Comic-Con 2006: Kristen Bell and the Cast of Veronica MarsThe creator and cast of the series discuss season 3.
July 23, 2006 - As Saturday's Veronica Mars panel began, each of the participants were introduced, including creator Rob Thomas and cast members Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, Ryan Hansen, Michael Muhney and Enrico Colantoni (Francis Capra arrived a bit later due to traffic). The audience erupted in extremely enthusiastic cheers and applause for each person, and asked what it felt like to get such a reaction, Colantoni simply said, "Holy f**k!"
The discussion turned to last season's finale, and the revelation that Cassidy/Beaver was the killer. Bell said she had figured out the killer in the first season relatively early on, but wasn't able to in the second season. "You never, ever see the show keep the killer in the main titles," she observed, saying of the writers, "They think they're so smart... and they are!" When the panel was asked if they had any anxiety that they might be the killer, Muhney raised his hand. Bell then related a story of convincing Muhney that she knew the killer was going to be Loretta Cancun, an obscure character from the series pilot. Thomas said choosing the killer was a very early decision, noting, "In season one, when we brought him in for the final three episodes, we knew it would be Beaver."
Dohring said the death of Logan's father in the finale, "is actually good for him, probably. I think it'll maybe open up a new facet for the character, to not be under this pressure from his father… A whole new side of him, which would be good to explore."
Thomas also revealed some new casting of the season, including Julie Gonzalo (Dodgeball) as Mac's roommate Parker, and Chris Lowell (Life as We Know It) as Wallace's new roommate Piz. Thomas confirmed the first major story arc will, "Pick up a mystery that we introduced in episode 16 last year; the serial rapist who is at large on the Hearst campus." That episode featured Arrested Development alumni Michael Cera and Alia Shawkat and Thomas said that they wanted Cera back, but unfortunately, he is filming a movie and not currently available. However, he was pleased to announce they'd just booked Shawkat for episode 4.
Elaborating a bit on where Veronica is in her life, Thomas said, "Veronica was a pretty self-possessed girl coming out of high school," and that unlike typical college freshmen, "She doesn't have a lot of growing up do; she's done most of it." Thomas noted that the first two seasons stressed the hard line social structure of Neptune, but that, "It's gonna be less stratified in college; a world where there are different clumps -- Frat boys and student publications people and the students of color organizations. A whole lot of fiefdoms around campus and less 'us' and 'them.' [Veronica will be] less of an outsider, though there are circles she doesn't fit in."
Asked about her upcoming Star Wars oriented film Fanboys, Bell mentioned how they hoped to debut the poster at Comic-Con, but they hadn't finalized it in time. She then asked, "But what sells a movie?", before standing up to reveal bumper stickers saying, "I break for Wookies" that she had managed to covertly place on her chest and butt, all while seated onstage during the panel.
Bell was complimented by an audience member on her singing voice, and asked if she might sing on the show again, as she did last season. She said she wouldn't mind, but that, "If we do it again, we'll pick a song that is better for [my] voice… It just turned out a little weird," referring to her karaoke rendition of Blondie's "One Way or Another." A question about Hansen's own musical theater history led the actor to get up and do his very funny Michael Jackson dance impersonation, while throwing in a rather amazing backward flip through the air, which he pulled off without a hitch.
Veronica Mars has gotten away with some rather amazing double entendres and adult material, and while the show is changing networks, Thomas noted, "It doesn't look like that's gonna change much for our world, as far as what material we can get in and can't go in." However, he said that for every surprising thing they get into the show, there have always been things they weren't allowed to do, many of which they didn't understand. "You would find it remarkable the things that they cut out of our shows," said Thomas, saying one example was when they weren't allowed to use the word riding in a sexual connotation -- It was going to have been said by Logan, regarding Aaron and Lilly, for those who are curious. Asked if the show would in any way have to hold back on its darker subject matter due to changing networks, Thomas acknowledged that, "The network really wants us to be a good companion piece to Gilmore Girls. They've had a couple of thoughts on storylines that are too dark." However, he added that, "The studio has really defended our show," and that the network is "nervous, but they haven't asked us to not do anything yet."
Asked what the critically acclaimed but ratings challenged series has to do to survive on The CW this season, Thomas said it would greatly depend on how their ratings hold up in relation to Gilmore Girls, saying that if they hold a lot of the audience, The CW will be happy; if they loose a great deal of the audience, The CW will be concerned; "And if we actually go up from the Gilmore Girls number, they will build a statue of Kristen Bell in the CW office."
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Topic: Veronica Mars (movie confirmed!) (Read 6491 times)