Entertainment
The Neo Noir Classic On Netflix That’s Perfect For Buffy The Vampire Slayer Fans
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
One of the reasons that fans are so excited about the upcoming Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot is that the original show was unlike anything else they had ever seen on television. It prominently featured a woman in a male-dominated genre (namely, demon slaying), and it did so through a killer combination of quippy comedy and heartpounding melodrama. Fans can’t help but be excited for the reboot because they are collectively asking the same question: “where else can I see something so well-written and innovative?”
As it turns out, you can see it on Netflix: the streamer is now showing Veronica Mars (2004), a noir detective show with a spunky female protagonist just as funny as everyone’s favorite Slayer. It remains one of the most highly-rated shows in television history, one that influenced countless other series while launching the career of Kristen Bell. If you’re ready to discover your new binge-worthy favorite while waiting for the Buffy reboot, then it’s past time you stream Veronica Mars on Netflix.
A Show That You Can’t Stop Watching
The premise of Veronica Mars is that the titular character is the daughter of a detective, and she solves mysteries of her own in the quirky town of Neptune, California. While she solves smaller cases (especially in Season 3), the show is mostly known for season-long mysteries, and part of the charm of watching is putting the clues together at the same time our plucky protagonist is doing so. Even if you don’t enjoy mystery shows all that much, Veronica Mars is perfectly entertaining because its tight scripts are filled with hilariously cynical comedy punctuated by moments of poignant, character-driven reflection.
The cast of Veronica Mars includes some amazing character actors, including Jason Dohring (best known outside this show for Deep Impact) as Veronica’s bad-boy boyfriend. Percy Daggs III (best known outside of this show for The New Adventures of Peter and Wendy) plays Veronica’s best friend and mystery-solving partner, while Enrico Colantoni (best known for Galaxy Quest) plays her father, a professional private investigator. Meanwhile, Francis Capra (best known for A Bronx Tale) plays a biker gang leader with a heart of gold.
The Bell Of The Ball
Everyone involved gives excellent performances, but nobody does it better than Kristen Bell, who instantly transforms Veronica Mars into one of television’s best characters. Veronica’s constantly a study in contradictions: her dainty beauty hides a tough-as-nails personality, just as her cynical humor hides a borderline manic urge to do the right thing. She’s fierce, funny, and fearless, serving as a worthy inheritor to the tough girl crown once worn so capably by Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
When Veronica Mars premiered, it was nothing short of a television sensation: showrunner Rob Thomas gambled that audiences would love a neo noir show from a female point of view, and he was completely right. The first season of the series was hailed as a critically-acclaimed masterpiece, and the show was nominated for prestigious awards, including four Saturn Awards. Following the show’s untimely cancellation after Season 3, sheer fan demand and a successful Kickstarter campaign helped it get a satisfying follow-up film, and a final fourth season would later air on Hulu.
Comedy That Leaves You Grinning
Veronica Mars put a new spin on an old genre, and reviewers longing for something new ate it up with a spoon. On Rotten Tomatoes, the show has a 92 percent rating, with critics praising the show for the whip-smart writing and amazing characterization that make this genre show a spiritual sequel to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. They also singled out Kristen Bell, commending her for a career-making performance that showcased a full range of her prodigious talents as both a comedic and dramatic actor.
The critics were certainly right to single out Bell: she gives a singular performance here that helped launch one of the most rewardingly eclectic careers in Hollywood. If not for her success in Veronica Mars, she would likely never have starred as the titular character in the raunchy classic Forgetting Sarah Marshall, nor would she have headlined The Good Place, the tightest-written TV comedy since Community. Of course, it helped that Bell was so great right out of the gate: she was in her early ‘20s when the show started, but that didn’t keep her from acting circles around colleagues much older than her.
The high quality of Veronica Mars’ writing and acting helps elevate material that would otherwise have made far less of a cultural impact. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of neo noir, and the streaming era has taught me to really hate season-long mystery arcs. But this show makes both its noir theming and mysteries compelling through breezy humor and constant characterization, both of which will leave you watching episodes long after you should have gone to bed.
Time To Grab The Remote
Overall, Veronica Mars is sublime, offering rewarding stories that often transcend the medium itself. The mysteries in this show are worthy of great literature (eat your heart out, Raymond Chandler), and the characters are straight out of a high-end Broadway play. Finally, the epic scope of the season-long stories is just as compelling as any film, and mystery lovers should take note that Veronica Mars is head and shoulders better than the latest Knives Out movie.
Are you ready to embrace your inner gumshoe and dive into your new favorite show, or will you think it’s a mystery why everyone loves Veronica Mars? The only way to find out is to head home (wave down a friendly biker if you need a ride!) and stream this show on Netflix. Come for the killer theme song and stay for one of the most innovative new characters of the 21st century.
