Veronica Mars

Comparisons and References

• Veronica's character is often compared to Chloe Sullivan from Smallville, a similarly inquisitive girl who investigated mysterious occurrences at her respective high school, who sports a similar hairstyle, attire, and use of a computer for comprehensive investigative work. Fans of the show dismiss this comparison as superficial.
• Lilly Kane's role is often compared to Laura Palmer of Twin Peaks, a girl who was also murdered under mysterious circumstances and whose murder investigation uncovered dark secrets in her past. Like Laura, Lilly only appears in flashbacks or dream sequences, although the show is far less mystical than Twin Peaks. Just as Laura Palmer was murdered by her father (while under the control of another being), early indications seemed to point to Lilly's father as her killer. Lilly also was seeing at least three different men, similar to Laura. Lilly's killer was eventually revealed to be her own secret lover, her ex-boyfriend's father.
• Veronica's glib wit and anti-establishment attitude draw comparisons to Buffy Summers of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Perhaps by coincidence, Alyson Hannigan made two guest appearances in the first season of Veronica Mars. Additionally, the character of Cindy 'Mac' MacKenzie recurred from earlier in the season and was seen to be quite reminiscent of Hannigan's Buffy character Willow. Some Buffy fans resented critics' comparisons of the two shows. However, Buffy creator Joss Whedon was not one of them; he posted on a fan-run site devoted to his own work that Veronica Mars was the "Best. Show. Ever."http://whedonesque.com/comments/7502, and, though he rarely acts, will appear in a cameo during the show's second season.
• Logan's character seems to be heavily drawn from Steve, the hero of Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas' own young adult novel Rats Saw God. Like Logan, Steve is disaffected, sarcastic, a drug user, and depressed. Like Logan, Steve has a difficult relationship with his famous father (a former astronaut), although Steve's father does not turn out to be abusive and murderous like Logan's father. Rats Saw God also contains a character named Wanda Varner, a name Thomas reused for a one-shot character on Veronica Mars.