3. Veronica Mars on Veronica Mars
Along time ago, we used to be friends with Veronica Mars. But this summer, she’s coming back to solve another mystery in the eight-episode Hulu miniseries/unofficial fourth season of the eponymous neo-noir drama series. And what a perfect time for everyone’s favorite former teen detective to make her grand return than in a post-2016 world. If you thought Veronica had a take-no-prisoners attitude before, we should hold onto our marshmallows.
Anticipation aside, Veronica Mars might be one of the greatest characters ever written and performed, a perfect synthesis between creator Rob Thomas and Emmy-robbed Kristen Bell. She’s fearless and vulnerable and million more contradictions. She’s the smartest person in the room, and even when she’s not, she believes that she is, which is honestly half the battle. She’s not one to give up, though she knows when to taken an L and formulate a Plan B.
When you crunch those numbers, a character with those traits could add up to an unlikable character or, at the very least, one that’s hard to love. Ol’ Ron Mars definitely walks a tightrope with her inextinguishable drive and rejection of authority, but she’s a self-made hero who operates on the basis of obtaining the truth. She’s inherently likable because Bell injects her tough exterior with squishy center and a sense of humor that rivals most comics. When Veronica Mars makes its comeback, we’ll be reunited with one of the most likable TV leads of all time.