Veronica Mars & Ducky Got Toe To Toe

Tomorrow night is the Season 3 "Mystery Arc 1" Finale. It's been a bumpy ride this season for Veronica Mars. I wouldn't call it the College Years slump but I would classify it as a slump none the less. To me it's seemed like a very disjointed season both character and mystery wise.

The season started on a high note. The Hearst Rapist we had already become acquainted with was up to his/her old tricks again but this time it hit close to home. We were introduced to the new kids on the block, Piz and Parker, as well as some school folks (The Lilith House kids, the Professors, the TA's, etc.). We were reunited with our old faves like Logan, Wallace, and Weevil while being promised more screentime for Lamb and Mac. Lamb's had ample screentime and his fill of assface moments but mysteriously Mac has been absent since Episode 2. Which means that even if she's in every episode from here on out she'll only have appeared in 14 episodes. The likelihood of that happening is pretty slim as well. Hell at this point, going into Episode 9, guest star Laura San Giacomo is more of a series regular than Tina Majorino.

So, really the only series regulars this season should have been Veronica, Logan, and Keith. Every other character has had some majorly small screentime.

Also small on screentime has been this season's first mystery. I don't know if I thought it would be a central motivator of the season or if I'm just been too picky but seriously... could there be less focus on the campus rapist? Yes, the past two episodes have really ramped up the game but up until that point there was too much focus on the mysteries of the week. Though some of the mysteries were fun or intersting they didn't advance the storyline along. Now, I guess we cannot take into account a storyline or character that has been introduced that we don't realize plays into the second mystery of the season but at this point it seems really inconsistent.

I've been very skeptical of the three mystery approach all along. When Rob Thomas ran the idea by a pack of bloggers last season I was really against it but apparently that's in part what got Veronica Mars a pick up for this season by The CW. They liked the user-friendly approach to a self-contained 3 mystery season.

I really enjoy the engrossing 22 episode mysteries previously played out on VM. I think Season 2 was very combersome but there was so much pay-off in the end. I loved seeing how the bus crash, mayor woody, thumper's death, and Kendall's storyline all kept us riveted throughout the fall and spring. Not to mention we were shocked to find out Beaver really had raped Veronica in Season 1. Hell, we thought that was put to rest...

This season I don't feel attached to any of the storylines yet. I could really care less who is raping or not raping these girls. Is it a male? Is it one of the Pi Sigs? Is it one of the Lilith girls? Is it Dick? I could kinda care less because they've not made me care. The last two episodes have pushed me much closer to caring but I don't think that the danger to Veronica has been severe enough. I was almost dying at the end of episode 7 when Veronica was drugged and that hoodied figure crept out of the parking lot but the danger didn't continue in episode 8. Sure she thought someone was following her in the library and that was tense but I'd like for Veronica to know that all of her meddling and all of her conniving has left her with many enemies and that they can get to her at any moment. We're almost at that point, but not quite yet.

I also don't feel any attachment to the newbies. Who is Parker? Who is Piz? Hell for that matter who is Veronica now that she's in college? Well aside from being an untrusting and smarmy joykill of late? I can't put my finger on it but Veronica is just not Veronica this season.

What do you think?