Reuniting With 'Veronica Mars': Why We Should All See the Upcoming Movie

Veronica Mars, a long time ago, we used to be friends.

I haven't thought about the show in awhile though, and I never really believed the idea of a movie was realistic. Of course, I also thought Arrested Development was done for good. And years ago, I though Family Guy was dead. We're living in an era, though, where fan-favorite, ratings-challenged shows don’t go away quietly.

And I love it.

After going going off the air in 2007, Veronica Mars will now return as a movie, its comeback fueled through a Kickstarter campaign started by series creator Rob Thomas. The $2 million goal was met swiftly, but as Kristen Bell and other cast members noted in the Kickstarter video, that's just the start.



The Kickstarter campaign is currently at $3.2 million. I'm not sure what the ceiling is here —  $5 million? $10 million? Either way, I'm just excited to be able to swoon over Veronica again. These characters are special — the kind of special that elevates a television show to the next level. If you can watch this show and not develop a huge crush on Kristen Bell, than I'm going to seriously think you may be a robot. And not the good kind of robot either.

Now, there is always the fear that the movie could disappoint. Certainly, a high level of anticipation just sets you up for disappointment. (My personal name for this is "Matrix Revolutions syndrome," but it may be something else for you. Phantom Menace, I’m looking at you.)

The Season 3 DVD of Veronica Mars had a brief clip of where the future of the show was headed with a scene of Veronica in the FBI. I was intrigued by this, but part of the magic of the show (well, during Seasons 1 and 2) was the high school setting.

It looks like the movie will head in a similar direction as the FBI clip, with Veronica's high school friends conveniently popping up throughout the plot. Logan will clearly be back, but the big question is what about Duncan? I don't think many people want to see a repeat of the love triangle angle, but how can the film not have representation from the Kane family (and hopefully a flashback with Amanda Seyfried).

 Really, I'm fine with whatever Thomas and crew come up with. I have faith they can nail it this movie.

Additionally, this is a great way to build the fan base. For instance, maybe you heard about the Veronica Mars Kickstarter campaign, but have no idea about the show. Well, this is your time to catch up. It's an intelligent, funny show with plenty of mystery and charm. It's perfect for a good binge watching session.

Plowing though episodes was my method of watching the show. I never watched during its original run on The CW, mainly because the highly praised first season aired at the exact same time and day as Season 1 of Lost. (By the way, I think most Lost fans would also love this show. They both have a similar feel.)* Eventually, I decided to Netflix the series, and I rampaged through the episodes at a rapid pace. I feel the general consensus is that Season 1 is the gold standard for the series. I can’t really argue with that too much, but I liked Season 2 just as much. Both had great season-long mysteries, along with fun weekly plotlines. The final season was a step down, but still better than most other shows.

Now, a movie will be a whole new game. The creative team won't be held to the restrictions that came with being a hour-long CW drama. It'll be interesting to see where the characters are now, and if the writers decide to make any bold choices in the arcs of these characters during the time away from the cameras. And, if the Veronica Mars movie is a success, it would definitely open the door for Thomas to start a similar campaign for his other brilliant-but-cancelled-way-too-early show, Party Down. (Again, if you haven't watched it, make it a priority. Definitely won't regret it.)

Finally, if you're wondering if I listened to The Dandy Warhols' We Used To Be Friends on repeat while writing this, the answer is yes. Yes, I did. Veronica Mars, I’m glad we're friends again.

*[Editor's note: Bell actually passed up a role on Lost to join Heroes instead. Oops.]