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Veronica Mars: Charlie Don't Surf

Veronica: "I have options. I could be excited for Logan. Thrilled, even, that his new brother is such a keeper. Or, I can be me."

Logan has been a bit remote and even somewhat negative so far this season. This episode finally brought us back to his horrific past, and introduced a possible major new source of either joy or trauma: a half-brother named Charlie Stone.

The way Logan was so obviously longing for a connection with Charlie, even after being deceived by that despicable Vanity Fair reporter, reminded me of how much I love Logan. Let's hope that the unknown Charlie Stone, teacher, shunner of reporters, turns out to be a human being who is interested in building a relationship with him. That would be a refreshing difference from the rest of Logan's family, and very good for Logan.

Dinner at home, with Keith interrogating Logan and Veronica flailing around as referee, was fun as well as mildly uncomfortable. I can sort of understand why Veronica was trying to keep Keith and Logan from butting heads, but why was Veronica so uncomfortable? It was like she was embarrassed about being with Logan in front of Keith. Is it because Logan is something of a bad boy? That he's rich? That she's sleeping with him, and she knows Keith won't approve? Deep down where it matters, is Veronica ashamed of Logan?

The rest of the episode featured Veronica as her wonderful, prickly, investigative self. Veronica wanted the Pi Sigs to be guilty as much as Parker and Nish did, but she was, as always, determined to get to the Truth. They may seem innocent, but the Pi Sigs have to be a factor, somehow. There was a Pi Sig event every time there was a rape. That can't be a coincidence. Was someone trying to frame them?

Finally, Laura San Giacomo was fun as Harmony Chase, a new client and an obvious possible love interest for Keith. I liked her. Bummer that her husband turned out to be faithful, when she very much wanted him not to be. Unhappiness is a good enough reason to leave, Harmony. Really, it is.

Bits and pieces:

— Veronica's Pi Sig fee was three times what she charged "a friend of a friend of a friend." Notice how much the name "Pi Sig" looks like "pig"? Must have been deliberate on the part of the writers.

— Logan trumped Norman Phipps, the Vanity Fair reporter, by appearing on Larry King. How about that child-abuse-by-fruit-basket story? Aaron Echolls. What a prince. Burn in hell, Aaron.

— I'm confused. Was the Asian guy in the ATM photo the Hearst rapist, then? I bet he's not. That would be too easy.

— We now have a character named Harmony Chase. Harmony Kendall and Cordelia Chase? And we had Charisma Carpenter playing a character named Kendall, too. (I'm sure that if you're not a Buffy fan, you are now totally confused.)

— Charleston Chu. Funny.

— No Mac again. Where's Mac? And Wallace was just around to do some brief exposition.

— Parker has acquired major wig. Looked like it could be the actress's own hair. Maybe it was.

— Are there really Baywatch pinball machines? Really?

— According to the signs at the demonstration, victim number three was Nancy Cooper, and four was Parker Lee. That would make Claire number five. Victims one and two were Dawn and Stacey, featured in last season's "The Rapes of Graff." (Thanks, Lee.)

— More rats. (Does Rob Thomas have a thing for rats?) Nancy and Claire went to the Pi Sig haunted house dressed as rats, complete with traps. Chip and Dick were caught in their clever trap.


— Dick called what Veronica does "pixie spy magic." :)

— The convenience store clerk was a hoot. "One less bastard child conceived by morons. Everyone's happeeeee."

Quotes:

Logan: "You were expecting Sydney Poitier?"
Veronica: "No jokes, no innuendos, no quips. Don't even think of alluding to having seen me naked, or having touched any part of my body that does not have fingers."
Logan: "Can I mention that my eyes adored you?"

Dick: "Oh, it's like a little kitchen area, huh?"
Funny, yes, but improbable. Dick doesn't know what a small apartment kitchen looks like? He's never been to the apartment of someone who wasn't stinking rich?

Veronica: "Who knew that when opportunity knocked, it would look like a horny surfer?"

Keith: "Did you start going to church, or are you addressing the Junior League?"
Veronica: "Bland is the new hot."

Veronica: "When entering a frat house full of accused rapists, the pantsuit is a solid wardrobe choice. It's fashion's way of saying move along, nothing to see here."

Veronica: "So it's a piece of cake."
Keith: "A monkey with a friend who's a bank representative can do it."

Veronica: "When did the Greek chorus of feminist shame arrive?"

Three out of four stars,

Billie
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Billie Doux loves good television and spends way too much time writing about it.

6 comments:

  1. Hi there, Billie!

    I just recently watched this Veronica Mars episode for the first time. (And I gotta say I'm loving the whole series so much! I can't believe I waited so long to start watching it!)

    Nonetheless I wanted to say not only thank you for reviewing yet another show I watch, but also comment on this paragraph:
    "Parker has acquired major wig. Looked like it could be the actress's own hair. Maybe it was"

    I actually was surprised by the fact that the girl grew her hair back so quickly. And I thought to myself: How much time has passed by?! Because it sure doesn't look like a wig, even though it should.
    I wonder why they did that (the creators)? Cause it's a small inconsistency to the whole story. Not huge, but still very visible and I was surprised that they led something like this slide. I was expecting more of them.

    Wow! I can't believe I just wrote a whole paragraph on some girl's hair on a TV show.
    I guess it just means I'm really into it and I just wanted to say thanks for sharing your thoughts.
    Especially those Buffy-like on Harmony Chase. I didn't catch that watching the episode.

    And I also wanted you to know that someone is still reading your VM reviews and surely appreciates them.
    And I know I'm not the only one who wants to say enormous thank you (yet again!) for the great job your doing on your site!

    OK - that's all from my "stream of consciousness" this time. :)
    Regards!

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  2. What a terrific comment, Mike. Thanks so much, and you're welcome.

    I know what you mean about the obsessing over details, but it really is true that things that don't seem to make sense jump out at us and threaten our suspension of belief.

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  3. I love the Logan part, really interesting but the annoying Lilith House just drops down the rating on this one. And also, it did seem that Veronica is a bit embarrassed by Logan.

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  4. loved seeing Elliot and Maya together again! they always good chemistry on Just Shoot Me.

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  5. I very much enjoyed the Just Shoot Me mini-reunion. :)

    I love that Parker's first wig looked full on plastic Barbie hair and her current wig looks EXACTLY like her hair before it was shaved. Lucky girl. eye roll

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  6. I'm just getting to the third season before the movie comes out here. Your reviews are great Billie and you always catch something that I miss, particularly in your quotes. I am also starting to get annoyed at the way they are portraying feminists on campus although I have certainly met feminists like this, they are unusual rather than representative. I just love Logan and am sure the writers will split he and Veronica up but I am not going to be happy when it happens!

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