Rebuttal: Veronica Mars Was Way Ahead Of It's Time, But It Wasn't Perfect

Rebuttal:  Veronica Mars Was Way Ahead Of It's Time, But It Wasn't Perfect

(reference:  https://www.cracked.com/article_26554_veronica-mars-was-way-ahead-its-time-yet-crazy-dated.html )

Veronica Mars captured a strong, devoted fanbase in three short years on a channel usually written off as "teen-ish" or "teenybopper," in that back in that time, UPN and CW were not known for their adult fare.  Supernatural springs to mind as an example of that, and the show has matured with the network.  Veronica Mars, however, had the misfortune of coming along during the changeover period from UPN to CW, and coming along a few years ahead of it's time.

As noted in the Cracked article, Veronica Mars did tackle a good number of topics that were prescient for their time, but ho-hum for today.  And yet, as with many other television shows that age gracefully, they're still relevant.



Inequality of all kinds were dealt with, including that of income inequality (the 09ers and the PCHers, or pretty much the rich people of Neptune CA and the people who work for them), racial inequality (the Hispanic/Latino biker club PCH), gender issues (homosexuality, bullying because of sexual orientation, sexual assault, revenge porn), teenage pregnancy, the risks of promiscuity, child abuse, broken families, teacher/student relationships, and an early plot twist that seems par for today's course in the #MeToo movement.

But what the Cracked article seemed most intent on is implying that as a show, Veronica Mars did not deal with sexual assault, or rape.  Veronica herself was victim of a date rape, which she tried to report.  The sheriff, Don Lamb, refused to take her report, accusing her of having no proof, no suspect, and was not even willing to take a rape kit or follow any other procedures that should have happened when Veronica reported it.

That's not misrepresenting anything.  Even Cracked agrees that this sort of thing happens all the time--which makes this a narrative choice, a narrative device that sets up the character of Veronica Mars and her traumatic past that affects her even as she goes about her adult life.

In a later episode of the first season, Veronica is approached by a young woman in her school, Carmen, who is being blackmailed by her boyfriend into remaining in a relationship with him because he has a video of her from a party, the same party Veronica went to.  It is through investigating this, and trying to help Carmen, that Veronica discovers both were drugged with GHB and from there, follows the drugs back to the party where she was raped.

I won't spoil anything else, because frankly, it's too good for me to tell you.  You have to experience it, and believe me, if you do, you will realize that Veronica Mars is not "brushing over" anything.  They are emotional gut-punches because you are going on this journey with a rape victim, and you are watching her put together the clues to what happened to her.

The Cracked article also addresses Dick Casablancas.

A character who deserves his nickname many times over, Dick is a vital part of the storyline from the first.  He is directly involved in the drugs that cause Veronica's rape; he is the one who urges his little brother to take advantage of her.  He is the one who drugs the drink that Veronica is eventually given.

Please watch the episodes.  Dick and Veronica are never really friends.  She tolerates him, but especially after her part in uncovering the real estate fraud being committed by Dick's father?  They actively dislike each other.  Nobody is "brushing over" anything; he is a part of Veronica's existence and she treats him as such.  He's background noise, he lives with Logan and she does her level best to deal with him.

That's not brushing anything aside.  That's a part of recovery.  Dick was not her rapist; Dick's little brother was.  (Who was in turn raped by another adult, and so Beaver is simply perpetuating the cycle.)  You recover, and you move on.

The Cracked article also tries to address the campus rapist storyline.

By bringing up the faked rape, Cracked is waving a flag, blowing a dog whistle, however you wish to address it.  It's claiming that the show is valuing fake reports, holding them up as a good thing.

No.  They aren't.  Please watch the episode in question.  The fake rape is investigated just as the others, found false, and treated appropriately.  It's not held up as the thing to do, there's no self-congratulatory moment of *look how clever we are.*  It's a reprehensible thing to do, and is treated as such.

That isn't brushing it over, either.

That's showing that when people are hurt, and justice isn't done?  Sometimes people do stupid things.  Not good, not bad, just stupid and hurtful.  And it is treated as such.

For some reason, Cracked seems willing to gloss over all this.