"Blast from the Past" is the fifth episode of the second season of the American mystery television series Veronica Mars, and the twenty-seventh episode overall. Written by Phil Klemmer and Cathy Belben and directed by Harry Winer, the episode premiered on UPN on October 26, 2005.
In this episode, Veronica helps Jackie Cook (Tessa Thompson) deal with her purported credit card fraud. Meanwhile, the Sheriff's race heats up, and Wallace (Percy Daggs III) faces the complicated aftermath of learning that Nathan Woods (Cress Williams) is actually his father
Plot[]
Directly after the previous episode, Wallace angrily confronts Alicia about Nathan being his father. Alicia tells Wallace that Nathan betrayed her while supposedly going on a police case and that Wallace's purported father, Hank Fennel, is his legal father. In class, Veronica nominates Wallace for homecoming king, and another boy nominates Veronica. Wallace tells Veronica that Nathan is his father before Jackie approaches and expresses her jealousy. Keith tells Veronica that he has a 12-point lead in the sheriff race.
In the bathroom, Jackie walks up to Veronica and tells her that she needs her help with her credit card, which has been maxed out without her knowledge. Veronica reluctantly agrees. Alicia confronts Keith for Wallace's birth certificate, which he stole in the previous episode. They get into an increasingly heated debate. Nathan talks to Wallace, and he says that he's tried to find Wallace for years and hands him letters that he sent. Wallace successfully made the nominating pool for homecoming royalty. Logan and Jackie flirt in school. Veronica matches the credit card items with a girl named Cora and invites her to pick out homecoming dresses together to find out more. Logan and Duncan agree to hang out.
During a Sheriff's race debate, Sheriff Lamb brings up the fact that Keith would have arrested Ed Doyle for a DUI if he had followed procedure. Veronica finds out that Cora could not have stolen Jackie's credit card. Duncan invites Veronica to homecoming. Keith has lost his lead in the Sheriff's race. Wallace shows Alicia the letters and she blows up at him. Veronica plants a listening device in Sheriff Lamb's office. Veronica goes to the first place the credit card was spent, the psychic shop, where Jackie went. Veronica decides to go on the psychic, Madam Sophie's, show to expose her as a fraud. Veronica, listening through the audio device, finds out that Sheriff Lamb blackmails Jackie's father, the baseball player Terence Cook. The girl who went on the psychic's show says that she has a message from the bus crash, and Veronica listens. Veronica goes on the show, and without having told anyone, the psychic has a “message” from Lilly, but it turns out that Jackie framed Veronica to embarrass her. Wallace angrily tells Veronica to let it go while simultaneously telling Jackie that he's not going to the homecoming dance with her because of the incident.
Wallace Fennel and Nathan Woods leaving Neptune
Veronica shows Keith the message before the bus crash, and there is an explosion on the tape, indicating that the bus is sabotaged. Veronica tells Keith to use the information to his advantage, but he denies the suggestion. Homecoming occurs, where Jackie is alone and Veronica and Duncan dance. Veronica sees Jackie dancing with Logan, and Jackie yells at Veronica. Keith shows Lamb the message evidence. Alicia calls Keith and says that Wallace went missing after the prom. Veronica calls Wallace, but he doesn't pick up. We see that Wallace is driving away with his father.
Arc significance[]
- Veronica bugs Sheriff Lamb's office and finds him blackmailing Terrence Cook, who has gambling debt.
- Veronica finds a voice mail message left by a student on the bus moments before the crash and confirms, after her father hears it, that there's a sound before the bus hits the rail that could be an explosion. Keith opts not to go public with the message, giving it to Lamb instead.
Cultural references[]
The cultural references of the episode include:
- Veronica mentions "Love Hangover".
- Logan insults someone by calling them Zippy the Pinhead.
- Veronica compares Nathan to Donnie Brasco.
- Veronica says that her coffee spill looks like a Rorschach test.
- Veronica compares Duncan to Howard Hughes.
- Sheriff Lamb and Terrence both want the latter to make the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
- Veronica paraphrases a statement supposedly uttered by Shoeless Joe Jackson.
- Keith references the album Bob Dylan at Budokan.
Music[]
- "Press Record Then Play" - Lake Holiday
- "No Sleep Tonight" - The Faders
- "Whatever It Takes" - The Faders
Quotes[]
- Keith: Ahhh, look, Veronica, your father's campaign is riding on a gravy train with biscuit wheels. Woody's numbers guys just called to say I've got a twelve-point lead. I don't need to roll around in the mud with Lamb.
- Veronica: In that case, it sounds like you don't need a photographer from the Neptune Navigator who knows how to shoot your good side?
- Keith: I got nothing but good sides, baby.
- Veronica: It's weird that you live here. I don't want you going all Howard Hughes-y on me.
- Duncan: I am not a shut-in. These nails? Neatly trimmed. Though, now that you mention it, I have started bottling my own urine.
- Veronica: Ew.
- Wallace: How about you doing me a favor for once? ... Why does it have to be about you all the time? Jackie's right about one thing: it's your world, I just live in it. I'm asking you for a favor, Veronica. Let it go. Don't do whatever it is you're gonna do! You been paying any attention lately? I just learned my whole life is a lie. My dad isn't my dad. I've always been a shoulder you could lean on. You've given me no time, no sympathy...nothing.
Trivia[]
- The episode had an estimated audience size of 3.6 million US viewers on its first airing, garnering the highest audience of any episode in the series overall.[1]
- On Jackie's TiVo, you can see that she has recorded Cupid (another show created by Rob Thomas) and Sunset and Vaughn, a fictional show within Cupid.
- Despite being credited, Francis Capra (Weevil) does not appear in this episode.
Goofs[]
- When Keith comes in from being "out all night" he puts his keys in his pocket as he shuts the door, then again as he walks toward the kitchen's island.
References[]
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blast_from_the_Past_(Veronica_Mars)
External links[]
- MI.net's Roundtable Review.
- Soulful Spike Society's Open Case.
- Television Without Pity Recap.