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Script
Originale
Opening
credits. Music: "We Used to Be Friends"
by the Dandy Warhols.
LYRICS:
A long time ago, we used to be friends
But
I haven't thought of you lately at all.
Come
on now sugar, bring it on bring it on, yeah
Just
remember me when we used to be friends
A
long time ago, we used to be friends.
End
opening credits.
EXT
– NEPTUNE HIGH SCHOOL – DAY.
Music:
"What You Want" by the Wayouts. Three
cheerleaders run across the car park as Veronica
arrives in her LeBaron, parks up and heads towards
a crowd that has gathered in front of the school.
VERONICA
VOICEOVER: This is my school. If you go here, your
parents are either millionaires or your parents
work for millionaires. Neptune, California, a town
without a middle class. If you’re in the second
group, you get a job; fast food, movie theatres,
mini-marts. Or you could be me. My after-school
job means tailing philandering spouses or investigating
false injury claims.
The
crowd is twittering about something ahead. Veronica
makes her way through them.
[101/0102.jpg]MALE
VOICE IN THE CROWD: Who’d that guy rat out?
BOY
IN THE CROWD: The bikers.
GIRL
IN THE CROWD: Why doesn’t somebody cut him down?
The
focus of the crowd’s attention is a young black
man, Wallace Fennel, taped to a flagpole. He is
naked, although his dignity is preserved by the
positioning of the duct tape. The misspelled word
"Snich" is painted in large letters across
his chest. The crowd is ringed around him.
BOY#2:
[sarcastically] Yeah! I’ll do it. I wanna be the
guy up there tomorrow!
No
one is helping Wallace and one particularly obnoxious
individual approaches him with a camera, taking
a photograph of himself with the humiliated captive.
JERK:
All right, say cheese. Smile.
Wallace
swallows hard. Veronica is unimpressed with the
passivity of the crowd. She approaches the jerk.
VERONICA:
Move.
JERK:
Who died and made you the quee--
His
posturing is cut off by Veronica’s production of
a small knife and he makes a sharp exit.
JERK:
You are a freak.
Veronica
starts to slice through the tape around Wallace’s
lower body.
VERONICA:
You’re new here, huh? Welcome to Neptune High.
A
school bell rings. The crowd starts to disperse.
Veronica mocks enthusiasm with a sneer as they go.
VERONICA:
Go Pirates!
An
overhead shot shows the crowd leaving as Veronica
saws at the tape. End music: "What You Want"
by the Wayouts.
INT
– NEPTUNE HIGH SCHOOL, CLASSROOM – DAY.
A
class is in session. As the teacher, Mrs. Murphy,
walks forward, the students are revealed, including
Veronica, whose head is resting on her arms on the
desk. She looks to be asleep.
MRS.
MURPHY: This is advanced placement. We expect more.
It’s called An Essay on Man but what Pope’s really
talking about is faith. Right? Anybody? Did anybody
complete the reading? Veronica? Veronica Mars!
Veronica
jerks upright. She wipes one eye, attempting to
wake up.
VERONICA:
Um-hum
MRS.
MURPHY: Congratulations, you’re my volunteer. Pope.
An Essay on Man: Epistle I.
VERONICA:
"Hope springs eternal in the human breast;
Man
never is, but always to be blest:
The
soul, uneasy and confined from home,
Rests
and expatiates in a life to come."
MRS.
MURPHY: And what do you suppose Pope meant by that?
VERONICA:
Life’s a bitch until you die.
[101/0231.jpg]The
other students giggle.
MRS.
MURPHY: Okay, thank you Ms. Mars for that succinct
and somewhat inappropriate response.
Veronica
returns her head to the desk as Mrs. Murphy carries
on.
MRS.
MURPHY: I think what Pope’s saying is that the thing
that keeps us powering through life’s defeats is
our faith in a better life yet to come.
Veronica
doesn’t look convinced.
INT
– NEPTUNE HIGH SCHOOL, HALLWAY – DAY.
Veronica
rounds the corner of an empty school corridor with
successive sets of lockers on the side between classroom
doors. A miscellany of posters decorate the walls
and the fronts and sides of the lockers, including
a number exhorting Pirate Pride and another with
IAGO printed down the side with writing leading
off each letter as follows: I do hate him as I hate
hell-pains. And did you see the handkerchief. Go
out and cry a mutiny. O, beware, my lord of jealously.
VERONICA
VOICEOVER: Random locker searches. It’s the latest
tactic the administration has adopted in their losing
war on drugs except the searches aren’t really random.
[101/0242.jpg]Standing
in front of Veronica’s locker are a tall, stern
looking man in a suit and a deputy, Deputy Sacks,
who holds the leash of a German Shepherd.
VERONICA
VOICEOVER: I know when they’re gonna to happen before
Vice Principal Clemmons does.
SACKS:
Veronica Mars, this should be good.
CLEMMONS:
Veronica, will you please open your locker?
As
Veronica is doing so, the dog starts to bark.
VERONICA:
[warning] Buster.
The
dog gives a little whine and obeys her. Deputy Sacks
looks down at the dog, disappointed by its acquiescence.
Veronica opens her locker. It is completely empty
save for a picture on the back of the door. It is
a picture of Clemmons framed in a heart.
VERONICA:
Wow. This is a little embarrassing.
Veronica
smiles defiantly at Clemmons. Cut to an unappetizing
dinner tray of meatloaf, gravy and mixed peas and
corn. Veronica stabs at it unenthusiastically. The
camera pulls back to reveal...
EXT
– NEPTUNE HIGH SCHOOL, LUNCH AREA – DAY.
Music:
"Insincere Because I" by the Dandy Warhols.
LYRICS:
I might sound insincere ‘cause I’m…
Wasted
all the time.
Veronica
is alone at one of the tables of the school’s outdoor
eating area. People fast motion around her until
the camera rests on a table across from her. There
are a number of students sitting and standing around
the table. Veronica is staring at them. A pizza
delivery man arrives at the table.
VERONICA
VOICEOVER: I used to sit there. At that table. It’s
not like my family met the minimum net worth requirement.
My dad didn’t own his own airline like John Enbom’s…
John
holds out a gold card to the delivery man.
VERONICA
VOICEOVER: …or serve as ambassador to Belgium like
Shelly Pomroy’s, but my dad used to be the sheriff
and that had a certain cachet.
Another
boy approaches the table.
VERONICA
VOICEOVER: Let’s be honest, though. The only reason
I was allowed past the velvet ropes was Duncan Kane.
Duncan
sits down at the table.
VERONICA
VOICEOVER: Son of software billionaire Jake Kane,
he used to be my boyfriend.
FLASHBACK:
INT – NEPTUNE HIGH SCHOOL, HALLWAY – DAY.
Veronica
and Duncan are walking down the school hallway.
Her hair is very long. Duncan’s arm is around her
shoulders. They kiss as they walk.
VERONICA
VOICEOVER: Then one day, with no warning, he ended
things.
Veronica,
still with long hair, closes her locker and turns,
smiling, to see Duncan walking past. His friend
Logan is whispering in his ear as they go. Duncan
glances at and then deliberately ignores Veronica.
END
FLASHBACK.
EXT
– NEPTUNE HIGH SCHOOL, LUNCH AREA – CONTINUING.
Veronica
continues to stare at Duncan. Logan, standing by
the table, notices her staring. He commences a performance
for her.
[101/0413.jpg]VERONICA
VOICEOVER: And let’s not forget Logan Echolls. His
dad makes twenty million a picture. You probably
own his action figure.
Logan
sits on Duncan’s knee. He leans back onto Duncan’s
chest and smirks, not taking his eyes off her. He
starts rubbing his own chest in a faux-lecherous
manner. Duncan shoves him off.
VERONICA
VOICEOVER: Every school has an obligatory psychotic
jackass. He’s ours.
Laughing,
Logan sits down, claps and points mockingly at Veronica.
End music: "Insincere" by The Dandy Warhols.
Veronica is so intent on out-staring Logan that
she doesn’t notice that Wallace has sat down at
her table and is unpacking his lunch.
WALLACE:
You okay?
VERONICA:
What?
WALLACE:
You look, I don’t know, hypnotised.
VERONICA:
Did I say you could sit here?
Looking
fed up, Wallace starts to repack his lunch and stands,
preparing to go.
VERONICA:
[relenting] Wait a minute. Of course you can sit
here. Sit wherever you want.
He
sits back down.
WALLACE:
That-that was cool, what you did, cutting me off
of that pole.
VERONICA:
Well…
From
behind Veronica comes a head-shaven, tattooed biker.
This is Weevil, and he heads straight for Wallace.
WEEVIL:
My bitch. Weren’t you supposed to wait for me at
the flagpole? I’m not sure I could have made that
any clearer.
[101/0450.jpg]Weevil
sits down next to Wallace, deliberately getting
in his face. More bikers follow, standing behind
Weevil. Wallace takes a deep breath and lets out
an uncomfortable laugh.
WALLACE:
Okay, I get it, a’right. Very funny.
WEEVIL:
Yeah.
WALLACE:
I guess we’re even now. Right?
WEEVIL:
[aggressively] You get what boy? You get that you’re
a dead man walking, is that what you get?
VERONICA:
Leave him alone.
Weevil
turns his attention to Veronica, grins and moves
to stand over her.
WEEVIL:
Sister, the only time I care what a woman has to
say is, is when she’s riding my big old hog but
even then it’s not so much words, just a bunch of
oohs and aahs, you know?
VERONICA:
So it’s big, huh?
WEEVIL:
Legendary.
VERONICA:
Well let’s see it. I mean if it’s as big as you
say, I’ll be your girlfriend. [breathlessly] We
could go to prom together.
Her
refusal to be intimidated surprises and amuses him
and he laughs as he looks around at his fellow bikers,
one of whom is Felix.
VERONICA:
What? What seems to be the problem? I’m on a schedule
here, vato.
FELIX:
[offended] Dude, Weevil. Don’t let blondie talk
to you like that!
VERONICA:
Sounds like your buddy here wants to see it too.
FELIX:
Ah, hell, I’ll show you mine.
Felix
gets closer to Veronica and makes to drop his pants.
Weevil puts out an arm to stop him but in any event,
he is interrupted by the arrival of the Vice Principal.
CLEMMONS:
Felix Toombs. What on God’s green earth is going
on here? All right gentlemen, move it along. Veronica,
why does trouble follow you around?
[101/0540.jpg]Veronica
smiles blandly as Clemmons moves the bikers on.
Felix throws Wallace a filthy look as he goes. Veronica
and Wallace are alone again at their table.
VERONICA:
So what did you do?
WALLACE:
What?
VERONICA:
Why are you a dead man walking?
FLASHBACK:
INT – SAC-N-PAC – NIGHT.
Music:
"Sittin’ On Top of the World" by Botany
Boyz. Wallace sits at the checkout of a small convenience
store, reading a comic. Two bikers come in and head
for the chilled units at the back.
WALLACE:
[offscreen] Oh yeah, I work at Sac-N-Pac. Last night
I was working by myself. Couple of those guys came
in.
The
Latin biker, Hector Cortez, takes out a large beer
bottle and hands it to the Asian biker, Phuong Nguyen,
who puts it in his coat as Hector does the same
with another bottle.
HECTOR:
Oh man, happy birthday bro.
PHUONG:
Oh thanks, man.
The
bikers continue to pocket the beer.
WALLACE:
[offscreen] They just walked right to the back of
the store and started stuffing all these forties
into their pockets. So I hit the silent alarm.
Wallace
can see the bikers head towards him on the surveillance
screen at the checkout. Hector picks up a small
packet of gum and both bikers head for the checkout.
They lean in and Hector reads Wallace’s name badge.
HECTOR:
Wallace.
Hector
carefully smoothes a dollar bill and sticks it in
Wallace’s pocket.
WALLACE:
[offscreen] I guess the dude thought a one dollar
bill would cover it.
HECTOR:
Keep the change.
They
laugh, Hector’s laugh being hyena-like. Hector points
at Wallace with both hands and the bikers leave.
WALLACE:
[offscreen] That’s when the police came.
PAUSE
FLASHBACK.
End
music: "Sittin’ On Top of the World" by
Botany Boyz.
EXT
– NEPTUNE HIGH SCHOOL, LUNCH AREA – CONTINUING.
VERONICA:
We don’t have police here. We have a Sheriff's department.
RESUME
FLASHBACK.
Lamb,
the gum-chewing sheriff walks into the Sac-N-Pac.
He gestures to Wallace.
LAMB:
You, come on.
Wallace
follows him outside.
FLASHBACK:
EXT – SAC-N-PAC – NIGHT.
Wallace
is taken aback by the presence of a whole gang of
bikers, including Weevil and Felix, watching from
their bikes.
BIKER:
What’s up snitch?
LAMB:
Come here. They say they paid.
The
two bikers who took the beer are handcuffed and
in the custody of Deputy Sacks. Hector is grinning.
Wallace is intimidated that this is going down in
full view of the gang.
LAMB:
Well, did they?
WALLACE:
Yeah.
HECTOR:
Like I said.
Hector
laughs. Lamb barks at him.
LAMB:
Shut up.
He
turns his attention back to Wallace.
LAMB:
But you pressed the alarm anyway.
WALLACE:
It was an accident.
Lamb
stalks off in disgust, re-enters the store and retrieves
the surveillance video. Wallace watches him as he
comes back outside. Lamb gives instructions to his
deputy.
LAMB:
Sacks, get ‘em outta here. Get ‘em outta here. We
got enough.
[101/0720.jpg]Sacks
grabs the shoplifting bikers and heads for the car.
Lamb gets up close, just behind Wallace’s right
shoulder and sniffs derisively.
LAMB:
You need to go see the wizard. And ask him for some
guts.
VERONICA:
[offscreen] “Go see the wizard,” he said that?
END
FLASHBACK.
EXT
– NEPTUNE HIGH SCHOOL, LUNCH AREA – CONTINUING.
WALLACE:
Yeah.
VERONICA:
Congratulations, sport. In your short time here,
you’ve already managed to piss off the motorcycle
gang and the local sheriff.
Wallace
shakes his head.
EXT
– APARTMENT COMPLEX – DAY.
Music:
"Just Another" by Peter Yorn.
LYRICS:
You and I, we're two of a kind
I
hate to say it but you'll never relate
What
makes you tick?
It
makes me smile.
You
said that I should get away from it all
And
bury my head in the sand if I want to
I
think you should thank me now
You
were lying wide awake in the garden
Trying
to get over your stardom
And
I could never see you depart us
And
you're my baby
You’re
just another girl
You’re
just another girl.
A
small U-shaped, apartment complex surrounds a small
pool. It goes from one storey to two to three as
it circles the pool. The music seems to be coming
from the open window of one of the apartments. Veronica
enters through a small gate into the pool area.
She hears the music. There is the sound of a splash
as a memory is triggered.
[101/0747.jpg]FLASHBACK:
EXT – KANE RESIDENCE – DAY.
Duncan
is in the pool, arms resting at the side as he looks
up at Veronica.
DUNCAN:
Hey baby, it’s our song.
From
behind her, there is the sound of laughter. About
ten people around Veronica’s age, including Logan,
who has his arm around Lilly Kane, surround Veronica’s
mother Lianne, who is carrying a large birthday
cake. Some of the kids are carrying presents.
FRIENDS:
Happy birthday, Veronica.
LIANNE:
Happy birthday, Veronica. Are you surprised?
LIANNE/NEIGHBOUR:
Veronica.
VERONICA:
Mom?
END
FLASHBACK.
EXT
– APARTMENT COMPLEX – DAY.
NEIGHBOUR:
Veronica, it’s me. Honey can you give me-can you
give me a hand?
Veronica
is forced back to the present by a smoky-voiced
black woman, loaded with two grocery bags, stopped
at the small gate Veronica entered earlier. Veronica
glances back at the pool before going to help the
woman.
INT
– MARS APARTMENT – DAY.
The
door opens and Veronica enters, greeted by a large
brown and white pit bull terrier. She crouches down
to pet him.
VERONICA:
Hey, who’s a big boy? Who’s a big boy?
EXT
– BEACH – DAY.
Veronica
unleashes the dog and throws a ball for him. The
dog overruns then picks up the ball.
VERONICA:
Good boy.
She
spots Wallace on the beach with a model airplane.
Wallace waves. She hesitates, then gives a small
wave back, looking thoughtful.
EXT
– MARS INVESTIGATIONS – DAY.
End
music: "Just Another" by Peter Yorn. Veronica
pulls up in her car behind a red Jaguar convertible
with the licence KANE 2.
VERONICA
VOICEOVER: I was shocked to discover Celeste Kane’s
car outside Dad’s office. Duncan’s mom. She hates
me almost as much as she adores her son.
Veronica
enters the street level door and climbs the stairs
for Mars Investigations situated over a pawn shop.
INT
– MARS INVESTIGATIONS – DAY.
The
main office area boasts a couch, a desk and some
filing cabinets. There is a small kitchenette off
the end and a door leading into another office,
marked with the name "Keith Mars." Veronica
heads straight for the closed door, attempting to
eavesdrop. The main office door bursts open and
a man carrying a briefcase and file enters. He looks
like and will prove to be a slightly seedy lawyer,
named Cliff McCormack.
CLIFF:
Veronica Mars.
With
a slight "caught in headlights" look,
Veronica glances at him and heads for the main office
desk.
[101/0939.jpg]VERONICA:
My dad’s with a client.
CLIFF:
Apparently. That’s okay, I’m happy out here chatting
with you.
Cliff
heads for the desk and they both sit down on either
side of it.
VERONICA:
Like I said, my dad’s with a client.
CLIFF:
I heard you but your dad’s out tracking down bail
jumpers half the time and yet somehow all the cases
that come in here still get handled. How is that?
VERONICA:
We’re efficient.
CLIFF:
Very efficient. Um look, I’m just going to leave
this file here, open on your desk and if you decide
to take a look at it, cool. One of my clients, Loretta
Cancun, dances at the Seventh Veil…
VERONICA:
Classy.
CLIFF:
These are my people, V. She was busted for vandalism,
taking a baseball bat to the washing machine that
stole her quarters at Suds-N-Duds.
VERONICA:
And Johnny Cochran was booked.
CLIFF:
[smirking] I make no apologies. I like this case,
it’s tawdry. Miss Cancun says the Seventh Veil has
an interesting way of keeping their liquor licence…
Cliff
gets to his feet and starts for the exit.
CLIFF:
…despite their rather lax ID policy. She wants to
make a deal. If your dad has time, he should look
into it.
Cliff
leaves. The inner office door opens and a well dressed
woman enters the main office. She turns straight
for the exit.
CELESTE:
[imperiously] Don’t get the wrong idea Mr. Mars.
I don’t like you.
Following
her out of the inner office is Keith Mars, listening
impassively as she walks away. She turns and notices
Veronica for the first time. She continues to address
Keith, but stares disdainfully at Veronica.
CELESTE:
I hate the fact that I’m here...
She
returns her attention to Keith.
CELESTE:...but
I do know if anyone would be dogged and resourceful
in this matter, it’ll be you. Don’t call me at home,
I’ll call you. And I’ll need it right away.
She
casts another unpleasant look at Veronica, then
turns and marches out. Keith and Veronica look at
each other.
KEITH:
[quietly] Hi.
[101/1044.jpg]He
goes back into his office and closes the door. Veronica
stares at the closed door for a moment, then moves
to the window to watch Celeste get into her car
and drive away.
VERONICA
VOICEOVER: Sure she’s a bitch, but can you blame
her? After all Dad did try to send her husband to
jail for life.
Cut
to later. Keith and Veronica are in the main office,
sitting at the desk eating from plastic containers.
KEITH:
[innocently] How’s school?
VERONICA:
If you think we’re going talk about my school day
and not the fact that Celeste Kane was in your office
ten minutes ago, you’re deluded.
KEITH:
Um-hm. You making good grades?
VERONICA:
Kane’s got something on the side, doesn’t he?
Keith
finds the contents of his fork more to his liking
as a topic of conversation.
KEITH:
You know what? Say what you want about real cheese,
I am a fan of the orange powder packet stuff.
Veronica
sighs in frustration.
VERONICA:
My grades are fine and I like the orange powder
too but can we please talk about Mrs. Kane?
Keith
finally gives up.
KEITH:
Yes, she thinks he’s seeing someone. Late nights,
motel matches, the usual.
VERONICA:
Sexual appetite?
Keith
is horrified but resigned to his daughter’s awareness.
[101/1132.jpg]KEITH:
Gone.
VERONICA:
Did you take the case?
KEITH:
Well, we need the money, Veronica
VERONICA:
Good, I would have been pissed if you hadn’t.
KEITH:
Well, I wouldn’t have cared if you were. Give me
some of that apple.
The
phone rings. Veronica grabs it.
KEITH:
Aw don’t…
VERONICA:
Mars Investigations. Um-hm. Just a sec.
Veronica
hands the phone’s receiver to Keith.
VERONICA:
[whispering] It’s Andy.
Keith
takes the call.
KEITH:
Keith Mars. Yeah, how long ago?
Keith
gestures to Veronica for pen and paper which she
quickly passes to him.
KEITH:
What’s he driving? I’ll get the 7:30 out of San
Diego and I’ll meet you by the thing by the fountain.
Good work. Thanks.
Keith
ends the call. There’s a slight mis-edit of the
cut as Keith magically goes from sitting to standing
in the blink of an eye.
KEITH:
Our guy’s on the move. Andy picked him up in El
Paso. Another day and he’ll probably try to cross
the border so I gotta head out.
VERONICA:
You go. I’ll have the flight booked by the time
you get to the airport.
Keith
heads into his office to get his stuff together.
VERONICA:
Do you want a rental car in Texas?
KEITH:
Yeah, nothing fancy this time, Veronica. Seriously
VERONICA:
A Blazer is not fancy and we can bill it anyway.
Keith
gives her a warning look.
VERONICA:
Fine, I’ll get you a Crown Vic. Once a cop…
KEITH:
Don’t do anything on the Kane case, I’ll handle
it.
VERONICA:
Okay.
KEITH:
Given our relationship with that family, I just…
VERONICA:
Fine, I said okay.
KEITH:
Okay. If all goes well, I’ll be back tomorrow night.
If not, the night after.
[101/1236.jpg]Keith
comes back into the main office with a bag which
he drops. He sits back down next to Veronica.
KEITH:
I’ll call and I’ll check in.
VERONICA:
You always do.
KEITH:
And Veronica.
VERONICA:
Yes?
Keith
puts his hand on the top of Veronica’s head.
KEITH:
When you go after Jake Kane, you take backup.
VERONICA:
I always do.
Keith
snorts, pulls her head forward to kiss her on the
forehead and exits. Veronica sits back and finishes
her sandwich.
VERONICA
VOICEOVER: By the time Dad’s plane landed in El
Paso…
EXT
– KANE SOFTWARE – NIGHT.
Veronica
is in her car, watching the windows of a large brightly
lit office through which a figure can be seen. The
figure leaves the office and exits the building.
VERONICA
VOICEOVER: …I’d already picked up Jake Kane at his
house and followed him to his office. Streaming
video was invented and perfected here at Kane Software.
The day the company went public, Jake Kane made
a billion dollars. Everyone who worked for him in
fact, right down to the secretarial pool, became
millionaires. He’s beloved here. Half the people
in this town owe their fortunes to him.
FLASHBACK:
EXT – CAR WASH – DAY.
[101/1314.jpg]Music:
"White Lines" by Grandmaster Melle Mel.
LYRICS:
(Ooh White Lines) Vision dreams of passion
(Blowin?
through my mind) and all the while I think of you
(Pipe
cries) a very strange reaction
(For
us to unwind) the more I see, the more I do
(Something
like a phenomenon) Baby!
(Tellin
your body to come along, but white lines blow away)
It’s
a sponsored car wash. Veronica and Lilly, dressed
in matching pep squad tee-shirts and shorts are
cleaning a car. Other pep squanders are running
about.
VERONICA
VOICEOVER: And I knew the family well. Jake’s son,
Duncan, was my first and only love. His daughter
Lilly was my best friend.
VERONICA:
[teasing] God Lilly, I see the Prozac’s working.
LILLY:
[happily] High on life, Veronica Mars. I’ve got
a secret, a good one.
An
older girl in pep squad gear approaches.
HEAD
PEP SQUADDER: Girls, less talk, more scrub.
LILLY:
Later.
| 
Benvenuti
a Neptune
Mars Investigations
Piloto
Freundschaftsdienste
){kind=small}
