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dangermousieAfter many rewatches, 1.04, "The Wrath of Con" is near the top of my favorite eps. It really improves more and more with each viewing.
The thing that struck me so much on this rewatch, the thing that makes the episode for me (though the present day parts are awesome too, and I'll go more into them later) is that it's the first real glimpse we get into the 'before,' the first time we realize the 'core' nature of these characters, the first time we see what they lost and how far from normal they are now. There are hints of all this in the previous ep (1.03 Meet John Smith), but it's here we see that Veronica did lose something amazing with Lilly's death and her 'position,' not just regard of snobby bitches like Madison. She is truly happy, somewhat naive, wholly adorable. I prefer V 2.0 but I feel sorry for the shy giddy girl in her white dress, babbling to Duncan about how wonderful he is because he is a virgin too. And we see Duncan pre-drugs and he is a wonderful guy. And of course, he never goes to this baseline after S1 ends, just as V doesn't go back to V 1.0 no matter how she wants to. It's a pity re: Duncan because this is the only version of Duncan that makes me swoon a bit. When he takes the blame for all four of them being out all night (and Celeste IS a favoritist bitch. I can see why Lilly acts out), even though it was clearly Lilly's idea. Or when he does that small wave at V before going back into the house. It's all lovely. And of course there is Logan. I know that the writers decided to hook Veronica and Logan with 1.06, but I always think things really started for this and the groundwork was laid in this particular ep.
Just as with Duncan, if you look hard enough, there are hints in 1.03 that Logan isn't just a chrismatic jerk (for one, he and Duncan hang out and seem to have guy fun and he looks briefly concerned when Duncan summersaults off the bleachers) but it's really this ep that made me sit up and go 'whoa' the first time I watched this. Logan is just as messed up by Lilly's death as Veronica is, and the Logan we meet in S1 is a huge product of this: he is acting out, lashing out really (I like how subtle RT is with this though. It's the spare flashbacks and little comments like Duncan's in 'Echolls Family Christmas' that Logan slowly's been going over to the 'Dark Side' or Aaron's comment to V in the car in 1.20 implying that Logan's got messed up recently and is a good influence on him and he seems to be getting back to normal). In a way, that is why he gloms onto Veronica so fast. Veronica isn't the only one who is really lonely. He loved Lilly (and he still can feel that after even finding out what she did, eeek) and he misses her and he is lonely. And Veronica fills that hole in his life, and then of course, much much more.
This is the first glimpse we get that Logan isn't this evil nemesis, but a former friend, and a really good one at that. This is a very neat lead-in bridge to a later revelation that Logan didn't just pick on V for the heck of it but because he is displacing and blames her for Lilly's death. And of course a neat reference to that deceptively throw-away moment in Pilot where we see Logan talk to V with tears in his eyes about her Dad and his pointing the finger at Jake. And of course leads to Logan's savior complex that is exacerbated by his mother's death and his desire and failure to save the women in his life and how I think, it finally gets fixed in NP where he WAS there. And he DID save the girl he loved and she lived. It's Logan's second chance (WoCD was also an attempt at it, of course). I love the continuity on this show with a scarily unhealthy love.
In flashback, Logan is adorably embarassed and uncomfortable when Lilly kisses him to make a point to Celeste L(can you see new, early s1 logan doing that? When hell freezes over). But the interesting thing is when he is in love with V and happy with her, some of that old Logan resurfaces. I get the sense that before Lilly's death, other than being a bit 'off' because of the abuse thing, Logan was largely a normal boy (and speaking of abuse, though not for long because the topic freaks me the hell out, that bit where he says 'it's my father's tux' when Duncan spills champaine on it, freaks me out because of what we find out about Aaron's domestic habits later).
And then there is Lilly. When Lilly says 'How many braless years do I have left?' I shudder. None, honey. and that's the tragedy of it. Yes, she was spoiled and selfish and I think a dreadful person, but didn't deserve to die so young. She was what, 16? 17? She definitely could have changed but didn't get that chance. On this rewatch I feel kinder towards her, as well.
Also, is Celeste just a smidge less abrasive in frashbacks too? I don't think she misses Lilly much though. She finally has the perfect daughter after all. When we see the fountain thing and Logan's tape, Duncan clearly is moved (and it's WoC that makes it clear that he really loved his sister) and Jake starts crying and I almost start crying with him as well (I cannot imagine what it must be like, to lose a daughter), but Celeste just looks put out that the video isn't what she wanted.
And this brings me to Logan's videotape. Which I love (you can see that whoever made this video really loved her. Love how it freezes on their kiss. V is not the only one thinking it was the perfect night and the rest an imitation.) How fitting, it's Lilly that is the cause of detente between V & L. When the announcement is made about Lilly's fountain in the beginning, both Logan and Veronica look equally vulnerable (Lilly is the one thing that can, at this point, get past their facade). And in this ep, there is a LOT more contact between them here than before, even of an unspoken kind (they even cut at one point from her to him...interesting).
When Logan offers to make tapes of Lilly for Duncan, it's not just wanting to help Duncan so Duncan won't have to do something that is clearly so emotionally devastating (assembling memorial footage of your dead sister ranks high on the list of horrible, IMO). It's also because he misses Lilly and he wants to see her again. And of course (as is sort of reconirmed throughout, especially in 2.10), the boy is a masochist and a part of him loves to pick at the scab over and over.
That scene of Logan sitting there watching Lilly, unattainable, on computer (for the memorial tape): what a parallel to him watching Lilly and Aaron in 2.0. (of course, Lilly in1.04 is Lilly at her best and in 2.10 at her worst, and it says a lot about Logan that he uses words like 'defile' in 2.10).
I love that comes in and he snipes at her but his heart is not in it and it's not mean. And there is pity in her eyes and I think that moment is the beginning of their detente right there. V misses lilly terribly, and you can see that during the scene with Logan making that video. They are both reminded of former friendship and connection and she realizes that he is lonely and hurt and lashing out ,and he is grateful for video help so he is reminded that she did love lilly too. Yup, Lilly is their start, how ironic. Love the look on her face when she walks off as he is still watching those Celeste-tapes, all lonely. It's such a speaking look on her part: it's pity and understanding at first and then it changes for that last instant into a look of pleasure when she realizes she can give him real Lilly, give the school real Lilly. She IS a marshmallow underneath it all (influence of V 1.0, I suppose). Veronica Mars best moments are quiet understated ones and it's during them some of the most important stuff happens (e.g. Logan holding her quietly in 2.22 and saying 'I am so sorry,' no grand dramatics) and I love that and this is one of the best examples of it.
I love Logan hunching his head into his shoulders in in the beginning of video and then looking around happy but somehow in this shy hopeless way that makes me want to hug him and tell him it will be ok (and then he'll kill me, of course) and then there is this acknowledgement look between him and V at the end. He looks grateful (and after that things re never the same between them).
Wallace and V are adorable with their 'Papa Bear?' 'Never Happened.' and quote of the ep goes to Wallace: 'My first college party. Drinking pina coladas with a dude and discussing math.' Heeee.
I love how Troy is kinda apprehensive of Keith now. I think every guy she's ever dated is (well, I don't think anything will really ever scare Logan insane any more but he is still apprehensive of Keith). Because every Dad is protective of his daughter, but a father who is PI? Heeee. Especially when all four of her bfs have been trouble one way or another (Leo the tape stealer, drug dealer Troy, coma baby epileptic Duncan, walking trouble that is Logan). I wonder if Logan knows Keith almost killed Aaron and what his thoughts are on that.
And in clothes news, V as anime girl is uber hot and as nerd girl hot too.
(Thoughts on You Think You Know Somebody)
The thing that struck me so much on this rewatch, the thing that makes the episode for me (though the present day parts are awesome too, and I'll go more into them later) is that it's the first real glimpse we get into the 'before,' the first time we realize the 'core' nature of these characters, the first time we see what they lost and how far from normal they are now. There are hints of all this in the previous ep (1.03 Meet John Smith), but it's here we see that Veronica did lose something amazing with Lilly's death and her 'position,' not just regard of snobby bitches like Madison. She is truly happy, somewhat naive, wholly adorable. I prefer V 2.0 but I feel sorry for the shy giddy girl in her white dress, babbling to Duncan about how wonderful he is because he is a virgin too. And we see Duncan pre-drugs and he is a wonderful guy. And of course, he never goes to this baseline after S1 ends, just as V doesn't go back to V 1.0 no matter how she wants to. It's a pity re: Duncan because this is the only version of Duncan that makes me swoon a bit. When he takes the blame for all four of them being out all night (and Celeste IS a favoritist bitch. I can see why Lilly acts out), even though it was clearly Lilly's idea. Or when he does that small wave at V before going back into the house. It's all lovely. And of course there is Logan. I know that the writers decided to hook Veronica and Logan with 1.06, but I always think things really started for this and the groundwork was laid in this particular ep.
Just as with Duncan, if you look hard enough, there are hints in 1.03 that Logan isn't just a chrismatic jerk (for one, he and Duncan hang out and seem to have guy fun and he looks briefly concerned when Duncan summersaults off the bleachers) but it's really this ep that made me sit up and go 'whoa' the first time I watched this. Logan is just as messed up by Lilly's death as Veronica is, and the Logan we meet in S1 is a huge product of this: he is acting out, lashing out really (I like how subtle RT is with this though. It's the spare flashbacks and little comments like Duncan's in 'Echolls Family Christmas' that Logan slowly's been going over to the 'Dark Side' or Aaron's comment to V in the car in 1.20 implying that Logan's got messed up recently and is a good influence on him and he seems to be getting back to normal). In a way, that is why he gloms onto Veronica so fast. Veronica isn't the only one who is really lonely. He loved Lilly (and he still can feel that after even finding out what she did, eeek) and he misses her and he is lonely. And Veronica fills that hole in his life, and then of course, much much more.
This is the first glimpse we get that Logan isn't this evil nemesis, but a former friend, and a really good one at that. This is a very neat lead-in bridge to a later revelation that Logan didn't just pick on V for the heck of it but because he is displacing and blames her for Lilly's death. And of course a neat reference to that deceptively throw-away moment in Pilot where we see Logan talk to V with tears in his eyes about her Dad and his pointing the finger at Jake. And of course leads to Logan's savior complex that is exacerbated by his mother's death and his desire and failure to save the women in his life and how I think, it finally gets fixed in NP where he WAS there. And he DID save the girl he loved and she lived. It's Logan's second chance (WoCD was also an attempt at it, of course). I love the continuity on this show with a scarily unhealthy love.
In flashback, Logan is adorably embarassed and uncomfortable when Lilly kisses him to make a point to Celeste L(can you see new, early s1 logan doing that? When hell freezes over). But the interesting thing is when he is in love with V and happy with her, some of that old Logan resurfaces. I get the sense that before Lilly's death, other than being a bit 'off' because of the abuse thing, Logan was largely a normal boy (and speaking of abuse, though not for long because the topic freaks me the hell out, that bit where he says 'it's my father's tux' when Duncan spills champaine on it, freaks me out because of what we find out about Aaron's domestic habits later).
And then there is Lilly. When Lilly says 'How many braless years do I have left?' I shudder. None, honey. and that's the tragedy of it. Yes, she was spoiled and selfish and I think a dreadful person, but didn't deserve to die so young. She was what, 16? 17? She definitely could have changed but didn't get that chance. On this rewatch I feel kinder towards her, as well.
Also, is Celeste just a smidge less abrasive in frashbacks too? I don't think she misses Lilly much though. She finally has the perfect daughter after all. When we see the fountain thing and Logan's tape, Duncan clearly is moved (and it's WoC that makes it clear that he really loved his sister) and Jake starts crying and I almost start crying with him as well (I cannot imagine what it must be like, to lose a daughter), but Celeste just looks put out that the video isn't what she wanted.
And this brings me to Logan's videotape. Which I love (you can see that whoever made this video really loved her. Love how it freezes on their kiss. V is not the only one thinking it was the perfect night and the rest an imitation.) How fitting, it's Lilly that is the cause of detente between V & L. When the announcement is made about Lilly's fountain in the beginning, both Logan and Veronica look equally vulnerable (Lilly is the one thing that can, at this point, get past their facade). And in this ep, there is a LOT more contact between them here than before, even of an unspoken kind (they even cut at one point from her to him...interesting).
When Logan offers to make tapes of Lilly for Duncan, it's not just wanting to help Duncan so Duncan won't have to do something that is clearly so emotionally devastating (assembling memorial footage of your dead sister ranks high on the list of horrible, IMO). It's also because he misses Lilly and he wants to see her again. And of course (as is sort of reconirmed throughout, especially in 2.10), the boy is a masochist and a part of him loves to pick at the scab over and over.
That scene of Logan sitting there watching Lilly, unattainable, on computer (for the memorial tape): what a parallel to him watching Lilly and Aaron in 2.0. (of course, Lilly in1.04 is Lilly at her best and in 2.10 at her worst, and it says a lot about Logan that he uses words like 'defile' in 2.10).
I love that comes in and he snipes at her but his heart is not in it and it's not mean. And there is pity in her eyes and I think that moment is the beginning of their detente right there. V misses lilly terribly, and you can see that during the scene with Logan making that video. They are both reminded of former friendship and connection and she realizes that he is lonely and hurt and lashing out ,and he is grateful for video help so he is reminded that she did love lilly too. Yup, Lilly is their start, how ironic. Love the look on her face when she walks off as he is still watching those Celeste-tapes, all lonely. It's such a speaking look on her part: it's pity and understanding at first and then it changes for that last instant into a look of pleasure when she realizes she can give him real Lilly, give the school real Lilly. She IS a marshmallow underneath it all (influence of V 1.0, I suppose). Veronica Mars best moments are quiet understated ones and it's during them some of the most important stuff happens (e.g. Logan holding her quietly in 2.22 and saying 'I am so sorry,' no grand dramatics) and I love that and this is one of the best examples of it.
I love Logan hunching his head into his shoulders in in the beginning of video and then looking around happy but somehow in this shy hopeless way that makes me want to hug him and tell him it will be ok (and then he'll kill me, of course) and then there is this acknowledgement look between him and V at the end. He looks grateful (and after that things re never the same between them).
Wallace and V are adorable with their 'Papa Bear?' 'Never Happened.' and quote of the ep goes to Wallace: 'My first college party. Drinking pina coladas with a dude and discussing math.' Heeee.
I love how Troy is kinda apprehensive of Keith now. I think every guy she's ever dated is (well, I don't think anything will really ever scare Logan insane any more but he is still apprehensive of Keith). Because every Dad is protective of his daughter, but a father who is PI? Heeee. Especially when all four of her bfs have been trouble one way or another (Leo the tape stealer, drug dealer Troy, coma baby epileptic Duncan, walking trouble that is Logan). I wonder if Logan knows Keith almost killed Aaron and what his thoughts are on that.
And in clothes news, V as anime girl is uber hot and as nerd girl hot too.
(Thoughts on You Think You Know Somebody)
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no subject
Date: 2006-06-25 09:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-27 02:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-26 08:21 am (UTC)You're right VM's big moments is indeed quite understated :)
no subject
Date: 2006-06-27 02:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-27 04:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-26 11:54 am (UTC)I actually just bought both seasons on DVD... :) *SQUEEEE*
Seriously. I need somebody to share my love with. My mom looks at me funny and calls it "teenybopper" and my brother raises his eyebrows. But he agrees that "Victoria Sparks", as he calls Veronica, is really hot.
You know, you've been going pretty L/V insane for a while now, but I love how you cannot see that in the first five or so episodes. I mean, UST that long would piss me off, and wow, character development.
And I still really like Weevil.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-27 02:29 am (UTC)victimconvert bites the dust :PI agree, you really cannot see LV in the first half of the season. You can read it in, in retrospect, but I know that when LV first got together, it was a completely unexpected thing, and that is why it was so cool.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-27 07:37 am (UTC)But Logan! Weevil! Duncan! Troy (now with a BMW)! And of course, Veronica!
They're really far more fleshed out, believable and complex than befits a teenage drama.
So I'm going to call VM that detective show I watch (with a little drama thrown in) because wow, addiction. :)
no subject
Date: 2006-06-27 11:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-27 11:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-27 03:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-26 11:08 pm (UTC)Ugh, Celeste. I never really thought of her as a character. More of a glarey post that could occassionally thwap you.
I like what you said about the tribute Lilly being the start of their detente. Who Lilly was and how important she was to them and what it was like to lose her is a bond that they will always share. An inescapable affinity, I guess. (This is also true of Duncan, I suppose, but because she was his sister in some way he has more claim to her memory or to grief. And he would have had her no matter what, whereas Logan and Veronica were so close to her due to choice.)
Rewatching this episode recently with my mom (we're working our way throgh it all) I also mentally responded to the "How many braless years do I have left?" line with "None." I, however, meant it in a "Girl, you need support NOW" way, not a tragic way, so clearly... I am a bad person.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-27 02:24 am (UTC)ROFL.
I do have to say Lilly was clearly well endowed. No wonder poor Veronica was tempted by Mammamax :P
Lilly was and how important she was to them and what it was like to lose her is a bond that they will always share. An inescapable affinity, I guess
And I really like that Lilly, or the thought of Lilly is always there, no matter if she's been replaced in Logan's heart by Veronica or if Veronica has finally made peace with her death. I love that as late as OAV, Logan refers to Lilly as 'love of his life.' Sure, he is being Loganishly theatrically (melo)dramatic, but I love that they never sweep her and what she meant to the characters under the rug.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-27 07:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-27 03:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-27 07:51 am (UTC)wrath of con has actually always been my favorite episode for some strange reason. Maybe it epitomizes why season 1 can never be beat, no matter what kind of mysteries they come up with next. Season 1 is so personal. Its about Veronica, about how her life has changed so painfully, and how she comes to terms with it (or tries)
I think looking back at high school most girls will remember having this one friend that you idolized more than anything. She wasnt necessarily a healthy role model to have, and was probably always getting you into trouble, but you always secretly wished that you could BE her. High school is all about being COOL, and veronica, being so close to the kanes, was cool by association. Ending up a loner (a tormented one at that) is painful to high schoolers in ways adults forget. (and most other tv shows overdo)
We watch the flashbacks and alternately feel regret for what she lost and relief that she is no longer that naive, awkward girl. Still, the loss of her perfect (however superficial -- but think high school) world makes it all the more bittersweet.
Anyway. My two cents :)
no subject
Date: 2006-06-27 03:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-27 10:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-27 03:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-27 08:22 pm (UTC)1.04 has always been my favorite episode of s1, along with 1.10, for some reason. I can't really collect any straight thoughts right now (because it's really late, i suppose:) ), but i agree with you in many parts and i really loved some of your ideas.
Anyway, it'd be great if you continued to do what you're doing:)
no subject
Date: 2006-06-27 09:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-27 09:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-27 09:54 pm (UTC)