VM Episode Spoilers

The Futon Critic has the UPN Press Releases for Veronica Mars episodes 2.20 and 2.21. UPN does give a lot of spoilery information away in these episode descriptions, so spoilerphobes beware.

VM Press Conference Recap

I have been delinquent in updating this blog lately, but here is a recap of what happened during the Veronica Mars online press conference.

VM Online Press Conference

Attention, Veronica Mars fans. I will be participating in a VM Online Press Conference tomorrow (Tuesday) with Rob Thomas and Jason Dohring.

I already have a list of questions for them left over from the VM Bloggers Day, but I can always use more suggestions. If you have any burning questions for either Rob or Jason, please comment.

Welcome back, Veronica!

In case anyone needs a reminder, Veronica Mars returns tonight with a brand-new episode (UPN at 9pm ET). This episode is the first of NINE new episodes that will be airing without repeats, until the season finale airs in May. There will be a "notable" guest star (not saying who, to spare the unspoiled). And of course, there will be a mystery, or two, or three. There will be quippy dialogue. If you're not watching it, you should be.

And for those of you who are already VM fans, keep in mind that Lost is a repeat (from last season, no less!). Beauty and the Geek is a repeat. Law & Order and Criminal Minds, both repeats. So if you have any friends who are still VM virgins, tonight offers a golden opportunity to try to convince them to check it out. Tell them that Lost is a repeat, and invite them over to watch VM - offer to feed them pizza (or cheese and crackers, if that's all you can afford). Offer to flip over to American Idol if you have to, just to see who's getting the boot this week. But once AI is over, savor the second half of VM without interruption.

VM is in desperate in need of better ratings for the remainder of the season two episodes. Contrary to popular belief, season three is no guarantee. In fact, Rob Thomas told me that even though he was optimistic when the new CW network was first announced, after seeing the depressingly low ratings for 2.11, 2.12 and 2.13, he's no longer all that optimistic that VM will be on the CW schedule next year. So if you're a VM fan and you'd like to see a third season, do what you can to spread the word and get as many new viewers as possible.

VM Episode 2.16

The Futon Critic has the latest UPN press release about episode 2.16 of Veronica Mars, airing on March 29.

WARNING: Big major spoilers ahead, so avert your eyes if you don't want to know!

Last chance!

I already knew that Troy was returning but Cliff! Woo hoo! And Keith finds him in a compromising position in a room! Bam-chicka-bow-wow, chicka-chicka-bow-bow . . .

How are they going to find time to fit in the AD kids, plus Troy and the whole rape MOTW, plus Logan doing whatever he's doing with Hannah, plus this whole Keith and Cliff subplot? This episode sounds jam-packed with salty goodness.

VERONICA AND WALLACE INVESTIGATE A RAPE AFTER RUNNING INTO HER SHADY EX-BOYFRIEND TROY WHILE TOURING HEARST COLLEGE, ON "VERONICA MARS," WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29 ON UPN

Michael Cera and Alia Shawkat ("Arrested Development") Guest Star as Hearst College Students, Aaron Ashmore ("1-800-Missing") Returns as Troy Vandegraff and Jessy Schram ("Jane Doe") Guest Stars as Logan's New Girlfriend Hannah

"The Rapes of Graff" -- While checking out Hearst College with Wallace, Veronica is stunned to run into her shady ex-boyfriend Troy Vandergraff (guest star Aaron Ashmore) during the tour, but the real surprise comes when Troy gets accused of date rape on campus and calls Veronica for help, on VERONICA MARS, Wednesday, March 29 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on UPN. Michael Fields directed the episode from a script written by John Enbom. Michael Cera and Alia Shawkat ("Arrested Development") guest star as Hearst College students Dean and Stacy.

Meanwhile, Logan's legal troubles and ongoing relationship with Hannah (guest star Jessy Schram) both reach important turning points. Later, after receiving a call for help, Keith arrives at a hotel and finds his attorney buddy Cliff in a compromising position in a room.

Veronica Mars: Kristen Bell
Keith Mars: Enrico Colantoni
Wallace Fennel: Percy Daggs III
Logan Echolls: Jason Dohring
Eli "Weevil" Navarro: Francis Capra
Jackie Cook: Tessa Thompson
Cassidy "Beaver" Casablancas: Kyle Gallner
Dick Casablancas: Ryan Hansen
Sheriff Lamb: Michael Muhney
Cliff McCormack: Daran Norris
Jen: Einat Tubi
Hannah: Jessy Schram
Madison Sinclair: Amanda Noret
Dr. Griffiths: Rick Peters
English Teacher: Linda Castro
Dean: Michael Cera
Troy Vandergraff: Aaron Ashmore
Gordon: Kip Martin
Drew: Charlie Koznick
Girl: Reem Mahmood
Stacy: Alia Shawkat
Chip Diller: David Tom
Tory: Daniele O'Loughlin
Pink Hair: Ka'imi Kuoha
Dawn: Cristina Balmores
Sugar Jones: Angelica Bridges
Danny Boyd: Tayler Sheridan
Foreman: Richard Neil
Dean Harlow: Rosina Reynolds

Veronica Mars Set Visit Recap and Photos

I am back from the set of Veronica Mars for the VM Bloggers Day in San Diego yesterday, and needless to say, a good time was had by all.

I'd like to give a huge thanks to Holly from Warner Brothers, Sienna and Chelsea from mPRm, and especially Rob Thomas, Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, Percy Daggs III (and his mom!), Kyle Gallner and Ryan Hansen for taking the time to chat with us, answer questions, and pose for pictures. I'd also like to thank the numerous crew members who were so gracious and generous with their time, including Paula from makeup and Sal from the wardrobe department.

On my LiveJournal, I've posted some highlights and photos (courtesy of The Attractive Nuisance). Lots more recaps and photos to come.

VM Bloggers Day

Thanks to some kind and helpful people, I will be attending the Veronica Mars Bloggers Day on Monday, February 27. So I'm headed to the VM set in San Diego for a set visit and lunch with Rob Thomas with lots of other bloggers who like to talk about VM.

If anyone out there has any burning questions you want answered by RT, please feel free to comment. (But please be polite!) But comment before Friday at around 5pm PT/8pm ET, because I probably won't see it after that.

I really want to come up with some good questions that haven't already been asked and answered in previous interviews. And of course I will be posting a full report next week after I get back.

UPN Statement on VM Schedule

This is the UPN statement about pushing back the new episodes of Veronica Mars:

Veronica Mars is facing a lot of competition in February, so to protect the series and to make sure that as many people as possible can watch the original episodes, we're going to air repeats for the next few weeks. The good news is that when Veronica returns some time in early March, we'll have nothing but original episodes through the season finale - so the goal here is, after this, no more repeats.

So I take it that the next new episode (2.14) will air on March 15 and there will be nine new episodes in a row until the season finale (2.22) airs around May 10. Okay, repeats suck but that does sound good.

VM Repeat Schedule

It's official. UPN has issued press releases announcing that they will be airing VM repeats over the next three weeks.

Somebody at UPN must have made this decision at the last minute, because on Sunday night after the VM repeat, my UPN affiliate aired the "all-new" preview for the next new episode (2.14), which apparently won't be airing until March 15 now.

2/15: "Rat Saw God" (2.6)
2/22: "Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner" (2.7)
3/1: "Ahoy Mateys" (2.8)

I hope this is only because of the Olympics, because other networks seem to be running repeats also. February is a "sweeps" period, so normally networks run new episodes at this time.

Rob Thomas Webcast

In more Veronica Mars news, show creator and executive producer Rob Thomas will hold a Live Webcast at UPN.com on Thursday February 9 at 2pm ET/11am PT. Rob will take call-in questions from fans and there will also be other "special guests."

Kristin Veitch from E! Online is hosting the Webcast again, as she did with the first one. I'm curious if she will talk about that poll she did a few weeks ago when about 85% of fans voted for Logan as the guy they wanted to see with Veronica, over Duncan, Leo, Wallace, and Troy.