OPEN CASE: VERONICA MARS

Season 2

Episode 5

A Blast from the Past: Can You Document That?

 

By Sue

 

Pasts: Everybody has a one. In Neptune, it stands to reason that folks very well may have pasts which are slightly more outlandish than most.

 

Alicia Fennel has an ex-husband cop who got a little too over involved in his undercover work. He is also the father of her oldest son. Unfortunately, Alicia neglected to inform Wallace of his existence, preferring to allow him to believe that his father was her now deceased second husband, Hank Fennel. In fact, she's gone so far to protect him that she returned unopened all the letters Nathan Wood sent over the intervening 18 years. Of course it goes without saying that if you haven't told your son about his father there is no way that you've confided this information to your current boyfriend either.

 

Terrence Cook is a sports legend and future hall of famer hiding a serious gambling problem which may be about to go public. Dealings with some very shady characters have now left him open to blackmail by an equally shady "officer of the law."

 

Jackie Cook, Terrence's teenaged daughter, seems to have a fairly wild past of her own which has led to a serious lack of social skills as well as a possible drug habit.

 

Keith Mars apparently left behind a lot of paperwork when he left office and it stands to reason that shady Sheriff Lamb would comb through everything he could get his hands on looking for potential dirt to use in the election campaign. It seems he's hit pay dirt with Keith's 16-year-old patrol log, lodging the allegation that it's all Keith's fault that Ed Doyle was driving the bus in the first place. Of course, that's only relevant if the accident was Doyle's fault to begin with, a seriously suspect conclusion, given an electronic blast from the past:

 

Rhonda's phone message to Michelle Forget the psychic. Michelle has a literal message from beyond the grave in the recorded cell phone message from the doomed Rhonda moments before the bus goes over the cliff. Explosion? Gunshot? Is there a chance that this could be somehow connected with the nasty smell that Dick complained about? However, there is still no clue as to who was the intended target of the crash and whether that person was on or off the bus. Also wondering whether Veronica's comment to Keith regarding the abused election signs, "What's that smell?" is in any way a clue.

 

Veronica Mars has a seriously angst-filled past and yet she is still hiding a shameful secret used partly for comic relief: the not so mysterious incident of Veronica and the "Mammo-Max." Really, given everything that Veronica has been through in the past year and a half this seems pretty minor. Even Veronica seems to be taking it in stride; answering the phone "Chesty LaRue," and telling Duncan, "I'm slathering up my boobs even as we speak." It's the fact that Jackie, of all people, set her up, and threw Lilly into the mix (or so Veronica believes) that has smoke coming out of her ears.

 

 

The Blasts included a number of lovely continuity conscious appearances including Corny, Mandy, Backup, mention of Lilly and a brief re-appearance of the Duncan/Logan friendship of yore. As well, there was the deja vu inducing incident of Veronica planting an electronic bug disguised as a gift. That girl does love her high-tech audio equipment. Can't wait until Keith hears what she recorded!

 

 

Well, I think that about deals covers the ETOTW (Episode Title of the Week). What else happened in this installment?

 

 

Documents, documents everywhere but how exactly to use them?:

 

Hard evidence is what detecting is all about. And we've got it coming at us right, left, and center. Questions are: who knows about it, and how should it be used, and does it actually prove anything? This episode has paper trails galore, electronic records, and even live human evidence. Now the only problem is how to interpret it all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evidence, evidence everywhere. How is much true? How much is accurate? Who knows what about whom... and what? Just because you have documentation doesn't mean you necessarily understand what it proves. And just as importantly, do you know how to use the information wisely? ...And morally?

 

 

Breakups, Makeups and Matchups:

 

Alicia and Keith are looking pretty shaky right now. He's mad that she didn't share her past; she's mad that he snooped around her house. Perhaps these incidents can be overlooked but the comments made about parenting skills may be harder to forgive. Possibility of reconciliation? Good, at least I'm guessing they will be allies while are tracking down Wallace. Long term? Hard to say. It's clear that Alicia still doesn't totally approve of Veronica. Guess she doesn't know Jackie all that well yet.

 

Wallace and Jackie: Were they ever officially together? I think yes. But refusing to take her to the dance is a pretty clear break up. And, of course, leaving town makes it hard to make up. And she's going to have to deal with Veronica if she wants to be in Wallace's life. She has no reference point in her own life for friendship: "Cora is my only friend." She's jealous of Veronica's place in Wallace's life, but instead of attempting to be friends she attacks.

 

Wallace and Veronica: Early in the episode we see that Wallace's connection with Veronica is still central to his life. Not even Jackie distracts him from confiding his woes to Veronica. By the end, though, the friendship is fairly fragile, with Wallace exclaiming: "How about you doing me a favor for once? Why does it have to be about you all the time? Jackie's right about one thing. It's your world, Veronica. I just live in it. Let it go. Don't do whatever you're planning to do. Have you been paying any attention lately? I just learned my whole life is a lie. My dad isn't my dad. I've always been a shoulder you could lean on. You've given me no time, no sympathy. Nothing." Then, when he sees Veronica accost Jackie at the dance he assumes the worse. Sadly, Veronica doesn't go after him and explain immediately -- possibly because she's ashamed of her behavior. Their friendship is pretty cracked, but my money is on these two hashing it all out and making up---even without "ass-waxing." Veronica said it earlier in the episode, "Take it from some one who knows---the one who sticks with you is the one who cares." And I'm certain sure that Veronica is going to stick with Wallace.

 

Wallace and Nathan: Taking a road trip with his newly discovered father is an interesting set-up. But I'm still suspicious of Nathan. Could Alicia really be over-reacting that much or is this guy skeezier than he looks on the surface? Besides, missing school is one thing, but missing basketball practice?---serious infraction dude.

 

Wallace and Alicia: Not broken up; never will be, but he's currently got some serious trust issues and for good cause.

 

Duncan and Logan: Kudos to Duncan for following up on Logan's painful admissions from last episode. Not exactly the first move, but points for extending the olive branch. How funny was his comment about "mending fences, building bridges ..." Guys---not so much saying it with flowers as with video game whuppin's.

 

Veronica and Duncan: Still together (sigh). Although him taking her for granted is not a good sign. Duncan seemed lot more human this episode in his interactions with Logan, Veronica and even Keith.

 

Keith vs. Lamb: No doubt in my mind as to who is going to win this confrontation. The only sad thing is that when the dust finally clears I don't think we're going to have Don Lamb to kick around anymore.

 

Veronica and Keith>: Always and forever. But Keith is going to have some words with Veronica regarding the bugging of official offices. Is Veronica going to tell him what she learned? What will they do with that information? Where (and to whom) else will it lead? Will the two of them hunt down Wallace together, will Keith team up with Alicia to track him down, will Veronica head out on her own, or will Wallace just come back on his own?

 

 

Miscellaneous, Self-Indulgent Prattle

 

What's up with Dick and Cassidy? When do we get follow-up on the Casablancas' debacle?

 

Where's Woody?

 

Jackie better watch out for what is behind door #2, she has no idea.

 

"The Necklace Report:" Logan is wearing it in the scene in Duncan's hotel room, but it's not visible under the orange hoody during the after school scene.

 

Wallace has a "LiveStrong" Lance Armstrong bracelet on.

 

Regarding the scene with Madame Sophie and the "message from Lilly," I originally thought Jackie was lying to Wallace about not telling about Lilly. After three viewings I've changed my mind. I do believe Jackie---that she only clued Madame Sophie in about the Mammo-Max. I'm actually willing to believe that Madame Sophie actually was passing on a message from Lilly with two possible interpretations. Maybe the message was not a threat, just a simple statement of fact based on past events: "You should have stayed away from my boyfriend" (Aaron Echolls) because he was dangerous and you almost got killed. Or, maybe Lilly was trying to warn Veronica about the future: "You should have stayed away from my boyfriend" (Logan Echolls) ... and then Wallace wouldn't have run away.

Finally: I want to live in a Presidential hotel suite with 24-hour room service.

 


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