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 DVD
Review: Veronica Mars: The Complete Third Season
Review by Craig
Byrne - NeptuneSite Webmaster
October 22, 2007
Order
your copy of Veronica Mars Season 3 on DVD from Amazon.com!
In
A Nutshell:
The
third season of Veronica Mars is released to DVD in a six-disc
set, and unlike previous sets, we get a ton of extras, including
the video used by Rob Thomas & co. to pitch a fourth season
of the show.
The
Episodes:
Honestly,
despite some decent episodes, this is probably the weakest season
of Veronica Mars. The first third of the season picks up
on the whole "Hearst College rapist" storyline set up
in Veronica's visit in Season Two. After that, there's a mystery
involving the murder of a character that I didn't particularly
care about in the first place. Finally, the show did self-contained
episodes, and they also [SPOILER WARNING]
killed Sheriff Don Lamb and unrealistically put Keith Mars into
his position, and that's around the time where I, like many other
viewers, checked out. By the end the show limped its way to under
2 million viewers.
Though,
like I said, there are some gems in the rough here, the season
as a whole is hurt by the very erratic appearances of characters
that I do like. I want to see Wallace, Mac, Dick, Lamb, and Weevil;
characters I'd cared about since the first season... only to find
there are times when those characters are missing for several
weeks in a row. Half the time I completely forgot that Wallace
was even on the show anymore. Those relationships were important
to me.
I'm
assuming it was the network that demanded constant angst for the
Logan and Veronica relationship, and it all came across as unnecessary
conflict. The worst time for it was an otherwise good episode,
"There's Got To Be A Morning After Pill," where the
narrative is repeatedly interrupted with Veronica having flashbacks
of Logan with Madison. Yes, Veronica is an angsty character and
this is an angsty show, but the Veronica Mars I loved is not a
little girl who would cry about a boy.
Veronica
continues to be bitter and abrupt toward others this season. This
behavior had reason in Season One, but by this time, the schtick
has gotten old.
I
will say, though, that the episodes look good in widescreen and
on DVD. I especially like seeing the new opening credits in this
format. (I'm in the minority, but I liked the redesigned credits)
Despite
material that's just not as good as the show once was, most of
the regular actors still bring their A game. Ryan Hansen's Dick
Casablancas gets some rare dramatic work in this time, and it's
great; Jason Dohring makes the best of the material he's got,
even though his character is treated very repetitively.
One
thing I always wondered, that I'm reminded of watching this DVD:
How did Parker go from a shaved head and picking out wigs one
week, to having beautiful hair not long after? Is this something
I'm just not supposed to wonder about? That kind of took me out
of the moment.
Although
the show's two new additions, Chris Lowell and Julie Gonzalo,
did do well with their roles, I felt that they were both shoved
down our throats a little much... and like I said, I wanted to
see the old familiar characters.
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The
Extras:
They
finally included a good amount of extra features,
and this is the main reason to buy this DVD set.
The
highlight of the disc (even though the end result is not
very good) is a look at the Veronica Mars: FBI pitch
that Rob Thomas & co. made to the CW Network with hopes
of getting a fourth season. They even have Rob and producer
Dan Etheridge talking about the pitch.
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Now
the entire world can see why Veronica Mars didn't get an
86th chance: This presentation is horrible. It falls into the
worst repetitive parts of Veronica Mars (stories involving
sexual humiliation, and giving Veronica past relations with guys
she treated like crap but we never really know why). There's also
the question of logic of why someone like Veronica would be invited
into the FBI after having a criminal record. But whatever; Veronica:
FBI! (I say sarcastically) After seeing this presentation,
I'm sure Kristen Bell is very happy this wasn't picked up and
she can instead do a better
show this season.
During
the FBI presentation it seems that the logo of the agency Veronica
was at was obscured and blurred at all times. Did they not get
the right clearances? Either way, that was also distracting and
somewhat annoying.
Veronica
Mars as a series was at its best when it had Veronica surrounded
by characters that, hopefully, we as viewers would like. The Wallaces
and Logans of this world. I have very little interest in seeing
a show with those characters jettisoned.
The
extras are continually interrupted by a "Now available on
DVD, Veronica Mars Seasons 1 and 2!" message, which
is annoying, but maybe Warner Bros. wants to remind you that there
was once a time when the show was good.
There's
also a series of extras where Thomas and Etheridge talk about
different elements of the series. They go over their favorite
guest stars (I'd still love to know where Ryan Hansen fit into
that), and there are some times when Rob tries to explain his
reasons for certain things that were criticized, but the end result
is rather condescending, especially when he tries to explain that
Veronica was not unnecessarily mean in Season Three. That may
not have been his intention, but that's how it came across. Thomas
does most of the talking, and Etheridge mostly nods in between
the occasional kissing up to his boss. I do like that Thomas &
co. do admit that some things were not exactly perfect, in a section
called "Do Overs."
The
show's "webisodes" are included on this set, including
an interview with Ryan Hansen followed by Ryan giving a tour of
his trailer, proving that he's very much like the better side
of Dick (minus the whole jerky side). Also in the webisode section,
production designer Alfred Sole gives a short tour of the show's
food court and college sets. If that's not enough, a quick 30
second tour of the set is given for those of us not fortunate
enough to brown nose our way to the Veronica Mars set.
Finally, Chris Lowell interviews Kristen Bell and does what he
can to make some jokes at her expense, and then KB interviews
Chris. This double-interview is also one of the best parts of
this DVD set.
There
is a selection of deleted scenes on the DVD, with introductions
and explanations by creator Rob Thomas. These scenes involve the
following:
-
Dean O'Dell tells Veronica she might be expelled unless he can
tell her what she wants to know. (From "Wichita Linebacker")
- Veronica talks to Dean O'Dell about what happened with his car.
(From "Wichita Linebacker")
- Nish tells Parker about a protest in the middle of a class lecture.
(From "Charlie Don't Surf")
- A scene with Wallace and Mac! They discuss studying together,
"boot camp for the brain." ("Charlie Don't Surf")
- Another deleted Mac/Wallace scene, where Mac is awkward about
being touched by a guy. ("Charlie Don't Surf")
- Wallace tells a guy to leave Mac alone. ("Charlie Don't
Surf")
- Wallace and Mac meet in the food court, and Mac tells Wallace
that she's switching to the advanced class. She's also reacting
in a paranoid fashion thinking guys are pressuring her. ("Charlie
Don't Surf")
- Keith meets with Harmony and asks what they are drinking. ("Hi,
Infidelity")
- Logan calls Keith to inquire about Veronica's whereabouts. ("Of
Vice and Men")
- Veronica asks Weevil for help in trying to find the Dean's computer.
("Show Me The Monkey")
- Mac and Veronica look through the Dean's browser history and
find several suicide-related websites. ("Show Me The Monkey")
- The aftermath of Logan's tryst with the skanky girl at the beach.
("Show Me The Monkey")
- Bronson tells Deputy Sacks that he saw a suspicious looking
squirrel. ("Show Me The Monkey")
- Veronica interrupts Lamb and asks if he checked for a gun in
Mason's room. ("Postgame Mortem")
- Keith and Leo plan how to "follow the money" to catch
the Fitzpatricks. ("Debasement Tapes")
- Veronica asks Leo to please not tell her dad what he has learned.
("The Bitch is Back")
Finally
there's a 7-minute gag real, where I grinned but I don't think
I actually laughed even once, and I think I've heard "I finally
got the police report on the Dean's suicide" about 10 times
too many. I've seen much better gag reels, but hey, at least this
set had one.
The
Packaging:
The
packaging is another of the best elements... whoever designed
this set did a great job. I wish Lamb had made it onto the cover,
and don't know how Piz ended up on Disc Two with Logan all the
way on Four, but still, good job. I'm also very thankful Warner
Bros. did not go the double-sided route.
The
Verdict:
I'm
glad to have Veronica Mars Season Three as part of my collection
just so I can revisit the episodes at a later time, but I know
I'll be spending more time with the previous sets. I will say,
though, that I do love the selection of extras here, so I'd still
recommend picking this one up - even if it's to cringe at the
VM:FBI pitch. I wish the show had kept its level of quality
from the first year, but we can't win them all, right? I give
this set a B-, mostly because of the quality and quantity
of extras. Within the set you'll find some episodes you like,
but don't expect as many home runs as you got in Season 1.
Order
your copy of Veronica Mars Season 3 on DVD from Amazon.com!
Visit
The Official VeronicaMarsDVD.com Site!
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Mars and its characters are copyright ©2007 Warner Bros.
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