Veronica Mars: Nancy Drew Crossed With Buffy

If you haven't seen Veronica Mars, don't think it is a modern Nancy Drew. Sure, both are teen girl detectives with a series of the same name. Veronica makes detective chicks more hip, more real, and a hell of a lot more entertaining than Nancy Drew could have imagined. Add the fact that Veronica Mars appeals to a smart audience requiring more than pretty pictures. However, unlike a more contemporary comparison to say, Buffy, Veronica is saving people from themselves. One mystery at a time. This year's mystery is a rape.

Apparently when Veronica Mars snuck into Mac's room last week, Parker wasn't having a good time but was instead being raped. She's the latest victim to wake up with a shaved head and no memories but knowing what happened. Sexual assault is one of those things I'd rather not be in forms of entertainment because usually it isn't done tastefully. When someone is killed in a show, the audience knows it is fake and it is taken at face value. But when someone is raped, the damage goes far beyond the act into what can be one of the cruelest forms of emotional torture that it really isn't entertaining. Ever. Add the stigma of blaming the victim for doing something wrong and you get a whole new dimension of why rape isn't entertaining for me.

Keith Mars survived the mysterious shooting. Poor guy thought he was helping Kendall but all he did was lead her to harm's way - not to mention his own harm. When Keith leads the local police back to the scene of the crime, no evidence of Kendall is to be found - except some blood on a picture. A picture that will benefit a food bank.

Appropriately the relationship between guard and prisoner is the theme for a class both Logan and Wallace are taking - and the subject of a study in which both volunteer to participate (it is based on the Zimbardo Stanford Prison Experiment). According to the Resident Advisor the study is intense and life changing. Interestingly enough, Wallace and Logan are on opposite sides of the experiment. Guest star Rider Strong is taking his role as a guard seriously.

Logan comes up with some genius plan to help the prisoners out since the guards were relying on one guy to snap (Neal from Freaks and Geeks). Deception really is a recurring theme throughout Veronica Mars and it shows that it isn't always a bad thing - sometimes it can save your skin. Unfortunately for the prisoners, Wallace also knows the value of false information. And yes, the professor is Homer Simpson, and yes you do hear someone say "d'oh!" during the experiment, glad you noticed it too.

Veronica has landed herself a new job - as a college paper's photographer. Her first assignment, as luck would have it, has to do with Parker's rape. Apparently the Theta Beta sorority might be involved. At least, a look behind the Greek curtain is her assignment but Veronica's new boss knows how to pitch an assignment and Veronica Mars is on her way in a floral dress. So yeah Veronica Mars totally plays up the sorority stereotype - which is completely unrelated to my experience but who says Veronica Mars is based totally on reality? But Veronica does meet a girl that seems a bit more laid back.

Veronica gets invited to the special - read secret - party full of booze and boys. A sorority party also means Dick Casablancas is there "fulfilling [his] destiny" along with a few other folks from Veronica's past. Veronica plays the drunken party girl until she gets asked to take a Safe Ride home. Her sober driver gives her a lecture about getting liquored up until she can't say no and then crying about what happens. Who called the blame the victim card would be pulled - me! But the lecturing sober ride home leads Veronica Mars in a green direction.

Parker's mom tries to pull her out of college but Mac tells her to stay. Overbearing parents aren't ever fun to deal with so hopefully Parker will be saved from that horrible experience - or at least those hideous wigs. Figuring out who raped her will have to wait for the rest of the season to unfold.

So what do we know so far?

• The Theta Beta's could have easily had access to Parker's room the night she was raped.

• Parker took a Safe Ride home from the Resident Advisor, Moe, the night she was raped.

Other things to ponder:

• Remember: Vomit is the new mace.

• The writers of Veronica Mars have to be fans of Battlestar Galactica with the continued use of "frack" in the show.

• Superman is another fave with Dick mentioning kryptonite last week and Bizzaro World this week.

• When will The CW ditch that stupid "Aerie" bit?

• Why can't Veronica Mars be on HBO where we could have seen a bit more of Logan's streaking? You know what I'm sayin'.

So far the only things really missing are a decent plot for Keith Mars and any plot for Weevil.