Investigating Veronica Mars the Noir and Teen Clash in Neptune, California
Investigating Veronica Mars The Noir and Teen Clash in Neptune, California by Kim Johansen Østby Master’s Thesis in Media Studies Department of Media and Communication University of Oslo Spring 2010 “[…] why is Veronica Mars so good? It bears little resemblance to life as I know it, but I can't take my eyes off the damn thing.” (Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly, 01/02-2007) I Abstract What happens when you combine the long tradition of film noir and the contemporary television teen drama? Through genre analysis, this thesis explores how the television show Veronica Mars (2004-2007) mixes noir and teen drama and how this creates a dark vision of society and teen life. Through four chapters I investigate key points of the show, such as the narration and aesthetics, the representation of the noir universe through the show’s depiction of social class inequalities and an incapacitated criminal justice system, the show’s exploration of teen drama themes and how this is affected by noir and finally, an analysis of the main characters and how they relate to this hybrid universe. Noir and teen elements pulsate throughout the entire show. Together they create a tense, paranoid and mysterious atmosphere and allow the show to repeatedly explore dark themes and plots that do not commonly appear in teen dramas. The teen private investigator protagonist Veronica must tackle mysteries ranging everywhere from disappearances, blackmail, scams and theft, to situations where she must deceive the FBI, confront and battle a serial rapist and solve the mass murder of her fellow classmates, all while making her way through high school and college.
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