palegreen

Now that season three is over and done with and has disappointed, if not flat out pissed off, most of us, I think it's interesting to look back and think of little things that could have been done differently and would've made a world of difference. Season three of Veronica Mars can be summed up in two words for me: wasted potential. The end of season two, love it or hate it, set us up with a world of interesting possibilities but most of them were forgotten or poorly executed when the show came back. Since Logan is my favorite character, the wasted potential in his storylines is what I tend to focus on. So I wanted to start a discussion here on what you guys would have done differently with Logan in season three. I'm not talking about MAJOR changes - no eliminating the Logan/Parker relationship or having him run off to some exotic foreign country with Weevil & Cliff (<--- my ideal season three!!!) - just little changes to the season we did get that would've made Logan fans happy.

I'll start with one of the big ones for me.

Logan & Parker

I think Parker should've been set up as LOGAN'S friend, not Veronica's. In my perfect season three, Mac & Parker would've been in Logan & Wallace's Sociology class. That would've helped solve the problem of Logan having no social circle outside of Veronica (it would've been nice to see that over the summer, her friends had become his friends as well), and we could've developed a relationship between Logan & Parker instead of just throwing them together halfway through the season for the sake of ~*~drama~*~. The Prison Experiment would've been a great time to set up that friendship, and it would've been a lot more fun with Mac added into the mix. I also think Parker's rape should've come two or three episodes later than it did. The reveal was creepy and worked well, but I think it would've been a more emotional moment if the audience was given more of a reason to care. Parker had no ties to our characters at the time, Veronica & Mac just seemed really annoyed by her and Wallace seemed totally indifferent to her. If we were given a couple of episodes to establish her relationship with our characters - Mac warming up to her during the course of the first few episodes, her becoming friends with Logan & Wallace during their Sociology class - the reveal of her rape would've been a much bigger punch in the gut. It would have been a great way to get Logan personally involved in the case - wanting to find justice for his friend and also being worried for Veronica and wanting to keep an eye on her - and give him something to do other than be The Boyfriend. It also could have created believable tension between Logan & Veronica. Her trust issues would've made a hell of a lot more sense if they were coming from something that we were actually seeing onscreen - Logan's friendship with Parker and his protective feelings toward her.

If Logan & Parker had been seen as friends for the first nine episodes, by the time they hooked up during the second half of the season, it wouldn't have felt like it came out of nowhere. My biggest problem with Logan & Parker was that there was absolutely no substance to it. It happened fast, added nothing to the show, and was over before it began. Maybe if there was a relationship between them during the first half of the season, they wouldn't have felt like such a waste of time in the second half.



Wow, this post is long enough, so I'll add my other Logan-related thoughts later, but I'm really interested in what sort of changes you guys would have made.

JulieB

Great thread Sam

I certainly have tons of mixed feelings about what was done with Logan this past season. After having storyline outside of V for the most part in season 2. I hated that he was negated to just being V's boyfriend and ex for the latter part. And on top of that I hated that she more or less kept him distant from her social life apart from him. I'm sure this was done on purpose so we could have moments later on like Mac commenting on the fact that she never got to see the sweet side of him, etc. The one time we do see him attend something with her it's only really a plot device to further the Piz situation. I felt like it was hard to enjoy Logan this season too when there was too much focus on the "anti Logan". I hated seeing him brought down just so they could build Piz up. I thought it was a real insult to Logan's character.
Even Keith loved Piz instantly and Logan was reduced once again to being some mindless surfer with nothing better to do. Yeah nothing better to do than to constantly step up to the plate and be there to protect V over and over again.

I know I shouldn't be ranting as much and just thinking of things I would have done differently LOL

Of course my biggest thing was wanting to see them reintroduce Charlie into the mix so Logan at least could have a separate storyline once again outside of V. Well that and the Madison thing of course. That was just completely out of left field. After having such a mature breakup I hated that we had to have Logan once again be the bad guy in all of that. It just felt off and nothing about their relationship this season said anything other than what can we do to cause problems and tensions so she can later on want someone else this year. I really wish they had for once let the relationship breakup rest of Veronica's issues instead of having Logan sleep with someone else.

ETA And I agree about Logan and Parker, it certainly came out of nowhere and it rang so false to me that Parker actually cared so much because we never really saw their relationship evolve in a natural manner.

Sorry this was such a ramble.

afrocurl

I'll preface this whole post with the fact that "Still in Love" was playing as I read it. *kicks iTunes*

(Oh, and now it's just being evil with Rogue Wave's "California". Google the lyrics if you want to know why I'm going to cry right about now.)

I think the biggest thing I would have changed would be the Charlie storyline. As much as I grew to understand Logan's intense attachment to Veronica, having the Charlie storyline not end with Logan still estranged from him would have provided a social network that was worth exploring. How does Logan deal with family that's forced into the picture (even if he attempts to really mend the fences.)

If that had worked, then I think the way Logan responded to Veronica would have changed. It wouldn't have been less about how they fought with each other because Veronica wouldn't have been the only thing he had left to think about.

I'll end this hear before I go on about more of the issues related to Logan's dependency.

bring me home

Great idea for a thread, Sam

Everyone has made great points that have run through my mind.

The Charlie storyline of course is one I would want changed too. I think knowing that some part of his family was a normal human being would ahve been good for him. It would have been good for him to spend time with Charlie and know that just because he had Echolls blood in him, didn't mean he'd turn out liek Aaron. He could see that Charlie was perfectly happy as a teacher and I think that would have helped Logan grow and maybe think about the future a bit more.

And seriously...why did Logan have to be best buddies with the rapist?

JulieB

I know Jenn. That really bugged and brings me to another thing, did anyone else ever feel like there really was more to Mexico? I felt from the beginning there was and it was just pushed aside. And after Veronica brought it up again I thought something else would come of it but nothing. Not that Logan cheated or anything but something just felt fishy about the entire thing. I felt like we were missing some piece of the puzzle and wasn't sure that was the intent or not.

bring me home

Why couldn't Piz be best friends with the rapist? I just hated that they had Logan have V clear Mercer and then it turned aroudn on him.

Yeah...the whole Mexico trip was just plain weird. And I hate that we'll never know if there was more.

JulieB

As much as I ranted earlier on (when I should have been thinking about changes that would have helped) I actually was happy with his final scene. I felt like we had our Logan back. I just wished it could have been sooner.

And Roz you make a good point too about Logan's attachment to Veronica. I do understand it. She's pretty much his entire world and I see that. That's why I too was hoping he could have had something outside of that.

bring me home

Whats funny...we wanted Logan and Veronica together so badly and then we got it...but the way it was done...it was hard to reallly enjoy it. Because like you all said...she was his whole world...and he really needed more than just her.

And..another thing I'd do differently...move him out of the Grand! I've read so many fics of him buying a beach house. I would have loved to see that. As long as it wasn't decorated in fish!

JulieB

Yes, I enjoyed seeing L/V finally play out somewhat, I really did. But on the other hand, with all the press and push for Piz, I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop. So yes, it was really hard to enjoy them like I wanted to this season.

the echo fades

I still really enjoyed this season, and I was somewhat happy with Logan's storyline.. but wish it was explored more. But I think it was the same with all the characters this season, none of them really had any developed storylines, it was just more noticeable with Logan because he played such a big part last year in comparison.

I get why he was in the place he was. In seasons 1 and 2, he always had something to fight against, something to drive him, and all his energy was directed at fighting - against Veronica, his father, the PCHers, etc. But in S3.. he didn't have that anymore, and after being fueled by anger practically since Lilly died, he probably didn't know what to do with himself when his life was somewhat calm. He was just like any other 18/19 year old guy at college with no real ambitions or motivations, and his life just surrounded Veronica or Dick, heh. I just wish that maybe that was explored more, maybe he discussed that himself, not knowing what to do with himself when he was actually happy for once.

I was personally still very happy with L/V's storyline this season, other than the Madison thing, which should never ever be spoken of again. That to me was the most pointless part of the season and Diane actually supporting it which I find weird, because I love when Diane gets to write Logan. She's my favourite Logan and L/V writer, and she wrote My Big Fat Greek Rush Week, Poughkeepsie, Tramps & Theives, and co-wrote the Bitch Is Back. And I loved Logan in all three of those eps, I think she does his snark so well. So I would have had her write a few more eps

And yeah, Charlie.. my ideal ending to the season would have been after that final scene, Logan getting a call from Charlie and him packing up his bags to go stay with him for a while. It would have been so interesting to see him with a family member who was actually normal, and could have been a good influence on him. But then again.. most people missed OPJ Logan this season, and having Charlie around wouldn't have made any difference there. I don't think he would have approved of the drinking and gambling and skipping class either heh.

I think the final episode set so much up for Logan in S4. A S4 at Hearst, obviously. With the Gory thing.. it had so much potential to really get him involved in something exciting again, so I'm hoping the comics or whatever will continue with that.

afrocurl

I think it took me some time to not have an issue with the Madison story. I understood the need for it (he's lonely and not exactly excited about his break with Veronica and looking for something to do or feel. When I first heard about it I was annoyed, but then I figured that it was just another one of those moments where were saw how much Logan needed someone other than a girlfriend to support him (especially since Dick was off with the Pi Sigs being drunk and obnoxious.)

JulieB

I think I would have been fine it if was just some random girl like in SMTM but the writers had to go with Madison and I have my own reasons apart from Veronica where that choice annoyed me. And it really wasn't the hooking up that bothered me as much as it was Madison and the fact that the writers chose this as the one particular thing that Veronica couldn't get past.

palegreen

I hated that too. If you can't make both guys interesting and make Piz a good character on his own without tearing other characters down to do it, then Piz didn't need to be there.

Keith insulting Logan made me furious. I understand completely why Keith had a difficult time warming up to Logan. Logan's got a lot of baggage and I don't think any father would choose that for his little girl. No man is ever good enough, etc. But Logan's proven more than once that he would never intentionally hurt Veronica and that he'd do anything at all, no matter the consequences to him, to protect her. If nothing else, you'd think that Keith would respect that. And Piz had done NOTHING to earn Keith's praise. So the guy can push his bangs out of the way long enough to pick up a book, BFD.

It's also kind of funny that we never see Logan surf until the third season, and then are told over and over that it's ALL Logan does. Okay. They would've been better of using video games as a symbol of his lack of motivation.

It really is a shame that they brought that up only to drop it immediately. It could have been an interesting storyline for Logan, trying to make amends with the guy after he screwed him over. And it would've been nice for Logan to have one person who would be there for him no strings attached.

Exactly. It's one of the reasons that I hate people questioning his masculinity in season three. I don't think it had anything to do with Veronica having him whipped. It had to do with the fact that he had NOBODY else. Even when he's with Parker you can see hints of him trying to be what she wants, not wanting to make her angry, etc. His heart's not in it as much because his feelings for her aren't as deep, but his need to have somebody is still there. If he had Charlie in his life, or any family member or dependable people at all, I don't think he would've been clinging to Veronica as desperately as he was. He would've had some security elsewhere.

I don't think we should complain. It was probably either Logan is best buddies with the rapist or Logan IS the rapist.

I was too. I loved his final scene, and Jason did an amazing job with it.

Oh, God, yes. Isn't the Grand supposed to be a fancy motel? Because I've stayed at total dives that were nicer than that. *shudder*

Really? I saw that as Rob's way of setting up Logan's departure from the show. It would've been interesting to see it play out, but I don't believe that was Rob's intention.

afrocurl

I think the fact that they never really had Logan address his issues with being all alone hurt him so much this season. Sure, we got subtle hints that he didn't have anyone else, but they were matched with moments where he tried to branch out and failed (Mercer being the prime example.)

He really did become the rich kid with no family who had far too many issues previously to be well-adjusted. No one took note of that, not ever Veronica who had to survive a year of being tormented for sticking to her convictions.

I didn't hate the Grand as much as others, but it would have been so much nicer for Logan to have to deal with people on his own terms. Set up a life that he could live where he had to think about the consequences of his actions.

bring me home

I totally didn't even think of that! Ok...I won't complain about the friend thing!

I know! I really would have loved to see him on the beach..even being emo at the beach would have been better than the dark dreary Grand!

I'll have to read the read of the posts more later...my breaks at work are toooo short!