mars american teen noir mystery drama television series created screenwriter series set fictional town neptune california stars eponymous character series premiered september television network upn final years ended season upn successor airing seasons total produced executive producers entire run series promoted season student progresses high school college private investigator detective father episode different stand case working solve complex mystery seasons series season long mystery arc introduced episode season solved season finale season took different format focusing smaller mystery arcs course episodes thomas initially wrote mars young adult novel featured male protagonist changed gender thought noir piece told female point view interesting original filming began march series premiered september million american viewers critically acclaimed season run episodes garnered average million viewers episode united_states appeared number fall television best lists garnered awards nominations series run nominated satellite awards saturn awards featured afi programs year following cancellation series thomas wrote feature film script continuing series opted fund project time march bell thomas launched fundraising campaign produce film attained million goal hours accumulated million film released march season season season revolves mars high school student private investigator fictional southern_california seaside town neptune daughter respected county sheriff keith mars biggest problem getting dumped boyfriend murder best friend murder life falls apart keith accuses father popular software involved murder neptune wrath keith sheriff recall election replaced mother develops drinking problem leaves town friends wealthy students fictional code force choose father chooses father voted sheriff keith opens private investigation agency mars investigations works time helps father solve cases conducts investigations behalf friends acquaintances school discovers new evidence suggests man imprisoned murder innocent deeper murder case works investigations seeks mother whereabouts deals aftermath raped party longer school wealthy crowd makes new friends neptune high basketball star new student leader latino gang neptune high resident computer genius friends resources provided father contacts gains reputation finds skills increasingly high demand school community things complicated falls relationship boyfriend time held partly responsible death went way harass season second season begins introduction new cases bus accident kills classmates death gang member school bus carrying neptune high students teacher cliff killing passenger supposed bus makes mission discover bus crashed responsible logan picks fight ends accused killing charge denies season convinced logan innocence team find real killer season shows life returning way death having broken logan summer reunites duncan somewhat accepted private eye tough persona truly rich crowd beaver deal gold digging left father flees country investigation real estate fraud wallace discovers biological father alive takes romantic interest daughter baseball legend investigated bus accident discovers town mayor years ago coached little league baseball team sexually team members including beaver finale discovered beaver responsible bus accident rape plane crash kills mayor dad supposed plane thinks dead confronts beaver roof neptune grand hotel tries kill logan saves beaver commits suicide jumping roof season final season logan wallace dick new regular main characters introduced respective mystery established parker victim serial storyline begun second season feeling guilty helping remembering past rape sets task catching mystery murder college dean episode caught season keith begins affair married client wallace struggles balance academics sports mac begins dating previous failed relationships dick breakdown appeals logan help season chronicles logan failing attempts maintain relationship face increasing cast characters season seven regular characters portrayed title character mars high school junior skilled private detective played boyfriend brother played bad boy son list actor portrayed best friend frequent partner solving mysteries portrayed leader gang friend played father private investigator played journalism teacher neptune high given series regular billing appeared episodes given credit seven removal series rumored budget issues thomas said conceive year mystery decided needed introduce eliminate characters able create equally fascinating mystery series second season thomas felt bring involved new mystery needed new blood second season saw introduction romantic interest wallace daughter famous baseball player previous recurring characters beaver upgraded series regulars dick played friend logan high school bully turned boy portrayed beaver dick younger brother portrayed left series midway season credited main cast member remainder season thomas explained logan duncan love triangle run course series fresh need guys life attributed removal fan interest dominating logan relationship saying clear won season introduced new series regulars portrayed parker mac roommate mac played wallace roommate music lover campus radio named director pilot character role male friend middle class upper class thomas radio narrative device capture mood university don lamb recurring characters seasons upgraded series regulars mac portrayed computer expert befriended lamb portrayed won office keith recall election production conception originally wrote mars young adult novel publishing company prior television job creek thomas sold novel ideas titled untitled teen detective novel formed basis series novel elements similar protagonist male thomas father vice principal near austin texas main character attended disguised version school thomas begun writing film television resume teen detective idea years writing novel months thomas television script took weeks knowing television scripts paid thomas wrote television version teen detective project script novel studio network asked write paid sold thomas said pressing project time time thomas wrote project notes year actually started writing television script original ideas script changed drastically thomas wanted use flashbacks timeline murder happen recent time thomas changed gender protagonist thought noir piece told female point view interesting unique casting chosen play mars women auditioned role bell felt luck saw exactly wanted bell thought cheerleader looks outsider attitude set apart women auditioned played originally auditioned role originally auditioned logan ended portraying felt audition duncan little dark told producers right producers asked read role logan acted scene pilot shattered car final auditions read times bell met studio network reading acted scene raped tried character evil fun feel time audition logan character going guest star pilot auditioned role times cast tests studio network executives audition read scenes pilot studio test read bell great conversation said feel comfortable auditioning big reason comfortable playing wallace season went thomas described portrayed murdered biggest surprise year casting series regular able best actors town mainly wanted series regular casting appear time time dead girl thomas receive level actors thomas said cut dry audition said times better saw spectacular continued saying ended good series times initially planned writing format episodes series distinct structure investigates different case week continually trying solve larger mystery spans episodes season seasons season long mystery arc introduced episode season solved finale season takes different format focusing smaller mystery arcs course episodes respectively final episodes season feature stand mysteries season thomas unsure success series attributed case week episode overarching story realized fans cool case week came ongoing mystery thomas felt bell season mystery involving logan second season attempt time said mystery arcs second season way suspects way red season needed change season initially planned include separate mysteries introduced resolved series non overlapping story arcs thomas realized talking president viewers got confused original format new format allow new viewers start watching point season inspired improvised thriller bubble thomas started laying subtle motives second mystery fans theory occurred mystery took place episodes originally second mystery seven episodes long mystery occur episodes season changed ordered episode season instead usual episodes second mystery arc shortened seven episodes mystery changed episode arc episode arc week hiatus series announced final mystery changed stand episodes designed new viewers final mystery originally going unlike previously nice characters like wallace mac absent big mystery going believe suspect mystery thomas wanted present situation wallace mac fully involved key players interesting stuff filming original pilot filmed darker tone aired thomas intended script hbo showtime gave upn credit wanted bit lighter match standards practices lengthy debate rape victim upn eventually aired version pilot found pool spot murdered thomas stated body originally going found ocean plan events led body dumped thomas pitched idea upn network felt dark creepy dispose daughter body protect son idea changed series scenes filmed san_diego california producer said scenes taking place neptune filmed california liked seaside town feels like middle class people live seaside towns feel resort driven estimated series spent million year shooting season san_diego half revenue generated film production area setting neptune high featured seasons located school paid use campus extras series season setting filmed campuses filming locations chosen director production designer sole reportedly liked look feel school invited series open arms taping university led financial employment benefits university students alumni worked students worked actors half season extras students university film department music friends series theme song originally going produce noir version 1980s song theme pretty set finding song friends chosen right beginning theme considered critic recognizable sing able memorable best theme songs season theme song remixed softer piano style dark vibrant electronic beats reflect noir influenced opening credits wrote original background music convey film noir themes pilot thomas wanted atmospheric kind modern noir type vibe sounds similar air zero traditional sounds series processed filtered instruments piano guitar acoustic piano use compression sound like traditional piano live bass percussion like program main instrument guitar felt piano far important instrument working shows especially week choosing sounds episodes crew spotting session discuss thomas producers type music going featured decide songs featured composed created score little orchestral music play guitar piano bass drums played score hiring musician mars original television soundtrack song compilation series second seasons released september thomas revealed primary goal soundtrack publicity turn hopefully viewers cancellation film cancellation january announced pleased gradual ratings improvement mars series hiatus february sweeps air new reality series hiatus ended series returned episodes season announced mars new primetime lineup coming thomas created trailer took place years season finale working title fbi released season dvd asked fbi concept happen said series probably completely gone form said collaborate project network june guide writer confirmed cancellation mars official potential film progress thomas stated interested writing feature film based series interest providing closure story lines character arcs september writing entertainment_weekly reported thomas met bell discuss plot likely involve solving crime college fbi agent thomas felt fbi scenario aimed getting fourth season want bring key players tough believe fbi stationed neptune later reported involved project said fully aware talks taking place adding cult shows translated film arena official talking addition feature film possibility thomas meeting talk mars comic book series september thomas told entertainment_weekly thought idea broken hit wall final act haven figured thomas explained busy writing party created january guide reported film thomas priority thomas noted writing script need pay film indicated producer ready green light film june bell said don think happen series creator percent board took proposal told enthusiasm mars movie unfortunately compete winter press tour stated movie wouldn happening write finance interested making movie available bell available love think closest came silver pushing didn bite sort gone away april thomas insisted dead continue want looking june silver optimistic film happening analyzed areas talked home video people movie like driven video season dvds didn didn feel need audience project march launched fundraiser attempt film help fans reach goal million campaign offered incentives donated thomas bell stated approached idea approved distributing finished title appeared video promoting campaign shot february goal met hours start campaign project broke records including largest successful film project campaign ended april donors raising production began june projected early release december thomas announced release date march year day start project april thomas completed draft script casting announcements april june confirmation returning cast members including keith mars film world premiere south southwest film festival march released theatres online platforms march film grossed worldwide received positive reviews critics approval rating review website rotten_tomatoes based reviews critics average score media novels series novels written series creator continue story events mars film feature logan mac wallace dick novel mars thousand dollar tan line released march trade paperback isbn isbn read isbn second novel mars kiss tell published released january thomas said interviews novels canon future film web spin january announced digital spin mars development creator concept features portraying attempt spin based character august announced web series titled play dick premiere september digital content website seed episode length minutes installment cast members returning include portrayed mars characters fictionalized versions reception ratings rank refers mars rated compared television series aired primetime hours corresponding television season television season tends begin september given year end following year viewers refers average number viewers original episodes broadcast television season series regular timeslot rank shown relation total number series airing major english language networks given season season premiere date episode season aired similarly season finale date final episode season aired critical reception ratings success series critical success season said smart engaging series popular girl turned crime solving high school hard boiled dialogue comes teen protagonist mouth way stabs potential heart ice pick review said mars gritty reality soft timeless fundamental truth high school hell phoenix felt series character study high school drama village_voice saw series sharp teen noir making tinged class resentment nostalgia lost innocence series promise popmatters said intrigue drama humor lesson book series aim high fewer succeed james_poniewozik time labeled best dramas television praised bell star said series uses pulp premise universal teen experience growing means mystery called series update classic california film noir felt mars best new series upn title character potentially season interesting character creation described series alias attitude writing class consciousness praised season finale sort satisfying look series week week keeps asking questions mars positively received writers guest appearance second season episode rat saw god said best seriously gotten wrapped wasn making maybe guys know level harry potter shows guest starred episode driver said hands best television right proof far better cinema described series meets result pure mars good bears little resemblance life know eyes damn thing called best mystery america despite critical success run criticisms began emerge series season squad described season disappointing mainly episodes offered new fans mars felt season clearly weakest ign said main issue shift overall tone lighter feeling previous seasons felt logan affected tone change robbed darker aspects changed increasingly character felt despite concerns final episodes series ended strong episodes lots strong dialogue proving tough strong character concluded season plenty witty dialogue continually engaging performance title character opined taken dive creatively version theme song stalled storylines reviewer felt mysteries grown convincing compelling time went drawn pointed gone dare season explained quick bright wit sharp eye life darker moments left high school going college dark threads little stylish series described critical appeared number fall television best lists series featured afi programs year lists village_voice chicago_tribune named second best series ain cool news fourth best returning series time fifth best series newsday popmatters sixth best entertainment_weekly usa today series ranked number lists ain cool news chicago_sun-times ranked number metacritic series ranked number guide list ranked mars 10th best school time year british film magazine empire ranked number list greatest shows time magazine said smart storylines witty riffs pop culture pepper scripts lent charm title role ensured episode seasons television gold cancellation face day empire named pictured best episode series dos ranked mars number list series past years named 15th best series 2000s decade entertainment_weekly listed best cult shows past years comments easy telling story girl mission solve best friend murder investigating rape creator tough assignment easier putting smart case liners injected needed grim mysteries mars attracted loyal dedicated fan base group fans calling cloud organized campaigns bring viewers series ensure continuation group hired plane fly offices carrying banner reading renew mars group hired street teams new_york los_angeles philadelphia chicago distribute advertising series return midseason hiatus season cloud raised donations sale mars clothing cancellation series fans sent mars bars hoping network reverse decision renew series thanked fans series efforts saying love people good going happen feature film continuation possible fund fans donated film fans come refer referred media cast crew series line delivered wallace pilot episode mars end episode remarks know mars reference term included fan funded film awards nominations distribution international began airing mars canada mid season replacement decided pick second season began broadcast july season canada fox subscription channel living began showing series united_kingdom october averaging viewers episode season channel began airing second season june airing episode week showing night season despite low ratings second season living decided air series season syndicated platform airing defunct channel trouble closure free air channel began broadcasting series july premiered australia network november series saw erratic began showing series new_zealand july dvd releases season mars released region disc dvd box set october addition episodes aired dvd extras included extended pilot episode inclusion opening sequence minutes scenes set released region june region second season released region disc dvd box set august region august region september addition aired episodes dvd extras included day set mars mars average teen detective gag reel promo trailer season additional scenes including alternate ending mother season released region disc dvd box set october region december region february addition aired episodes dvd extras included pitching season interview discussing new direction series picks years later rookie fbi agent going undercover gallery cast interviews set tours scenes introductions gag reel united_kingdom mars complete collection released set contains seasons film disc set time series received release seasons released individually syndication july august episodes season aired cbs upn sibling network attempt gain exposure series series aired pivot began airing series january
Veronica Mars