OPEN CASE: VERONICA MARS

By Sue 4-NOV-2004

RETURN OF THE KANE

Season 1 - Episode 6

The Story of the Week:

The plot of this week's story follows the election of a new Student Council President for Neptune High. At the center of the election is "class-warfare" between the haves and the have-nots. As Wanda reminds Veronica: "You, more than anyone else should understand. The rich kids, they run things around here. They're the minority and they're corrupt. They have all the power. They get away with murder." How corrupt, even Wanda doesn't know, until the videotape of Logan's extracurricular activities is exposed. Did one of them actually get away with murder? Only time will tell.

Meanwhile, Wanda continues, "We're the disenfranchised, but only because we let ourselves be. It's time to take action!" Then, off the record, she gives Veronica a wry smile and asks, "Was I quotable?" She is well aware that she's been spouting sounds bites of election rhetoric. Clearly this is a very topical episode. Rob Thomas must be glad that UPN didn't screw with the airing schedule.

At the center of the election debate is the issue of "Pirate Points," which are awarded to students on the basis of their involvement at NHS. However, the definition of contributing member is very narrowly confined to include only student council and sports team members (including cheerleading of course). I didn't catch on to this at first. I simply assumed that the cheerleader had been cut off in her list--not that the list was so short to begin with.

Wanda decides to become "enfranchised" and run for president on a platform of eliminating Pirate points for all students, thereby denying the "haves" one of their favorite forms of privilege. In a sense it's really an "anti-platform" designed only to take something away, not to contribute to student life. Logan can't stand the thought. (Specifically of losing the points or generally of having one of the distinctions of his "rank" removed?) However, instead of running for office himself, which he likely knew would be futile, he covertly enters Duncan in the race and gets his father, a well-known movie star, to make an endorsement commercial for Duncan. It's clear that Duncan doesn't want to enter the race--he's already said as much to his own father, but instead of calling Logan on manipulating him he just half-heartedly tells those around him not to vote for him.

Jake Kane supports the idea of Duncan running for office, mainly because it would indicate that Duncan is taking an interest in the world around him. The show does a lovely job in the scene between Jake and Duncan of using the SOTW to inform the ongoing relationship between father and son and the central theme of father/child.

The next day at school all of Wanda's posters have been defaced with the word "NARC" scrawled across them. Veronica immediately confronts Logan, "Bravo, Logan, you've hit a new low (just wait V, it gets much worse). Just when the critics were having some doubts..." This is a great line for Logan fans. We are finding him extremely complex and multi-layered. Just when we start to see a little good in the guy he goes and does something extremely dark--far worse than defacing a few posters. Interestingly, Logan doesn't really deny the charge but he doesn't 'fess up either, "I just don't have time to be responsible for every little thing that goes wrong in your life." Since it's clear she'll get nowhere with Logan, Veronica turns on Duncan. He is, after all, the candidate and should in the end be held responsible for the actions of his backers.

That night Veronica helps Wanda make new posters and Wanda asks whether Veronica has something going with Weevil. Veronica laughs the idea off and is clearly quite surprised when Wanda suggests that Lilly did have some type of relationship with Weevil. Nothing more is said about this in the episode, but I'm sure Veronica won't forget the hint.

The next day when Veronica offers Weevil a Wanda-sticker he calls Wanda a "narc." When Veronica protests, Weevil gives her reason to believe that Wanda in fact may be selling out her friends to the authorities. I didn't catch it the first time, but on repeat viewing it's clear that Veronica immediately devises the plan to entrap Wanda by telling her about a (fictitious) rave in the desert and implying that she has a source for drugs. Even without knowing (yet) that Wanda will sell her out Veronica's opinion of Wanda drops immediately in the face of her easy acceptance of drug usage. This is the second week there has been some speculation about Veronica's attitude towards drugs and their recreational use by her classmates. I think we can safely say she's not in favor of it.

When it comes time to vote Veronica describes it as a contest between Duncan, "heir to the status quo;" and Wanda, "my potentially duplicitous new friend." Veronica's flashback to an instance in which Duncan did not buy into the status quo, or the class warfare distinction, gives us a pretty clear idea of who she votes for.

In the end, Wanda is proved to be the "brown-nosing resume-packer" who is willing to "wreck [Veronica's] future to save her own," and Duncan wins the election. As his father watches with pride, Duncan's first act as student council president is one of inclusiveness: expanding Pirate points to all who contribute to Neptune High--those in band, theater, honor roll, and even those who excel in Vo-Tech. He proclaims, "They should share in the benefits." Notice that the rest of the student council is decidedly unenthusiastic about this plan. But there is hope that now that Duncan is engaged in something he will bring his considerate charm to bear and see it through.

Additional Themes and Character Development

Fathers and their children: the relationships between Aaron and Logan Echols, Jake and Duncan Kane, Keith and Veronica Mars are highlighted and explored throughout this episode. It is the central theme, even though it is only tangentially connected to the Story of the Week.

The SOTW once again occupies less than half the total screen time for the episodes. It simply provides the bare bones on which to hang ongoing insight into the central characters. This episode is largely about exploring Logan and Duncan via the context of their relationships with their fathers. The three opening scenes--vignettes of father/child interactions, underscore the importance of this theme.

The episode opens with a shot of Logan getting the morning newspaper and abusing the crowd of tourists who have gathered at the Echols' front gate to gawk. However, his father arrives and immediately plays to the crowd. Aaron Echols is clearly very successful as a movie star and also aware that the fans are his meal ticket. In that very first scene we are motivated to ask: does Aaron really love his son or is he just using Logan to further his image?

Segue to the interaction between another father/son pair: Jake and Duncan Kane. Jake seems to have taken Duncan's soccer paraphernalia to him at the school and notices the election posters. He urges Duncan to consider running, and makes a joke about the "Reign of Kane," also aware of the family image.

Finally we see Veronica with Wallace but she is referring to her relationship with her father. After the minor unpleasantness of last week apparently Keith has decided to work on their father/daughter bonding by scheduling visits to the zoo and other "quality time." Veronica tries to laugh it off, but it's clear she is touched. Even more so when Wallace reveals (to us at least) that his father is dead.

The relationship between Veronica and Keith is shown as honest, open and loving. The "Desert for Dinner" dialogue is priceless and displays their easy camaraderie. In fact, that closeness is so important to Veronica that, by the end of the episode, she can no longer stand lying to her father and confronts him about continuing his investigation into Lilly's murder. Keith demurs that he is no longer pursuing the investigation because he has realized that doing so is not going to turn back the clock and return their lives to normal. Solving the murder is not, in fact, the "key to their happiness [but] what I believe now is that we make the most of what we have by going to the zoo with someone we love." Definitely words to live by. Instead of wishing to have the past back, Keith is ready to focus on his and Veronica's future and make the most of it. Of course, she then does manage to draw him back into the investigation by laying out the mystery of how Lilly's sneakers that are clearly shown at the crime scene yet end up with Abel Koontz. Maybe next week she'll get around to also telling him about the traffic ticket and the threatening photos from her mother's secret safety deposit box.

Jake and Duncan's relationship also takes several steps forward in this episode. As they sit in the car together, conspiring not to tell Ms. Kane about the fast food, Jake again encourages Duncan to become involved in the election process, noting that since he made it into a runoff without even trying, "Imagine what you'd be capable of if you put your heart into it."

Duncan gently mocks him, "Cue the inspirational music here."

Jake chides, but also gently, "I'm tired of your cynicism. ... I'm not concerned about this election, I just want to see you engaged, enthusiastic about something. Your happiness is all I've ever wanted."

Duncan, wanting to test his father's sincerity (and maybe seeing how far he can push): "What if I find that happiness living in a grass hut, carving driftwood?"

Jake: "If driftwood carving is what makes you happy... (long pause)...as long as you do the best you can at it....after you graduate from Stanford....law school....summa cum laude." (And may I just say that this is the one exchange from the entire show that caught my husband's attention--having a son of about Duncan's age.)

Both Duncan and the viewer are convinced of Jake Kane's love for Duncan. We also notice that the aforementioned bumper stickers show up in the next scene. Very, very nice bonding and excellent insight into Duncan's personality.

Additional insight into Duncan's recent personality is provided by his exchange with Veronica. After accusing Logan of defacing Wanda's sign and getting brushed off, she turns to Duncan and asks: "Was it your idea or did you just play it your usual way?"

Duncan: "What's my usual way?"

Veronica: "Oh, you know Duncan. You don't initiate trouble, you don't initiate much of anything anymore."

Duncan: "Don't stop there, Veronica, say it. What's my usual way?

Veronica: "You. Stand. Idly. By."

This scene re-enforces the same comment made by Jake Kane about Duncan being disengaged from life around him.

Lastly there are the interactions between Logan and his father. First there is Aaron's apparent pride in Logan in front of the tourists--or is that merely image-building? Then we have Aaron's appearance in the endorsement commercial, which we assume he did at Logan's urging. However, when the video of Logan's vet-boxing scheme shows up on the internet these interactions take a decidedly dark turn. Certainly the father is angry. But wait, he's not angry because Logan has done something cruel and misguided. In fact, he doesn't seem the least bit concerned about Logan's despicable activities. It's all about Aaron's image and the potential damage to his career. He pushes Logan down and shouts at him-- blaming Logan for not contributing or caring about the family image--bizarrely putting the blame on Logan for how he (Logan) has been raised. If Logan has never contributed to the family is that his fault, or his parents' fault for not raising him differently? "Don't you ever embarrass me again." It is so easy to see the common bond between Lilly and Logan. Didn't Mrs. Kane use almost these same words last week?

Then there is the scene on the way to the homeless shelter for "damage control." (And is this not also a perfect parallel for how political campaigns are run?) Aaron gets a call in which Logan hears him describe a script as "bone-headed" and "screwed-up" but then hears his father agree to do the film anyway because, "you can't argue with eight figures." If he didn't already know, it's now clear to Logan that it's all about the money.

Aaron: "How do you argue with eight figures? You can't."

Homeless Vet: "Hey, Don King, you find some sucker willing to make a bitch outta hisself for cash?? And the point is mercilessly driven home that Aaron Echols is no better than the vets being victimized by Logan for his amusement and financial gain.

Later we see them interacting at the soup kitchen. Aaron Echol's (true or fake?) reminiscences of his father are eerily reflective of a number of speeches from this past summer's political conventions. Logan then takes revenge on his father in the only manner in which he knows he can hurt him--financially. Logan has got to know the punishment he will suffer and yet twists the knife by remarking ironically, "I only hope one day I can live up to my Dad's good example."

And finally, the dark scene: Veronica Mars has some very dark moments: the date rape, the threat with the baseball bat, and now the premeditated, cold-blooded beating of his son by Aaron Echols. Deeply disturbing, it provides much additional insight into this totally mixed-up character.

The "Lilly's Murder" Arc:

The biggest advance in this plotline is the discovery of the contradictory evidence of Lilly's sneakers clearly in evidence at the crime scene after the murder has been committed, but later found in Koontz' possession. How can that be? Koontz' impending death also imposes some very real time pressure on solving the mystery. Why is Koontz willing to die? Also, as Veronica asks Lilly in the dream, why would Koontz want to murder her? Did they convict him with no apparent motive?

Lilly's ghost appearance in Veronica's dream, similar to her haunting of Duncan, doesn't really give Veronica any additional information. But even Ghost-Lilly is irreverent as ever, declaiming morbidly, "My soul is doomed to walk the earth until justice has been served....That and as kind of a side-project I dispense fashion advice."

Also, there is the potential clue dropped by Wanda about Lilly's possible involvement with Weevil. And the realization that Veronica is willing to include Duncan as a possible suspect in the murder.

Perhaps the most significant development in this arc is Veronica sharing information with her dad and the possibility that they may begin to work on the investigation together.

Minor Nit-pick of the week:

This is similar to what Vlad terms a "cliff climb" in his LOST reviews--some small, possibly irrelevant, but irritating bit of action that doesn't entirely make sense. In this episode it was the elections process at Neptune High--the foreshortened time schedule, the lack of "due process" in signing up to run, the overnight appearance of bumper stickers, signs, commercials, etc. Also, Duncan just declaring his new plan for Pirate Points--doesn't the rest of the council get to vote?

And most totally bogus: When announcements come on over the intercom, students stop in the hallways to listen. Yeah, riiiiiiiight.

Miscellaneous

* The story, once again, was by show creator, Rob Thomas. But the teleplay was by Phil Kemmer.

* Kyle Secor continues to be listed as a "guest" star. But then, so is Edward Herrmann, for 5 full seasons of Gilmore Girls.

* Wanda reminded me both of "Sheila" in School Hard and "Kit" in Lessons.

* Even the bit players are so memorable that I find myself missing the sherriff, Olga, and the smarmy lawyer.

*Veronica's initials are VM, Wanda's initials are WV.

* Wanda wants to go to Williams. (Varsity sports teams are known as "Ephs" after Ephraim Williams, men are called "Ephmen" and women are "Ephwomen". The mascot is a purple cow. Go here: http://www.williams.edu/athletics/index.php

* Why does Logan (fake?) stutter on Wanda's name?

* The NHS teachers shown so far are 50/50: Ms. Dent is clearly very cool and quite adept at handling Veronica and the other students. The other teacher is stereotypically into her own power and dismissive of the students.

*"You're new" (repeated twice) may turn out to be important.

* Duncan's GPA is 3.924!

*Wanda is a sophomore, but Duncan must clearly be a senior (National Merit Semi-Finalist). Veronica is beginning the college process, which most likely pegs her as a junior.

*Wallace's job as a student office aide is a great plot device. No, they are not supposed to have access to student records, but yes it happens.

*Quotes to love:

Veronica: "Fair and balanced, that's me." Is Fox being twitted?

"Spy vs. Spy"

"Desert for dinner night."

*The plan for cheating on the election was so simple, yet wonderfully elegant. And would have been untraceable if the board had been erased.

*Although we assume Veronica received the phone message from her mother, we see no on-screen acknowledgement of this.

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