Poughkeepsie, Tramps and Thieves

On a night filled with disappointments (House opens up to a rape victim, he was abused as a child, Cameron gets weepy over a terminal patient, more Lorelai/Luke/Chris hackneyed melodrama), there was one divine gift emanating from the Tivo: Veronica Mars.

On a show known for clever episode titles, this was one of the more amusing.

It's hard (for me) not to be drawn in when most of the opening scenes revolve around a discussion of Battlestar Galactica. For a few moments, I almost believed in the existence of a higher power when Max was discussing his dream girl. They met at a comic convention, she was hot, eloquent and could tell the difference between Vipers and Raiders. Where is this girl? But of course, she turns out to be a hooker and stripper (wait – conjunction unnecessary). Poor Max. Falling for a skank who pretends to be interested in geek chic who then cleans him out, before eventually realizing that she is what she is. I've heard that can happen. But later, she offers to pay him back. I've thought that should happen, but of course, it doesn't. Or so I've heard.

Though we didn't get any Mac, Piz or Wallace, we did some fantastic Keith and Veronica scenes:

"I'm meeting two hookers over at Logan's later."
"On a school night?"
"Off peak hours, save a few bucks."

"When you rip off the breakaway pants, thrust your pelvis towards the bachelorette. It's her special day, OK?"

"If you go undercover as a student, no Daniel Boone jacket, no peace signs. The times, they have a-changed."

I still have a suspension of disbelief about Keith going "undercover," as he did last week. He was the sheriff and involved in many high profile and newsworthy cases around town. How can people not recognize him? The stop light meet with Lamb and Keith was amusing, though.

Every scene crackled with wit and energy, and the script was one of the best of the season. In fact, if I pointed out all the good lines, it would probably be about 30 pages. But here are a few:

"You didn't get all sweaty in your wookie suit, did you?"

"The one that got away… she was dressed as a Cylon and you only knew her as Six, right?"

"And then you frakked."

"It's like a Zagat guide for hookers."

"From 18 down to two. Your attention to detail has served us well young jedi's."

"That's what the female praying mantis says before she bites the male's head off."

"Amuse me, dammit. Amuse me now!"

Hopefully, the promo monkeys took something out of context for next episode. Because "I'm pregnant?" Don't go there.