Veronica: Now or Later?

March 22, 2014 8:41 AM

I love Veronica Mars. I am almost finished with the second season (I project finishing it on Monday). I have not seen any of the third season. Should I finish the 2nd season before I see the movie? Should I even have seen the 3rd season? Please bear in mind that on the one hand I really don't want the movie to give me spoilers for the show, but on the other hand I don't want to be scratching my head in the movie because of allusions to things I should have seen in the show but haven't yet. On the other, other hand, seeing it on the big screen would be very nice. Please advise.
posted by ubiquity to Media & Arts (15 answers total)

I would say at least start the 3rd season, because a fairly major character in the film is introduced in the 3rd season. Plus, the more of the show you've seen, the more of the jokes you'll get in the movie!
posted by firei at 8:45 AM on March 22, 2014 [1 favorite]

I'd agree with firei, if you have the time then watch the third season first. It really does help with the film. You will also be slightly spoiled for season 3, just because the film happens after it and so certain developments have, well, you know, developed.

However, if you know you won't get season 3 finished before it leaves the cinema, and you really appreciate the big screen then go on ahead. Season 3 is the weakest of the 3 and so it being slightly spoiled won't ruin it.
posted by Fence at 8:52 AM on March 22, 2014

If you have time, you should see the 3rd season. There are no spoilers for the two major mysteries, but there are spoilers for other fairly major events in that season.
posted by jeather at 8:57 AM on March 22, 2014

Yeah, watch the third season. There are a lot of references to it in the movie. Plus it sounds like VMars will be in theaters for at least a couple more weeks.
posted by goodbyewaffles at 9:19 AM on March 22, 2014

Definitely watch the third season. Stuff happens towards the end of the third season that is called back to in the film.
posted by donajo at 9:41 AM on March 22, 2014

We just saw it last night. We saw the first two seasons shortly after they came out, felt 2 was substantially weaker than 1, heard that 3 was an even bigger dropoff and never bothered to watch it. I honestly barely remember the plot of the first two seasons, or even which season was which. Didn't matter. The point of Veronica Mars isn't who killed who, it's the snap, and if you love that Veronica Mars snap, you'll get plenty from the movie.

Also, when we saw it last night, one week after release, there were six other people in the theater with us, so I wouldn't count on it being on the big screen forever. I think a lot of the audience for this movie is watching it on the laptop.
posted by escabeche at 9:42 AM on March 22, 2014

It's worth seeing the third season, definitely, but if you see the movie now, you might just connect the references later as you view the rest of the show. Both are definitely worth watching. The 3rd season did drop a little, but it was complicated by the new setting (VM at college) and the problem it had at the time of keeping an audience because it was more of serial than a lot of shows, and didn't always strike the balance between being arc-driven and episodic. IIRC, they moved towards more-episodic in the last season.
posted by Sunburnt at 10:22 AM on March 22, 2014

I saw (and enjoyed) the movie yesterday, without having watched the third season. I thought it stood on its own, and the stuff that I assume was Important-Stuff-from-Season-3 was brought up organically when necessary.
posted by mixedmetaphors at 10:26 AM on March 22, 2014

If you just sorta like the show, go ahead and skip the third. But if you really love it, the third is by far the weakest, but the film payoff is best if you suffered through it.
posted by Sequence at 11:47 AM on March 22, 2014 [1 favorite]

I'm going against the grain - go see the movie in the theatre. It's better than season 3. I love Veronica Mars too, but the third season is a shadow of what made the show great.
posted by something something at 2:53 PM on March 22, 2014

I'm with something something. Seeing the film in a cinema with other fans was a great experience.
posted by Georgina at 6:36 PM on March 22, 2014

There is one joke that pays off only if you have seen the bonus material at the end of the third season. . .

I just came from seeing it and I cannot tell you how much I loved it.
posted by Danf at 9:16 PM on March 22, 2014 [3 favorites]

I did say "suffered" but I want to clarify that it is really not all that painful. Third season is not nearly as good as the first two, but I would still categorize it as better than most other television options available today. But I was also perfectly happy watching the movie at home, although that was part necessity given the drive required to get to an AMC.
posted by Sequence at 10:38 PM on March 22, 2014

Definitely finish the second season.

Watch the 3rd season if you can manage it. There are characters and elements in the third season that are relied on in the film. But it's not totally essential. You'll probably still enjoy the film without it.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 3:44 PM on March 23, 2014

Response by poster: Thanks for all your thoughts. I think I will go ahead and watch the 3rd season and then find the film.
posted by ubiquity at 8:13 AM on April 2, 2014