Top 10 Things We Loved About Veronica Mars Season 4
#10: Veronica, Of Course
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From Princess Anna to Eleanor Shellstrop, Kristen Bell has come a long way since “Veronica Mars,” but many would still stand by the actress’ breakout role as her best work. Bell immediately became a star to watch through her performance as the wisecracking teenage private investigator. There was so much more to Veronica than her plucky personality, though, as she served as an empowering role model for survivors of trauma. In Season 4, Veronica remains every bit as resilient, sarcastic, and emotionally complex. At the same time, Veronica isn’t a teenager anymore and it truly feels like she’s matured into an adult. Showing significant growth while still dealing with past demons, Bell deserves to finally nab a Primetime Emmy nomination for her performance as Veronica Mars.
#9: No ‘Cases of the Week’
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Where the first three seasons of “Veronica Mars” all had at least 20 episodes, Season 4 restricts itself to eight. Sometimes less is more, however, and the limited episode order works to the season’s advantage. Unlike past years, there are no cases of the week that Veronica needs to unravel on top of solving the overarching mystery. The focus is primarily kept on the serial killer who has been setting off bombs around Neptune. The season thus flows less like an episodic television drama and more like a movie. Unlike the actual “Veronica Mars” movie, though, the showrunners don’t have to work within the constraints of a feature-length runtime. Season 4 is tight without coming off as rushed, making for a highly accessible binge.
#8: Competent Cops
The Neptune Sheriff’s Office has always been a frustrating element of “Veronica Mars.” Granted, we get that the cops are supposed to be corrupt and incompetent in order to make Veronica the underdog crime fighter who prevails over higher authority. After a while, though, seeing the Neptune police make one mistake after another just becomes annoying. Fortunately, Sheriff Lamb is long gone and his brother Dan is nowhere to be seen in Season 4 either. In their place, we get Neptune police chief Marcia Langdon, who is 100% committed to doing her job. She’s not just another obstacle for Veronica to get across either, oftentimes cooperating with Mars Investigations. While Neptune itself still isn’t without corruption, at least it no longer attends to the police.
#7: All the ‘Cussing’
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The initial seasons of “Veronica Mars” aired on network television and the 2014 feature film was rated PG-13. So naturally, swearing has been kept to a minimum and Hulu, despite having other shows full of four-letter words, felt it was best for the show’s language to remain consistent. After all, it might’ve been off-putting for some viewers if Veronica was suddenly dropping f-bombs. Creator Rob Thomas found a clever way around this by having Veronica and her father engage in a bet to see who can go the longest without swearing. Thus, in the place of curse words, they merely say “Cuss” or “Cussing.” This running gag is only made funnier if you’ve seen “The Good Place” where Bell’s profane character gets constantly censored.
#6: The Usual Suspects
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While characters like Mac and Piz are sadly MIA, Season 4 does see the return of several fan favorites who are woven into the plot. Weevil is still dealing with the ramifications of getting shot and framed in the movie. Although he’s reentered the criminal underworld and lost his family in the process, he hasn’t lost his soft spot for Veronica. Where Weevil is stuck in the past, Leo has moved up in the world as an FBI agent, although getting out of the friend zone with Veronica remains futile. While we would’ve liked to have seen more of Veronica’s bestie Wallace, it’s good to know that he’s remained close with his old partner in crime solving even after settling down with a family.
#5: New Suspects
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In addition to original cast members, Season 4 injects plenty of new blood. Patton Oswalt fits in well as Penn Epner, a wormy pizza delivery guy who becomes a local celebrity after surviving an explosion. Oscar-winner J.K. Simmons is composed yet intimidating as Clyde Pickett, an ex-con who now makes a living doing Richard Casablancas’ dirty work. We even get a “Good Place” reunion between Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Nicole Malloy, a nightclub owner who may be hiding something. Izabela Vidovic is especially strong as Matty Ross, a teenage girl who shares Veronica’s knack for sleuthing and getting into trouble. If there’s a fifth season, we’d actually like to see more of Veronica taking on a mentor and maternal role in Matty’s life.
#4: An Aging Keith Mars
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From the very beginning, the best dynamic in this show has been between Veronica and her single father Keith, played by Enrico Colantoni. Their close bond and comedic chemistry hasn't changed in Season 4, although Keith does have a few new challenges he needs to overcome. The car accident Keith endured in the movie has left him walking with a cane. What’s worse, Keith’s memory has been fading in his old age, causing him to second-guess his skills as a P.I. Even during Mr. Mars’ most uncertain moments, Veronica is there to support him and – just as integral to their relationship – Keith is always there for his daughter.
#3: Veronica & Logan
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The character who’s evolved the most since Season 1 would have to be Logan Echolls. Actor Jason Dohring has effectively matured Logan from a hotheaded bad boy into an unlikely voice of reason in Veronica’s life. Logan still isn’t without inner demons, but rather than taking his anger out on others, he’s learned to cope through therapy and finding purpose in the Navy. After everything they’ve been through, it’s comforting to see Veronica and Logan in a healthy relationship together. The defensive Veronica in particular has become much more open to the idea of being in a committed relationship, even if marriage still scares her. The two ultimately bring out the best in each other and thus help bring out the best in Season 4.
#2: The Explosive Mystery
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No season of “Veronica Mars” would be complete without a central mystery and the case of the Neptune bomber is one of the most engaging yet. When several people are killed in an explosion, Neptune goes from being a Spring Break hot spot to a hot zone. Veronica finds herself at the center of another multilayered mystery with a slew of compelling suspects on her radar. Past seasons have never been afraid to mirror brutal reality and Season 4 definitely possesses echoes of real-world terrorism. The season even calls the real-life Pizza Bomber bank robbery to mind, and not simply because one of our suspects is a pizza guy. The season keeps us guessing until the end and even after everything appears resolved, there’s another bombshell.
#1: That Ending
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Without giving anything away, Season 4 saves its biggest twist for last. For longtime fans of the show, the ending won’t be the easiest pill to swallow. As shocking and devastating as the season finale may be, it’s perfectly in sync with the tone of the series. “Veronica Mars” has never copped out with an entirely happy ending that ties up everything in a pretty bow and Season 4 is appropriately no exception. Even if it’s not the most cheerful ending, it’s not a complete downer either. It demonstrates Veronica’s ability to pick up the pieces and persevere, which has always been a key theme. While this could serve as a fitting series finale, it also thankfully leaves the door open for more mysteries to solve.
