1.01 "Pilot"
Aired Sep 22, 2004
Details
school outside: Veronica says in her VO (voiceover) that Neptune is a very wealthy area. She sees a crowd around the flagpole that has Wallace duct taped naked to it. He has the word "snich" written on his chest. Students are whispering and taking pictures. Veronica pulls out a knife to cut him down and welcomes him, sarcastically, to Neptune High.
Opening Credits
classroom: AP English: Veronica is asleep on her desk. Mrs. Murphy, her English teacher, asks for Veronica's input. Veronica accurately quotes Pope's "Essay on Man," then says it means, "Life's a bitch until you die."
school hall: Veronica says in her VO that "random" locker searches occur in school in the administration's war on drugs. However, she knows about them before the vice-principal does. Deputy Sacks and Vice Principal Clemmons are at her locker to search it. When she opens her locker, there is nothing in there except a heart around a picture of Clemmons.
lunch outside: Veronica sits alone, looking at a table of rich, popular kids. Veronica says in her VO that she used to sit there because her dad was the local sheriff. However, she was really there because of Duncan Kane. He is the son of software billionaire Jake Kane. And he used to be Veronica's boyfriend.
flashback: In the school hall, Duncan walks with his arm around Veronica. They kiss. Later, Duncan walks by Veronica and doesn't say a word to her. Veronica says in her VO that he ended things one day without a word of explanation.
lunch: Veronica continues saying, in her VO, that Logan is the school's obligatory psychotic jackass. His dad is a movie star and makes twenty million a picture. Wallace comes and sits with Veronica. At first, she is rude and asks if she said he could sit there. When Wallace gets up to leave, she changes her mind and says he can stay. He thanks her for cutting him down from the flagpole. Just then, a tough looking biker and several other bikers come over to the table. The biker, Weevil, says to Wallace that he was supposed to wait at the flagpole and that he's a dead man walking. Veronica tells Weevil to leave Wallace alone. Weevil and Veronica snark back and forth until Clemmons comes and tells the bikers to leave. Veronica asks Wallace what he did.
flashback: Sac-N-Pac Convenience Store: While Wallace is working, two members of Weevil's PCH Gang come in and blatantly steal some 40s. Wallace says he hit the silent alarm. The bikers pay for gum and leave. Wallace that the police came. (Cut to Veronica in the present saying that Neptune has a sheriff's department.) Sheriff Lamb comes in and tells Wallace to come outside. While Deputy Sacks holds the two bikers, Lamb asks Wallace if they paid. Wallace says, "Yeah." Lamb gets the video surveillance tape from inside the store. Showing his annoyance with Wallace, Lamb tells him to go see the wizard, to get some guts. The deputies arrest the bikers.
lunch: Veronica congratulates Wallace on ticking off the biker gang and the local sheriff in such a short time.
outside Mars apartment complex: Veronica, walking to her apartment, hears music, looks up, and sees a radio in a window. She looks down at the pool.
flashback: "Just Another" by Pete Yorn plays. Duncan is in the pool and says hi to Veronica, saying that's their song. Veronica's mother, Lianne, walks over with Lilly, Logan, and some of Veronica's other friends. She is holding a huge cake and she says, "Surprise! Veronica, are you surprised? Veronica?"
outside complex: Veronica says, "Mom?" but as she turns toward the voice calling her, she realizes that it's her neighbor, asking for help with her groceries.
beach: Veronica plays with her dog and sees Wallace flying a plane. They smile shyly at each other.
Mars Investigations office: Veronica pulls up and sees Celeste Kane's car there. Veronica says in her VO that Celeste hates her almost as much as she loves her son, Duncan. Inside, Cliff, a public defender, comes in. Veronica says her dad is with a client; however, Cliff says he's happy to talk to Veronica. He comments that even though her dad is constantly out of town chasing bail jumpers, cases that come into Mars Investigations always get solved. Veronica says they're efficient. Cliff tells her that his client dances at the Seventh Veil and beat up a washing machine. She wants to make a deal and mentions that the Seventh Veil has an interesting way of keeping their liquor license, even with a lax ID policy. Cliff opens the folder, puts it on the desk in front of Veronica, and takes his leave. Celeste comes out and tells Keith she doesn't like him but knows he'll be resourceful. She shoots Veronica a nasty look and leaves. Veronica looks at her dad, who says hi and goes back into his office. She looks out the window. Veronica's VO says that Celeste is a bitch, but after all, Keith did try to put her husband in jail for life. Later, Veronica tries to find out what Celeste was doing at the office. Keith tells her that Celeste thinks that her husband Jake is having an affair. The phone rings, and Veronica answers it and then hands the phone to Keith. A bail jumper is about to leave the country, so Keith has to go after him. Veronica says she'll take care of the plane ticket and rental car. Keith tells Veronica, "And Veronica, when you go after Jake Kane, you take backup."
Kane Software: In VO, Veronica says she followed Jake Kane to his office. He invented streaming video and everyone in his company became millionaires. He's beloved in Neptune. Half of the people there owe their fortunes to him. She knew their family well.
flashback: car wash: Veronica is at a pep squad car wash. She says in her VO that Duncan Kane was Veronica's first and only love and Lilly Kane was her best friend. Lilly, who is with her, tells Veronica that she's got a secret. A good one. However, the pep squad advisor tells them to get back to work and not talk as much. Lilly says she'll tell Veronica later. Those were the last words Lilly said to Veronica. Later, while in the car with her dad, he gets a call about a disturbance at the Kane home. Once they arrive at the Kanes, Keith tells Veronica to stay in the car, and he goes to investigate. However, when Veronica sees Duncan, she realizes that this isn't a normal disturbance. She goes over and tries to talk to him, but he doesn't respond. He just sits there, rocking back and forth. When she asks where Lilly is, he stops for a minute and his brow furrows. He begins to rock again. At another part of the house, Keith sees Lilly lying on the ground with her head bashed in. Celeste and Jake are crying and being comforted by Lamb. Veronica comes over and sees Lilly. She is shocked and starts to cry. Keith pulls her away. Veronica says in her VO that everyone remembers the bungling sheriff, her dad, who went after the wrong guy. Keith went after Jake Kane.
Camelot Motel: Veronica waits in her car as Jake go into room #6.
flashback: In a room at school, some students are looking at the video of Lilly lying dead on the ground by the pool. Veronica says in her VO that Keith got blamed because someone from the sheriff's department leaked it onto the internet. Logan asks Veronica if her dad still thinks Jake committed the murder. He mentions that Lilly was his girlfriend. Later, at the Mars home, Lianne packs. Keith tells her that Jake is lying but Lianne doesn't care. Veronica, watching the TV, calls for her dad. Abel Koontz, a disgruntled employee from Kane Software, is being arrested by Sheriff Lamb. He confessed to killing Lilly. Lilly's shoes and backpack were found on his houseboat.
Camelot Motel: Weevil and his biker gang drive up. A few rude bikers try to get near Veronica. Her dog leaps out of the window and attacks one biker. Felix tells Veronica to call off her dog but she tasers him when he gets close. Weevil says they know she's a badass and to call off her dog. Veronica tells Backup to chill. She says they're at a draw but Weevil says it's too late for that. Veronica says if they'll leave Wallace alone for a week, she'll make sure the bikers get off. Weevil agrees. He comments that if she gets lonely, "Weevil love you long time." Veronica gives him a sarcastic thumbs up and they ride away. Veronica's VO says, "Quite a reputation I've got, huh. You wanna know how I lost my virginity? So do I."
flashback: She says that she went to a party at Shelly Pomroy's to show everyone at school that the whispers and backstabbing meant nothing to her. This was a mistake. She sees Logan, who just stares at her. Duncan is with another girl and looks away. Everyone stares at her and some whisper. Someone hands her a rum, coke, and apparently, roofie, which she drinks. Her vision becomes hazy as she stumbles toward a pool lounge chair. Later, Veronica wakes up in a bed. She finds her underwear on the floor and a tear slips down her face as she realizes what must have happened. Walking home, she says in a VO that she never told her dad.
Camelot Motel: Jake starts to leave. A woman's hand holds the door while they talk. Veronica takes pictures.
outside school: Logan, in his car, pulls up to talk to Veronica who is walking through the parking lot. Duncan is in the passenger seat. Logan is very nasty to her, saying things about her feelings for Duncan and how her mom is an alcoholic. He asks Veronica when the last time she saw her mom was. Duncan yells at Logan to leave her alone. They leave.
flashback: Veronica says in her VO that she hasn't seen her mom in eight months. Lianne left Veronica a music box and a note that Veronica reads and then throws away.
school: lunch outside: Veronica sits at her table. Wallace is already there. He says she should hear what people say about her. She responds by asking why he is sitting with her. He says he'd rather sit with the person who cut him down than with the people who laughed at him and took pictures of him. She asks if he wants to get the PCH bike club to leave him alone. He does.
art room: Veronica shows a drawing to a classmate, Corny, who agrees to make the item for her.
Veronica's room: Veronica has several photos that she's taken all over her room. She looks at a picture she took at the Camelot. The shot is of Jake Kane leaving the motel, walking by a car. She magnifies the license plate of the car, prints it out, and tacks it up next to her other pictures. She leaves.
living room: Keith comes home and says he captured the bail jumper. He is very wound up about cashing the check he got. He says he's going to make dinner.
outside: Keith is barbecuing. Veronica tells him that she followed Jake Kane to the Camelot and gives him the picture so he can run the license plate. Keith looks at it, then crumples it up and says they're dropping the case. Veronica is surprised but Keith refuses to tell Veronica his reason.
outside The Seventh Veil: While sitting in her car, Veronica says in her VO that this is phase one to save Wallace from the PCH Bike Gang. She pulls out a video camera.
school: Veronica and Wallace run up the stairs of the school in time to see Logan opening his locker for Sheriff Lamb and Deputy Sacks. There's a bong inside. Logan looks surprised. They start to take him away. Logan sees Veronica and says he knows it was her, that it's not over. She yawns at Logan, smiles at Corny, and tells Wallace to meet her after school.
in front of Sheriff's Department: Veronica and Wallace are in her car. Wallace says they could get in trouble for what they're doing, but he will do it. Wallace uses a remote control.
Sheriff's Department: In the Evidence Room, smoke starts coming out of the bong and sets off the fire alarm. The secretary, Inga, sees smoke and thinks there is a fire. Fire trucks pull up outside and firemen put out the "fire."
Fire Department: Veronica talks to the Chief. He says he made the switch and hands Veronica an envelope.
Mars Investigations office: VO says that plenty of people still love her dad, which comes in handy. Other times, she has to rely on her own devices. Veronica makes a phone call and disguises her voice to sound like Inga's German accent. She asks the man on the other line to run a plate for her. She reads off the license plate number from the crumpled up photograph. Tony tells her that it's registered to Lianne Mars. Veronica is stunned. Later, Keith comes in and says he's bored. He asks Veronica if she wants to see a movie. Veronica would rather know why he dropped the Kane case. Keith says he ran the plate and it was corporate espionage stuff. It's dangerous, and he doesn't get paid enough. He tells Veronica to just drop it. Veronica reluctantly agrees, but she's upset, so she leaves.
courtroom: Inga greets Veronica with surprise, saying that she hasn't seen her since...Veronica interrupts her and says it's been a long time. She asks Inga where a certain trial is. Inga tells her and Veronica walks away, saying in her VO that the last time she was here was easy to remember.
flashback: Veronica, still wearing the dress she wore to Shelly's party, walks into the Sheriff's Department. Inga asks what happened. Veronica says she needs to report a crime. In Sheriff Lamb's office, he asks her, "Is there anyone in particular you'd like me to arrest or should I just round up the sons of the most important families in town? I've got not a shred of evidence to work with here, but that really doesn't matter to your family, now does it?" Veronica sheds a tear, and Lamb tells her to go see the wizard for some backbone.
courtroom: Sheriff Lamb testifies that the bikers stole the alcohol. Veronica walks in. Lamb sees her and looks puzzled. He continues to testify, saying they have it on tape. They put in a tape. However, on the screen is a stripper from the Seventh Veil who gets into the passenger side of a sheriff's car. She disappears, head down, next to a deputy. Veronica gives Lamb a finger gun. He is angry. Cliff is amused. She leaves.
beach: Veronica drives to the beach and gets out. She hands Wallace the evidence envelope which has the Sac-N-Pac tape in it. He is relieved. They fly his plane together, but then Wallace notices something. Veronica goes to her car. Logan is lying on it and three other guys are with him. He gets up and asks her if she knows what her stunt cost him. He smashes her headlights and says his dad took his car away. As he approaches her, Weevil's gang rides up. Weevil takes Logan's crowbar and damages the car the 09ers were in. He tells Logan's friends to leave, but Logan has to stay and apologize. Logan refuses. Weevil punches him in the stomach and face before Veronica says she doesn't want his apology. Logan gets into the car and the 09ers leave. Weevil thanks Veronica for getting his bikers off in a round-about way. He says she can get her car repaired by his uncle who owns a body shop on the highway. She tells him to apologize to Wallace. Weevil refuses. She says that's fine but Wallace has the only copy of the Sac-N-Pac tape. Weevil apologizes and asks for the tape. Wallace says no and leaves with Veronica.
Mars Investigations office: Veronica pulls up outside the office and waits for Keith to leave. She then goes in. Veronica's VO says that she knows where the combination to Keith's safe is, but she's never needed to use it until now. She finds the Lilly Kane murder file in it. It has some notes that are less than a month old, yet the confessed killer is in jail. She also wonders why her photo from the Camelot is in that file. Later, Keith comes in, saying he saw the light. Veronica is listening to the music box. Keith says he got food and a movie. She kisses him and tells him she will meet him at home, after she makes a stop.
Veronica's car: As she is driving, Veronica's VO says her dad must have a reason for lying but she has questions she wants answered.
Camelot Motel: Veronica knocks on door #6. She waits but no one answers. She goes back down to her car and vows in her VO to bring her family back together again.