Veroinca Mars, that name means a lot of things to a lot of people. Back when the show was on, it meant nothing to me. Sure, as a channel surfing junior high school student, I was aware of it. I never watched it though. It always just seemed like "that weird show on that channel I never watch." It wasn't until last year (years after it had been cancelled) that I actually started paying attention to Veronica Mars. That was when I heard that the show's small, but loyal, fans had funded a film version of Veronica Mars through the crowdfunding website Kickstarter.
Since seeing the trailer for the film, I made the decision to go back and see if the show was worth watching. I was hooked from the first episode. The show is about a high school student who uses the detective skills she learned from her P.I. father to solve mysteries for her classmates, as well as solving some of her hometown's biggest mysteries. I won't go into great detail about why the show is great, because that could take all day. What I will say, is that the reasons this show was a critical success with a strong following are clear. Kristen Bell led an ensemble of perfectly cast actors portraying genuinely interesting characters. It's no surprise that many of the show's cast and guest-stars have gone on to be big names in the acting and TV world. Nobody benefited more than Bell whose recent success can be seen (or more appropriately, heard) in the film Frozen. The other element of success was the show's writing. Creator Rob Thomas (no, not the lead singer of Matchbox Twenty) was able to perfectly blend a coming of age story with the gritty world of neo-noir mystery. The show never shied away from the darker elements of life, but it presented them in a way that was far less gruesome than most of today's nihilistic cable dramas.
But beyond all of that, it isn't the greatness of the show that makes this movie an important achievement. Well, at least that isn't the only reason. Why should you care about this movie if you've never seen the show? Because the movie symbolizes possibility. When Veronica Mars was on, its ratings were dismal. There's no reason this film should have been made by Hollywood's standards of decision making. Yet here we are on the day before it hits theaters. If you've ever had a beloved show cancelled, or wondered why Hollywood doesn't make films with strong women taking on gritty situations, then that's reason enough to celebrate the success of this movie. It represents the idea that people actually have a voice that can influence creative change in TV and film.
Veronica Mars was a smartly written show, which means its days on air were always numbered. The average person watching TV or going to the movies isn't looking for something they would classify as "smart" to watch. That isn't a knock on people who watch TV shows or go to movies that I don't deem to be "smart." Reality competition shows are my guilty pleasure, so I get it. The average viewer simply wants to be entertained. There's nothing wrong with that. But that's also no reason for Hollywood to neglect those niches of viewers that are looking for something a little more witty that tests the boundaries of what's conventional. Why should you care about Veronica Mars? Because with it comes the hope for a Hollywood where a small but loyal fan base can bring new creative endeavors to the big screen. I plan on being there at Midnight tonight to catch the film. I encourage you to go give the film a chance, even if you've never seen the show.
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