I think had we been on, say, ABC and gotten the promotion that would have given us a big sampling of people, we would have either very quickly been a hit or very quickly died, because they wouldn't have let us linger for three years. That was the upside and the downside of being on UPN, because we got a lot of time but we didn't get enough eyeballs on it.
Sometimes I do believe that "critical darling, commercial flop" will be on my tombstone. I feel really confident that I can consistently do good television. I have yet to know whether I can write hit television.
Hopefully you'll find out with Miss/Guided.
Yeah, that would be nice. It's going to be on ABC. It's a midseason. And it will be good to be on a big network again. I am excited about that. For the "right people," being involved with Veronica Mars was very cool within the community there in LA, but traveling across America, telling people I did Veronica Mars, 19 out of 20 people would have no idea what that meant.
On the Internet though — I always said if the Internet audience represented the audience as a whole, Veronica Mars would be a top 5 show.
Absolutely.
How much of that do you think helped keep the show on the air, the Internet fan base and the critical acclaim? Or is that beside the point?
I don't think it's beside the point. I will say this: I think one of the reasons we existed for two years on UPN and survived for two years was we gave the network a bit of artistic cache that they didn't have before us. Critics particularly could say UPN is doing some quality television, look at this. And we were the first drama that they successfully launched over there that got more than one season. I think they were very proud of our show and didn't want to cancel the show that was their artistic – for whatever that means in television – crown jewel. So I think the critical reaction and the fact that people seemed to be so rabid meant a lot to the network. It outweighed the numbers we were doing for them. But after three years it quit meaning so much.
I think the Jericho peanut campaign that worked inspired the Mars Bars campaign, and will probably inspire a lot more save our show campaigns now.
Article comments
1 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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.
7 - greatz
DUDE PLIZ GET VERONICA MARS BACK = ITS LIEK THE BEST TV SHOW EVR!!!
8 - Kate
I LOVE VERONICA MARS IT IS THE BEST SHOW EVER ive got season 1 and 2 and waiting to get season 3, PLZ MAKE SEASON 4 AND AIR IT ON AUSTRALIAN TV BECAUSE I THINK IT WILL BE A HUDGE HIT, I THINK THAT IT WILL BE THE BEST THINK THAT CAME ON TV PLEASE PLEASE PLEASEPLEASE PLEASE PLEASE