YAY!!! I am so excited about this. A great girl going to a great show(not Buffy great but great)

SillyD | January 19, 23:21 CET

I just watched the pilot for the first time last night and enjoyed it much more than the one episode I had seen prior to it. I'm definitely intrigued enough to keep watching, epsecially with this news. I hope it ends up being more than a guest spot (unless she has something else going on that will take up her time).

Firefly Flanatic | January 19, 23:27 CET

Awesome. Fabulous. Yay!

k8cre8 | January 19, 23:30 CET

Well, guess I'll have to check out Veronica Mars now. Not that I had anything against it. It's just that when everyone says I 'should' love a show, and then call it 'the new Buffy', I get ornery.

Buffy at the time couldn't really be compared to other shows, and when people call new shows 'the new Buffy' they really mean it has lifted elements from Buffy which makes it pretty much not the new Buffy at all, just another show in it's wake. Which then reminds me of shows like 'Charmed' that I find abysmal or 'Smallville' that I find just mediocre. (And the list goes on and on)

But who knows, I may enjoy this.

EdDantes | January 19, 23:45 CET

I heard the idiot girl from Mean Girls was in Veronica Mars. All the more reason for me to start watching (though Aly's appearance just made me extremely interested).

BlindHawkeyes | January 19, 23:49 CET

Ed, I think that's why I was hesitant to watch it first time around too. I'm happy I caught the pilot last night because it sets up the show nicely. I wouldn't say it's like Buffy at all except that it's very clever and has an appealing cast.

Firefly Flanatic | January 19, 23:56 CET

EdDantes, I agree, I have the same reaction when people try to make comparisons to Buffy in general. Really? Only Buffy is Buffy.

Certainly, there are some thin similiarities. I agree with another reviewer (not sure where I saw this astute observation), that the comparisons that can be legitimately drawn between VM and Buffy really are fairly superficial. (i.e. the High School elements, outsiders vs. insiders, witty dialog, blond protagonist, etc). But, what Buffy did to break the rules of its genre, VM does to the teen-detective genre. She's not Nancy Drew getting knocked out every adventure, or living in a perfect world. She's tough (not superhero tough), witty, smart, and believable.

This has easily become my favorite new show of the season.

k8cre8 | January 19, 23:56 CET

OK, I may have pressed my "new Buffy" argument too hard, so I'll just shut up about that. But Ed? "Veronica Mars"? New Buffy or not, you'll like it. TRUST ME.

cjl | January 19, 23:58 CET

Thanks everyone, I'll definitely check it out. (But then Aly's appearance already assured that, hehe.) But I can be a bit of a high-maintenance viewer, so no guarantees of love in advance.

(Even the much-worshipped 'Lost' is still on 'I kinda like it' level rather than 'I LOVE IT!' level. I know, I know, I'd hate to make shows for me too...)

EdDantes | January 20, 00:11 CET

Honestly, EdDantes, I totally agree with you on Lost. I like it, but, don't love it. It's a far shot better than most things, but, I enjoy Veronica much more.

I've seen at least one episode of about half the new shows this season, and Veronica Mars is the show I've gotten the most pleasure from.

k8cre8 | January 20, 00:20 CET

Hey, don't blame "Veronica Mars" for what critics say about it! They're just groping for some way of expressing their approval that will catch the attention of the people who might enjoy this show. I'd advise overlooking the superficial similarities that people seem to focus on, such as the high-school setting and tiny blonde protagonist, in favor of the stuff that really matters: good writing and plotting, interesting characters, and a wonderful mix of drama and comedy. I'm slowly hoooking friends and family members on VM in much the same way that I did with "Buffy." Usually all it takes is one episode.

Prosperina | January 20, 00:56 CET

I have not been watching VM -- caught the pilot episode the first time around and thought it was interesting, but, with limited TV time, I just didn't follow up. But I caught the pilot again last night, liked it even better than before, and now with AH guesting, I'll just have to make time for this. I hope it becomes a recurring role for her!!!

palehorse | January 20, 01:07 CET

About time she got some new work. I need my Aly Fix. LOL

BufSlyAngel | January 20, 02:33 CET

Not the first time a former "Buffy" actor appeared. Adam Kaufman, the infamous Parker Abrams, was on an ep in November. However, Aly's a much much bigger deal.

TheJoyofZeppo | January 20, 03:22 CET

As far as i know there is still no news on where (or whether for that matter) this is airing over here in the UK. From the style of the show i would guess it would be destined for Sky One but with E4, Living TV, SciFi and Bravo all making efforts to get first run genre shows these days you just don't know for sure.

Hopefully there will be some news soon because i do want to give this series a try.

Kaine | January 20, 03:26 CET

Already up as a topic thread at Television Without Pity:

"Trina Echolls: Is She Evil, Skanky, or Kinda Gay?"

cjl | January 20, 04:06 CET

I've seen a couple of episodes of Veronica Mars on a friend's recommendation, and while I do think it's an interesting show, and has great writing, I don't really like how the lead actress (Kristin Bell?) delivers her lines. I just think she has this kinda smug know-it-all way of deliverying everything, especially her quips. But I'll definately watch when Aly comes on, and maybe it'll grow on me then.

kylie | January 20, 04:15 CET

I'm sure that if a lot of Jossverse fans tune in to see Alyson Hannigan and there's a significant spike - err, maybe not the right word there ;) - in the ratings, they'd bend over backwards to get her back. I think it also depends on how the character of Trina Echolls is portrayed.

I interviewed Kristen Bell for my website a few weeks ago and she sounded VERY excited about this "guest star" who of course we now know to be AH. If AH has that effect on cast mates, it may be possible. I just don't know if AH wants to be pigeonholed into the whole "being on a teen show with a blond protagonist on a small network" thing.

But really, getting someone like AH I think is a smart thing to do. Heck, I almost watched The Mountain to see James Marsters, but then I had to sit and think "But it's the Mountain." AH is definitely on my list of Buffy alums that I'd love to see on new projects. So, excited now. :)

Kryptonsite | January 20, 05:01 CET

I've watched the pilot a few days ago, and I found it rather boring.
Maybe I should give it a second chance...

Zamm | January 20, 05:58 CET

Damn, I missed the pilot. Now, I'll probably have to wait for the DVDs. I hate coming into shows mid-season!

Knuckleball | January 20, 07:54 CET

Its a great show. I wish people would stop would the Buffy comparisons(positive or otherwise), becuase then other people tune in expecting to see BTVS, which its defenitely not. But I'm repeating myself.

Kylie: Kristen Bell smug? Well, I don't know about that. I think she a good actress (for what thats worth). Did you see her on Deadwood?

I don't know if I'm not supposed to say this, but all you guys complaining about missing the pilot you could just download it...

sTalking_Goat | January 20, 13:37 CET

from http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/story/272905p-233686c.html

Several episodes is better than one!

buffbuff | January 20, 13:52 CET

Before, starting to watch it, I'd heard a lot of things about it. I even got very annoyed by all that Buffy comparison. But people I think a lot of people referred it as the "new Buffy", because it's the easier way to sell it to people, as VM is also a show with a lot of mixed genres, and how to sell it better, than refering to the best of it, plus there's that whole blonde petit main character-heroine angle.

This just reminded me a Stephen King quote I read a while back about Harry Potter: "I'm thankful that 'Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell', by Susanna Clarke, was almost as good as its lyrical first reviews...but it's not Harry Potter for grown-ups, as so many of them said. Harry Potter is Harry Potter for grown-ups, you dweebs."

A friend of mine finally got me hooked up on VM, I'm really enjoying it, and I do consider it along with Lost, the best new shows on the air. But just like Ed, can't really say I love it, but I'm enjoying it. But it was something similar with Buffy, I was hooked from the beginning, but it took until Prophecy Girl, so I'd declare that I love Buffy.

Seeing Aly on Veronica Mars will be very interesting, I really miss seeing her on screen, just hope she won't have to take the "former Buffy's sidekick" tagline everywhere she goes.

Numfar PTB | January 20, 19:18 CET