To call the Veronica Mars kickstarter campaign a success is a huge understatement. With one week still left to go, they have more than doubled their goal and are now reaching for the record of most backers.
So what is it about this three season show that caused such a connection that fans are willing to dig into their own pockets to bring the petite blonde private investigator onto the big screen?
With subplots within subplots, this case of the week (with a larger mystery playing throughout each season) series had intelligent storytelling, pop culture humor and a glossy shine that was both compelling and addictive. Veronica Mars the show was worth turning on. Veronica Mars the character, played by the sloth-loving Kristen Bell, is what made the show so hard to turn off. At the end of every episode, you were left wanting more. Like a bag of chips you couldn’t just handle one. Don’t believe me? Start watching the series again. If you can bear to watch it one episode a week like you were forced to when it first aired and DVRs weren’t so readily available, you are a stronger woman than I.
The series started with a junior in high school, who had just suffered through one of the worst sophomore years a person could have. Instead of transferring or opting for home school, Veronica heads back into Neptune High with her armor fully fastened, ready to protect and attack. What is so compelling about Veronica is that despite her clever observations and quick sarcasm she is not flawless. She’s sometimes wrong, puts herself in danger and is a bit on the selfish side. None of her flaws are born out of cruelty or even arrogance though, just her inexperience. Which is, for a television show focused around wealthy teenagers, shockingly honest.
When put in extreme circumstances Veronica acts not like your typical hero – laughing it off – but like the rest of us would. She gets scared, she even cries. But unlike most people, she doesn’t let it stop her from doing what needs to be done. She never stops uncovering the truth, setting herself and others free by shining a light on what has been expertly hidden in the darkness.
Veronica Mars gave us an intelligent television show that was fun to watch and, despite its extreme circumstances and setting, easy to relate to. Veronica wasn’t just the friend you wished you had; she was someone you would want to be. Her moral guidelines were not impossible to achieve, but they were difficult to maintain, even for Veronica herself. What was truly inspiring about the character was that no matter the difficulty, it never stopped her from trying to stick to what she knew was right.
What the movie will give us is anyone’s guess. Hopefully lots of co-stars that we loved or loved to hate. But most importantly, let’s hope there’s a Veronica that, even with more experience and better judgement, is still relatable.
defydemure 