Veronica Mars (character)

Veronica Mars is the fictional protagonist, occasional narrator (through voice-overs), and antiheroine of the American television series Veronica Mars, which aired on UPN from 2004 to 2006 and on The CW from 2006 to 2007. The character, portrayed by Kristen Bell, remained the central figure throughout the show's run. After the series was canceled, Bell reprised her role in the 2014 film continuation and the 2019 revival on Hulu. The character was created by Rob Thomas and was originally conceived as a male protagonist for his unproduced novel Untitled Rob Thomas Teen Detective Novel. However, when the concept transitioned into a television series, Thomas changed the character's gender, believing that a noir narrative from a female perspective would be more compelling. Before the events of the show, Veronica's best friend, Lilly Kane, is murdered, and her father, Keith Mars, loses his job as sheriff of the fictional town of Neptune, California after accusing Lilly's father of involvement in the murder. This accusation also damages his reputation and results in his wife leaving him. The series opens with Veronica at the bottom of her high school's social hierarchy, having been ostracized by her peers after losing her popular status and friends due to her father's actions.