INTERVIEW

Rob Thomas on Banff, Veronica Mars, and Life After the Show's Death

Written by Diane Kristine
Published June 13, 2007

Recently, Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas presented a Master Class to a group of industry insiders at the Banff World Television Festival, where he also broke the news that the show is not coming back to television. I spoke with him prior to his class to talk about the ups and downs of his career, especially in the last month when the fate of his series was undecided.

Have you been to Banff before?

Never. It's fantastic. The view from my room is unbelievable.

What do you hope to share with people at your Master Class?

I've been trying to figure that out. What I've been trying to get an accurate read on, and what I'm coming to grips with is who is at this conference. I've been at places to speak where it's full of Veronica Mars fans and I've felt like Gene Roddenberry. It's – "Veronica was in this green blouse in episode three, and yet she didn't wear it again until episode 17 of season three. Can you explain why?" It's a bunch of stuff like that. And it seems invariably when I speak in LA, the room is full of writers who just want to know how to break into the business. That's the mindset. I'm starting to understand now that most of the people here are working professionals, and I believe then we'll stick to the travails of running a low-rated US network show and what the pressures involve. I think it will skew a bit more in that direction.

Are you going to any other sessions as well? Is there something you're hoping to get out of the festival?

No, unless they're holding those sessions in the spa.

Smart plan. It sounds like you might need a vacation after the events of the last few weeks.

Yeah, it's been very difficult. And now that I've taken this new job ...

Is that official? With Miss/Guided?

Yeah, it's official, sort of. There's one little deal point that everyone involved believes 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 right now. But I think it's going to happen.

Is there any truth to the rumours of a movie to wrap things up, or is that in the past now too?

No, that's not in the past. I have read recently that Veronica Mars fans have been sending Mars Bars, and I don't want to dampen their enthusiasm, but I have to say, it's not going to happen. Veronica Mars the TV series is gone. Unfortunately. Lord knows I would have loved for it to keep going. I did meet with DC Comics last week to talk about continuing Veronica Mars as a comic book, and I have some aspirations to write a feature script about Veronica. But the show is a thing of the past now.

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Diane is a publications manager who's addicted to television, movies, and books and justifies her pop culture obsessions by writing about them for Blogcritics. She also runs the TV, Eh? website, a compilation of news and information about Canadian television series.
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Rob Thomas on Banff, Veronica Mars, and Life After the Show's Death
Published: June 13, 2007
Type: Interview
Section: Video
Filed Under: Interviews, Video: Television
Part of a feature: Banff World Television Festival
Writer: Diane Kristine
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Comments

#1 — June 14, 2007 @ 08:40AM — Elizabeth

Rob Thomas is God to me for creating VM. Seriously, Rob, please don't shoot for Lost. That show is all ratings and the substance was gone long ago. 1,000 years from now, when this civilization is long-gone, people will dig up old VM dvds and think, "What the hell was wrong with CBS for canceling this awesome show?!?!"

#2 — November 4, 2007 @ 22:59PM — jenny

i wish veronica mars was still on. i would have loved for it to continue..it was aunique show and it deserves to keep on playin!

#3 — January 3, 2008 @ 17:36PM — Abby

I've have been waiting forever to see if veronica mars would have a 4th season. I had finally got the 2nd and 3rd season, to complete my collection, for christmas this year, and I had hopes that there was for sure going to be a 4th season. I wish that the plot wasn't her being in the FBI yet, but no matter what i was happy there was going to be a 4th season. Today I was curious as to of when that season was going to start, and now there's not going to be one. That truely disappoints me. There was more to that show than any other show I had ever watched. I was into ever single aspect of that show. It was funny, the people seemed so real, the plots were so out there, I just felt like everything about that show as perfect and made a person want to keep watching it. It was kind of like a good book you don't want to put down, except more. I had never heard of the t.v. network UPN until one day there was nothing to watch and i was flipping through every channel and i was thankful to come across a great show that hooked me from the first episode. There are so many curcumstances of as of why VM didn't get as many viewers as it should've. At the time there were other shows people had already become into when VM was aired, nobody really watched upn, and when it started airing on the cw well it was the 3rd season already (but i'm sure those who had started watching it then wanted to see the first and second seasons also). I think if Rob Thomas fought to have it air from the beginning to the end, on a more popular channel, and gave it advertisement, it could become the big hit it should be. There are still so many things a fourth season could go on, of vm being in college still. It could go on whatever happened to Kendall Casablancas, who won sheriff, what will become of the Fitzpatricks, will Duncan ever return, will the Castle ever be publicized, and what will become of the best love hate relationship i've ever seen between Logan and Veronica. I would hope my words are read thoroughly and passed on the the big guys. I'd email them to if i knew how to communicate with them.

#4 — January 3, 2008 @ 17:42PM — Abby

I'd also have to say i'm not one to actually email someone for how much i love a show, but veronica mars is the best show i had ever seen and i dont want it to end. 3 seasons is too short, i speak for many about this show when i say it must go on.

#5 — January 3, 2008 @ 17:44PM — Diane Kristine

Sorry Abby, this article is half a year old - the series is as dead as dead can be and everyone involved has moved on. You might see it in a comic book, though, when the strike's over.

#6 — April 19, 2008 @ 01:01AM — Megan

I definetly agree i have never bought complete seasons of any show but i had to of veronica mars. i finished the entire 3rd season in a matter of 4 days. the show is addicting and i cat believe they are cutting it off. im very disappointed. No one cares about these dumb reality tv shows like the pussycat dolls. i for one would rather watch veronica mars any day of the week. i just wish there was a chance that they would reconsider a season 4.

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