7 posts tagged “rob thomas”

So, I took a break for August. Well, I didn't so much take one as it just kind of happened. I've been writing and editing more lately, and that means I want to write and edit and read even less for kicks and giggles. I started a few posts but didn't get a chance to make them public (although I vowed not to revise-revise-revise any more or delete posts nearly finished, so I will make them public). To get back to posting regularly, here's another pop culture List of Lasts.

Last movie at a theater: The Dark Knight. I wanted to see it the week it came out, but that didn't happen. So I waited a bit and made it a Matinee Escape. So what can I say that hasn't been covered by everyone else in the Free World (although, evidently, it's not doing as well in Japan)? Heath Ledger went above and beyond and he elevated this character, this film, this genre. Check. Christian Bale is the best Batman ever. Check. Even though his over-compensating batvoice takes me out of the moment and makes me want to smack him in the batmask. Check. Maggie Gyllnehall was so much better than Katie Holmes could ever have hoped to be. Check. Okay, on that note, I was also grateful to see Maggie Gyllenhall (who I generally like as an actress but don't love because I've become annoyed by her simpering although it was still fabulous to see a film where her bare breasts don't deserve a co-starring credit) playing Aaron Eckhart's love interest instead of Mrs. Tom Cruise. After watching Thank You for Smoking many times, I don't think I could sit through that lack of chemistry again. And although I do love me some Aaron Eckhart, I felt his Harvey Dent was kind of hollow in spots, but then maybe that's the point. Or maybe Heath Ledger's Joker was just so powerful it sucked all possible depth from the atmo on set. My only real complaint was that it felt a bit too long but I am not sure where even ten minutes could have been cut, unlike The Incredible Hulk. So, yes, it really was all that and a bag of butter drenched popcorn, and is not only a great superhero flick, but also just a good film. Yet I think I enjoyed Marvel's Ironman more, which I wish I could blame on how I gravitate more toward Marvel's characters, but to be honest, it's all about Robert Downey Jr., no use denying it.

Last movie on the cable: On a Clear Day. A little British film starring Brenda Blethyn. Peter Mullan plays Frank, a Scottish metal worker who is laid off and decides to swim the English Channel in order to deal with his frustrations and depression brought on by unemployment. As he starts to train with the help of friends, it is obvious he also needs to work on strained relationships with his family, especially his son, a stay-at-home dad with twin boys. It's a lovely story, and if you have a deep abiding love of little UK films like I do, definitely check it out. 

Last episode of Insomia is a Bitch Theater: Bret Michaels now "hosts" the new infomercial for Time-Life's "Hard & Heavy" CDs comprised of "152 of the hardest and heaviest hits from artists like Poison, Whitesnake, Alice Cooper, Heart, Kiss and many more!" Oh yeah, bang your heads to the hardest and heaviest Top 40 songs Time-Life would pony up cash to pay for licensing rights. But that's not all, it gets worse! The nine-CD set includes a disc of cheesy power ballads that made fourteen-year-old girls in 1989 swoon and/or roll their eyes (I'm here to testify, sad but true). But, wait, it gets even worse! The set also comes with an "exclusive" bonus DVD "Hard & Heavy Confidential with Bret Michaels" featuring  masterpieces that changed the world including "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" and "Something To Believe In," played live and acoustic in the Time-Life studio. With no audience. Just Bret with a camera crew. Because that's totally natural (as if, you need twenty skanks who didn't make the cut at the podunk Hooters and thirty cases of Bret Brew for it to be natural!). I don't know what my favorite part of the infomercial is: Bret playing his soulful tunes like he's rehearsing for Rock of Love 3: Team Syphilis vs. Team Gonorrhea; the co-hostesses trying not to ask him if he gets his hair extensions from India or Mattel; or the testimonials about how this unbelievably awesome CD-set truly rocks at parties thrown by white Midwesterners knocking on 40!

Last scripted TV show: Mad Men. Because I do love it, but it is the only new show on (until tonight--I've missed Blair Waldorf and Chuck Bass). The second season seemed to start a little slowly but it matched the pace of Don's life, how it had changed as he tried to reform his bad hubby ways, so it felt necessary and natural. I geek out over character development and the writers manage to give each character in a very large cast dimension. What I truly adore about it is that just when you think you've figured out how one character ticks, you find out he/she actually tocks, which adds a startling dose of realism while maintaining creativity.

Last time I watched the finale of Generation Kill : That would be last night when the repeat of the final episode aired. Even though the final two were maybe my least favorite episodes of the series, it still owned me. (As did Jacob's recaps on TWoP, and GK ended just in time to get him back to analyzing the kids of the UES--I love recappers who make it worth reading even if you've seen the episode). It's the best description I have for David Simon's shows. And when I talk about geeking out over character development, well this show is a prime example. It may have been about First Recon's experience at the start of (the later named) Operation Iraqi Freedom, but it was truly about characters. First, let me say, I do realize that these stories are based on one reporter's perception, which has been through many filters, from article to book to screenplays, so everything may not be 100% accurate. But no tale is ever completely accurate based on someone's perception of events. Unless it was recorded and then just transcribed, it never will be. It's not like we watch John Adams and wonder where they found transcriptions of the conversation between Adams, Ben Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson about the draft of the Declaration of Independence. It's called writing. And creative license. Just stay as true to the story as possible, get fabulous technical advisors, and tell the tale. If it's wrong, folks will speak out. However, many say it's as close to the actual experience of being in Iraq as possible for a television show. So it's based in reality, and not in a James Frey "Well, maybe it wasn't a million little pieces" way, or the non-reality of the unreal lives portrayed on shows like The Hills. Anyway, I've read several blogs or recaps along the way and it seems difficult to relay what happened in some episodes and keep it interesting. Although not as stagnant and bored as those waiting-waiting-waiting in Jarhead,  these guys were often waiting for a mission, or on the way to their mission, or having their mission changed, etc. But this is where character development comes into play. This story wasn't just about the mission, it was about the men carrying it out, the men giving the orders, and the dynamic between them, how they coped, how they worked, how they lived. And when they are in the middle of a mission, it all clicks into place, even when it seems all is going to Hell fast. I found it truly fascinating and enthralling, and although there are characters who shined, I still liked watching the characters who pissed me off for being assholes, idiots, and cretans because it still felt very true. And seven episodes was the perfect length to tell this tale without characters outstaying their welcome and the impact of it being lessened. Is GK as good as HBO's previous war mini-series Band of Brothers? Yes, but the two are so different in terms of storytelling, purpose, intent, events, culture, and character, they really shouldn't be compared. It's not quite like comparing apples and oranges, more like an M1 Garand to an M16.

Last time I grumbled about GK's Alexander Skarsgård being in True Blood: That would be every time I see the promo. I was planning on catching the first episode of Alan Ball's new show because I have a love-hate relationship with Six Feet Under and I generally like vampire tales (nope, haven't read the books though). Even though reviews for the pilot are wretched. Even though it sounds like it wants to be campy but doesn't stretch enough to accomplish it. Even though Anna Paquin is supposed to have a Southern accent worse than Kyra Sedgwick's in The Closer. So, I didn't exactly have high hopes for it. But now, dammit-to-hell, they cast Alexander Skarsgard. Yes, he is oh-so-pretty, but his talent as an actor is what makes him magnetic, so damn watchable. He's Stellan Skarsgård's son, for Pete's sake. Remember my Paul Walker Principle? Pretty doesn't matter in the long run if there are no acting skills to back it up. Skarsgård sweats skills.

Last book: I just started the Generation Kill book. Since I had already read the articles, I waited until the show was complete. I actually have a couple books going, but that's the last added to my pile. How long it will take to finish, who knows? I still have Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince only half-read (but in my defense, I figured out with Azkaban that I prefer to read them a few months prior to the movie premiere, and, well, it looks like this one may be half-read for a while now).

Last magazine: This week's Entertainment Weekly. So predictable, I know. Eh it let's me bring up Michael Ausiello's blurb about the possibility of a Veronica Mars movie. Or Mars 2.0. Which is kind of a misnomer considering she was proudly Mars 2.0 in season one, going from Veronica the Sweet to Badass P.I. Veronica. Anyway, I'm divided about the idea of a movie. I loved the show, even though the intensity of my love faded with each season. I still adore season one, can handle season two until previous plot points were retconned or forgotten, which takes me to tolerating season three because I clung to the hope that maybe in the next episode those characters would stop acting out-of-character and the show would be the little Noir show it once longed to be. Oh, and would stop retconning important events from the first season. Grrrrr. Sigh. Grrrrr. So, the prospect for a movie still has me hoping it could be badass again but history tells me it might be otherwise. Doesn't matter, I'm a glutton, so I'll pay to see it even if it is crap. However, knowing that Rob Thomas wants to keep it in Neptune, with the same characters and the crime-solving on the Hearst campus, really does help (although at this pace, by the time it gets made, will the young 'uns still look like college students?). Because the VM:FBI pitch was painful to watch and did not resemble the spirit of the show. And the idea that Veronica would make it in the FBI, with her run-ins with the law, issues with authority, and problems following rules, regulations, and laws, felt very unrealistic to me. I like her better dealing with the seedy side of Southern California.

So I started this post sometime last week and never got around to finishing it. And I just kept accumulating links with casting updates I found interesting. Oh, it's that time of year again. Thanks, Upfronts!

Trixie the Whore settles on Caprica! So, I'm not a huge fan of Battlestar Galactica. I've mentioned this, it's not the show's fault. I am keeping up with the final season, though, and really do want to start with the first episode of this spinoff/prequel. And now Paula Malcomson, Deadwood's Trixie (aka Trixie the Whore for legal documents) who is one of my favorite characters ever, is taking the lead.

But guess who else just landed on Caprica? Eric Stoltz. You know I can't stop the very bad pun that I'm sure  will repeatedly be made in cheestastic cyberspace. Now, that's some kind of wonderful. Ouch, that one hurt. Oh, and Esai Morales jumped on board too.

Morena Baccarin just landed a role in a new ABC legal drama. Which means most of Serenity's crew will be on the telly next fall. Adam Baldwin is, of course, Casey on Chuck (that's Major John Casey to you, blogger). Summer Glau is badass terminator Cameron on The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I actually didn't know Jewel Staite was on Stargate:Atlantis, never could get into either series, but good for her. And earlier, the gods of TV smiled when Nathan Fillion won the lead in ABC's Castle (which made me too giddy for words because (A) I cannot watch that Housewives tripe, not even for Dana Delaney or Felicity Huffman and (B) the one time I did this season, Capt. Tightpants was wearing Dockers and the full body shudder I had at the sight was actually quite painful--he was not meant to wear pleated kahkis). And  Alan Tudyk was cast in a new sitcom  for NBC. So that leaves Gina Torres (she guests so often that she's always on the small screen anyway--ooh, maybe on Whedon's Dollhouse? ), and Sean Maher from the core Firefly cast. Ron Glass guests on Shark as a judge, but I think renewal looks ify for it, so let's add him to the list.

My favorite casting updates have been for 90210 The New Class. Yeah yeah, new showrunners who are rewriting the pilot, still produced by Rob Thomas and his fabulous team. Whatever. I am still not looking forward to watching it, yet, I know I will be unable to resist the pilot. It really is quite tragic. And I now partially blame Josh Schwartz. I just can't trust that this show will be as heinous as it seems, that it doesn't have a tiny chance of being a little awesome. XOXO damn it. Plus, I earned my TV Snark Badge because of the original, so I have to at least see the pilot.

Anyway, Tristan Wilds was cast in the lead role. Last time we saw him, he was taking over Omar's trade as Michael on The Wire. Well, this will be a change of pace, and quality, but I guess it could be good for his career? It will definitely show that the kid has range.

But that's not the fun news. Jennie Garth finally caved (coughreceived the correct number of zeros on her paycheckcough) and joined the cast, reprising Kelly Taylor in a recurring guest role. What's so fabulous about that? Well, first of all, it means there probably won't be a lot of Tori Spelling-Donna Martin redux reflux. They won't want too many Gen-Xers returning, right? But what about the fabulous? Kelly will be West Bev's new guidance counselor. And that, my friends, is the stuff TV dreams are made of. Le mopey-sideburn-sigh. I wish Remake Rob was still heavily involved because he would have so much snarky fun with Kelly's history.

Kelly is the perfect counselor. What hasn't she either been a victim of, experienced, or encounterd with her friends and family? Drug abuse, drug addiction, parental drug addiction, alcoholism, parental alcoholism, drunk driving, Emily Valentine, rape, date rape, questionable Halloween costumes, drive-by shootings, victim of [insert crime] ("He was carjacked" is still my favorite excuse for anything), vintage Porsches, blended families, pervy hip-hopping step-siblings, spousal abuse, child abuse, arson, third-degree burns, stalking, kidnapping, infidelity, Color Me Badd, teen sex, pre-marital sex, post-marital sex, no-marital sex, birth control, abstinence, unplanned pregnancy, bitches from Minnesota, weddings, shotgun weddings, calling off weddings, cheating, SAT regulations, dyslexia, joining a cult, rehab, being Spring Queen, Alzheimer's, HIV, Cancer, schizophrenia, amnesia, nose jobs, eating disorders, perils of pre-prom champagne, murder, explosions, guns, the mob, living under the sanctimonious eye of a self-righteous, know-it-all boyfriend who just needed to get over himself and should've gone to Washington a lot sooner. Whew. I've left out so much, I know, sorry. Oh, and there's also the plethora of career paths Kelly jumped onto, usually with no prior experience just like the girls on The Hills. She'll be the greatest high school guidance counselor since Buffy Summers. Geez, she definitely beats my freshman counselor who worked part-time guiding young lives with her home-ec degree, and we didn't even have a home-ec class, but that's okay because her major was just a reason to go to college so she could join a sorority and find a husband. I wish I was kidding.

With that rebel Jeff Zucker behind the monster truck wheel at NBC, the peacock network released it's lineup for the 2008-2009 season this week, a good six weeks before the traditional upfront presentations that Zucker has decided to shun (he's calling it an "infront," har-har). And since entertainment chief Ben Silverman is his navigator, that means there's some good, a lot of bad, and definitely some ugly on the roster. Aw, come on, it's been a while for the GBU, I can't help myself.

The Good
Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can't lose! For real, ya'll. NBC's deal with DirecTV is official for Friday Night Lights. As much as I knock Silverman, he did make season three happen. Kudos, Benji. Next season, thirteen episodes featuring the Dillon Panthers will appear on DirecTV's subscriber based 101 channel in the fall and then on NBC in 2009. Jason Katims hopes to get writers to work as soon as possible with production slated to begin in July. Well, barring a SAG strike. But this is good news, so let's not visit the recent breakdown between AFTRA and SAG.

ER will say goodbye after fifteen seasons. Finally.

Ian McShane is set to star in Kings, a show about "exploration of the timeless David vs. Goliath struggle." It will be strange to see Swearengen not swear on the telly.

Donal Logue is joining Life when it returns. Damien Lewis and Donal Logue. Redheads Rule! (not that I'm biased or anything)

Heroes and Chuck are still partnered as the pitch perfect antidote to my Monday blues.

Silverman's fave 30 Rock got a full season renewal. It even won a Peabody this week, so added to the awards it has garnered already this is not a real surprise, just good news.

The Bad
Knight Rider got a pickup. Consider kudos retracted, Silverman.
 
Scrubs is done at NBC after this season. That's a little sad but not the big bad. The badness actually concerns rumors that ABC may pick it up. I love Scrubs (watched so much I know dialogue) but isn't it time to end? Unless the remaining episodes at NBC can't send it off properly, just let it flatline already. Please, before I lose all luh-ove for it. Not even pitch perfect Dr. Cox and Turk can balance out the annoyance that has become JD any more. Doesn't Braff have a movie to direct with an "adult contemporary alternative" soundtrack featuring at least one whiny British dude, loads of acoustic guitar, and Imogen Heap? (And I say that as someone known to indulge in the guilty pleasure of whiny British dudes, acoustic guitar, and Imogen Heap).

A new mother-daughter sitcom called Kath & Kim starring Molly Shannon and Selma Blair. Does Molly Shannon look old enough to play Selma Blair's mom? That can't be their relationship, right? Eh, not generally a fan of either, especially Blair's wooden delivery.

Thursday Night Live, an extra special dose of political satire leading up to the elections. Really, the time we already spend together not laughing isn't enough? Let's take a guess as to what we'll see. Lots of Darrell Hammond doing spot-on impressions. Plenty of  Amy Poehler. Seth Meyers trying to crack wise. And an extra dose of Samberg's SNL Digital Shorts. Yeah, only if there is a change in the balance of Kristen Wiig and Kenan Thompson appearances. She is a comedic goddess. Can't say the same for Good Burger.

Camelot? Merlin? Crusoe? Why does "original" programming seem to be such a turn-off for NBC?

The Ugly
Lipstick Jungle was renewed. I caught a repeat of it on Bravo late one Sunday night while trying to fall asleep. Twenty minutes and the Zs came easily. Not even for the love of Andrew McCarthy would I watch it again. And after I saw Pretty in Pink when I was eleven, I spent an entire Sunday night dinner at my grandparents staring at his picture in Teen Tiger Bop Beat Magazine. I also saw Fresh Horses and Mannequin in the theater. That's some stalkerific tween devotion right there.

They are planning a spin-off of The Office. Why? Duh, to mess with a good thing, of course! So do they consider the spin-off of a remake "original"? If you're interested in details, including a Will Arnett rumor (NBC, you evil bastards!), here you go. I only skimmed because I refuse to acknowledge it exists until production starts (lalalalala, I can't hear you!). Avoidant much?
 
In other telly news . . .

A little while ago, I read that Rob Thomas was developing a pilot for ABC in addition to Cupid Redux and writing the Recycling 90210 pilot (maybe "creative conservation" is an unclear-on-the-concept effort by the networks to go green). It is a go, according to E!'s TV Diva Kristin Dos Santos. This one is the remake (three makes you Remake Rob, my friend) of an hourly from New Zealand called Outrageous Fortune. The big news, though, is that Kristen Bell is in talks to star. Yeah, yeah, what about Heroes and Gossip Girl? Well, she isn't signed for too many episodes as Elle next season and she can literally phone in her XOXOs, right? In addition to KB, Rene Russo is rumored to be up for the role of her mother. Love her, she's smart, sometimes goofy, and can kick serious ass. Hmm, that sounds like casting perfection. Okay, Remake Rob, once again, I am your bitch, which is a good thing since it seems you are fighting for primetime domination.

CBS greenlit another series starring the lovely Simon Baker. Well, I guess being canceled twice doesn't mean squat when it comes to a contract. First The Guardian and then Smith, two CBS shows I enjoyed and not just for the Australian eye candy that is Simon Baker. (We won't mention how many times I've caught Something New on the HBOs or how I wish there was video on-line of The Daily Show interview during his scruffy summer hiatus talking about how he doesn't wear deodorant because he drinks so much water his super-hydrated sweat doesn't give off toxic fumes and I didn't bat an eyelash at the absurdity of it because his grin hypnotized me). Jonny Lee Miller was in Smith, too, heh. Anyway, The Mentalist is about a guy "who uses his special gifts to help the police as an independent detective." So a little like Psych without the yuk-yuks, I'm guessing. And Owain Yeoman. Sure, fine, whatever, I dig mysteries and, from time to time, like to wade in the shallow end (will it be paired with Moonlight?), so I'll check it out.

 'Cupid' Takes Wing Again [Zap2it]

Yesterday, I wondered what happened to the Cupid remake with the news of Rob Thomas helming a Beverly Hills 90210 spinoff for The CW. So, if I ask about it on my blog, I shall receive? Maybe I should've mentioned a new car or a trip to Scotland or winning lotto numbers, too.

Cupid Goes to Los Angeles is still in the works at ABC after all. Basically, it is Rob's concept and he was already attached to the project with his development deal at that network, so he will be running that show instead. He may still write the pilot for West Beverly High, Class of 2012, though. Wow, updating two shows from the '90s. With NBC's penchant for bringing back '80s shows, next fall is going to be like a TV acid flashback.

For the love of Joe E. Tata, who pitched this idea? I first read about it this morning thanks to The Hollywood Reporter, e-mailed it immediately to a friend (the reply to my "NOOOOOO!" involved a wish for a "Who shot Brenda?" storyline), and bookmarked it to post later. In the meantime, it spread across the Interwebs faster than Bret Michaels' STD o' the week:

Veronica Mars Mastermind Rob Thomas to Oversee The CW's Proposed Beverly Hills 90210 Sequel? [AICN]

Casting The Upcoming '90210' Spinoff [Defamer]

Veronica Mars Creator to Spinoff '90210' for The CW [Zap2it]

90210 Hell, Yes: Series Spinoff Led By . . . Mars Boss Rob Thomas? [Watch with Kristin]

A real 'Beverly Hills, 90210' Spinoff (as opposed to 'Dancing with the Stars') [EW's Popwatch]

Really, Dawn Ostroff, is this how you plan  to make The CW a a contender with the big bad broadcast networks? Are we following in Ben Silverman's footsteps down memory lane? Of all the alphabet networks, NBC may not be the one to model for success right now.

90210: The New Class? The richie-rich-kid soap niche can be considered done and done by The CW's very own Gossip Girl at the moment, and on the heels of Josh Schwartz's The O.C. too. Is there a need for a new generation of West Beverly High teens, complete with random Ian Ziering guest spots? I cannot believe that question is even being asked. With Rob Thomas at the wheel, this has a shot at being strangely awesome, but it just sounds like a Hidden Palms disaster (not to compare Rob Thomas to Kevin Williamson, heh). Of course, either way folks will at least tune in to the pilot, so there you go. I bet Thomas has at least half a dozen original projects in the works that would be better choices to produce, the operative word being original. And this negativity comes from a gal who holds the zip code hijinks close to her heart because it sparked her TV-snark. By the third season, the weekly lunch table 90210-dish had turned into 90210-massacre. Twenty straight minutes of snark, sigh.

Aw, Rob, I understand that a gig is a gig, an opportunity begets more opportunities. But what happened to the development deal and Cupid redux at ABC? Oooh, "Who shot Brenda?" could work for Noir-90210, and there would be so many suspects, it would last forever just like the original! Anyway, shoot the pilot, if it's a real stinker that still gets picked up, claim a case of David Greenwalt's Moonlight-exhaustion. And if you need a gal who can give you the complete scoop on the original (without the Dylan McKay/Logan Echolls compare-and-contrast) while simultaneously making a killer pot of coffee, fixing the copier, answering the phone, proofing pages, and creating gift baskets, you know where to find me. Don't worry, I won't listen to "Losing My Religion" on repeat if you don't call.

ABC Has New Love for 'Cupid'

Wha, how, huh? Rob Thomas had hinted at some interesting developments with his ABC development deal (would link but don't remember where I read it). Working out the kinks for a pilot in development is tricky so that's a good reason to keep details on the downlow. Working out the kinks for a remake of a show that said network canceled in the '90s, mind-boggling

I loved Cupid. Jeremy Piven when he was still charming, the lovely and talented Paula Marshall, quirky comedy, snarky lines, was Trevor an actual god or just had a god complex that compelled him to match mates? Sounds like everything but the premise will be retooled, from cast to location (because there aren't enough shows set in L.A. already?).

This just confuzzles me. Yeah, there's no denying it has a great premise and the network's current climate is more conducive to Cupid. The target audience for many of ABC's shows does seem to skew more female (amazingly, According to Jim only skews to Cavemen, and vice versa). I'm not saying that only gals watch Cupid or romantic comedies, or that all of ABC's series fit into that category, or that all women enjoy this genre, because I know that's not the case. (Politically correct much?) A glimpse at their Fall programming and it appears to be one network niche the alphabet network aims to claim. NBC is dipping its toes in the sci-fi pond. CBS cultivates crime and mystery dramas. The CW obviously tries to grab the young 'uns. FOX, well, I guess they try to land anyone watching House or American Idol? (so Wonderfalls fans, don't get your hopes up.) I still find it odd that after many meetings with Thomas, execs returned to a show that didn't last an entire season. Will it work the second time around? I'll definitely check it out. Will Cupid's resurrection get great press for ABC regardless of success? Well, duh.

So, RT will be running a show again. Many in the Veronica Mars fandom questioned Thomas' showrunner skills in season three when all seemed to derail for the little show that could. Some even go as far as refusing to watch any future work he produces. I didn't like the direction it took and would like to completely forget some storylines, but I also didn't think it was a colossal failure that landed solely on his shoulders. True, RT was the big boss, but running a show is a really tough gig. Huge mistakes were made but, as I have recently been reminded in real life, we grow by learning from mistakes. It's sad they were made, however with the ratings VM had, it was lucky it lasted long enough for mistakes to be made; too bad time ran out before the wrongs could be righted. I'm willing to give a Rob Thomas show another shot, see how he handles a show now that he's had one last three seasons. I'd like to see what he's learned.

So, what did I think of the return of Veronica Mars?

It was meh. How's that for descriptive? For me, it wasn't one of the better episodes of this humdrum season. The mystery of the week felt very after-school-special when it was wrapped up. It was a little flat, and I didn't warm up to Amira. Also, I was confuzzled by her early mention of losing her Pirate Points at Neptune High. Pirate Points weren't taken away in season one's "Return of the Kane" with Duncan's election and Wanda's defeat; he actually opened them up to more kids. So, wha?

Keith's storyline was okay. I miss him being at Mars Investigations. Although it was nice for him to call V on her illegal deeds and for her to apologize. Nice genuine daddy-daughter moments. Keith using Wallace and Stosh (heh, like how he only refers to Weevil as Eli) in his undercover operation to bust the deputy was fun-ish. I also loved Chief Reilly (Jack McGee) from Rescue Me as the bartender, and the mention of "dearly departed" Lamb's annual raffle. Lamb used the raffle last season to blackmail Terrance Cook, correct? Now, that's some nice continuity you got there.

On to the soap. The forced interactions with Logan and Parker, the longest party scene ever (do parties at the Grand ever go well for V?), the freaking face cake (tm Scrubs), ugh. I laughed out loud at that cake. And then groaned when Parker handed V a slice (cutting her own birthday cake?), knowing she just happened to hand over the face o' Logan The Happy. See how happy he is V? It's right there on your cake. Bad writers, bad! What has happened to Logan? One of the most interesting characters on tv and he is reduced to this. Just because he might be "happy" doesn't mean he has to be boring. Dohring even seemed bored with his dialogue. Geez, and the promo-monkeys at lead us to believe he is all distraught again next week. When he suggested that V move on. Whatever. As long as he doesn't get his mope on.

As for Piz, I like Chris Lowell. I just dislike the way Piz is written to pine for this girl he barely knows, from day one. There is little chemistry between the characters. Mostly, I don't like having this relationship crammed down my throat, like Parker and Logan. In the last five episodes of the season. When Lowell's been cast on on another show (it's well known he is on the Grey's spinoff). More so, I don't like being reminded that Logan and Veronica didn't have to be thrown together last season, could've built a relationship as friends this season. Even more so (tee hee), I resent that this is what I have to discuss instead of mystery elements.

Dick's storyline was a pointless waste of screentime. That's all I'm saying about that.

Damn, I am such a Negative Nelly. Did I like anything else? Yes! I loved Wallace having more than two lines, as well as involved in a sub-plot even though not as V's sidekick. Will he ever get to kick it again? Mac is always the awesomest. Loved Max's "Did my friends hire you?" Heh. Pulp Fiction and El Duderino shout outs. "Keep up, Towlie." South Park references are great Veronica continuity. Principal Clemmons! I miss you, Van. Sacks rockin' his pornstache while respecting Keith. I know there is more. Maybe I'll add it later.

Overall, the episode gets a B-/C+. Next week: PAUL RUDD!!!!!!!

By the by, keep your fingers crossed for Rob Thomas and crew. Today was the pitch to CW execs for season four possibilities. Ratings weren't great last night, but they weren't much lower than usual, which is good since it's been on hiatus. Who knew the Search for the Next Talentless Skank could take eight weeks?