Boo! Hiss!

marmoset | May 17, 23:56 CET

Well, I guess I can watch House on Tuesday nights now.

Not so long ago, these new struggling networks (I'm including the young Fox network) gave new, innovative shows a chance. Now all we seem to get are reality shows and mindless primetime soaps.

I don't know. It seems to me the CW had a chance to grow up, and decided not to.

bigsofty | May 17, 23:56 CET

The show that has been airing on the CW for past couple of months has not been Veronica Mars. It has been a blasphemy.

SPOILERS-----below....


They turned Weevil into the janitor and wrote him out of the show. Wallace became the basketball player and was written out of the show. They only brought him back so he could give us exposition on Piz. Dick Sr. was only brought back so there could be conflict between Parker and Logan (via the mess up of the surf trip).

This season really hurt my feelings. I feel very betrayed by the content.

Hopefully there can be a feature length that has some sort of conclusive closure. Far in the future, Duncan can come back...the mom too. Rob Thomas can write and direct.

I wish that Veronica had gone out like Angel, with glory til the end.

Good Riddance. We'll always have Neptune High...

[ edited by Dolphin Tamer on 2007-05-17 21:03 ]

Dolphin Tamer | May 18, 00:02 CET

I am not surprised..but it sucks! VM is probably the only show I watch "live" instead of on my DVR.

Jonas | May 18, 00:02 CET

"On Sunday nights, the network will debut 'The CW Now,' an entertainment-oriented newsmagazine for 18-to-34-year-olds. 'Online Nation' will talk about what's hot on the Web."

Such as, how people are writing about how much they miss Veronica Mars?

will.bueche | May 18, 00:02 CET

There still hasn't been any OFFICIAL word, and they technically still have till June 15th. But, Kristin from E! Online asked Rob Thomas this morning:

"When I ask point-blank if VM is over, Rob tells me:
"I believe we're out of hope." "

:(

kevingann | May 18, 00:03 CET

At least we will have high quality programing like this: "In midseason, the CW will bring on a reality show, "Farmer Wants a Wife," about a country guy choosing among 10 women fed up with big-city prospects."

Lucky us.

scarymike23 | May 18, 00:05 CET

Ugh. That list of news shows they've got coming, truly horrifying-sounding stuff. I certainly won't be tuning in- haven't been watching them since UPN cancelled Enterprise anyway. Didn't have the time to watch VM during it's run, but I certainly intend to on DVD. Too bad it's over, it always sounded like a really great show.

Trek_Girl42 | May 18, 00:06 CET

kevingann, I don't know where you're reading -- the head of the CW said today the show was canceled at the launch event. She said something about maybe doing another show with Rob Thomas, but Rob Thomas later commented about this online, saying he doesn't even know what that show is.

I'm sure it'll be replaced with Geeks Go To Paris For Le Brides or some such.

gossi | May 18, 00:09 CET

It only proves one thing about TV these days...quality is a luxury, while reality shows or recycled ideas (Moonlight=Angel, Journeyman=Quantum Leap) are the most popular food groups...like Cheetos.

impalergeneral | May 18, 00:13 CET

Yeah, I just was about to post that, Gossi. I misread that first part..

kevingann | May 18, 00:14 CET

The weird thing about this one is they left the decision so late, it didn't give anybody working on VM chance to tie up loose ends. Or, like, have a finale.

Shameful treatment by the network at the end.

gossi | May 18, 00:18 CET

That's too bad, I enjoyed watching VM, although I enjoyed it more when Logan was in it more. I wasn't too interested in Piz. I just really, really hope that Supernatural comes back on CW, it's my favorite. Has anyone heard anything??

luvspike | May 18, 00:22 CET

Supernatural is indeed supposed to be coming back for another season.

Dana5140 | May 18, 00:26 CET

Seriously! God I was excited about VM coming back new and rested for 4th season. God. I just wish those idiots knew what they were doing.

Snoogins | May 18, 00:28 CET

Supernatural is coming back. They confirmed it a few days ago.

JusticeDemon | May 18, 00:29 CET

While this 3rd season has been pretty lack-luster, I was hoping to see the new direction there was rumors and talk about the show jumping a couple years with her working for the FBI for the fourth season. That would have been interesting to see, but I guess the CW needs to air our room for dribble.

GrapenutsRobot | May 18, 00:36 CET

I was actually interested to see if they could do anything fun with snarky little Veronica going to work for the FBI (something off beat with that Rob Thomas touch). But I guess that will only run in my head. I have to agree that this year they have wasted Weevil and Mac and Wallace, so it does take some of the sting out of the cancellation. And of course it takes the pressure off worrying if my VCR is getting Veronica Mars while I'm watching House.

embers | May 18, 00:45 CET

Thanks for the Supernatural news! I was worried, Supernatural is a great show and it seems like so many shows that are worth watching get thrown aside for...can't think of a word, I guess 'dribble' is as good as any.

luvspike | May 18, 00:51 CET

Oh well, but at least the show had a few good seasons. Even this season was better than most of the dreck on TV. Too bad for CW, but then again I'm not their target audience anyway (too old and well off).

But no matter what, Kristen Bell is a great actress and has a good future in front of her. And Rob Thomas can get back to his singing career (just kidding), I mean dreaming up new and creative show ideas that will find a better platform (read: network).

Kyrax | May 18, 00:55 CET

I may well be wrong, but it seems to me the "project" Dawn Ostroff is talking about is in fact the VM FBI reboot/spinoff, and that Rob Thomas somehow didn't recognize that... Seems to me CW is still considering it for a midseason replacement (no inside info, just what I gather from what's out there).

jam2 | May 18, 01:03 CET

I'm reading the various rumors and comments all over the Internet the same way, jam2.

TamaraC | May 18, 01:12 CET

Does anyone else think the new CW line-up is insulting to women? First they cancel the two shows with strong, intelligent, independent women, and replace them with "The New Pussycat Dolls," "Beauty and the Geek," and some farmer dating show? Add that to "America's Next Top Model" and what message are they sending out to young girls and women? Whether the show is good or not, I find the title of "Gossip Girl" insulting all by itself.

My daughters grew up with Buffy, Captain Janeway, and Veronica Mars. There is no room in our lives for viewing women as mindless, self-centered pieces of skin and bones.

[ edited by Nebula1400 on 2007-05-17 22:14 ]

Nebula1400 | May 18, 01:13 CET

well said, Nebula 1400.

impalergeneral | May 18, 01:18 CET

Not so long ago, these new struggling networks (I'm including the young Fox network) gave new, innovative shows a chance.

I really think airing a low rated show like VM for 3 seasons was indeed giving it 'a chance'.

helcat | May 18, 01:29 CET

Indeed, helcat. Drive got, like, 3 episodes? 4? And that had higher ratings Buffy, Angel, Firefly and VM (often combined).

My theory: CW may want to do the FBI idea sans the Veronica Mars franchise (and, obviously, character). Better chance of finding an audience by starting afresh, and cheaper.

gossi | May 18, 01:32 CET

I absolutely agree Nebula1400, it's very sad that all this superficial crud is what sells, while many (better) shows with a strong female presence are put by the wayside.

Trek_Girl42 | May 18, 01:36 CET

I would have love to see the new Veronica-at-the-FBI-Academy show. "Silence of the Lambs" meets "VM", that would have been a great show... Hopefully they'll change their minds before June 15th

Yorick | May 18, 01:37 CET

I really think airing a low rated show like VM for 3 seasons was indeed giving it 'a chance'.

That's actually exactly what I meant. I just don't see much else out there now to take its place.

bigsofty | May 18, 01:42 CET

Oh this is just too ironic. Two days after I start watching VM again, and it gets cancelled. Spectacular.

BOOOOO POPULAR CULTURE!!!!

Resolute | May 18, 01:48 CET

I wish I could be sad, but I'm not. I loved the first season of the show a lot, had major problems with the second season (but still watched faithfully), but this season, I've had to face facts. The show is a shadow of its former self and after the first mini-arc, the mediocre conclusion to the Hearst rapist storyline, I stopped watching.

So I look at this as a good thing: it frees Rob Thomas and Kristen Bell, et al. to do other projects.

dottikin | May 18, 02:05 CET

gossi's probably onto something with the idea of a completely new FBI show, clean break, etc. Perhaps they'll approach Thomas about running it, but by then Bell will probably be off doing other things.

Even with the neutered (or spayed, as it were) version of VM we got this season, the writing continued to snap, crackle and pop like nothing else currently on t.v., and we still got to spend some quality time with some of our favorite characters even as others were shuffled off elsewhere and no truly compelling big mysteries came about. Hey, the showrunners were given another year and a mandate to change things up (probably with a slashed budget too), they did what they could. The painful part is that there's been so much positive conjecture coming from the VM camp and elsewhere the last couple of weeks that I stupidly got my hopes up that VMFBI or something perhaps more cleverly titled would be hitting the small screen at some point soon.

MrArg | May 18, 02:06 CET

I want to find the alternate universe where the CW announces that the highly-rated Veronica Mars will be back for the 2007-8 season, paired with the eighth season of Angel.

As long as that also isn't the World Without Shrimp.

deanna b | May 18, 02:24 CET

Don't forget the fifth season of "Firefly."

Nebula1400 | May 18, 03:03 CET

Maybe Mars can do like Columbo and come back for occasional two-hour movie mysteries, or something. And then ease back into a regular FBI series show if the Columbo-like tv movies do well.

will.bueche | May 18, 03:04 CET

I'll miss VM - I wasn't quite as disappointed with this season as a lot of the fans were. The format change seemed to work fairly well. I just wish more people would've watched so the CW would have a reason (other than it being their best show) to keep it on the air.

The poorly acted Smallville gets an umpteenth season, but no more VM? In what world does that make sense? (And hey, don't hit me for saying that - I watch Smallville for fun. I wouldn't miss it if it was gone, though).

Sproing | May 18, 03:11 CET

The Colombo idea would be great,but I always thought VM would be a good candidate for an experimental idea I've had for some kind of movie-almost-direct-to-video hybrid. (I.e., brief release in theaters for the huge fans two or three times a year, and then a DVD/cable afterlife for everyone else.)

It's a wacky idea, I admit. But the relatively low budget makes is far better candidate for the first show I thought of for it, you know the one with the guy from "Drive" in it.

bobster | May 18, 03:17 CET

I think I may vomit....that new list of shows makes me sick. Stop with the reality television CRAP...there will be no good shows left on TV. It's getting ridiculous. Good shows get axed in favor of "date a farmer" or some crap like that.

kballgetlost | May 18, 03:20 CET

I was just saying to my husband yesterday that I wish there'd been characters like Buffy, Willow, Tara, Fred, Zoe, Kaylee... and Veronica around when I was an adolescent - I just can't imagine the difference it would have made to have those girls and women to watch every week.

And now they're taking away Veronica. I too was less than thrilled with season 3 (weekly sessions of "Where's Wallace?" or even more, "Where's Weevil?" Plus I never got over what they did to Lamb...), but I still liked it more than practically anything else currently on television. Too depressing.

Kirochka | May 18, 03:47 CET

VM took a huge dive in quality this season. Plus any show that last three years on television is hardly a failure. I don't really think CW had any other choice.

crossoverman | May 18, 03:56 CET

Well... damn.

Craig Oxbrow | May 18, 04:06 CET

Nothing to say except: I'm sorry for the fans the show has, and I feel your pain, but I agree completely with Dolphin Tamer. This season started weakly but with potential, and got progressively worse. The handling of sexual assault was almost offensive in its insensitivity, the Logan/Veronica breakup was bungled beyond all recognition, all emotional connection to the mysteries has been severed, most of the characters have been reduced to bit parts at best, Veronica has lost all pretense of believable emotional vulnerability, and the last few episodes have essentially been public service announcements. Again, there are glimmers that keep me watching in spite of my better judgment: I can't seem to stop caring about my beloved Mac, and I didn't mind the musician episode (largely due to a decent guest performance), but I'm mostly just glad it's over.

WilliamTheB | May 18, 04:19 CET

I am so sad about this! I loved the show and while this season was different, it still had some AWESOME episodes. I too miss the Weevil, Mac, and Wallace, and the Logan thing got old quick. BUT! The banter between Kieth and V was spot on most of the time, and there have been some really great moments (Dick's total breakdown in the last ep for one). This is the only show I make a point to watch anymore and now alas, no more. Color me sad and not at all looking forward to TV in the fall. Sigh.

AthenaMuze | May 18, 04:37 CET

Bring on the depression and ice-cream. This news really does fit the type of day I've been having.

Boo you *****

ChosenGuy317 | May 18, 05:23 CET

Well thats bad new for the CW, I'm not watching anything else they have to offer.Actually im giving up on new shows, and im beginning to realise how lucky we are that Buffy and Angel had so long on the air.Quality TV is becoming extinct.

feigenbaum7 | May 18, 05:56 CET

When they made Weevil the janitor, this show became dead to me, so I probably won't be shedding any tears. I'm happy, though, that Supernatural got another season.

riaspark17 | May 18, 06:17 CET

poo. No VM or Studio 60....or Gilmore Girls. This makes me sad :(

Harmalicious | May 18, 06:19 CET

Well, at least the cast is free now to be in Joss's new show. Whenever that day comes. :)

swanjun | May 18, 06:40 CET

I have only seen the first two episodes, which were shipped to me, free, as part of some promotional deal. I said to myself, "This looks like an interesting, watchable show." They will cancel it shortly and I can just go ahead and buy it on DVD.

I guess I can start stocking up now.

Ocular | May 18, 06:51 CET

You know how, when you have a friend in high school and then they go away to college and its still your friend but somethings different that you can't put your finger on and you sort of lose track of her for a few months and then she shows up again and sometimes she seems like your friend and sometimes not but you really want to believe she'll be okay and then someone goes and cancels her and suddenly she's just gone?

Its sorta' like that...

malformed | May 18, 07:58 CET

...and i am officially DONE with television.

pongluver | May 18, 08:05 CET

I refuse to believe *anything* regarding the cancellation of Veronica Mars or a potential new series involving Rob Thomas/Kristen Bell until June 15th (as that's when Bell's contract runs out).

jason.cinema | May 18, 09:03 CET

Incidentally, there is one other Firefly connection in this article.

Shawna Trpcic (the costume designer for Firefly) spent a month in New Orleans earlier this year, working on the pilot for K-Ville. I hadn't heard that it got picked up, so that's great news. From what Shawna says, it sounds like a terrific show.

RayHill | May 18, 09:11 CET

I completely agree with Nebula1400 on the state of women characters in the CW's new lineup. Reading the new seasons lineup (along with other networks) is like some weird joke that doesn't have a punchline - I just don't get it. I do agree that the show has been given a chance, however it would have been nice for the network to give a show that ran for three years some forewarning so they could give the audience some definitive closure... And while the quality has been on the decline, and many loved characters MIA, I was still a viewer and would have continued to be because in the end it provides a much better choice than Pussycatdollapoolloza or whatever crap seems to be gaining the upper hand on my tv these days. Overall I'm just sad. I like TV, I think there's great potential to tell 'long' stories that mean something to people, and yet there seems to be a glut of shows that - well let's just say they don't exactly live up to the potential. :(

onthedrift | May 18, 09:16 CET

In fairness to the CW the ratings were not good. It appears
to be purely a business decision.

I agree with the people who said this season was weaker although
still very watchable. Clearly high school was more interesting
than college. No surprise there. In fact it would be surprising
were it any other way based on recent experience (c.f. Buffy).

JDL | May 18, 10:32 CET

The CW does not deserve any fairness.

I hope their entire new season lineup fails. And that OTH's new direction just bombs. I too am done with US TV.

Thomas | May 18, 12:57 CET

Well, their new shows don't exactly inspire to say the least but they've given VM more chances to find an audience than any other network would've. And as for resolution, Rob Thomas has known for years that the show is far from guaranteed renewal because the numbers are low (and months in this season itself) so I think he's had time to provide a kinda-sorta resolution, if he hasn't done that that's up to him (if he's left it on a cliff-hanger then sorry Rob but that, to me, is plain disrespectful to the fans).

I'm gonna miss the show (moreso Veronica herself though as well as the supporting characters, especially Mac. And I mean, like, 'especially' squared, times infinity. Plus one. Loves me some Mac ;) even it's not exactly surprising news. And, must admit, there's a small part of me that wonders if it's better to bow out now before it runs out of the credit the amazing S1 and to a lesser extent S2 accrued - this year just hasn't been as good IMO.

I'm actually sort of glad 'Smallville' got renewed. It's a strange show cos just when it seems like I might finally be able to stop watching they'll go and have a great episode ('Promise' was good - even *gasp* Lana ;). And so was 'Nemesis' which had the sort of tiny bit only a writer or director that gets Superman would stick in - when Clark rolls away from the hatch at the end and sort of 'bathes' in the sunlight). It's easily the patchiest show i've stuck with for so long though and if it wasn't Big Blue I doubt I would've.

Saje | May 18, 13:58 CET

I never watched VM - but I'm sorry for those that did and liked it.

With the TV landscape of today it makes me even more grateful that we got 5 years of Angel and 7 of Buffy. The shows nowadays would probably not have lasted:(

angeliclestat | May 18, 15:29 CET

While I agree that the quality of VM has gone down this season, I am officially the High Priest of the Let's Sacriface Piz to Satan Movement currently sweeping the country, I really wanted it to return. I am sad that it won't, that too many of it's supporting characters weren't used this year, and that it didn't get a full 22 ep run.

I also enjoyed the show and thought its high moments were as good as it gets on TV. There was still plenty of potential in them thar hills. Except for Supernatural I too am done with TV. Well, I enjoyed the Bones season finale.

RazorBlade | May 18, 15:49 CET

Although I haven't seen any of S3 this is sad news, but after all the yes/no drama it's not altogether unexpected.

Still, I have a new empathy for the Kathy Bates character in Misery.

Would it be completely psychotic of me to chain Rob Thomas down and demand that he tell me more Veronica stories?

WHAT? I'm just askin'...

missb | May 18, 15:59 CET

If you leave his ankles alone it's just 'extremely dedicated'. It's when the saws and/or sledgehammers come out that lines get crossed ;).

Saje | May 18, 16:07 CET

As a fan of VM since the beginning, I agree with some of the complaints about this season. However, the complaint about Weevil's role by several posters (Dolphin Tamer, embers, Kirochka, riaspark17) is misplaced.

The backstory is that the actor is suffering from a chronic illness and could not carry the story lines from the previous season because they did not know when, or if, he would be able to be on set. But they didn't want to write him out of the show, both because they valued the character and cared about the actor. So, they made him a janitor at the college so that Weevil could show up in the story when the actor could shoot, and so his long absences could be explained away. Perfect solution? Probably not from a story standpoint, but it does show the humanity of Rob Thomas and the producers not simply to cut him loose.

Just so you know.

boffo | May 18, 18:33 CET

And so starts the hate mail to Dawn Ostroff...


Thank god the cw has left room for more mysognonistic bullshit with OTH. Honestly, is there anything more empowering to women than having teenaged girls chained to chairs in basements and being tortured by male stalkers? *end sarcasm*

MySerenity | May 18, 18:38 CET

It will definitely be sad to see Veronica go. I am currently watching the season season on DVD for the first time and still thoroughly enjoying it- I don't notice any huge difference in quality although it seems that it is the third season which people seem to have more of a problem with.

In truth, I can't say much until I actually see it myself, but I find it hard to believe that it will ever be as bad as most of the rubbish that graces our screens. As people have said, VM has always received fairly low ratings so they had to try and increase them in some way, and I think they probably made compromises without sacrificing the quality of the show. As much as I can enjoy watching something like Smallville, it it never as interesting or compelling as VM which truly has become a natural successor to Buffy. At least they keep trying to make it compelling and multi-layered and well acted, rather than settling for pretty [but dull] people and shiny special effects.

I completely agree with Nebula1400- I almost can't believe that shows like "The Search For The Next Pussycat Doll" even exists... but then I remember that for some reason, a lot of people seem to watch these shows. I honestly don't see what's so interesting about women auditioning to become what is essentially a stripper.

All I can say is that I'm glad Veronica got almost three full seasons and that we did get a big insight into Rob Thomas' brilliant world, which is more than I can say for something like Firefly. But it's still a considerable loss to TV.

Razor | May 18, 19:29 CET

Interesting info., Boffo. I'm sorry he's sick.

Just have to second everything Saje said. (Not very original of me, I know.) Although the writing ain't what it used to be, I still love most of the characters on VM, and Mac is to die for. In my imaginary TV universe she has her own show (hacking to help the hopeless or something like that).
And somehow I've watch every darn episode of Smallville even though when it's bad it's so bad that I'm embarrassed to be in the same room. But when it's good, it's fun. And, you know, Superman.

jcs | May 18, 19:37 CET

Ah, well, it was expected.

It's a little sad, but this season has just been so lackluster I've rarely been involved. To see the quality deteriorate as rapidly as it has is what really made me sad.

However, it was starting to get good again...'

ETA: At least we have this Tuesday's season finale to look forward to. ...They are still showing the finale, aren't they?

[ edited by UnpluggedCrazy on 2007-05-18 18:08 ]

[ edited by UnpluggedCrazy on 2007-05-18 18:08 ]

UnpluggedCrazy | May 18, 21:05 CET

Creator Rob Thomas once said he wanted Veronica written like a porcupine. Bye-bye, feisty taser-wielding porcupine gal - you have been replaced by Pussycat Dolls and Beauty Pageant wannabes. The TV world had no room for you, annoying like the wind...

"Ostroff also previewed a few of the network's midseason series, including the reality show Farmer Wants a Wife (the title even made Ostroff chuckle) and the potentially genius competition Crowned. The latter is a beauty pageant in which young girls and their moms must team up. At the end of each episode, one pair is ''de-sashed'' and stripped of their title via bedazzled scissors!" - http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20039383,00.html

Well, yeah, that last one just sounds... neat. Completely empowering, totally inspiring and intelligent beyond words. Sign me up for a big steaming slice of... that piece of gosa.

Much has been written on this board about VM and the varying quality of the writing, and I'm totally on board with Season 1>Season 2>Season 3, but bad Season 3 is better than most of the CW's other current and proposed drek, and VM was one of the few shows I gave as gifts, especially to my girlfriends with daughters...

I think they tried to fix what wasn't broke, just unpopular, and you don't promote a smart show by dumbing it down. And this is what happened, predictable from the start.

It's a sad, sad day for TV, and they oughta be ashamed, 'cause it really didn't have to go down this way. I think that the TV PTB served Rob Thomas like they did Joss, and I just hope they haven't broken Rob's heart, too. There are stories behind this show's slow descent that we will never hear...

Yup, overly-dramatic and bitter, too. You betcha.

[ edited by QuoterGal on 2007-05-18 19:00 ]

QuoterGal | May 18, 21:59 CET

Sadly, American networks (even the ugly green one) are designed from the top on down to make money. Even awards for outstanding programs & performances are used in-house to promote their shows and increase ratings in order to make more money on ad revenue, syndication/performance rights, and DVD sales. That is how it works.

I myself saw Veronica Mars as a sort of heir apparent to Buffy. Although I will miss the show, I can't say it's departure has been unexpected or unwarranted. Ignoring the various arguments over the show's perceived quality, three years is a long time to produce a show with VM's ratings.

From an ad sales point of view, there were entire episodes of VM that were sponsored by only one company (Aerie in the fall, most recently Cover Girl.) Imagine if that company felt they weren't getting enough value for their money. How can a network justify the cost of production when they can't sell ad space? I'm not saying that this is the case with Veronica Mars.

What I am saying is that a show like VM, heavy on the serial, wouldn't play well in syndication. They've shown they can move DVD boxed sets, but producing and airing an entire season's worth of any television show just to capitalize on projected sales is foolhardy at best.

However, it's not unprecedented for a well-loved series with an established fanbase to consider moving to a cable network. Put Veronica Mars, F.B.I. on USA Network and I'm in like Flynn. Or shorten the season down to eight episodes to run on consecutive weeks (like Lost or 24). It's worked gangbusters for BBC productions.

In any case, I will miss that fiesty little porcupine and the wonderful-cum-miserable people in her world. But hey, at least we got our Whedon episode in the can!

"Renting cars is a basic human need, like eating or sleeping or trying on shoes...we’re like the minstrels of old. I think about these things, okay? We’re like the minstrels of old, going from town to town, maybe singing, maybe entertaining people. People need that-the way they need to rent cars...See, I’m thinking about these things in my off hours. What are you thinking about? You’re not even here when you’re here, okay? I’m here! I’m doubly here, there’s two of me. I’m in the front, I’m in the back. I’m working here, I’m helping them. Why? Because there’s none of you. Maybe you should just think, 'What can I do better? What could be better about me, about Stacey?' Stacey who works at Lariat, who works for Lariat, okay? Who is a Lariat girl."

[ edited by blutortu on 2007-05-18 19:48 ]

blutortu | May 18, 22:46 CET

So, the CW is only going to be on one night next season. And if the hip, happening kids don't show up to watch the desperate pandering, then probably, for real, no nights the season after.

dreamlogic | May 18, 23:51 CET

Kinda' thinking the CW only has a few seasons up its leg anyhoo.

Madhatter | May 19, 00:10 CET

Hey guys..

I can honestly say I never got attached to Veronica Mars. Watching it just made me pine for the Buffy series, because for me it had a lot of the things that made the basic structure of the first three seasons of Buffy, but without any of the cool extras that made Buffy stand out.

It's like Buffy was a cool model car on the showroom floor, but VM was that same car just before it pulled out of the warehouse. VM was a chassis and engine but didn't have the plush bucket seats and the radio with the cool speakers and the seatbelts weren't installed yet. Buffy had all the trimmings and was all shiny.

VM was in some ways nothing like Buffy, but it was enough like Buffy that I just found myself wishing it was Buffy. This is an irrational thought cuz it shouldn't be and couldn't be, but that's what I wanted. So it's like if you found yourself in a chinese restaurant cuz friends went there and you're sitting there sipping on wonton and what you really wanted was a pizza?

It's not that VM was bad? It's just not ever what I wanted. If Buffy was cookies, VM had all the fixins for cookies, but wasn't cooked like it was cookies. It was cooked like it was something less cookie-ey.

I refuse to watch anything on FOX and have been that way pretty much since Firefly and Tru Calling were purposefully killed by short-sighted executive types. When UPN & WB merged, I didn't care to jump on the CW bandwagon. If not for Lost & Heroes I probably would never turn the TV on. Occasionally I watch Medium. I used to like Numbers but not so much now. Raines looked promising but of course NBC nixed that.

It's not that I'm sad to see VM go. I'm sad for you guys. =) Cheer up though. There's always the DVDs.

ZachsMind | May 19, 00:25 CET

Long time no see. I missed your posts.

Simon | May 19, 01:47 CET

ZachsMind, I love your cookie v. cookie fixins analogy. I enjoyed the first season of Veronica Mars. It was promising, and it's possible I wouldn't have had the same enthusiasm for it had Buffy still been on TV. However, it was promising, and I think VM went wrong after that first season. They just couldn't top it, couldn't keep that momentum going for other big mysteries. In the second season, they tried to recreate it the first but with a bigger mystery...instead of one murder, it's a mass murder, it's explosions. I don't know. It just seems like the writers had too much on their minds. They had pressure from the studio and the fans, and while other shows deal with the same pressures, those pressures just felt more obvious on VM than any other show I've watched. It's sad because even though I know VM isn't as great as it could've been, I still want it to be on for another season. I guess I can hope for a film noir Veronica Mars movie?

Celina | May 19, 02:05 CET

I've actually always preferred to S2 to S1. More complex, more engaging, more realistic, better writing, better acting; it's like S1 was Spider-Man, meaning it's fantastic and I love it and can't get enough of it...but then S2 steps up its game and becomes Spider-Man 2, making the great first season look bad (not literally). And then, keeping with the unfortunately accurate comparison, S3 and Spider-Man 3's lackluster qualities go hand-in-hand.

UnpluggedCrazy | May 19, 02:44 CET

Dreck that was season three, you won't find dialogue like that anywhere on TV now. I'm totally bummed. VM, you will be missed. Sorely.

Fitz | May 19, 11:06 CET

I really tried to like Veronica Mars. Any show highly recommended by Joss deserved a little attention at least. Never really worked for me though. I watched all of season one and maybe five episodes short of the second season but by that point I was actually having to make an effort to remember to watch it and that told me that it just wasn't for me. In the end I think I was watching it solely for the lovely Kristen Bell and as lovely and talented as she is, that wasn't enough. Sorry for all you VM fans to see it go but it isn't a show that I'm going to personally miss.

Supernatural, on the other hand, would have been a massive loss to my tv week. It was the last of my must-watch shows to be renewed this year and so I was very happy when the news came through. Now I know that all six of my favourite series (24, Battlestar Galactica, Lost, Supernatural, Heroes and Dexter) will have brand new episodes for me next year, and in the cases of 24 and Lost that guarantee looks to be for the next two and three years, respectively. All in all, I really can't complain.

D-Monik | May 19, 14:23 CET

Late back, but thanks Boffo for the update on Capra - we did miss him so much, glad to hear what was really going on (and I suspect that explains a bunch about his physical appearance, which had me worried...)

Kirochka | May 19, 18:49 CET

Does anyone have any idea will the season three DVD set still be released? I'd guess tentatively that it will be, simply because they will probably want to make at least some money from the show since they've already made the season, and the fact that a lot of other shows which have been cancelled have still got DVD releases... The OC springs to mind as a good comparison because it also ended this year on a slightly shortened season, and having had previous seasons released before. So I'm crossing my fingers.

To be honest although it's definitely annoying, I do know that there will be other shows that I will still be interested in. At least the work of people like Joss means that there are a lot more quality TV dramas, particularly in the sci-fi and fantasy genre, so I can console the loss of VM by still enjoying shows like Lost, BSG and The 4400.

And news like this just reminds me again how lucky we were to have a full seven seasons of Buffy and five of Angel... given the current attitudes the networks have now, I'm not sure we would have got anywhere near as much if Buffy was only starting its first season next year, it would probably be cancelled before the end of the first season and Angel would never have existed.

Razor | May 19, 20:21 CET