A Guide to Veronica Mars, Season 1

What it is about blonde high school girls that make talented (male) writers produce some of their best work? Joss Whedon, always a talented scriptwriter (Alien: Resurrection notwithstanding), shot to fame after he wrote, produced and directed a little TV show called Buffy The Vampire Slayer, about a blonde high schooler who turns all the horror/sci-fi stereotypes on their respective heads by being the one who constantly saves the day in her fight against vampires, monsters, and boyfriends who sometimes go a little crazy. Then Rob Thomas, a young adult novelist and staff writer on various television shows, created Veronica Mars, a show about a teenage detective that is so well-written and engrossing that it's even giving Buffy a run for her money as the most engaging female lead on a television show.