Wrap-up of the rapist story arc.
Pretty good wrap-up of the rapist story arc. Some people had speculated that it was Moe, the too-innocent dorm RA, but to have it be Mercer aided by Moe was a good twist.
What’s with the freaky “prisoner” exchange between Mercer and Moe? Was Mercer the asshole guard from the prison simulation? I didn’t think Moe was involved in that.
So what about Mercer’s alibi for one of the rapes, the trip to Mexico with Logan? Did Moe do that one alone, maybe?
Logan bashing the windshield in front of the cops was great!
I thought the criminology professor was going to be the murder victim. The list of suspects would have included the dean, the TA, and any student who had written the perfect murder essay that killed him off. The obvious suspects for the dean’s murder will be his wife, the professor, and the feminists.
Did the professor say that any of the essays were about murdering the dean? I’m thinking that one of the essays will be a good description of the actual murder.
I think this seems certain, since the essays were going to be posted online.
I’m thinking that Logan was somehow covering for Mercer with the Mexico story because he believed that Mercer had some other alibi that couldn’t be made public, and now that he knows that Mercer is the rapist, he’s really, uh, unhappy.
Who was the band at the party? I’m assuming they were Someone We Should Know from the amount of camera time on them, but I’m all old and stuff and ignorant in the pops culture. 
Overall, I’m satisfiedish. I do wonder about the Mexico thing - I hadn’t thought of Logan lying (duh!) as a cover - he just seemed too detailed and shaken about the fire. I think it’s more likely that Moe worked alone on that one.
But I still want to know WHY the head-shaving. Fetish? Territorial marking? Repressed desire to be a hairstylist? (They could really use a new one on the show, 'cause they’re flailing around trying to find a look for Veronica and it ain’t working. “How 'bout ho-bag curly?” “Let’s try ironed flat and in her eyes!” “It’s not working. Put more eyeliner on her, that’ll fix it!”)
So DID the dean go to the hotel? When he woke up on the couch in his office in the same position Keith left him in, I wondered if it wasn’t a dream…
He wasn’t this year. But in the prison experiment episode (I know it was the 2nd ep of the season, but I forget what it was called), Moe mentions that he did it his freshman year and that “it was a life changing experience” or something like that. And the picture that Veronica sees in Moe’s room of Moe and Mercer together wasn’t just them hanging out, it was specifically of them wearing the uniforms that we saw in the prison episode (with Mercer dressed as a guard and Moe as a prisoner). So the asshole guard/prisoner relationship we did see somewhat mirrored what Mercer and Moe had, apparently. Mercer started bullying Moe then and just never stopped, I guess.
And there was kind of a hint of that kind of relationship, though with these two, when (a few episodes back, I think it was) Logan mentioned that Horshack (the prisoner we did see) was caught cheating on a test for the asshole guard.
That seemed like the one loose end. I’m not sure what to think about it. I’m sure the writers have an explanation for it, since I’m sure they knew that Mercer was the rapist when they wrote that episode, but since we didn’t get the explanation this episode, I’m not sure if we will. Seems like a big thing to leave dangling though. I could see it coming back up if, say, Logan had lied about the whole Mexico trip to give Mercer an alibi to V, but I’m not sure what his motive would be.
Err, “though not with these two”, heh.
Yep. Classic Stockholm Syndrome case- incidentally, didja notice how their prominent guest star only a week before was the single most famous case of Stockholm Syndrome ever?
I’m pretty sure that was one of the rapes that turned out to have been faked by the Lilith House girls.
Overall, I thought that was a fantastic episode. Some of the funniest moments since the first season (“Hey guys, what’s the word? Is it… AVUNCULAR?”), as well as some of the most downright terrifying- I’m not going to be able to get the image of the hair falling around Veronica as she hides in Moe’s closet out of my mind for a long time. Rob Thomas and Co. have always been the best around at wrapping up long-term story arcs, and if having three arcs per season means we get the equivalent of three full season finales, then I for one can’t wait to see what’s coming up next. 
I’m gonna miss the Dean, though. After Piz, he was my favorite of the new characters. Speaking of whom, a comment on TWoP nailed why I like Piz- he exudes the same manic geekiness mixed with cool as Rob Lowe did on the West Wing.
I also think Moe worked alone the night that Logan vouched for Mercer. Veronica mentioned that Moe was the one who drugged her, and she thinks that he wasn’t planning on raping her, just making sure that someone was attacked on a night that Mercer had an alibi.
I haaaaaaaaaated the scene with Mercer talking to his unconcious victim. Bad enough to have such clunky exposition, but worse, it was *unsatisfying * clunky exposition. Moe drugs women for Mercer to have sex with so that he doesn’t have to be bothered talking to them for an hour? Yeah, I get that we’re supposed to deduce his profound sociopathic and misogynistic tendencies, but I kinda got that simply from the fact that he’s a rapist. I’d have liked to actually learn why they started doing this, what’s in it for Moe, why the head shaving, you know… actual motivations.
I love the acting on this show, and the writing as far as the characters/relationships, but really, the mysteries are **not ** well constructed. I mean, Beaver? Really? And not even “Beaver is a scared, deeply damaged kid who got in over his head and didn’t know how to get out”, which I totally would have bought, but “Beaver is an evil mastermind” which, seriously… really?
Even the Aaron thing, while satisfying, hadn’t really been established. Rob Thomas said that the clues were there, but they simply weren’t. Sure, we knew that Aaron was an psychotic jackass, but given the number of psychotic jackasses in Neptune, it doesn’t necessarily follow that he killed Lily, and there really wasn’t anything to link him in particular to her murder.
Wow, that was a lot of bitching about a show I really do love. At least they didn’t kill Mac (I was worried about losing Tina Majorino), so really, all’s right with the world as far as I’m concerned. I’ll miss the Dean, but I can’t wait to see who they stunt cast next! (I really mean that, by the way. I LOVE the casting on this show. Who knew that I could ever think that Harry Freakin’ Hamlin was a genius!)
Mercer’s little bedside soliloquy established his motivation- like many rapists, he gets off on the power thing. Shaving the girls’ heads is an externalized representation of his power, and I’m sure he got more than a little bit of sadistic pleasure every time he saw one of his victims afterwards.
DianaG: That’s the thing, I don’t think it was just that Mercer can’t be bothered to make small talk. As I said, he enjoys the feeling of power, and talking to his victims when they can’t talk back had to be a huge rush. It wasn’t expository at all, because what he was saying wasn’t supposed to be a mustache-twirling “hahaha, this was my secret plan all along” moment.
Anyway, I personally found that scene, as well as the rest of what happened afterward, perfectly creepy. The only part I found really jarring was when Veronica decided to flee to Piz’s room, even though she knew that both Piz and Wallace were at the party.
I usually don’t think that violence is a good solution to problems, but I’m still glad Logan got himself thrown in the jail so he could pummel Mercer and Moe. I’m sure Logan can afford more legal fees. And if not, he’s one of the few 19-year-olds in America who could write a bestselling memoir.
Add me to the list of those who are confused about the Mexico alibi though. I know Claire faked her rape, but that was long after the Mexico trip, which was supposed to have been in August, before school started.
I like this idea. That scene with the wife and the prof was a bit hackneyed, like something a betrayed husband would imagine, from watching soaps or something.
Plus, if he was sober enough to make it to the hotel room, wouldn’t he have just gone home after the confrontation, rather than back to that couch?
I liked the attempted misdirection with the TA at the party confronting his girlfriend.
“For every guy you’ve been with, I’ve been with a new girl!”
You knew Veronica was thinking “Waaaaiiitt… it cant be this easy.”
I thought it was a great wrap up. I knew Moe was in it somehow, he was placed too conveniently. A RA that shows up casually, has a few lines, but no character development? In VM world, a description like that means you are either the victim or the perp. It was great writing to have Mercer be part of it, because just when you have it all figured out, it’s like “Whaaaa? Mercer? He was cleared already!”
Veronica banging on Wallace and Piz’s door was indeed annoying, but the girl was frantic. When you’re scared for your life, you don’t exactly make rational decisions.
The few scenes with Logan were great. Short and simple, but it was to the point and carried a lot of punch. So typical of Veronica not to let anyone in on her feelings after the breakup, just like Logan said. She hides herself away so she can’t be vulnerable. I wonder if Veronica even realises she’s doing exactly what Logan says she does when she’s crying in the shower all by herself. Watching Logan break the windshield of the cop car made me go “SQUEE!” and seeing him land in jail with Mercer and Moe made me go double squee.
I also don’t think Logan would be stupid enough to give an alibi for Mercer if they weren’t really in Mexico together. Logan should know by now not to trust anyone. I could see him giving false alibi for Veronica or maybe even Duncan, but definitely not Mercer. I think the rape Mercer was cleared of was because it was faked by the Lilith girls, which came to bite them back in the ass.
I’m looking forward to the next mystery, and hopefully a real snarky dynamic between Veronica and Logan.
I’m not sure which way feels more hackneyed, honestly. The “it was all a dream” misdirect is pretty awful as well.
I could explain away his returning to the office instead of home because his office is his safe haven. It’s where he relaxes and watches TV and drinks good, but not too good, scotch and gets away from home. So it would make sense for him to return there after a traumatic confrontation.
Help me out - I know what “avuncular” means, but I didn’t get the joke.
She is wearing a lot more makeup this season, isn’t she? I didn’t mind the curly hair, but I don’t like the bangs in her eyes.
It should have occurred to Veronica that a call-in show could be pre-recorded, and I assumed that she checked to make sure Mercer’s shows (the ones that provided him with an alibi) were live. Or that the police would have wanted proof of that before accepting it as an alibi. Guess not.
I too was bothered by Mercer’s soliloquy. It just didn’t strike the right note, and was a little too close to Beaver’s “I’m the evil genius” speech from last year. I’m also not sure I buy the choice of villain. Mercer’s enough of a player to be hangin’ with the in crowd and running his little casino and all, but he needs an organized roofie parade–including a sidekick–to get his chicks (and kicks)? That doesn’t particularly wash with me. He could just as easily work out his weirdo factor on any one of the dozens of college chicks who would willingly fall into the arms of a guy like that.
I like that we got to see nearly everyone in the cast last night. Nice ironic touch: in the episode that screamed for people to be arrested, the one character absent was the Sherriff.
I’m most interested to see what Logan’s story is. Did he lie about the Mexico thing, or was he also taken in by Mercer? I did like him taking the bat to the cruiser in the coffee shop parking lot. Very much his style.
Loved Mac’s shirt (“Ask Me About My STD”).
Nice to see Dick staying perfectly in character (mooning the feminazis). That boy really knows how to stay in his wheelhouse.
Overall, slightly unsatisfying, but I’ll take it. And I remain eager to see what January brings.
The “avuncular” joke was similar to one in the first season.
Clemmons: Mr. Echolls, I was wondering if I could have a word?
Logan: Anthropomorphic. All yours, big guy.
I don’t think there’s anything to it beyond that.
I’m not bothered by Mercer’s speechifying, nor was I troubled when Beaver did it. The show is intended as noir, not absolute realism. It’s stylized.
This actually makes a lot more sense than his going home. Unless his wife just stayed in the hotel room with Professor Sleazo, their home is where she would be, and the Dean wouldn’t want to be hanging around there.
We must keep in mind, the philanderers weren’t the only ones with a motive. Dean O’Dell cast the vote that restored the Greek system, so one of the Lilith girls might be motivated for murder, too.