Flashback to 'Mars!' Plus New Season Scoop, Sad News and TV on DVD Monday

As the summer comes to an end, so do PTR's Flashback Editions. But before this summer series ends, we're going to take a closer look at one of Veronica Mars' finest hours. The episode, "A Trip to the Dentist," solved the mystery surrounding Veronica's rape and how she was drugged with a date rape drug. Of course the surprising answer has since been thrown into turmoil, but at the time, it was the most satisfying conclusion to an otherwise dark chapter in Veronica's life. Today, we take a (quick) look back at the awesomeness that is season one's "A Trip to the Dentist."


Veronica spent the entire episode trying to get to the bottom of what happened to her on the night of Shelly Pomroy's party. She didn't remember anything other than waking up the next morning to learn that she had been raped. She found out that Logan and his buddies had brought a date rape drug to the party, but she couldn't figure out how she ingested it. Through her trademark tough interrogations, she learned that Dick had slipped some of the drug into Madison Sinclair's drink, hoping that it would allow him to score with her. The problem is, Madison wasn't drugged, so how did Veronica end up with the drug and Madison didn't? Meanwhile, she tracks down possible rape suspects and comes up with Cassidy after learning that Dick "gave" him a drugged Veronica as a present. Cassidy tells her that he wanted to prove to Dick that he was a man, so he stayed with Veronica for a little while, but he didn't touch her. Veronica is back to square one until one of the party goers tells her that Duncan went into the bedroom where she was passed out on the bed. She confronts Duncan, but is surprised to learn that in her drugged state, she consented to the sex. Duncan left abruptly when he realized what he had done because his mother told him that he and Veronica are half siblings. So, Veronica wasn't raped (at least not by Duncan), but she may have committed incest. And how exactly did that date rape drug find its way into her drink? That would be courtesy of Madison Sinclair, the original target. It seems that Madison likes to play a little game that she calls "A Trip to the Dentist." She spits into her drink and then hands it off to someone else. That someone else was Veronica Mars.


The episode ends with another party - this time it's a late birthday party for Logan. Aaron decided that he wanted to start forming a relationship with his son, so he threw him a surprise party. Too bad Logan and Veronica were coming home to spend time together when the group jumped out and surprised them. It seems Logan and Veronica weren't the only ones surprised! Their secret relationship was no longer a secret. The two head off to the pool house where Veronica discovers that the ceiling fan over the bed has a camera in it. Who was taping, and what were they taping? Veronica intends to find out. If you would like to watch this episode for yourself, pick up your S1 DVD set today (also check out the S2 set on store shelves now!). Or rent one through Netflix, or check your local library for a free borrowed copy. Veronica's second season is currently airing in reruns on UPN every Tuesday night. Tomorrow night, you can catch 2 back-to-back episodes of this wonderful show. In the first hour, Veronica helps Gia with a stalker. Check out the opening scene HERE! In the second hour, Veronica and Keith take to the witness stand in Aaron Echolls' trial. All of the screencaps in this edition are courtesy of vm-caps.com.

'Case' and 'Trace' Scoop
As part of PTR's continuing promise to bring you all of the latest new season scoop, I have news on two of television's biggest crime procedurals: Cold Case and Without a Trace. First up, brand-new hot off the press pictures from Cold Case's fourth season premiere (link contains spoilers)!! The gang finds themselves looking into a 1995 mall shooting where two teens went on a rampage when evidence surfaces that indicates that there may have been a third shooter. All of the photos are courtesy of Kathryn Morris Online and CBS.
In other CC news, Entertainment Weekly has some scoop straight from new showrunner Veena Sud in its Fall TV Preview issue on newsstands now (WARNING: the following contains spoilers):

New time slot (post Amazing Race, pre-Without a Trace); new showrunner, Veena Sud; and a new romance for Kathryn Morris' Lilly in season 4. "She's found a good man, " says Sud, "who has a history much like her own. She's in the throes of this great relationship, but it doesn't last long. An old lover comes back: the infamous motorcycle man, Ray (Brennan Elliot). So Lilly will have to make a choice." Expect more episodes featuring music by just one artist (a la last season's all-Springsteen hour), and bold new cases: "We're coming in with a huge episode for the new time slot -- a mall shooting," says Sud. "It flashes back to 1995 when these kids go into the mall and open fire. It's going to be a real shocker." (Sept. 26th)

If all of this isn't enough to wet your appetite for new episodes, then this fantastic CBS promo from the season premiere will. It seems that things are about to get steamy on CC if this ad is any indication (a special thanks to irishkale at Look Again for uploading the preview):


Cold Case premieres September 24th at 9 p.m. on CBS. In other crime show news, look for things to get soapy on Without a Trace when it moves to its new night: Sundays after Cold Case. Entertainment Weekly reports in its Fall Preview issue that the producers are "mindful of the soapiness that Desperate Housewives and (gone-to-Thursday) Grey's Anatomy have brought to the night." Showrunner Greg Walker tells the magazine that they're using it to give the show a lift. "We're pumping up those personal stories a little bit," he says, "because we feel like Sunday has more room for that." Also, look for Elena Delgado (Roselyn Sanchez) to go undercover in a strip joint for one case. Trace also premieres September 24th, after CC, on CBS.

FRIDAY FUN: SUMMER STYLE (Trivia Answer)
Last Friday, I asked you guys the following trivia question:

Q: How did The Closer's Brenda Leigh Johnson end up with her house and her cat?

A: Brenda's house and cat used to belong to a Russian prostitute who was murdered in season 1. Brenda was still living in the hotel at the time when the murder happened and the house went on the market. Fritz told her to grab a good deal when she saw one, and this house was a good deal due to the violent crime that took place in it. Be sure to tune in to The Closer's second season premiere tonight at 9 p.m. on TNT! Click on over to TVGuide.com for an exclusive preview of this explosive finale.


QUICK CUTS

*Very sad news from the world of television today. As PTR reported earlier, Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin died early this morning in an accident with a stingray while shooting his latest documentary. The conservationist was on location in Australia's Great Barrier Reef when a poisonous stingray barb punctured his chest. Irwin was 44 years old and is survived by his wife and two kids. Pass the Remote sends out our deepest sympathies to Irwin's family and friends during this tragic time. Irwin did a lot of good with his programs in raising awareness about the importance of conservation and protection for all of the world's species. He will be sorely missed in my house.

*And finally, it's TV on DVD Monday! Look for the second season of Lost to hit store shelves tomorrow along with Supernatural (season 1), AMC's highly rated miniseries Broken Trail, Hustle (season 1) and Oz (season 6). For a full list of tomorrow's releases, visit tvshowsondvd.com.

To get more of today's biggest TV news and headlines, visit the TV News section at PassTheRemote.Net.

That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for thoughts on tonight's season finale of The Closer. Plus, Vanished and all the latest television news!


To get more television coverage, including the network's new fall schedules and a complete archive of the best of Pass the Remote with a photo gallery featuring pictures from the set of Veronica Mars, click on over to PassTheRemote.net.