Veronica Mars: Not Pictured
April 10th 2007 10:34
Not Pictured, the finale of the second season of Veronica Mars, was a captivating hour of television. While there were some issues, the episode managed to resolve the questions raised throughout the season, as well as revisiting last year's happenings.
The dream sequences gave a nice insight into Veronica’s subconscious, but they did seem to go on a little long, particularly for a season finale. The overexposed look of her dreams was subtle enough to convey a sense of reality, but I would really have loved to see one of the awesome filters used in the past. I liked how the dream connected us with Lilly’s death, which has been significant force in Veronica’s life, and how much she has grown and changed because of it. I particularly liked the suggestion that Veronica’s relationship with Duncan (Teddy Dunn) may have come to a natural end, and the foreshadowing that she chooses Logan (Jason Dohring).
While the cheering for Veronica at graduation was quite clichéd, at least she came to realize what the audience has known for a while - she is no longer Neptune’s pariah; her actions have won her a level of respect amongst her peers. I’m quite disappointed that we will no longer be seeing Principal Van Clemmons (Duane Daniels) – he served as both a great antagonist and ally.
It was so tragic to see Weevil (Francis Capra) arrested before he was able to graduate. I was really hoping that Sheriff Lamb (Michael Muhney) would relent and allow him to gain his diploma, but with Lamb’s obvious abhorrence of Weevil, it was unlikely. It wouldn’t have been right for Weevil to go unpunished – after all, he himself confessed that he had sinned in orchestrating Thumper’s death – but it is still heartbreaking.
Keith (Enrico Colantoni) managed to capture Woody Goodman (Steve Guttenberg), with the aid of Vinnie Van Lowe (Ken Marino). They certainly make an unlikely duo, but Vinnie sleaziness is always good for a laugh. It was revealed that Woody and the woman in the motel was a set up, designed to kill incorporation because he was being blackmailed. Even after being apprehended by Keith, Woody sickeningly insists that what he did was righteous, and sincerely seems to believe it.
This season’s mass murderer turned out to be Beaver (Kyle Gallner).
Unfortunately, I had been accidentally spoiled as to this plot point, so I can’t really comment on whether it was shocking and unexpected. I must say, it was well foreshadowed and very believable – Beaver has always come across as troubled, even right back in season one. He has been abused in various ways by many people in his life, and has been subjected to a lot of humiliation. He was obviously a very damaged human being, wishing to assert control and gain retribution in any way possible.
The confrontation on the roof was gripping, but I do have some criticism of the way the altercation between Veronica and Beaver played out. While the large amount of exposition was vital for the audience’s understanding, it resembled the ending of a Scooby Doo cartoon. I would have liked to see this flood of information delivered in a different method. That being said, Beaver listening to the information, rather than shooting Veronica straight away, does have some basis – he has always been overlooked and overshadowed, so perhaps he was just eager to have someone acknowledge the brilliance of his handiwork? If that was the case, I think Kyle Gallner could have played the part a bit differently – he came across as positively evil, whereas it would have been more in-line with the character if he was desperate for some sort of approval.
There is the question of why Beaver didn’t kill Woody earlier – he had obviously had several opportunities, but decided against it until Veronica mentioned her father. Beaver didn’t want the humiliation of the molestation coming out, but a secondary factor may have been some sort of misguided sense of loyalty towards him. He had rigged up Woody’s car and plane with explosives, but he didn’t detonate them until he felt that he needed to, which suggests some sort of connection with his abuser.
The plane’s explosion overhead was quite shocking, and visually stunning. It was utterly distressing to watch Veronica’s anguish, and Kristin Bell’s acting was simply phenomenal. It would have made sense to call Logan or the police rather than try to contact Keith, but her fear and desire to speak to her daddy just won out.
It was really surprising that the rape was revisited, and it hadn’t occurred to me that Veronica could have contracted chlamydia so long ago. This revelation was well done, and serves as a reminder that this show is never black and white.
Beaver’s last line summed up his life perfectly – ‘My name is Cassidy.’ He was never acknowledged for the person he truly was; instead he was abused and ignored by the people around him. He chose suicide rather than be subjected to yet another humiliation – the ignominy of being caught.
Aaron Echolls (Harry Hamlin) may have been found not guilty, but foul deeds do not go unpunished – be it through Karma or the ghost of Lilly Kane. It was great to see Clarence Wiedman (Christopher B Duncan) return, however fleeting his appearance may have been. I can see why he would feel compelled to be involved in this dispensing of justice, considering how entrenched he was in the Lilly’s murder mystery. It seemed very fitting that it was Duncan that orchestrated the killing – it shows the darker side that was certainly hinted at throughout the preceding seasons.
I feel sorry for poor Logan – although Aaron was a monster, his death will definitely impact on Little Orphan Annie.
Veronica and Logan have finally gotten back together. While I do love LoVe, the fact that they have once again hooked up in the aftermath of tragedy leads me to believe that it will simply not last. It is not a particularly stable basis for a relationship, and Logan is bound to have some abandonment issues that will rear their ugly head.
I also feel sorry for Mac (Tina Majorino). The news of Beaver’s psychotic ways will no doubt have negative impact on her already low confidence.
I wasn’t particularly fond of the revelation about Jackie (Tessa Thompson). It does demonstrate the journey the character has taken; however, it was expected that the character would be leaving, so this new information felt rather unnecessary.
I was also upset that Keith stood up Veronica at the airport. No matter how impressive the contents of Kendall’s (Charisma Carpenter) suitcase, it doesn’t warrant abandoning the daughter he very nearly lost.
I was prepared for the worst with Veronica Mars Season 2 - I had heard that it was very poor, particularly compared with the stellar first season. I was pleasantly surprised - although the season had its problems, I have really enjoyed it. Overall, it was quite dark, and had moments of sheer brilliance. As with season one, the events of this year will resonate further into the series.
I don't think I will be reviewing season three at this stage. Aside from the fact that these recaps are becoming quite marathon efforts, it appears that Network Ten will be removing it from the schedule April 20. It is unclear if or when it will return. While it certainly isn't unexpected, it is very disappointing.
*Screencap courtesy of Wikipedia, and used under Fair Dealing for identification and critical commentary
The dream sequences gave a nice insight into Veronica’s subconscious, but they did seem to go on a little long, particularly for a season finale. The overexposed look of her dreams was subtle enough to convey a sense of reality, but I would really have loved to see one of the awesome filters used in the past. I liked how the dream connected us with Lilly’s death, which has been significant force in Veronica’s life, and how much she has grown and changed because of it. I particularly liked the suggestion that Veronica’s relationship with Duncan (Teddy Dunn) may have come to a natural end, and the foreshadowing that she chooses Logan (Jason Dohring).
While the cheering for Veronica at graduation was quite clichéd, at least she came to realize what the audience has known for a while - she is no longer Neptune’s pariah; her actions have won her a level of respect amongst her peers. I’m quite disappointed that we will no longer be seeing Principal Van Clemmons (Duane Daniels) – he served as both a great antagonist and ally.
It was so tragic to see Weevil (Francis Capra) arrested before he was able to graduate. I was really hoping that Sheriff Lamb (Michael Muhney) would relent and allow him to gain his diploma, but with Lamb’s obvious abhorrence of Weevil, it was unlikely. It wouldn’t have been right for Weevil to go unpunished – after all, he himself confessed that he had sinned in orchestrating Thumper’s death – but it is still heartbreaking.
Keith (Enrico Colantoni) managed to capture Woody Goodman (Steve Guttenberg), with the aid of Vinnie Van Lowe (Ken Marino). They certainly make an unlikely duo, but Vinnie sleaziness is always good for a laugh. It was revealed that Woody and the woman in the motel was a set up, designed to kill incorporation because he was being blackmailed. Even after being apprehended by Keith, Woody sickeningly insists that what he did was righteous, and sincerely seems to believe it.
This season’s mass murderer turned out to be Beaver (Kyle Gallner).
Beaver is absent from the Sharks photo*
The confrontation on the roof was gripping, but I do have some criticism of the way the altercation between Veronica and Beaver played out. While the large amount of exposition was vital for the audience’s understanding, it resembled the ending of a Scooby Doo cartoon. I would have liked to see this flood of information delivered in a different method. That being said, Beaver listening to the information, rather than shooting Veronica straight away, does have some basis – he has always been overlooked and overshadowed, so perhaps he was just eager to have someone acknowledge the brilliance of his handiwork? If that was the case, I think Kyle Gallner could have played the part a bit differently – he came across as positively evil, whereas it would have been more in-line with the character if he was desperate for some sort of approval.
There is the question of why Beaver didn’t kill Woody earlier – he had obviously had several opportunities, but decided against it until Veronica mentioned her father. Beaver didn’t want the humiliation of the molestation coming out, but a secondary factor may have been some sort of misguided sense of loyalty towards him. He had rigged up Woody’s car and plane with explosives, but he didn’t detonate them until he felt that he needed to, which suggests some sort of connection with his abuser.
The plane’s explosion overhead was quite shocking, and visually stunning. It was utterly distressing to watch Veronica’s anguish, and Kristin Bell’s acting was simply phenomenal. It would have made sense to call Logan or the police rather than try to contact Keith, but her fear and desire to speak to her daddy just won out.
It was really surprising that the rape was revisited, and it hadn’t occurred to me that Veronica could have contracted chlamydia so long ago. This revelation was well done, and serves as a reminder that this show is never black and white.
Beaver’s last line summed up his life perfectly – ‘My name is Cassidy.’ He was never acknowledged for the person he truly was; instead he was abused and ignored by the people around him. He chose suicide rather than be subjected to yet another humiliation – the ignominy of being caught.
Aaron Echolls (Harry Hamlin) may have been found not guilty, but foul deeds do not go unpunished – be it through Karma or the ghost of Lilly Kane. It was great to see Clarence Wiedman (Christopher B Duncan) return, however fleeting his appearance may have been. I can see why he would feel compelled to be involved in this dispensing of justice, considering how entrenched he was in the Lilly’s murder mystery. It seemed very fitting that it was Duncan that orchestrated the killing – it shows the darker side that was certainly hinted at throughout the preceding seasons.
I feel sorry for poor Logan – although Aaron was a monster, his death will definitely impact on Little Orphan Annie.
Veronica and Logan have finally gotten back together. While I do love LoVe, the fact that they have once again hooked up in the aftermath of tragedy leads me to believe that it will simply not last. It is not a particularly stable basis for a relationship, and Logan is bound to have some abandonment issues that will rear their ugly head.
I also feel sorry for Mac (Tina Majorino). The news of Beaver’s psychotic ways will no doubt have negative impact on her already low confidence.
I wasn’t particularly fond of the revelation about Jackie (Tessa Thompson). It does demonstrate the journey the character has taken; however, it was expected that the character would be leaving, so this new information felt rather unnecessary.
I was also upset that Keith stood up Veronica at the airport. No matter how impressive the contents of Kendall’s (Charisma Carpenter) suitcase, it doesn’t warrant abandoning the daughter he very nearly lost.
Overall Rating
I was prepared for the worst with Veronica Mars Season 2 - I had heard that it was very poor, particularly compared with the stellar first season. I was pleasantly surprised - although the season had its problems, I have really enjoyed it. Overall, it was quite dark, and had moments of sheer brilliance. As with season one, the events of this year will resonate further into the series.
I don't think I will be reviewing season three at this stage. Aside from the fact that these recaps are becoming quite marathon efforts, it appears that Network Ten will be removing it from the schedule April 20. It is unclear if or when it will return. While it certainly isn't unexpected, it is very disappointing.
*Screencap courtesy of Wikipedia, and used under Fair Dealing for identification and critical commentary
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Comment by Platypus
I was spoiled about Beaver before even watching "A Trip To The Dentist" - that's how far behind Ten was with the show. Still, it was good to watch Season 2 and see how Beaver acted and reacted, knowing that he was the one behind the bus crash.
Btw, regarding Weevil ~ he himself confessed that he had sinned in orchestrating Felix’s death... I think you mean Thumper's death.
Comment by Nina
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