» "Then I’d Own You": Getting Hooked on Veronica Mars Options

[SabinaRose]

Veronica says, "You should see me flip my hair -- then I'd own you." I'm hoping like heck she's dead-on with that assessment ...

As I see it, we have a great chance right now to get friends hooked on Veronica Mars, since we're going to start up brand new episodes again next week <squee! of joy> and it seems like a good place where folks can pick up mid-stream . I have all the episodes on tape, and plan to have a mini-marathon and barbecue for a bunch of friends who I think would really dig the show but aren't yet watching. I figure I can show about three -- maybe four -- episodes during the mini-marathon before the natives get restless, so here's my question:

Which three episodes do you think I should show my friends in order to A. get them seriously hooked on Veronica Mars, and B. get them up-to-speed on what's going on so that the new episodes make at least SOME sense? What I'm looking for here aren't necessarily the "wow" episodes, but the ones of substance and development that are crucial to the mythology. I'd love to hear which three episodes you would recommend, in what order, and why these are your choices. Also, if you have eps on tape, I challenge you to do the same and have your own little "Get Hooked on VM" party: "Fire up the 'bachi" and get more folks addicted!

Thanks for the help.

[smgkansas]

I think the pilot is a must. I have a friend who has seen only the last two repeats and is somewhat unimpressed. I think part of the reason she wasn't getting into it is that she didn't have all of the groundwork that the excellent first episode laid.

This post has been edited by smgkansas: Feb 2, 2005 @ 5:21 pm.

[persnicketier]

I am doing the same thing soon. I am personally going to do 1, 3, and 4. Skipping 2 because I don't have it, but 1 and 3 are phenomenal and all three of those have a lot of great background that is really necessary to understand the rest of the shows. At least I think so.

[Seashells]

I'm having a tough time convincing my friends to join me in my new addiction. I've tried explaining the show to them, but my descriptions don't do the thing justice. When I reach the end of my rope, I usually tell them that something about it reminds me of early Buffy, but then they just look at me like I'm crazy, because, hello, no vampires, mythic arcs, etc. So two questions: How do you describe the show to your friends? And why do I get the Buffy-vibe (which for me is a good thing) from this show?

[WynterWolf]

And why do I get the Buffy-vibe (which for me is a good thing) from this show?

For me, one thing is the quality of the snark and the way it fits perfectly into casual conversation... similar to the way early Buffy did. Early Buffy did had great snark.

Wow, this is a tough question. I am avoiding it myself because I am making full season tapes for my victi... er, people I'm trying to hook. I would agree with including the pilot because it's the introduction to everyone and definitely last night's ep because you really get a feel for Lilly's spirit but as for a third... GAH! I have no idea. This is harder than trying to pick a favorite ep!!

[DorianG]

re: Buffy-vibe First, because both shows are well-written -- wit, plots, attention to detail, secondary and tertiary characters that are actual characters..

Second, both shows use genre situations to explore wider ideas: Buffy was never about vampires, and VM is not about being a detective....


Topic: I would say show the first three epi's; There are reasons they are in the existing order, and if they don't hook your friends, they're not gonna get hooked.

This post has been edited by DorianG: Feb 2, 2005 @ 7:10 pm.

[Couch Baron]

I'm going to leave this thread, but I'd like to expand it to allow people to post their own stories about how they got hooked, as well as hooking other people. Otherwise there's not going to be enough material to merit a whole thread.

[Leahs84]

That's definitely a good idea Couch Baron.

I'd show someone the first three episodes to get them hooked on VM. The pilot is a must, and I think in most cases if someone isn't hooked after seeing the pilot, they probably never will be.

I got hooked on Veronica Mars after being intrigued enough to watch the pilot episode. I thought it sounded kinda silly, with her name being Mars, and living in Neptune and everything. But I was pleasantly surprised, because it was one of the best pilot episodes I've ever seen (the first episode of Miracles had a similar effect on me) and I could hardly wait for episode 2.

[persnicketier]

I got hooked watching the pilot. The acting and the writing combo did it for me. The mystery helped too.

I give people a run-down of the basic plot (Takes place in a wealthy, Newport Beach type place. Veronica's best friend is murdered, her boyfriend who was the girl's brother dumped her, her father was the sheriff and accused the girl's father of being involved, so he got kicked out of office, all of Veronica's friends ditched her, and her mother left them. She's trying to figure out who killed her friend thoughout all the episodes, even though a confessed criminal is in jail, because it doesn't add up. In the meantime, she solves smaller mysteries each week.)

Then I tell them that it is hard to describe and doesn't sound nearly as good as the show is. I say all of the actors are very good, it's not your typical teenage show, it's very well-written (witty), the characters are all very well-developed, and the plot thickens, as they say, every week, but in a totally believable way.

I ask them to watch an episode I have taped it and most will. They all know how much I love the show since I'm always talking about it and I always have a VM quote in my IM profile. Plus they all know I'm a really hard sell on TV shows, so if I like it, most are willing to try it because of that.

As far as Buffy goes, I recommend not using that unless you know for a fact that the person loved Buffy. Then do whatever others suggest. I'm not the person to ask because I did not like Buffy. And if someone had used that on me to get me to watch, I wouldn't have. So make sure of the person's Buffy feelings.

[wykbbb]

If you have the capabilities, you might want to edit the episodes and only show the good parts. Instead of showing the entire episode of The Wrath of Con, edit out the grade B internet scam storyline, and just show the grade A Veronica, Duncan, Logan, and Lilly scenes.

I think the pilot, An Echolls Family Christmas, and the Clash of the Tritons are the strongest episodes. To help bridge the gap between the pilot and episode 11 and 12, you can show the pilot in it's entirety, then edit in the beginning summary teaser and key scenes from each of remaining episodes, and then show X'mas and Tritons in their entirety.

Here's some other ideas for introducing your friends to the show.
1) I found this livejournal entry that does a pretty good summary of the show.
2) Here's another site Veronica Mars for newbies.
3) If your friends are familiar with TWoP and Couch Baron's Buffy recaps, you can tell them that he gave 8 out of the 12 episodes a grade A- or higher.
4) The official UPN site Veronica's Desktop does a pretty good job of capturing the heartbreaking snark of the show.
5) Some people tune into a show because of a particular actor or writer. If you know someone who is a fan of Rob Thomas and Paula Marshall from Cupid, Enrico Colantoni from Just Shoot Me, Kristen Bell from Gracie's Choice, Pootie Tang and Deadwood, Kyle Secor from Homicide, Lisa Rinna from Days of Our Lives or Alyson Hannigan from Buffy, then tell them to check out Veronica Mars.
6) Casually mention Veronica Mars on other TWoP show boards that you visit. For instance if watch the Gilmore Girls, you can mention how the combination of Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars makes for an awesome night of TV viewing. If you watch Smallville, you can mention how the HoYah on VM is so much more fun.

This post has been edited by wykbbb: Feb 2, 2005 @ 9:18 pm.

[janedoe4]

I successfully got a couple of people hooked by showing the Pilot and Clash of the Tritons. The Pilot sets up all the backstory, of course, and establishes the tone of the show (and that the tone is different from what people may expect based on the name/setting/other superficial features). Clash brings viewers up to speed for the new episodes, plus it includes all the main characters, we learn a fair bit about most of the h.s. characters, and it has a good case of the week. Showing that pair does require some clear, concise summary of what's gone on in between (Logan's being not quite so noxious, Weevil's "Lilly" tattoo, and Harron's stabbing are the main points that I think are needed to make sense of Clash). If you have time for a third episode, you can obviously use it to fill in some of that stuff.

[Feisty]

If you have the capabilities, you might want to edit the episodes and only show the good parts. Instead of showing the entire episode of The Wrath of Con, edit out the grade B internet scam storyline, and just show the grade A Veronica, Duncan, Logan, and Lilly scenes.

Artistic integrity be damned? :) (Actually this reminds me of a legal issue that came up in trademarks and unfair competition...but I'll refrain from putting the non-lawyers here to sleep.)

Seriously though, wykbbb, like you I enjoyed the flashbacks more than the internet scam plot. But I can't endorse editing out Keith and Icetwin, Keith in his DEA jacket, Wallace and his one episode girlfriend, or Veronica in her Japanime outfit. I think the whole of the episode, the combination of current scenes and flashbacks, works very well...kind of like in the pilot. (The pilot jumped around more than I remembered, but that's how they squeezed so many interesting hooks into less than an hour.) I particularly liked the juxtaposition of Duncan and Icetwin, Logan before and Logan after Lilly died, and Veronica before and Veronica after Lilly died.

ETA: On topic, tie them up and make them watch every damn episode from start to finish. I mean, you'll either convert new viewers or create some new kind of post-VM-a-thon trauma disorder. And that would get some kind of media attention, right?

This post has been edited by Feisty: Feb 2, 2005 @ 8:26 pm.

[SomethingBlue]

I think a big problem with getting people to tune in for even one episode is the premise. The whole girl detective thing sounds stupid. Then think about the storylines: investigating a cult, kid switched at birth, etc. A lot of things about the show, at first glance, seem like overused cliches. Also, so many people make VM sound like some sort of weird cross between Buffy, Nancy Drew, and the OC and I think that turns people off. Of course, as we all know, it only takes one episode to realize that it’s one of the smartest shows on television. But I know I never would have tuned in for the pilot if it hadn’t been for all the great reviews the show was getting.

I'm in the process of converting my best friend and fellow TWoPer, but so far I haven't had much luck. I'm going to have her over for a marathon night, but I know we'll end up getting distracted or talking during the episode and missing an awesome scene and call me anal, but that will drive me crazy. She's a huge fan of Gilmore Girls and Alias, so I'm trying to pick episodes based on her tastes. I think the pilot is a must, "The Wrath of Con", and then "Clash of the Tritons" or "An Echolls Family Christmas". Anyone have any ideas?

ETA:

If you have the capabilities, you might want to edit the episodes and only show the good parts. Instead of showing the entire episode of The Wrath of Con, edit out the grade B internet scam storyline, and just show the grade A Veronica, Duncan, Logan, and Lilly scenes.

That is such a good idea. As I watched last night I found myself wishing that the whole computer geek internet scam plot would go away so I could enjoy the Lilly stuff. I think I'll try that with my friend.

This post has been edited by SomethingBlue: Feb 2, 2005 @ 8:35 pm.

[Tanker]

I was pretty much hooked from the first scene, but I when I think of the pilot, I think of the scene between Weevil's gang and Veronica, where she's sitting in her car. Backup 1.0's hurtling out the window is one of the series' highlights for me. That's the moment I fell in lurve.

I'd show newbies that Veronica's Desktop UPN front page. How could they not fall for her? That's the cutest pic ever.

[Demian]

I'd show them the pilot and then skip over Icetwin's arc, follow the pilot with "Like a Virgin," and then end with either "Echolls Family Christmas" or "Clash of the Tritons."

Whatever you do, don't show them "Meet John Smith," because the kid playing the tranny's son bloooooooows.