaps the reason Veronica keeps forgetting is because you seem to forget from week to week exactly how big a dip you'll take in the criminal pool. Case in point: Where was this righteous indignation last week when she asked you to steal and cube an '09er's Mercedes? Taking a step off the straight path onto that slightly crooked one Veronica frequents didn't seem like such a big deal just last week... Regardless, Veronica tries to bait him with the promise of cash. I can't tell by the look on Weevil's face if that did the trick or just served to piss him off even more.
While Veronica's off trying to lure Weevil back ... well, near his former life of crime, Keith is trying to get a little face time with Mel Stoltz at his office. Unfortunately, Mel's not cooperating and Keith's been kept waiting for over an hour. The friendly receptionist tries to explain to Keith that Mel's backed up and that she'd be happy to reschedule him for next week. Keith hears what we assume is Mel's laughter wafting down the hall and it seems to put him over the edge. Keith decides he'd rather just be seen now and get it over with and throws a tight smile to the receptionist on his way back to Mel's office.
Keith finds Mel negotiating his practice putting strip and chatting into his hands-free headset. He cuts to the chase and tells Mr. Stoltz that he just has a couple of questions and he'll make it quick: 1) Did he want Coach Barry dead; and 2) where was he the night of Barry's murder? Mel looks momentarily nonplussed and then assures his phone buddy he'll call him right back. Apparently the direct approach has captured Mel's attention.
He tells Keith, flat out, that Barry was a loser of a Coach and yes, he wanted him gone. Fired would have done just fine, but hey -- dead works too. (And the temperature in the room drops a solid 40 degrees in a nanosecond) As for the night in question, he was in the air, on a jet on his way back from Seattle. And if Keith doesn't have anything further to bug him about, he'd like to get back to trimming up his handicap. Keith assures him he'll be looking into the situation. Mel doesn't seem worried by this in the slightest.
I guess the lure of money was strong enough because the next time we see Veronica and Weevil, they're leaning against their respective cars (and hello green machine! -- and simultaneously -- LeBaron, how we miss you!) awaiting the arrival of the PCH'ers in what appears to be an industrial complex. Veronica's clearly fretting and Weevil's teasing that he's surprised that his (former) boys aren't there yet because gang members are generally very punctual. Veronica shares her fear that the bikers will show, but it isn't for the square reason Weevil implies. See, if the PCH'ers show, it means that it is unlikely that they killed Coach Barry. And that would be very bad news for Josh. Since the rumbling of big hogs sounds in the distance, I'm guessing bad news is about to arrive. Before I can fully formulate that thought, three cycles bearing helmeted riders roll up to the meeting place.
Veronica wonders aloud who replaced her buddy Weevil at the top of the food chain, and is damn near shocked to see that her old pizza-boy-muggin'-buddy Arturo is running the gang now. Veronica cracks (and Weevil agrees) that she was under the impression that gang leader was a man's job. (Well, if you've only got two lackey's, perhaps manliness isn't quite as big a necessity.) Veronica fills Weevil in on her history with Arturo and then does a little fishing to see if Arturo might be guilty of shooting the Coach during a routine carjacking. Arturo scoffs but Veronica demands some kind of compelling information that will make her believe in his innocence.
Arturo looks like he'd rather not be doing this, but perhaps he just decided it would be easier to comply with her request than to possibly face the wrath of Mr. Sparky and a roll of duck tape again. He reminds Veronica that the papers said Coach was driving a '96 Roadmaster. As head of a gang who may or may not be committing a series of carjackings in town, he points out that there is literally no reason for he or his boys to be interested in going to all that trouble to steal an $800 piece of crap station wagon. Besides, the PCH'ers have given up using guns. Nailboard on the road is a much more effective, and low risk, carjacking tool.
I hate to say it, but that is a pretty compelling argument. Things are looking worse for Josh by the minute. After her strike out with Arturo, Veronica pays a visit to Josh at home. She's hoping to really search the spot where his dad was killed on the PCH highway for clues. Josh tells her the Sheriff's department already checked it out, and Veronica resists the urge to repeat herself (slowly and monosyllabically) when she mentions that the scene really needs to be searched by someone who, you know, is actually interested in doing their job and knows what they are looking for. The two chat briefly about their relationships with their dads and Josh confesses that his dad was both is best friend and his worst enemy. And I thought my relationship with my dad was complicated!
While Veronica and Josh are taking a little field trip and sharing their feelings, someone is paying a visit to Lamb with information about the Coach's death. It's Mason, looking utterly untrustworthy, there with a tale for the Sheriff. See the night that the Coach died, Mason happened to be on the PCH driving over to his girlfriend's house. He drove past the Coach and his car pulled off on the side of the road. The Coach was arguing with somebody and as Mason whizzed by, he got a good look at both Coach and his attacker -- and I know you didn't see this one coming -- JOSH! Dun, dun, DUN!
Meanwhile, Veronica and Josh are surveying the scene of the crime. Veronica is clearly looking for any kind of clue that will perhaps either confirm or contradict Arturo's version of events. She doesn't see anything incriminating right off the bat, but upon closer inspection realizes that the tire tracks and crushed grass by the edge of the cliff make it appear that a car has gone over the edge. She and Josh tentatively step closer to the edge and take a peek at the turbulent ocean crashing below. Josh steps closer to Veronica and the sweeping camera angle and moody backlighting make the late afternoon setting go a little creepy. I begin to wonder if Veronica is safe with Josh after all.
The next time we see them, the duo are back in Veronica's Saturn headed for home, so apparently my momentary concern was for naught. Josh wonders why a carjacker would push the car into the ocean and Veronica's wearing that expression that clearly says "how do I delicately tell you that a carjacker wouldn't?" As the two arrive back at Josh's house, we see Lamb and Sachs lingering on the street in front of the house trying to look cool while leaning on the squad car in the glow of the flashy lights. No sooner has Josh stepped out of the car than Lamb is on him, arresting him for the murder of his father.
Veronica pays a visit to her client in jail and Josh tries to puzzle out how he ended up there and what in the hell actually happened to his father. Veronica fills him in on the fact that they did find his dad's car in the ocean at the base of the cliff which pretty handily ruled out the carjacking scenario. She also points out that this development doesn't look good for him. Josh marvels at all of the forces lining up against him, including Mason. Veronica wonders if Mason would have any reason to lie, perhaps a grudge against Josh or something, but it seems Mason only had a grudge against the Coach.
Josh explains that his dad had taken away Mason's starting spot a few weeks ago and Mason's been pissed off ever since. Upon further reflection, Josh's unease about Mason grows. He tells Veronica about Mason's violent temper, and the real kicker: He knows Mason owns a gun. He swears he tried to tell the Sheriff about it, but unsurprisingly the Sheriff declined to pay him any attention. Josh hopes that Veronica believes him at least, and she gently assures him that believing their clients is just one of the many services offered at Mars Investigations. In the meantime, she offers to bring him anything he might need. With a small smile, he requests something to read, peanut butter cookies, and a hacksaw -- you know, since she's asking. Veronica warns that very little on his list is going to make it beyond the Lamb "inspection," but promises to try anyway.
Back at Mars Investigations, Keith makes a phone call to the airport to check up on Mel's alibi for the night of the shooting. By the look on his face, I'm going to guess the alibi checked out. And things continue to look worse and worse, and yet again worse, for Josh.
Veronica heads back over to Hearst and corners Mason coming out of class. She asks him to share the story he told Lamb with her about the night of the Coach's murder. He recounts again that he was heading south on the PCH, drove by the Coach, the Coach's car, and Josh who was arguing with the Coach. Veronica reminds him that if he was driving towards the Coach, and the Coach was facing Josh, Mason shouldn't have been able to get a good look at Josh. Mason says that he recognized Josh's hair, team jacket, and profile on the drive by. It was definitely him.
Veronica throws out the fact that she's heard Mason was really pissed at the Coach for taking away his starting position. Mason's demeanor changes instantly and he goes on the defensive -- which, FINALLY! It's about time someone got pissed off at Veronica's presumptuous nature and tendency to accuse people of crimes without, you know, proof. Mason is incredulous because although he was pissed about the starting position, he wasn't pissed enough to kill his coach! Veronica tries to draw a comparison to the Texas Cheerleader Murdering Mom, and then goes in for the kill by asking Mason where he keeps his gun. Mason responds, understandably, with a pithy and concise "screw you."
When Keith arrives home that night, he finds Veronica making Josh a batch of peanut butter cookies as promised. They discuss their thoughts on whether or not he might be guilty and Keith fills her in on the fact that he confirmed at least part of Mason's alibi. Before they can get much deeper into the conversation, Veronica gets a little teary and makes her dad promise to not get murdered because she doesn't know what she'd do without him around. *Sniff* For what it's worth, I don't know what we'd do without him either -- so Keith, your many fans would like to second that motion.
The next afternoon Veronica pays Josh a visit in his cell to pass him some Lamb-approved reading materials, such as The Count of Monte Cristo which is actually kind of clever when you realize that there is almost no way in hell Lamb would grasp the irony of that particular book being good prison reading. Veronica encourages him to dip into the Dumas classic -- she's sure he'll find it, uh, chunky. He flips through the pages of the novel and discovers the classic secret niche in a book. Only this one is filled with homemade peanut butter cookies and not, you know, like a nail file or a lock picking set. Josh thanks Veronica for the gifts.
Before she leaves, Josh tells her he's been giving it some thought and he's decided that the only explanation for Mason's false testimony is that he was the one to kill Coach Barry. He begs her to prove it, to find the gun. Veronica gently tells him that if Mason did do it, it is likely he threw the gun in the ocean as well, which means no one is ever going to find it. Josh is clearly disappointed, but is becoming resigned to his fate. He thanks Veronica again for her generosity and Veronica tells him to hang in there before taking her leave. (Not before body checking Sachs on her way out, of course). Josh lays down on his bunk, opens the book, and with a strange and indecipherable look on his face, nibbles at a cookie.
We flash over to Veronica, listening to a lecture from Landry in profiling class. As the good Doctor finishes his overview of those characteristics that help identify a criminal in their midst, Lamb appears at the back of the class to interrupt the session. Reliving what may be one of his fondest moments ever as Sheriff, Lamb once again accosts Veronica in a very public setting -- at school, nonetheless -- cuffs her and places her under arrest. But this time its not for fake ID's, it's for -- GASP! -- aiding and abetting the escape of Josh Barry.
Dun, dun, dun, DUN! Be sure to tune in next week kids for the (not so) exciting conclusion of "does anyone really care who killed the mean basketball coach?"
It's the elusive Economics classroom and Professor Corrigan (who must have finally made Dick's acquaintance at some point) approaches Mr. Casablancas with a message for Logan: Show up fast or don't show at all. It would appear that Logan has been missing a lot of classes and Dick's repeated assertion that Logan is sick has worn thin. Dick assures sarcastically that he'll let his friend know the professor's prayers are with Logan. Good one, Dick. We follow our suddenly studios Mr. Casablancas to the Neptune Grand, where a battle of wills is raging on. The hotel Manager with Jeff Ratner in tow tries to force his way into the suite and kindly offer Logan some food. Likewise to collect some salt and pepper shakers, which Logan has apparently been hoarding. Logan's response from behind the closed doors is a less-kindly "go away and leave the food."
Dick takes pity on the salt and pepper shakers-less and takes the matter into his own hands. He opens the door with his key and enters into what looks like a several-weeks worth of boy-mess. There on the couch sits Logan in all his catatonic glory (and may I take this opportunity to say that no one who hasn't washed or changed his clothes in days should be allowed to look this good! Especially notice the stubble!). Dick assesses the situation and, in a stunning display of a sudden flicker of intelligence, tricks Logan out to the balcony with a suggestion that there's a fire in Veronica's neighborhood to be seen from there (someone's meth lab has blown up). Again, good one, Dick.
While Logan is trying to spot the fire (or his will to live) on the oh so fake Neptune horizon, Dick locks him out there so the giddy hotel staff can grab their condiment dispensers and their food carts back, and, while at it, change the sheets. Logan, who clearly doesn't have the energy to even protest, stands there on the balcony pondering the spectacle of Dick being the thinking and the nurturing one.
As nurturing as Dick gets, of course, because nothing's ever purely altruistic with him. It turns out he met this girl at a party a week before (I know, shocker!) and she is hot. She is also, clearly, not that bright, because she finds Dick's company fascinating and wants to come over and play. She also wants to bring her sister, whom she calls "practically her twin." Dick advertises the said sister as a recommended treatment for "pathetic sad sackery." Which treatment Logan refuses with apathetic "no, thank you."
Smart of him, as it turns out. Later when the sisters (not so much twins) show up, the recommended treatment turns out to be eleven years old. And while Logan so justly wonders which "twin" is Dick's (and let's face it, an eleven-year-old is much more Dick's mental equal than anyone older), his roommate hastily introduces him to Melinda and Heather Button (yes, folks, that's their unfortunate last name). Little Heather -- who is, appropriately, cute as a button -- is dumped on Logan (while Dick and Melinda can go indulge in some beach blanket bingo with the swim team Don't ask.) so fast and so skillfully, he doesn't know what hit him until he is left babysitting. Not happy with the situation, Logan informs the girl that she can watch TV while he is going to bed. He walks out of the living room with the parting shot of Logan's Parental Tip Number One: "Try to stay out of the porn."
Having heeded the advice, Heather -- when we see her next -- is dutifully watching the unporn-like The Ant Bully while indulging in some room service. Which she thoughtfully ordered for two. Shocked at seeing her still there, Logan dials Dick's cell for some much-deserved verbal ass whupping. It appears, his unreliable roommate and the other Button did not come home last night. It also appears that Dick and Melinda took a little road trip to Vegas. Dick thinks he is in love (and I don't know what is funnier, the fact that Dick is performing the act of thinking or that he uses the word "love.") In response to Logan's threat of tying him up and transporting him thus back to Neptune in the trunk of his car, Dick pulls out the guilt card. As in, "you slept with my one long-term girlfriend" and, therefore, owe me a babysitting gig. (Sorry, Dick, but you, of all people, don't get to use this card. Now, stick it back in the deck, you unmitigated asshat!).
Logan, who is now sufficiently depressed again, goes back to bed. After some time young Heather (who wonders if all he does is sleep) enters his room and -- by way of conversation -- offers to put highlights in his hair. Interesting approach there, kid. What guy wouldn't want a makeover from an eleven-year-old? Clearly, Logan wouldn't. So she asks him to hook up the Game Cube instead.
Cut to later and Logan -- having emerged from his shell o' doom somewhat -- is playing Mario Kart with Heather in the living room. Looking scruffy and adorable, he dispenses gaming advice and Logan's Parental Tip Number Two: "If you're Daisy or Peach, you can use a heart to protect you." (And if you're Logan, there's no heart to protect you when yours is breaking). Heather is enthralled and waxes poetic on Logan's life and Neptune in general. Ah, to be eleven again! When a huge TV, video games and a balcony seem like Shangri-La. She mentions that her family comes here every year for vacation, and that she especially likes Zipz ice cream. Logan contests that Amy's is better, and they enter into a "no way, yes way" ice-cream sophistication dispute. Heather tells Logan she doesn't believe him, and he is not surprised. After all, why should she be different from any other woman.
Heather surmises from this remark -- and other obvious signs like not bathing and refusal to part with his bed -- that Logan is sad about a girl. When he won't corroborate, she asks him for some small clothes, because she is beginning to smell like odeur de Logan. Later -- after both have clearly cleaned up a bit -- they are having lunch on the balcony. Logan's laptop is on the table and its wallpaper is Veronica's picture. Heather asks if this is the girlfriend -- to which Logan replies "ex" -- and observes that she is pretty. Logan tries to assure her that he hadn't noticed, but his half bitter/half sarcastic tone belies the message.
He is saved from further discussion of said ex when Dick calls again and informs Logan that he and Melinda got married. Clearly not thrilled that Logan's heartfelt congratulations takes the form of a "get back here, man!," Dick's response is a hang-up. Which leaves Logan to inform Heather of the happy acquisition of a very colorful brother-in-law. Heather has a colorful information to offer Logan, as well. She is on her way out to meet with a guy she chatted with on-line. Logan panics and forbids the meeting until Heather laughs and tells him she is kidding. She may be young, but she is wise beyond her years. Logan is impressed and tells her that this was nicely played.
They follow up with another game of Mario Kart, this time a lot more comfortable with each other. Heather initiates a personal conversation with the dogged determination only an eleven-year-old can get away with when prying into someone else's private life. She wants to know why Veronica is Logan's ex. Because, he explains, that's the nice thing you call people when you stop dating them. Heather wants to know why they aren't still dating if he is still so obviously in love with her. Logan tells her it's all his fault (and the collective LoVe audience sighs in exasperation). He screwed up. And yes, he tried to tell Veronica he was sorry. He left a message. (And the collective LoVe audience is sighing again). She didn't return it. She is done. (And the collective LoVe audience scrapes their collective hearts off of various floors).
Heather tries the cheerleading method. She tells him he should try harder, call her again. His rebuttal takes the form of Logan's Parental Tip Number Three: She needs to keep her mind on the game, because she isn't getting any better at it. They resume the game. Heather wisely doesn't pursue the subject, but, as it later turns out, she is far from dropping it completely. Her next attempt is of the proactive variety.
Later on she is seen excitedly pulling Logan into Dick's room to listen to the radio. She tells her less-than-enthusiastic audience that she's been calling in the local radio station (KRAC) that plays requests trying to place one. She has, apparently, made two hundred of those calls before she got through (although I suspect she exaggerated the number a bit for the dramatic effect). She is slightly knocked off her high by Logan informing her that those two hundred were two bucks a pop, but she is quickly restored to her glee by his smile and the assertion that he is kidding. Now, personally, I doubt he was kidding about the actual price of the call, but he probably wasn't seriously perturbed by the total cost.
Then a song comes on the radio, and at this point we cut to Veronica, who just happens to be on a case at the Grand. She is walking through the kitchen where a radio is conveniently placed for her to hear a dedication "from a very sad boy to a very special girl, so if you are listening, Veronica, this is from Logan. He is sorry and he wants you back." Nick Lachey then proceeds to plead that she take what's left of him. Veronica stops short, partly shocked (though whether by the choice of the song or by the fact of the request is hard to tell) and partly moved. She listens for a short while, and then shuts off the radio with a determined expression. Jeff Ratner -- whom she is tracking down here for an interrogation session -- informs her that she wouldn't want what's left of Logan. By way of explanation he ventures a low-rent witticism: What's left of Logan is lying around all day and smells. Wisely, Veronica ignores his commentary.
In the meantime, Logan is visibly cringing in the suite. He tells young Heather that she shouldn't have done that. Heather is not convinced. In fact, she thinks he is going to thank her later, because "girls love that stuff" and Veronica is sure to run right back to him after hearing this. She concludes with the statement that people in love shouldn't break up. Giving up is just stupid. (And the collective LoVe audience wants to hug Heather). Logan is clearly not impressed by the eleven-year-old insight into love, but he is touched by Heather's gesture nonetheless. He pats her on the head and they decide they need to go to a workout room, because the suite is just stifling. While taking an elevator they are joined by Veronica and Jeff (who inexplicably does what Veronica tells him to do). The meeting is a-a-a-awkward. Logan and Veronica exchange reluctant hello's. Veronica is torn between discomfort and curiosity to know who the little girl wearing her very small shirt is. Logan explains the shirt with "she was out of clothes." Which enlightens Veronica not at all. However, she doesn't pursue, since any kind of conversation between the two of them right now is painful.
Heather, not feeling the pain, and realizing that the suspicious girl in the elevator is THE girl, tries -- with all the subtlety of a woodpecker -- to nudge and shove Logan into telling Veronica how he feels. Failing to rouse him into action, she takes matters into her own hands and asks "Miss Veronica" if she, by any chance, was listening to super hits 98 just now. Veronica concedes uncomfortably, glancing at Logan ... who is probably wishing that the elevator would drop right then and there and kill them all.
The elevator refuses to oblige and he is forced to listen to Heather telling Veronica that he is sorry, and they should get back together, and he still loves her, and The torture mercifully ends with the doors opening and Logan dragging Heather the hell away from this humiliation. He can't resist a last parting look, however, and he and Veronica stare at each other for a long moment. The look is charged and full of many unspoken things.
As soon as the elevator doors close behind Veronica and the annoying Ratner, Heather confronts Logan on his silence. She can't believe he didn't use this golden opportunity to tell the girl how he feels! She wants to know why. Why? Because he is not eleven and he is not delusional. He points out to the rapidly deflating girl that she doesn't know anything about love. That love is not writing someone's name on the back of a notebook and drawing a heart around it. Love and happiness are easy at the age of eleven, he states (probably -- and understandably -- not thinking of his own abused eleven-year-old self at this point), and that she should talk to him when she knows something about the subject. Heather is left standing there with tears in her eyes as Logan walks back to his suite, his bedroom and his hideous orange sheets and blue fishies on the wall.
There he lies until he gets another phone call from Dick ... who now needs a good lawyer, because the "'till death do us part" is coming before either quite croaks. Wifey-poo, suddenly recovering her hitherto missing concern for her little sister, wants to ask Logan how Heather is. Logan informs her that Heather is overly bubbly and wants to know if she is always like that. Melinda tells him that no, that's a new thing, acquired after their dad walked out on them. She also wants Logan to make sure Heather takes her Prozac (right, because a) it's a great idea for an eleven-year-old, and b) like this particular eleven-year-old really needs an upper!)
This new piece of information explains a lot, and Logan, now feeling guilty for yelling at Heather and not recognizing the signs, sets about to remedy the situation. Screw Prozac ... the best medicine is ice cream. Logan knocks on Heather's door and invites her out to sample Amy's. Ah, the forgiveness of a child: So easily bought. Then again, who can resist a scruffy Logan when he smiles like that?
When we see the dynamic duo next, they are coming back to the suite, full of ice cream and contentment. Heather concedes that Amy's is, in fact, better than Zipz, and in return for her displayed wisdom Logan offers to keep her sharp by playing weekly Mario Kart with her on-line. Heather is thrilled but hides it well with the quip: "Quit flirting with me, old man. I'm eleven." Hee!
They enter the room to find Dick and his "ball and chain" arguing out who is the bigger freak (it's a toss up, if you ask me). Logan's sarcastic "ah, newlyweds" gets them out of the argument. Melinda, who clearly wants out of not just the argument, but the marriage and this suite, grabs Heather and is ready to run. Heather hugs Logan and he holds her, smiling down at the girl. They make a standing date to play on-line video games Fridays at four. And then the Buttons are off, as Dick declares that he needs a shower.
The next time we see both Logan and Dick, they are walking toward class, clean-shaven and just plain clean. And wonder of wonders, Logan is smiling. He is ready to let the learning begin. He is ready to embrace something again. He is ready to live again. As he hands an apple with a cheeky smile to Professor Corrigan, he asks: "Miss me?" And I can't speak for the professor, but, boy oh boy, did we miss you! Welcome back to the smirk, and the spin, the cocky tilt of the head, and the over-emphasized hand gestures. Welcome back, Logan!
Mindy O'Dell saunters into the Mars Investigations, apparently per Keith's request. If she expected cocktails and finger sandwiches, she is rudely disappointed by Keith, who informs the grieving widow that he wants off her case. She is understandably perplexed and he explains that he doesn't take kindly to his clients lying to him. Apparently the egg shell he found under the O'Dell Volvo's windshield wiper places the said vehicle at the Hearst parking lot on the night of the murder, just in time to be egged by a bunch of disgruntled students.
Mindy asserts that she didn't leave the Neptune Grant that night, and she has no idea how her Volvo wondered off by itself from the Grant's parking garage. Keith seems to have an idea, and that's just the half of it. There is also a mysterious charge on Mrs. O'Dell's cell phone that night. Mindy is horrified to realize that the PI she hired to investigate the murder is actually doing his job and investigating everything, including her.
Keith is less interested in explaining and more in finding out why -- if Mrs. O'Dell and Professor Landry had indeed spent the night in question together at the Grant -- there's a phone call from her cell to his at 1:30 in the morning? Mindy is a bit at a loss at first, but produces an explanation in due time. Apparently Landry needed toothpaste (clearly not happy with the one provided by the hotel. Otherwise, why was it only he who needed the toothpaste and not Mindy as well? Is her oral hygiene a bit lax?). And because of the pesky Jeff Ratner encounter possibility it had to be Mrs. O'Dell on the toothpaste-buying mission. A mission she embraced so readily and quickly, she forgot to ask her lover what particular brand he would like and had to call him from the lobby.
A likely story, as they say in the PI business. Or at least that's what Keith thinks. The next we hear a cell phone ringing and see professor Landry answering it, wondering what he can do for the illustrious investigator. Tie up some loose ends, it would seem, for the murder case of Cyrus O'Dell. Landry doesn't so much want to tie anything op as he wants to take an ethical stand: He is appalled by Keith taking money from a grieving widow of a man who so obviously killed himself. Keith is impressed by such staunch display of morality, but undeterred in his quest to find out if Mindy really did call the good professor to ask what she claims she did. Turns out, she was telling the truth. Landry corroborates the story of the 1:30 a.m. toothpaste-themed phone conversation. And, unless the secret lovers have rehearsed this beforehand (which is not out of the question), this is yet another dead-end.
Mindy, who was sitting at the Mars Investigations listening to Keith and Landry's exchange, inquires if Keith is still determined to find her husband's killer. Keith, in turn, wants to know is she still wants him to. She does, apparently impressed that he is digging, albeit in the wrong place. Which is more than she can say about the sheriff's department. (Aw, Mindy, didn't you know? The sheriff's department is too pretty to dig.).
Next we follow Mr. Mars to the Neptune Grand (where, apparently, all roads lead to these days) on a visit to his buddy the security guard. Whose purpose is to keep tabs on Veronica's nocturnal visits to her various boyfriends and confirm clients' alibis. "No can do," says the buddy, because the December 10th tape Keith wants to see is a month too old. The drive starts recording over itself after a month. But maybe Keith can have a better luck with a parking valet: Those guys apparently keep the records forever.
Papa Mars goes home where he is astonished to find his daughter engaged in baking and wants to know if she suffered a blow to the head. (Why exactly he would be so astonished is unclear for us long-time viewers, who have seen Veronica bake on several occasions before). Veronica, in turn, wonders how Mindy took the news that Keith is dropping her case. He explains that he didn't so much drop it as decided to keep it after the phone call checked out. And that his sources in the hotel came up empty. Veronica then wonders why Keith has a relationship with the Neptune Grand security (while the audience wonders if Veronica didn't, in fact, suffer that blow to the head after all. Since the same question was canvassed between father and daughter last season.).
Keith (whose memory is clearly better than that of his daughter) ignores the question and tells her instead that he has learned from the valet records that Volvo has been taken out at 1:51 a.m. and returned at 2:59 a.m. Veronica chimes in with the "ear-witness" testimony of a gunshot heard between 2:20 and 2:30 a.m. The father/daughter team ponders the possibility of either Landry or Mindy (or both) being the culprit. There isn't enough evidence yet, and Keith asks Veronica if she knows someone at the Grand who may be willing to bend some rules. "Possibly" says Veronica. ("Definitely," say the rest of us. I mean, really, at this point, is there anyone on the show who isn't willing to bend the rules without the slightest provocation?).
Cut to Logan's pal Tina behind the reception desk at the Grand. She greets approaching Veronica with a smile and a "good evening, Logan's girlfriend." (Tina, who, clearly, has been on vacation for the past several weeks, because that's the one plausible explanation for her being the only hotel staff left who doesn't know Logan's heartbroken at this point.) From her Veronica finds out that Rory Finch -- a.k.a. Hank Landry -- hasn't been to the hotel since December 10th. Tina is also handy with the room charges from that night (because, apparently, pretending to be Logan's girlfriend still buys you unlimited privileged information with no explanation required what so ever). There is a room-service charge, crme brle just before midnight. And then a pay-per-view movie at 2:02 a.m. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang could not be a more appropriate title to select for an illicit nightcap, if you ask me. And just to put a cherry on the top of the illegal information cake Tina is so happily and inexplicably handing out to Veronica, she also volunteers that it was Jeff Ratner who delivered the room-service order. Jeff Ratner, whose punishment, it would appear, for stealing toiletries (or, pissing off Veronica, really) was being stuck working the graveyard shift.
Veronica tracks down the put upon Ratner in the kitchen and wants to talk crme brle. Jeff -- who also must have suffered a blow to the head (it's going around), because he doesn't seem to hold any kind of a grudge against Veronica -- readily shows her the room where he delivered the order on the night in question. Also, he tells her he overheard a fight behind the closed doors. Specifically, people yelling at each other. He wisely figured it wasn't the time for sweets and left to return with the order later. "Some lady" answered the door when he came back. To Veronica's question if it was the same lady who he overheard yelling, he answered no. Because, as it turns out, the yelling was done by two men.
Veronica, having filed all this free and ready info away, approaches professor Landry the next day in class. She oh so casually leads the conversation to Kiss Kiss Bang Bang laying a trap for her favorite professor. A trap he doesn't fall into, because when she says that Robert Downey Jr. dies in the movie, Landry contradicts the statement. Which shows he at least watched the film at some point. Whether it's enough to prove he watched it at 2:02 a.m. on the December 10th is debatable, but Veronica lets it slide for now. She also learns in the course of this conversation that the late great Dean O'Dell wrote a touching letter of recommendation for her application to the summer FBI internship program.
A misty-eyed Veronica takes the letter to her dad and they read it together, basking in the praise so outlandish it makes you wonder if this epistle isn't more suitable for a submission to the Vatican as Veronica's canonization application. To her credit, Veronica states that she would have settled for "I find her nosiness charming" from the Dean. (Eh, Veronica, no one finds your nosiness charming anymore.). So, on the strength of this panegyric from beyond the grave, the Mars family reaffirms their dedication to finding the great man's killer. You know, to honor the guy by putting whomever offed him behind bars. Good thing the guy wrote the letter, then. Otherwise, clearly, he would not have deserved being honored thus. Good to know where the Mars Investigations' motivations lie.
Keith, once again, summons Mrs. O'Dell to his office (why, who can say, considering the woman lives ten blocks away from him. I guess he just likes to make her work for it.). This time he informs her he has made significant progress and asks for her critical opinion of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. She seems to know it's a movie, but beyond that she has no aesthetic assessment to offer. Keith is surprised, since that's the movie she was supposedly watching with Hank Landry on the fateful night in the hotel. Mindy lamely suggests that maybe Hank watched it after she fell asleep.
Keith informs her that the valet log shows the Volvo being taken and then put back. Mindy denies any knowledge of it and suggests someone's framing her. Keith next wants to know who was in the room with her that night besides Hank. She claims that no one was. When he tells her a witness heard two men arguing loudly at approximately midnight in that room, Mindy insists it was the television.
Keith doesn't believe her, which pisses the widow off. She informs him that he is officially off the case. He informs her that she can't take him off the case, though she can fire him. It's an impasse and Mrs. O'Dell loses the stare down contest and walks out.
So, this is what we've learned today, folks: We liked the Dean and want his killer caught; we don't believe his widow, we don't know what to think of professor Landry, and Jeff Ratner is a tool. We have a wandering car, a twice-delivered crme brle, a mysterious male voice in the room, and no answers. Stay tuned for further developments.
"White Balloons" (Stephen Ashbrook)
Scene(s): It's pretty darn difficult to be mopery when a perky 11-eleven year old is the first thing you see when you wake from your slumber of sorrow. And even harder when she clearly shares your love of video-gaming and asks you to get involved in the hook-up. Seriously. What's a guy got to do to be unhappily miserable?
"Too Much To Ask For" (Radio 4)
Scene: Ring, ring. It's Dick ... and he's MARRIED! Aww, his very first -- of no doubt many future Dick Jr. ex-missus' -- wife.
"What's Left Of Me" (Nick Lachey)
Scene: Sigh, oh Heather ... it's going to take much, much more than a song dedication to melt Veronica's heart. Hire a hit on her life and arrange for Logan to save her and then we're talkin'!
LoVe Lines
(The elevator doors open to reveal Heather and Logan standing inside; Veronica looks mortified, Logan looks like he wants to throw himself off the hotel Beaver style. Jeff gets on the elevator, Veronica doesn't.)
Jeff: Getting in? (She does; Logan steps away and stares fixedly at the elevator doors.)
Veronica:(Softly.) Hi.
Logan: (Shoulders tightening defensively.) Hey.
Veronica: (Noticing Heather.) Is that my shirt?
Logan: Yeah, she was out of clothes.
Veronica: Oh. (After a moment she frowns.)
Heather: (Looks at her shirt then lights up; meanwhile, Logan decides jumping off the roof wouldn't be enough, maybe he should throw himself under a truck too because -- ) That's her! (Smothered squeal.) It's her, it's her! (Referring to the shirt.) It's hers! Oh my God ... (Blushing; Jeff Ratner gives her a *look;* Logan tries not to look at Veronica; Veronica tries to pretend she's not hearing a word.) Tell her! (*Thinks* she's stage whispering and being subtle.) Tell-her-how-you-feel.
Logan: (Softly.) Shut up.
Heather: (She steps out and smiles at Veronica.) Excuse me, Miss Veronica? Yeah, were you listening to Super Hits '98? 'Cause there was just this dedication --
Veronica: Yeah, I um, (Switching gaze from Heather to Logan awkwardly.) heard it. (Logan dies some more.)
Heather: Well, it's true. Logan's sorry (*dies*) and he misses you (he's dead already!) and he wants you back (Veronica looks at Logan like she sympathizes with his multiple deaths.) and you two should get back together because he totally loves --
Logan: (Desperately.) This is our floor.
(Doesn't look at Veronica and shoves Heather *gently* but determinedly out of the elevator ... once free, he looks back, finally realizing he can't take feeling like *that* any more; Veronica stares back ... the elevator doors close.)
Quotable Quotes
Wallace: You doing okay? With the Logan situation I mean?
Veronica: (Taking a breath and smiling bemusedly.) Been trying really hard not to think about. Thanks for bringing it up.
Professor Corrigan: Mr. Casablancas, I don't suppose your buddy Logan Echolls is gracing us with his presence today?
Dick: Doubtful. When they remove a grapefruit-sized tumor they really recommend bedrest.
Dick: So, I got a message for you from the guy who teaches our economics class. You gotta show up or he's gonna fail you. It's a sad state of affairs when I'm the academic on the balcony. (No reaction from Logan.) So, in other news, I met this girl a couple weeks ago at a party ... (Using an fake opera voice.) Hotttttt! Like, volcanic hot. Like, I might have to use an oven mitt to feel her up. (And still no reaction from Logan.) Blink if you understand. (Logan turns his head toward Dick.) She's coming here tonight, and, she's bringing her sister. Who, I might add, she described as practically her twin. By the way, I did a little research on pathetic sad-sackery and Hot Sister is the recommended treatment.
Logan: (Quietly.) No thanks.
Dick: You sure? We're thinking about going to the swim team's Beach Blanket Blowout. You can wear your t-shirt that says, (Using a wimpy, sissy voice.) "I'd Rather Be Home Crying." (Watching Logan for a moment, he just turns and leaves him alone on the balcony.)
Keith: It's as bad as she says? Lamb's going after the kid?
Cliff: Well, he was thinking very hard about it. Or he really had to pee, it's really hard to tell with that man.
Dick: (Standing in front of Logan, who's on the couch again.) Dude, you're not helping. (Tosses a sock onto Logan's head.)
Logan: I'm aware of that.
Dick: (Walking around the room, tossing various items of clothing at Logan.) I live here too, you know. This is my home. People walk in they don't think, "This little clean area is Dick's. The ten bottles of urine are Logan's." They think, "Silence of the Lambs basement," and their desire to get naked around me takes a nose dive. (There's a knock on the door.) You're lucky you're rich; this would be completely disgusting.
Dick: (Ushering the girls into the room.) He doesn't normally look like this. Some girl ripped out his heart and stomped on it. (Making introductions.) Logan Echolls, Melinda and Heather Button.
Logan: (Looks in surprise at Melinda, her much younger sister, and Dick, who makes a gesture of "What can you do?") Which one's yours?
Heather: Are you sick?
Logan: No.
Heather: You want me to put highlights in your hair?
Logan: (Really not sharing her excitement.) No.
Heather: Could you show me how to hook up your Gamecube? (Logan sighs, but then reluctantly gets out of bed with a groan.)
Heather: (While playing the game.) Ooh! That was so awesome. Did you see that?
Logan: Yeah, if you're Daisy or Peach, you can use a heart to protect you.
Heather: If I had this game, I would play it every second. We should have a tournament.
Logan: Yeah, I'm beating you as Peach. You need practice.
Heather: Your life is so cool. You have this huge TV with video games and a balcony. You live in Neptune.
Logan: (With mild sarcasm.) Yeah, it's Shangri-la.
Heather: My family comes to Neptune every year for vacation. Do you ever go to Zipz? Best ice cream in the whole world.
Logan: Amy's is better.
Heather: It can't be.
Logan: It can. And it is.
Heather: I don't believe you.
Logan: Why should you be any different than any other woman?
Heather: (She considers him for a moment.) So, are you all sad about a girl? (Logan doesn't respond.) Well, I guess so.
Heather: (to Logan.) I don't guess you have any extra-small clothes around? I'm starting to smell like you.
Veronica: Howdy, Sheriff. A kitten get stuck up in a tree?
Lamb: Not now, Veronica.
Heather: Is this your girlfriend?
Logan: Mmm. Ex.
Heather: She's pretty.
Logan: (Sarcastically.) Is she? I hadn't noticed.
Logan: Where the hell are you? You're supposed to be back.
Dick: Guess what, dude? (Barely waiting for a response before ... ) I'm married!
Logan: Get back here, man!
Dick: Dude, where's the love? I'm on my honeymoon. God! (Dick hangs up the phone and looks back at where his "wife" is passed out on the bed.)
Logan: Where are you going?
Heather: Oh! A guy I was chatting with online wants to meet me. So he's gonna pick me up out front and then take me to Zipz for ice cream.
Logan: Yeah, you're not going anywhere.
Heather: Uh, yeah. I am.
Logan: No. You're not.
Heather: You can't make me stay here.
Logan: Heather! (She starts to laugh.)
Heather: Like I'd really go meet a guy that I met online.
Logan: (Smiling at her little prank.) Nicely played. (He turns back toward the balcony and slips his hand back for a (low) high five as she follows.)
Heather: So, who was that on the phone?
Logan: Just your brother-in-law.
Veronica: So, how's it going?
Josh: Sheriff's a tool, but otherwise ...
Josh: You believe me, don't you?
Veronica: At Mars Investigations, believing our clients is one of the many services we offer.
Heather: So, why is that girl your ex?
Logan: Because that's the nice thing you call people when you stop dating them.
Heather: Well, why aren't you dating if you still love her? (Logan sighs and looks at Heather.) It's pretty obvious.
Logan: Because I screwed up.
Heather: How?
Logan: I did something I shouldn't have done, okay?
Heather: Well, did you tell her you were sorry?
Logan: Yes.
Heather: Like, in a way so she knows you mean it?
Logan: Yeah.
Heather: Are you sure?
Logan: (Pauses game, turns towards Heather defensively.) I poured my heart out to her on her voicemail. She never even called me back. She's done.
Heather: Well, maybe you should try harder. Call her again.
Logan: Yeah, you need to keep your mind on the race. You're not getting any better at this. (Logan starts the game back up, Heather looks disappointed.)
Veronica: Dad, do me a favor ...
Keith: Anything.
Veronica: Don't get murdered --
Keith: Honey --
Veronica: (Tearfully.) 'Cause I can't live without you and all I've been doing is thinking about what I would do if I didn't have you.
Keith: ... Maybe you should let me handle this case by myself.
Veronica: You know that won't work; I only brood when I'm not doing anything.
Tina: (Perkily) Good evening, Logan's Girlfriend. (Veronica stiffens.) Veronica, right?
Veronica: That's right!
Tina: I know who works the Graveyard; his name's Jeff Ratner. They stuck him on the shift after they busted him for stealing toiletries.
Heather: Come here! (Dragging Logan behind her toward the radio.) You have to listen to this! I called KROC, like, two-hundred times. I kept getting this recording and then, finally, I got through! They're going to play my request! (Smiling giddily.)
Logan: Ah ... local calls are two dollars each.
Heather: (Smile drops along with all facial color.)
Logan: ... I'm teasing. (No, he wasn't.)
DJ: (A dedication is read over Nick Lachey's "What's Left Of Me.") I've got a dedication going out from a very sad boy to a very special girl. So if you're out there and you're listening, Veronica, this is from Logan. He's sorry, girl; he wants you back. (Veronica slowly approaches the radio.)
Nick: "Now I'm broken, and I'm fading. I'm half the man I thought I would be but you can have what's left of me." (With determination, Veronica switches the radio off.)
Jeff: Take it from the guy that has to clean up after him, you don't want what's left of Logan Echolls. (Shuddup, Ratner.)
Logan: I really wish you hadn't of done that.
Heather: People in love shouldn't break up. Giving up is just ... stupid. (Logan pats her on the head and walks away.)
Heather: I can't believe you blew that. That was the most perfect opportunity! Why didn't you tell her how you feel?
Logan: (Logan's patience, which awesomely stood up to the elevator test, snaps.) Because I'm not eleven! And I'm not delusional! You don't know a single thing about love, Heather. You know, it isn't writing someone's name on the back of a notebook and drawing a heart around it! (Heather starts to cry..) It is easy to be happy all the time when you're eleven. Talk to me about love when you know something about it. (Logan walks off, leaving Heather to cry alone.)
Veronica Mars Voiceover: Knowing that Dr. Landry and Mrs. O'Dell left The Grand in time to kill the Dean adds a whole new level of weirdness to attending Landry's profiling class.
Dr. Landry: Are you okay, Veronica?
Veronica: Yeah, fine. It just reminds me of that one scene from Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.
Dr. Landry: (With skepticism.) Really?
Veronica: Yeah, you know, after Robert Downey, Jr. dies, Val Kilmer gets a message from him?
Dr. Landry: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang? Robert Downey survives the whole film.
Veronica: (With faux innocence.) Oh! I must be confused.
Veronica: Look at this. (Handing Keith her application file for the FBI internship.) I guess Dr. Landry asked Dean O'Dell to write me a recommendation letter for the internship at the FBI.
Keith: (Reading from the letter.) 'Dear Sir: In my twenty-five years working in academia, I have not come across a young person with more initiative, intelligence, and character than Veronica Mars. I enthusiastically recommend her and would be happy to discuss this remarkable young woman in greater detail. Sincerely, Cyrus O'Dell, Dean of Students, Hearst College.'
Veronica: (Somewhat teary.) I would have settled for 'I find her nosiness charming.'
Keith: Man had good taste. Let's honor his memory by putting his killer behind bars.
Veronica: Agreed.
Logan: (Answering the phone.) Where are you?
Dick: (In the car, on the other end of the phone.) Hey, buddy. Got a question for you: You know a good lawyer?
Logan: I know a lawyer.
Logan: (Knocking softly on the door.)
Heather: Go away!
Logan: (Softly, somewhat apologetically.) Well, now you've made me want ice cream so ... I'm going to Amy's. Come with me if you want.
Heather: (Opening the bedroom door.)
Logan:
Heather:
Heather: Okay, this is better than the place I used to go with my parents.
Logan: With age comes wisdom. You know you can play Mario Kart online. We should have a weekly game or something, for sure.
Heather: (Teasing.) Quit flirting with me old man. I'm eleven. Jeez, that's creepy.
Melinda: You called me a freak!
Dick: I called your toes freakish. I didn't call you a freak. It's supposed to go big toe, little toe, and then on down the line. Not big toe, BIGGER toe.
Melinda: You really make me sick.
Dick: I make you sick? You're the freak!
Logan: (Arriving on the scene with Heather in tow.) Ahhh, newlyweds.
Melinda Where the hell have you been? I've been waiting to go for like twenty minutes. Get your stuff -- we're going.
Heather: (Grabs her stuff and trails behind her sister, pausing in front of Logan.) Fridays at four are good for me. (Hugs Logan before following her sister out.)
Logan: (To Dick, with amusement.)There goes the old ball and chain, huh?
Dick: (Disgustedly.) I need a shower.
Veronica: (Passing books through the bars.) There you go. Sheriff approved reading material. I think you'll really enjoy the Dumas book. (Josh flips the book open to the peanut butter concealed cookies inside.) It's quite chunky.
Logan: (To his professor with a shiny apple and cheeky smile.) You miss me?
Post [Game] Mortem ... (Referenced by the episode title.)
In Latin, post-mortem literally means "after death" and is generally used as a synonym for an autopsy. An autopsy, or post-mortem examination, is a medical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a human corpse to determine the cause and manner of a person's death to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present. It is usually performed by a specialized medical doctor called a pathologist, and by definition is only performed on humans, by humans.
Autopsies are either performed for medical purposes or for legal purposes such as a criminal investigation. Thanks to the highly prolific CSI family of shows, most of the American television viewing audience is now intimately familiar with the process. Between the original CSI, CSI: Miami and CSI: New York, I bet it is safe to say that just about every TV-watching adult in the US of A has been privy to the dissection of at least one unfortunate soul. And you know, I've been thinking -- with the volume of dead bodies that pile up in Veronica's home town, don't you think they should set up shop for CSI: Neptune? I mean, Veronica's aces at detective work but since the Sheriff can't be counted on to deliver more than inappropriate humor in an investigation, it might be nice to know someone else with a brain was on the job. After all, Veronica's got a lot on her plate and she's been seriously neglecting certain parts of her social life -- I mean, call your BFF once in a while, woman! -- and she needs some extra personal time to woo back her heartbroken ex. I'm just sayin'.
Meth Lab ... (Referenced by Dick when he tricks Logan out onto the balcony.)
Methamphetamine is a stimulant drug that produces an intense sensation of euphoria when swallowed or snorted. Users become addicted to meth quickly and tend to use more of it with increasing frequency. The negative side effects to the central nervous system are depression, aggressiveness, insomnia and paranoia. Meth use increases heart rate and blood pressure and can result in stroke, cardiovascular collapse, organ damage and death.
In the United States, the illegal manufacturing of methamphetamine is punishable from ten years to life in prison. The sale of ingredients used in meth production is also heavily monitored. In March of 2006, President Bush signed The Combat Meth Act, which limited the sale of ephedrine, the base ingredient of meth, to 3.6 grams per day, and customers must provide identification and sign a sales log. The manufacturing of meth in labs is highly dangerous, and there have been many cases of lab explosions to prove it. Meth labs have been found in garages, barns, apartments, etc. (Presumably some have been found in apartments in Veronica's neighborhood, considering the quickness with which Logan headed to the balcony.)
Contract Law ... (Referenced by Veronica when she questions the legality of Keith's instant breakfast contract.)
I actually had an exam on contract law the morning after this episode aired, so I can say with near certainty that Keith's contract would not be enforceable. A contract needs three components for validity: an offer, an acceptance, and valid consideration. The offer is the proposed terms made by the offerer. Like, if Keith had said "I'll make you breakfast if you come to the office later to help mail invoices," he would have made a unilateral offer to Veronica. The offer is valid if there is a presence of intent to contract, definiteness of terms, and communication to the offeree.
Likewise, a valid acceptance of the offer requires intent to contract, agreement to the mirror image of the terms of the offer (for Common Law cases, such as service contracts like this one), and communication to the offerer. If there is a both a valid offer and valid acceptance, then the parties have an agreement. The final element of a valid, enforceable contract is consideration, which is an exchange of something with legal value (service of mailing invoices), bargained for and given in exchange for an act or promise (breakfast).
This contract wouldn't be enforceable because the offer was not valid until after it was communicated to Veronica, and if there was no valid offer, then there can't be a valid acceptance. Keith could argue that since Veronica went on to eat the breakfast after reading Keith's letter, then the contract was made valid and Veronica "owed him," but the wording was still pretty shady. But I guess with Cliff as the family lawyer, 'pretty shady' is to be expected.
NIT ... (Referenced by Josh when he talks about his dad's championship ring.)
The National Invitation Tournament (NIT) is a 32-team post-season tournament for men's and women's college basketball. The NIT was started in 1938 and was operated by the Metropolitan Intercollegiate Basketball Association (MIBA). The semi-final and final rounds have always been played at New York's Madison Square Gardens. In its early years, the NIT drew the best teams in the country. Starting in the 1960's, however, the NCAA tournament gradually became the main tournament, as it began including more conferences and inviting more than just the conference champions. In 2005 the NCAA purchased the rights to the NIT tournament from the MIBA in order to settle an antitrust lawsuit.
With its current status as, in essence, a consolation tournament, the NIT often carries a negative stigma. Teams that hope for the NCAA tournament but have to settle for the NIT are generally not happy with the NIT invite. In fact, some teams have even turned down invites. For teams that are rebuilding or for small schools that are still on their way up, striving to reach the big time, however, an NIT invite is often seen as a positive step on their road to a future bid to the NCAA Tournament, the Big Dance. So Coach Berry's NIT championship, while in theory something to be proud of, may not have been all that great. But the fact that he actually wore his NIT ring rather than stashing it in a drawer somewhere is probably a sign that his NIT championship was something he was proud of, not ashamed of.
Autism ... (Referenced by Cliff about Josh's brother.)
According to the Autism Society of America, Autism is defined as "a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills." Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities, but as it is a "spectrum" disorder, autism affects each individual differently and at varying degrees.
Autism is classified as one of five Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PPD), a category of neurological disorders characterized by "severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of development." It is the most common of the PPD's affecting an estimated 1 in 150 births (according to the CDC). This means that as many as 1.5 million Americans today are believed to have some form of autism.
Despite it's prevalence, autism is a disease that the general public knows very little about. Most of the public perception of this disease has been based on portrayals of autistics in films such as Silent Fall and the Academy Award-winning Rain Man. Unfortunately, none of the films released to date have given a complete or accurate picture of the disorder and the way it manifests in both children and adults.
Howard Hughes / Bottles of Urine ... (Referenced by Dick when he tries to get Logan to clean up.)
Howard Hughes was known for being an aviator, a movie producer, a billionaire and ultimately a strange, reclusive hypochondriac. Born in 1905, Hughes began his multi-faceted career by focusing on movies. He dated many famous Hollywood actresses, including Katherine Hepburn and produced many important movies. One of his most infamous movies was The Outlaw, produced in 1941 and starring a busty Jane Russell.
Hughes movie career also led to his interest in aviation. The film, Hell's Angels, allowed Hughes to develop his interest in flying, which in turn led to the formation of the Hughes Aircraft Company. Hughes set several speed records and also became involved in building military aircraft. Hughes also was deeply involved in several political situations throughout the course of his lifetime. Of particular interest is the fact that Hughes, as a Nixon supporter, was deeply involved in the conspiracies involved in the Watergate scandals and several CIA assassination plots.
Ultimately, however, Hughes is remembered for his strange reclusive behavior in his final years. He had a fear of microbial infection and constantly washed his hands and repeated certain phrases. He eventually became a complete recluse, locking himself away in darkened rooms in a medication-induced daze. Toward the end of his life, his inner circle was largely composed of Mormons because he considered them trustworthy even though Hughes himself was not a member of their religion. By this time, Hughes had become severely addicted to codeine, Valium, and a number of other prescription drugs and was becoming increasingly frail. Many biographies and fictionalized works state that he stored his urine in jars and wore Kleenex boxes as shoes, although he reportedly did the latter only once, as "protection" when a toilet flooded.
Silence of the Lambs ... (Referenced by Dick as what their suite is starting to look like.)
Silence of the Lambs is a 1988 novel by reclusive author, Thomas Harris. The psychological thriller is a sequel of sorts to Thomas' 1981 Red Dragon, featuring a haunted FBI agent Will Graham who retired after putting Hannibal Lecter in prison. After another twisted murderer draws Graham out of retirement, he uses Lecter to capture this killer. A similar theme is applied in Silence of the Lambs, this time the FBI agent is one in training and there's a sexual tinge to the quid pro quo between the agent, Clarice Starling, and Lecter.
The book was made into a successful thriller, directed by Jonathan Demme with a screenplay adaption by Ted Tally and starring Jodie Foster as Starling and Anthony Hopkins as Lecter. The film went onto win five Oscars, including Best Picture, Director, Actor and Actress, the first time a film had won all four major categories since 1934's It Happened One Night. This despite the fact that the film had been released in February, a rare win considered the premiere was nearly a year before the Academy Award telecast and that Hopkins had only roughly sixteen (!) minutes of screentime.
A sequel, simply titled Hannibal, that concentrated on Lecter (including his background) was released in 1999, with a film version premiering in 2001 (although Julianne Moore took over the role of Clarice Starling because Foster was disturbed by the weakening of the character of Clarice, not to mention the sexual/quasi-romantic relationship between the two main characters that ended the book).
Seattle ... (Referenced by Stolz's alibi.)
Seattle, Washington, founded in the 1850s and named after Chief Seattle (a leader of the Suquamish and Duwamish Native American tribes; he was a prominent figure among his people who became a Roman Catholic convert and pursued a path of accommodation to white settlers), is the largest city in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.
Its official nickname is the Emerald City because of the lush evergreen trees in the surrounding area; it is also referred to as the Rainy City, the Gateway to Alaska, Queen City, and Jet City, due to the local influence of Boeing. Seattle residents are known as Seattleites. The city is known as the birthplace of grunge music, and it has a reputation for heavy coffee consumption (Starbucks is a locally founded coffee company).
Seattle's climate is mild, with the temperature moderated by the sea and protected from winds and storms by the mountains. Despite being partially in the rain shadow for the Olympic Mountains, the city of Seattle has a reputation for raining frequently. In actuality, the "rainy city" receives an unremarkable 38 inches of precipitation a year, less than most major Eastern Seaboard cities, such as New York City which averages 47.3 inches. Seattle's worldwide reputation for rain derives from the fact that it is cloudy an average of 226 days per year (versus 132 in New York City) and that most of its precipitation falls as drizzle or light rain. In other words, while it rains regularly, it usually doesn't rain very hard.
Las Vegas, Nevada ... (Referenced by Dick and Melinda's weekend destination.)
Las Vegas is the largest city in the state of Nevada, with a population of 545,147 people. The Las Vegas Valley was originally part of Mexico, but American explorer John C. Frmont's sojourn to the area led to its annexation to the United States on May 10, 1855. Vegas officially became an American city in 1911.
Vegas has a couple well-known monikers, the first being The Entertainment Capital of the World. It is a popular vacation and entertainment destination, with theatres, concert halls and comedy clubs. But Vegas is most known for its gambling, which explains the city's other nickname: Sin City. Gambling was legalized here on March 19, 1931. The Las Vegas Strip is home to a number of hotel and casino resorts (e.g. the Bellagio and Monte Carlo), most of which are themed (e.g. the MGM Grand and Caesars Palace) to add to the Vegas experience. Vegas is also considered a "sinful" city because alcoholic beverages are available most everywhere and the adult entertainment industry is quite active. But this image also makes Las Vegas a popular setting for movies and television shows -- even Veronica Mars.
Foodchain ... (Referenced by Veronica about how replaced Weevil as the head of the PCHers.)
Food chains and food webs or food networks describe the feeding relationships between species in a biotic community. In other words, they show the transfer of material and energy from one species to another within an ecosystem.
As usually diagrammed, an organism is connected to another organism for which it is a source of food energy and material by an arrow representing the direction of biomass transfer. Organisms are grouped into trophic levelsfrom the Greek for nourishment, trophikosbased on how many links they are removed from the primary producers. Primary producers, or autotrophs, are species capable of producing complex organic substances (essentially "food") from an energy source and inorganic materials. These organisms are typically photosynthetic plants or algae, but in rare cases, like those organisms forming the base of deep-sea vent food webs, can be chemotrophic. All organisms that eat the autotrophs are called heterotrophs. They get their energy by eating the producers. (Courtesy of Wikipedia, April 22, 2006)
'96 Roadmaster ... (Referenced by Arturo as the coach's car.)
The Roadmaster was an automobile built by the Buick division of General Motors. Buick first used the Roadmaster name between 1936 and 1958. So Arturo's definition of the coach's Buick as such wasn't entirely accurate. However, in 1991, Buick again applied the Roadmaster name to its full-size rear-wheel drive sedan and station wagon models as a replacement for the Buick Estate. The origins of the Roadmaster name date to 1936 when Buick renamed its entire model lineup to celebrate the engineering improvements and design advancements over their 1935 models. Buick's Series 40 model range became the Special, the Buick Century took the place of the Series 60 and the Series 90 -- Buick's largest and most luxurious vehicles -- became the Limited. Buick's Series 80 became the Roadmaster.
A 1996 Roadmaster.
The Roadmaster held out until 1996 when the end had clearly come. For its final year, the traditional, rear wheel drive Roadmaster enjoyed only a few changes. Engine coolant could last five years or one hundred thousand miles, and automatic climate control became standard. The Roadmaster Estate Wagon and the Chevrolet Caprice wagon would be the last full-size station wagons until the introduction of the Dodge Magnum sports wagon in 2005.
Gamecube ... (Referenced by Heather when she tries to coax Logan out of his bed.)
The GameCube was unveiled on the August 24, 2000, one day before Nintendo's SpaceWorld trade show. Shaped roughly like a cube, the console is available in a variety of colors. In Japan, the system is also available in Spice (orange), or in limited edition colours like Crystal White, Mint Green, Copper, and White with black pinstripes.
The Nintendo GameCube uses a proprietary storage medium, the Nintendo GameCube Game Disc, based on Matshusita's optical-disc technology; the discs are approximately 3 1/8 inches) in diameter (considerably smaller than the CD's or DVD's used in competitors' consoles), and have a capacity of approximately 1.5 gigabytes.
It seemed that the GameCube was very much aimed at a younger audience. With the Playstation 2 having a strangle hold on the mainstream gaming community and the X-box aiming at an older -- shall we say more mature -- audience. The GameCube seemed to be filling a gap in the market with its toy-like looks and large controller appealing to a younger generation.
Despite this the GameCube is actually of a slightly more technical advancement than the PS2 and almost as powerful as the X-box. The main problem the GameCube suffered was due to its inability to play DVD's/CD's. As mentioned above, the GameCube uses much smaller discs as this was thought to help curb piracy but inevitable led to the console buying public viewing it as a draw back. On the other hand, its largest draw though could be said to be the many popular titles such as Mario Sunshine, Zelda the Wind Waker and Donkey Konga. These were all multi-player games and allowed for family fun.
BMW ... (Referenced by Artuto as the kind of car the PCHers typically go after.)
BMW (an acronym for Bayerische Moteren Werke Bavarian Motor Works) is German company that manufactures automobiles and motorcycles. The companys tagline in English is "The Ultimate Driving Machine."
Mario Kart / Daisy / Peach ... (Referenced by the video game Logan and Heather were playing.)
Super Mario Kart was the original Mario Kart game released back in the yesteryear of 1992 (I may add here than many an hour was wasted by myself and Mr. Shiny on this game). The game play mainly consisted of players racing go-karts and trying to obtain random items by driving through (or over in Super Mario Kart) question mark blocks, which could be used for either defense, offense or by powering up the engine for a short amount of time (boost). Each Mario Kart game hosts several gameplay modes, which could be played in both single player and multi player.
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! is the game that Logan and Heather were playing in the actual episode. It was designed specifically for the GameCube and is the fourth game in the Mario Kart series. The gameplay is much the same as the original but it does require that a kart has two racers. In addition, extra characters have been included and in addition to all this, its major draw is that it allows LAN play using the GameCube broadband adapter. Up to four GameCubes can be connected, allowing for sixteen player multi-player games (two players controlling each kart). So Logan & Heather can definitely keep their weekly game meetings ;)
It had a variety of characters that had originally appeared in the Mario series of games and they were Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad, Yoshi (my personal favorite), Donkey Kong Jr, Koopa Troopa and Bowser. The two characters mentioned specifically by Logan are Daisy and Peach.
Princess Daisy a.k.a. Daisy and Princess Peach a.k.a. Princess Toadstool a.k.a. Peach.
Princess Daisy is a character in the Mario series of games. She first appeared in Super Mario Land for the Game Boy back in 1989. She is the Princess of the Kingdom of Sarasaland a neighboring nation to the Mushroom Kingdom.. It is from here that she is kidnapped by the alien Tatanga. She is rescued by Mario.
There seemed to be some kind of romantic interest between the two but this could be attributed to the fact that she was often mistaken for Princess Peach whom Mario had rescued in previous games. After her initial debut Daisy was not seen again for ten years and reappeared in the game Mario Tennis. It is in this game that confirmation was given that Princess Daisy and Peach are indeed separate characters.
Her debut in the Mario Kart series of games came in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! where she was partnered up with Princess Peach. Daisy even has the honor of having her own track in the game the "Daisy Cruiser." She is a good light-weight character that has strong acceleration and top speed, great drifting and item using, but low handling. Daisy is considered to be witty and energetic and one of the only characters that uses slang. She is considered to be tomboyish although -- as her name suggests -- her special powers are based on flowers and daisies.
The other character referenced is Peach (or to give her her full title: Princess Peach, also know as Princess Toadstool). Like Princess Daisy, Princess Peach is a character in the Mario series of games. She first appeared in Super Mario Bros back in late 1985. She is the Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom where a great percent of the Mario games are set.
Peach lives in the Mushroom Kingdom with her mother and father (King & Queen Toadstool). She lives a solitary life in her palace being kept under the protection of Toad guards. This is due to the fact that only Peach can undo the evil magic cast upon her kingdom by Bowser. It is because of this reason that she is kidnapped by Bowser and eventually rescued by Mario.
She as appeared in nearly all the Mario games and is the first female character to have been given her own game as the main character "Super Princess Peach," released in 2006. In the Mario Kart series, she is among the lightest characters with the fastest acceleration, the lowest top speed, and the best off-road ability to take the shortcuts on each course. Character wise she is said to be very kind, well-mannered, and a noble person. It is also said that she possesses a pure heart and a pure voice and likes to help out whenever possible.
Shangri La ... (Referenced by Logan when Heather says how great Neptune is.)
A fictional place described in the 1933 novel Lost Horizon by British author James Hilton, Shangri-La is a mystical, harmonious valley at the western end of the Kunlun Mountains. The term has become synonymous with any earthly paradise in general. However, for some in particular, it is a mythical Himalayan utopia, where all inhabitants are happy and at peace, completely cut off from the outside world. Shangri-La is based on the concept of Shambhala - a mystical city in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.
Sometimes used as an analogy for a life-long quest, something that has long been obsessively sought, Shangri-La is similar to other metaphors of perfection, true happiness, or Utopian ideals which include the Garden of Eden, El Dorado, The Holy Grail, and The Fountain of Youth. Simply put, it is representative of a perfect earthly paradise that exists, but will forever be hidden from humanity.
Zipz Ice Cream ... (Referenced by Heather as the best ice cream ever.)
Sunny California! It has everything a person may want, including ice cream. What it doesn't appear to have is Zipz Ice Cream.
Right place, wrong town.
Founded in Chicago, IL, and Marlboro, NJ, Zipz is a full service Dessert Center that offers a wide variety of hard and soft serve ice cream, custom decorated cakes and other specialties that include malts and shakes, sundaes and Italian Ice. Relaxing atmosphere and something called Topping Central with twenty available toppings -- what can be more fun? (Well, Logan has a better suggestion, but all in due time).
One of the fun specialties is Zookie Pop -- a low fat snack with three available toppings: butterscotch, caramel, and chocolate. Not sure what it actually is, but it looks interesting enough to brave trying one.
The place also specializes in making birthday cakes decorated with your favorite characters: Barbie, Bob the Builder, Dora the Explorer, Elmo, Justice League, Looney Tunes, Mickey Mouse, Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Pokemon, Rugrats, Shrek and many more. I'm certain for the right price they'd make you that one with the Dude on it. You can stick candles into his nostrils.
Even though a single California location couldn't be tracked down, I have no doubt Zipz would be very successful in So Cal. It offers almost all of its products as fat-free and sugar-free options.
Amy's Ice Cream ... (Referenced by Logan as the best ice cream ever.)
Another place conspicuously absent from anywhere near the fictional town of Neptune, but famous nonetheless, is Amy's Ice Cream -- an Austin-based and privately-owned chain of ice cream shops in Central Texas. We will, however, forgive Rob Thomas for this little geographical lie. Apparently Amy's is so good, it ought to be in California! And in all the remaining states, too.
Amy's Ice Cream was started by Amy (naturally) Miller in 1985. A pre-med student at Tufts University, she worked for Steve's Ice Cream until it was bought out by a big bad corporation. Deciding that running an ice-cream parlor named after herself would undoubtedly be much more fun than dissecting cadavers, Amy -- and her business partner Scott Shaw -- promptly wrote a hot check for the lease of a store in Austin, and Amy's was born. I am assuming the hot check cooled off at some point and was covered, because the one shop has since grown into a robust and popular chain of twelve locations.
Amy's offers over two hundred flavors of ice cream and fruit ices (a non-dairy alternative not unlike sherbet). It should be noted that only a limited portion of those three hundred is offered at any given location at any given time. The standards include Sweet Cream, Just Vanilla, Mexican Vanilla (it's spicier, I presume), Coffee, White Chocolate, Belgian Chocolate and Dark Chocolate. Mexican Vanilla seems to be the most popular.
The chain offers three sizes of ice cream: Tiny (4 ounces), Small (6 ounces) and Large (8 ounces). And may I take this opportunity to commendd them for the portion control. Of course they do encourage you to get the Small or the Large ones by offering with it mixed in "Crush'ns" -- almonds, walnuts, pecans, mixed nuts, oatmeal cookies, chocolate chip cookies, Oreos, Cameos, Nutter Butters, Reeses Cups, Butterfingers, Kit Kats, M&Ms (both plain and peanut), health bars (because it's so effective with the Large ice cream, no doubt), chocolate chips, fresh strawberries, bananas, Whoppers, Junior Mints, Twix, cookie dough, granola, raisins, coconut, Grape Nuts, marshmallows, Snickers, graham crackers, ginger snaps, hot fudge, butterscotch, pecan praline, gourmet chocolate sprinklers or a variety of other items. Man, you'd need two hundred flavors just to fit all those "Crush'ns" in! Oh, and if you do insist on a Tiny size (good for you!), you can get some "Crush'ns" sprinkled on top.
Other products include smoothies, malts, shakes, and other treats that are all made from the rich fourteen percent butterfat ice cream.
Amy's has a very interesting employee selection process. The chain likes to create unique and fun atmosphere and service. The job application is a white paper bag and the prospective employee is told to be creative. Only requirements are the name and the contact information somewhere on the bag. The bags have been returned decorated, with stories written on them and videos placed inside. Many Amy's "scoopers" do tricks like throwing ice cream off the spade behind their backs, under the leg, etc.
On Amy's website the description of the creative way employees operate is put thus: "Fun, fun, fun 'til your daddy takes the T-bird away!" I have to say that after reading that, I understood why Logan feels such affinity for this particular brand.
San Diego ... (Referenced by Mason's alibi, the city where his girlfriend lives.)
It is believed that the first humans settled in the San Diego area some 20,000 years ago, along the coast, and 12,000 ago in the desert area, but it was in 1542 that Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo sailed from Mexico into the Bay and claimed the area for Spain, naming it San Miguel. At the time, there were 20-30,000 of the Kumeyaay tribe living there. In 1602, explorer Sebastian Vizcaino arrived on his ship, San Diego, and named the area for the Spanish Catholic saint, San Diego de Alcal. Then, in 1769, the first of a chain of twenty-one missions along the California coast was founded by Father Junipero Serra and the California Governor Gaspar de Portola. It was built on Presidio Hill and named Mission San Diego de Alcal. The first colonists arrived in 1774 and San Diego came under Mexican rule in 1821 when Mexico won its independence from Spain. Then, in 1848, a treaty ending the war between the U.S. and Mexico set the official international border and declared San Diego an American city. Two years later, San Diego County was created and the City of San Diego was incorporated.
Today, with a population of around 1.25 million, San Diego is the second largest city in California and the seventh largest in the nation. According to the San Diego city website, more than 96 percent of the residents are employed, with a median family income of almost $40,000. The top industries are manufacturing, defense, tourism and agriculture, with an additional focus on biotechnology/biosciences, electronics manufacturing, software, telecommunications, financial and business services, and defense and space manufacturing.
Located only 17 miles from the Mexican border, with 70 miles of coastline and an overall land area of 342.4 square miles, San Diego is also home to many popular tourist attractions, such as Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Wild Animal Park, Legoland California and the Del Mar Thoroughbred Races. Professional sports teams include the San Diego Chargers (football), the Padres (baseball) and the Gulls (hockey). In addition to ten community colleges located throughout the county, the city is also home to San Diego State, the largest California State University campus, and the University of California, San Diego.
Gulfstream V ... (Referenced by Keith when he checks Stolz's alibi.)
The Gulf Stream G500 is a business jet and was formerly know as the Gulfstream V. It is produced by the General Dynamics Gulfstream Aerospace unit based out in Savannah, Georgia. It is an aircraft used by the U.S. Air Force carrying out missions for the government and Defense department officials. Its designation number within the Air Force is C-37A.
The Gulfstream V is capable of cruising at 51,000 feet. It has many features from enhanced weather radar, autopilot and head-up display for the pilot. Safety features include Enhanced Vision Systems that allows increased visibility in austere environments. An interesting fact about the jet is that since 9/11, it has become embroiled in the war against terrorists. It seems to be used to transport hooded and handcuffed passengers and has been seen landing at military airports such as Pakistan, Indonesia, and Jordan.
An article written back in December 27, 2004 by Dana Priest of the Washington Post outlined the situation and claimed to have confronted the CIA with there findings, but the CIA declined to comment. The full article can be found here Washington Post article. Below is an excerpt:
Ponies are a horse breed with a specific conformation and temperament. Ponies measure less or equal to 14.2 hands high (hh) at the withers, where one hand equals approximately four inches. Unlike horses, ponies have thicker manes, tails and coats. Also proportionately shorter legs, wider barrels, heavier bone, and thicker necks and broader foreheads.
A pony!!!!
Ponies come in three sizes. They are considered small if their size is 12.2 hh and under. Medium ones are over 12.2 hh but no taller than 13.2 hh. And large ponies are over 13.2 hh but no taller than 14.2 hh.
The ponies evolved from original wild horses that developed smaller stature due to living in the margins of livable habitat. They were domesticated and bread for various purposes, particularly in Great Britain and Ireland. Ponies were historically used for hauling loads of coal up from the mines, driving and freight transport, or for recreational riding (especially for children) and later as competitors and performers. Larger ponies can be ridden by adults. Ponies are usually very strong and can carry weight. They are also intelligent if somewhat stubborn animals. Properly trained ponies are great for children who are learning how to ride. However, sometimes ponies can be more difficult to handle than horses, despite their smaller size.
Pony racing, much like horse racing, is an equestrian sport which has been practiced over the centuries. It provides many young jockeys with riding experience. And just like horse racing, its often closely associated with gambling.
The three ways to bet on the races are bet to win, bet to place, and bet to show. Betting to win is staking money on the pony to finish first. Betting to place is betting on the starter to win or come second. Betting to show is betting on it to finish first, second or third. Since its much easier to pick one that would "show" as opposed to "win," the payoff for showing is much lower than for a win. Betting to show is playing it safe (though common sense says you can get ahead more often that way), and betting to win is risking more in hope of higher rewards.
So, Im guessing, Keiths pal -- the Neptune Grand security guard who is still working there -- is betting to show. Either that or he is having no returns at all on his bets to win. Or else, he should consider graduating from pony racing and go bet with the big boys on horses. Because, seriously, betting on ponies is only a marginal step above investing with Dick Casablancas in dog tracks.
Wanda Holloway / "Cheerleader Mom" ... (Referenced by Veronica when she talks about motives with Mason.)
Also called the "Texas Cheerleader Murdering Mom," Ms. Holloway is indeed a woman from Houston, Texas who tried to get her brother-in-law to hire a hitman to kill the mother of her daughter's rival for the cheerleading squad. She hoped that the girl would be so distraught by her mother's death that she would not be able to compete and would drop out of the running for the spot on the squad.
Holloway had always wanted to be a cheerleader as a child. She began pushing her 13-year-old daughter into the sport, and was actually on friendly terms with the intended victim, Verna Hearth, until Hearth's daughter began beating Holloway's daughter in cheerleading competitions. Her brother-in-law told the police that Holloway had propositioned him to hire a hitman to kill Hearth. After listening to tapes of the proposition, a jury convicted Holloway for solicitation of capital murder in 1991. The original conviction for a fifteen-year sentence was overturned when it was discovered that one of the jurors had been on probation.
She was convicted to a ten-year sentence in 1997, but was released six months in with nine and a half-year probation. Upon her release, Hearth was quoted as saying, "Until we know a doctor has said she is over this obsession, no, we do not feel comfortable. Despite the prosecutor's request, Holloway was never sent to a mental hospital. She lived in Kingwood, TX during her years on probation, where she was ordered to serve one thousand hours of community service, and has since moved back to Houston where she lives with her husband.
Crme Brle (Referenced by Landry when he tells Mindy he's ordered some from room service.)
So delicious! Crme brle is a popular dessert with a rich custard base topped with a layer of hard caramel which is usually created by burning sugar with a kitchen blow torch. The origins of crme brle are much debated, with the English, French and Spanish all taking claim for its invention. Since the eighteenth century the Spanish have taken credit for the custard as :crema catalana," while the English claim it originated in seventeenth century Britain where it was known as "burnt cream." It wasn't until the late nineteenth century that the French translation came into common usage, putting the dessert on the map from Paris to New York, and its wide recognition today seems to give the French the credit for the invention of crme brle.
Below is a recipe for this most amazing of desserts. Straightforward and unpretentious, if you've never tried crme brle do yourself a favor and try making it at home. You won't be disappointed.
Classic Crme Brle
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a KICK-ASS! 2005 crime film/romantic comedy. Based in part on the novel Bodies Are Where You Find Them by Brett Halliday, the screenplay was written by Shane Black who also directed the film. (And he did a stellar job in both arenas.) It was produced by Joel Silver, Carrie Morrow, Susan Levin and Steve Richards. The cast includes Robert Downey Jr. as Harry Lockhart, Val Kilmer as Gay Perry and Michelle Monaghan as Harmony Faith Lane.
Others actors involved in this awesome production are Corbin Bernsen, Dash Mihok, Larry Miller, Rockmond Dunbar, Shannyn Sossamon and Angela Lindvall.
As great as this film is, it's definitely for adults. There's a plentitude of profanity (PLENTY!), violence, nudity and adult themes. But if you're an adult, are okay with the above and enjoy KICKASS! movies, get thee going and watch this beauty pronto!
Graveyard Shift ... (Referenced by Tina when she tells Veronica about Jeff Ratner's demotion.)
The graveyard shift is a popular name for the third shift of a 24-hour work schedule, covering the early morning hours such as 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. or midnight to 8 a.m.
Current popular explanations for the origin of the phrase "graveyard shift" reference the 19th century problem of accidentally burying people who were still alive. To prevent this from happening, the story goes, caskets were equipped with a bell-ringing device enabling a waking "corpse" to notify the world that they were no longer dead. The graveyard attendants who remained vigilant throughout the day and night worked the graveyard shift.
This explanation is denounced by Michael Quinion (of World Wide Words) who claims the above is merely a story and nothing more. According to Quinion, "graveyard shift is an evocative term for the night shift between about midnight and eight in the morning, when -- no matter how often you've worked it - your skin is clammy, there's sand behind your eyeballs, and the world is creepily silent, like the graveyard. The phrase dates only from the early years of the twentieth century."
Another source claims that while the the name did originate with the graveyard, but it was more work-related; simply put, the graveyard keeper would be one of the few people expected to work this shift, thus the term.
Nick Lachey's "What's Left Of Me" ... (Referenced as the song that Heather dedicated to Veronica from Logan.)
"What's Left of Me" was the first single off of Nick Lachey's sophomore solo record of the same name, released in early 2006. The poignant and heartbreaking single chronicles the end of his very public marriage to fellow pop star Jessica Simpson. Simpson and Lachey married October 2002 after a four-year courtship and their brief but seemingly loving marriage was chronicled in the hit MTV series Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica. The show ran from August 2003 through March 2005. Not long after the end of the series, rumors began to circulate that the couple's marriage was in trouble. Nick and Jessica officially separated in November 2005 and their divorce was final in the summer of 2006.
Ironically, it was amidst the demise of his marriage that Lachey achieved the greatest amount of personal, professional success. The single for "What's Left of Me" went to #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and the album to #2 on the Billboard 200 Chart before eventually being certified gold.
The song is a beautifully sad testament to Nick's personal pain and heartache over the end of his relationship with Jessica. Heather was spot-on in her choice of this song for her surprise dedication -- these heartfelt and painful lyrics could so easily have been written by Logan for his beloved Veronica.
What's left of Nick. What's left of Logan. They could form their very own sadsacks club.
If the lyrics alone aren't enough to convince you that the song perfectly encapsulates woobie Logan's heartbreak, check out this amazing fanvid from The LoVe Shack's very own CatherineBruce here in the Music forum. (Note: Spoilers through 2x22 and slight hints of Lily and Kendall, but I assure you, you won't be sorry you checked it out.) I have no doubt that like Heather, you'll agree that this song was made for a Logan/Veronica LoVe dedication.
Hamster (Cage) ... (Referenced by Heather when she gets stir crazy in Logan's suite.)
A hamster is a rodent belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae. The subfamily contains about eighteen species, classified in six or seven genera. Hamsters are indigenous to the Middle East and southeastern Europe. Because they are easy to keep and breed in captivity, hamsters are often used as lab animals and pets.
Pet? Yes. This little guy as a lab experiment?
No way.
Hamsters can be kept both in cages and in terrariums, both of which are available in pet stores. Cages are easier to carry, their bars can be used for climbing, and they usually include a convenient front door. On the other hand, glass boxes keep hamsters from throwing litter out of their cages, provide a better view into the hamster's home, and create a quieter and more sheltered interior.
A variety of cages, from simple to more elaborate.
Despite the hamster's small size, appropriate housings should always have a floor space of at least two square feet and a strong top because hamsters are surprisingly good climbers. Glass boxes must not be higher than their width to allow for a sufficient air circulation. Usually hamsters with a bigger and more interesting home will live longer and provide more visual entertainment.
FBI ... (Referenced by Landry about the internship he wants Veronica to get.)
Created in 1908 by Attorney General Charles Joseph Bonaparte as the official investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Justice, the Bureau of Investigation (BOI) was tasked with investigating antitrust matters, land fraud, copyright violations, peonage, and twenty other crimes. It wasn't until the 1930's that, in response to the violence of organized crime following in the wake of Prohibition, Congress passed the Federal Kidnapping Act and the 1934 May/June Crime Bills. These new laws gave the FBI authority to act in previously off-limit areas, to make arrests and to carry weapons. At this time, the BOI was renamed the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
During the 1930's, the FBI played a prominent role in the aggressive pursuit and apprehension of well-known gangsters, earning the FBI's agents the nickname "G-Men." In the following decades, the FBI's efforts were directed at a wide range of issues including subversion, espionage, sabotage, civil rights violations, organized crime, white collar crime and high technology crimes.
The FBI's motto is "Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity," and its currently stated mission is "to protect and defend the United States against terrorist and foreign intelligence threats and to enforce the criminal laws of the United States."
FBI Headquarters is located in the J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington, D.C. The most well-known Director of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover held the office from 1924 to 1972. Upon his death, the FBI instituted a policy to limit future Directors to a term of no more than ten years. Today, the FBI's workforce includes more than 11,000 Special Agents, Legal Attachs (LEGATS) stationed in foreign countries and 1,000 FBI Police officers whose job it is to protect the J. Edgar Hoover Building, the FBI's training Academy in Quantico and the Washington and New York Field Offices.
Robert Downey Jr. ... (Referenced by Veronica when she brings up Kiss Kiss Bang Bang with Landry.)
What can I say here? I could wax lyrically about how much of a teen crush I had on Robert Downey Jr., but that may take to long so I will stick to the facts. Downey Jr. is an actor born back on the April 4, 1965 in New York City. He came from a theatrical background so it was no surprise that he ended up being an actor. His mother, Elsie, was a dancer and singer and his father a director -- mainly of underground films.
Although not necessarily grouped in with the Brat Pack he came to prominence back in the 1980's. His first role was as a puppy (yep you read that right) in one of his dad's films called Pound. Downey Jr. joined the cast of Saturday Night Live but only appeared in one season. He appeared in a number of films in his early career most notably (for me) Weird Science (1985) -- oh how I loved that film, yes I am showing my age but damnit, I still love that film.
He was also in The Pick up Artist (1987) -- again, a film I loved and the first to really attract me to him :). He also gave a stellar performance in Less than Zero (1987) playing a prophetic role as a drug-addicted rich boy, gaining rave reviews and elevating him amongst the critics and starmakers in Hollywood above the other twenty-something actors making it big. The film list goes on, but an appearance that must be mentioned was his role as Charlie Chaplin in Chaplin which earned him an Academy Award nomination as Best Actor.
Downey Jr. as Charlie Chaplin portraying "The Tramp."
Professionally, Downey Jr. was on track, but his personal life was another matter. For a long period of time there was great concern for him as it became obvious that he was battling with an addiction to drugs. In fact, Downey Jr. was arrested on a number of occasions due to his addiction. The first arrest was on the June 23, 1996 where he was arrested for drink driving and being in the possession of Black Tar, Heroin, Crack, Cocaine and an unloaded .357 magnum revolver. Almost six months later, he was sentenced on November 6th to three years probation for weapons and drugs charges. Unfortunately, Downey Jr. violated his parole a year later and was sentenced to six months in prison. Less than two years later (July of 1999) he ended up back at Corcoran State Prison for a further three years for again violating his parole.
Yeah, this guy's taken this shot before.
In an odd twist he was then released due to a sentencing error made by his trial judge in August 1999. It was believed that the time Downey had spent in court-ordered rehab had not been taken into account and it was ruled that the actor ended up serving more than enough time to fulfil his sentence. Still, he was arrested yet again in November 2000 at a hotel in Palm Springs for Cocaine and Valium possession and being under the influence of a controlled substance. Downey Jr. was not jailed for this as in July 2002 the charges were dropped due to Proposition 36. At that point he had been drug free for fourteen months. But it didn't last. He was arrested two more times after that -- in 2002 for climbing into his neighbor child's bed while under the influence of alcohol and back in April 2001 for being under the influence of a controlled substance yet again. He was found wandering in an alley. Oy vey.
However, that was then, this is now. Robert Downey Jr. has since been clean and sober and informed the press that he actually suffers from Bipolar Disorder, a form of manic depression. Having cleared himself of his drug addiction he has rebuilt his acting career and appeared in many films. He also built a TV career by appearing in the acclaimed show Ally McBeal which he won a Golden Globe for and was nominated for an Emmy for his role.
Romantically he has been linked with Sarah Jessica Parke and married Deborah Falconer back in 1992. The union produced a son, Indio. They divorced in 2004 and he has since married Susan Levin, a producer he met when filming Gothika with Halle Berry.
The Downey Jr./Levin wedding; Downey Jr. with Berry in Gothika.
Val Kilmer ... (Referenced by Veronica when she brings up Kiss Kiss Bang Bang with Landry.)
Val Kilmer is an actor, born in Las Angeles, California. He was raised a Christian Scientist and attended Chatsworth High School with fellow would-be actors Kevin Spacey and Mare Winningham. He was accepted into Julliard's drama program at he age of seventeen, and was at the time the youngest admittee into the program.
Some of Kilmer's most known roles include "Iceman" in Top Gun, Madmartigan in Willow, and Doc Holiday in Tombstone. He played the leading roles of Jim Morison in The Doors and Batman in Batman Forever(1995). In 2003, he starred in Spartan, which was also Kristen Bell's first major big-screen film. Kilmer played a secret agent for the United States, charged with the task of rescuing the kidnapped daughter (Bell) of the President. He starred in the action-comedy Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang with Robert Downey Junior in 2005.
LEFT: Kilmer and Bell, Spartan; RIGHT: Kilmer and Downey, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang
Kilmer is notorious for his meticulous preparation for his roles, and is often noted for being difficult to work with. After an explosive argument on the set of The Island of Dr. Moreau, director John Frankenheimer vowed to never work with Kilmer again. Tom Cruise, his on-screen rival in Top Gun, also has an ongoing mutual animosity towards Kilmer. Kilmer was married to his Willow costar Joanne Whalley from 1988-1996 and they have two children together.
Prozac ... (Referenced by Melinda about Heather's medication.)
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.
Volvo ... (Referenced by Keith when he interrogates Mrs. O'Dell why her car wasnt at the hotel during the deans murder.)
Did you know that volvo is Latin for "I roll" or "I turn?" Well it is, not that the origin of the word has anything to do with the vehicle, instead it has to do with the original product of SKF (for Svenska Kullagerfabriken AB), which had registered as their trademark of a special series of ball bearing. That was the original plan, but they instead decided to go with SKF, but then decided it was a nifty name for their automotive company. The Volvo, or Aktiebolaget Volvo, is a leading Swedish Manufacturer of vehicles, drive systems for marin and industrial applications, as well as aerospace components and financial services. Volvo is basically a spin-off of the SKF and was founded on August 10, 1926 in Gothenburg. In 1999, Ford Motor Company bought Volvo cars.
The first series produced Volvo automobile, called 'V4' (ppen vagn (Open wagon)-4 cylinders) left the factory on April 14, 1927. Just nine hundred and ninety-six cars were produced between 1927-1929. 'V4' was replaced by model PV651 in April 1929. Volvo's first success in the automobile production came with the PV444 that was introduced in september 1944. The Volvo Group today has more than 81,000 employees, with manufacturing in twenty-five countries and sales in more than one hundred and eighty-five markets. The group provides complete solutions for financing and service.
With Age Comes Wisdom ... (Referenced by Logan when Heather concedes that Amy's ice cream is better.)
"With age comes wisdom." So says the familiar doctrine so old its origins are untraceable. The saying itself is considered to be a conventional wisdom, used as a clich and a promise. Or, as a joke, when talking to a fast-learning eleven-year-old. And like all cliches its true only in part of the cases. The other popular saying, of course, is that wisdom doesn't always come with age. Sometimes age comes alone. I am intently watching Dick Casablancas to live true to just that doctrine.
Ball and Chain ... ((Referenced by Logan when Dick's wife storms out.)
"Ball and chain" is a phrase that -- oh so gently and lovingly -- has come to mean "wife." An actual ball and chain is a restraint device consisting of a heavy, solid, metal ball attached to a chain. Shackled to the legs of a prisoner, it was used to keep them from running. It was reported that up to the 1920's this device was used in prisons in the United States.
There are also stories that such device was used to ground hitch a buggy horse where no hitching posts were available. The driver would put the weight on the ground and attach the lose end of the chain to the bridle. It was sufficient to make the horse believe that it was a post and that the restraint was unbreakable.
The charming allusion to such a restraint when talking about a wife comes from the lovely presumption that a man's spouse is there to hold him down and keep him from doing the things he really wants to do. I say it's bull. The wife is there to ground hitch the man by his bridle so he doesn't gallop away into the night with her buggy.
"Where's the love?"
Alexandre Dumas ... (Referenced by the book Veronica used to smuggle Josh cookies.)
Alexandre Dumas was born on July 24, 1802 in Villers-Cotterts, Aisne near Paris, France. He was the son of a French General and his mother was the daughter on an innkeeper. The General died when Dumas was not yet four. This meant he was left to be raised by his mother in a state of poverty. He grew up with a love of books and read anything and everything that was available to him.
During his young life he was enamored by the stories of his father's military actions and this created in him a vivid imagination and a love for adventure stories. Upon turning twenty, he moved to Paris and found employment at the Palais Royal. It was during his time in Paris that Dumas started his prolific writing career, initially just writing articles for magazines then moving on to plays. His first play Henry III and his Court was produced in 1829 and was met with great acclaim as was his second play Christine. This gave him the financial stability to write full time.
He wrote many more plays but eventually started writing novels -- the most well known being The Three Musketeers (1844) and The Count of Monte Cristo. The man was extremely prolific and to list all his works would make quite a list. Dumas was also an incredibly astute businessman and after participating in the revolution that saw King Charles X removed from the throne, he realized the demand for serializations in newspapers. He rewrote one of his plays and created his first serialized novel Le Capitaine Paul. He went on to create a production studio that churned out hundreds of stories which he always kept under his personal input and direction.
In 1840, Duman wrote a novel called The Fencing Master -- the story was written as a narrated account of his fencing master Augustin Grisier's time in Russia and demonstrated how Grisier had come to be a witness in the Decembrist revolt in Russia. The novel was banned in Russia, which also led to Dumas not being allowed to enter Russia. Once the Czar died this was lifted.
Dumas was quite the known philanderer as well and although marrying in 1840, he courted several ladies and is said to have fathered at least three illegitimate children. One of these children followed in his father's footsteps ... and was also named Alexandre Dumas. Due to this, you will find that our man Dumas is often referred to as Alexandre Dumas pere and the son as Alexandre Dumas filis.
Dumas pere used many ghost-writers, the most famous of which being Auguste Maquet who did a great deal of work on The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers. Although he made a lot of money, he managed to waste the majority of it between women and living a lavish lifestyle, which included many a hanger-on-er. In 1851 he decided to get away from his creditors and ran away to Brussels. Moving onto Russia, he settled there for two years as French was the second language and his work was much loved. After this sojourn, he moved to Italy and helped in the fight for a united Italy and created the newspaper Indipendente. Finally, he returned to Paris in 1864.
Dumas was of mixed race and although he had many aristocratic connections and was well know for his success, the race issue was always a thorn in his side. This led him to write a novel called Georges that explored the issues of race. Unfortunately, even after his death on the December 5, 1870, this was to prove an issue and Dumas was never credited with his rightful place in history.
The Count of Monte Cristo ... (Referenced by the book Veronica used to smuggle Josh cookies.)
The Count of Monte Cristo is a novel written by the great Alexandre Dumas back in 1844. The novel tells us the story of nineteen-year old Edmond Dants who is betrayed by three men he considers his friends. It would be a shame to reveal to much of the plot if you haven't already read the story, but I will try and sketch out a small outline though.
Dants is a young man who finds himself promoted and charged with delivering a parcel to the former Grande Marshal Marchal Bertrand by his recently deceased friend. He is also trying to return home to Marseille where his family resides and his fiance, the beautiful Mercds, is waiting for him. Due to jealousy caused by his promotion, his recent windfall and having Mercds as his fiance his friends -- through various Machiavellian schemes -- have the poor lad condemned to a life sentence in an isolated island prison (Chteau d'If). Now I am loathe to continue with the story as it really would be giving to much away. Let's just say that after many years imprisonment on the island, various things happen that allow Edmond to escape and exact his revenge ;)
The book was originally published in eighteen parts between August 1844 to 1846. The completed version of the novel in the original French was published throughout the nineteenth century. The common English translation was originally published in 1846.
The Count of Monte Cristo is still to this day considered some of Dumas' best work and repeatedly appears in lists of the best novels of all time. It as also been adapted into many screen versions from films, TV series and even an anime series. There are over fourteen film and TV versions dating from 1908 through to 2004.
Apple for Teacher ... (Referenced by Logan's giving an apple to his teacher.)
There is a long history of apples buttering up a teacher's affection. According to aboutapple.com, the juicy fruit -- polished, but of course -- is a traditional present for teachers in the United States, Denmark, and Sweden. This stemmed from the fact that teachers during the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries were poorly paid, so parents would compensate the teacher by providing food. As apples were a very common crop, teachers would often be given baskets of apples by students. As wages increased, the quantity of apples was toned down to a single fruit. Others believe the good health associated with apples made the present particularly meaningful.
Giving an apple to a teacher is also the origin for the term "apple-polisher," which was first recorded in the late
1920's. Apple-polishers, also referred to as bootlickers, brown-nosers or toadies (among other, even worse nicknames), aren't always favorably looked upon by other students. And I'm sure that would really be a problem for Logan ... not.
Aileen Wornos ... (Referenced on the projector in Landry's class.)
Aileen Carol Wuornos was born on February 29, 1956 and was a serial killer who was sentenced to death by the state of Florida in 1992. She ultimately received five additional death sentences. Wuornos admitted to killing seven men, in separate incidents, all of whom she claimed raped her (or attempted to) while she was working as a prostitute. She was put to death via lethal injection on October 9, 2002. Wuornos had a miserable upbringing: Her father was a pyschopathic child molester who died in jail and her mother abandoned her children when Arlene was only four. She lived with her grandparents, but claimed they were sexually abusive. She had multiple sexual partners by the age of fourteen, had a child out of wedlock, was banished from her community, gave the child up for adoption and turned to prostitution while still in high school.
In and out of prison for much of her life (various offenses included drunk driving, disorderly conduct, assault, firing a weapon at a moving vehicle, armed robbery and grand auto theft), she hit a windfall in 1976 when her brother died of throat cancer leaving her with a $10,000 life insurance policy. However, Wuornos squandered that money in two months and suffered from financial woes continually. She made money through prostitution and theft of her clients. The two major romantic relationships in her life were with sixty-nine year old Lewis Fell, a wealthy yacht club president who met Wuornos while she was hitchhiking to Florida; the two married soonafter, but after only a month of marriage, Fell had it annulled. The other was with Tyria Moore, a motel maid who quit her job after hooking up with Arlene. Their romance lasted only a year, but the two were unseparable during the next four and it was during this time period, that Wuornos began killing.
Her first of six victims was Richard Mallory, a man that Arlene later claimed raped her. Wuornos was eventually identified when she and Moore were involved in an accident while driving a victim's car. She was apprehended a few months later. Arlene was convicted for his murder in January 1992 with help from Moore's testimony. When Wuornos was found guilty of the murder of Richard Mallory, she exclaimed at the jury "I'm innocent! I was raped! I hope you get raped! Scumbags of America!" On March 31, 1992, Wuornos pleaded no contest to the murders of Dick Humphreys, Troy Burress, and David Spears, saying she wanted to "get right with God." In her statement to the court, she averred "I wanted to confess to you that Richard Mallory did violently rape me as I've told you. But these others did not. [They] only began to start to." In June 1992, she pleaded guilty to the murder of Charles Carskaddon and received her fifth death sentence. In February of 1993, she plead guilty to the murder of Walter Gino Antonio. No charges were brought against her for the murder of Peter Siems, since his body was never found. In all, she received six death sentences.
Wuornos told several inconsistent stories about the killings she had committed. She admitted to killing seven men, in separate incidents. She claimed initially that all seven had raped her while she was working as a prostitute. Later, she recanted the claim of self-defense. After her first death sentence, Wuornos often said she wanted "it all to be over." In 2001 she began fighting to be executed. She petitioned the Florida Supreme Court for the right to fire her legal counsel and stop all appeals, saying "I killed those men, robbed them as cold as ice. And I'd do it again, too. There's no chance in keeping me alive or anything, because I'd kill again. I have hate crawling through my system.... I am so sick of hearing this 'she's crazy' stuff. I've been evaluated so many times. I'm competent, sane, and I'm trying to tell the truth. I'm one who seriously hates human life and would kill again."
Arlene Wuornos was executed by lethal injection (which she requested instead of the electric chair) at 9:47 a.m., Wednesday, October 9, 2002. After her execution, she was cremated, and her ashes were taken to her native Michigan and spread beneath a tree.
Inaccurately touted as "the first female serial killer," Wuornos' life has been documented in numerous books and portrayed in several films and television shows. The most famous were two documentaries and the movie, Monster. Nick Broomfield directed the two documentaries (Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer, 1992, and Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer, 2003). He conducted the last media interview with Wuornos on the day before her execution.
The 2003 movie Monster, starred Charlize Theron as Wuornos. It told the story from the moment she met Selby Wall (played by Christina Ricci) -- based on Wuornos' lover and four-year companion, Tyria Moore -- until her first conviction for murder. For her performance as Wuornos, Theron received the Academy Award for Best Actress. This award was given on what would have been Wuornos' 48th birthday.
Wow, that was depressing.
John Wayne Gacy ... (Referenced by the slide on the projector in Landry's class).)
John Wayne Gacy, Jr. , born March 17, 1942, was an American serial killer who was convicted and executed for the rape and murder of thirty-three boys and young men, twenty-eight of whom he buried under the crawl space under his house. (I know, I know. Ewwwwww. I feel ya.) He became notorious as the "Killer Clown" because of the many block parties he attended, entertaining children in a clown suit and makeup. There was a photo of Gacy in his "Pogo" clown costume, but it was so disturbing I thought I'd spare you all the horror.
Don't be fooled: he's no "nice guy."
Gacy was born and raised in Chicago. He had a very distressed and distant relationship with his stern, alcoholic father, who often beat him and derided him as a "sissy." Gacy married in 1964, but the marriage fell apart after he was convicted of child molestation in 1968. He was sent to prison for this crime, but he was a model prisoner and was paroled in 1970 after serving only eighteen months. After he was released, he moved back to Illinois. He successfully hid this criminal record until police began investigating him for his later murders.
In 1971, he bought a house in an unincorporated area of Norwood Park Township, which is surrounded by the northwest side Chicago neighborhood of Norwood Park, and established his own construction business. He married a woman he had known since high school, she and her two daughters moved in with him -- she would eventually divorce him in 1976. He became a prominent and respected member of the community. In addition to his clown act, he became active in the local Democratic Party, eventually becoming a precinct captain. As I'm sure you can imagine, after his arrest most of his neighbors were shocked and responded with the painfully typical "But he seemed so nice!" despite the fact that many of them had commented on the strange and horrible smells emanating from underneath his home.
Gacy stayed below the radar until December 12, 1978, when he was investigated following the disappearance of a teenage boy, 15-year-old Robert Piest. A search of his house, by Des Plaines detective Joseph Kozenczak, revealed a number of incriminating items related to other disappearances. On December 22, 1978, Gacy went to his lawyers and confessed to thirty-three murders, indicating where the twenty-eight bodies buried under his house and on his property could be found. The other five he said were thrown into the nearby Des Plaines River after he ran out of space beneath the crawl space under his house. Most of the victims were young men ranging in age from nine years old to twenty years old.
On February 6, 1980, Gacy's trial began in Chicago. During the trial, he made a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. His lawyer, Sam Amirante made the claim that Gacy had moments of temporary insanity at the time of each individual murder, but before and afterwards, somehow regained his sanity to properly lure and dispose of victims. (Yeah, right. A defense like that might work in Neptune, but not out here in the real world.) His plea was rejected outright for the crap piece of fiction it was. He was found guilty on March 13 and sentenced to death. On May 10, 1994, Gacy was executed at Stateville Penitentiary in Crest Hill, Illinois, by lethal injection. Without getting too graphic or preaching from my soap box, I'll just say this: Good riddance to bad rubbish.
- Aww. Veronica was having desert for lunch with her BFF. Chocolate ice cream to cheer their spirits. Too bad she kind of killed the mood by sliding him her bowl to throw away for her. Like he's the help, or something. Pfft. Or maybe she was just letting him finish off the rest of hers.
- Heh. I understand why Jeff hates Logan now.
- So for those left wondering how Logan's socks ended up hanging from the lampshade and fish last week ...
Mystery solved! Dick did it!
- How to tell a little girl is on Prozac? She walks into a room with a huge smile on her face, and the grin doesn't waver at all when she meets an unshaven, Logan buried beneath a pile of dirty laundry. Yeah. It's easy to be happy all the time when you're eleven and on Prozac.
- Heather's delayed 'gross' when Logan tells her to stay out of the porn. Hee.
- It's been a while since we've had some nifty camera moves, so it was nice seeing the slowly spinning angle on Logan as he lay in bed. It did a lovely, understated job of showing Logan's continued state of mind.
- I think Stoltz Industries hired the same interior decorator who threw random animals (goats??? fish??) around the Neptune Grand. Why can't that guy get shot?
- I'm sorry, but even after thirteen episodes, the sight of Veronica leaning against a silver hybrid Subaru while about to engage in slightly illegal activity is just wrong. Oh, LeBaron, I miss you so.
- So Arturo went to see the wizard singing "If I only had a brain!" and his wish was granted. Meanwhile our main characters show little signs of following Lamb's advice and finding the missing pieces of themselves. Well, it does look like Logan refound his courage. Now what should Veronica ask for?
- Logan plays Mario Kart as one of the characters that can use a heart to protect themselves. What a subtle metaphor.
- How adorable was the smile on Logan's face while he played video games with Heather? -- Right before she started asking him about Veronica again and his face dropped.
- I love how Logan doesn't react at all when Dick says he's married. Hey, it's Dick. Logan is desensitized to his particular brand of 'gotcha' by now.
- The low-five that Logan offers Heather and to which she quickly delivers upon after her little prank.
- I'm not one to praise John Kretchmer's direction (especially this season), but he did an outstanding job on this episode. Along with the above-mentioned scene, another one was with Veronica and Josh at the cliff. The whole of it was just gorgeous, with a touch of menace and intrigue. The background, the waves crashing over the rocks, the way it darkened as the camera pulled away to almost silhouette the two standing on the cliff ... all of it was captured beautifully.
- Mindy O'Dell is looking more and more like the femme fatale of noir in each episode. Here we've got the Veronica Lake-esque hair, plunging neckline, red lipstick ...
- I know Veronica's the heroine and all, but it was actually nice seeing someone she was basically accusing of a heinous crime tell her to screw herself. Not pleasant, but really, the girl has a terrible habit of being accusatory as all hell with no basis and expecting polite, honest responses in return. Landry still being excited for Veronica's FBI future (while he's being investigated by her and her dad) and Jeff's quick capitulation (when he seemed to detest her) is not normal. She really oughta take some notes from daddy dearest who does a wonderful job of finding out the nitty gritty of a suspect without coming across as a smug, self-entitled jerk. Seriously, I'm not ragging on Veronica, she really needs to do this better. Keith does a great job, she should watch and learn.
- The callback to Veronica's baking skillz is always nice to see. Hmm, I couldn't tell if the cookies leaned though.
- As much as I don't see Logan ever listening to Nick Lachey, Heather's choice of song contained very insightful, pertinent lyrics. No wonder Veronica couldn't stand to listen to it.
- The shirt that Heather was wearing when she pulled her little prank on Logan (re: online guy) was the same that Veronica wore in Hi Infidelity when she went to dig up scoop on Rory Finch. So yes, we can say that Veronica went to see Logan afterwards and they had sex. Uh huh.
- And the second shirt Heather was wearing in the elevator scene is the same one Veronica was wearing when she showed up at Logan's door at the end of Show Me the Monkey. Proof positive that not only was there make-up sex to be had, but also that Veronica probably left wearing Logan's clothes (or at least something she had previously left there).
- Speaking of the sharing of the shirt, the height difference between the all-growed-up Kristen Bell and eleven-year-old Juliette Goglia was just a few mere inches. Boy, is Bell tiny!
- Heather's loudly whispered repetition of "it's her" and "Miss Veronica" in the elevator were like THE cutest things ever. EVER!
- Poor Heather. She must have thought her mother was heartbroken and passive when her father left and is trying to stop Logan from making the same "mistake". I love the look on Logan's face when he finds that out ... he just knows why she was so pushy. Nice, Jason.
- The prozac might have been a good thing for Melinda to recommend Logan monitored before she took off with Dick. *rolls eyes* Well, at least Heather and Logan can bond over how much their sisters suck.
- Veronica sucker punched (or air-sucker punched) Sacks when she left Josh's cell. Hee.
- Logan's sweater vest "preppy" costume as he plays the teacher's pet, complete with obligatory shiny red apple. Pwns.
- And more specifically ... yay, Logan and apples. Is this a sign that the snarky Logan is back? Cuz, look! It's Logan and an apple and that's always a good thing.
- Ah, the return of the Shocker. This time courtesy of Dick. I guess Standards & Practices still hasn't picked up on the naughty nature of this gesture ... or perhaps the sideways angle of Hansen's delivery threw them off?
- Sing it with me, people: Where Art Thou, Wallace? I know, I know, he showed up for a teaser, but is anyone else tired of being teased? Here was a perfect opportunity to get Wallace involved in the case that actually concerned him. What happened?
- How long has Logan been in his room? How much room service did he order? It seems a bit ridiculous that a hotel of that size could run out of salt and pepper shakers from one resident's room service ... I didn't see that many trays. Lame.
- So, Weevil worries that his parole officer will be upset by his contacting the new leader of the PCH gang. Understandable. However, why wouldn't he have had any such (more understandable) concern about stealing someone's car for cubing purposes?
- Did anyone else yell for joy when we entered Josh's house and there was no neon lighting?
- Were viewers supposed to wonder if Josh was about to push Veronica off the cliff in that scene? There was a certainly a moment when she stood at the edge and he stared at her where that thought crossed my mind (and I've read similar thoughts from others.)
- Is Lamb about ready to put Veronica on the payroll? He seemed almost resigned to her being at the scene of yet another investigation when he came to arrest Josh. His half-hearted and not at all unfriendly "not now, Veronica," was a much warmer reaction that one might expect.
- Did the person who killed the coach leave the championship ring in his son's locker to set him up? Or did his father really leave it there?
- Did Mindy just want Keith to prove that Dean O'Dell's death wasn't a suicide? Or does she want him to find who really did it? Certainly smells like she's covering something up though I doubt she's the killer.
- Does Veronica just not take jail seriously? She joked about Logan's possible prison sentence, and now she's brushing aside Weevil's parole (even though, granted, he didn't seem to care last week) by saying the risk worth's it because she'll pay him? Um ... if it was fine to break the law and/or converse with criminals as long as money was involved, he'd still be in the gang, she knows that right?
- So there's only three members in the PCH Bike Club now? I guess their popularity really did go down hill after Weevil left.
- Logan pauses when Heather asks if she wants him to highlight his hair. Because he's bemused by the offer? Or because he's considering taking her up on it? Hey, a girl can dream! We haven't seen him highlight his hair for a long, long time and I miss the surfer look.
- Will Dick's marriage be annulled, or will he actually lose some of his prized Casablancas cash?
- If Landry was aware that Jeff Ratner worked in the hotel, why would he continue to meet Mindy there? Especially after Veronica had already sprung him. There are plenty of other hotels.
- If "ex" is the nice thing Logan calls someone when he stops dating her, what's the not-nice thing he calls her away from polite company?
- I thought the course Veronica was taking under Landry was Introduction to Criminology while Profiling was an upper level course. Why does she say she's taking Profiling now? I know this is a new semester, but surely she'd need to take more than one to get into an upper level course.
- Why does Landry continue to act like he's never respected a student more than Veronica when he treats her father (who solves most of the crimes with her and taught her everything she knows) with such disdain?
- Yes, it was a heartfelt moment with Veronica asking Keith to not be murdered, but considering she already thought it had happened and Logan took super-duper awesome care of her, it hit hard in ways I doubt the writer intended considering Veronica's dumping of Logan last week. So how could Veronica make that statement and not recall the plane blow-up and Logan's subsequent care of her?
- Why do both Keith and Veronica keep jumping back and forth on how they address Mindy O'Dell? Sometimes it's "Mindy," other times it's "Mrs. O'Dell."
- It seems doubtful, but I have to bring it up considering they're looking at two faculty murders now in a five episode arc: Was Professor Landry's "how to spot a serial killer" lecture a clue about the ongoing murder investigation(s)?
- What is Wallace's opinion of Logan hooking up with Madison? Does he have Veronica's back while not thinking Logan really did something "bad" per se? I've been hanging out to know (considering the Jane/Jackie thing) and even though he brought it up, I still have no idea.
- Why would Veronica ask Keith why he had a relationship with the Neptune Grand security? This already came up last season when she was dating the Donut and she knows perfectly well why he still has that relationship.
- So, Veronica is willing to lie about being Logan's girlfriend if it gets her information? Nice to know just where her moral compass points.
- Speaking of ... how come Tina still thinks Veronica is Logan's girlfriend? The rest of the hotel staff seems to know that Logan is majorly depressed. They are out of salt and pepper shakers, for goodness sake. Which means more than one week has passed since Logan left that room. If Tina is really his pal, hasn't she noticed? Or the fact that Veronica hasn't been around a while?
- Why do neither Keith nor Veronica sit down and watch Kiss Kiss Bang Bang? I wouldn't be surprised at all if the two men arguing were simply the characters played by Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer in the film. It's filled with the two yelling at one another, among other men yelling.
- Is Veronica really suited for the FBI? For a girl who breaks rules right and left, has little respect for authority, puts herself (and others) in an unnecessary danger, doesn't seem to learn her lessons, and will always prefer a shortcut over painstaking and careful consideration, she is being lauded awfully unreasonably by both Landry and the late Dean O'Dell. I may be alone on this, but I find Veronica Mars singularly unfit for any real Law Enforcement agency.
- And hey, isn't Veronica supposed to be on some FBI shitlist anyway? Whatever happened to the ominous "kidnapping cases don't go away"-shtick from Donut Run? I thought for sure that would come up again once Veronica sent in her application for the internship. Boo.
- How come Veronica reacted more to the murder of some coach she barely knew than Cyrus? This was the first episode she showed any emotion about the crime and it seemed to be more in reaction to a reference and the coach's murder.
- Why would Mason's girlfriend's confirmation of the fact he was with her that night clear him of shooting the coach? Didn't he say he saw Josh and his father arguing while on the way to his girlfriend's place? Was she with him? I had the impression she wasn't.
- Are we going to see the heartbreaking exchange of belongings scenes between Logan and Veronica? She obviously hadn't picked up her things if he still had a few of her shirts, and I doubt she gave him back his keys (to both car and suite). Will Rob give us that conclusive feeling or will we wonder about how many of her belongings he still has long after the season is over?
- Sing it with me, part two: We know Lamb and his staff are all incompetent, but how incompetent do you have to be if your inspection of the books to be passed on to a prisoner does not include an actual opening of the book?
- Are the FBI peeps going to blink about Veronica's latest arrest given that baby-napping was fine by them?
- Veronica's arrest was reminiscent of Weevil's arrest in Not Pictured, with Lamb staging a scene of utmost humiliation in front of a large group of peers.
- Aww, yet another sign that they are made for each other, (Veronica!). Logan uses the same joke that Veronica did in Rashard and Wallace Go to White Castle when asked about an acquaintance with a lawyer. What makes it even funnier is we know that they are both referring to our beloved Cliff.
This week's podcast was given by director John Kretchmer, who had a few interesting things to say:
Say it with me: Oh, dear. (Sidebar: Logan!Neck)
- The wallpaper on Logan's desktop of Veronica is a shot taken of Kristen Bell from the "Red is for Emmy" party on November 15, 2006.
genova (Cara): Literature
holly96 (Holly): Literature; Social Science; Homeroom
JaneDtwo: Study Hall; Extra Credit; Social Science; Philosophy
JenniferH: Report Card; Chemistry; Band Class; Social Science; Homeroom; Detention; Philosophy; Principles of Democracy; Extra Curricular Activities
PolarTruckin (Belinda): Literature; Homeroom; Philosophy; Principles of Democracy
sawmg (Shannon): Literature; Social Science; Homeroom; Principles of Democracy; Extra Curricular Activities
secrets and lie: Drama Club
SeluciaV (Alli): Journalism; Literature; Social Science
Shiny4LoVe (Natash): Social Science
Original Air Date: February 13, 2007
Written by: Joe Voci
Directed by: John Kretchmer
Staff Grade: A
Membership Median Grade: A
What a lovely bounce back from the horror of last week. In Postgame Mortem we see some recurring characters who add a bit of oomph to the preceedings, the continued toned down Keith/Veronica relationship, Wallace (yes, Wallace!) pops in for a few minutes and Veronica actually shows sadness over her break-up with Logan more than once. In addition, Logan receives a strong B-story in which he interacts delightfully with an adorable 11-year old. A cliche? Yeah, but both actors involved sell it beautifully. Add to that the return of Cliff!, Dick getting married (and a hint at a meeting with Cliff for a divorce), clues (real clues!) to the second mystery arc, as well as a mystery of the week that intrigues and it ain't even over yet!, this one's a keeper.
Credited Cast Non-Appearance
Julie Gonzalo - Parker Lee
Chris Lowell - Stosh "Piz" Piznarski
Tina Majorino - Cindy "Mac" Mackenzie
Recurring Guest Stars (Previous Episode Appearances)
Mario Ardila, Jr. - Arturo
Anna Campbell - Tina Callas
Patrick Fabian - Professor Hank Landry
Brandon Hillock - Deputy Sacks
David Magidoff - Jeff Ratner
Matt McKenzie - Coach Tom Barry
Jaime Ray Newman - Mindy O'Dell
Daran Norris - Cliff McCormack
Robert Ri'chard - Mason
Jeremy Roberts - Mel Stoltz
Guest Stars
Jonathan Chase - Josh Barry
Juliette Goglia - Heather Button
Lisa Jay - Melinda Button
Tracey Needham - Mrs. Kathleen Barry
Who's Who in Neptune
Josh Barry - Son of murdered Hearst basketball coach Tom Barry, also former member of the team. Accused by Sheriff Lamb of being the killer.
Heather Button - Younger sister of Dick's lady friend, Melinda. Spends the weekend with Logan in his suite.
Melinda Button - Dick's lady friend who leaves her little sister with Logan. Ends up running off to Vegas with Dick and marrying him.
Mrs. Barry - Coach Tom Barry's widow.
Hey! It's That Girl
Juliette Goglia (Heather Button) - Although she's only been acting for three years, Juliette has already made her mark. She is best known for her role as Little Girl God on Joan of Arcadia, a role she began when she was only eight years old. Her portrayal of a wise, all-knowing God in the guise of a quirky little girl quickly made her a favorite God avatar among fans of the show. In 2006 Juliette made an unforgettable guest appearance on CSI as Hannah West, the genius younger sister of a boy accused of murdering a classmate. She was sufficiently creepy in the role, leaving CSI investigators and viewers alike guessing at the truth even after the credits had rolled. Prior to this role, she was last seen in multiple episodes on Desperate Housewives.
Highlights
Jason Dohring (Logan Echolls) - There's a kind of absolute stillness to the way Jason Dohring plays Logan's dejection at the beginning of the episode. All his movements are slow, as if he's under water. He hardly makes eye contact (and of course is silent). His body language is closed-in -- fingers laced over a pillow when we first see him, hugging his arms outside on the balcony, not once, but twice, frequently looking down. His eyes look hurt (how does he do that?), and he doesnt react at all to Dick's assays at humor. When Dick throws clothes on him, he flinches but takes it, as if dirty laundry is the punishment he deserves.
The first time he shows any sign of life is when Melinda and Heather come in: He sits up and begins to look more like a person and not a piece of furniture. But the first time he really starts responding to Heather (or anyone) is during their first Mario Kart game. Watch his delivery of Amy's ice cream supremacy: "It can. And it is." It's the first time in this episode he has that quintessential Logan snap in his voice. This scene marks a real turning point for the character. He engages for the first time, wakes up. And Dohring brings it on in the way he sits (leaning forward, engaging with the game), in his voice, and in the way he begins looking sideways at Heather, referencing her as he speaks.
By the midway point when Heather pulls her prank, Dohring has brought his normal physicality back to the role. The irritation in his voice at Dick, the low-five he gives Heather when he says, "Well played," and the faster pace of his walk, it all has noticeably more energy. He's no longer wading through mud in slow motion depression. And then when he and Veronica see each other, Dohring returns to his original non-responsive body language. He stands motionless, avoiding Veronica's gaze even when he talks to her, and his voice is once again muted. Though, in keeping with the theme of this storyline, he snaps out of it somewhat after Heather's pushiness gets to him, allowing for that amazing intense mutual stare with Veronica.
The next scene shows him back in bed, only now he's curled on his side in a defensive posture rather than on his back in a "I would rather be dead, thank you very much" position, and then when he knocks on the bedroom door to invite Heather for ice cream, his affect is still low, he's looking at the ground and his voice is thick. But when she opens the door, he gives her the sweetest smile on earth and you just know this is the healing moment, he's come out of his shell for this little girl. Which is evident in his warmth with Heather as they say goodbye, the quirk of his eyebrows as he teases Dick about the latter's wife, and the smart-aleck way he presents his professor with the apple, it's all quintessential ironic, amused Logan, and Dohring sells it as a full recovery. He's taken us on a complete journey from motionless sadness to fully awake and engaged, largely through body language and intonation. A truly wonderful performance.
Juliette Goglia (Heather Button) - Juliette Goglia plays Heather as a sunny but tentative character, with an unusual attention to subtle undercurrents. When she first enters the hotel room, for example, she gives a Logan hesitant smile (which, of course, he doesnt respond to), but by the time Dick and her sister leave, she's reacting entirely neutrally to him, with no intimacy. I loved the way she walks around the living room in her first scene, exploring and touching everything. It's a very eleven-year old action, but it also echoes her later attitude toward Logan: Curiosity and a friendly pushiness.
During the first Mario Kart scene, watch her expressions when she asks, "Are you all sad about a girl? Oh, I guess so." She plays at least half a dozen different beats there, from puzzlement (complete with cute little frown lines between her eyes) to "Oops, he's not responding." Every beat is so completely transparent, you know just what she's thinking. She's also completely adorable when she pulls the met a guy online stunt. Her eyebrows go up for emphasis, and when she laughs at Logan for falling for the trick, she throws her head back in delight. In the elevator scene, her voice breaks with her semi-whispered excitement and she lets out little thrilled squeaks and I just want to bring her home and hug her, she's so adorable. And yet it's not at all over the top and is just the tweener affect needed to make this scene positively excruciating for our heroes without ever tipping over into giggling or anything else that might make us want to belt her.
This is a very fine line, and Goglia does a dynamite job with it here and throughout the episode. She's surprisingly unaffected and natural for a child actor but with an awareness of how to play the emotional beats. I also thought she and Dohring created a wonderful, touching and totally believable rapport by the end of the episode. The physicality in how she threw her arms around his midsection in a goodbye hug was a final, perfect touch. Showing their journey from hesitation to ease.
Anna Campbell (Tina) The desk clerk at the Neptune Grand, last seen in Hi, Infidelity, does a lot with a small slice of screen time. This is only her second episode, but we get such a kick out of her. Why? I think it has everything to do with the husky amusement in her tone. When she says "Precisely," she doesn't just say it, she gives it a casual lilt, as if to say, "Nothing fazes me." Her delivery of "Crme brulee just before midnight," complete with oh-so-slight eyebrow raise, speaks of intimacy in the hotel room. This young woman sees all, knows all, and relishes all.
Scene One: She's Done ... Or Maybe He Is?
You know, I'm kinda with Heather on this one. I'm not really thinking that Logan tried hard enough. Which is rather telling in a way. I mean, "I poured my heart out on her voicemail?" That's it? He poured his heart out on her voicemail, oh yeah, and he also ragged on her ass before the heart-pouring came about. Now, I'm not saying that Logan wasn't right completely in what he said before the mushy stuff, but when trying to win a girl back ... do you really start out by basically starting a fight? No, you don't ... unless a part of you -- a part you don't even realize is there -- doesn't want to win her back. At least on those terms.
Look, I'm not saying that Logan doesn't love Veronica. At all. I'm not saying that he doesn't want to be with her. However, I said over and over and over again during their first round of dating this season that Logan was walking on eggshells. He literally subdued himself for her, in the hopes that it would be enough to keep her by his side. It didn't work. They broke up. Sure, she came back, but once they got back together that tinge of anxiety came back with it. Maybe he wasn't quite walking with the same care on the eggshells, but the fact that she was still questioning him and not just accepting had to have been a pain in the ass. I mean, SHE came to him this time ... and yet, he may have felt that he was still on trial. And that's gotta suck.
So when Veronica latched onto something else "bad" that Logan did and used it as justification to dump all over him and them again -- this time leaving her in the position of power -- maybe there was a part of himself, some measure of self-esteem that kicked in and said: Enough is enough! And I'm not sure he even realized it, but the fact that he considers a voicemail that began with him reaming her out before telling her he loves her is all he could do to get her back is, as I said above, telling. I don't want to believe that it's over between them, and I really don't ... I just believe that Logan has finally accepted that some major changes have to take place before he and Veronica will get back together. He may not realize it, but the fact that he didn't even remotely give it his all and yet he was ready to conclude that she's done means that maybe he's just tired of playing the game and needs a break himself.
I know that this sounds depressing and all that jazz, but honestly I don't think it is. If I look at this as a long-term situation and not likely only seven episodes left to get these two back on track, this is probably the best thing that could have happened to them. Will Logan and Veronica get back together before the end of this season ... which is possibly the series end? I don't know. But, looking at it more long-term, as if there were the two additional seasons definitively to come in the five-year arc that Rob Thomas mentions, this really does work. Logan (and Veronica) needs to realize that he is just as important as Veronica in this relationship and as of this point, that has not happened. He's always trying to catch up, make up, be enough and that's not healthy at all.
I do believe that Logan and Veronica are IT; they belong together in the long haul and are made for each other. However, neither one is ready to be together right now and this time apart -- although painful -- could be the best thing they need to realize what they both need to do to make this relationship work. Because it can ... they just need to figure out how to do it. And neither one has so done that figuring out yet.
Scene Two: A Sad Boy and a Special Girl
See?! Logan totally COULD get her back if he really tried. I was not happy with Kristen Bell's performance last week, but this (and the next) scene were beautifully played. Everything about it ... from how she stood stock-still when she heard her name, how her lips parted, her eyes widening as if considering (yes, considering) when the DJ said "he's sorry, girl, and he wants you back" to the slow turning and painful yearning as she listened to the lyrics:
- I'm broken, and I'm fadin'
I'm half the the man I thought I would be
But you can have what's left of me
Scene Three: It's Her
See!?!? The love is still there. The look on both of their faces when they first saw each other. Sigh. And here we see a play on the analysis I offered in the above two scenes. Veronica is the one to talk to him first, a soft anxiousness in her voice. She is also the one looking at him ... looking for a sign. And when Heather starts saying all of the things that Veronica is waiting for from Logan, you can see it on her face. Veronica is looking at him, expecting something, waiting for him to say everything this little girl is and all he does is cut Heather off and usher her out of the elevator.
And her final look ... man, that's it right there. Veronica wants him to come to her, she wants him to apologize and pledge eternal love so she can take him back. Not right away, but soon enough, dangle hope and then acquiesce which puts them back on the ground she's comfortable with -- she in the position of power, he as her willing supplicant. Now, I'm not saying that she specifically sees it that way, but that's how it's been and that is what she's used to and feels right for them. However, take a look at his final look.
He's done. He's not going to apologize for something wrong he didn't do; he's not going to prostrate himself and declare undying love and beg her to take him back. Dick didn't realize it, but the fact that Logan was holing himself up in his suite was his way of reclaiming his balls because he didn't want to see Veronica, he didn't want to get her back ... not like this, not under these circumstances. In other words, he finally discovered that he still has some pride. And if they're going to get back together, she's going to make the first move ... not him.
Rocky road, indeed. Ups and downs like a rollercoaster, oh boy, and if we knew for sure that we had a fourth season, I'd actually be thrilled about this turn of events, not expecting or wanting them back together at the end of the season. Heck, I'd even be fine with them even dating other people, because they need this now. They need to understand that they only belong with one another ... but as the people they were when they fell in love. A Logan, in all of his extravagant, over the top, a tad bit of a bad boy glory and a Veronica, wary, weary but with trust and faith in her feelings for him -- as they both sure seemed to be that brief first period of dating before accusations of rape and murder and revenge and ex-boyfriends came between them. They need to relearn to be those people with each other again and if it means staying apart, becoming strangers or friends, seeing other people to see how they are not right for them, so be it. Sadly, I don't think we have the time ... but if we did, oh if we did, I think it would be one helluva journey with an amazing pay-off.
It's half-time during the big basketball game at Hearst. Wallace, Mason and their fellow ballers are getting royally reamed out by their coach for doing, well, seemingly everything wrong. Where's the passing? Where's the defense? Where are their heads? Although everyone is feeling Coach's wrath, none is feeling it more intensely than a player named Josh -- who, in addition to being Coach's favorite target, is also his son. Lucky kid (she says in a voice dripping with sarcasm).
The Coach starts ranting a blue storm at Josh about his lack of focus, how he's getting dogged every time he drives the ball down the court, and then something about how he needs to grow up. Not sure what that has to do with dribbling or passing skills, or just playing college basketball for that matter, but Coach clearly feels strongly about this. Coach hammers and hammers at Josh, telling him to buck up, do better, be stronger, get his head out of his ass (which, nice Dad), blah, blah, blibbidy freaking blah, until Josh has finally had enough. Standing up to his father, both literally and metaphorically, Josh tells his father (in a voice shaking just slightly with cold rage) that the one thing he knows he can do is quit. He all but spits the words at his father while simultaneously throwing his jersey in his pop's face.
All I can say is "Go Josh! Go Josh! Go, go, go Josh!" Somebody get some cheerleaders in here now to do one of those inspiring "Give me a 'J'!" cheers, or something with the word "appreciate," 'cause that boy deserves some serious applause for having the guts to stand up to the old tyrant that way. That's the spirit lad!
After that rousing and inspiring beat-down from the Coach, capped off with an entirely unpleasant father/son confrontation, the Coach taps Air Fennell to jump into Josh's vacant space and tries to rally the troops. I'm thinking that's about as likely now as that old adage about snow in hell.
When we next see our favorite freshman basketball star, he's lunching (or having a consolatory bowl of ice cream?) with his BFF (and can I just say FINALLY!) who's trying to help him find the bright side of a twenty-point loss. Guess that rallying was about as effective as I thought it would be, which is to say NOT EFFECTIVE AT ALL. Veronica points out that one of the bright sides is that he got a lot of court time for a guy who quit the team -- kind of -- first semester. (And I just want to wave a quick hello to continuity since I'm sure it is only here for about ten minutes.) Good one Veronica! But sadly, that's offset by the fact that Coach put Wallace in first string ahead of Mason. Veronica, good and supportive friend that she is, assures Wallace that he was chosen because he's the better player. Wallace, sadly, is not convinced. Clearly neither is Mason since he's now giving Wallace the old cold shoulder. In Wallace's mind, that kind of makes the sides break even. Veronica tries to come up with another silver lining on this cloud, but alas, she's got nothin' for Wallace but an empty platitude and the remains of her bowl ice cream. In return, Wallace decides to bring up the dark cloud in her sky ... one uber hot ex-boyfriend described as the "Logan situation." Clearly as unhappy with Wallace's conversational topics as he was with hers, she skedaddles with a glum look on her face, determined not to think of said uber hot ex-boyfriend and the fact that he's an ex.
The next day Veronica storms into Mars Investigations hollering at her father about the unfairness and questionable legality of his breakfast contract, but her tirade of righteous indignation is brought to a screeching halt when she realizes that Daddy dearest has clients in his office. Keith invites Veronica to join the meeting and tells her that Coach Barry was murdered the night before on the PCH. Cliff brought in the Coach's wife and son -- you remember Josh -- because Lamb is looking to Josh as his primary murder suspect. The Barry's have hired Keith to find the real killer to keep Josh far away from the perils of community soap.
Keith asks Josh to give him a rundown of what happened the night before. Josh recounts his unpleasant convo with dad in the locker room at half-time that ended in his quitting the team. He tells Keith that his dad goes to this little strip of land on the PCH overlooking the ocean (and, um, doesn't like the whole PCH do that?) to meditate or something when he loses. Josh went out there to talk to him, perhaps mend a few fences, but when he arrived his Dad's car was no where to be found. Unfortunately, his father's body was. Josh found his dad lying in a pool of blood, shot dead by the side of the highway.
Josh goes on to say that he couldn't get a cell signal out there on the PCH so instead of calling the police, he rushed straight home to tell his mom and little brother Bobby so they wouldn't hear it from anyone else. It's apparent that he was distraught and not thinking clearly because we all know how bad this looks. And that's before he gets to the really bad part of the story. Mom continues that when Josh arrived home he was in bad shape: He looked like he was in shock and there was blood all over his clothes. She didn't want her youngest son to see his older brother like that so she encouraged her son to take a shower and change. *FacePalm* Jesus, lady! And you didn't think that might look, oh, I don't know, suspicious?
Cliff takes over and finishes the sad (in so many ways) tale. It seems someone found Coach Barry on the side of the road and called it in because the Sheriff arrived at the Barry's residence just as Josh was getting out of the shower. Lamb found Josh's bloody clothes and Coach Barry's NIT championship ring and jumped to all the wrong conclusions. Keith is troubled that Josh might have taken the ring off his father's finger, but not to worry. Apparently after Josh quit the team, when he came back from his post-game shower, his dad had left the ring in his locker. Josh saw it as a peace offering, and it was what made him want to seek his father out that night for a heart to heart.
Cliff points out that the PCH'ers have been responsible for a number of carjackings out on the PCH and Mrs. Berry jumps on this with both feet. She doesn't know why Lamb is so fixated on Josh when those horrible gang boys clearly shot her husband, stole his car, and left him for dead.
Trying to tie up loose ends, Keith wonders if anyone else might have had it in for the Coach. You know, aside from the ENTIRE ANGRY BASKETBALL TEAM. (Minus Wallace, of course) Josh pipes right in with the fact that Mel Stoltz hated his father. You remember Mel, right? The guy chompin' on a big stogie and dropping thinly veiled threats at the Dean on the day he was murdered? Turns out he had it in for Coach Barry and wanted him fired. Veronica reminds everyone -- or maybe just Keith, or maybe just the viewing audience, I can't really tell -- that Stoltz is Hearst's primary benefactor. Keith assures him that they will look into it, and then offers the only words of comfort he has at his disposal: "Don't worry about the Sheriff. He has a long and proud history of being wrong." Hee!
After the Barry's leave, Cliff hangs around for a little follow-up chat with Mars 1 and Mars 2. He assures them that by the look on the Sheriff's face at the time of the arrest, he really did have it in for Josh -- or he had to pee really bad. It's hard to say which. (And hee! To the look of 'yeah, true' on Veronica's face after that comment.) For what it's worth -- which isn't much, based on Cliff's track record -- he believes them. There's another piece of bad news though that he hadn't yet shared. Unfortunately, young Bobby won't be able to corroborate their stories because he's severely autistic. Things do not look too bright and sunshine-y for Josh right now.
Veronica pays a visit to Weevil and asks if he can hook her up with the current head of the PCH'ers. Weevil is all full of snark as he tells her that he's glad to do it, no problem. First he just needs to give his parole officer the head's up that he'll be consorting with known criminals. After a beat he reminds Veronica for like the zillionth time that he's on the straight and narrow. Now, I'm all for your new leaf here Weevs, but perhaps the reason Veronica keeps forgetting is because you seem to forget from week to week exactly how big a dip you'll take in the criminal pool. Case in point: Where was this righteous indignation last week when she asked you to steal and cube an '09er's Mercedes? Taking a step off the straight path onto that slightly crooked one Veronica frequents didn't seem like such a big deal just last week... Regardless, Veronica tries to bait him with the promise of cash. I can't tell by the look on Weevil's face if that did the trick or just served to piss him off even more.
While Veronica's off trying to lure Weevil back ... well, near his former life of crime, Keith is trying to get a little face time with Mel Stoltz at his office. Unfortunately, Mel's not cooperating and Keith's been kept waiting for over an hour. The friendly receptionist tries to explain to Keith that Mel's backed up and that she'd be happy to reschedule him for next week. Keith hears what we assume is Mel's laughter wafting down the hall and it seems to put him over the edge. Keith decides he'd rather just be seen now and get it over with and throws a tight smile to the receptionist on his way back to Mel's office.
Keith finds Mel negotiating his practice putting strip and chatting into his hands-free headset. He cuts to the chase and tells Mr. Stoltz that he just has a couple of questions and he'll make it quick: 1) Did he want Coach Barry dead; and 2) where was he the night of Barry's murder? Mel looks momentarily nonplussed and then assures his phone buddy he'll call him right back. Apparently the direct approach has captured Mel's attention.
He tells Keith, flat out, that Barry was a loser of a Coach and yes, he wanted him gone. Fired would have done just fine, but hey -- dead works too. (And the temperature in the room drops a solid 40 degrees in a nanosecond) As for the night in question, he was in the air, on a jet on his way back from Seattle. And if Keith doesn't have anything further to bug him about, he'd like to get back to trimming up his handicap. Keith assures him he'll be looking into the situation. Mel doesn't seem worried by this in the slightest.
I guess the lure of money was strong enough because the next time we see Veronica and Weevil, they're leaning against their respective cars (and hello green machine! -- and simultaneously -- LeBaron, how we miss you!) awaiting the arrival of the PCH'ers in what appears to be an industrial complex. Veronica's clearly fretting and Weevil's teasing that he's surprised that his (former) boys aren't there yet because gang members are generally very punctual. Veronica shares her fear that the bikers will show, but it isn't for the square reason Weevil implies. See, if the PCH'ers show, it means that it is unlikely that they killed Coach Barry. And that would be very bad news for Josh. Since the rumbling of big hogs sounds in the distance, I'm guessing bad news is about to arrive. Before I can fully formulate that thought, three cycles bearing helmeted riders roll up to the meeting place.
Veronica wonders aloud who replaced her buddy Weevil at the top of the food chain, and is damn near shocked to see that her old pizza-boy-muggin'-buddy Arturo is running the gang now. Veronica cracks (and Weevil agrees) that she was under the impression that gang leader was a man's job. (Well, if you've only got two lackey's, perhaps manliness isn't quite as big a necessity.) Veronica fills Weevil in on her history with Arturo and then does a little fishing to see if Arturo might be guilty of shooting the Coach during a routine carjacking. Arturo scoffs but Veronica demands some kind of compelling information that will make her believe in his innocence.
Arturo looks like he'd rather not be doing this, but perhaps he just decided it would be easier to comply with her request than to possibly face the wrath of Mr. Sparky and a roll of duck tape again. He reminds Veronica that the papers said Coach was driving a '96 Roadmaster. As head of a gang who may or may not be committing a series of carjackings in town, he points out that there is literally no reason for he or his boys to be interested in going to all that trouble to steal an $800 piece of crap station wagon. Besides, the PCH'ers have given up using guns. Nailboard on the road is a much more effective, and low risk, carjacking tool.
I hate to say it, but that is a pretty compelling argument. Things are looking worse for Josh by the minute. After her strike out with Arturo, Veronica pays a visit to Josh at home. She's hoping to really search the spot where his dad was killed on the PCH highway for clues. Josh tells her the Sheriff's department already checked it out, and Veronica resists the urge to repeat herself (slowly and monosyllabically) when she mentions that the scene really needs to be searched by someone who, you know, is actually interested in doing their job and knows what they are looking for. The two chat briefly about their relationships with their dads and Josh confesses that his dad was both is best friend and his worst enemy. And I thought my relationship with my dad was complicated!
While Veronica and Josh are taking a little field trip and sharing their feelings, someone is paying a visit to Lamb with information about the Coach's death. It's Mason, looking utterly untrustworthy, there with a tale for the Sheriff. See the night that the Coach died, Mason happened to be on the PCH driving over to his girlfriend's house. He drove past the Coach and his car pulled off on the side of the road. The Coach was arguing with somebody and as Mason whizzed by, he got a good look at both Coach and his attacker -- and I know you didn't see this one coming -- JOSH! Dun, dun, DUN!
Meanwhile, Veronica and Josh are surveying the scene of the crime. Veronica is clearly looking for any kind of clue that will perhaps either confirm or contradict Arturo's version of events. She doesn't see anything incriminating right off the bat, but upon closer inspection realizes that the tire tracks and crushed grass by the edge of the cliff make it appear that a car has gone over the edge. She and Josh tentatively step closer to the edge and take a peek at the turbulent ocean crashing below. Josh steps closer to Veronica and the sweeping camera angle and moody backlighting make the late afternoon setting go a little creepy. I begin to wonder if Veronica is safe with Josh after all.
The next time we see them, the duo are back in Veronica's Saturn headed for home, so apparently my momentary concern was for naught. Josh wonders why a carjacker would push the car into the ocean and Veronica's wearing that expression that clearly says "how do I delicately tell you that a carjacker wouldn't?" As the two arrive back at Josh's house, we see Lamb and Sachs lingering on the street in front of the house trying to look cool while leaning on the squad car in the glow of the flashy lights. No sooner has Josh stepped out of the car than Lamb is on him, arresting him for the murder of his father.
Veronica pays a visit to her client in jail and Josh tries to puzzle out how he ended up there and what in the hell actually happened to his father. Veronica fills him in on the fact that they did find his dad's car in the ocean at the base of the cliff which pretty handily ruled out the carjacking scenario. She also points out that this development doesn't look good for him. Josh marvels at all of the forces lining up against him, including Mason. Veronica wonders if Mason would have any reason to lie, perhaps a grudge against Josh or something, but it seems Mason only had a grudge against the Coach.
Josh explains that his dad had taken away Mason's starting spot a few weeks ago and Mason's been pissed off ever since. Upon further reflection, Josh's unease about Mason grows. He tells Veronica about Mason's violent temper, and the real kicker: He knows Mason owns a gun. He swears he tried to tell the Sheriff about it, but unsurprisingly the Sheriff declined to pay him any attention. Josh hopes that Veronica believes him at least, and she gently assures him that believing their clients is just one of the many services offered at Mars Investigations. In the meantime, she offers to bring him anything he might need. With a small smile, he requests something to read, peanut butter cookies, and a hacksaw -- you know, since she's asking. Veronica warns that very little on his list is going to make it beyond the Lamb "inspection," but promises to try anyway.
Back at Mars Investigations, Keith makes a phone call to the airport to check up on Mel's alibi for the night of the shooting. By the look on his face, I'm going to guess the alibi checked out. And things continue to look worse and worse, and yet again worse, for Josh.
Veronica heads back over to Hearst and corners Mason coming out of class. She asks him to share the story he told Lamb with her about the night of the Coach's murder. He recounts again that he was heading south on the PCH, drove by the Coach, the Coach's car, and Josh who was arguing with the Coach. Veronica reminds him that if he was driving towards the Coach, and the Coach was facing Josh, Mason shouldn't have been able to get a good look at Josh. Mason says that he recognized Josh's hair, team jacket, and profile on the drive by. It was definitely him.
Veronica throws out the fact that she's heard Mason was really pissed at the Coach for taking away his starting position. Mason's demeanor changes instantly and he goes on the defensive -- which, FINALLY! It's about time someone got pissed off at Veronica's presumptuous nature and tendency to accuse people of crimes without, you know, proof. Mason is incredulous because although he was pissed about the starting position, he wasn't pissed enough to kill his coach! Veronica tries to draw a comparison to the Texas Cheerleader Murdering Mom, and then goes in for the kill by asking Mason where he keeps his gun. Mason responds, understandably, with a pithy and concise "screw you."
When Keith arrives home that night, he finds Veronica making Josh a batch of peanut butter cookies as promised. They discuss their thoughts on whether or not he might be guilty and Keith fills her in on the fact that he confirmed at least part of Mason's alibi. Before they can get much deeper into the conversation, Veronica gets a little teary and makes her dad promise to not get murdered because she doesn't know what she'd do without him around. *Sniff* For what it's worth, I don't know what we'd do without him either -- so Keith, your many fans would like to second that motion.
The next afternoon Veronica pays Josh a visit in his cell to pass him some Lamb-approved reading materials, such as The Count of Monte Cristo which is actually kind of clever when you realize that there is almost no way in hell Lamb would grasp the irony of that particular book being good prison reading. Veronica encourages him to dip into the Dumas classic -- she's sure he'll find it, uh, chunky. He flips through the pages of the novel and discovers the classic secret niche in a book. Only this one is filled with homemade peanut butter cookies and not, you know, like a nail file or a lock picking set. Josh thanks Veronica for the gifts.
Before she leaves, Josh tells her he's been giving it some thought and he's decided that the only explanation for Mason's false testimony is that he was the one to kill Coach Barry. He begs her to prove it, to find the gun. Veronica gently tells him that if Mason did do it, it is likely he threw the gun in the ocean as well, which means no one is ever going to find it. Josh is clearly disappointed, but is becoming resigned to his fate. He thanks Veronica again for her generosity and Veronica tells him to hang in there before taking her leave. (Not before body checking Sachs on her way out, of course). Josh lays down on his bunk, opens the book, and with a strange and indecipherable look on his face, nibbles at a cookie.
We flash over to Veronica, listening to a lecture from Landry in profiling class. As the good Doctor finishes his overview of those characteristics that help identify a criminal in their midst, Lamb appears at the back of the class to interrupt the session. Reliving what may be one of his fondest moments ever as Sheriff, Lamb once again accosts Veronica in a very public setting -- at school, nonetheless -- cuffs her and places her under arrest. But this time its not for fake ID's, it's for -- GASP! -- aiding and abetting the escape of Josh Barry.
Dun, dun, dun, DUN! Be sure to tune in next week kids for the (not so) exciting conclusion of "does anyone really care who killed the mean basketball coach?"
It's the elusive Economics classroom and Professor Corrigan (who must have finally made Dick's acquaintance at some point) approaches Mr. Casablancas with a message for Logan: Show up fast or don't show at all. It would appear that Logan has been missing a lot of classes and Dick's repeated assertion that Logan is sick has worn thin. Dick assures sarcastically that he'll let his friend know the professor's prayers are with Logan. Good one, Dick. We follow our suddenly studios Mr. Casablancas to the Neptune Grand, where a battle of wills is raging on. The hotel Manager with Jeff Ratner in tow tries to force his way into the suite and kindly offer Logan some food. Likewise to collect some salt and pepper shakers, which Logan has apparently been hoarding. Logan's response from behind the closed doors is a less-kindly "go away and leave the food."
Dick takes pity on the salt and pepper shakers-less and takes the matter into his own hands. He opens the door with his key and enters into what looks like a several-weeks worth of boy-mess. There on the couch sits Logan in all his catatonic glory (and may I take this opportunity to say that no one who hasn't washed or changed his clothes in days should be allowed to look this good! Especially notice the stubble!). Dick assesses the situation and, in a stunning display of a sudden flicker of intelligence, tricks Logan out to the balcony with a suggestion that there's a fire in Veronica's neighborhood to be seen from there (someone's meth lab has blown up). Again, good one, Dick.
While Logan is trying to spot the fire (or his will to live) on the oh so fake Neptune horizon, Dick locks him out there so the giddy hotel staff can grab their condiment dispensers and their food carts back, and, while at it, change the sheets. Logan, who clearly doesn't have the energy to even protest, stands there on the balcony pondering the spectacle of Dick being the thinking and the nurturing one.
As nurturing as Dick gets, of course, because nothing's ever purely altruistic with him. It turns out he met this girl at a party a week before (I know, shocker!) and she is hot. She is also, clearly, not that bright, because she finds Dick's company fascinating and wants to come over and play. She also wants to bring her sister, whom she calls "practically her twin." Dick advertises the said sister as a recommended treatment for "pathetic sad sackery." Which treatment Logan refuses with apathetic "no, thank you."
Smart of him, as it turns out. Later when the sisters (not so much twins) show up, the recommended treatment turns out to be eleven years old. And while Logan so justly wonders which "twin" is Dick's (and let's face it, an eleven-year-old is much more Dick's mental equal than anyone older), his roommate hastily introduces him to Melinda and Heather Button (yes, folks, that's their unfortunate last name). Little Heather -- who is, appropriately, cute as a button -- is dumped on Logan (while Dick and Melinda can go indulge in some beach blanket bingo with the swim team Don't ask.) so fast and so skillfully, he doesn't know what hit him until he is left babysitting. Not happy with the situation, Logan informs the girl that she can watch TV while he is going to bed. He walks out of the living room with the parting shot of Logan's Parental Tip Number One: "Try to stay out of the porn."
Having heeded the advice, Heather -- when we see her next -- is dutifully watching the unporn-like The Ant Bully while indulging in some room service. Which she thoughtfully ordered for two. Shocked at seeing her still there, Logan dials Dick's cell for some much-deserved verbal ass whupping. It appears, his unreliable roommate and the other Button did not come home last night. It also appears that Dick and Melinda took a little road trip to Vegas. Dick thinks he is in love (and I don't know what is funnier, the fact that Dick is performing the act of thinking or that he uses the word "love.") In response to Logan's threat of tying him up and transporting him thus back to Neptune in the trunk of his car, Dick pulls out the guilt card. As in, "you slept with my one long-term girlfriend" and, therefore, owe me a babysitting gig. (Sorry, Dick, but you, of all people, don't get to use this card. Now, stick it back in the deck, you unmitigated asshat!).
Logan, who is now sufficiently depressed again, goes back to bed. After some time young Heather (who wonders if all he does is sleep) enters his room and -- by way of conversation -- offers to put highlights in his hair. Interesting approach there, kid. What guy wouldn't want a makeover from an eleven-year-old? Clearly, Logan wouldn't. So she asks him to hook up the Game Cube instead.
Cut to later and Logan -- having emerged from his shell o' doom somewhat -- is playing Mario Kart with Heather in the living room. Looking scruffy and adorable, he dispenses gaming advice and Logan's Parental Tip Number Two: "If you're Daisy or Peach, you can use a heart to protect you." (And if you're Logan, there's no heart to protect you when yours is breaking). Heather is enthralled and waxes poetic on Logan's life and Neptune in general. Ah, to be eleven again! When a huge TV, video games and a balcony seem like Shangri-La. She mentions that her family comes here every year for vacation, and that she especially likes Zipz ice cream. Logan contests that Amy's is better, and they enter into a "no way, yes way" ice-cream sophistication dispute. Heather tells Logan she doesn't believe him, and he is not surprised. After all, why should she be different from any other woman.
Heather surmises from this remark -- and other obvious signs like not bathing and refusal to part with his bed -- that Logan is sad about a girl. When he won't corroborate, she asks him for some small clothes, because she is beginning to smell like odeur de Logan. Later -- after both have clearly cleaned up a bit -- they are having lunch on the balcony. Logan's laptop is on the table and its wallpaper is Veronica's picture. Heather asks if this is the girlfriend -- to which Logan replies "ex" -- and observes that she is pretty. Logan tries to assure her that he hadn't noticed, but his half bitter/half sarcastic tone belies the message.
He is saved from further discussion of said ex when Dick calls again and informs Logan that he and Melinda got married. Clearly not thrilled that Logan's heartfelt congratulations takes the form of a "get back here, man!," Dick's response is a hang-up. Which leaves Logan to inform Heather of the happy acquisition of a very colorful brother-in-law. Heather has a colorful information to offer Logan, as well. She is on her way out to meet with a guy she chatted with on-line. Logan panics and forbids the meeting until Heather laughs and tells him she is kidding. She may be young, but she is wise beyond her years. Logan is impressed and tells her that this was nicely played.
They follow up with another game of Mario Kart, this time a lot more comfortable with each other. Heather initiates a personal conversation with the dogged determination only an eleven-year-old can get away with when prying into someone else's private life. She wants to know why Veronica is Logan's ex. Because, he explains, that's the nice thing you call people when you stop dating them. Heather wants to know why they aren't still dating if he is still so obviously in love with her. Logan tells her it's all his fault (and the collective LoVe audience sighs in exasperation). He screwed up. And yes, he tried to tell Veronica he was sorry. He left a message. (And the collective LoVe audience is sighing again). She didn't return it. She is done. (And the collective LoVe audience scrapes their collective hearts off of various floors).
Heather tries the cheerleading method. She tells him he should try harder, call her again. His rebuttal takes the form of Logan's Parental Tip Number Three: She needs to keep her mind on the game, because she isn't getting any better at it. They resume the game. Heather wisely doesn't pursue the subject, but, as it later turns out, she is far from dropping it completely. Her next attempt is of the proactive variety.
Later on she is seen excitedly pulling Logan into Dick's room to listen to the radio. She tells her less-than-enthusiastic audience that she's been calling in the local radio station (KRAC) that plays requests trying to place one. She has, apparently, made two hundred of those calls before she got through (although I suspect she exaggerated the number a bit for the dramatic effect). She is slightly knocked off her high by Logan informing her that those two hundred were two bucks a pop, but she is quickly restored to her glee by his smile and the assertion that he is kidding. Now, personally, I doubt he was kidding about the actual price of the call, but he probably wasn't seriously perturbed by the total cost.
Then a song comes on the radio, and at this point we cut to Veronica, who just happens to be on a case at the Grand. She is walking through the kitchen where a radio is conveniently placed for her to hear a dedication "from a very sad boy to a very special girl, so if you are listening, Veronica, this is from Logan. He is sorry and he wants you back." Nick Lachey then proceeds to plead that she take what's left of him. Veronica stops short, partly shocked (though whether by the choice of the song or by the fact of the request is hard to tell) and partly moved. She listens for a short while, and then shuts off the radio with a determined expression. Jeff Ratner -- whom she is tracking down here for an interrogation session -- informs her that she wouldn't want what's left of Logan. By way of explanation he ventures a low-rent witticism: What's left of Logan is lying around all day and smells. Wisely, Veronica ignores his commentary.
In the meantime, Logan is visibly cringing in the suite. He tells young Heather that she shouldn't have done that. Heather is not convinced. In fact, she thinks he is going to thank her later, because "girls love that stuff" and Veronica is sure to run right back to him after hearing this. She concludes with the statement that people in love shouldn't break up. Giving up is just stupid. (And the collective LoVe audience wants to hug Heather). Logan is clearly not impressed by the eleven-year-old insight into love, but he is touched by Heather's gesture nonetheless. He pats her on the head and they decide they need to go to a workout room, because the suite is just stifling. While taking an elevator they are joined by Veronica and Jeff (who inexplicably does what Veronica tells him to do). The meeting is a-a-a-awkward. Logan and Veronica exchange reluctant hello's. Veronica is torn between discomfort and curiosity to know who the little girl wearing her very small shirt is. Logan explains the shirt with "she was out of clothes." Which enlightens Veronica not at all. However, she doesn't pursue, since any kind of conversation between the two of them right now is painful.
Heather, not feeling the pain, and realizing that the suspicious girl in the elevator is THE girl, tries -- with all the subtlety of a woodpecker -- to nudge and shove Logan into telling Veronica how he feels. Failing to rouse him into action, she takes matters into her own hands and asks "Miss Veronica" if she, by any chance, was listening to super hits 98 just now. Veronica concedes uncomfortably, glancing at Logan ... who is probably wishing that the elevator would drop right then and there and kill them all.
The elevator refuses to oblige and he is forced to listen to Heather telling Veronica that he is sorry, and they should get back together, and he still loves her, and The torture mercifully ends with the doors opening and Logan dragging Heather the hell away from this humiliation. He can't resist a last parting look, however, and he and Veronica stare at each other for a long moment. The look is charged and full of many unspoken things.
As soon as the elevator doors close behind Veronica and the annoying Ratner, Heather confronts Logan on his silence. She can't believe he didn't use this golden opportunity to tell the girl how he feels! She wants to know why. Why? Because he is not eleven and he is not delusional. He points out to the rapidly deflating girl that she doesn't know anything about love. That love is not writing someone's name on the back of a notebook and drawing a heart around it. Love and happiness are easy at the age of eleven, he states (probably -- and understandably -- not thinking of his own abused eleven-year-old self at this point), and that she should talk to him when she knows something about the subject. Heather is left standing there with tears in her eyes as Logan walks back to his suite, his bedroom and his hideous orange sheets and blue fishies on the wall.
There he lies until he gets another phone call from Dick ... who now needs a good lawyer, because the "'till death do us part" is coming before either quite croaks. Wifey-poo, suddenly recovering her hitherto missing concern for her little sister, wants to ask Logan how Heather is. Logan informs her that Heather is overly bubbly and wants to know if she is always like that. Melinda tells him that no, that's a new thing, acquired after their dad walked out on them. She also wants Logan to make sure Heather takes her Prozac (right, because a) it's a great idea for an eleven-year-old, and b) like this particular eleven-year-old really needs an upper!)
This new piece of information explains a lot, and Logan, now feeling guilty for yelling at Heather and not recognizing the signs, sets about to remedy the situation. Screw Prozac ... the best medicine is ice cream. Logan knocks on Heather's door and invites her out to sample Amy's. Ah, the forgiveness of a child: So easily bought. Then again, who can resist a scruffy Logan when he smiles like that?
When we see the dynamic duo next, they are coming back to the suite, full of ice cream and contentment. Heather concedes that Amy's is, in fact, better than Zipz, and in return for her displayed wisdom Logan offers to keep her sharp by playing weekly Mario Kart with her on-line. Heather is thrilled but hides it well with the quip: "Quit flirting with me, old man. I'm eleven." Hee!
They enter the room to find Dick and his "ball and chain" arguing out who is the bigger freak (it's a toss up, if you ask me). Logan's sarcastic "ah, newlyweds" gets them out of the argument. Melinda, who clearly wants out of not just the argument, but the marriage and this suite, grabs Heather and is ready to run. Heather hugs Logan and he holds her, smiling down at the girl. They make a standing date to play on-line video games Fridays at four. And then the Buttons are off, as Dick declares that he needs a shower.
The next time we see both Logan and Dick, they are walking toward class, clean-shaven and just plain clean. And wonder of wonders, Logan is smiling. He is ready to let the learning begin. He is ready to embrace something again. He is ready to live again. As he hands an apple with a cheeky smile to Professor Corrigan, he asks: "Miss me?" And I can't speak for the professor, but, boy oh boy, did we miss you! Welcome back to the smirk, and the spin, the cocky tilt of the head, and the over-emphasized hand gestures. Welcome back, Logan!
Mindy O'Dell saunters into the Mars Investigations, apparently per Keith's request. If she expected cocktails and finger sandwiches, she is rudely disappointed by Keith, who informs the grieving widow that he wants off her case. She is understandably perplexed and he explains that he doesn't take kindly to his clients lying to him. Apparently the egg shell he found under the O'Dell Volvo's windshield wiper places the said vehicle at the Hearst parking lot on the night of the murder, just in time to be egged by a bunch of disgruntled students.
Mindy asserts that she didn't leave the Neptune Grant that night, and she has no idea how her Volvo wondered off by itself from the Grant's parking garage. Keith seems to have an idea, and that's just the half of it. There is also a mysterious charge on Mrs. O'Dell's cell phone that night. Mindy is horrified to realize that the PI she hired to investigate the murder is actually doing his job and investigating everything, including her.
Keith is less interested in explaining and more in finding out why -- if Mrs. O'Dell and Professor Landry had indeed spent the night in question together at the Grant -- there's a phone call from her cell to his at 1:30 in the morning? Mindy is a bit at a loss at first, but produces an explanation in due time. Apparently Landry needed toothpaste (clearly not happy with the one provided by the hotel. Otherwise, why was it only he who needed the toothpaste and not Mindy as well? Is her oral hygiene a bit lax?). And because of the pesky Jeff Ratner encounter possibility it had to be Mrs. O'Dell on the toothpaste-buying mission. A mission she embraced so readily and quickly, she forgot to ask her lover what particular brand he would like and had to call him from the lobby.
A likely story, as they say in the PI business. Or at least that's what Keith thinks. The next we hear a cell phone ringing and see professor Landry answering it, wondering what he can do for the illustrious investigator. Tie up some loose ends, it would seem, for the murder case of Cyrus O'Dell. Landry doesn't so much want to tie anything op as he wants to take an ethical stand: He is appalled by Keith taking money from a grieving widow of a man who so obviously killed himself. Keith is impressed by such staunch display of morality, but undeterred in his quest to find out if Mindy really did call the good professor to ask what she claims she did. Turns out, she was telling the truth. Landry corroborates the story of the 1:30 a.m. toothpaste-themed phone conversation. And, unless the secret lovers have rehearsed this beforehand (which is not out of the question), this is yet another dead-end.
Mindy, who was sitting at the Mars Investigations listening to Keith and Landry's exchange, inquires if Keith is still determined to find her husband's killer. Keith, in turn, wants to know is she still wants him to. She does, apparently impressed that he is digging, albeit in the wrong place. Which is more than she can say about the sheriff's department. (Aw, Mindy, didn't you know? The sheriff's department is too pretty to dig.).
Next we follow Mr. Mars to the Neptune Grand (where, apparently, all roads lead to these days) on a visit to his buddy the security guard. Whose purpose is to keep tabs on Veronica's nocturnal visits to her various boyfriends and confirm clients' alibis. "No can do," says the buddy, because the December 10th tape Keith wants to see is a month too old. The drive starts recording over itself after a month. But maybe Keith can have a better luck with a parking valet: Those guys apparently keep the records forever.
Papa Mars goes home where he is astonished to find his daughter engaged in baking and wants to know if she suffered a blow to the head. (Why exactly he would be so astonished is unclear for us long-time viewers, who have seen Veronica bake on several occasions before). Veronica, in turn, wonders how Mindy took the news that Keith is dropping her case. He explains that he didn't so much drop it as decided to keep it after the phone call checked out. And that his sources in the hotel came up empty. Veronica then wonders why Keith has a relationship with the Neptune Grand security (while the audience wonders if Veronica didn't, in fact, suffer that blow to the head after all. Since the same question was canvassed between father and daughter last season.).
Keith (whose memory is clearly better than that of his daughter) ignores the question and tells her instead that he has learned from the valet records that Volvo has been taken out at 1:51 a.m. and returned at 2:59 a.m. Veronica chimes in with the "ear-witness" testimony of a gunshot heard between 2:20 and 2:30 a.m. The father/daughter team ponders the possibility of either Landry or Mindy (or both) being the culprit. There isn't enough evidence yet, and Keith asks Veronica if she knows someone at the Grand who may be willing to bend some rules. "Possibly" says Veronica. ("Definitely," say the rest of us. I mean, really, at this point, is there anyone on the show who isn't willing to bend the rules without the slightest provocation?).
Cut to Logan's pal Tina behind the reception desk at the Grand. She greets approaching Veronica with a smile and a "good evening, Logan's girlfriend." (Tina, who, clearly, has been on vacation for the past several weeks, because that's the one plausible explanation for her being the only hotel staff left who doesn't know Logan's heartbroken at this point.) From her Veronica finds out that Rory Finch -- a.k.a. Hank Landry -- hasn't been to the hotel since December 10th. Tina is also handy with the room charges from that night (because, apparently, pretending to be Logan's girlfriend still buys you unlimited privileged information with no explanation required what so ever). There is a room-service charge, crme brle just before midnight. And then a pay-per-view movie at 2:02 a.m. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang could not be a more appropriate title to select for an illicit nightcap, if you ask me. And just to put a cherry on the top of the illegal information cake Tina is so happily and inexplicably handing out to Veronica, she also volunteers that it was Jeff Ratner who delivered the room-service order. Jeff Ratner, whose punishment, it would appear, for stealing toiletries (or, pissing off Veronica, really) was being stuck working the graveyard shift.
Veronica tracks down the put upon Ratner in the kitchen and wants to talk crme brle. Jeff -- who also must have suffered a blow to the head (it's going around), because he doesn't seem to hold any kind of a grudge against Veronica -- readily shows her the room where he delivered the order on the night in question. Also, he tells her he overheard a fight behind the closed doors. Specifically, people yelling at each other. He wisely figured it wasn't the time for sweets and left to return with the order later. "Some lady" answered the door when he came back. To Veronica's question if it was the same lady who he overheard yelling, he answered no. Because, as it turns out, the yelling was done by two men.
Veronica, having filed all this free and ready info away, approaches professor Landry the next day in class. She oh so casually leads the conversation to Kiss Kiss Bang Bang laying a trap for her favorite professor. A trap he doesn't fall into, because when she says that Robert Downey Jr. dies in the movie, Landry contradicts the statement. Which shows he at least watched the film at some point. Whether it's enough to prove he watched it at 2:02 a.m. on the December 10th is debatable, but Veronica lets it slide for now. She also learns in the course of this conversation that the late great Dean O'Dell wrote a touching letter of recommendation for her application to the summer FBI internship program.
A misty-eyed Veronica takes the letter to her dad and they read it together, basking in the praise so outlandish it makes you wonder if this epistle isn't more suitable for a submission to the Vatican as Veronica's canonization application. To her credit, Veronica states that she would have settled for "I find her nosiness charming" from the Dean. (Eh, Veronica, no one finds your nosiness charming anymore.). So, on the strength of this panegyric from beyond the grave, the Mars family reaffirms their dedication to finding the great man's killer. You know, to honor the guy by putting whomever offed him behind bars. Good thing the guy wrote the letter, then. Otherwise, clearly, he would not have deserved being honored thus. Good to know where the Mars Investigations' motivations lie.
Keith, once again, summons Mrs. O'Dell to his office (why, who can say, considering the woman lives ten blocks away from him. I guess he just likes to make her work for it.). This time he informs her he has made significant progress and asks for her critical opinion of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. She seems to know it's a movie, but beyond that she has no aesthetic assessment to offer. Keith is surprised, since that's the movie she was supposedly watching with Hank Landry on the fateful night in the hotel. Mindy lamely suggests that maybe Hank watched it after she fell asleep.
Keith informs her that the valet log shows the Volvo being taken and then put back. Mindy denies any knowledge of it and suggests someone's framing her. Keith next wants to know who was in the room with her that night besides Hank. She claims that no one was. When he tells her a witness heard two men arguing loudly at approximately midnight in that room, Mindy insists it was the television.
Keith doesn't believe her, which pisses the widow off. She informs him that he is officially off the case. He informs her that she can't take him off the case, though she can fire him. It's an impasse and Mrs. O'Dell loses the stare down contest and walks out.
So, this is what we've learned today, folks: We liked the Dean and want his killer caught; we don't believe his widow, we don't know what to think of professor Landry, and Jeff Ratner is a tool. We have a wandering car, a twice-delivered crme brle, a mysterious male voice in the room, and no answers. Stay tuned for further developments.
"White Balloons" (Stephen Ashbrook)
Scene(s): It's pretty darn difficult to be mopery when a perky 11-eleven year old is the first thing you see when you wake from your slumber of sorrow. And even harder when she clearly shares your love of video-gaming and asks you to get involved in the hook-up. Seriously. What's a guy got to do to be unhappily miserable?
"Too Much To Ask For" (Radio 4)
Scene: Ring, ring. It's Dick ... and he's MARRIED! Aww, his very first -- of no doubt many future Dick Jr. ex-missus' -- wife.
"What's Left Of Me" (Nick Lachey)
Scene: Sigh, oh Heather ... it's going to take much, much more than a song dedication to melt Veronica's heart. Hire a hit on her life and arrange for Logan to save her and then we're talkin'!
LoVe Lines
(The elevator doors open to reveal Heather and Logan standing inside; Veronica looks mortified, Logan looks like he wants to throw himself off the hotel Beaver style. Jeff gets on the elevator, Veronica doesn't.)
Jeff: Getting in? (She does; Logan steps away and stares fixedly at the elevator doors.)
Veronica:(Softly.) Hi.
Logan: (Shoulders tightening defensively.) Hey.
Veronica: (Noticing Heather.) Is that my shirt?
Logan: Yeah, she was out of clothes.
Veronica: Oh. (After a moment she frowns.)
Heather: (Looks at her shirt then lights up; meanwhile, Logan decides jumping off the roof wouldn't be enough, maybe he should throw himself under a truck too because -- ) That's her! (Smothered squeal.) It's her, it's her! (Referring to the shirt.) It's hers! Oh my God ... (Blushing; Jeff Ratner gives her a *look;* Logan tries not to look at Veronica; Veronica tries to pretend she's not hearing a word.) Tell her! (*Thinks* she's stage whispering and being subtle.) Tell-her-how-you-feel.
Logan: (Softly.) Shut up.
Heather: (She steps out and smiles at Veronica.) Excuse me, Miss Veronica? Yeah, were you listening to Super Hits '98? 'Cause there was just this dedication --
Veronica: Yeah, I um, (Switching gaze from Heather to Logan awkwardly.) heard it. (Logan dies some more.)
Heather: Well, it's true. Logan's sorry (*dies*) and he misses you (he's dead already!) and he wants you back (Veronica looks at Logan like she sympathizes with his multiple deaths.) and you two should get back together because he totally loves --
Logan: (Desperately.) This is our floor.
(Doesn't look at Veronica and shoves Heather *gently* but determinedly out of the elevator ... once free, he looks back, finally realizing he can't take feeling like *that* any more; Veronica stares back ... the elevator doors close.)
Quotable Quotes
Wallace: You doing okay? With the Logan situation I mean?
Veronica: (Taking a breath and smiling bemusedly.) Been trying really hard not to think about. Thanks for bringing it up.
Professor Corrigan: Mr. Casablancas, I don't suppose your buddy Logan Echolls is gracing us with his presence today?
Dick: Doubtful. When they remove a grapefruit-sized tumor they really recommend bedrest.
Dick: So, I got a message for you from the guy who teaches our economics class. You gotta show up or he's gonna fail you. It's a sad state of affairs when I'm the academic on the balcony. (No reaction from Logan.) So, in other news, I met this girl a couple weeks ago at a party ... (Using an fake opera voice.) Hotttttt! Like, volcanic hot. Like, I might have to use an oven mitt to feel her up. (And still no reaction from Logan.) Blink if you understand. (Logan turns his head toward Dick.) She's coming here tonight, and, she's bringing her sister. Who, I might add, she described as practically her twin. By the way, I did a little research on pathetic sad-sackery and Hot Sister is the recommended treatment.
Logan: (Quietly.) No thanks.
Dick: You sure? We're thinking about going to the swim team's Beach Blanket Blowout. You can wear your t-shirt that says, (Using a wimpy, sissy voice.) "I'd Rather Be Home Crying." (Watching Logan for a moment, he just turns and leaves him alone on the balcony.)
Keith: It's as bad as she says? Lamb's going after the kid?
Cliff: Well, he was thinking very hard about it. Or he really had to pee, it's really hard to tell with that man.
Dick: (Standing in front of Logan, who's on the couch again.) Dude, you're not helping. (Tosses a sock onto Logan's head.)
Logan: I'm aware of that.
Dick: (Walking around the room, tossing various items of clothing at Logan.) I live here too, you know. This is my home. People walk in they don't think, "This little clean area is Dick's. The ten bottles of urine are Logan's." They think, "Silence of the Lambs basement," and their desire to get naked around me takes a nose dive. (There's a knock on the door.) You're lucky you're rich; this would be completely disgusting.
Dick: (Ushering the girls into the room.) He doesn't normally look like this. Some girl ripped out his heart and stomped on it. (Making introductions.) Logan Echolls, Melinda and Heather Button.
Logan: (Looks in surprise at Melinda, her much younger sister, and Dick, who makes a gesture of "What can you do?") Which one's yours?
Heather: Are you sick?
Logan: No.
Heather: You want me to put highlights in your hair?
Logan: (Really not sharing her excitement.) No.
Heather: Could you show me how to hook up your Gamecube? (Logan sighs, but then reluctantly gets out of bed with a groan.)
Heather: (While playing the game.) Ooh! That was so awesome. Did you see that?
Logan: Yeah, if you're Daisy or Peach, you can use a heart to protect you.
Heather: If I had this game, I would play it every second. We should have a tournament.
Logan: Yeah, I'm beating you as Peach. You need practice.
Heather: Your life is so cool. You have this huge TV with video games and a balcony. You live in Neptune.
Logan: (With mild sarcasm.) Yeah, it's Shangri-la.
Heather: My family comes to Neptune every year for vacation. Do you ever go to Zipz? Best ice cream in the whole world.
Logan: Amy's is better.
Heather: It can't be.
Logan: It can. And it is.
Heather: I don't believe you.
Logan: Why should you be any different than any other woman?
Heather: (She considers him for a moment.) So, are you all sad about a girl? (Logan doesn't respond.) Well, I guess so.
Heather: (to Logan.) I don't guess you have any extra-small clothes around? I'm starting to smell like you.
Veronica: Howdy, Sheriff. A kitten get stuck up in a tree?
Lamb: Not now, Veronica.
Heather: Is this your girlfriend?
Logan: Mmm. Ex.
Heather: She's pretty.
Logan: (Sarcastically.) Is she? I hadn't noticed.
Logan: Where the hell are you? You're supposed to be back.
Dick: Guess what, dude? (Barely waiting for a response before ... ) I'm married!
Logan: Get back here, man!
Dick: Dude, where's the love? I'm on my honeymoon. God! (Dick hangs up the phone and looks back at where his "wife" is passed out on the bed.)
Logan: Where are you going?
Heather: Oh! A guy I was chatting with online wants to meet me. So he's gonna pick me up out front and then take me to Zipz for ice cream.
Logan: Yeah, you're not going anywhere.
Heather: Uh, yeah. I am.
Logan: No. You're not.
Heather: You can't make me stay here.
Logan: Heather! (She starts to laugh.)
Heather: Like I'd really go meet a guy that I met online.
Logan: (Smiling at her little prank.) Nicely played. (He turns back toward the balcony and slips his hand back for a (low) high five as she follows.)
Heather: So, who was that on the phone?
Logan: Just your brother-in-law.
Veronica: So, how's it going?
Josh: Sheriff's a tool, but otherwise ...
Josh: You believe me, don't you?
Veronica: At Mars Investigations, believing our clients is one of the many services we offer.
Heather: So, why is that girl your ex?
Logan: Because that's the nice thing you call people when you stop dating them.
Heather: Well, why aren't you dating if you still love her? (Logan sighs and looks at Heather.) It's pretty obvious.
Logan: Because I screwed up.
Heather: How?
Logan: I did something I shouldn't have done, okay?
Heather: Well, did you tell her you were sorry?
Logan: Yes.
Heather: Like, in a way so she knows you mean it?
Logan: Yeah.
Heather: Are you sure?
Logan: (Pauses game, turns towards Heather defensively.) I poured my heart out to her on her voicemail. She never even called me back. She's done.
Heather: Well, maybe you should try harder. Call her again.
Logan: Yeah, you need to keep your mind on the race. You're not getting any better at this. (Logan starts the game back up, Heather looks disappointed.)
Veronica: Dad, do me a favor ...
Keith: Anything.
Veronica: Don't get murdered --
Keith: Honey --
Veronica: (Tearfully.) 'Cause I can't live without you and all I've been doing is thinking about what I would do if I didn't have you.
Keith: ... Maybe you should let me handle this case by myself.
Veronica: You know that won't work; I only brood when I'm not doing anything.
Tina: (Perkily) Good evening, Logan's Girlfriend. (Veronica stiffens.) Veronica, right?
Veronica: That's right!
Tina: I know who works the Graveyard; his name's Jeff Ratner. They stuck him on the shift after they busted him for stealing toiletries.
Heather: Come here! (Dragging Logan behind her toward the radio.) You have to listen to this! I called KROC, like, two-hundred times. I kept getting this recording and then, finally, I got through! They're going to play my request! (Smiling giddily.)
Logan: Ah ... local calls are two dollars each.
Heather: (Smile drops along with all facial color.)
Logan: ... I'm teasing. (No, he wasn't.)
DJ: (A dedication is read over Nick Lachey's "What's Left Of Me.") I've got a dedication going out from a very sad boy to a very special girl. So if you're out there and you're listening, Veronica, this is from Logan. He's sorry, girl; he wants you back. (Veronica slowly approaches the radio.)
Nick: "Now I'm broken, and I'm fading. I'm half the man I thought I would be but you can have what's left of me." (With determination, Veronica switches the radio off.)
Jeff: Take it from the guy that has to clean up after him, you don't want what's left of Logan Echolls. (Shuddup, Ratner.)
Logan: I really wish you hadn't of done that.
Heather: People in love shouldn't break up. Giving up is just ... stupid. (Logan pats her on the head and walks away.)
Heather: I can't believe you blew that. That was the most perfect opportunity! Why didn't you tell her how you feel?
Logan: (Logan's patience, which awesomely stood up to the elevator test, snaps.) Because I'm not eleven! And I'm not delusional! You don't know a single thing about love, Heather. You know, it isn't writing someone's name on the back of a notebook and drawing a heart around it! (Heather starts to cry..) It is easy to be happy all the time when you're eleven. Talk to me about love when you know something about it. (Logan walks off, leaving Heather to cry alone.)
Veronica Mars Voiceover: Knowing that Dr. Landry and Mrs. O'Dell left The Grand in time to kill the Dean adds a whole new level of weirdness to attending Landry's profiling class.
Dr. Landry: Are you okay, Veronica?
Veronica: Yeah, fine. It just reminds me of that one scene from Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.
Dr. Landry: (With skepticism.) Really?
Veronica: Yeah, you know, after Robert Downey, Jr. dies, Val Kilmer gets a message from him?
Dr. Landry: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang? Robert Downey survives the whole film.
Veronica: (With faux innocence.) Oh! I must be confused.
Veronica: Look at this. (Handing Keith her application file for the FBI internship.) I guess Dr. Landry asked Dean O'Dell to write me a recommendation letter for the internship at the FBI.
Keith: (Reading from the letter.) 'Dear Sir: In my twenty-five years working in academia, I have not come across a young person with more initiative, intelligence, and character than Veronica Mars. I enthusiastically recommend her and would be happy to discuss this remarkable young woman in greater detail. Sincerely, Cyrus O'Dell, Dean of Students, Hearst College.'
Veronica: (Somewhat teary.) I would have settled for 'I find her nosiness charming.'
Keith: Man had good taste. Let's honor his memory by putting his killer behind bars.
Veronica: Agreed.
Logan: (Answering the phone.) Where are you?
Dick: (In the car, on the other end of the phone.) Hey, buddy. Got a question for you: You know a good lawyer?
Logan: I know a lawyer.
Logan: (Knocking softly on the door.)
Heather: Go away!
Logan: (Softly, somewhat apologetically.) Well, now you've made me want ice cream so ... I'm going to Amy's. Come with me if you want.
Heather: (Opening the bedroom door.)
Logan:
Heather:
Heather: Okay, this is better than the place I used to go with my parents.
Logan: With age comes wisdom. You know you can play Mario Kart online. We should have a weekly game or something, for sure.
Heather: (Teasing.) Quit flirting with me old man. I'm eleven. Jeez, that's creepy.
Melinda: You called me a freak!
Dick: I called your toes freakish. I didn't call you a freak. It's supposed to go big toe, little toe, and then on down the line. Not big toe, BIGGER toe.
Melinda: You really make me sick.
Dick: I make you sick? You're the freak!
Logan: (Arriving on the scene with Heather in tow.) Ahhh, newlyweds.
Melinda Where the hell have you been? I've been waiting to go for like twenty minutes. Get your stuff -- we're going.
Heather: (Grabs her stuff and trails behind her sister, pausing in front of Logan.) Fridays at four are good for me. (Hugs Logan before following her sister out.)
Logan: (To Dick, with amusement.)There goes the old ball and chain, huh?
Dick: (Disgustedly.) I need a shower.
Veronica: (Passing books through the bars.) There you go. Sheriff approved reading material. I think you'll really enjoy the Dumas book. (Josh flips the book open to the peanut butter concealed cookies inside.) It's quite chunky.
Logan: (To his professor with a shiny apple and cheeky smile.) You miss me?
Post [Game] Mortem ... (Referenced by the episode title.)
In Latin, post-mortem literally means "after death" and is generally used as a synonym for an autopsy. An autopsy, or post-mortem examination, is a medical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a human corpse to determine the cause and manner of a person's death to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present. It is usually performed by a specialized medical doctor called a pathologist, and by definition is only performed on humans, by humans.
Autopsies are either performed for medical purposes or for legal purposes such as a criminal investigation. Thanks to the highly prolific CSI family of shows, most of the American television viewing audience is now intimately familiar with the process. Between the original CSI, CSI: Miami and CSI: New York, I bet it is safe to say that just about every TV-watching adult in the US of A has been privy to the dissection of at least one unfortunate soul. And you know, I've been thinking -- with the volume of dead bodies that pile up in Veronica's home town, don't you think they should set up shop for CSI: Neptune? I mean, Veronica's aces at detective work but since the Sheriff can't be counted on to deliver more than inappropriate humor in an investigation, it might be nice to know someone else with a brain was on the job. After all, Veronica's got a lot on her plate and she's been seriously neglecting certain parts of her social life -- I mean, call your BFF once in a while, woman! -- and she needs some extra personal time to woo back her heartbroken ex. I'm just sayin'.
Meth Lab ... (Referenced by Dick when he tricks Logan out onto the balcony.)
Methamphetamine is a stimulant drug that produces an intense sensation of euphoria when swallowed or snorted. Users become addicted to meth quickly and tend to use more of it with increasing frequency. The negative side effects to the central nervous system are depression, aggressiveness, insomnia and paranoia. Meth use increases heart rate and blood pressure and can result in stroke, cardiovascular collapse, organ damage and death.
In the United States, the illegal manufacturing of methamphetamine is punishable from ten years to life in prison. The sale of ingredients used in meth production is also heavily monitored. In March of 2006, President Bush signed The Combat Meth Act, which limited the sale of ephedrine, the base ingredient of meth, to 3.6 grams per day, and customers must provide identification and sign a sales log. The manufacturing of meth in labs is highly dangerous, and there have been many cases of lab explosions to prove it. Meth labs have been found in garages, barns, apartments, etc. (Presumably some have been found in apartments in Veronica's neighborhood, considering the quickness with which Logan headed to the balcony.)
Contract Law ... (Referenced by Veronica when she questions the legality of Keith's instant breakfast contract.)
I actually had an exam on contract law the morning after this episode aired, so I can say with near certainty that Keith's contract would not be enforceable. A contract needs three components for validity: an offer, an acceptance, and valid consideration. The offer is the proposed terms made by the offerer. Like, if Keith had said "I'll make you breakfast if you come to the office later to help mail invoices," he would have made a unilateral offer to Veronica. The offer is valid if there is a presence of intent to contract, definiteness of terms, and communication to the offeree.
Likewise, a valid acceptance of the offer requires intent to contract, agreement to the mirror image of the terms of the offer (for Common Law cases, such as service contracts like this one), and communication to the offerer. If there is a both a valid offer and valid acceptance, then the parties have an agreement. The final element of a valid, enforceable contract is consideration, which is an exchange of something with legal value (service of mailing invoices), bargained for and given in exchange for an act or promise (breakfast).
This contract wouldn't be enforceable because the offer was not valid until after it was communicated to Veronica, and if there was no valid offer, then there can't be a valid acceptance. Keith could argue that since Veronica went on to eat the breakfast after reading Keith's letter, then the contract was made valid and Veronica "owed him," but the wording was still pretty shady. But I guess with Cliff as the family lawyer, 'pretty shady' is to be expected.
NIT ... (Referenced by Josh when he talks about his dad's championship ring.)
The National Invitation Tournament (NIT) is a 32-team post-season tournament for men's and women's college basketball. The NIT was started in 1938 and was operated by the Metropolitan Intercollegiate Basketball Association (MIBA). The semi-final and final rounds have always been played at New York's Madison Square Gardens. In its early years, the NIT drew the best teams in the country. Starting in the 1960's, however, the NCAA tournament gradually became the main tournament, as it began including more conferences and inviting more than just the conference champions. In 2005 the NCAA purchased the rights to the NIT tournament from the MIBA in order to settle an antitrust lawsuit.
With its current status as, in essence, a consolation tournament, the NIT often carries a negative stigma. Teams that hope for the NCAA tournament but have to settle for the NIT are generally not happy with the NIT invite. In fact, some teams have even turned down invites. For teams that are rebuilding or for small schools that are still on their way up, striving to reach the big time, however, an NIT invite is often seen as a positive step on their road to a future bid to the NCAA Tournament, the Big Dance. So Coach Berry's NIT championship, while in theory something to be proud of, may not have been all that great. But the fact that he actually wore his NIT ring rather than stashing it in a drawer somewhere is probably a sign that his NIT championship was something he was proud of, not ashamed of.
Autism ... (Referenced by Cliff about Josh's brother.)
According to the Autism Society of America, Autism is defined as "a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills." Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities, but as it is a "spectrum" disorder, autism affects each individual differently and at varying degrees.
Autism is classified as one of five Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PPD), a category of neurological disorders characterized by "severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of development." It is the most common of the PPD's affecting an estimated 1 in 150 births (according to the CDC). This means that as many as 1.5 million Americans today are believed to have some form of autism.
Despite it's prevalence, autism is a disease that the general public knows very little about. Most of the public perception of this disease has been based on portrayals of autistics in films such as Silent Fall and the Academy Award-winning Rain Man. Unfortunately, none of the films released to date have given a complete or accurate picture of the disorder and the way it manifests in both children and adults.
Howard Hughes / Bottles of Urine ... (Referenced by Dick when he tries to get Logan to clean up.)
Howard Hughes was known for being an aviator, a movie producer, a billionaire and ultimately a strange, reclusive hypochondriac. Born in 1905, Hughes began his multi-faceted career by focusing on movies. He dated many famous Hollywood actresses, including Katherine Hepburn and produced many important movies. One of his most infamous movies was The Outlaw, produced in 1941 and starring a busty Jane Russell.
Hughes movie career also led to his interest in aviation. The film, Hell's Angels, allowed Hughes to develop his interest in flying, which in turn led to the formation of the Hughes Aircraft Company. Hughes set several speed records and also became involved in building military aircraft. Hughes also was deeply involved in several political situations throughout the course of his lifetime. Of particular interest is the fact that Hughes, as a Nixon supporter, was deeply involved in the conspiracies involved in the Watergate scandals and several CIA assassination plots.
Ultimately, however, Hughes is remembered for his strange reclusive behavior in his final years. He had a fear of microbial infection and constantly washed his hands and repeated certain phrases. He eventually became a complete recluse, locking himself away in darkened rooms in a medication-induced daze. Toward the end of his life, his inner circle was largely composed of Mormons because he considered them trustworthy even though Hughes himself was not a member of their religion. By this time, Hughes had become severely addicted to codeine, Valium, and a number of other prescription drugs and was becoming increasingly frail. Many biographies and fictionalized works state that he stored his urine in jars and wore Kleenex boxes as shoes, although he reportedly did the latter only once, as "protection" when a toilet flooded.
Silence of the Lambs ... (Referenced by Dick as what their suite is starting to look like.)
Silence of the Lambs is a 1988 novel by reclusive author, Thomas Harris. The psychological thriller is a sequel of sorts to Thomas' 1981 Red Dragon, featuring a haunted FBI agent Will Graham who retired after putting Hannibal Lecter in prison. After another twisted murderer draws Graham out of retirement, he uses Lecter to capture this killer. A similar theme is applied in Silence of the Lambs, this time the FBI agent is one in training and there's a sexual tinge to the quid pro quo between the agent, Clarice Starling, and Lecter.
The book was made into a successful thriller, directed by Jonathan Demme with a screenplay adaption by Ted Tally and starring Jodie Foster as Starling and Anthony Hopkins as Lecter. The film went onto win five Oscars, including Best Picture, Director, Actor and Actress, the first time a film had won all four major categories since 1934's It Happened One Night. This despite the fact that the film had been released in February, a rare win considered the premiere was nearly a year before the Academy Award telecast and that Hopkins had only roughly sixteen (!) minutes of screentime.
A sequel, simply titled Hannibal, that concentrated on Lecter (including his background) was released in 1999, with a film version premiering in 2001 (although Julianne Moore took over the role of Clarice Starling because Foster was disturbed by the weakening of the character of Clarice, not to mention the sexual/quasi-romantic relationship between the two main characters that ended the book).
Seattle ... (Referenced by Stolz's alibi.)
Seattle, Washington, founded in the 1850s and named after Chief Seattle (a leader of the Suquamish and Duwamish Native American tribes; he was a prominent figure among his people who became a Roman Catholic convert and pursued a path of accommodation to white settlers), is the largest city in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.
Its official nickname is the Emerald City because of the lush evergreen trees in the surrounding area; it is also referred to as the Rainy City, the Gateway to Alaska, Queen City, and Jet City, due to the local influence of Boeing. Seattle residents are known as Seattleites. The city is known as the birthplace of grunge music, and it has a reputation for heavy coffee consumption (Starbucks is a locally founded coffee company).
Seattle's climate is mild, with the temperature moderated by the sea and protected from winds and storms by the mountains. Despite being partially in the rain shadow for the Olympic Mountains, the city of Seattle has a reputation for raining frequently. In actuality, the "rainy city" receives an unremarkable 38 inches of precipitation a year, less than most major Eastern Seaboard cities, such as New York City which averages 47.3 inches. Seattle's worldwide reputation for rain derives from the fact that it is cloudy an average of 226 days per year (versus 132 in New York City) and that most of its precipitation falls as drizzle or light rain. In other words, while it rains regularly, it usually doesn't rain very hard.
Las Vegas, Nevada ... (Referenced by Dick and Melinda's weekend destination.)
Las Vegas is the largest city in the state of Nevada, with a population of 545,147 people. The Las Vegas Valley was originally part of Mexico, but American explorer John C. Frmont's sojourn to the area led to its annexation to the United States on May 10, 1855. Vegas officially became an American city in 1911.
Vegas has a couple well-known monikers, the first being The Entertainment Capital of the World. It is a popular vacation and entertainment destination, with theatres, concert halls and comedy clubs. But Vegas is most known for its gambling, which explains the city's other nickname: Sin City. Gambling was legalized here on March 19, 1931. The Las Vegas Strip is home to a number of hotel and casino resorts (e.g. the Bellagio and Monte Carlo), most of which are themed (e.g. the MGM Grand and Caesars Palace) to add to the Vegas experience. Vegas is also considered a "sinful" city because alcoholic beverages are available most everywhere and the adult entertainment industry is quite active. But this image also makes Las Vegas a popular setting for movies and television shows -- even Veronica Mars.
Foodchain ... (Referenced by Veronica about how replaced Weevil as the head of the PCHers.)
Food chains and food webs or food networks describe the feeding relationships between species in a biotic community. In other words, they show the transfer of material and energy from one species to another within an ecosystem.
As usually diagrammed, an organism is connected to another organism for which it is a source of food energy and material by an arrow representing the direction of biomass transfer. Organisms are grouped into trophic levelsfrom the Greek for nourishment, trophikosbased on how many links they are removed from the primary producers. Primary producers, or autotrophs, are species capable of producing complex organic substances (essentially "food") from an energy source and inorganic materials. These organisms are typically photosynthetic plants or algae, but in rare cases, like those organisms forming the base of deep-sea vent food webs, can be chemotrophic. All organisms that eat the autotrophs are called heterotrophs. They get their energy by eating the producers. (Courtesy of Wikipedia, April 22, 2006)
'96 Roadmaster ... (Referenced by Arturo as the coach's car.)
The Roadmaster was an automobile built by the Buick division of General Motors. Buick first used the Roadmaster name between 1936 and 1958. So Arturo's definition of the coach's Buick as such wasn't entirely accurate. However, in 1991, Buick again applied the Roadmaster name to its full-size rear-wheel drive sedan and station wagon models as a replacement for the Buick Estate. The origins of the Roadmaster name date to 1936 when Buick renamed its entire model lineup to celebrate the engineering improvements and design advancements over their 1935 models. Buick's Series 40 model range became the Special, the Buick Century took the place of the Series 60 and the Series 90 -- Buick's largest and most luxurious vehicles -- became the Limited. Buick's Series 80 became the Roadmaster.
A 1996 Roadmaster.
The Roadmaster held out until 1996 when the end had clearly come. For its final year, the traditional, rear wheel drive Roadmaster enjoyed only a few changes. Engine coolant could last five years or one hundred thousand miles, and automatic climate control became standard. The Roadmaster Estate Wagon and the Chevrolet Caprice wagon would be the last full-size station wagons until the introduction of the Dodge Magnum sports wagon in 2005.
Gamecube ... (Referenced by Heather when she tries to coax Logan out of his bed.)
The GameCube was unveiled on the August 24, 2000, one day before Nintendo's SpaceWorld trade show. Shaped roughly like a cube, the console is available in a variety of colors. In Japan, the system is also available in Spice (orange), or in limited edition colours like Crystal White, Mint Green, Copper, and White with black pinstripes.
The Nintendo GameCube uses a proprietary storage medium, the Nintendo GameCube Game Disc, based on Matshusita's optical-disc technology; the discs are approximately 3 1/8 inches) in diameter (considerably smaller than the CD's or DVD's used in competitors' consoles), and have a capacity of approximately 1.5 gigabytes.
It seemed that the GameCube was very much aimed at a younger audience. With the Playstation 2 having a strangle hold on the mainstream gaming community and the X-box aiming at an older -- shall we say more mature -- audience. The GameCube seemed to be filling a gap in the market with its toy-like looks and large controller appealing to a younger generation.
Despite this the GameCube is actually of a slightly more technical advancement than the PS2 and almost as powerful as the X-box. The main problem the GameCube suffered was due to its inability to play DVD's/CD's. As mentioned above, the GameCube uses much smaller discs as this was thought to help curb piracy but inevitable led to the console buying public viewing it as a draw back. On the other hand, its largest draw though could be said to be the many popular titles such as Mario Sunshine, Zelda the Wind Waker and Donkey Konga. These were all multi-player games and allowed for family fun.
BMW ... (Referenced by Artuto as the kind of car the PCHers typically go after.)
BMW (an acronym for Bayerische Moteren Werke Bavarian Motor Works) is German company that manufactures automobiles and motorcycles. The companys tagline in English is "The Ultimate Driving Machine."
Mario Kart / Daisy / Peach ... (Referenced by the video game Logan and Heather were playing.)
Super Mario Kart was the original Mario Kart game released back in the yesteryear of 1992 (I may add here than many an hour was wasted by myself and Mr. Shiny on this game). The game play mainly consisted of players racing go-karts and trying to obtain random items by driving through (or over in Super Mario Kart) question mark blocks, which could be used for either defense, offense or by powering up the engine for a short amount of time (boost). Each Mario Kart game hosts several gameplay modes, which could be played in both single player and multi player.
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! is the game that Logan and Heather were playing in the actual episode. It was designed specifically for the GameCube and is the fourth game in the Mario Kart series. The gameplay is much the same as the original but it does require that a kart has two racers. In addition, extra characters have been included and in addition to all this, its major draw is that it allows LAN play using the GameCube broadband adapter. Up to four GameCubes can be connected, allowing for sixteen player multi-player games (two players controlling each kart). So Logan & Heather can definitely keep their weekly game meetings ;)
It had a variety of characters that had originally appeared in the Mario series of games and they were Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad, Yoshi (my personal favorite), Donkey Kong Jr, Koopa Troopa and Bowser. The two characters mentioned specifically by Logan are Daisy and Peach.
Princess Daisy a.k.a. Daisy and Princess Peach a.k.a. Princess Toadstool a.k.a. Peach.
Princess Daisy is a character in the Mario series of games. She first appeared in Super Mario Land for the Game Boy back in 1989. She is the Princess of the Kingdom of Sarasaland a neighboring nation to the Mushroom Kingdom.. It is from here that she is kidnapped by the alien Tatanga. She is rescued by Mario.
There seemed to be some kind of romantic interest between the two but this could be attributed to the fact that she was often mistaken for Princess Peach whom Mario had rescued in previous games. After her initial debut Daisy was not seen again for ten years and reappeared in the game Mario Tennis. It is in this game that confirmation was given that Princess Daisy and Peach are indeed separate characters.
Her debut in the Mario Kart series of games came in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! where she was partnered up with Princess Peach. Daisy even has the honor of having her own track in the game the "Daisy Cruiser." She is a good light-weight character that has strong acceleration and top speed, great drifting and item using, but low handling. Daisy is considered to be witty and energetic and one of the only characters that uses slang. She is considered to be tomboyish although -- as her name suggests -- her special powers are based on flowers and daisies.
The other character referenced is Peach (or to give her her full title: Princess Peach, also know as Princess Toadstool). Like Princess Daisy, Princess Peach is a character in the Mario series of games. She first appeared in Super Mario Bros back in late 1985. She is the Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom where a great percent of the Mario games are set.
Peach lives in the Mushroom Kingdom with her mother and father (King & Queen Toadstool). She lives a solitary life in her palace being kept under the protection of Toad guards. This is due to the fact that only Peach can undo the evil magic cast upon her kingdom by Bowser. It is because of this reason that she is kidnapped by Bowser and eventually rescued by Mario.
She as appeared in nearly all the Mario games and is the first female character to have been given her own game as the main character "Super Princess Peach," released in 2006. In the Mario Kart series, she is among the lightest characters with the fastest acceleration, the lowest top speed, and the best off-road ability to take the shortcuts on each course. Character wise she is said to be very kind, well-mannered, and a noble person. It is also said that she possesses a pure heart and a pure voice and likes to help out whenever possible.
Shangri La ... (Referenced by Logan when Heather says how great Neptune is.)
A fictional place described in the 1933 novel Lost Horizon by British author James Hilton, Shangri-La is a mystical, harmonious valley at the western end of the Kunlun Mountains. The term has become synonymous with any earthly paradise in general. However, for some in particular, it is a mythical Himalayan utopia, where all inhabitants are happy and at peace, completely cut off from the outside world. Shangri-La is based on the concept of Shambhala - a mystical city in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.
Sometimes used as an analogy for a life-long quest, something that has long been obsessively sought, Shangri-La is similar to other metaphors of perfection, true happiness, or Utopian ideals which include the Garden of Eden, El Dorado, The Holy Grail, and The Fountain of Youth. Simply put, it is representative of a perfect earthly paradise that exists, but will forever be hidden from humanity.
Zipz Ice Cream ... (Referenced by Heather as the best ice cream ever.)
Sunny California! It has everything a person may want, including ice cream. What it doesn't appear to have is Zipz Ice Cream.
Right place, wrong town.
Founded in Chicago, IL, and Marlboro, NJ, Zipz is a full service Dessert Center that offers a wide variety of hard and soft serve ice cream, custom decorated cakes and other specialties that include malts and shakes, sundaes and Italian Ice. Relaxing atmosphere and something called Topping Central with twenty available toppings -- what can be more fun? (Well, Logan has a better suggestion, but all in due time).
One of the fun specialties is Zookie Pop -- a low fat snack with three available toppings: butterscotch, caramel, and chocolate. Not sure what it actually is, but it looks interesting enough to brave trying one.
The place also specializes in making birthday cakes decorated with your favorite characters: Barbie, Bob the Builder, Dora the Explorer, Elmo, Justice League, Looney Tunes, Mickey Mouse, Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Pokemon, Rugrats, Shrek and many more. I'm certain for the right price they'd make you that one with the Dude on it. You can stick candles into his nostrils.
Even though a single California location couldn't be tracked down, I have no doubt Zipz would be very successful in So Cal. It offers almost all of its products as fat-free and sugar-free options.
Amy's Ice Cream ... (Referenced by Logan as the best ice cream ever.)
Another place conspicuously absent from anywhere near the fictional town of Neptune, but famous nonetheless, is Amy's Ice Cream -- an Austin-based and privately-owned chain of ice cream shops in Central Texas. We will, however, forgive Rob Thomas for this little geographical lie. Apparently Amy's is so good, it ought to be in California! And in all the remaining states, too.
Amy's Ice Cream was started by Amy (naturally) Miller in 1985. A pre-med student at Tufts University, she worked for Steve's Ice Cream until it was bought out by a big bad corporation. Deciding that running an ice-cream parlor named after herself would undoubtedly be much more fun than dissecting cadavers, Amy -- and her business partner Scott Shaw -- promptly wrote a hot check for the lease of a store in Austin, and Amy's was born. I am assuming the hot check cooled off at some point and was covered, because the one shop has since grown into a robust and popular chain of twelve locations.
Amy's offers over two hundred flavors of ice cream and fruit ices (a non-dairy alternative not unlike sherbet). It should be noted that only a limited portion of those three hundred is offered at any given location at any given time. The standards include Sweet Cream, Just Vanilla, Mexican Vanilla (it's spicier, I presume), Coffee, White Chocolate, Belgian Chocolate and Dark Chocolate. Mexican Vanilla seems to be the most popular.
The chain offers three sizes of ice cream: Tiny (4 ounces), Small (6 ounces) and Large (8 ounces). And may I take this opportunity to commendd them for the portion control. Of course they do encourage you to get the Small or the Large ones by offering with it mixed in "Crush'ns" -- almonds, walnuts, pecans, mixed nuts, oatmeal cookies, chocolate chip cookies, Oreos, Cameos, Nutter Butters, Reeses Cups, Butterfingers, Kit Kats, M&Ms (both plain and peanut), health bars (because it's so effective with the Large ice cream, no doubt), chocolate chips, fresh strawberries, bananas, Whoppers, Junior Mints, Twix, cookie dough, granola, raisins, coconut, Grape Nuts, marshmallows, Snickers, graham crackers, ginger snaps, hot fudge, butterscotch, pecan praline, gourmet chocolate sprinklers or a variety of other items. Man, you'd need two hundred flavors just to fit all those "Crush'ns" in! Oh, and if you do insist on a Tiny size (good for you!), you can get some "Crush'ns" sprinkled on top.
Other products include smoothies, malts, shakes, and other treats that are all made from the rich fourteen percent butterfat ice cream.
Amy's has a very interesting employee selection process. The chain likes to create unique and fun atmosphere and service. The job application is a white paper bag and the prospective employee is told to be creative. Only requirements are the name and the contact information somewhere on the bag. The bags have been returned decorated, with stories written on them and videos placed inside. Many Amy's "scoopers" do tricks like throwing ice cream off the spade behind their backs, under the leg, etc.
On Amy's website the description of the creative way employees operate is put thus: "Fun, fun, fun 'til your daddy takes the T-bird away!" I have to say that after reading that, I understood why Logan feels such affinity for this particular brand.
San Diego ... (Referenced by Mason's alibi, the city where his girlfriend lives.)
It is believed that the first humans settled in the San Diego area some 20,000 years ago, along the coast, and 12,000 ago in the desert area, but it was in 1542 that Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo sailed from Mexico into the Bay and claimed the area for Spain, naming it San Miguel. At the time, there were 20-30,000 of the Kumeyaay tribe living there. In 1602, explorer Sebastian Vizcaino arrived on his ship, San Diego, and named the area for the Spanish Catholic saint, San Diego de Alcal. Then, in 1769, the first of a chain of twenty-one missions along the California coast was founded by Father Junipero Serra and the California Governor Gaspar de Portola. It was built on Presidio Hill and named Mission San Diego de Alcal. The first colonists arrived in 1774 and San Diego came under Mexican rule in 1821 when Mexico won its independence from Spain. Then, in 1848, a treaty ending the war between the U.S. and Mexico set the official international border and declared San Diego an American city. Two years later, San Diego County was created and the City of San Diego was incorporated.
Today, with a population of around 1.25 million, San Diego is the second largest city in California and the seventh largest in the nation. According to the San Diego city website, more than 96 percent of the residents are employed, with a median family income of almost $40,000. The top industries are manufacturing, defense, tourism and agriculture, with an additional focus on biotechnology/biosciences, electronics manufacturing, software, telecommunications, financial and business services, and defense and space manufacturing.
Located only 17 miles from the Mexican border, with 70 miles of coastline and an overall land area of 342.4 square miles, San Diego is also home to many popular tourist attractions, such as Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Wild Animal Park, Legoland California and the Del Mar Thoroughbred Races. Professional sports teams include the San Diego Chargers (football), the Padres (baseball) and the Gulls (hockey). In addition to ten community colleges located throughout the county, the city is also home to San Diego State, the largest California State University campus, and the University of California, San Diego.
Gulfstream V ... (Referenced by Keith when he checks Stolz's alibi.)
The Gulf Stream G500 is a business jet and was formerly know as the Gulfstream V. It is produced by the General Dynamics Gulfstream Aerospace unit based out in Savannah, Georgia. It is an aircraft used by the U.S. Air Force carrying out missions for the government and Defense department officials. Its designation number within the Air Force is C-37A.
The Gulfstream V is capable of cruising at 51,000 feet. It has many features from enhanced weather radar, autopilot and head-up display for the pilot. Safety features include Enhanced Vision Systems that allows increased visibility in austere environments. An interesting fact about the jet is that since 9/11, it has become embroiled in the war against terrorists. It seems to be used to transport hooded and handcuffed passengers and has been seen landing at military airports such as Pakistan, Indonesia, and Jordan.
An article written back in December 27, 2004 by Dana Priest of the Washington Post outlined the situation and claimed to have confronted the CIA with there findings, but the CIA declined to comment. The full article can be found here Washington Post article. Below is an excerpt:
- "The plane's owner of record, Premier Executive Transport Services Inc., lists directors and officers who appear to exist only on paper. And each one of those directors and officers has a recently issued Social Security number and an address consisting only of a post office box, according to an extensive search of state, federal and commercial records. The story of the Gulfstream V offers a rare glimpse into the CIA's secret operations, a world that current and former CIA officers said should not have been so easy to document."
Ponies are a horse breed with a specific conformation and temperament. Ponies measure less or equal to 14.2 hands high (hh) at the withers, where one hand equals approximately four inches. Unlike horses, ponies have thicker manes, tails and coats. Also proportionately shorter legs, wider barrels, heavier bone, and thicker necks and broader foreheads.
A pony!!!!
Ponies come in three sizes. They are considered small if their size is 12.2 hh and under. Medium ones are over 12.2 hh but no taller than 13.2 hh. And large ponies are over 13.2 hh but no taller than 14.2 hh.
The ponies evolved from original wild horses that developed smaller stature due to living in the margins of livable habitat. They were domesticated and bread for various purposes, particularly in Great Britain and Ireland. Ponies were historically used for hauling loads of coal up from the mines, driving and freight transport, or for recreational riding (especially for children) and later as competitors and performers. Larger ponies can be ridden by adults. Ponies are usually very strong and can carry weight. They are also intelligent if somewhat stubborn animals. Properly trained ponies are great for children who are learning how to ride. However, sometimes ponies can be more difficult to handle than horses, despite their smaller size.
Pony racing, much like horse racing, is an equestrian sport which has been practiced over the centuries. It provides many young jockeys with riding experience. And just like horse racing, its often closely associated with gambling.
The three ways to bet on the races are bet to win, bet to place, and bet to show. Betting to win is staking money on the pony to finish first. Betting to place is betting on the starter to win or come second. Betting to show is betting on it to finish first, second or third. Since its much easier to pick one that would "show" as opposed to "win," the payoff for showing is much lower than for a win. Betting to show is playing it safe (though common sense says you can get ahead more often that way), and betting to win is risking more in hope of higher rewards.
So, Im guessing, Keiths pal -- the Neptune Grand security guard who is still working there -- is betting to show. Either that or he is having no returns at all on his bets to win. Or else, he should consider graduating from pony racing and go bet with the big boys on horses. Because, seriously, betting on ponies is only a marginal step above investing with Dick Casablancas in dog tracks.
Wanda Holloway / "Cheerleader Mom" ... (Referenced by Veronica when she talks about motives with Mason.)
Also called the "Texas Cheerleader Murdering Mom," Ms. Holloway is indeed a woman from Houston, Texas who tried to get her brother-in-law to hire a hitman to kill the mother of her daughter's rival for the cheerleading squad. She hoped that the girl would be so distraught by her mother's death that she would not be able to compete and would drop out of the running for the spot on the squad.
Holloway had always wanted to be a cheerleader as a child. She began pushing her 13-year-old daughter into the sport, and was actually on friendly terms with the intended victim, Verna Hearth, until Hearth's daughter began beating Holloway's daughter in cheerleading competitions. Her brother-in-law told the police that Holloway had propositioned him to hire a hitman to kill Hearth. After listening to tapes of the proposition, a jury convicted Holloway for solicitation of capital murder in 1991. The original conviction for a fifteen-year sentence was overturned when it was discovered that one of the jurors had been on probation.
She was convicted to a ten-year sentence in 1997, but was released six months in with nine and a half-year probation. Upon her release, Hearth was quoted as saying, "Until we know a doctor has said she is over this obsession, no, we do not feel comfortable. Despite the prosecutor's request, Holloway was never sent to a mental hospital. She lived in Kingwood, TX during her years on probation, where she was ordered to serve one thousand hours of community service, and has since moved back to Houston where she lives with her husband.
Crme Brle (Referenced by Landry when he tells Mindy he's ordered some from room service.)
So delicious! Crme brle is a popular dessert with a rich custard base topped with a layer of hard caramel which is usually created by burning sugar with a kitchen blow torch. The origins of crme brle are much debated, with the English, French and Spanish all taking claim for its invention. Since the eighteenth century the Spanish have taken credit for the custard as :crema catalana," while the English claim it originated in seventeenth century Britain where it was known as "burnt cream." It wasn't until the late nineteenth century that the French translation came into common usage, putting the dessert on the map from Paris to New York, and its wide recognition today seems to give the French the credit for the invention of crme brle.
Below is a recipe for this most amazing of desserts. Straightforward and unpretentious, if you've never tried crme brle do yourself a favor and try making it at home. You won't be disappointed.
Classic Crme Brle
- 8 egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup granulated white sugar (for the caramelized tops)
Preheat oven to 300F. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is thick and pale yellow. Add cream and vanilla, and continue to whisk until well blended. Strain into a large bowl, skimming off any foam or bubbles.
Divide mixture among 6 ramekins or custard cups. Place ramekins in a water bath (large pan filled with 1 or 2 inches of hot water) and bake until set around the edges, but still loose in the center, about 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and leave in the water bath until cooled. Remove cups from water bath and chill for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days. When ready to serve, sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of sugar over each custard. For best results, use a small, hand-held torch to melt sugar. If you don't have a torch, place under the broiler until sugar melts. Re-chill custards for a few minutes before serving.
Serves 6
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a KICK-ASS! 2005 crime film/romantic comedy. Based in part on the novel Bodies Are Where You Find Them by Brett Halliday, the screenplay was written by Shane Black who also directed the film. (And he did a stellar job in both arenas.) It was produced by Joel Silver, Carrie Morrow, Susan Levin and Steve Richards. The cast includes Robert Downey Jr. as Harry Lockhart, Val Kilmer as Gay Perry and Michelle Monaghan as Harmony Faith Lane.
Others actors involved in this awesome production are Corbin Bernsen, Dash Mihok, Larry Miller, Rockmond Dunbar, Shannyn Sossamon and Angela Lindvall.
As great as this film is, it's definitely for adults. There's a plentitude of profanity (PLENTY!), violence, nudity and adult themes. But if you're an adult, are okay with the above and enjoy KICKASS! movies, get thee going and watch this beauty pronto!
Graveyard Shift ... (Referenced by Tina when she tells Veronica about Jeff Ratner's demotion.)
The graveyard shift is a popular name for the third shift of a 24-hour work schedule, covering the early morning hours such as 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. or midnight to 8 a.m.
Current popular explanations for the origin of the phrase "graveyard shift" reference the 19th century problem of accidentally burying people who were still alive. To prevent this from happening, the story goes, caskets were equipped with a bell-ringing device enabling a waking "corpse" to notify the world that they were no longer dead. The graveyard attendants who remained vigilant throughout the day and night worked the graveyard shift.
This explanation is denounced by Michael Quinion (of World Wide Words) who claims the above is merely a story and nothing more. According to Quinion, "graveyard shift is an evocative term for the night shift between about midnight and eight in the morning, when -- no matter how often you've worked it - your skin is clammy, there's sand behind your eyeballs, and the world is creepily silent, like the graveyard. The phrase dates only from the early years of the twentieth century."
Another source claims that while the the name did originate with the graveyard, but it was more work-related; simply put, the graveyard keeper would be one of the few people expected to work this shift, thus the term.
Nick Lachey's "What's Left Of Me" ... (Referenced as the song that Heather dedicated to Veronica from Logan.)
"What's Left of Me" was the first single off of Nick Lachey's sophomore solo record of the same name, released in early 2006. The poignant and heartbreaking single chronicles the end of his very public marriage to fellow pop star Jessica Simpson. Simpson and Lachey married October 2002 after a four-year courtship and their brief but seemingly loving marriage was chronicled in the hit MTV series Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica. The show ran from August 2003 through March 2005. Not long after the end of the series, rumors began to circulate that the couple's marriage was in trouble. Nick and Jessica officially separated in November 2005 and their divorce was final in the summer of 2006.
Ironically, it was amidst the demise of his marriage that Lachey achieved the greatest amount of personal, professional success. The single for "What's Left of Me" went to #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and the album to #2 on the Billboard 200 Chart before eventually being certified gold.
The song is a beautifully sad testament to Nick's personal pain and heartache over the end of his relationship with Jessica. Heather was spot-on in her choice of this song for her surprise dedication -- these heartfelt and painful lyrics could so easily have been written by Logan for his beloved Veronica.
- Watch my life pass me by
In the rear view mirror
Pictures frozen in time
Are becoming clearer
I don't wanna waste another day
Stuck in the shadow of my mistakes
Yeah...
Cause I want you and I feel you
Crawling underneath my skin
Like a hunger, like a burning
To find a place I've never been
Now I'm broken and I'm faded
I'm half the man I thought I would be
But you can have what's left of me
I've been dying inside
Little by little
No where to go but going out of my mind
In endless circles
Running from my self until
You gave me a reason for standing still
And I want you and I feel you
Crawling underneath my skin
Like a hunger, like a burning
To find a place I've never been
Now I'm broken and I'm faded
I'm half the man I thought I would be
But you can have what's left of me
Falling faster, barely breathing
Give me something to believe in
Tell me it's not all in my head
Take what's left of this man
Make me whole once again
Cause I want you and I feel you
Crawling underneath my skin
Oh a hunger, like a burning
To find a place I've never been
Now I'm broken and I'm faded
I'm half the man I thought I would be
But you can have all that's left
What's left of me
I've been dying inside you see
I'm going out of my mind
Out of my mind
I'm just running in circles all the time
Will you take what's left
Will you take what's left
Will you take what's left of me?
Just running in circles in my mind
Will you take what's left
Will you take what's left
Will you take what's left of me?
What's left of Nick. What's left of Logan. They could form their very own sadsacks club.
If the lyrics alone aren't enough to convince you that the song perfectly encapsulates woobie Logan's heartbreak, check out this amazing fanvid from The LoVe Shack's very own CatherineBruce here in the Music forum. (Note: Spoilers through 2x22 and slight hints of Lily and Kendall, but I assure you, you won't be sorry you checked it out.) I have no doubt that like Heather, you'll agree that this song was made for a Logan/Veronica LoVe dedication.
Hamster (Cage) ... (Referenced by Heather when she gets stir crazy in Logan's suite.)
A hamster is a rodent belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae. The subfamily contains about eighteen species, classified in six or seven genera. Hamsters are indigenous to the Middle East and southeastern Europe. Because they are easy to keep and breed in captivity, hamsters are often used as lab animals and pets.
Pet? Yes. This little guy as a lab experiment?
No way.
Hamsters can be kept both in cages and in terrariums, both of which are available in pet stores. Cages are easier to carry, their bars can be used for climbing, and they usually include a convenient front door. On the other hand, glass boxes keep hamsters from throwing litter out of their cages, provide a better view into the hamster's home, and create a quieter and more sheltered interior.
A variety of cages, from simple to more elaborate.
Despite the hamster's small size, appropriate housings should always have a floor space of at least two square feet and a strong top because hamsters are surprisingly good climbers. Glass boxes must not be higher than their width to allow for a sufficient air circulation. Usually hamsters with a bigger and more interesting home will live longer and provide more visual entertainment.
FBI ... (Referenced by Landry about the internship he wants Veronica to get.)
Created in 1908 by Attorney General Charles Joseph Bonaparte as the official investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Justice, the Bureau of Investigation (BOI) was tasked with investigating antitrust matters, land fraud, copyright violations, peonage, and twenty other crimes. It wasn't until the 1930's that, in response to the violence of organized crime following in the wake of Prohibition, Congress passed the Federal Kidnapping Act and the 1934 May/June Crime Bills. These new laws gave the FBI authority to act in previously off-limit areas, to make arrests and to carry weapons. At this time, the BOI was renamed the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
During the 1930's, the FBI played a prominent role in the aggressive pursuit and apprehension of well-known gangsters, earning the FBI's agents the nickname "G-Men." In the following decades, the FBI's efforts were directed at a wide range of issues including subversion, espionage, sabotage, civil rights violations, organized crime, white collar crime and high technology crimes.
The FBI's motto is "Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity," and its currently stated mission is "to protect and defend the United States against terrorist and foreign intelligence threats and to enforce the criminal laws of the United States."
FBI Headquarters is located in the J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington, D.C. The most well-known Director of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover held the office from 1924 to 1972. Upon his death, the FBI instituted a policy to limit future Directors to a term of no more than ten years. Today, the FBI's workforce includes more than 11,000 Special Agents, Legal Attachs (LEGATS) stationed in foreign countries and 1,000 FBI Police officers whose job it is to protect the J. Edgar Hoover Building, the FBI's training Academy in Quantico and the Washington and New York Field Offices.
Robert Downey Jr. ... (Referenced by Veronica when she brings up Kiss Kiss Bang Bang with Landry.)
What can I say here? I could wax lyrically about how much of a teen crush I had on Robert Downey Jr., but that may take to long so I will stick to the facts. Downey Jr. is an actor born back on the April 4, 1965 in New York City. He came from a theatrical background so it was no surprise that he ended up being an actor. His mother, Elsie, was a dancer and singer and his father a director -- mainly of underground films.
Although not necessarily grouped in with the Brat Pack he came to prominence back in the 1980's. His first role was as a puppy (yep you read that right) in one of his dad's films called Pound. Downey Jr. joined the cast of Saturday Night Live but only appeared in one season. He appeared in a number of films in his early career most notably (for me) Weird Science (1985) -- oh how I loved that film, yes I am showing my age but damnit, I still love that film.
He was also in The Pick up Artist (1987) -- again, a film I loved and the first to really attract me to him :). He also gave a stellar performance in Less than Zero (1987) playing a prophetic role as a drug-addicted rich boy, gaining rave reviews and elevating him amongst the critics and starmakers in Hollywood above the other twenty-something actors making it big. The film list goes on, but an appearance that must be mentioned was his role as Charlie Chaplin in Chaplin which earned him an Academy Award nomination as Best Actor.
Downey Jr. as Charlie Chaplin portraying "The Tramp."
Professionally, Downey Jr. was on track, but his personal life was another matter. For a long period of time there was great concern for him as it became obvious that he was battling with an addiction to drugs. In fact, Downey Jr. was arrested on a number of occasions due to his addiction. The first arrest was on the June 23, 1996 where he was arrested for drink driving and being in the possession of Black Tar, Heroin, Crack, Cocaine and an unloaded .357 magnum revolver. Almost six months later, he was sentenced on November 6th to three years probation for weapons and drugs charges. Unfortunately, Downey Jr. violated his parole a year later and was sentenced to six months in prison. Less than two years later (July of 1999) he ended up back at Corcoran State Prison for a further three years for again violating his parole.
Yeah, this guy's taken this shot before.
In an odd twist he was then released due to a sentencing error made by his trial judge in August 1999. It was believed that the time Downey had spent in court-ordered rehab had not been taken into account and it was ruled that the actor ended up serving more than enough time to fulfil his sentence. Still, he was arrested yet again in November 2000 at a hotel in Palm Springs for Cocaine and Valium possession and being under the influence of a controlled substance. Downey Jr. was not jailed for this as in July 2002 the charges were dropped due to Proposition 36. At that point he had been drug free for fourteen months. But it didn't last. He was arrested two more times after that -- in 2002 for climbing into his neighbor child's bed while under the influence of alcohol and back in April 2001 for being under the influence of a controlled substance yet again. He was found wandering in an alley. Oy vey.
However, that was then, this is now. Robert Downey Jr. has since been clean and sober and informed the press that he actually suffers from Bipolar Disorder, a form of manic depression. Having cleared himself of his drug addiction he has rebuilt his acting career and appeared in many films. He also built a TV career by appearing in the acclaimed show Ally McBeal which he won a Golden Globe for and was nominated for an Emmy for his role.
Romantically he has been linked with Sarah Jessica Parke and married Deborah Falconer back in 1992. The union produced a son, Indio. They divorced in 2004 and he has since married Susan Levin, a producer he met when filming Gothika with Halle Berry.
The Downey Jr./Levin wedding; Downey Jr. with Berry in Gothika.
Val Kilmer ... (Referenced by Veronica when she brings up Kiss Kiss Bang Bang with Landry.)
Val Kilmer is an actor, born in Las Angeles, California. He was raised a Christian Scientist and attended Chatsworth High School with fellow would-be actors Kevin Spacey and Mare Winningham. He was accepted into Julliard's drama program at he age of seventeen, and was at the time the youngest admittee into the program.
Some of Kilmer's most known roles include "Iceman" in Top Gun, Madmartigan in Willow, and Doc Holiday in Tombstone. He played the leading roles of Jim Morison in The Doors and Batman in Batman Forever(1995). In 2003, he starred in Spartan, which was also Kristen Bell's first major big-screen film. Kilmer played a secret agent for the United States, charged with the task of rescuing the kidnapped daughter (Bell) of the President. He starred in the action-comedy Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang with Robert Downey Junior in 2005.
LEFT: Kilmer and Bell, Spartan; RIGHT: Kilmer and Downey, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang
Kilmer is notorious for his meticulous preparation for his roles, and is often noted for being difficult to work with. After an explosive argument on the set of The Island of Dr. Moreau, director John Frankenheimer vowed to never work with Kilmer again. Tom Cruise, his on-screen rival in Top Gun, also has an ongoing mutual animosity towards Kilmer. Kilmer was married to his Willow costar Joanne Whalley from 1988-1996 and they have two children together.
Prozac ... (Referenced by Melinda about Heather's medication.)
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.
Volvo ... (Referenced by Keith when he interrogates Mrs. O'Dell why her car wasnt at the hotel during the deans murder.)
Did you know that volvo is Latin for "I roll" or "I turn?" Well it is, not that the origin of the word has anything to do with the vehicle, instead it has to do with the original product of SKF (for Svenska Kullagerfabriken AB), which had registered as their trademark of a special series of ball bearing. That was the original plan, but they instead decided to go with SKF, but then decided it was a nifty name for their automotive company. The Volvo, or Aktiebolaget Volvo, is a leading Swedish Manufacturer of vehicles, drive systems for marin and industrial applications, as well as aerospace components and financial services. Volvo is basically a spin-off of the SKF and was founded on August 10, 1926 in Gothenburg. In 1999, Ford Motor Company bought Volvo cars.
The first series produced Volvo automobile, called 'V4' (ppen vagn (Open wagon)-4 cylinders) left the factory on April 14, 1927. Just nine hundred and ninety-six cars were produced between 1927-1929. 'V4' was replaced by model PV651 in April 1929. Volvo's first success in the automobile production came with the PV444 that was introduced in september 1944. The Volvo Group today has more than 81,000 employees, with manufacturing in twenty-five countries and sales in more than one hundred and eighty-five markets. The group provides complete solutions for financing and service.
With Age Comes Wisdom ... (Referenced by Logan when Heather concedes that Amy's ice cream is better.)
"With age comes wisdom." So says the familiar doctrine so old its origins are untraceable. The saying itself is considered to be a conventional wisdom, used as a clich and a promise. Or, as a joke, when talking to a fast-learning eleven-year-old. And like all cliches its true only in part of the cases. The other popular saying, of course, is that wisdom doesn't always come with age. Sometimes age comes alone. I am intently watching Dick Casablancas to live true to just that doctrine.
Ball and Chain ... ((Referenced by Logan when Dick's wife storms out.)
"Ball and chain" is a phrase that -- oh so gently and lovingly -- has come to mean "wife." An actual ball and chain is a restraint device consisting of a heavy, solid, metal ball attached to a chain. Shackled to the legs of a prisoner, it was used to keep them from running. It was reported that up to the 1920's this device was used in prisons in the United States.
There are also stories that such device was used to ground hitch a buggy horse where no hitching posts were available. The driver would put the weight on the ground and attach the lose end of the chain to the bridle. It was sufficient to make the horse believe that it was a post and that the restraint was unbreakable.
The charming allusion to such a restraint when talking about a wife comes from the lovely presumption that a man's spouse is there to hold him down and keep him from doing the things he really wants to do. I say it's bull. The wife is there to ground hitch the man by his bridle so he doesn't gallop away into the night with her buggy.
"Where's the love?"
Alexandre Dumas ... (Referenced by the book Veronica used to smuggle Josh cookies.)
Alexandre Dumas was born on July 24, 1802 in Villers-Cotterts, Aisne near Paris, France. He was the son of a French General and his mother was the daughter on an innkeeper. The General died when Dumas was not yet four. This meant he was left to be raised by his mother in a state of poverty. He grew up with a love of books and read anything and everything that was available to him.
During his young life he was enamored by the stories of his father's military actions and this created in him a vivid imagination and a love for adventure stories. Upon turning twenty, he moved to Paris and found employment at the Palais Royal. It was during his time in Paris that Dumas started his prolific writing career, initially just writing articles for magazines then moving on to plays. His first play Henry III and his Court was produced in 1829 and was met with great acclaim as was his second play Christine. This gave him the financial stability to write full time.
He wrote many more plays but eventually started writing novels -- the most well known being The Three Musketeers (1844) and The Count of Monte Cristo. The man was extremely prolific and to list all his works would make quite a list. Dumas was also an incredibly astute businessman and after participating in the revolution that saw King Charles X removed from the throne, he realized the demand for serializations in newspapers. He rewrote one of his plays and created his first serialized novel Le Capitaine Paul. He went on to create a production studio that churned out hundreds of stories which he always kept under his personal input and direction.
In 1840, Duman wrote a novel called The Fencing Master -- the story was written as a narrated account of his fencing master Augustin Grisier's time in Russia and demonstrated how Grisier had come to be a witness in the Decembrist revolt in Russia. The novel was banned in Russia, which also led to Dumas not being allowed to enter Russia. Once the Czar died this was lifted.
Dumas was quite the known philanderer as well and although marrying in 1840, he courted several ladies and is said to have fathered at least three illegitimate children. One of these children followed in his father's footsteps ... and was also named Alexandre Dumas. Due to this, you will find that our man Dumas is often referred to as Alexandre Dumas pere and the son as Alexandre Dumas filis.
Dumas pere used many ghost-writers, the most famous of which being Auguste Maquet who did a great deal of work on The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers. Although he made a lot of money, he managed to waste the majority of it between women and living a lavish lifestyle, which included many a hanger-on-er. In 1851 he decided to get away from his creditors and ran away to Brussels. Moving onto Russia, he settled there for two years as French was the second language and his work was much loved. After this sojourn, he moved to Italy and helped in the fight for a united Italy and created the newspaper Indipendente. Finally, he returned to Paris in 1864.
Dumas was of mixed race and although he had many aristocratic connections and was well know for his success, the race issue was always a thorn in his side. This led him to write a novel called Georges that explored the issues of race. Unfortunately, even after his death on the December 5, 1870, this was to prove an issue and Dumas was never credited with his rightful place in history.
The Count of Monte Cristo ... (Referenced by the book Veronica used to smuggle Josh cookies.)
The Count of Monte Cristo is a novel written by the great Alexandre Dumas back in 1844. The novel tells us the story of nineteen-year old Edmond Dants who is betrayed by three men he considers his friends. It would be a shame to reveal to much of the plot if you haven't already read the story, but I will try and sketch out a small outline though.
Dants is a young man who finds himself promoted and charged with delivering a parcel to the former Grande Marshal Marchal Bertrand by his recently deceased friend. He is also trying to return home to Marseille where his family resides and his fiance, the beautiful Mercds, is waiting for him. Due to jealousy caused by his promotion, his recent windfall and having Mercds as his fiance his friends -- through various Machiavellian schemes -- have the poor lad condemned to a life sentence in an isolated island prison (Chteau d'If). Now I am loathe to continue with the story as it really would be giving to much away. Let's just say that after many years imprisonment on the island, various things happen that allow Edmond to escape and exact his revenge ;)
The book was originally published in eighteen parts between August 1844 to 1846. The completed version of the novel in the original French was published throughout the nineteenth century. The common English translation was originally published in 1846.
The Count of Monte Cristo is still to this day considered some of Dumas' best work and repeatedly appears in lists of the best novels of all time. It as also been adapted into many screen versions from films, TV series and even an anime series. There are over fourteen film and TV versions dating from 1908 through to 2004.
Apple for Teacher ... (Referenced by Logan's giving an apple to his teacher.)
There is a long history of apples buttering up a teacher's affection. According to aboutapple.com, the juicy fruit -- polished, but of course -- is a traditional present for teachers in the United States, Denmark, and Sweden. This stemmed from the fact that teachers during the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries were poorly paid, so parents would compensate the teacher by providing food. As apples were a very common crop, teachers would often be given baskets of apples by students. As wages increased, the quantity of apples was toned down to a single fruit. Others believe the good health associated with apples made the present particularly meaningful.
Giving an apple to a teacher is also the origin for the term "apple-polisher," which was first recorded in the late
1920's. Apple-polishers, also referred to as bootlickers, brown-nosers or toadies (among other, even worse nicknames), aren't always favorably looked upon by other students. And I'm sure that would really be a problem for Logan ... not.
Aileen Wornos ... (Referenced on the projector in Landry's class.)
Aileen Carol Wuornos was born on February 29, 1956 and was a serial killer who was sentenced to death by the state of Florida in 1992. She ultimately received five additional death sentences. Wuornos admitted to killing seven men, in separate incidents, all of whom she claimed raped her (or attempted to) while she was working as a prostitute. She was put to death via lethal injection on October 9, 2002. Wuornos had a miserable upbringing: Her father was a pyschopathic child molester who died in jail and her mother abandoned her children when Arlene was only four. She lived with her grandparents, but claimed they were sexually abusive. She had multiple sexual partners by the age of fourteen, had a child out of wedlock, was banished from her community, gave the child up for adoption and turned to prostitution while still in high school.
In and out of prison for much of her life (various offenses included drunk driving, disorderly conduct, assault, firing a weapon at a moving vehicle, armed robbery and grand auto theft), she hit a windfall in 1976 when her brother died of throat cancer leaving her with a $10,000 life insurance policy. However, Wuornos squandered that money in two months and suffered from financial woes continually. She made money through prostitution and theft of her clients. The two major romantic relationships in her life were with sixty-nine year old Lewis Fell, a wealthy yacht club president who met Wuornos while she was hitchhiking to Florida; the two married soonafter, but after only a month of marriage, Fell had it annulled. The other was with Tyria Moore, a motel maid who quit her job after hooking up with Arlene. Their romance lasted only a year, but the two were unseparable during the next four and it was during this time period, that Wuornos began killing.
Her first of six victims was Richard Mallory, a man that Arlene later claimed raped her. Wuornos was eventually identified when she and Moore were involved in an accident while driving a victim's car. She was apprehended a few months later. Arlene was convicted for his murder in January 1992 with help from Moore's testimony. When Wuornos was found guilty of the murder of Richard Mallory, she exclaimed at the jury "I'm innocent! I was raped! I hope you get raped! Scumbags of America!" On March 31, 1992, Wuornos pleaded no contest to the murders of Dick Humphreys, Troy Burress, and David Spears, saying she wanted to "get right with God." In her statement to the court, she averred "I wanted to confess to you that Richard Mallory did violently rape me as I've told you. But these others did not. [They] only began to start to." In June 1992, she pleaded guilty to the murder of Charles Carskaddon and received her fifth death sentence. In February of 1993, she plead guilty to the murder of Walter Gino Antonio. No charges were brought against her for the murder of Peter Siems, since his body was never found. In all, she received six death sentences.
Wuornos told several inconsistent stories about the killings she had committed. She admitted to killing seven men, in separate incidents. She claimed initially that all seven had raped her while she was working as a prostitute. Later, she recanted the claim of self-defense. After her first death sentence, Wuornos often said she wanted "it all to be over." In 2001 she began fighting to be executed. She petitioned the Florida Supreme Court for the right to fire her legal counsel and stop all appeals, saying "I killed those men, robbed them as cold as ice. And I'd do it again, too. There's no chance in keeping me alive or anything, because I'd kill again. I have hate crawling through my system.... I am so sick of hearing this 'she's crazy' stuff. I've been evaluated so many times. I'm competent, sane, and I'm trying to tell the truth. I'm one who seriously hates human life and would kill again."
Arlene Wuornos was executed by lethal injection (which she requested instead of the electric chair) at 9:47 a.m., Wednesday, October 9, 2002. After her execution, she was cremated, and her ashes were taken to her native Michigan and spread beneath a tree.
Inaccurately touted as "the first female serial killer," Wuornos' life has been documented in numerous books and portrayed in several films and television shows. The most famous were two documentaries and the movie, Monster. Nick Broomfield directed the two documentaries (Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer, 1992, and Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer, 2003). He conducted the last media interview with Wuornos on the day before her execution.
The 2003 movie Monster, starred Charlize Theron as Wuornos. It told the story from the moment she met Selby Wall (played by Christina Ricci) -- based on Wuornos' lover and four-year companion, Tyria Moore -- until her first conviction for murder. For her performance as Wuornos, Theron received the Academy Award for Best Actress. This award was given on what would have been Wuornos' 48th birthday.
Wow, that was depressing.
John Wayne Gacy ... (Referenced by the slide on the projector in Landry's class).)
John Wayne Gacy, Jr. , born March 17, 1942, was an American serial killer who was convicted and executed for the rape and murder of thirty-three boys and young men, twenty-eight of whom he buried under the crawl space under his house. (I know, I know. Ewwwwww. I feel ya.) He became notorious as the "Killer Clown" because of the many block parties he attended, entertaining children in a clown suit and makeup. There was a photo of Gacy in his "Pogo" clown costume, but it was so disturbing I thought I'd spare you all the horror.
Don't be fooled: he's no "nice guy."
Gacy was born and raised in Chicago. He had a very distressed and distant relationship with his stern, alcoholic father, who often beat him and derided him as a "sissy." Gacy married in 1964, but the marriage fell apart after he was convicted of child molestation in 1968. He was sent to prison for this crime, but he was a model prisoner and was paroled in 1970 after serving only eighteen months. After he was released, he moved back to Illinois. He successfully hid this criminal record until police began investigating him for his later murders.
In 1971, he bought a house in an unincorporated area of Norwood Park Township, which is surrounded by the northwest side Chicago neighborhood of Norwood Park, and established his own construction business. He married a woman he had known since high school, she and her two daughters moved in with him -- she would eventually divorce him in 1976. He became a prominent and respected member of the community. In addition to his clown act, he became active in the local Democratic Party, eventually becoming a precinct captain. As I'm sure you can imagine, after his arrest most of his neighbors were shocked and responded with the painfully typical "But he seemed so nice!" despite the fact that many of them had commented on the strange and horrible smells emanating from underneath his home.
Gacy stayed below the radar until December 12, 1978, when he was investigated following the disappearance of a teenage boy, 15-year-old Robert Piest. A search of his house, by Des Plaines detective Joseph Kozenczak, revealed a number of incriminating items related to other disappearances. On December 22, 1978, Gacy went to his lawyers and confessed to thirty-three murders, indicating where the twenty-eight bodies buried under his house and on his property could be found. The other five he said were thrown into the nearby Des Plaines River after he ran out of space beneath the crawl space under his house. Most of the victims were young men ranging in age from nine years old to twenty years old.
On February 6, 1980, Gacy's trial began in Chicago. During the trial, he made a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. His lawyer, Sam Amirante made the claim that Gacy had moments of temporary insanity at the time of each individual murder, but before and afterwards, somehow regained his sanity to properly lure and dispose of victims. (Yeah, right. A defense like that might work in Neptune, but not out here in the real world.) His plea was rejected outright for the crap piece of fiction it was. He was found guilty on March 13 and sentenced to death. On May 10, 1994, Gacy was executed at Stateville Penitentiary in Crest Hill, Illinois, by lethal injection. Without getting too graphic or preaching from my soap box, I'll just say this: Good riddance to bad rubbish.
- Aww. Veronica was having desert for lunch with her BFF. Chocolate ice cream to cheer their spirits. Too bad she kind of killed the mood by sliding him her bowl to throw away for her. Like he's the help, or something. Pfft. Or maybe she was just letting him finish off the rest of hers.
- Heh. I understand why Jeff hates Logan now.
- So for those left wondering how Logan's socks ended up hanging from the lampshade and fish last week ...
Mystery solved! Dick did it!
- How to tell a little girl is on Prozac? She walks into a room with a huge smile on her face, and the grin doesn't waver at all when she meets an unshaven, Logan buried beneath a pile of dirty laundry. Yeah. It's easy to be happy all the time when you're eleven and on Prozac.
- Heather's delayed 'gross' when Logan tells her to stay out of the porn. Hee.
- It's been a while since we've had some nifty camera moves, so it was nice seeing the slowly spinning angle on Logan as he lay in bed. It did a lovely, understated job of showing Logan's continued state of mind.
- I think Stoltz Industries hired the same interior decorator who threw random animals (goats??? fish??) around the Neptune Grand. Why can't that guy get shot?
- I'm sorry, but even after thirteen episodes, the sight of Veronica leaning against a silver hybrid Subaru while about to engage in slightly illegal activity is just wrong. Oh, LeBaron, I miss you so.
- So Arturo went to see the wizard singing "If I only had a brain!" and his wish was granted. Meanwhile our main characters show little signs of following Lamb's advice and finding the missing pieces of themselves. Well, it does look like Logan refound his courage. Now what should Veronica ask for?
- Logan plays Mario Kart as one of the characters that can use a heart to protect themselves. What a subtle metaphor.
- How adorable was the smile on Logan's face while he played video games with Heather? -- Right before she started asking him about Veronica again and his face dropped.
- I love how Logan doesn't react at all when Dick says he's married. Hey, it's Dick. Logan is desensitized to his particular brand of 'gotcha' by now.
- The low-five that Logan offers Heather and to which she quickly delivers upon after her little prank.
- I'm not one to praise John Kretchmer's direction (especially this season), but he did an outstanding job on this episode. Along with the above-mentioned scene, another one was with Veronica and Josh at the cliff. The whole of it was just gorgeous, with a touch of menace and intrigue. The background, the waves crashing over the rocks, the way it darkened as the camera pulled away to almost silhouette the two standing on the cliff ... all of it was captured beautifully.
- Mindy O'Dell is looking more and more like the femme fatale of noir in each episode. Here we've got the Veronica Lake-esque hair, plunging neckline, red lipstick ...
- I know Veronica's the heroine and all, but it was actually nice seeing someone she was basically accusing of a heinous crime tell her to screw herself. Not pleasant, but really, the girl has a terrible habit of being accusatory as all hell with no basis and expecting polite, honest responses in return. Landry still being excited for Veronica's FBI future (while he's being investigated by her and her dad) and Jeff's quick capitulation (when he seemed to detest her) is not normal. She really oughta take some notes from daddy dearest who does a wonderful job of finding out the nitty gritty of a suspect without coming across as a smug, self-entitled jerk. Seriously, I'm not ragging on Veronica, she really needs to do this better. Keith does a great job, she should watch and learn.
- The callback to Veronica's baking skillz is always nice to see. Hmm, I couldn't tell if the cookies leaned though.
- As much as I don't see Logan ever listening to Nick Lachey, Heather's choice of song contained very insightful, pertinent lyrics. No wonder Veronica couldn't stand to listen to it.
- The shirt that Heather was wearing when she pulled her little prank on Logan (re: online guy) was the same that Veronica wore in Hi Infidelity when she went to dig up scoop on Rory Finch. So yes, we can say that Veronica went to see Logan afterwards and they had sex. Uh huh.
- And the second shirt Heather was wearing in the elevator scene is the same one Veronica was wearing when she showed up at Logan's door at the end of Show Me the Monkey. Proof positive that not only was there make-up sex to be had, but also that Veronica probably left wearing Logan's clothes (or at least something she had previously left there).
- Speaking of the sharing of the shirt, the height difference between the all-growed-up Kristen Bell and eleven-year-old Juliette Goglia was just a few mere inches. Boy, is Bell tiny!
- Heather's loudly whispered repetition of "it's her" and "Miss Veronica" in the elevator were like THE cutest things ever. EVER!
- Poor Heather. She must have thought her mother was heartbroken and passive when her father left and is trying to stop Logan from making the same "mistake". I love the look on Logan's face when he finds that out ... he just knows why she was so pushy. Nice, Jason.
- The prozac might have been a good thing for Melinda to recommend Logan monitored before she took off with Dick. *rolls eyes* Well, at least Heather and Logan can bond over how much their sisters suck.
- Veronica sucker punched (or air-sucker punched) Sacks when she left Josh's cell. Hee.
- Logan's sweater vest "preppy" costume as he plays the teacher's pet, complete with obligatory shiny red apple. Pwns.
- And more specifically ... yay, Logan and apples. Is this a sign that the snarky Logan is back? Cuz, look! It's Logan and an apple and that's always a good thing.
- Ah, the return of the Shocker. This time courtesy of Dick. I guess Standards & Practices still hasn't picked up on the naughty nature of this gesture ... or perhaps the sideways angle of Hansen's delivery threw them off?
- Sing it with me, people: Where Art Thou, Wallace? I know, I know, he showed up for a teaser, but is anyone else tired of being teased? Here was a perfect opportunity to get Wallace involved in the case that actually concerned him. What happened?
- How long has Logan been in his room? How much room service did he order? It seems a bit ridiculous that a hotel of that size could run out of salt and pepper shakers from one resident's room service ... I didn't see that many trays. Lame.
- So, Weevil worries that his parole officer will be upset by his contacting the new leader of the PCH gang. Understandable. However, why wouldn't he have had any such (more understandable) concern about stealing someone's car for cubing purposes?
- Did anyone else yell for joy when we entered Josh's house and there was no neon lighting?
- Were viewers supposed to wonder if Josh was about to push Veronica off the cliff in that scene? There was a certainly a moment when she stood at the edge and he stared at her where that thought crossed my mind (and I've read similar thoughts from others.)
- Is Lamb about ready to put Veronica on the payroll? He seemed almost resigned to her being at the scene of yet another investigation when he came to arrest Josh. His half-hearted and not at all unfriendly "not now, Veronica," was a much warmer reaction that one might expect.
- Did the person who killed the coach leave the championship ring in his son's locker to set him up? Or did his father really leave it there?
- Did Mindy just want Keith to prove that Dean O'Dell's death wasn't a suicide? Or does she want him to find who really did it? Certainly smells like she's covering something up though I doubt she's the killer.
- Does Veronica just not take jail seriously? She joked about Logan's possible prison sentence, and now she's brushing aside Weevil's parole (even though, granted, he didn't seem to care last week) by saying the risk worth's it because she'll pay him? Um ... if it was fine to break the law and/or converse with criminals as long as money was involved, he'd still be in the gang, she knows that right?
- So there's only three members in the PCH Bike Club now? I guess their popularity really did go down hill after Weevil left.
- Logan pauses when Heather asks if she wants him to highlight his hair. Because he's bemused by the offer? Or because he's considering taking her up on it? Hey, a girl can dream! We haven't seen him highlight his hair for a long, long time and I miss the surfer look.
- Will Dick's marriage be annulled, or will he actually lose some of his prized Casablancas cash?
- If Landry was aware that Jeff Ratner worked in the hotel, why would he continue to meet Mindy there? Especially after Veronica had already sprung him. There are plenty of other hotels.
- If "ex" is the nice thing Logan calls someone when he stops dating her, what's the not-nice thing he calls her away from polite company?
- I thought the course Veronica was taking under Landry was Introduction to Criminology while Profiling was an upper level course. Why does she say she's taking Profiling now? I know this is a new semester, but surely she'd need to take more than one to get into an upper level course.
- Why does Landry continue to act like he's never respected a student more than Veronica when he treats her father (who solves most of the crimes with her and taught her everything she knows) with such disdain?
- Yes, it was a heartfelt moment with Veronica asking Keith to not be murdered, but considering she already thought it had happened and Logan took super-duper awesome care of her, it hit hard in ways I doubt the writer intended considering Veronica's dumping of Logan last week. So how could Veronica make that statement and not recall the plane blow-up and Logan's subsequent care of her?
- Why do both Keith and Veronica keep jumping back and forth on how they address Mindy O'Dell? Sometimes it's "Mindy," other times it's "Mrs. O'Dell."
- It seems doubtful, but I have to bring it up considering they're looking at two faculty murders now in a five episode arc: Was Professor Landry's "how to spot a serial killer" lecture a clue about the ongoing murder investigation(s)?
- What is Wallace's opinion of Logan hooking up with Madison? Does he have Veronica's back while not thinking Logan really did something "bad" per se? I've been hanging out to know (considering the Jane/Jackie thing) and even though he brought it up, I still have no idea.
- Why would Veronica ask Keith why he had a relationship with the Neptune Grand security? This already came up last season when she was dating the Donut and she knows perfectly well why he still has that relationship.
- So, Veronica is willing to lie about being Logan's girlfriend if it gets her information? Nice to know just where her moral compass points.
- Speaking of ... how come Tina still thinks Veronica is Logan's girlfriend? The rest of the hotel staff seems to know that Logan is majorly depressed. They are out of salt and pepper shakers, for goodness sake. Which means more than one week has passed since Logan left that room. If Tina is really his pal, hasn't she noticed? Or the fact that Veronica hasn't been around a while?
- Why do neither Keith nor Veronica sit down and watch Kiss Kiss Bang Bang? I wouldn't be surprised at all if the two men arguing were simply the characters played by Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer in the film. It's filled with the two yelling at one another, among other men yelling.
- Is Veronica really suited for the FBI? For a girl who breaks rules right and left, has little respect for authority, puts herself (and others) in an unnecessary danger, doesn't seem to learn her lessons, and will always prefer a shortcut over painstaking and careful consideration, she is being lauded awfully unreasonably by both Landry and the late Dean O'Dell. I may be alone on this, but I find Veronica Mars singularly unfit for any real Law Enforcement agency.
- And hey, isn't Veronica supposed to be on some FBI shitlist anyway? Whatever happened to the ominous "kidnapping cases don't go away"-shtick from Donut Run? I thought for sure that would come up again once Veronica sent in her application for the internship. Boo.
- How come Veronica reacted more to the murder of some coach she barely knew than Cyrus? This was the first episode she showed any emotion about the crime and it seemed to be more in reaction to a reference and the coach's murder.
- Why would Mason's girlfriend's confirmation of the fact he was with her that night clear him of shooting the coach? Didn't he say he saw Josh and his father arguing while on the way to his girlfriend's place? Was she with him? I had the impression she wasn't.
- Are we going to see the heartbreaking exchange of belongings scenes between Logan and Veronica? She obviously hadn't picked up her things if he still had a few of her shirts, and I doubt she gave him back his keys (to both car and suite). Will Rob give us that conclusive feeling or will we wonder about how many of her belongings he still has long after the season is over?
- Sing it with me, part two: We know Lamb and his staff are all incompetent, but how incompetent do you have to be if your inspection of the books to be passed on to a prisoner does not include an actual opening of the book?
- Are the FBI peeps going to blink about Veronica's latest arrest given that baby-napping was fine by them?
- Veronica's arrest was reminiscent of Weevil's arrest in Not Pictured, with Lamb staging a scene of utmost humiliation in front of a large group of peers.
- Aww, yet another sign that they are made for each other, (Veronica!). Logan uses the same joke that Veronica did in Rashard and Wallace Go to White Castle when asked about an acquaintance with a lawyer. What makes it even funnier is we know that they are both referring to our beloved Cliff.
Quote:
Wallace: You know a good lawyer?
Veronica: I know a lawyer.
Quote:See? Made for each other.
Dick: You know a good lawyer?
Logan: I know a lawyer.
This week's podcast was given by director John Kretchmer, who had a few interesting things to say:
Quote:Sidebar: Juliette had this to say about working with Jason:
The most difficult scenes to film were in Logan's Neptune Grand suite. Not, thankfully, because of any acting issues. On the contrary, Jason Dohring and Juliette had a great relationship, on and off the set.
Quote:Say it with me: Awwww. Back to the podcast:
I was filming Veronica Mars out of town. I had such a blast! I got to work with Jason Dohring who plays Logan Echolls. We are really good friends! He was such an amazing actor to work with!
Quote:So, for those of you not paying attention, this is them trying (carefully, even) to keep the balcony form looking phony:
But the Neptune Grand is our toughest standing set to shoot in because it is so large, because it requires us to hang each light individually, which takes a tremendous amount of time, and because we must deal with the TransLite backing outside the balcony, which, if we aren't careful, will look phony.
Say it with me: Oh, dear. (Sidebar: Logan!Neck)
Quote:Don't fret too much about that one, Kretchmer. Judging by the discussion thread, I'd say a great deal of us were sold on the "Holy crap, Veronica! Why are you standing on the edge of a cliff with your back to a potential killer?!"-fear. Well done.
Rob had emphasized to me that he wanted to lead the audience briefly into thinking that Josh might have brought Veronica to the cliff in order to push her over the edge. I had hoped that the crane-up from the cliff would be sufficient, but I also wanted to do a shot of Josh's point of view of Veronica standing at the rim. Regretfully, I did not have the time or daylight to do it.
- The wallpaper on Logan's desktop of Veronica is a shot taken of Kristen Bell from the "Red is for Emmy" party on November 15, 2006.
genova (Cara): Literature
holly96 (Holly): Literature; Social Science; Homeroom
JaneDtwo: Study Hall; Extra Credit; Social Science; Philosophy
JenniferH: Report Card; Chemistry; Band Class; Social Science; Homeroom; Detention; Philosophy; Principles of Democracy; Extra Curricular Activities
PolarTruckin (Belinda): Literature; Homeroom; Philosophy; Principles of Democracy
sawmg (Shannon): Literature; Social Science; Homeroom; Principles of Democracy; Extra Curricular Activities
secrets and lie: Drama Club
SeluciaV (Alli): Journalism; Literature; Social Science
Shiny4LoVe (Natash): Social Science
