Investigating Veronica Mars : Essays on the Teen Detective Series

"Essays explore many aspects of the teen detective series, including Veronica Mars and vintage television; the search for the mother; fatherhood; how the show relates to the classical Greek paradigm; feminist anger and vigilante justice; the anti-hero's journey; the intergenerational audience; rape narrative and meaning; and television fandom, among others"--Provided by publisher.;Canonical Veronica: Veronica Mars and vintage television / Rhonda V. Wilcox and Sue Turnbull -- Rob Thomas and television creativity / David Lavery -- Performing Veronica Mars / Sue Turnbull -- So Cal Piete: Veronica Mars, Logan Echolls and the search for the mother / Rhonda V. Wilcox -- "Who's your daddy?": issues of fatherhood / Sarah A. Leavitt and Lewis A. Leavitt -- Family matters: Antigone, Veronica and the classical Greek paradigm / Stan Beeler -- Rethinking "the getting even part": feminist anger and vigilante justice in a post-9/11 America / Tamy Burnett and Melissa Townsend -- "Get my revenge on": the anti-hero's journey / Paul Zinder -- This teen sleuth's tricks aren't just for kids: connecting with an intergenerational audience / Lisa Emmerton -- "We used to be friends": breaking up with America's sweetheart / Sophie Mayer -- "No longer that girl": rape narrative and meaning in Veronica Mars / Sarah Whitney -- Neptune (non- )consensual: the risky business of television fandom, falling in love and playing the victim / Tanya R. Cochran -- Episode credits -- Cast credits -- Contributors. During the course of its three seasons, Veronica Mars captured the attention of fans and academics alike. The 12 scholarly essays in this collection examine the show's most compelling elements. Topics covered include vintage television, the search for the mother, fatherhood, the show's connection to classical Greek paradigms, the anti-hero's journey, rape narrative and meaning, and television fandom. Collectively, these essays reveal how a teen television show--equal parts noir, romance, social realism and father-daughter drama--became a worthy subject for scholarly study. Cover 1 Acknowledgments 6 Table of Contents 8 Introduction 10 1. Rob Thomas and Television Creativity 32 2. Performing Veronica Mars 44 3. So Cal Pietà 58 4. “Who’s Your Daddy?” 76 5. Family Matters 91 6. Rethinking “The Getting Even Part” 104 7. “Get My Revenge On” 119 8. This Teen Sleuth’s Tricks Aren’t Just for Kids 132 9. “We Used to Be Friends” 146 10. “No Longer That Girl” 161 11. Neptune (Non-)Consensual 176 Episode Credits 198 Cast Credits 201 Contributors 202 Index 206 A collection of essays that explore various aspects of the teen detective series, including Veronica Mars and vintage television; the search for the mother; fatherhood; how the show relates to the classical Greek paradigm; feminist anger and vigilante justice; the anti-hero's journey; the intergenerational audience; rape narrative and meaning; and television fandom.