TV Update Six

Veronica Mars. God, I love this show. I spent what seems like a quarter of my time on the old blog trying to get the word to those of you who were overlooking this four-leaf clover. Which was most of you.

Now I'm just gonna say: The second-season premiere was the kind of season-opener where you can't quite believe they packed so many things into it. It set-up this year's "Who Killed Lilly Kane?"; actually, it set up a couple of "Who Killed Lilly Kane?'s" They upped the stakes, as they say in Burbank, California, and the script was as smart as I've come to expect from Rob Thomas.

Kristen Bell was as good as or better than ever, surrounded by the stalwart supporting cast. Please god, let that "Emmy Idol" thing have paid off, because UPN, in what some might call a perverse show of bravado, have scheduled her show opposite Lost.

You remember that list I talked about last month of

movies that have female characters that aren't unbelievable icons of strength or bumbling idiots or some other stereotype but actual well-written, believable characters[?]

Well, that list was of movies but if we're talking about TV characters, then Veronica Mars is near or at the top of the list.

Oh, and they also had Charisma Carpenter in a bikini...and less.
Charisma Carpenter can act, as those of us who remember the best days of Buffy and Angel know, but let's not kid ourselves: She knows how to stuff a wild bikini. So let me run this down for you:

Multiple mysteries, smart writing, good acting, a strong woman centerpiece and eye candy like that. What more can they do? Just watch a little, will ya?