'Heroes' Rings Bell

File this under BEST. NEWS. EVER!!! From Yahoo! News:

Kristen Bell to appear on NBC's 'Heroes'
By MIKE HOUSEHOLDER, Associated Press Writer
Mon Aug 20, 4:13 PM ET

DETROIT - Kristen Bell is going from solving mysteries to being a part of one. The 27-year-old actress, who starred for three seasons as teenage detective Veronica Mars on the now-canceled show of the same name, will appear in a multi-episode arc on NBC's "Heroes" this fall.

"This was not easy to pull off. But since we're an ensemble show, with many arcs playing out through the year, we found a way to jump into a small window in her schedule," Tim Kring, the show's executive producer and creator, said in a statement Monday.

Kring said Bell's character, Elle, will appear in October and will be "a sexy, intriguing, mysterious young lady" who will commit a terrible crime, but it won't be clear whose side she is really on.

"Heroes" won't be the Detroit-area native's only TV work this fall.

She's providing the voice of the narrator (something she also did on "Veronica Mars") for the CW's new "Gossip Girl."

Bell also has some big-screen projects in the works, including a turn as the title character in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," a comedy produced by Judd Apatow ("The 40 Year-Old Virgin," "Knocked Up").



Well Kristen fans, we may have missed out on seeing her on Lost, but seeing her on Heroes this fall is just as awesome!! (Photo courtesy Kristen Bell:: Online)

UPDATED: Read Kristen's exclusive interview on her new role (HINT: she has "a really awesome power," but she can't spill the beans and the best news -- she's committed to 13 episodes!!) , turning down Lost and the possibility of a Veronica Mars film with TVGuide's Mike Ausiello.

UPDATE: Bell's Not Getting 'Lost'

Well, our prayers to the TV gods were not answered this time. TV Guide's Mike Ausiello is now reporting that PTR fave Kristen Bell WILL NOT be joining the cast of ABC's Lost when it returns next winter. And we can all blame it on Hawaii. Or is it Broadway? From his Ausiello Report:

Did Kristen Bell say no to Lost because she's planning a trip to Broadway? That's the buzz along the Great White Way. One of my Broadway moles tells me that Bell could be replacing Laura Bell Bundy in Legally Blonde this February. K.Bell, who was forced to turn down the lead in the new musical Xanadu due to her Veronica Mars duties, recently visited the show (click here to see pics) and a casting agent for the musical recently told TheaterMania.com that they are considering "adding a TV-based name to the cast in the not too distant future." And even the assertion from Bell's rep that her client "has no plans to do Legally Blonde at this time" would seem to leave open the possibility of a February start -- and it would certainly explain why she was reluctant to make another TV commitment (i.e. Lost). Just some food for thought. My original story follows...

The greatest casting coup of the century was apparently not meant to be: A spokesperson for Kristen Bell, responding to my report in Wednesday's AA, notified me late last night that my BFF won't be joining Lost next season. Although her rep didn't provide a reason, I did a little digging and my sources say Bell -- who was formally approached by Lost execs this week -- turned down the gig primarily because she didn't want to relocate to Hawaii.

Bummer. If she's heading to Broadway early next year, though, I'm so there! (Photo courtesy Kristen Bell:: Online)

Bell to Get 'Lost?'

If this news comes to fruition, I might just forgive all of the unfair atrocities in the world of TV (NOT the Emmys, though). According to TVGuide's Mike Ausiello, Kristen Bell might be heading to ABC's Lost!!! Here's what he has so far:

Question: Have you spoken to Darlton about having Kristen Bell on Lost? If you pull this off, I swear (and you have this in writing, with AA witnesses) that I will send you one case of Diet Raspberry Snapple for every episode of Lost that Kristen appears on. Hope you're up for the challenge!— Erin

Ausiello: You better get busy clipping them there Snapple coupons, Erin. And while you're at it, slap on a pair of Depends, 'cause this is the kind of exclusive casting prattle that causes mass piddling: I can tell you for a fact that Kristen's name has been brought up with regard to the new role of Charlotte, the hot twentysomething who is said to be "precocious, loquacious and funny... a very successful academic who also knows how to handle herself in the real world." Yep, sounds like our Kristen! The only question now is whether my in-demand BFF is ready to jump back into another series. And, if so, will the financial toll wrought by all those Snapple purchases force Erin to declare bankruptcy? Please, God, let the answer be "Yes!" to all of the above!

Please, please, please let this be true!! Let's all collectively cross our fingers and say our prayers to the TV gods tonight. (Photo courtesy Kristen Bell:: Online)

Trip to 'Mars' Cut Short

They say that there are several stages to grief, and I'm pretty sure that I have experienced 2 of them so far. First, I was angry that Veronica Mars was over. It seemed so unfair to see those closing credits for the last time, and even more so to think that we would never get the closure that the show deserved. Yup, I was hating the CW folks last night. Today, however, a sorta bummed acceptance has taken over. I'm bummed that it's over, but I'm beginning to think that last night's final hours were exactly how the show should take its swan song. Before you throw your tomatoes, think about other shows' cheesy closing episodes and how Veronica was so above that. When the series first began, we were thrust into the middle of Veronica's life after she had been date raped, dumped, cast down to the lowest of the high school lows and grieving over her best friend's murder. In fact, the first scene of the pilot opens in the middle of her on a stake out for Mars Investigations. So, why should the final episode provide any closure? This wasn't a show that liked to wrap everything up into pretty little packages. Sure, cases were solved, but Veronica Mars was about how these cases affected those involved and how class and society affected the cases.

So, we'll never know whether Logan and Veronica end up together, but putting them together last night would have felt fake and forced - something that this show was against. I'd like to think that they found each other in the future when the right person and the right time finally collided. Veronica and Keith came full circle and proved that their relationship is the best father/daughter one in prime time. The ending scene when she cast her vote for her father because she knew that he wanted to continue on as sheriff, even if it meant excruciating choices and painful headlines, was touching and emotional. Last night's second hour was stellar in that classic Veronica style anyway. She was back to her outcast self, a role that suits her better than any other she has played over the course of three seasons. Logan continued to break my heart while Jake Kane made a surprise appearance and proved that he's just as horrible as ever. Yes, it felt like the beginning all over again which is why last night's goodbye was even harder than I had expected.

Veronica Mars wasn't the type of show that you could easily classify. Perhaps, that's what kept it from being the big hit it deserved to be. Or maybe it was its image as a "teen girl detective" series - I guess we'll never know. One thing is for sure, those of us who were privileged enough to get 3 seasons on Mars, won't soon forget it. Quality television like this doesn't come around that often, and I feel like a smarter viewer for being one of the few who watched one of television's all-time best.

If you missed last night's excellent houPublish Postrs ("Weevils Wobble but They Don't Go Down" and "The Bitch is Back"), watch them for free at cwtv.com or download them for $1.99 from iTunes. The picture in this edition is courtesy of cwtv.com

Strange Happenings on 'Mars'

Go ahead and revoke my Veronica Mars fan club card because I LOVE the new "stand-alone" format. I know, I know we're only one episode into it, but I think it's going to be very good for the show. It's less bulky because I don't feel like they're trying to cram 2 hours worth of stuff into a 42-minute episode (without commercials, this is all we get on average). Plus, it's difficult to keep all of the mystery details straight from week to week sometimes. I say bring on the self-contained mystery-of-the-week and give us plenty of character drama that extends from episode to episode, and I'm a happy Veronica viewer. Speaking of the character drama, it seems we have ourselves a nice little 4-way love triangle (Love square? Rectangle?). It's no secret that I want Logan and Veronica to end up together (I can't help myself!), so watching them with other people and then watching how they responded to seeing each other with someone else was heartbreaking. Here I was thinking that Logan was totally fine with it and had moved on with Parker (he put their picture on her frickin' birthday cake for crying out loud!), and then he falls apart when he sees Veronica kissing Piz. Maybe his so-into-Parker routine complete with said cake was all to show Veronica that he's not the immature weasel that she has always known. After all, he made it clear to her that he's going to class, knows how to use a highlighter, and perhaps most importantly, can fully commit to someone without even thinking about the Madison Sinclairs of the world (much to Dick's chagrin). Veronica, meanwhile, is busy convincing herself that she has feelings for Piz because it might make her forget about Logan and spare her from feeling so lonely. Good luck with that, V.

Veronica didn't have a lot of time to dwell on either issue because she had her hands full with a hate crime involving ill-fated lovers and anti-American propaganda. I liked how this one played both sides while also stressing the importance of talking to one another before we assume something based on race or ethnicity. It was nice to see so much devotion to the case-of-the-week and the personal stuff thanks to the new format. I think I seriously forgot how good this show was while it was gone for like half a season. Yes, life is certainly perfect on Mars as we've come to expect. This is why it cannot get cancelled!!

If you missed last night's excellent hour ("Un-American Graffiti"), watch it for free at cwtv.com or download it for $1.99 from iTunes. The picture in this edition is courtesy of cwtv.com



Veronica Needs Your Help!! Click HERE to find out what you can do to help Veronica Mars get another season.

SOS Part II: 'Veronica' Desperately Needs Your Help!!

Last week I was asking nicely, but this week I'm going to resort to begging. Please, please please, help Veronica Mars get another season. I'm still not over last season's Everwood cancellation, so I know my TV-lovin' heart cannot survive a VM axe. I have a very simple request for all fans of good television out there. Just send a quick postcard in support of Veronica Mars to:

Dawn Ostroff
President of Entertainment, The CW Television Network
4000 Warner Blvd., Bldg 168
Burbank, CA 91522-0002

If you're looking for some fuel for your fire, here's the latest news on the show's chances of returning (and the revamping if it does) courtesy of E! Online's Kristin Veitch:

Updated: Veronica Canceled? Here's What I Know...
By Kristin Veitch
Mar 15, 2007 10:11 PM

Friday, 12:08 p.m.: The CW rep for Veronica Mars tells me: "The show has not been canceled. A decision will be made at the Upfront on May 17." Sources tell me that the show is most likely to come back in its new FBI format (described below) or not return at all.

Friday, 9:22 a.m.: After speaking with very reliable sources this morning, I can tell you the following about Veronica Mars:
1. Creator Rob Thomas is shooting a five- to six-minute featurette of a new version of Veronica Mars, which is one of three options the CW is considering for next season (cancellation, renewal or new format).
2. This new Veronica version takes place four years in the future, and features Veronica as a full-fledged FBI agent. (This morning's Hollywood Reporter incorrectly reports that in the new featurette, Veronica is still in the FBI Academy.)
3. Kristen Bell is the only castmember who is part of this "FBI years" trailer/featurette. It is not yet known which other castmembers would come on board if the CW chooses this option. Veronica's current cast and crew were informed of the featurette yesterday (hence, the widespread panic and cancellation rumors running rampant—and my panic attack).
4. For better or worse, Veronica's fate has not yet been decided, and I'm told the chances of it coming back in its current format are looking grim. So, keep reading and show your support below in the comments section. (By the way, never before have I seen comments pile up so fast and so strong anywhere on E! Online. Keep 'em coming!)

Now back to the original story that posted last night...

Thursday, 10:11 p.m.: You may have seen my earlier report that Veronica Mars has been canceled. Well, let me just say that though I heard this heart-wrenching info from six—yes, six—reliable sources on both the network and studio sides and that the "cancellation" rumor ran rampant around all sectors of Hollywood today, apparently the picture is more complex than a straight canceled-or-not-canceled scenario. At this hour, here's what I can tell you:

I just heard from Veronica mastermind and showrunner Rob Thomas, who told me, "If we're canceled, I certainly don't know about it." According to CW insiders, the network has not officially canceled Veronica Mars. However, here's the catch: It is currently considering a different format for the fourth season. From what I hear, that format would leap four years into the future and focus on Veronica as an FBI agent. Aside from returning star Kristen Bell (duh), the rest of the cast is yet to be determined, but it isn't likely that many of her current costars would be on hand. So, bottom line: Veronica Mars could be: (1) spinning off into a new format, (2) returning in her college years or (3) getting axed.

And let me just say, number three is indeed a very real possibility, so it is most definitely time to rally the troops before it's too late! If you care about Veronica Mars and want it to survive (and if you're a fan of good TV, I know you do!), please comment below with your name and message of support. And email your friends the link to this column so they can do the same. (I will forward your comments to the powers that be at the CW.) Then please send a "Save Veronica" postcard or letter to:

Dawn Ostroff
President of Entertainment, The CW Television Network
4000 Warner Blvd., Bldg 168
Burbank, CA 91522-0002

Click HERE to leave a comment at Kristin's blog. Most importantly, send those postcards!! Veronica is counting on you.

Click HERE to help with the flyer campaign to get the show more viewers before it returns next month.


Get even more of your TV fix at PassTheRemote.net! A comprehensive television site with news, reviews, photos and much more!

SOS: 'Veronica Mars'

Well dear readers, it's that time of year again. Time to pull together to save one of the best shows on television. That's right, Veronica Mars is once again in danger of not getting renewed for another season. A recent issue of TV Guide claimed that the show is not likely to get a 4th season! This is unacceptable! One thing is for sure, we can't let them take Veronica down without a fight. Here's some information on the latest campaign courtesy of The Eternal Vigilance Thread at TWoP and Cloud Watchers:

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

We have been formulating a plan of attack prior to the five stand-alone episodes scheduled to air starting at the end of April. It's a final push before Upfronts in May where they announce whether or not Veronica Mars gets to be around for her Sophomore year at Hearst.

So here's what we are planning:

The weekend before the show comes back from hiatus, so the 28th and 29th of April, we'd like to get volunteers in the major Nielsen markets to distribute fliers touting the greatness that is Veronica Mars. You can do this by posting them bulletin boards, handing them out, putting them on windshields, or whatever you choose. We just NEED YOU to help distribute them. We'll do the printing, you just have to get them out there. We are also looking into having a professional street team distribute them in at least one, possibly two majork Nielsen Markets.

A lovely designer has already offered up her services and created this amazing flyer:
CLICK HERE FOR FLYER

If you are interested in helping out please email: Irelandred1108@gmail.com

We are still working out the details on funding, printing and specifics, so there will be more details to come. But if you are at all interested, send an email and we will keep you updated with the details.

For more on this campaign, visit Cloud Watchers and TWoP.

Save Our Veronica!!!


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'Veronica' Teams Up with Killer Results

Bravo Veronica Mars, for fixing the mistakes that happened during this season's first mystery arc. The dean's murder went much more smoothly, and the resolution was low-key and perfect last night. I had that sinking feeling all episode that Tim was the mastermind behind the murder. He had read Veronica's perfect murder paper, and he had access to everything that Landry had access to, but I couldn't figure out why he would kill the dean and frame Landry. Enter a rather terse recorded phone conversation between his mentor and Pepperdine regarding Tim's application, and you have the perfect motive to accompany the (notso) perfect crime. It's too bad that Tim got cocky and got Veronica involved in the case because, otherwise, he was getting away with it. Even though the "dean's" parting message, "Goodbye cruel world," was a bit generic, Tim had to know that it would set off a serious alarm for Veronica considering that she had just written it in her perfect murder paper. I just loved the irony that Tim framed his professor in order to get him back for the harsh reference he gave him, but his own cockiness sunk him in the end proving that Landry may not have been underselling his pupil. And it must have killed him that his biggest foil, whom he also thought he could fool and that's why he got her involved, is the one who uncovered his plot. It was Veronica at her best!


So, Sheriff Lamb is really dead. I realized this last week, but I was just hoping that I was wrong (for more on Lamb's death, check out Michael Muhney's interview with TVGuide.com's Mike Ausiello). I'm seriously going to miss his hilarious banter with Veronica and their nemesis-style relationship. Moving on (only because I must), Keith, rather Sheriff Mars, is the new lawman in town and that means that Veronica has even more access to the things that she shouldn't be sneaking into (and a free pass at red lights, but no siren). Of course, her sneaking is what uncovered the truth since she doesn't have to follow pesky laws that require things like warrants and prohibit breaking and entering. Unfortunately, there's nothing to protect her from her ex dating her friend. The scene where Logan asked her if he could ask out Parker broke my heart a little. It couldn't have been easy for Veronica either, but she was a real sport about it. I just wish that I could be the same about this hiatus until April! This show is too good to leave my TV radar for the next month or so.

In related news, TVGuide.com has an interview with Kristen Bell on the hiatus, the new format when the show returns this spring (self-contained mysteries instead of an overarching one) and her new movie Fifty Pills. Check it out HERE.

If you missed last night's excellent hour ("Papa's Cabin"), watch it for free at cwtv.com or download it for $1.99 from iTunes. All of the pictures in this edition are courtesy of vm-caps.com.


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'Veronica' Solves the Crime, Does the Time

Sheriff Lamb's not dead, right? Right??!! Either I'm in denial, or this show is just trying to trick me because I know they would never kill off Sheriff Lamb. Taking denial out of it, something seemed fishy with that phone call claiming Lamb's death, but I can't imagine why he would want or need people to think he died. But they wouldn't kill off Lamb, right?!! To make matters even worse, Veronica Mars has its second mystery conclusion next week and then we're stuck with The Pussycat Dolls until it returns. TV is so unfair! Anyway, last night's look at life on the inside courtesy of Veronica and Lamb, was hysterical. I love how they do things just to get on each other's nerves, and hence Veronica's extended stay at the Neptune Jail. Not that she was completely innocent (of Operation Peanut Allergy, sure), she continued to help Josh by getting him the fake ID he needed to access his father's coin collection and to get him across the border to Mexico (shades of Duncan). Of course, Josh was innocent. His father staged his own death in order to leave his family insurance money. Money they would have been denied had he died from his terminal illness. Josh wasn't about to let his family lose the money by revealing his father's suicide, so he took off to make himself look guilty for his father's "murder." OK, so maybe Veronica wasn't innocent, but she did do the right thing.

Meanwhile, Mindy O'Dell and Dr. Laundry are looking less and less innocent by the episode. Sure, the timeline shift takes Mindy's car away from the dean's office at the time of the shooting, but both of them continue to lie about the events of the night of his murder. Why haven't they come clean about Cyrus showing up at the hotel room to confront them? It's still too suspicious for me. And then, Weevil finds Dr. Laundry's clothes hidden in the furnace?! I know, I know it's all a little too obvious, but something is definitely not right here. Something is also not right about Parker and Logan having the hots for each other. Sure, they're just talking now, but it appears to be leading somewhere bad very soon. Parker has to know the rule that you don't date your friends' exes unless they're onboard with it, and Veronica did not look too onboard with it. The Valentine's scavenger hunt was great, though. It was a cute way to incorporate some of the other characters into the episode without having it feel forced. So, next week all is revealed (including the true fate of Sheriff Lamb, hopefully), and I can only imagine that the body count will get higher.

If you missed last night's excellent hour ("Mars, Bars"), watch it for free at cwtv.com or download it for $1.99 from iTunes. All of the pictures in this edition are courtesy of cwtv.com.


Get even more of your TV fix at PassTheRemote.net! A comprehensive television site with news, reviews, photos and much more!

Kids Say the Darnest Things on 'Mars'

Confession time: I wasn't the biggest fan of Veronica Mars' first set of episodes and I was beginning to worry that the show had lost its special something. Of course I would never abandon it, but I was a bit, well, disappointed. But, all of that has changed now that the second part of the season has begun. This span of episodes has been some of the best in the show's history, and last night's outing was the cap on this excellent run. Logan's story line with the little girl and his depression over Veronica was well done, and it's one of my favorite stories on any show this season. I knew that it had to be leading somewhere when Dick's "Hot Chick" showed up with her "twin" 11-year old sister (LOVED, BTW, that Dick totally pulled a Britney in Vegas!!). She and Logan were exactly what the doctor ordered for each other. The little girl, after watching her father walk out on her family, needed a father figure. She needed to have her innocence about love restored after her father broke her heart. Logan needed someone to give him a kick in the butt (in the form of Nick Lachey's "What's Left of Me") and make him realize that he isn't the only one suffering. It was a clever way of furthering the Logan/Veronica story line while only giving them one awkward and tragically hilarious scene together. Jason Dohring was amazing last night -- even more intense and sad than usual. And how unbelievable was Kristen Bell in that scene where she told her father that he's not allowed to die on her?! She went from holding it back to letting a flood of emotions come out in a matter of seconds! Brilliant!


I kinda liked the way Veronica didn't solve the case during the hour. The coach's death is complicated, so extending it over a couple of episodes will allow the story to unfold more naturally. And, it seems that Veronica is once again in trouble with Sheriff Lamb (not that it takes much since he looks for reasons to arrest her). Meanwhile, things aren't looking too good for Dean O'Dell's widow either. Where was she while her boyfriend was watching Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang? We can assume that the arguing was Dean O'Dell and the professor since we saw O'Dell confront his wife and her boyfriend at the Neptune Grand during the first mystery's finale. The question is, why is she failing to reveal that incident?? Even if she didn't kill her husband (and I don't think that she did), something is fishy. At the very least, her car was outside the Dean's office around the time of his murder and I have a feeling that she was the one behind the wheel (which would explain why she missed the movie). Yes, things are beginning to heat up on Mars, and it isn't just from the torch that Logan's still carrying.

If you missed last night's excellent hour ("Postgame Mortem"), watch it for free at cwtv.com or download it for $1.99 from iTunes. All of the pictures in this edition are courtesy of vm-caps.com.


Get even more of your TV fix at PassTheRemote.net! A comprehensive television site with news, reviews, photos and much more!

When it Rains, it Pours on 'Mars'

I knew Veronica's "I'm pregnant" scene from the promo was just a red herring to get everyone talking and tuning in for last night's episode. I never believe promos because I have been misled by far too many in the past. On the plus side, if the little "I'm pregnant" bit got more people to tune in last night, then I'm all for deceptive advertising! And for the record, I'm so glad that they didn't write a Veronica pregnancy drama into the show (not that I thought they would -- I have faith in the fine folks at Veronica Mars). Anyway, Logan has gone and done it again by messing things up with Veronica. OK, so they were on a break, but it doesn't excuse his impulse to jump Madison Sinclair of all people! He knows how much Veronica hates her (and for good reason). I loved the way that Dick was a little hurt by it as well even though he played it off to Veronica. Perhaps Veronica overreacted a bit when she said that this indiscretion with Madison is something that she doesn't think she will be able to forgive, but the point is, Logan screwed up and he needs to realize it and why. I do think that she'll be able to get past it some day, just not one anytime soon. Bring on Piz.


Veronica didn't have a lot of time to sit and commiserate over her heartbreak because she was busy trying to figure out who slipped the abortion pill RU486 into a coed's drink. Remember the days when all you had to worry about were date rape drugs? Well, now you have to worry about the unhappy father-to-be slipping you abortion pills so he can shrug off the responsibilities that impending parenthood brings! But wait -- the two possible daddies are in the clear because it turns out that Bonnie's roommate slipped her the pill. She was worried about her best friend because she didn't want her to be tied down to someone for the rest of her life. Too bad she forgot to consult the mommy-to-be. Now this, Veronica, is something that you can never forgive. Can you imagine how violated and upset you would be even if you weren't sure that you were ready to have a child?!! Someone else made that decision for Bonnie. The good news is, the entire experience taught Veronica that anger does nothing to help you heal, and thus, Madison's new Benz was saved from the cubing machine.

If you missed last night's excellent hour ("There's Got to be a Morning After Pill"), watch it for free at cwtv.com or download it for $1.99 from iTunes. All of the pictures in this edition are courtesy of vm-caps.com.

WANT TO WIN A WALK-ON ROLE ON "VERONICA MARS" AND HELP A GOOD CAUSE AT THE SAME TIME??
U.S. Vets, the largest non-profit in the country serving homeless veterans, is giving you the opportunity to win a walk-on role in a scene with series star Kristen Bell. From the press release:

Veronica Mars has provided a non-speaking, walk-on role opportunity in support of U.S. VETS. This role will be on one of the final episodes of Season 3 of Veronica Mars, filmed in San Diego, CA. The role is guaranteed to have direct interaction with Veronica, and you will get to meet the cast and crew. This opportunity will be available for as many tickets ($25/each) as you want to purchase. Cut off date is February 16, 2007.

An airline round-trip ticket will be provided from any city in the continental U.S. that is served by Southwest Airlines. The winner will be picked up at the airport in San Diego and taken directly to the set.

The date of the taping will take place sometime in February or March and will be chosen by the winner and the producers.

The entry form is available on the U.S.VETS website, www.usvetsinc.org. The winner will be notified the week of February 19th, and an announcement will be posted on the U.S. VETS website.

Get even more of your TV fix at PassTheRemote.net! A comprehensive television site with news, reviews, photos and much more!

No Easy Truths on 'Mars'

Last week's episode of Veronica Mars reminded me why I missed this show so much during its first break of the season, and last night's reminded me of why this is one of the best shows to ever grace my television set. What seemed like a simple case of boy meets girl, loses girl and then wants Veronica to track her down, quickly turned into a very complicated, sordid tale. First we find out that this girl is a hooker (rather, escort), and Max's friends paid her to sleep with their friend so that he would no longer be a virgin. Then the biggest surprise of all, she still has feelings for him (and her name is apparently Wendy). It all seems a little too good to be true, and Veronica discovers that it may be when she finds purple makeup on a napkin that Wendy's friend (and fellow escort) used to put ice over her "wounds." Suddenly, it appears that Max has been played for $1000, but no worries because Veronica has a plan to get it back -- she blackmails one of Wendy's clients (a high-profile judge). Too bad the plan backfires, and Veronica and Max wind up meeting Wendy's pimp in the form of another Cold Case connection (the same actress played the one victim who slipped through serial killer George Marks' fingers the first time around. He killed her during the second season finale and told Lilly that "even Atalantia lost her charm," referring to the bedtime story that she drew on the first time to give her strength). Anyway, now Max is out $11,000 ($1,000 the first time and $10,000 to buy Wendy out of her contract), but he does have the girl. Too bad that her sordid past is too much for both of them to overcome.


Speaking of overcoming, it seems that Veronica was pretty willing to overlook any of Logan's past indiscretions. She wanted to know if he had been with a hooker and was relieved to find out that he hadn't (although, she would have dealt with it if he had). She was even OK with his fooling around while they were broken up. I was expecting fireworks and declarations of "WE WERE ON A BREAK!!" But, Veronica shrugged it off and we were spared another round of Ross/Rachel. There is, however, one unforgivable skeleton in Logan's closet and unfortunately for him, lingerie shops aren't as secretive as some of their names may suggest, especially when Madison Sinclair is shopping in one. Logan, Logan, Logan -- WTH were you thinking?? Madison Sinclair??!! And this comes just when I was beginning to think that these two crazy kids could work things out and be together sooner rather than later. I think we all need to fasten our seatbelts because next week's confrontation is going to be a bumpy ride (oh, and I'm not falling for those "I'm pregnant" promos for a single second).


If you missed last night's excellent hour ("Poughkeepsie, Tramps and Thieves"), watch it for free at cwtv.com or download it for $1.99 from iTunes. All of the pictures in this edition are courtesy of vm-caps.com.


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'Veronica' Shocks the Monkey-Napper

Welcome back old friend. Oh, how I've missed your sarcastic, witty remarks, ace detective skills, and clever stories. Veronica Mars is back, and she brought a little moral dilemma with her. I'm an animal lover myself, so the thought of Hearst's researchers killing the monkey and other research animals after their study is over (to perform a necropsy - animal autopsy - to get conclusive results on their tests) killed me too. On the other hand, without the important research, will we ever find a cure for horrible diseases such as cancer, AIDS, diabetes, Alzheimer's, etc.? Perhaps, it's a necessary evil, but one that is still hard to swallow when you're looking into the test subject's eyes. Like Veronica, I wouldn't have been able to turn the monkey-napper in, and I would have shown the same disappointed look when I learned that the researchers were just going to continue their research on another monkey. And yet, I understand the importance, so we're left with a genuine moral dilemma. Last night's outing was a great way to start off the second half of the season. We had a well-done self-contained case (get used to those -- CW President Dawn Ostroff announced at the Winter Press Tour that the last five episodes of the season would contain no overarching mystery, just self-contained "mysteries-of-the-week" ala your favorite procedurals), interesting developments in the Dean O'Dell murder case, and some great personal stuff.


Mac, who is still suffering from the effects of Beaver's craziness, found someone to trust again. And thanks to Parker's nosiness, we now know that Amy is just his sister. I like Bronson, and I think that he could be good for Mac. We all know that Piz has a thing for Veronica, and that she is clueless about it. But, I thought that last night was finally going to be the point when she realized it. Their little heart-to-heart about knowing what you want only convinced her that she should go running back to Logan. I have nothing against Veronica and Logan (in fact, I want them together in the end), but I think that Veronica would be a lot happier if she allowed Logan to mature on his own. He's not nearly ready for her, and she deserves someone who is more to her maturity level. We'll just have wait and see what happens with this story. Finally, Keith discovered what we suspected all along -- Dean O'Dell did not kill himself. And how can he be so sure? The Dean's best Scotch was still sitting unopened in his office. Why would he kill himself without drinking that first? Further more, why would he kill himself in the exact same manner as Veronica's "perfect murder" paper? "Goodbye cruel world" indeed.

If you missed last night's excellent hour ("Show Me the Monkey"), watch it for free at cwtv.com or download it for $1.99 from iTunes. All of the pictures in this edition are courtesy of vm-caps.com.


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Playing Catch Up with Some PTR Faves

With the television season keeping all of us busy here at PTR, I haven't had much time to keep you updated on your favorite TV stars' recent appearances. Since Heroes is on hiatus, I thought that today would be the perfect opportunity to get you up to speed. Can you believe that these guys have the time to keep up appearances?? Anyway, here's a look at what some of your faves have been up to lately:

Cold Case star Kathryn Morris attended the The Hollywood Reporter's Women in Entertainment Power 100 Breakfast last week (Dec. 5th). Here are a couple of photos from the event (courtesy of Kathryn Morris Online).


Meanwhile, Veronica Mars' Kristen Bell attended the Billboard Music Awards last Monday. She presented along with members of Def Leopard for the "Best Rock Single" category. Here are a couple of photos of her at the event (courtesy of Getty Images).


Elsewhere, The 4400's Jacqueline McKenzie was busy helping with the launch of The Sci Fi Channel in her native Australia (the channel will air The 4400). The actress attended the event with her parents (Nov. 16th).


And finally, that zany cast of Scrubs was out and about celebrating the kick off of the show's 6th season. Check out members of the cast (Donald Faison, Sarah Chalke and Zach Braff) and creator Bill Lawrence having fun at the Season 6 party (Nov. 15th).


These are just a few of your faves and what they have been up to lately. You can click over to Getty Images for more pictures from these events and to keep up with all of your faves.


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'Mars' Mystery Conclusion is Outta this World

As with past seasons of Veronica Mars, the final episodes of this mystery were awesome! Last night's 1st mystery finale was a stand out outing. The change in format from 1 overarching season-long mystery to three shorter ones didn't cause Veronica to skip a beat. The only misstep with the new formula was the quick conclusion, but I think it worked better than last season, which seemed to lose its focus halfway through. It wasn't that last night's conclusion to the Hearst rapist story was implausible, but rather, it felt like it didn't have the time to fully develop (but that might be because I'm used to the longer format). Veronica cracked this case because she was able to figure out the next victim, and then beat the rapist to his victim's room. While she lay in wait, taser firmly planted in hand, she listened as Mercer explained why he raped all of those women. Blame a lethal mix of hormones and severe impatience and you get the sicko that is Mercer. The episode's biggest shocker, though, was learning that Mercer didn't act alone. He had help from Wallace's RA, who had keys to the raped girls' rooms. In true Veronica fashion, the final half of the episode was nail-bitingly intense as Veronica fought for her life. Luckily, she got a little help from her friends. In an empowering moment, Parker heard Veronica's rape whistle and caused enough of a ruckus that both Mercer and the RA took off. Parker entered the room and found a drugged Veronica unconscious on the floor.


The other big story of the night centered around Veronica and Logan's relationship. Last week, we watched (along with Logan) as Veronica ignored Logan's phone call. Logan, fearing the writing on the wall, struck first and broke up with Veronica before either of them had a chance to endure more hurt. I've said all along that I'd like these two to ultimately end up together, but the time is not now. I used to blame Logan, but I'm blaming this one on Veronica. She was so concerned that Logan was trying to hold her back from being herself that she turned cold toward him. I'm not one to allow another to smother my flame either, but I think in the Hearst rapist case, Logan was only trying to protect her. It looks like Logan's "epic relationship" with Veronica just got a little more epic. And speaking of Logan, didn't he alibi Mercer with that trip to Mexico? Was the rape that occurred during that trip a result of one of Lilith House's fake rapes? That was the only confusing point from last night's conclusion. It looks like we have an awesome new mystery to kick off the New Year -- who killed Dean O'Dell?? Veronica fans, start your theorizing!

All of the screencaps in this edition are courtesy of vm-caps.com.

As some of you have probably heard by now, The CW ordered 7 more episodes of Veronica Mars, which brings the season total to 20 instead of the usual 22. The biggest problem with this (other than the fact that we're getting short changed 2 episodes and it doesn't bode well for another season), it leaves only 4 episodes for the final mystery of the season. Total bummer, no matter how grateful I am just to have the show around this season. Those creative folks over at Look to the Skies have a new VM project going on. They're sending holiday cards to CW President Dawn Ostroff filled with holiday cheer. And you can send one too. You never know, the extra support for VM can't hurt. Send your cards to:

Dawn Ostroff
c/o CW Television Network
3300 West Olive Avenue
Burbank , CA 91505


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The Hearst Rapist Targets 'Veronica'

I'm quite sure that nobody does heart-pounding moments like Veronica Mars. The final 5 minutes of last night's episode were so intense, moving, frightening and they had me fearing for Veronica. I figured that they wouldn't make her the next victim of the Hearst rapist, but just the fact that she came this close makes it upsetting enough. And how wonderful was Logan??!! Not only did he save her from being the next victim, but he also stayed with her (along with Keith) while she recovered from being drugged. The episode's closing lines from Veronica's narration seemed to sum everything up nicely. It isn't about how much someone loves you, but how much they continue to, even when you aren't loving them like you should. Logan really redeemed himself from that Tijuana incident with these closing scenes. Speaking of his secret, I'm just happy that he didn't do anything to hurt Veronica. I'm not surprised that he ran after Mercer accidentally set the motel on fire. Logan has never been mature enough to stand up and own up to his mistakes. He has never had to because his last name and tremendous wealth tend to get him out of things. Of course, Mercer is the guilty party, but Logan didn't do the right thing either. I don't know what the future holds for Logan and Veronica, but this latest test will either bring them closer together or break them apart. The real question is, did the Hearst rapist (or someone trying to scare her) target Veronica because of her involvement with the case or was she just a random victim?


Elsewhere things fizzled between Keith and Harmony after Veronica expressed her disappointment in her father. I can't blame Veronica, and I'm just happy that Keith realized what he was doing to her. Effectively, he chose Veronica over Harmony and in doing so, got back on track for that Father of the Year Award he so deserves. Meanwhile, Veronica (who was a little jaded from her recent experiences with her father and her boyfriend) took on a case looking for a missing boyfriend. She jumped to all sorts of conclusions, but learned in the end, that this boyfriend had done nothing wrong (other than drink a little too much at River Stix). I loved the continuity at River Stix with the Fitzpatricks scaring Veronica again. Good thing Vinnie was there to chase them off. This season is beginning to heat up fast, and I can't wait to see where it takes us. If we have anything in store like last night's final 5 minutes, then we better hold on tight because it's going to be a wild ride!

All of the screencaps in this edition are courtesy of vm-caps.com.


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'Veronica' Makes Some Shocking Discoveries

So, Claire's rape story was nothing more than a fabricated tale intended to extort money from Hearst College. Pulling this stunt cheapens and calls into question the stories of all of the other victims. Of course, we know that the other victims are legitimate, but they must feel like Claire mocked what happened to them. It's a good thing that Veronica got to the bottom of Claire's case before her claims had the police barking up the wrong tree. Speaking of the Hearst rapist, Logan's new friend is looking pretty guilty. His cologne was familiar to Parker, he owns an electric razor (that he keeps hidden in a clothes drawer), and Sheriff Lamb found GHB in the stolen money box from his campus casino. The one thing that may clear him is the same thing that may end up hurting Veronica. Logan claims that he can alibi Mercer, but he can't tell Veronica what they were doing. So, either it's something that would damage their relationship or it's something that he doesn't want to get her tangled up in because it could spell trouble for her. Either way, I can't imagine Veronica just dropping it with Logan's "You're just going to have to trust me" comment. Trouble follows Logan, and there's no way Veronica is going to be able to clear Mercer without discovering what it is this time.


Keith's car accident scared the bejeebus out of me! I jumped so high out of my chair the second that car hit him in the intersection. I want to commend Veronica Mars for not using the tired tactic of showing the car approaching and hitting Keith's car. That "shock" tool has been overused. The way they had Keith get hit was more shocking because it was done differently. The accident was merely a catalyst for good boy Keith to do something that we would have never expected him to do -- act on his feelings for a married woman. This is quite the tangled web that he and Harmony are weaving. She should have divorced her husband and moved on with her life instead of staying in a love-less relationship and hanging with Keith on the side. What will Veronica say?? Speaking of matters of the heart, Veronica has her own messes to worry about. Parker likes Piz who likes Veronica who's dating Logan. And then there was the little discovery about the dean's wife and her criminology professor courtesy of the know-it-all teaching assistant (for those who haven't noticed yet, he's played by the same actor who played the ill-fated Lucky the janitor last season). It seems that the link I spoke of between VM and Cold Case is a little stronger lately. Wallace's mechanical engineering professor (who caught him cheating last week) played a shady AA sponsor who hit on Lilly and tried to pick her up at a bar during the show's second season. He seems to be a much more upstanding member of society on VM.

PTR has a VM-related extra bonus this week. The online site Veoh has created a Veronica Mars channel. They're working with the show's producers and bringing you exclusive clips including scenes from the next upcoming episode every week. The site is also running a contest for fans of the show:

"You can create your own VM video, upload it there and have the chance to be featured on Veoh, MySpace and the VM Podcast. You even have the opportunity to win some official VM swag!"

Check out this video featuring series star Tina Majorino for more details on the contest:




Are you on MySpace? If so, then add Veronica Mars to your friends! Click HERE to visit her profile and be her friend. You'll stay up-to-date on all of the latest VM news! And be sure to stop by Veoh to get all the latest VM clips, contests and interviews with the cast and crew.

All of the screencaps in this edition are courtesy of vm-caps.com.


Get even more of your TV fix at PassTheRemote.net! A comprehensive television site with news, reviews, photos and much more!

'Veronica' Gets a Little Help From Her Backup

I LOVED last night's episode of Veronica Mars! We got shocking developments on the Hearst rapist case, an interesting, personal mystery of the week, an excellent Keith subplot, Wallace, and some possible foreshadowing on the Logan/Veronica front. Last night's biggest question deals with the Hearst rapist. Why did Claire lie and say that she didn't know the guy in the ATM photo with her from the night of her rape? According to the guy's roommate, Claire is his girlfriend. Did her boyfriend rape her, and she's having second thoughts about getting him in trouble? Perhaps Claire wasn't raped at all, but she made it look like she was the latest victim of the Hearst rapist, but why? Whatever the reason, this is certainly the most intriguing development in the rapist case thus far. As the plot thickens on the rapes, so does the trouble for Wallace. No one said that mechanical engineering was an easy class or major, but taking the $200 easy road isn't the way to get around it. After all, even if Wallace had gotten away with his "study guide," his inability to comprehend the material would have come back to get him during future upper level courses. Now, he's in a load of trouble because the professor seems to be onto him. I'm guessing he changed the test.


Meanwhile, Keith managed to get himself out of his own batch of trouble. My heart broke for the dean, his wife and their 9-year old son, and I really can't blame them for what they did. How horrible was the birth father??!! Either he doesn't give a crap about his son (or his fellow human beings for that matter -- because son or no son, I would still want to help him), or he's so caught up in hating his ex that he can't look past it to help his own son. I thought we had seen the last of the dean, but luckily, Keith came up with a foolproof plan. And when it comes to Sheriff Lamb, it's very important to make sure that the plan really is foolproof. Speaking of our esteemed lawman, how funny were his scenes with Veronica and Weevil? I was laughing out loud when he arrived at "The Venetian." As usual, Veronica solved the case long before Lamb even finished his initial report. She had a personal stake in it, though. The thieves made off with her necklace that Lilly gave her. I really liked the Lilly-connect on the story, and how it affected Veronica. My favorite moment of the night came when Veronica ripped her necklace off that little bratty girl's neck. You go V!! Finally, you don't need a crystal ball or spoiler site to know that things aren't looking good for Veronica and Logan. For the record, I haven't been reading ANY spoilers for this show because I want to enjoy the ride. It looks like Logan might be reverting back to his badboy ways. There was the conversation between Veronica and Weevil about the hot girls at Hearst, Logan's shoddy excuse for showing up late at the casino, and then Weevil catching him acting flirty with a random girl. Boys will be boys (and that's OK), but all of these signs together point to a rough road for Veronica. Somebody find her Virgin Suicides CD stat!

The screencap (blogger isn't letting me upload anymore) in this edition is courtesy of vm-caps.com.


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'Veronica' Wins Some, Loses Some

Well, that was shocking! For months now, we've been hearing that Gilmore Girls' Matt Czuchry was going to guest star on Veronica Mars as Logan's half brother. I never doubted it for a moment. It was all over TV Guide, the net and the press release. Boy, did VM pull the wool over my eyes! I love that this show can constantly surprise us when we least expect it. So, Czuchry wasn't Charlie Stone, and therefore, not Logan's half brother!! While I was watching him, I kept wondering if they were going to bring him back on occasion since he and Logan seemed to get along so well, and then it all became clear. Last week, Veronica's inability to trust people came back to bite her in the rear and this week, it spared Logan from a huge embarrassment. You win some; you lose some even in the world of teenage private detectives. Speaking of winning some and losing some, she cleared the fraternity, but pretty much pissed off every victim of the Hearst rapist, including Parker. These college rape cases get out of control very quickly. We've seen it happen on college campuses across America. When girls get raped, everyone wants to nail the person (people) responsible, so the most obvious party gets to carry all of the weight. Be it the Greek community, athletes, or someone else, the media and the school love to find the easy suspect, and whether they're truly guilty seems to get lost in the shuffle. The victims on VM want the justice that they deserve and it isn't happening soon enough. Meanwhile, more girls are falling victim and the school isn't doing enough to stop it. Blaming the seemingly guilty fraternity felt good, even if they aren't the responsible party. Poor Veronica had to bear the brunt of their understandable anger and frustration.


Elsewhere, Keith was feeling a little harmonious with new client Harmony. There was only one problem -- she's married and his extensive investigation found that her loveless marriage is also a faithful one. Her husband wasn't cheating on her, and therefore, she doesn't have the motivation that she needs to divorce him and finally move on with her life. As with Veronica, you win some and you lose some. How great was the Just Shoot Me reunion with Enrico Colantoni and Laura San Giacomo??!! I used to watch that show every week, and those two were always my favorites. Their former working relationship allowed for an instant connection between their VM characters that felt natural. It was good to have Elliot and Maya back together. Best scene of the night, though, is a tie between Dick showing up at Veronica's to ask for her help in clearing his fraternity ("We picked up the maid here once") and the Mars dinner scene. Veronica and Dick's hilarious banter had me cracking up. The dinner scene with Veronica, Logan and Keith had shades of the wonderfully hysterical Friday night dinners at the Gilmore residence on Gilmore Girls. Veronica was definitely channeling Lorelei. Loved it, loved it, loved it!! All of the screencaps in this edition are courtesy of vm-caps.com.


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