VM 3.3 Wichita Linebacker

[Lola m]

Fotada - another excellent one!

I loved all the questions and using them as a way to organize your review / analysis - the them of doubt and questioning as the path to wisdom. I find I use this method of questioning a lot with VM - especially in the earlier eps. It really helps me identify what are the issues and themes; what should we be watching and so on.

In particular, I think we need to be looking at the following particular issues, as illustrated by specific questions you raised:

• What is the college experience supposed to be?
  
  
• Who decides how the sexual aspect of a relationship will work, and how is is decided?
  
  
• What role do you play as you move into adulthood - are you a football player or a philosopher? Do you side with the Lampoon or Lilith House? And, more importantly, do you really have to choose such a narrow role at all, can't you be all of them and more?
  

I really appreciated your breakdown of the back and forthing of Veronica and Logan's relationship and the connection to the Witchita Lineman lyrics.

Also? Your "heart was in the right place" opener was very clever; linking the question being asked of Veronica to and her later actions . . . nice!

[Pixi]

Fotada - I really love your reviews. Such an interesting take on this episode. Loved the focus on the questions and the listing of question after question. I also really enjoyed the analysis of Wichita Lineman. I too was googling the song and thinking about the lyrics and I think this song plays on a lot of different levels. Along with what you posted to me it so sings out about Veronica's feeling about Logan

And I need you more than want you - (playing to all the conflicted feelings she has)
And I want you for all time (in this episode more than any other, I felt that Veronica was in love with Logan. For the first time, I really felt her feelings)
And the Wichita Lineman is still on the line (to me this plays out to she's still there, she's trying, she's attempting to make this work).

Loved it. The original title of this show was Friday Night Sleights - which they changed since it was too close to Friday Night Lights and while the title isn't quite as quippy, I feel that it added many layers - as always - to the show.

[Michelle]

lolam said:

I find I use this method of questioning a lot with VM - especially in the earlier eps. It really helps me identify what are the issues and themes; what should we be watching and so on.

That's very smart! And that is why I like VM--it encourages viewers to ask questions.

In particular, I think we need to be looking at the following particular issues, as illustrated by specific questions you raised:

• What is the college experience supposed to be?
  
  
• Who decides how the sexual aspect of a relationship will work, and how is is decided?
  
  
• What role do you play as you move into adulthood - are you a football player or a philosopher? Do you side with the Lampoon or Lilith House? And, more importantly, do you really have to choose such a narrow role at all, can't you be all of them and more?
  

Very good question! I like your suggestion that it's unhealthy to pigeonhole yourself into one type of person. We're all on a sliding scale.

Thanks so much for giving me feedback, Lola!!

[Michelle]

pixi said:

Fotada - I really love your reviews. Such an interesting take on this episode. Loved the focus on the questions and the listing of question after question. I also really enjoyed the analysis of Wichita Lineman. I too was googling the song and thinking about the lyrics and I think this song plays on a lot of different levels. Along with what you posted to me it so sings out about Veronica's feeling about Logan

And I need you more than want you - (playing to all the conflicted feelings she has)
And I want you for all time (in this episode more than any other, I felt that Veronica was in love with Logan. For the first time, I really felt her feelings)
And the Wichita Lineman is still on the line (to me this plays out to she's still there, she's trying, she's attempting to make this work).

Ooh, great analysis! I love reading your thoughts, Pixi. I agree completely. This was the episode where I really believed Veronica loved Logan. And did you notice? This is the first ep where she referred to him as her boyfriend!

Funny aside: when I saw the title was "Wichita Linebacker," I knew it was a song by Glenn Campbell, but I couldn't quite remember how the song went. So, the entire time I was watching the episode, the song "Rhinestone Cowboy" (also sung by Campbell) kept running through my head. It's a terrible earworm to have while trying to review a show!

Loved it. The original title of this show was Friday Night Sleights - which they changed since it was too close to Friday Night Lights and while the title isn't quite as quippy, I feel that it added many layers - as always - to the show.

That's interesting, I did not know that. I agree--not as quippy. I'm glad they went with this title.

Thank you so much for your comments! I can't tell you how much I appreciate the feedback.

[LadyDi]

Interesting review. Not just asking questions, but recognizing some are harder to answer than others. And where do we look for those answers? Solving mysteries is all about asking questions, and evaluating answers, and the mystery we're all trying to solve is the mystery of life. Not Life, necessarily, but life, how to live it, and give it meaning.

I enjoyed this ep. The playbook mystery in itself isn't the most exciting, but it's solution lends it weight it would otherwise lack.

Loved the two-way-street aspects of LoVe in this ep. Especially at the end when Logan approaches the help desk. Who else does he turn to for help, but Veronica? Who else does he have to turn to? He realized he was being a jerk and made an effort to redeem himself. Plus, she realized it was her own trust issues (and not just Logan's behavior) that drove her "beyond pathological."

Also, loved how determined V. was to help Weevil, how neatly RT and co. got him into position, and the fact that no one had to get left in a basement to rot.

Wouldn't it be something if Weevil was instrumental in catching the campus rapist?

Must agree tho' in asking WTF is up with the campus police? So far they've been a complete non-issue. And yay! to whoever pointed out the similarities btwn the police of Neptune and the "deeply stupid" police in Sunny-D.

[Lola m]

ladydi said:

Interesting review. Not just asking questions, but recognizing some are harder to answer than others. And where do we look for those answers? Solving mysteries is all about asking questions, and evaluating answers, and the mystery we're all trying to solve is the mystery of life. Not Life, necessarily, but life, how to live it, and give it meaning.

**nods** Yes - I really like this aspect of the review too - seemed to fit the ep nicely.

I enjoyed this ep. The playbook mystery in itself isn't the most exciting, but it's solution lends it weight it would otherwise lack.

**nods again** I've always liked how the MOTW on Veronica Mars is meant to show us something about a larger issue - like the bigger mystery arc, or what is going on with the relationships. It makes each individual weekly case more than just the sum of its parts.

Loved the two-way-street aspects of LoVe in this ep. Especially at the end when Logan approaches the help desk. Who else does he turn to for help, but Veronica? Who else does he have to turn to? He realized he was being a jerk and made an effort to redeem himself. Plus, she realized it was her own trust issues (and not just Logan's behavior) that drove her "beyond pathological."

Also, loved how determined V. was to help Weevil, how neatly RT and co. got him into position, and the fact that no one had to get left in a basement to rot.

Wouldn't it be something if Weevil was instrumental in catching the campus rapist?

Must agree tho' in asking WTF is up with the campus police? So far they've been a complete non-issue. And yay! to whoever pointed out the similarities btwn the police of Neptune and the "deeply stupid" police in Sunny-D.

And now in a more recent ep, we've seen more than just non-action by the campus cops. Makes me run my suspicous eye over all the groups that are supposed to be providing safety and security. The security people, the group that provides rides, etc.