Some Veronica Mars updates (and how Rob Thomas outsmarted me)

I just started watching this season and immediately ran out and bought the last two. Personally I love the show but think that this season has had trouble because the big mystery wasnt directly connected to Veronica. Lillys death and the bus crash were immediately very personal to Veronica.

I think it'd be better if the arcs weren't planned at all. They happen, but they overlap and end at different times. I personally love the long mysteries of Veronica Mars and still find it amazing how everything from the beginning to the end all piece together and even include some past season stuff as well. Keep the arcs, but if you like, make them sparatic.
TOODLES

Season-long arcs are not a bad thing. They have never been a bad thing until Lost came along and did a horrible job with them. Lost's season-long arcs are really just long-cons where everybody gets screwed in the end.

But comparing Veronica Mars and Lost is apples to oranges. Think apples to apples and compare Veronica with Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Let's recall that amidst Buffy's week-to-week slayage there was always a long story arc: the Master, Angel, the Mayor, Adam, Glory, etc. All of these season-long stories gave the gang a sense of mystery, direction and purpose. Killing random vampires (or in Veronica's case, solving random crimes/mysteries) is only going to be interesting for about 2 episodes. If executed well and in the right format, long-arcs are what keeps an audience coming back for more season after season.

SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! This season we discover that Locke really *isn't* bald! I know. Blows your mind, huh?

If you're trying to say that Keith's observations were obvious, then I don't agree. While I think you can enjoy the episode and arc without making those connections -- I missed them the first time through -- I also think Keith makes some interesting points.

I think the mini-arcs is the best way to go. I feel like the season-long mystery is difficult to sustain, but if there isn't an overriding arc of some kind, all we have is the Mystery of the Week, and those can get repetitive and boring, especially when Veronica has no particular emotional investment in them.

So do you really think the show would be better if the campus rape storyline -- which began last year, remember -- continued until a big reveal in the season finale? Because, honestly, I don't think the show can sustain that kind of thing, and I think it distracts from the more interesting character development that goes on in each hour. I agree the show loses something if it's just the Mystery of the Week -- just "Veronica Mars: Girl Detective" -- but that's not what's going this season, at least from where I'm watching. The serial rapist was on the loose during those smaller day-to-day mysteries, like who cheated on a test or who was cheating on their husband, and I doubt that finding out who the rapist was will offer a neat and tidy resolution.

And hey, now we have a murderer on the loose for the second part of the season! That's dangerous, isn't it?

I've got another article idea for you. How about you explain how you discovered that Locke on Lost is bald.

I understand why rob thomas and some fans want to get rid of the season long arcs, but they add an element of danger and suspense that the show would otherwise lack. The mysteries of the week are good, but watching a detective find out who cheated on a test doesn't compare to murder or a serial rapist on loose.

Toby -
Actually, Horshack and Rider Strong (his "jailer" in the prisoner/soldier experiment) were kicked out for cheating because Horshack was doing two tests, one for him, one for Rider. They had the same abuser/abused relationship as Mercer/Moe.

Charles, I'm probably wrong on this, but as I remember it - Horschack was caught cheating on a test and that it was his jailer who was helping him. That turned the Stockholm Syndrome relationship on its head and which I think helped keep us from guessing the Mercer/Moe relationship too early.