When it was on the air (and even when it hit the silver screen in March 2014), Veronica Mars never shied away from tackling current issues. Given the current social climate, now more than ever, it’s important for Veronica Mars to pick up where it left off.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in January 2017. In August 2018 we learned that Veronica Mars is getting another season at Hulu!

There are very few aspects of Veronica Mars that feel dated, even to this day. Why? Because the themes and issues brought up by the Veronica Mars TV series, movie, and book series have all been directly related to current events and issues. The property (and its creators) has always steered into important, discussion-worthy topics. Topics that we’ve all been discussing for years.

Now that Rob Thomas, Kristen Bell, and co. have mentioned that they’re trying to work out a limited series run with the show sometime in the near-ish future, it’s hard not to be excited about seeing Veronica and friends take on current issues. Veronica Mars was never one to hesitate in speaking her mind and neither was the show. We need a little bit of that boldness and bravery right now.

Plus, there were quite a few storylines and issues brought up in the recent movie and book run that haven’t yet been tackled head on or resolved that are still applicable to today’s world. Essentially, there’s no better time for Veronica Mars to pick up right where it left off.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the issues and topics in Veronica Mars that should come back in a big way whenever the limited series run happens.

Police corruption

Hardly a day goes by where police and law enforcement aren’t making front page news. While we’re thankful for the stand-up men and women in law enforcement who do their jobs well, it’s impossible to deny that there are also some shady figures and goings on in precincts across the country.

When we last saw (and read about) Veronica Mars, she was still struggling with the Balboa County Sheriff’s Office and their nasty habit of planting evidence. Members of the police department had also started racial profiling and harassing minorities for the fun of it (as demonstrated in the movie). Basically, in the words of Keith Mars, they’re “protecting and serving the highest bidder.”

Unfortunately, the Balboa County officers’ tactics aren’t unlike tactics we’re seeing in the real world. Given the fact that they murdered one of their own (#RIP Deputy Sacks) to cover their asses and the ridiculous predicament involving Weevil and Mrs. Kane is still ongoing, it would be a real oversight for the limited series to not put police corruption at the center of the story.

Minority inequality and rising racial tensions

As if the police corruption wasn’t awful enough by itself, it also leads directly into one of Neptune’s constant issues: minority inequality and rising racial tensions. As Veronica puts it, “When the class war comes, Neptune will be ground zero.”

The last time we visited Neptune, police corruption and the unequal distribution of wealth had transformed the town into even more of a ticking time bomb than it was at the beginning of the series. Minorities were getting frisked and arrested left and right and our beloved cinnamon roll Weevil (with Cliff’s help) was trying to fight his bogus assault charge. In case you somehow forgot, Celeste shot poor Weevil when he tried to help her on his way home from the Neptune High reunion, and then the Balboa County police planted a gun on him. And then there was the mention in the books that this isn’t the first time evidence had been planted in a case involving an 09-er.

As always, Veronica and her friends (and family) are on the front lines of this building battle and, seeing how close it comes to resembling current racial tensions, we want to see the show tackle it head-on.

Women’s rights

Veronica Mars is a feminist. She’s all about equality and helping the ladies around her. Is she perfect? No. But she tries to be the best she can be. That’s why we really need her to weigh in on women’s rights and female empowerment in the eventual Veronica Mars limited series run.

Teen pregnancy, sex tapes, slut shaming, dangerous rapists… Veronica Mars has never shied away from highlighting and digging into issues that women face on a daily basis. Not only that, but the show/movie/book series comes down on the side of the women every. single. time.

In a time where women’s bodies are increasingly seen as legislation fodder, we need Veronica Mars to knock some sense into people. To fight for women’s rights and on behalf of all women. To continue the conversations that we’re having in the real world right now. To give us all a glimmer of hope and the inspiration we need to keep fighting. By no means is Veronica the ideal spokes model for women’s rights, but she’s the one we need right now.

 
There are so many reasons why the world needs Veronica Mars right now. While these topics are just a sampling of issues that the show has addressed in the past and should keep battling, there are many more conversations that the show can initiate in its eventual limited series run.