'Veronica Mars': Burn, baby, burn

And so The CW burns off the last two episodes of Veronica Mars in one night - against the final performance evening of that singing competition thing on another channel. And they wonder why not enough people watched this show. It's grating that Veronica Mars didn't even get a proper send-off; the two episodes shown Tuesday were adequate, but didn't have any sense of occasion to them.

In hour one, Veronica busts some rich kids who framed janitor/occasionally-recovered gang member Weevil for making fake student debit cards. It's nice to see the class conflict element of the show brought up again - it's what made the first season more than a quippy teen melodrama. In hour two, Wallace gets caught up to rush a secret society at Hearst College - a secret society that apparently inserts cameras into their initiates' rooms to keep an eye on them. The camera wound up catching Veronica and Piz in a very compromising position, and promptly lands on the Internet.

Veronica One, for the newbie fans: Tuesday evening, Veronica meets Apollo Bukenya, a Ugandan immigrant who was conscripted as a child soldier and lived to tell the tale in a best-selling memoir. He's ready to go on "Oprah," he has a movie deal in the works -- and, not surprisingly, he has money-hungry relatives coming out of the woodwork. He cleverly enlists Veronica to determine whether a man who purports to be his father is for real -- or focused on the bottom line.

Veronica Two, for the old-schoolers: OH MY GOD DICK CASABLANCAS IS BACK.

Paul Rudd is a veteran of the TV guest star slot: he played Phoebe's husband on "Friends," and he's popped up in everything from "Strangers with Candy" to "Reno 911!" Only on "Veronica Mars," however, did he get the chance to play a pill-popping, triple vodka tonic-swilling, grubby, lecherous washed-up rock star, the surviving half of a once-popular duo named My Pretty Pony.

Week after week, Kristen Bell usually steals the show with her spot-on, snarky Veronica -- but this time she gets blown off the screen by a gleefully scenery-chewing Rudd. He sings! He wears horrifying '80s wigs! He gets busted skinny dipping! He mixes up his groupies!

As the television industry converges on Manhattan to woo advertisers, we'll give you the latest on new shows, renewals and everything in between.

This time last year an airplane flew over The CW headquarters with a banner that pleaded with executives to save "Veronica Mars." The detective-soap cult show, starring Kristen Bell, did indeed survive -- only to plummet in the ratings. Is there any hope for a fourth season? There's been plenty of speculation since the network announced that "Gilmore Girls" is coming to an end, leaving open that possibility. And creator Rob Thomas has pitched a storyline that fast-forwards Veronica's life past college and into the FBI Academy. Reached for comment Friday, Thomas said: "I can neither confirm nor deny that we'll get a fourth season. Not because I don't want to. We simply don't know. I can confirm that the network responded positively to the FBI presentation. I went into the meeting with fleeting optimism; I left with cautious optimism." The network isn't talking.
--Maria Elena Fernandez

photo by Glenn Koenig/LAT
 

Due to KTLA's live coverage of the wrath-of-God fire in Griffith Park, "Gilmore Girls" and "Veronica Mars" were pre-empted Tuesday night. The new episodes have been rescheduled, however, with "Gilmore" airing on Saturday, May 12 at 8 p.m. and "Veronica" following at 9 p.m.

Who said Show Tracker doesn't look out for ya?

-- Ann Donahue

(Photo courtesy The CW)

Sometimes I wake up screaming. Why?  Here's some dialogue from the opening of Tuesday night's return of Veronica Mars to the CW:

Veronica: 8 a.m.? Shouldn't you be in a wetsuit somewhere?

Logan: Early poli sci.

Veronica: And you're actually going?

Logan: Yeah. I even bought this amazing pen that accents text in neon colors.

Veronica: Ah! A highlighter!

Logan: Lots of advancements since the last time I buckled down. How about you?

Veronica: Violence in Early Adolescence.

Logan: You're going to be autographing textbooks?

Witty, charming, clever -- and Kristen Bell and Jason Dohring doing their perfect Gen Y Nick-and-Nora routine. So why do I wake up screaming? Because the CW's recently wrapped "The Pussycat Dolls Presents: The Search for the Next Doll" consistently tallied higher ratings than my favorite noir co-ed detective -- and that's a big, bad sign that points to this being the last mini-season of Veronica Mars.

'Veronica Mars': A tale of two Veronicas

Veronica One, for the newbie fans: Tuesday evening, Veronica meets Apollo Bukenya, a Ugandan immigrant who was conscripted as a child soldier and lived to tell the tale in a best-selling memoir. He's ready to go on "Oprah," he has a movie deal in the works -- and, not surprisingly, he has money-hungry relatives coming out of the woodwork. He cleverly enlists Veronica to determine whether a man who purports to be his father is for real -- or focused on the bottom line.

Veronica Two, for the old-schoolers: OH MY GOD DICK CASABLANCAS IS BACK.

Paul Rudd is a veteran of the TV guest star slot: he played Phoebe's husband on "Friends," and he's popped up in everything from "Strangers with Candy" to "Reno 911!" Only on "Veronica Mars," however, did he get the chance to play a pill-popping, triple vodka tonic-swilling, grubby, lecherous washed-up rock star, the surviving half of a once-popular duo named My Pretty Pony.

Week after week, Kristen Bell usually steals the show with her spot-on, snarky Veronica -- but this time she gets blown off the screen by a gleefully scenery-chewing Rudd. He sings! He wears horrifying '80s wigs! He gets busted skinny dipping! He mixes up his groupies!

As the television industry converges on Manhattan to woo advertisers, we'll give you the latest on new shows, renewals and everything in between.

This time last year an airplane flew over The CW headquarters with a banner that pleaded with executives to save "Veronica Mars." The detective-soap cult show, starring Kristen Bell, did indeed survive -- only to plummet in the ratings. Is there any hope for a fourth season? There's been plenty of speculation since the network announced that "Gilmore Girls" is coming to an end, leaving open that possibility. And creator Rob Thomas has pitched a storyline that fast-forwards Veronica's life past college and into the FBI Academy. Reached for comment Friday, Thomas said: "I can neither confirm nor deny that we'll get a fourth season. Not because I don't want to. We simply don't know. I can confirm that the network responded positively to the FBI presentation. I went into the meeting with fleeting optimism; I left with cautious optimism." The network isn't talking.
--Maria Elena Fernandez

photo by Glenn Koenig/LAT
 

Due to KTLA's live coverage of the wrath-of-God fire in Griffith Park, "Gilmore Girls" and "Veronica Mars" were pre-empted Tuesday night. The new episodes have been rescheduled, however, with "Gilmore" airing on Saturday, May 12 at 8 p.m. and "Veronica" following at 9 p.m.

Who said Show Tracker doesn't look out for ya?

-- Ann Donahue

(Photo courtesy The CW)

Sometimes I wake up screaming. Why?  Here's some dialogue from the opening of Tuesday night's return of Veronica Mars to the CW:

Veronica: 8 a.m.? Shouldn't you be in a wetsuit somewhere?

Logan: Early poli sci.

Veronica: And you're actually going?

Logan: Yeah. I even bought this amazing pen that accents text in neon colors.

Veronica: Ah! A highlighter!

Logan: Lots of advancements since the last time I buckled down. How about you?

Veronica: Violence in Early Adolescence.

Logan: You're going to be autographing textbooks?

Witty, charming, clever -- and Kristen Bell and Jason Dohring doing their perfect Gen Y Nick-and-Nora routine. So why do I wake up screaming? Because the CW's recently wrapped "The Pussycat Dolls Presents: The Search for the Next Doll" consistently tallied higher ratings than my favorite noir co-ed detective -- and that's a big, bad sign that points to this being the last mini-season of Veronica Mars.

'Veronica Mars': The one with Paul Rudd

Paul Rudd is a veteran of the TV guest star slot: he played Phoebe's husband on "Friends," and he's popped up in everything from "Strangers with Candy" to "Reno 911!" Only on "Veronica Mars," however, did he get the chance to play a pill-popping, triple vodka tonic-swilling, grubby, lecherous washed-up rock star, the surviving half of a once-popular duo named My Pretty Pony.

Week after week, Kristen Bell usually steals the show with her spot-on, snarky Veronica -- but this time she gets blown off the screen by a gleefully scenery-chewing Rudd. He sings! He wears horrifying '80s wigs! He gets busted skinny dipping! He mixes up his groupies!

As the television industry converges on Manhattan to woo advertisers, we'll give you the latest on new shows, renewals and everything in between.

This time last year an airplane flew over The CW headquarters with a banner that pleaded with executives to save "Veronica Mars." The detective-soap cult show, starring Kristen Bell, did indeed survive -- only to plummet in the ratings. Is there any hope for a fourth season? There's been plenty of speculation since the network announced that "Gilmore Girls" is coming to an end, leaving open that possibility. And creator Rob Thomas has pitched a storyline that fast-forwards Veronica's life past college and into the FBI Academy. Reached for comment Friday, Thomas said: "I can neither confirm nor deny that we'll get a fourth season. Not because I don't want to. We simply don't know. I can confirm that the network responded positively to the FBI presentation. I went into the meeting with fleeting optimism; I left with cautious optimism." The network isn't talking.
--Maria Elena Fernandez

photo by Glenn Koenig/LAT
 

Due to KTLA's live coverage of the wrath-of-God fire in Griffith Park, "Gilmore Girls" and "Veronica Mars" were pre-empted Tuesday night. The new episodes have been rescheduled, however, with "Gilmore" airing on Saturday, May 12 at 8 p.m. and "Veronica" following at 9 p.m.

Who said Show Tracker doesn't look out for ya?

-- Ann Donahue

(Photo courtesy The CW)

Sometimes I wake up screaming. Why?  Here's some dialogue from the opening of Tuesday night's return of Veronica Mars to the CW:

Veronica: 8 a.m.? Shouldn't you be in a wetsuit somewhere?

Logan: Early poli sci.

Veronica: And you're actually going?

Logan: Yeah. I even bought this amazing pen that accents text in neon colors.

Veronica: Ah! A highlighter!

Logan: Lots of advancements since the last time I buckled down. How about you?

Veronica: Violence in Early Adolescence.

Logan: You're going to be autographing textbooks?

Witty, charming, clever -- and Kristen Bell and Jason Dohring doing their perfect Gen Y Nick-and-Nora routine. So why do I wake up screaming? Because the CW's recently wrapped "The Pussycat Dolls Presents: The Search for the Next Doll" consistently tallied higher ratings than my favorite noir co-ed detective -- and that's a big, bad sign that points to this being the last mini-season of Veronica Mars.

Fast-forwarded future for 'Veronica Mars'?

As the television industry converges on Manhattan to woo advertisers, we'll give you the latest on new shows, renewals and everything in between.

This time last year an airplane flew over The CW headquarters with a banner that pleaded with executives to save "Veronica Mars." The detective-soap cult show, starring Kristen Bell, did indeed survive -- only to plummet in the ratings. Is there any hope for a fourth season? There's been plenty of speculation since the network announced that "Gilmore Girls" is coming to an end, leaving open that possibility. And creator Rob Thomas has pitched a storyline that fast-forwards Veronica's life past college and into the FBI Academy. Reached for comment Friday, Thomas said: "I can neither confirm nor deny that we'll get a fourth season. Not because I don't want to. We simply don't know. I can confirm that the network responded positively to the FBI presentation. I went into the meeting with fleeting optimism; I left with cautious optimism." The network isn't talking.
--Maria Elena Fernandez

photo by Glenn Koenig/LAT
 

Due to KTLA's live coverage of the wrath-of-God fire in Griffith Park, "Gilmore Girls" and "Veronica Mars" were pre-empted Tuesday night. The new episodes have been rescheduled, however, with "Gilmore" airing on Saturday, May 12 at 8 p.m. and "Veronica" following at 9 p.m.

Who said Show Tracker doesn't look out for ya?

-- Ann Donahue

(Photo courtesy The CW)

Sometimes I wake up screaming. Why?  Here's some dialogue from the opening of Tuesday night's return of Veronica Mars to the CW:

Veronica: 8 a.m.? Shouldn't you be in a wetsuit somewhere?

Logan: Early poli sci.

Veronica: And you're actually going?

Logan: Yeah. I even bought this amazing pen that accents text in neon colors.

Veronica: Ah! A highlighter!

Logan: Lots of advancements since the last time I buckled down. How about you?

Veronica: Violence in Early Adolescence.

Logan: You're going to be autographing textbooks?

Witty, charming, clever -- and Kristen Bell and Jason Dohring doing their perfect Gen Y Nick-and-Nora routine. So why do I wake up screaming? Because the CW's recently wrapped "The Pussycat Dolls Presents: The Search for the Next Doll" consistently tallied higher ratings than my favorite noir co-ed detective -- and that's a big, bad sign that points to this being the last mini-season of Veronica Mars.

'Gilmore Girls' and 'Veronica Mars' to air Saturday night

Due to KTLA's live coverage of the wrath-of-God fire in Griffith Park, "Gilmore Girls" and "Veronica Mars" were pre-empted Tuesday night. The new episodes have been rescheduled, however, with "Gilmore" airing on Saturday, May 12 at 8 p.m. and "Veronica" following at 9 p.m.

Who said Show Tracker doesn't look out for ya?

-- Ann Donahue

(Photo courtesy The CW)

Sometimes I wake up screaming. Why?  Here's some dialogue from the opening of Tuesday night's return of Veronica Mars to the CW:

Veronica: 8 a.m.? Shouldn't you be in a wetsuit somewhere?

Logan: Early poli sci.

Veronica: And you're actually going?

Logan: Yeah. I even bought this amazing pen that accents text in neon colors.

Veronica: Ah! A highlighter!

Logan: Lots of advancements since the last time I buckled down. How about you?

Veronica: Violence in Early Adolescence.

Logan: You're going to be autographing textbooks?

Witty, charming, clever -- and Kristen Bell and Jason Dohring doing their perfect Gen Y Nick-and-Nora routine. So why do I wake up screaming? Because the CW's recently wrapped "The Pussycat Dolls Presents: The Search for the Next Doll" consistently tallied higher ratings than my favorite noir co-ed detective -- and that's a big, bad sign that points to this being the last mini-season of Veronica Mars.

'Veronica Mars': It's elementary, my dear CW.

Sometimes I wake up screaming. Why?  Here's some dialogue from the opening of Tuesday night's return of Veronica Mars to the CW:

Veronica: 8 a.m.? Shouldn't you be in a wetsuit somewhere?

Logan: Early poli sci.

Veronica: And you're actually going?

Logan: Yeah. I even bought this amazing pen that accents text in neon colors.

Veronica: Ah! A highlighter!

Logan: Lots of advancements since the last time I buckled down. How about you?

Veronica: Violence in Early Adolescence.

Logan: You're going to be autographing textbooks?

Witty, charming, clever -- and Kristen Bell and Jason Dohring doing their perfect Gen Y Nick-and-Nora routine. So why do I wake up screaming? Because the CW's recently wrapped "The Pussycat Dolls Presents: The Search for the Next Doll" consistently tallied higher ratings than my favorite noir co-ed detective -- and that's a big, bad sign that points to this being the last mini-season of Veronica Mars.