Throwback Thursday - Veronica Mars - Spit & Eggs

Veronica Mars: Season 3, episode 9
Written & Directed by series creator Rob Thomas

“Spit & Eggs” originally aired on November 28th, 2006 as the final episode in the first mystery arc of Veronica Mars’ third season. Introduced about mid-way through season 2 in “The Rapes of Graff”, the mystery dealt with a rapist loose on Hearst campus. Disturbingly, he had a habit of shaving the victim’s head after the assault. Many long-time fans were immediately weary of season 3’s set-up – while the first 2 years focused on season-spanning mysteries, the third was broken down into three separate arcs. With “Spit & Eggs”, though, Rob Thomas and his team proved unequivocally that a mini-finale after 9 episodes could pack as much punch as any season finale.

Rape is a tough topic to tackle. Often on TV it’s brushed over quickly, used as plot device and then forgotten. Not here, though. Even in the new Veronica Mars book series which takes place after the film, when Thomas tackles the subject he does it realistically and with care. This arc in season 3 brought up old wounds – namely, Veronica’s attack that took place before the first episode of the series. Years later, Veronica is a totally different character but her scars still remain. Among the things this series did incredibly well was developing characters believably but allowing their original traits to remain present.

Veronica in season 3, as she and her friends started college at Hearst, was no-doubt stronger, more open and less hardened than when we met her years before. This storyline brought Veronica back to some tough times and provided the major emotional investment for this case. In the premiere, Mac’s new roommate Parker was attacked – an event Veronica walked in on but quickly left, believing it to be consensual. Over the first 8 episodes Veronica sought out who was behind the continuing attacks, herself being drugged and assaulted again at one point. In “Spit & Eggs” the first arc of the season was stunningly wrapped up, with non-stop action, tons of twists, and the series’ ever-present trademark wit.

If you’re reading this it’s likely that you’ve seen the episode (and if you haven’t, shame on you – get to it!) so there’s no need for a full recap here. The reason “Spit & Eggs” stands out so much is perhaps how effectively it defied expectations. Fans worried the episode would wrap things up too quickly and not deliver as much pay-off as a typical finale; years later, it’s constantly listed among fans favorite episodes. One of the remarkable strengths of the first part of season 3 was how while one mystery was being solved, another was slowly being set up. After Veronica uncovers the fact that Mercer is the rapist, we end the episode with Dean O’Dell shot dead, and though it’s immediately shocking it quickly triggered a major ‘aha moment’ – Thomas had intricately and subtly been introducing suspects and creating motives for the past 8 episodes. “Spit & Eggs” combined satisfying payoff with promise of even more mystery.

There can’t be a conversation about Veronica Mars without discussion of its unfaltering lead, Kristen Bell. Veronica Mars, for my money, gave Bell the material of her career – her teenage detective alter-ego was at times tough and snarky, and at others emotional and incredibly vulnerable. She got to play all of those things in “Spit & Eggs” as she took the final steps to solving the campus rape case and dealt with the long-coming breakup between herself and Logan. Not much made me happier last year than waiting in line to see Veronica Mars on the big screen, and a big part of that had to do with how Kristen Bell inhabits the role. Thomas gave her the character of a lifetime and she always hit it out of the park.

Quotes:

Veronica: Howdy, boys. Anyone up for going to a Pi Sig blowout? Beer and ladies and music...and other stuff guys like, I'm sure? Fast cars, loose slots, electronic gadgetry? Televised sports? Pornography? Nothing? None of this grabs you?

Moe: I don't exactly know how to put this. It's the sort of thing that makes me hate being a resident advisor, but I have to ask. Someone has been leaving a surprise in the third stall every day for the past two weeks. This person apparently never learned how to flush and it's my amateur medical opinion that he's suffering from what must be a terminal disease.

Keith: Soup? You know how I feel about soup. It's a side dish.
Veronica: There's a meat loaf in the oven.
Keith: Now we're talking!

Spy Glass:

- Mercer is revealed as the rapist in this episode after previously being identified by Parker when she recognized his cologne. Also – he dressed up as Alex from A Clockwork Orange for Halloween. If that’s not flaunting it, I don’t know what is.

- Mac's "Ask Me About My STD" shirt is so awesome.

- The subtle set-up for the Dean’s murder through the first several episodes of the season was fantastic. Throughout the rape case we were introduced to many characters that had or developed plausible motives to kill him.

- Veronica Mars always had awesome music and “Spit & Eggs” is no exception. Particularly great is the use of Fatboy Slim’s “Right Here, Right Now” and the band at the Pi Sig party rocking out to “Sweet Caroline”.

- This episode features the third and final time Veronica gets roofied. She presumably started getting really picky about what she drank.

What did you think of “Spit & Eggs” the first time you saw it? How does the episode hold up now? Hit the comments with any and all thoughts on Veronica Mars on this Throwback Thursday. Thanks for reading and feel free to follow my Twitter for all my SpoilerTV work.