Rob Thomas sees the Banff World Television Festival as a working holiday. The working part comes from a day packed with media interviews and a Master Class session on the craft of writing for television. The holiday part comes from avoiding the rest of the festival "unless they're holding the sessions in the spa," he laughs.

Thomas has had a rough time lately with the it's-cancelled-no-it's-not-yes-it-is maneuverings behind the scenes of Veronica Mars. He worries that his tombstone is going to read: "critical darling, commercial flop." He also worries that he now looks like the bad guy in the demise of the show.

The CW is still floating a June 15 deadline for the network to make a final decision on Veronica Mars' fate, but Thomas says the decision has already been made. He has been told president Les Moonves is not backing it, and the CW is not offering much of a deal or any guarantees despite that June 15 deadline.

 "They were asking me to give up a whole lot on the outside shot of putting Veronica Mars back on the air," explains Thomas, who believes the false hope may be serving to distract from the fact that the CW cancelled the show.

He wavers only slightly when asked if it's official that he's taken the reins on ABC midseason replacement Miss/Guided, starring Judy Greer — the opportunity he was being asked to give up. "I think there's one little point they're still hammering out, but everyone involved believes it is going to work out, so it's official. Believe me, I've been doing Miss/Guided stuff every day this week, so I hope I have a job or I've been doing a lot of free work," he laughs.

He wavers not at all when declaring "Veronica Mars the TV series is gone."

"I have read recently that Veronica Mars fans are sending Mars Bars, and I don't want to dampen their enthusiasm, but it's not going to happen," he says. "Unfortunately. Lord knows I would have loved for it to keep going."

Veronica Mars the character is not dead yet though. Thomas recently has been in talks with DC Comics about bringing the teen detective to comic books, an opportunity he's enthusiastic about that will allow him to use the planned fourth season storylines. He's also contemplating a feature film script based on the character. "But the show is a thing of the past now," he reiterates.

"It makes me sad because I so appreciate the people who are doing it," he says about the rabid Internet fan base. "I also know the Mars Bars campaign needed to happen a month earlier if it was going to have any impact."

Fortunately for fans, the video pitch to have Veronica in the FBI will be available on the season three DVD, even if it didn't result in a fourth season. "Our Hail Mary pass came close to working, but it didn't get past all the barriers it needed to." 

Look for more from Rob Thomas and more at the Banff World Television Festival soon.