Kristen Bell on the Big Veronica Mars Shocker: The Show Isn't Interesting Without a Struggle

The revival season featured a twist that left fans upset

By Chris Harnick Jul 23, 2019 5:21 PMTags
Watch: Kristen Bell Says "Veronica Mars" Is a "Beast" to Film

This isn't the Veronica Mars you remember. And yet, it is.

The Kristen Bell-fronted series is back alive once again, this time on Hulu, with an eight-episode fourth season. Veronica is living in Neptune, working as a private eye and, well, being an adult.

"She has a very, very healthy sex life, as every young woman should, should they choose…It makes me really happy that there's no stagnancy in the show. From the moment you see the first episode, you realize, ‘Oh, this world has changed.' What happened was any rose-colored glasses you thought you were wearing during the first three seasons of the show were taken off," Bell told Erin Lim at Comic Con in San Diego.

Warning, spoilers follow.

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"Veronica Mars" Fans Will Have "Strong Feelings" About New Season

"This is an adult world where Veronica deals with paying her bills and gentrification, and they're still struggling with the haves and the have-nots, but there's real danger around her. She carries a gun, she's a responsible gun owner and a real P.I. now," Bell continued. "There's also just this sort of rawness to the world that I think we all start to feel when we're passed our already 20s. We're like, ‘Oh wow, I've got to kind of fend for myself.' So, the world is a little bit more unsafe, but I was pleasantly surprised how [series creator Rob Thomas] unveiled all that."

Watch: Spoiler Alert: Kristen Bell Talks "Veronica Mars" Twist

The new season finds Veronica and her father Keith (Enrico Colantoni) on the trail of a serial bomber. Veronica is also dealing with her own fear of settling down and taking the next steps with Logan (Jason Dohring). At the end of the season, she eventually acknowledges the need for growth and marries Logan. But wedded bliss is very short-lived. Logan perishes in a bomb intended for Veronica.

"Here's the thing: There's nothing interesting or funny about perfection, right? You can't write a comedy where everybody's perfect, you can't write a drama where everybody's perfect. You have to have your characters want something and fight for something. Veronica is at her best when she's an underdog and she's fighting for her fellow underdogs," Bell said. "The unfortunate part of Logan and Veronica is that they became a great couple and they were perfect for each other. They were LoVe. And you don't really have that interesting of a show if Veronica isn't struggling a lot. So, you kind of had to take Logan away in order to get her to that dark place that makes her fight and gives her her fuel."

The season ended with a one-year time jump and Veronica left Neptune to pursue new cases. Bell said the door is open for more. "I would do one if people watch it. I think the resolve she feels about the world continuing to be unjust in the last couple of scenes definitely leaves it open for another season," Bell said.

Hulu

Without the dedicated fans, Veronica Mars wouldn't be here. Bell has a message for those who've made it all the way through the season and have strong feelings.

"You guys think that Logan and Veronica are LoVe, but I disagree. I think you guys are. I don't know that I could've known anything stronger or more impressive or more flattering or more humbling than having a group of Marshmallows fight to get a show like this back on the air. I'm just thrilled, and I'll do it for as long as you'll have me," Bell said. "We're only here because of you, so thank you."

For more on Veronica Mars, check out our interviews with Rob Thomas and Jason Dohring.

Veronica Mars season four—as well as the three original seasons—is now streaming on Hulu.