Women Are From Venus

27-Mar-07 9:32 AM by Ken Gagne
Filed under Television; 4 comments.

I was told if I liked Buffy the Vampire Slayer — and I do — then I'd like Veronica Mars. Not knowing any details of the show beyond that, I watched the pilot episode this weekend.

A precocious teenager outwits her father, the police, and the high school bullies to solve crimes. Why didn't someone just say it's a modern Nancy Drew?

And by "modern", I mean "dark". The first episode alludes to a variety of sad truths that CSI fans may classify as entertaining, but it's hardly escapism. Before I watched Veronica Mars, I never consciously observed this trait of my viewing habits: I like shows that are fun. (Go fig.) Sure, a show's characters should be real people who face real situations — but I prefer metaphorical representations that employ vampires, aliens, and cowboys. We have enough problems in our real world that I don't need our own environment and social ailments repackaged as entertainment. Give me something I can't get on the evening news.

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4 Responses to “Women Are From Venus”

  1. peterw adds:
    27-Mar-07 10:00 AM

    Ken's commented:
    We have enough problems in our real world that I don't need our own environment and social ailments repackaged as entertainment. Give me something I can't get on the evening news.

    I've lost count of the number of times I've expressed a similar opinion, although as usual Ken's managed to phrase it better.

    My version often goes along the lines of "I like happy endings. Yes, I realise they don't always happen in real life, but that doesn't mean I want to see the alternative in entertainment — I can watch the news for that!"

  2. sheppy adds:
    27-Mar-07 10:53 AM

    I enjoy Veronica Mars. It's kind of a light crime drama. :)

  3. GeneD adds:
    27-Mar-07 11:57 AM

    While Veronica Mars is indeed dark, didn't Buffy: the Vampire Slayer and Angel also flirt with noirish themes? The snarky dialogue, young-adult melodrama, and story arcs of Mars are similar to those of Buffy, but without the fantastical elements, to be fair.

    I also usually prefer lighter, more heroic fare (don't get me started about the revisionist Battlestar Galactica), but I enjoy that Nancy — er, Veronica — and friends do consistently outwit and outmaneuver their opponents, even when the odds are stacked against them.

  4. Ken Gagne adds:
    20-Aug-07 12:01 PM

    Kristen Bell, star of the late Veronica Mars, will be joining the cast of Heroes. More at ComingSoon.net.

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