Shaken & Stirred

Televisional Aside

Last night we finally bothered to confirm our suspicion that the actor playing Dr. Lance Sweets (the psychiatrist) on Bones was Sam on Freaks and Geeks. AND there was even a hat tip to that fact during last night's episode.

If you have to replace Stephen Fry, this is a pretty good choice.

Sweet Comedy

If the shrill train wreck The Return of Jezebel James has disappointed you but you're still in the mood for a sitcom, then I recommend checking out the charming, actually funny Miss Guided. Judy Greer rocks.

Doppelgangers

It's not just me, right? Thomas Dekker aka John Connor on the new Terminator show is a dead ringer for Seth Gabel aka Jeremy Darling on Dirty Sexy Money?

Why, yes, I am spending my Friday night with a slight cold on a TV binge... what else would I be doing?

TV Geek Moment

So, on the most recent episode of Bones, which continued the saga of the more-interesting-than-most-TV-serial-killers-because-a-secret-society-is-involved Gormagon killer(s), there was this absolutely delightful little homage to Buffy. Angel, er, Booth did a night visit to a cemetery to break into a crypt and they shot it right out of Buffy, even beginning with a close-up of an angel statue. Yes, we squealed like delighted children meeting Willy Wonka for the first time.

These kind of fun little moments are the reason that this show--while not a work of genius--never disappoints me. Which is a rare thing on teevee these days.

Also, I can't BELIEVE that Wikipedia doesn't have a Gormagon entry. Wow.

Heroes Yammer

Thoughts?

(Never have I been so glad for a twist as at the end.)

Heroes Yammer Belated

So, stuff actually happened -- some of it predictable, much of it problematic... but problematic in the way we know and (mostly?) love. Thoughts?

Wish It Wasn't on Fox

But Joss Whedon and Eliza Dushku back together in TVland. In the E! interview that broke the news, Whedon describes "Dollhouse" thus:

The idea is those with the money or connections can access this secret highly illegal facility where they can basically fulfill their greatest fantasies. Most people assume that means sex—and on an occasion it does, because that is a lot of people's fantasies—but it's basically scenarios. They can basically reenact scenarios of romance, adventure or anything perfectly, because they become the person that you want them to be—they become that person. They don't act like that person, they are not a robot pretending, they become that person, and then they forget all about it. The problem is the character of Echo, Eliza Dushku's character, stops forgetting. She doesn't completely remember, but she does realize she is a person, and that she might have been a person before she did this, and she doesn't know what that is.

Oh, happy day.

p.s. Whedon also directed tonight's episode of The Office.

Belated Heroes Yammer

Anything to say about The Kindness of Strangers? I haven't watched it yet, but will today.

Heroes Yammer

Please get good again. Please get good again. Thank you.

Kindred. Suresh finds an undiscovered Issac Mendez painting that shows someone's death; Maya frees Alejandro from a Mexican jail; in the past Hiro discovers something new about Kensei; and Niki and Micah leave Las Vegas to get away from their past.

Of course, it does say right there that Niki's back...

Heroes Yammer

Let's hope for better footing this week as:

Lizards. Matt seeks allies against the new Hero killer. Claire encounters a student with powers. Maya and Alejandro enter Mexico and find their powers more of a hindrance then a help. Suresh tries to locate the Haitian. Hiro works to contain the damage caused by his journey into the past. Peter falls in with Irish gangsters who taunt him with a box which contains his past. Kensei's power will be revealed.

Thoughts on Chuck welcome, too, since we'll likely watch that. (And, yes, The Office more than delivered. Best show ever. Poor Sprinkles.)

Busy Week, Glowing Screen

Yeah, yeah, I know it's been quiet around here, and I'm sorry about that. I've actually been writing this week and, well, as long as that's working I'm inclined to pop in and out of ye olde blogging when there is time. Rest assured, though, that this has not interfered with my experience of the true debut week of the new TeeVee season. Never that.

So far, new shows I'm liking are Gossip Girl (the frothy pleasure of guilt), Reaper (except for the Jack Black impersonator and the fact the only defined female character is the love interest), and Chuck (less focused than Reaper, but charming). We haven't made it through Journeyman yet, and the Bionic Woman is on the DVR. I have to say that none of the premieres of anything--tried and true or new--have caused an utter wow response yet, but none of them have sucked. (I kind of wish they weren't selling the "House must have a teammmmm" thing as hard as they are; Heroes seems to do interstitial episodes better than first and last ones; and I love the girl with Asperger's on ANTM, which ensures she won't win.) But I fully expect The Office to bring the wow tonight. Jim & Pam. Pam & Jim. Wii Tennis beforehand. You can't beat it.

And next weekend we hit Chicago running for the first ever Kidlitosphere Conference; if you're there and won't be at that thing, drop me an e-mail so we can go to the Lush store or something. There will be a visit to the Lush store. Oh yes.

This weekend? Painting and flooring in the kitchen. Probably also the requisite screaming and crying that goes along with that. And Veuve for when it's finished.

(The Return of) Heroes Yammer

And this week we have:

Four Months Later. Four months after the events of the showdown between Sylar and Peter, new Heroes emerge. These include Blackie, an Irish mobster who is 1,000 years old. Hiro remains in the past, but what will come of this? Someone dies and someone isn't dead. Claire has a boyfriend. New heroes are introduced.

Yay!

The Return of TV Goodness

Or Badness, as the case may be. Anyway, the satellite man came this morning and waved his wand to update for the high def-ness and all systems are go. At press time, Heroes is still the only show I'm going to run a regular thread on. However, for the next couple of weeks while I'm starting to watch things and try things out, there may be some posting about other shows and there might even be a winner for the regular discussion thing. Tonight's entries? The latest season of America's Next Top Model and Gossip Girl, of course. All I need now is bonbons.

Will report back.

VeronicaMarsTalk

Last time ever. (And it would probably be better if whether Logan or Veronica turned out to be the bomb was at issue...

Save the girl detective, save the world.)

HeroesYammer

Finale edition!

What say you?

LastGilmoreEverGossipCircle (&VeronicaMarsTalk)

So? What do we think?

Heroes Yammer

What is it about Monday nights? I keep staying up too late drinking and yammering about unrelated wonderful things.

So, the next to last Heroes' ep of the season? Anyone? More when I've watched it tomorrow. Now: tonight and dreams of good French wine, cheese and steak. Yum.

VeronicaMarsTalk

And tonight's VM is:

Debasement Tapes. Piz (Chris Lowell) is put in charge of escorting his idol, Desmond Fellows (guest star Paul Rudd, "Anchorman"), a singer/musician from a 1990's pop band who arrives on the Hearst campus to perform at a benefit concert for the radio station. When tapes of Fellow's back-up vocals and tracks go missing, Piz recruits Veronica (Kristen Bell) to help locate them. Keith (Enrico Colantoni) believes he will be running unopposed in the race for Sheriff, until an unlikely candidate throws his hat into the ring. Jason Dohring, Percy Daggs, Francis Capra, Ryan Hansen Tina Majorino and Julie Gonzalo also star. Dan Etheridge directed the episode written by John Enbom.

If any of you former Gilmore Girls fans break down and tune in for the final eps, feel free to post about tonight's here too. (I can report that the last few episodes have been pretty good, actually.)

Whoopsie - Heroes Yammer

We got to drinking vino with the neighbors amid the splendor of the garden last night and I forgot to post. This is the one with all the mama issues. Thoughts?

VeronicaMarsTalk

And now for what may well be one of the last times, a new VM ep:

Un-American Graffiti. Veronica (Kristen Bell) is hired by a Middle Eastern restaurant owner to find out who has been vandalizing their business with ethnic slurs. While investigating the case, Veronica and the restaurant owner are attacked in a drive-by shooting. When a drunk teenager stumbles from a bar and gets hit by a car, Keith (Enrico Colantoni) orders his deputies to conduct surprise ID checks in all the area bars. While doing his own surprise search, Keith catches Piz (Chris Lowell) and Wallace (Percy Daggs) using fake ID's provided by Veronica. Meanwhile, Logan (Jason Dohring) decides to throw a birthday party for Parker (Julie Gonzalo). Francis Capra and Ryan Hansen also star. Dan Etheridge directed the episode written by John Enbom.

I have to say, I haven't missed the show nearly as much as I would have wished to during the hiatus -- the level of wishing related to level of goodness this season, of course.

Heroes Yammer

And tonight we have:

String Theory. Hiro and Ando find themselves five years after the destruction of New York City. People with extraordinary abilities are labeled as terrorists and are being registered, hunted, and killed. Hiro and Ando meet up with darker versions of the other heroes in preparation for a showdown with the President. This includes a darker side of Matt, a Jessica/Niki with a clear winner in their battle, a brown-haired Claire, and a man named Andy, who's a big hearted Texan. It also features an event at an upscale gentleman's club.

Heroes Yammer

Finally, new television! Who will be the next dead woman on HEROES (duh-duh-duhm!)?

.07%. Sylar and Peter face off. Sylar will face off with another Hero and Isaac's new pictures show a dead Hero without a brain. Two unexpected reunions will occur and Linderman will reveal to Nathan shocking secrets and plans. We will meet a computer savvy geek and a competent security guard who works in the Corinthian Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas. A hero dies.

Now with 100 percent more face-offs!

I might not watch the ep until tomorrow, but comment away. (Actually, I'm so starved for television, I probably will watch it. I've been watching Roswell repeats on Sci-Fi, people, which are, um, new to me. I find it charmingly quaint and Mayberry-esque, but with lusty teenagers -- even the mean teenager is really kind of nice.)

Veronica Mars Death Watch

Rumors are flying:

I just heard from Veronica mastermind and showrunner Rob Thomas, who tells me, "If we're cancelled, I certainly don't know about it."

And according to CW insiders, the CW has not officially canceled Veronica Mars. However, here's the catch: They are 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 Mars 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 co-stars would be on board.

Okay, so this seems highly unlikely, but I would love to see the show attempt to pull this off.

Heroes Yammer

Please let the last line of this be a tease:

Parasite. As the election and destruction of New York approach, Nathan meets up with Linderman. Hiro attempts to steal the sword heading him in a new path. Suresh and Sylar make progress with the list at great cost. D.L. begins to suspect problems at home. Isaac paints an even more terrible painting. A new hero, Candice Wilmer, appears. Simone isn't dead yet.

Can't we just leave this one of all the Dead Heroes Women dead? Please?

VeronicaMarsTalk

And tonight I won't be watching:

Papa's Cabin. Veronica (Kristen Bell) catches Tim Foyle (guest star James Jordan, "Without A Trace"), breaking into Mars Investigations. Meanwhile, Keith (Enrico Colantoni) questions Mindy O'Dell (guest star Jamie Ray Newman, "E Ring"), finally making her believe that Hank Landry (guest star Patrick Fabian, "Joan of Arcadia") killed her husband, and Keith arrests Landry in the middle of a class. Later, Wallace (Percy Daggs III) notices Logan (Jason Dohring) and Parker (Julie Gonzalo) enjoying a nice lunch together. Francis Capra, Ryan Hansen and Chris Lowell also star. Michael Fields directed the episode written by John Enbom.

Do we never get another episode written by Rob Thomas?

Heroes Yammer

And tonight we have:

Company Man. Matt Parkman and Ted Sprague arrive in Texas in search of answers and take HRG and his family hostage. More is revealed about Mr. Bennet, the agency for which he works, and how he found Claire.

And the West Coast Avengers take center stage...

p.s. I'm really behind on email, but intend to catch up _before_ AWP.

Oscars!

I'll be over at Ed's Oscar Blog again this year, though probably only for awhile at the beginning and not making the completely insane number of posts as last year. I do promise dress critiques though.

What we learned last year was to be sure you have enough snacks on hand. The Oscars make people want to eat cake.

VeronicaMarsTalk

And tonight we have:

Mars, Bars. Without any evidence to hold her, Sheriff Lamb (Michael Muhney) releases Veronica (Kristen Bell) from jail. Josh (guest star Jonathan Chase), makes contact with Veronica and insists that he is being framed for his father's murder and, though Veronica has sympathy for him, she doesn't know if she believes him. Keith (Enrico Colantoni) learns that the coach's wife, Kathleen Barry (guest star Tracey Needham), hired Vinnie Van Lowe (guest star Ken Marino, "Reno 911") to find out if her husband was having an affair. Meanwhile, Logan (Jason Dohring) joins Mac (Tina Majorino) and Parker (Julie Gonzalo) on a Valentine's Day scavenger hunt. Harry Winer directed the episode with story by Joe Voci, Phil Klemmer, John Enbom and teleplay by Phil Klemmer and John Embom.

Hmmm...

Heroes Yammer

And tonight we have:

Unexpected. Peter learns that he and Claude may have been betrayed. Matt's reunited with the radioactive Ted Sprague and Hana Gitelman a woman with "wireless" mental abilities. Due to Linderman's influence Niki and Nathan meet again, this time under very different circumstances. After someone Hiro knows dies, he makes a tough choice about his mission. Claire can no longer hold back her anger towards HRG.

Claire telling HRG off should be fun.

VeronicaMarsTalk

It's pretty sad that the over-the-shark-and-through-the-woods version of the Gilmore Girls was better than the Veronica Mars that followed last week. This week:

Postgame Mortem. No sooner has Wallace (Percy Daggs III) rejoined the Hearst basketball team, when the basketball coach, Tom Barry (guest star Matt McKenzie), is found dead. The coach's widow, Kathleen Barry (guest star Tracey Needham), hires Keith (Enrico Colantoni) to investigate the murder of her husband and to clear her son, Josh (guest star Jonathan Chase), who is Sheriff Lamb's (Michael Muhney) prime suspect. Logan (Jason Dohring) is wallowing in self-pity after his breakup with Veronica (Kristen Bell), so Dick (Ryan Hansen) invites two girls over to cheer Logan up, but Logan gets stuck entertaining Heather (guest star Juliette Goglia), who is only 13 years old. Keith and Veronica discover that the alibis given by Mindy O'Dell (guest star Jamie Ray Newman, "E Ring") and Professor Landry (guest star Patrick Fabian, "Joan of Arcadia") do not match. Francis Capra, Tina Majorino, Chris Lowell and Julie Gonzalo also star. John Kretchmer directed the episode written by Joe Voci.

Wallace lives!

Heroes Yammer

And tonight we have:

Run. Matt starts to bodyguard for an objectionable client. Suresh finds another person on the list. Claire learns a lot more about her birth parents. Hiro and Ando get sidetracked in Vegas again while searching for the sword. Simone and Nathan go to great lengths to find Peter. Niki and Nathan meet again.

Do we think the sword will be important this season?

VeronicaMarsTalk

Tonight:

There's Got To Be A Morning After Pill. Veronica (Kristen Bell) is hired by Bonnie (guest star Carlee Avers, "Commander in Chief"), a promiscuous classmate, to find out who secretly slipped her the morning after pill, causing her to have a miscarriage. The investigation leads her to the office of Bonnie's boyfriend, Tim Foyle (guest star James Jordan, "Without A Trace"), and while searching his computer, Veronica discovers Tim has uncovered a witness to Dean O'Dell's death. Together, Keith (Enrico Colantoni) and Veronica visit Bonnie's father, a well-known televangelist, Reverend Capistrano (guest star Chris Ellis, "Ghost Whisperer"). Veronica confronts Logan (Jason Dohring) about sleeping with Madison Sinclair (guest star Amanda Noret, "7th Heaven") while they were broken up. Percy Daggs, Francis Capra, Michael Muhney, Ryan Hansen, Tina Majorino, Chris Lowell and Julie Gonzalo also star. Tricia Brock directed the episode with story by Jonathan Moskin and David Mulei and teleplay by Jonathan Moskin, Phil Klemmer and John Enbom.

Please let this be better than the promos would have us believe.

Heroes Yammer

And tonight we have:

Distractions. Hiro deals with explaining his new heroic path in life to his ambitious sister and tycoon father. Niki has the chance to reunite with D.L and Micah. Claude's mentoring of Peter leads Peter to question those closest to him. Claire goes to a trailer park looking for her birth mother. Sylar wears a disguise and makes a move against HRG.

I thought the last couple of episodes kind of eh, so hopefully this is a return to form.

VeronicaMarsTalk

And tonight we have:

Poughkeepsie, Tramps and Thieves. When Veronica (Kristen Bell) is hired to track down a girl (guest star Brianne Davis, "Entourage") with whom Max (guest star Adam Rose, "Malcolm in the Middle") shared an incredible one-night stand, she discovers the girl is not who she says she is. Meanwhile, Keith (Enrico Colantoni) takes a closer look at Dean O'Dell's suicide and begins searching for clues that may point to a murder. Percy Daggs, Jason Dohring, Francis Capra, Michael Muhney, Ryan Hansen, Tina Majorino, Chris Lowell and Julie Gonzalo also star. John Kretchmer directed the episode written by Diane Ruggiero.

Heroes Yammer

Survey says:

Hiro continues to search for a sword while being chased by mysterious figures when his father appears. Isaac, now clean from drugs, commits to preventing the New York bombing and Peter. An invisible man named Claude has something to teach one of the heroes. D.L. takes on new family responsibilities, and Matt opens up to his wife. H.R.G. continues to focus on the captive Sylar. Claire seeks out the Haitian and then her birth parents. Mohinder looks for those on the list, and receives a strange visitor.

C'mon, no voiceover!

VeronicaMarsTalk

And even bigger yay:

Show Me the Monkey. Attempting to keep her mind off Logan (Jason Dohring), Veronica (Kristen Bell) takes a job helping animal researchers track down a monkey missing from their laboratory. In order to find the missing animal, Veronica and Mac (Tina Majorino) go undercover as members of an on-campus animal rights group, believed to have freed the monkey. Meanwhile, Mindy O'Dell (guest star Jamie Ray Newman, "E Ring") asks Keith (Enrico Colantoni) to investigate Dean O'Dell's (Ed Begley, Jr., who does not appear in the episode) death because she believes he was murdered. Percy Daggs, Francis Capra, Michael Muhney, Ryan Hansen, Chris Lowell and Julie Gonzalo also star. Nick Marck directed the episode story by John Ebrom and teleplay by John Enbom and Robby Hull.

Let's hope the animal rights activists are painted with a more subtle brush than the feminists of the last arc. And also that the show's chances for another season aren't signaled by what will apparently be an 8-week hiatus following this arc for some reality show called Pussycat Dolls.

Heroes Yammer

Finally, new television:

Godsend. Matt reveals himself to his wife. HRG confers with Mohinder. Now that she knows the truth, Claire tries to make sense of her life. Hiro seeks the sword that he is destined to own. Niki must face the consequences of her decision to turn herself in to the police. Simone and Nathan are worried about Peter, who has been in a coma for two weeks. A new hero is introduced who meets Peter and offers him a different view of the recent changes in the human evolutionary process. Micah visits his mother.

Looks like an action-packed one.

See also: The Watcher covers The Heroes presser.

I Might Be Convinced...

to forgive Amy Sherman-Palladino if this is as good as it sounds:

Ausiello: Well, it sounds like you're headed back to work. Tell me about the new show.

AS-P: It's called The Return of Jezebel James, and it's basically a sister buddy comedy. It's about a very successful, very driven, very problem-solving kind of woman who's a young-adult book publisher. She has her own imprint. And she decides to have a baby on her own, and the doctor says, "Whoops, you're not going to be able to do that by yourself. Sorry, sweetheart!" And she winds up tracking down her younger, much-less-focused sister, who's the polar opposite of her. And she says to her, "I will cut you a deal and pay you to carry my baby for me. But you have to move in with me, so that I can watch you and make sure it doesn't come out with three heads." And the younger sister, having very limited options, agrees, and that's where our series takes off. But the pilot is these two women reconnecting and cutting a deal.

Heroes Yammer

And tonight (before the rerun season sets in):

Fallout. The heroes struggle to come to terms with the Texas tragedy; more is learned about the nuclear bombing predicted in Isaac's painting; Matt and Audrey (Clea DuVall) pursue a new lead in their hunt for Sylar; Niki makes a difficult decision, which will allow her to keep her family safe. Sandra Bennett: Ashley Crow. Zach: Thomas Dekker. The Haitian: Jimmy Jean-Louis. Ando: James Kyson Lee.

This better be good. I'm still mad about Charlie (and the "brain tumor").

Heroes Yammer

And tonight is:

Six Months Ago. This episode shows the heroes six months ago. Chandra Suresh, Mohinder's father, arrives in New York looking for special people. He meets up with an individual that embraces the chance to be unique. Peter graduates from nursing school. Nathan plans to prosecute a case that could cause complications for the Petrellis. Niki receives a visit from her fathers which brings out the worst in her. Hiro tries to alter the future for someone important to him. Claire discovers her abilities right after joining the cheerleading squad, and her father meets up with someone special.

Also, after talking to Ted about it over the weekend, we're considering getting a Playstation 2 so we can fight giants and play Katamari Damacy. (Yes, in our copious amounts of free time.) This seems suitably geeky in topic to pair with the Heroes chat, so thoughts on the concept are also welcome here.

VeronicaMarsTalk

This looks to be a good one, and judging by the title, we're back to the Pi Sigs.

Lord of the Pi's. Selma Rose (guest star Patricia Hearst), the wealthy grand-daughter of the founder of Hearst College and a member of the Hearst College Board of Trustees, mysteriously disappears the night before she is to cast a swing vote that will determine the fate of the Greek system on campus. Keith (Enrico Colantoni), with Veronica's (Kristen Bell) help, is hired by Dean O'Dell (guest star Ed Begley, Jr., "Arrested Development") to investigate the disappearance. Meanwhile, Veronica has been rehired as a photographer at the Hearst Free Press, but she and Logan (Jason Dohring) fight over her involvement in the rape case. Percy Daggs III, Francis Capra, Ryan Hansen, Michael Muhney, Tina Majorino, Chris Lowell and Julie Gonzalo also star. Steve Gomer directed the episode written by Diane Ruggiero.

Heroes Yammer

And tonight's episode is:

Homecoming. As H.R.G. (Jack Coleman) tries to protect his daughter by any means, Claire's (Hayden Panettiere) high school homecoming turns into a frightening night. Meanwhile, Nathan (Adrian Pasdar) and Simone (Tawny Cypress) work together to find Isaac's (Santiago Cabrera) painting for Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) -- but this key to the future could lead to tragedy. Elsewhere, Hiro (Masi Oka) travels back in time to right an upsetting wrong and as Niki (Ali Larter) puts a goal in sight, Micah (Noah Gray-Cabey) spends time with his dad (Leonard Roberts). Still experiencing strange dreams while in India, Suresh (Sendhil Ramamurthy) learns of a boy that might pull him back into his father's research. Greg Grunberg also stars. Nora Zehetner ("Everwood"), Sakina Jaffery ("Third Watch") and Jayma Mays ("Entourage") guest-star.

VeronicaMarsTalk

And tonight's ep is:

Of Vice and Men. Veronica (Kristen Bell) is disappointed in Keith (Enrico Colantoni) for his ongoing relationship with his client, Harmony (guest star Laura San Giacomo, "Just Shoot Me"), who invites him on a romantic weekend getaway. When Veronica retreats to Wallace (Percy Daggs III) and Piz's (Chris Lowell) dorm room for some quiet time, Logan (Jason Dohring) seeks her help in clearing Mercer (guest star Ryan Devlin, "TRL") of the rape charges, but refuses to give her his alibi. Ryan Hansen, Francis Capra, Tina Majorino, Michael Muhney and Julie Gonzalo also star. Harry Winer directed the episode written by Phil Klemmer.

Can I just say how much I'm loving the uninterrupted arc? No big breaks between eps? Loving it.

(Also, C's been sick with The Mysterious Lingering Cough so we've picked up Heroes and I might start a Heroes Yammer post on Mondays if anyone else is watching it. There's just enough to like and to tear apart that it could be fun. And we all love Hiro, right? Right.)

VeronicaMarsTalk

Yeah, I know we're all watching returns, but we'll need a break. Tonight's ep:

Hi, Infidelity. Veronica (Kristen Bell) is accused of plagiarizing her paper for Professor Landry's (guest star Patrick Fabian, "Joan of Arcadia") criminology class. In trying to clear herself, she discovers that her mentor is not who she thought he was.

Wallace (Percy Daggs III) is pardoned by Dean O'Dell (guest star Ed Begley, Jr., "Arrested Development") for cheating on his exam, but makes a decision that could affect his college career. Piz (Chris Lowell) invites Veronica to a night of bowling and she decides to bring Logan (Jason Dohring) and Parker (Julie Gonzalo), unaware Piz wanted the evening to be more of a date. Enrico Colantoni, Ryan Hansen, Francis Capra and Tina Majorino also star. Michael Fields directed the episode written by John Embom.

This Just In

Encouraging, yes? From The Watcher (where, natch, I get all my TV info these days):

There’s a bit of good news regarding “Veronica Mars.” According to a source at the show, the Tuesday-night CW drama has received an order for three additional scripts, and directors have been hired for those scripts. As is standard with most TV shows, “Mars” got an initial order for 13 episodes in the spring, when it was picked up for a third season. However it is not yet known if “Mars” will get the additional episodes it would need to fill out a 22 episode season, or the “back nine,” as its called in TV parlance. The CW is expected to make a decision regarding back nine for “Veronica Mars” this week.

VeronicaMarsTalk

Happy Halloween, kiddos:

President Evil. It's Halloween at Hearst and while Veronica (Kristen Bell) is looking for Logan (Jason Dohring) at the underground campus casino, the place is robbed and the thieves take Veronica's necklace, given to her by Lilly Kane (Amanda Seyfried, who does not appear in the episode).

Meanwhile, Dean O'Dell (guest star Ed Begley, Jr., "Arrested Development") and his wife Mindy (guest star Jamie Ray Newman, "E Ring") seek Keith's (Enrico Colantoni) help in tracking down Steve (guest star Richard Grieco, "21 Jump Street"), the biological father of Mindy's son, who is deathly ill. Wallace (Percy Daggs III), distracted by a new group of friends, struggles to pass his Mechanical Engineering class. Ryan Hansen, Michael Muhney, Tina Majorino, Chris Lowell, Francis Capra and Julie Gonzalo also star. Nick Marck directed the episode written by Jonathan Moskin and David Mulei.

Looks like a lot going on...

VeronicaMarsTalk

But, of course, there is always TV to talk about in my absence:

Charlie Don't Surf. When Logan (Jason Dohring) is informed that his inheritance is running low, he become suspicious and enlists Veronica's (Kristen Bell) help to sort through his financial records. Veronica uncovers that large sums of money have been going to a man named Charlie Stone (Matt Czuchry). Meanwhile, Keith is hired by Harmony (Laura San Giacomo) to investigate her cheating husband. Jason Bloom directed the episode written by Diane Ruggiero and Jason Elen.

VeronicaMarsTalk

Whoopsie, I'm late:

Witchita Linebacker. Veronica (Kristen Bell) is hired by a campus football player to help him find his stolen playbook before the next practice, or risk losing his scholarship. As a result of the expose Veronica wrote about the campus sorority, Dean O'Dell (guest star Ed Begley, Jr., "Arrested Development") threatens to expel her if she doesn't reveal one of her sources. Logan (Jason Dohring) tells Veronica his schedule is keeping them apart, but she realizes he has been spending time participating in illegal gambling. Meanwhile, Veronica convinces Keith (Enrico Colantoni) to hire Weevil (Francis Capra) to assist with office work at Mars Investigations.

VeronicaMarsTalk

And tonight's installment sez:

My Big Fat Greek Rush Week. Veronica (Kristen Bell) is hired by the campus newspaper to do an undercover expose on the Zeta Theta sorority sisters during rush week to investigate Parker’s (Julie Gonzalo) rape. Throughout the investigation, Veronica realizes that everything is not exactly what as seems in the sorority house. Meanwhile, Logan (Jason Dohring) and Wallace (Percy Daggs III) participate in a prisoner/guard role-playing experiment for their Sociology class, which challenges them psychologically. Enrico Colantoni, Tina Majorino, Ryan Hansen, Francis Capra and Chris Lowell also star. John Kretchmer directed the episode.

Oh, sorority girl humor. I can't wait. (Oh, and the description for next week's episode is up too.)

VeronicaMarsTalk

This is probably all from me today, unless it isn't, because I'm a busy worker bee. Writing through cold, &tc. Please, please, please tune in to Veronica Mars tonight, even if you've never watched it before. You'll love it, I promise, and the next few episodes look to be the show's last chance to grab an audience and stay alive*. Tonight's ep description is:

Welcome Wagon. Veronica (Kristen Bell) is in true form from the moment she and boyfriend Logan (Jason Dohring), along with close friends Wallace (Percy Daggs III) and Mac (Tina Majorino), set foot on the campus of Hearst College. Wallace enlists Veronica’s help when his new roommate, Piz (Chris Lowell), has all his belongings stolen. While working on Piz’s case, Veronica learns that the campus serial rapist has struck again. Meanwhile, Keith (Enrico Colantoni) runs into trouble while transporting a recently released convict across the country to reunite him with Kendall (guest star Charisma Carpenter, “Charmed”).

Drop by after with your thoughts. (I'm probably not going to post a Gilmore thread, though like the idiot I am, I'll likely watch since it's on right before VM and I'm sick; so feel free to jump in with GG thoughts. If it's an actual decent episode I'll post a thread for it after the fact.)

*Yes, Kristen Bell will DIE if you do not watch. Why would you want to hurt Kristin Bell?