‘Veronica Mars’ stays in orbit
“Veronica Mars” star Kristen Bell and executive producer and show creator Rob Thomas presented the final panel of the day. The show has been renewed, but only for 13 episodes rather than the customary 22.

Thomas explained that he is planning three separate mysteries for the season – the first to run nine episodes, the second seven, and the third mystery six episodes – all assuming the show runs the full 22 shows. He’d apparently heard complaints that the second season was too confusing, what with two concurrent mysteries lasting 22 episodes with a jumble of suspects, and so decided to keep things simpler in season three. Assuming there is a full season three. Thomas notes that he believes the show is “in a make-or-break time now,” and needs to do well in its new 9 p.m. Tuesday time slot in order to survive.

The action in season three will revolve around life at Hearst College, though Veronica will continue living at home. Veronica, new series regular Tina, Logan, Wallace, and bully Dick Casablancas will all be Hearst students. New regulars will include Stosh Piznarski, Wallace’s roommate, and a roommate for Tina named Parker. Charisma Carpenter will also return as Kendal Casablancas for at least one appearance. Teddy Dunn’s character, Duncan Kane, will not be returning.

• Giant photos from the show were projected next to the panelists as they spoke, and as one shot of Bell in a white tank top hit the screens, she moaned “Honestly, I’m so over it! Can we get a new picture?”
• Special Agent Veronica Mars? Joked Thomas: “I want [Veronica] to bang out college in three years so we can get her into Quantico for FBI training. I have big plans. We need to start building sets now for that stuff.”
• Bell and Thomas were also asked about the fans who hired a plane to fly between UPN’s old headquarters and the CW’s new ones carrying a banner that read “Renew Veronica Mars CW 2006.” (Thomas noted, however, that network brass were in NY, not LA, when the plane flew.) Bell called the actions “crazy and really awesome,” and noted that “there’s no one that’s dumb who watches ‘Veronica Mars’. ”
• Thomas mentioned that the show had asked fan Stephen King to play a role, though he couldn’t do so. “You said you like ‘Veronica Mars,’ there’s a good chance you’re going to be asked to be on it,” he said. Which of course led to the very next question coming from a reporter who noted he was a “huge fan of ‘Veronica Mars,’ and who was then asked by Thomas “can you play a cop?”(Rob, if you’re reading this: I’ll start practicing my Miranda warning now.)
• Thomas says he checks online message boards, particularly Television Without Pity (whose creators, Tara Ariano and Sarah D. Bunting, both also write for MSNBC.com), to see if the “Mars” mysteries are being solved too quickly or not. “I consider it successful it somewhere between 15 and 20 percent of the audience had the killer picked,” he said. (Bell said she only reads email and laughs at YouTube videos and doesn’t visit message boards.)
• There may be some truth to the fact that I stalked Kristen Bell into the ladies’ room. It may be simply that I felt a sudden need to wash my hands. Over and over, until she came out and stood next to me washing her hands.  It may also be true that I’ll deny this if you quote me.

RELATED STORIES   Message boards: What show are you looking forward to the most? TV commercial debate in regular Test Pattern