What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this series features violence and
sexual references. Although the program is set in high school,
it deals with very adult themes -- including murder, greed,
infidelity, gang violence, and date rape -- and should be
prescreened before allowing kids to tune in.
Families can talk about the positives and negatives of high
school popularity. How does Veronica's change in status affect
her actions? They can also talk about the race and class issues
that the show raises -- do teens see these types of problems in
their own community?
Set in the wealthy California town of Neptune, VERONICA MARS is the story of a plucky 17-year-old detective (Kristin Bell) whose picture-perfect popular existence is cut short when her best friend/boyfriend's sister, Lilly Kane, is murdered. After a lowlife is arrested and convicted of the crime, Veronica's dad, town sheriff Keith (Enrico Colantoni), becomes convinced that Lilly's much-admired father is the real murderer. While Keith is deposed from office for his unpopular opinions and abandoned by his wife, Veronica remains steadfastly by his side. To support himself and his daughter, Keith sets up shop as a private eye. While he investigates crimes, a now-hardened Veronica does her own work on the sly for students falsely accused of crimes.
On the surface, Veronica Mars may appear to be yet another rich-kids-gone-bad teen melodrama, but thanks to witty dialogue, unique direction, and exceptional acting, this unpredictable neo-noir sets itself a cut above the rest. (That said, the show's storylines can often be dark, complicated, and scary for young viewers; one episode features a bus of school kids that goes off a cliff.)
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