Veronica Mars and the Mystery of the Canceled Cult-Favorites

Where Do All the Smart Shows Go?

Many good and even several mediocre shows have rabid fan followings. Veronica Mars recently had an international candy-filled campaign to save it from cancellation. Aside from its rambunctuous fan base, it also had a place on several critics' top ten lists, numerous awards, award winning fantastically quirky cast and some of the wittiest and best-delivered one-liners in the history of television. So why has it been left out in the cold by the new CW network?

I could rant and share all my conspiracy theories about the disparities between marketing executives and the audience comprised of smart, young and hip tv viewers who are tired of dumbed-down content. I could get on my soapbox and talk about sweeps and ratings and commercial success. I could even tell you how painful it was to turn to the CW on Tuesday nights mid-season, and hear the Pussycat Dolls crooning "Don'tcha wish your girlfriend was hot like me....", while thinking "No, actually, I prefer smart, perky and sarcastic detectives - what did you do with my Veronica, you evil network executives?!? We used to be friends..."

To no avail. I can speculate, but I really don't know why it was canceled. I don't pretend to understand how that game is played. I just know that exciting, fresh, TV keeps coming around and lingering for a season or two. Maybe even a little bit more, if we are very lucky and then its wiped out. Aside from the economic issues of ratings and trends, I've noticed some patterns. It often appears to be the shows with actual issues and surprising social commentary. It feels like its the edgy shows that make us think. I'd be lying if I didn't say that I also feel like there are a lot of really wonderful, insightful and unconventional female main characters in some of these shows and I wonder about the reality factor of representations of women, role models and all that.