Veronica Mars The Complete Second Season DVD with Kristen Bell (Unrated) +Movie Reviews +Used DVD available for Swap

Season 2 of the best show on television comes to DVD

Darren Harrison | Washington D.C. | 05/10/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Thank you Warner Home Video, for releasing the second season of my favorite television series in August instead of waiting until October as you did for Season 1.

For those looking for the true heir to Buffy the Vampire Slayer in terms of a sharp script and snappy dialogue look no further than the UPN show Veronica Mars. Not since Sunnydale dropped into a deep chasm has television seen such a fabulous ensemble of talented young actors deliver such inventive dialogue in intelligent, darkly humorously directed fare.

For me Tuesday nights became the most anticipated TV night of the week and I could not get enough of the show or its hot star Kristen Bell. It quickly shot up the rankings on my TiVo season pass where it now sits at number one and my Kristen Bell TiVo wish-list was set to auto-record so I would not miss any program in which she was featured. I remember the anger when my local UPN station decided to air a baseball game instead of one episode - never have I felt more like putting pen to paper to express my displeasure with a programming decision.

So what is this show that induces such passion? It's a detective show, no it's a romantic drama, or is it a dark comedy? Well, in reality it is all of this and more. Set in the California city of Neptune, it paints the picture of a society split between the have's such as the rich Kane family or movie star Aaron Echoll's children and the have-nots (notably title character Veronica Mars and her friends Wallace and Weevil).

Veronica is the daughter of Keith Mars, the former Sheriff, who is now a private detective. The first season centered around the investigation into the murder of Veronica's best friend Lilly and Veronica's rape and the second season centers on the investigation into a bus crash that sent a group of students over a cliff to their deaths - a bus that Veronica was supposed to be riding. In addition a second mystery that is not resolved until later in the season is who was responsible for the death of Weevil's cousin Felix.

But, as Veronica continues her investigation each episode involves the investigation into a lesser mystery. From who was responsible for the death of a classmates dog to the blackmail of gay students

Veronica (with the help of Wallace, Mac and assorted other friends) must navigate a world of pirate radio stations, Irish gangs and still vie for the Kane scholarship, which would allow her to make her dreams of attending Stanford a reality.

In addition to the great script the other strength of the show is in assembling a wonderful ensemble of young actors. Led by Kristen Bell who as Veronica outdo's Buffy in the dry humor department, and ably supported by Canadian actor Enrico Colantoni as Keith Mars, the two really display a true father-daughter affection for each other which apparently was true off-screen as well. In addition to this dynamic there is also Percy Daggs III as Veronica's best friend (and cohort in her investigations) Wallace and Jason Dohring appears as Logan, the bad-boy rich kid son of Aaron (played by Harry Hamlin of "Clash of the Titans" fame).

Completing the talented young cast is Francis Capra as biker bad-boy Weevil and new to this season is the very appealing and spunky Tessa Thompson as Wallace's girlfriend Jackie. She was disliked initially by fans though as the season went on she became more popular - personally I had liked her from her first scene.

This show needs to be seen to be believed. Sure I am a diehard fan of the show, but I defy any viewer not to became charmed by the drama, romance, humor and well drawn characters. Yes, the mysteries are solved but a lot of the fun comes in the journey towards those last episodes of the season. The season finale aired just last night and I was blown away by it. I was shocked and drawn in to every emotionally powered minute of it and fans across the internet are raving about it. Season 3 simply cannot come soon enough for me.

On this DVD set of six discs we are promised a behind the scenes featurette, gag reel and deleted scenes which would be a vast improvement on the relatively bare-bones season 1 release. Warner Bros. was apparently surprised by the fan following that VERONICA MARS had developed during season 1 so they did not prepare adequately for that season's DVD release. Thankfully they were better prepared this time around."

A Great Show Only Gets Stronger

Mark Baker | Santa Clarita, CA United States | 08/30/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After solving her best friend's murder at the end of season 1, Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell) swore off detective work. She was going to relax and enjoy her senior year. In fact, she's got a boring job serving coffee. Just your typical high schooler.

Unfortunately, just when she thinks she's out, she's pulled back in. Firstly, on again off again friend Logan Echolls (Jason Dohring) is accused of killing a PCHer. Then best friend Wallace (Percy Daggs III) is part of the group of starting athletes accused of steroid use.

But worst of all is the bus crash. After a routine field trip, the bus the kids were riding in plunges over the side of a cliff, killing all on board. The rich kids had gotten off, so once again social status plays an issue. But worse yet, Veronica thinks it was intended to kill her. Was she the target or was there another sinister purpose?

This show started off with a strong first season and only improved with this one. The writing is as sharp as ever. Not only did the season long storylines keep me guessing from start to finish, but the individual mysteries that only last one episode were full of twists and turns as well. In addition to the great plotting, the dialog is fast moving. Veronica's sarcasm, both in dialog and her voice over narration consistently cracks me up every week.

Building on the great writing is equally strong acting. All of the actors take the wonderful words they are given and nail it every week. Kristen Bell receives lots of praise for her work here, and it is well deserved. She consistently hits all the peaks and valleys the role demands, and makes it look effortless. Equally praise worthy is Enrico Colantoni in his role as Veronica's Dad. Their scenes together are the heart of the show, and I love watching the two of them together.

While the first season set contained little in the way of extras, this one does include some. There are 22 minutes of deleted scenes, a gag reel, and two behind the scenes featurettes. All this is on top of wide screen picture and surround sound. If you are a fan of this show, this set is not to be missed.

And if you aren't a fan of this show, what's wrong with you? There's still time to get up to date on a great show and be ready to start season three when it premiers in a few weeks."

The best show on TV, with a second season even better than t

Andrea | Savannah, GA United States | 05/06/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"With most television shows, the sophomore season is kind of key. That's when you can tell if the series has long-term potential to be one of the great classic shows, or if the first season will always be remembered as the only "true" season of what once was a good show. With this second season, "Veronica Mars" proves to be the former. While most of the sophomore efforts of the big hit shows that I've seen have been disappointing this season (the worst offenders being the ones on ABC, imo), "Veronica Mars" and NBC's "The Office" remain as two of the only exceptions. For those new to the show (and I hope there will be plenty of those, b/c the show still doesn't get the viewers it deserves), here's a quick, as-spoiler-free-as-possible, season 2 synopsis:

With her best friend's true murderer finally behind bars thanks to her, 18-year-old detective Veronica tries to start her senior year by getting her life back to normal after the cataclysmic events of last year. As we learn in the phenomenal season premiere, "Normal is the Watchword," she'll find that very difficult since the noir-ish town in which she lives, Neptune, CA, is practically crumbling around her. Tensions between the haves and the have-nots have escalated exponentially ever since a mysterious tragedy that occured over the summer. In season 2, the class warfare becomes literal with someone very close to Veronica at the center. Oh, and at the end of the first episode, 8 people will be killed in a not-so-accidental accident that may have been meant for our heroine. This season introduces many more of the shady faces of Neptune, including femme fatale Kendall Casablancas (gleefully protrayed by Buffy/Angel-alum Charisma Carpenter), the new friendy, yet kind of creepy mayoral candidate Woody Goodman (Steve Guttenberg), and Neptune's "first family of crime," the Fighting Fitzpatricks. As she gets reluctantly sucked into the season's two big murder mysteries, Veronica will also encounter everything from psychotic babysitting clients to a serial rapist at the college she will probably attend in season 3 to a dead guy who washes up on shore with her name written across his hand, and she will learn throughout the season that "normal" just isn't her.

The great thing about "Veronica Mars" that sets it apart from other high-concept mystery shows (yes, I'm referring to "Lost") is that you have complete confidence in the writers (which was justified in season 1) to actually answer it all and tie all of these threads up into a neat little bow at the end of the season and still leave you dying for more. Next season, this and "The Office" will probably be the only non-HBO shows I'll be watching (unless the miracle that is "Arrested Development" somehow returns). This amazing 2nd season is not only more briskly-paced than season 1, but it's also more, as Logan would say, "epic" in scale and complexity, so this season, even more than season 1, will benefit from the DVD format so viewers can watch the episodes back-to-back to keep up with everything. As a major bonus, this set actually has *gasp* EXTRAS! It will have a behind-the-scenes featurette, a gag reel (Rob Thomas has mentioned that it will be from both seasons. Huzzah!), deleted scenes, and maybe more. That said, if you haven't seen Season 1, what are you waiting for?! That's available now! The brilliant writing and acting alone (Kristen Bell and Jason Dohring both turn in Emmy-worthy performances) make this well worth the price of a DVD set, not to mention the gorgeous and quirky cinematography/art direction and great music. Pick up both seasons. You won't regret it.

"

An already great show gets even better

Robert Moore | Chicago, IL USA | 05/13/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"NEWS UPDATE -- May 16, 2006: Mike Ausiello of TV Guide has just posted that Rob Thomas e-mailed him that VERONICA MARS has been renewed for a third season and a full 22-episode order, that can be cut back to 13 if the ratings are low. So get this DVD box set if you are a fan! Lend it to friends! Recruit new viewers! Keep this great show alive!

In its first season, VERONICA MARS established itself as one of the best new shows on TV and while it didn't attract many viewers, it nonetheless managed to gain a surprising amount of critical acclaim. First, Salon.com, in its annual salute on the best show neglected by the Emmys, awarded the Buffy (named for the most unjustly Emmy-neglected show of all time) to VERONICA MARS. Then, BUFFY's creator, Joss Whedon, wrote a review in Entertainment Weekly of the DVD release of VM. His memorable three-word summation: "Best. Show. Ever." Finally, at the end of 2005 a host of TV critics gave their lists of the Top Five or Top Ten or just Top shows on TV. Right there among shows like LOST and ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT was that Veronica show. And it deserved all the praise. As great as it had been in its first season, its second represented a great leap forward in the complexity of its narrative and the development of its characters.

Unfortunately, what VERONICA MARS did not get was viewers. Despite the fact that pretty much the same people who would love VERONICA were those who love the mega-hit LOST, the geniuses at UPN decided to put this lovely show, which was still attempting to build an audience, against one of the highest rated shows on TV, targeted at much of the same group of people. There have been some astonishingly dumb decisions in the history of TV programming, but this definitely ranks up there. The results were predetermined: very few people watched VERONICA MARS. My two favorite shows on TV are VERONICA MARS and LOST. Weekly I was left with a dilemma. But let me confess this: after the halfway point in the season and before they moved VERONICA to Tuesdays, I found myself watching VERONICA MARS instead of LOST.

Season Two largely centered around the mystery of what caused a bus crash in the very first episode, a bus crash that killed several of Veronica's classmates and a bus that Veronica would have been on except by sheer accident. Though there are a host of story arcs throughout the season, this is the central one around which the season as a whole is built. What delighted me was the wonderful complexity that evolved during the course of the year. One plausible culprit after another was introduced, one new clue after another, so that one week it seemed definite that one person was responsible for the crash, but another the following week. All the way up to the end I was concerned that perhaps things were getting too complex, but in the end things were resolved in wonderful fashion.

In particular I want to praise two episodes. The finale, "Not Pictured," was one of the finest season finales I have ever seen. There was a new shocker of some sort every five minutes to go with some of the most gut wrenching moments I have ever witnessed on TV. There were many moments that were almost too horrible to watch, so intense they were. The episode no only resolved the major plot arcs of Season Two, but also some unresolved ones from Season One. All in all, it was a thing of glory. I was also amazed by the episode "Donut Run," in which Veronica matches wits with not only Sheriff Lamb (who is supposed to be an opening credits character in Season Three) but with two FBI agents, one of whom was portrayed by none other than Xena herself, Lucy Lawless. I indicated that I was going to keep this relatively spoiler free so I won't go into details, but I found this one of the most moving, exciting, delightful, and heart breaking episodes I've seen on TV. And it ends with a nod to its competitor in the same time slot, LOST, by ending with a close up of a note from a fortune cookie, which has just below the fortune Hurley's numbers: 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42. On a similar note, two of my favorite shows had nods towards one another this season. On one of the final episodes of the comic masterpiece ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, George Michael asks Maebe if she would like to go watch [BLEEP] on TV. A subtitle explains that FOX had censored the name of a show on another network about a teen female detective. A few weeks later, on the episode "The Grapes of Graff," Michael Cera, who played George Michael, appeared as a college tour guide, while Alia Shawkat, who played Maebe, portrayed a girl who was raped and had her head shaved, and who Veronica helps find her rapist.

VERONICA MARS is the latest in a string of shows to appear in the past ten years to present female heroes. This is no longer as novel as it once was, which is a testimony to how effective these shows have been. Although the early part of the nineties saw Dana Scully on THE X-FILES and Xena on the show of the same name, it wasn't until BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER that girl heroes really began to be accepted in a big way. Compare this to the entire prior history of TV. Prior to Dana Scully, once you tick off Emma Peel (who still stands up as one of the great female heroes of all time) and Wonder Woman and the Six Million Dollar Woman (who do not), you have pretty much exhausted the list. But after BUFFY you get Aeryn Sun on FARSCAPE, Max Guevera on DARK ANGEL, Sydney Bristow on ALIAS, and River Tam on FIREFLY and SERENITY (we actually see in the latter what she would have become on the former). These women all do the things that male heroes can do, and it is irrelevant that it is unrealistic to have women doing super empowered things. We overlook that what male heroes are just as unrealistic. It is simply a convention that we buy Superman and Batman and the Green Hornet and Caine, and merely a bias that women doing similar things were unacceptable. I cracked up reading about a female anti-feminist philosophy professor who expressed outrage that feminists might want Wendy and not Peter Pan fighting Captain Hook, as if a boy who could fly and fight a pirate were somehow more lifelike. After Buffy, Wendy was free to take on Hook.

Then came Veronica. Unlike Buffy, she is not super powered. Unlike Sydney and Aeryn, she wasn't trained from earliest childhood to be a super warrior. Unlike River and Max, she isn't genetically altered. She is just a girl. What is her super power? Her wits. She does what she does simply by being smarter better than anyone else. These female heroes (I am intentionally avoiding using "heroine," which I think usually is employed to indicate less of a hero than a male version) have helped alter popular imagery about what women can and cannot do. Before Buffy and Max and Veronica, maybe popular culture could promulgate myths about a woman's proper place being in the home taking care of her kids, but not now. Or, stealing the title from one of Season Two's best episodes, now "Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner." Veronica is the ultimate 3rd Wave Feminist.

What can you say about Kristen Bell? I honestly feel she deserves an Emmy nomination for Best Actress. She is an immensely gifted individual, and she doesn't even get to employ her singing and dancing skills (her background is in musical theater) on the show. She is a very tiny girl (I've read 5'1 in more than one place), but she is able to project so marvelously that it is almost impossible to believe that she is that small. She projects, "Tough chick." She makes you believe that she can take on an entire motorcycle gang and somehow come out on top. Or the combined forces of a sheriff's department and the FBI. Yes, she is as cute as a button, but it is her toughness and resilience that you love about her character. No matter how many terrible things happen to Veronica, she is like a cork that just pops back to the surface. She is backed by a great supporting cast. You have to love Jason Dohring as Logan Echols, one of the more complex, hard to predict characters on TV. He is also great at delivering the one-liners the writers give him. For instance, in one episode this season Veronica, wearing her restaurant uniform, rushes to get on an elevator, only to find Logan on it (this is at one of the periods where she and Logan are fairly hostile to one another).

Logan: Hi ho.

Veronica (mildly shocked): What?

Logan: Hi ho, its off to work we go.

The show contains reams of great dialogue like that. Another supporting character I want to mention is Enrico Colantoni, who excels as Veronica's father Keith. The two exhibit a rare father-daughter chemistry and comprise one of the great such relationships on TV. One character as hard to read as Logan is Weevil, played by Francisco Capra. Though he plays the ultimate outsider, Capra is the ultimate Hollywood insider, the grandson of studio exec Frank Capra Jr. and the great grandson of Hollywood legend Frank Capra.

The BUFFY connections multiplied this season. Charisma Carpenter joined the show as a frequent guest star, playing Kendall Casablancas, a gold digger who seems a lower-class Cordelia Chase. It is certain that she will be back for Season Three (that is only a mild spoiler). Alyson Hannigan returned as Logan's sister Trina. There was even a moment when Kendall and Trina had an encounter. Hosts of fans were flashing on Willow and Cordy in the Sunnydale library. Finally, Joss Whedon himself did a cameo as an obnoxiously self-important rental car manager. Whedon wasn't the only celebrity to make a cameo. Early in the season director Kevin Smith played a fast food clerk, while the lead singers for both the Dandy Warhols (who perform "We Used to Be Friends") and Spoon sang on karaoke night in the restaurant where Veronica works (with Britt Daniel of Spoon appropriately singing along to Elvis Costello's "Veronica").

On May 18th the CW-the result of a merge of UPN and the WB-will announce their new schedule. Though VM's ratings were terrible, the critical raves and the quality of the show seem certain to make this magnificent show one of the flagship shows on the new network. This truly is TV as good as it gets."

This face? My over the moon face.

C. Trottier | Dallas, Texas | 05/18/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Veronica Mars' sophomore season (and senior year) starts out with our heroine determined to return to a sense of "normalcy" after solving the murder of her best friend in season ones awesome finale.

But just when she thought she was out, circumstances pull her back in to solving mysteries and dangerous dealings. First ex-boyfriend Logan is accused of murdering Felix, a PCH motorcycle gang member and then a bus load of high school kids is sent hurtling over a cliff by an exploding bomb.

While who caused the bus crash and who really killed Felix are the season long mysteries, Veronica also finds herself embroiled in smaller cases brought to her by the students of Neptune High.

This season found the series experiencing some growing pains as the tangled plot lines mounted up and the characters were shaded with a darker brush, but the writers were once again able to tie up all clues into a cohesive and shockingly satisfying finale.

If you enjoy well written stories, strong character developement, clever dialogue, brilliant acting by pretty people and answers instead of more questions by the seasons end, this may be the show for you.

Oh. And the CW just announced Veronica Mars will be on their schedule for a season three. So watch season two before Veronica and crew head out to college in the fall!

"

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