"Not Pictured" is the
second season finale
Finale may refer to:
Pieces of music
* Finale (music), the last movement of a piece
* ''Finale'' (Loggins and Messina album), 1977
* ''Finale'' (Pierrot album), 1999
* "Finale" (song), by Madeon
* " Neo Universe/Finale", a single by L'Arc-en-C ...
of the American
mystery
Mystery, The Mystery, Mysteries or The Mysteries may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters
*Mystery, a cat character in ''Emily the Strange''
*Mystery, a seahorse that SpongeBob SquarePants adopts in the episode " My Pre ...
television series ''
Veronica Mars
''Veronica Mars'' is an American teen neo-noir Mystery fiction, mystery Drama (film and television), drama television series created by screenwriter Rob Thomas (writer), Rob Thomas. The series is set in the fictional city, fictional town of Ne ...
'', serving as the twenty-second episode of the season and the forty-fourth episode overall. Co-written by series creator
Rob Thomas and John Enbom and directed by
John Kretchmer, the episode premiered on
UPN
The United Paramount Network (UPN) was an American broadcast television network that operated from 1995 to 2006. It was originally a joint venture between Chris-Craft Industries (later sold to News Corporation)'s subsidiary, United Television, ...
on May 9, 2006. In this episode, Veronica learns the identity of the person responsible for the
Neptune High bus crash. Meanwhile, Veronica and her classmates graduate from high school, and Neptune reacts to Aaron Echolls (
Harry Hamlin
Harry Robinson Hamlin (born October 30, 1951) is an American actor, author, and entrepreneur. He is best known for his roles as Perseus in the 1981 fantasy film '' Clash of the Titans'', a role he reprised in 2007's Santa Monica Studio video ...
) being acquitted.
"Not Pictured" reveals
Cassidy "Beaver" Casablancas (
Kyle Gallner
Kyle Steven Gallner (born October 22, 1986) is an American actor. He began acting in 2000, earning recognition for playing Bart Allen in the superhero series ''Smallville'' (2004–2009), Cassidy "Beaver" Casablancas in the mystery drama series ...
) as the perpetrator behind the bus crash and Veronica's rape. This plot twist was planned since Beaver's introduction. The episode also features the final appearances of several characters, including Aaron Echolls, Beaver, Jackie Cook (
Tessa Thompson
Tessa Lynne Thompson (born October 3, 1983) is an American actress. She began her professional acting career with the List of Theatre Communications Group member theatres, Los Angeles Women's Shakespeare Company while studying at Santa Monica ...
), Duncan Kane (
Teddy Dunn
Edward Wilkes Dunn (born June 19, 1980) is an American lawyer and former American actor best known for his portrayal of Duncan Kane in the Rob Thomas television series ''Veronica Mars''.
Early life and education
Dunn was born Edward Wilkes Dunn ...
), and Woody Goodman (
Steve Guttenberg
Steven Robert Guttenberg (born August 24, 1958) is an American actor, author, businessman, producer, and director. He is known for playing Carey Mahoney in the '' Police Academy'' films from 1984 to 1987. He also acted in '' Three Men and a Baby ...
). This episode would be the final episode of the show to air on
UPN
The United Paramount Network (UPN) was an American broadcast television network that operated from 1995 to 2006. It was originally a joint venture between Chris-Craft Industries (later sold to News Corporation)'s subsidiary, United Television, ...
before switching to
The CW
The CW Network, LLC (commonly referred to as The CW or simply CW) is an American commercial broadcast television network which is controlled by Nexstar Media Group through a 75% ownership interest. The network's name is derived from the firs ...
. The finale was critically acclaimed and is often cited as one of the best of the series.
Background
The second season revolves around a school bus that mysteriously goes off a cliff, killing eight people. Throughout the season, Veronica investigates the murder, focusing on a variety of suspects, including the Fitzpatrick family, Kendall Casablancas (
Charisma Carpenter
Charisma Carpenter (born July 23, 1970) is an American actress. She played Cordelia Chase in the supernatural drama series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' (1997–1999) and its spin-off series ''Angel'' (1999–2004). She also starred as Kyra i ...
), and Terrence Cook (
Jeffrey Sams
Jeffrey D. Sams is an actor.
Career
Sams has been a main cast member of several television series, few of which have made it past their first season. These include ''Medicine Ball (TV series), Medicine Ball'', ''Sleepwalkers (TV series), Sleepw ...
) before turning her suspicion on Woody Goodman (
Steve Guttenberg
Steven Robert Guttenberg (born August 24, 1958) is an American actor, author, businessman, producer, and director. He is known for playing Carey Mahoney in the '' Police Academy'' films from 1984 to 1987. He also acted in '' Three Men and a Baby ...
) after she learns that he is a
child molester
Child sexual abuse (CSA), also called child molestation, is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include engaging in sexual activities with a child (whet ...
. "Not Pictured" solves the mystery through a
plot twist
A plot twist is a literary technique that introduces a radical change in the direction or expected outcome of the plot in a work of fiction. When it happens near the end of a story, it is known as a twist ending or surprise ending. It may change ...
. Meanwhile, Veronica previously dated Duncan Kane (
Teddy Dunn
Edward Wilkes Dunn (born June 19, 1980) is an American lawyer and former American actor best known for his portrayal of Duncan Kane in the Rob Thomas television series ''Veronica Mars''.
Early life and education
Dunn was born Edward Wilkes Dunn ...
), before he
left with his baby daughter (whose mother was one of the bus crash victims) for Mexico. In addition, Aaron Echolls (
Harry Hamlin
Harry Robinson Hamlin (born October 30, 1951) is an American actor, author, and entrepreneur. He is best known for his roles as Perseus in the 1981 fantasy film '' Clash of the Titans'', a role he reprised in 2007's Santa Monica Studio video ...
), the murderer of Lilly Kane, Duncan's sister, was
acquitted of all charges.
Plot
After the Aaron Echolls trial, he is interviewed by press and cheering fans. Veronica tells
Keith (
Enrico Colantoni
Enrico Colantoni (born February 14, 1963) is a Canadian-American actor and director, best known for portraying Elliot DiMauro in the sitcom '' Just Shoot Me!'', Keith Mars on the television series ''Veronica Mars'', Louis Utz on the short-lived ...
) that the Manning father has offered $20,000 for the capture of Woody. Veronica talks to
Wallace
Wallace may refer to:
People
* Clan Wallace in Scotland
* Wallace (given name)
* Wallace (surname)
* Wallace (footballer, born 1986), full name Wallace Fernando Pereira, Brazilian football left-back
* Wallace (footballer, born 1987), full name Wa ...
(
Percy Daggs III
Percy Daggs III (born July 20, 1982) is an American actor best known for his role as Wallace Fennel in the Rob Thomas television series ''Veronica Mars''. He is also known for starring in television commercials for Hot Pockets and Orbit Gum. ...
) about Jackie (
Tessa Thompson
Tessa Lynne Thompson (born October 3, 1983) is an American actress. She began her professional acting career with the List of Theatre Communications Group member theatres, Los Angeles Women's Shakespeare Company while studying at Santa Monica ...
) leaving. Keith visits Vinnie (
Ken Marino
Kenneth Joseph Marino (born December 19, 1968) is an American actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter. He was a cast member on MTV's ''The State'' and has starred in shows such as '' Party Down'', '' Marry Me'', '' Burning Love'', and ''Child ...
) in prison, and they agree to track Woody down together. Veronica and Keith learn that Woody was treated for chlamydia. In a dream, Veronica shares a happy family breakfast before her graduation, meeting Wallace for the first time that day before meeting Lilly (
Amanda Seyfried
Amanda Michelle Seyfried ( ; born December 3, 1985) is an American actress and singer. She began acting at 15, with a recurring role as Lucy Montgomery in the CBS soap opera ''As the World Turns'' (1999–2001). She came to prominence for he ...
). Veronica makes a fake call as Gia to Woody's lawyer, and he reveals that Woody was living at the Quail Creek Lodge under the name Mr. Underhill. At Veronica's graduation, Keith says that he's going to chase Woody, and
Mac
Mac or MAC may refer to:
Common meanings
* Mac (computer), a line of personal computers made by Apple Inc.
* Mackintosh, a raincoat made of rubberized cloth
* Mac, a prefix to surnames derived from Gaelic languages
* McIntosh (apple), a Canadi ...
(
Tina Majorino
Albertina Marie Majorino ( ; born February 7, 1985) is an American actress. She started her career as a child actress, starring in films such as ''Andre (film), Andre'', ''When a Man Loves a Woman (film), When a Man Loves a Woman'', ''Waterworl ...
) tells Veronica that she is going to a hotel with
Beaver
Beavers (genus ''Castor'') are large, semiaquatic rodents of the Northern Hemisphere. There are two existing species: the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beaver (''C. fiber''). Beavers are the second-large ...
that night. Just before he can graduate, Weevil (
Francis Capra
Francis Cordero Capra (born April 27, 1983) is an American actor. He has played the roles of Max Connor in ''Kazaam'', and Eli "Weevil" Navarro in the TV series ''Veronica Mars''.
Personal life
Capra attended Our Lady of the Assumption Catho ...
) is arrested for the murder of Thumper during the ceremony. Veronica graduates and says goodbye to Principal Clemmons (Duane Daniels).
Keith surprises Veronica with plane tickets to New York. Alicia Fennel (
Erica Gimpel
Erica Fawn Gimpel (born June 25, 1964) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and composer. She is best known for her roles on television shows '' Fame'' as Coco Hernandez and on '' Profiler'' as Angel Brown. She is also known for her recurrin ...
) tells Veronica that Wallace has left for Paris to track Jackie. Veronica calls Jackie and tells her that she knows she was never accepted to the Sorbonne and asks her to meet Wallace in New York. At Woody's hiding place, Keith attacks and tasers him. However, Woody denies crashing the bus. Veronica sees a little league team picture in Woody's restaurant which suggests that Beaver was on Woody's baseball team and thus connected to the crash. Veronica dashes to the after-graduation party. Beaver and Mac are about to have sex, but while she is in the shower, Beaver reads a text from Veronica to Mac warning her, and Beaver texts Veronica to meet "her" on the roof. Aaron Echolls threatens Veronica in the elevator. Beaver meets Veronica and puts a gun on her. Veronica explains her hypothesis—that he killed Marcos and Peter so they would not spill the news of their molestation, that he got explosives from David "Curly" Moran, convinced the PCHers that Curly destroyed the bus before killing Curly himself, also writing
Veronica Mars on his palm.
Veronica asks Beaver how she got chlamydia—Woody had it, and Beaver transmitted it to her
the night she was raped (revealing that he, not Duncan, raped her). Beaver is about to blow up the plane that has both Woody and Keith on it. Beaver pushes a button, and there is a flash in midair. Beaver tases Veronica, wanting her to then kill herself by jumping off the roof, then turning a gun on her before Logan appears, having read the text Veronica forwarded. The two steal Beaver's gun, and he ends up committing suicide instead of facing the consequences of his actions. Aaron and Kendall (
Charisma Carpenter
Charisma Carpenter (born July 23, 1970) is an American actress. She played Cordelia Chase in the supernatural drama series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' (1997–1999) and its spin-off series ''Angel'' (1999–2004). She also starred as Kyra i ...
) are on the couch in his hotel room, and while she is in the shower, Clarence Wiedman (
Christopher B. Duncan
Christopher B. Duncan is an American actor. He is known for his television series regular roles like Braxton P. Hartnabrig on ''The Jamie Foxx Show'', President William Johnson in '' The First Family'', and his portrayal of Clarence Weidman on '' ...
) appears and shoots him in the head, killing him. The scene moves to Australia, where we learn that Duncan organized the murder. Jackie meets Wallace and tells him that she had to go back to New York, where she is actually from, in order to care for her two-year-old son, whom she left with her mother, when she came to Neptune to reconnect with Terrence. Veronica learns that Keith is alive—he was not ever on the plane, but Woody was. Kendall receives $8 million, as Cassidy basically gave her the money as part of her plan. Veronica and Logan (
Jason Dohring
Jason William Dohring (born March 30, 1982) is an American actor, known for his roles as Logan Echolls in ''Veronica Mars'' (2004–2007, 2019) and its 2014 film continuation, Josef Kostan in ''Moonlight'' (2007), Adam Carpenter in '' Ringer'' ...
) rekindle their relationship. Kendall makes Keith a business proposal, and as a result, he misses their plane flight to New York.
Production

The episode was co-written by
Rob Thomas and John Enbom and directed by
John T. Kretchmer, marking Thomas' sixth writing credit for ''Veronica Mars'', Enbom's tenth writing credit for the series, and Kretchmer's ninth directing credit for the show. "Not Pictured" reveals
Cassidy "Beaver" Casablancas as the perpetrator behind Veronica's rape and the bus crash. Thomas and the crew had planned for Beaver to be the second season antagonist since the character's first appearance in "
M.A.D.". Thomas said, "We knew that Beaver was the killer of Season 2 when we introduced him in Season 1. We knew his motivation, so playing him as the picked-upon, less-manly Casablancas boy was all by design."
An episode earlier in the series, titled "
A Trip to the Dentist", supposedly revealed that Duncan had had sex with Veronica when they were both under the influence of drugs, a fact which is potentially negated by this episode. When writing the episode, Thomas and
Diane Ruggiero
Diane Ruggiero-Wright is an American television writer and producer. Her credits include '' That's Life'', ''Veronica Mars'', '' Free Agents'', '' Dirty Sexy Money'', '' Big Shots'', the ''Mythological X'' remake '' The Ex List'' and '' iZombie' ...
did not plan for Beaver to be the actual rapist, with Thomas saying that "I wish I could claim that we were that clever."
Lead actress
Kristen Bell
Kristen Anne Bell (born July 18, 1980) is an American actress, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. List of Kristen Bell performances, Her work includes both film and television, and List of awards and nominations received by Kristen Bell, h ...
, who deduced that
Aaron Echolls
''Veronica Mars'' is an American television series created by Rob Thomas (writer), Rob Thomas. The series premiered on September 22, 2004, during network UPN's last two years, and ended on May 22, 2007, after a season on UPN's successor network ...
was the killer in Season 1, was unable to figure out the identity of the murderer in Season 2. "You never, ever see the show keep the killer in the main titles," adding that the writers "think they're so smart…and they are!"
Actor
Michael Muhney
Michael Muhney (born June 12, 1975) is an American former actor. His best known roles include Sheriff Don Lamb on the UPN/The CW television series ''Veronica Mars'' between 2004 and 2007 and Adam Newman on the CBS daytime soap opera ''The Young ...
, who plays
Don Lamb
''Veronica Mars'' is an American television series created by Rob Thomas. The series premiered on September 22, 2004, during network UPN's last two years, and ended on May 22, 2007, after a season on UPN's successor network, The CW. Balancing ...
, expressed some anxiety over the course of the season that he would be the killer. However, Bell played a prank on Muhney, telling him that she knew the killer was going to be Loretta Cancun, a minor character from
the pilot
A pilot is a person who flies or navigates an aircraft.
Pilot or The Pilot may also refer to:
Common meanings
* Maritime pilot, a person who guides ships through hazardous waters
* Television pilot, a television episode used to sell a series to a ...
.
Bell said, "
uhneyonly believed me for like a day."
Kyle Gallner
Kyle Steven Gallner (born October 22, 1986) is an American actor. He began acting in 2000, earning recognition for playing Bart Allen in the superhero series ''Smallville'' (2004–2009), Cassidy "Beaver" Casablancas in the mystery drama series ...
, who plays Beaver, did not know that his character was going to be the murderer until just before the shooting of "Not Pictured", when one of the costume designers told him about the reveal:

The episode also features the final appearance of
Harry Hamlin
Harry Robinson Hamlin (born October 30, 1951) is an American actor, author, and entrepreneur. He is best known for his roles as Perseus in the 1981 fantasy film '' Clash of the Titans'', a role he reprised in 2007's Santa Monica Studio video ...
as Season 1 antagonist
Aaron Echolls
''Veronica Mars'' is an American television series created by Rob Thomas (writer), Rob Thomas. The series premiered on September 22, 2004, during network UPN's last two years, and ended on May 22, 2007, after a season on UPN's successor network ...
after the character is murdered by Clarence Wiedman (
Christopher B. Duncan
Christopher B. Duncan is an American actor. He is known for his television series regular roles like Braxton P. Hartnabrig on ''The Jamie Foxx Show'', President William Johnson in '' The First Family'', and his portrayal of Clarence Weidman on '' ...
). Later, we learn that the murder was ordered by Duncan Kane (
Teddy Dunn
Edward Wilkes Dunn (born June 19, 1980) is an American lawyer and former American actor best known for his portrayal of Duncan Kane in the Rob Thomas television series ''Veronica Mars''.
Early life and education
Dunn was born Edward Wilkes Dunn ...
), who appears briefly in a small
cameo. Dunn had made his final regular appearance in "
Donut Run" and had left the show partly due to fan dislike of the character. Dunn later stated that he thought that the purpose of the cameo was to garner sympathy for the character before his final departure. "I think Rob's goal was to leave the character on a high note. I certainly think he did so in a heroic way."
"Not Pictured" would mark the final appearance by series regular Jackie Cook (
Tessa Thompson
Tessa Lynne Thompson (born October 3, 1983) is an American actress. She began her professional acting career with the List of Theatre Communications Group member theatres, Los Angeles Women's Shakespeare Company while studying at Santa Monica ...
). When asked whether Jackie was done with the show, Thomas replied, "She is. I would not hesitate for a second to have her come in to do an arc, but she will not be a series regular." One notable recurring character absence in the finale is that of Gia Goodman (
Krysten Ritter
Krysten Alyce Ritter (born December 16, 1981) is an American actress. After an early modeling stint, she appeared on the UPN noir mystery series ''Veronica Mars'' (2005–2006) and the CW comedy drama series ''Gilmore Girls'' (2006–2007). He ...
). Ritter wanted to appear in the episode, but she was unable to do so because of scheduling conflicts. "It was unfortunate for me that I couldn't be in the finale episode (I booked a pilot) because I was looking forward to showing how everything that went down affected her. On a side note, I did start to think that I was responsible for the crash. I really wanted her to be a bad guy." She would later appear in the
''Veronica Mars'' movie.
"Not Pictured" was the final episode of ''Veronica Mars'' to air on
UPN
The United Paramount Network (UPN) was an American broadcast television network that operated from 1995 to 2006. It was originally a joint venture between Chris-Craft Industries (later sold to News Corporation)'s subsidiary, United Television, ...
before the show switched to
The CW
The CW Network, LLC (commonly referred to as The CW or simply CW) is an American commercial broadcast television network which is controlled by Nexstar Media Group through a 75% ownership interest. The network's name is derived from the firs ...
as part of the
2006 United States broadcast TV realignment
In January 2006, the United States' two "second-tier" television networks, UPN and The WB, announced they would both cease operations on September 15 and 17 respectively, and their operations would be transferred to a new joint-venture "fifth" ...
. Due to low ratings, there was considerable doubt that ''Veronica Mars'' would be renewed. Meanwhile, The CW had developed several new pilots. However, The CW did not pick up the majority of their pilots, making room on the schedule for other shows.
In order to express their support for the show's renewal, fans flew a banner outside the offices of UPN and The CW.
Renewal was uncertain until after the finale aired. In April, actor
Enrico Colantoni
Enrico Colantoni (born February 14, 1963) is a Canadian-American actor and director, best known for portraying Elliot DiMauro in the sitcom '' Just Shoot Me!'', Keith Mars on the television series ''Veronica Mars'', Louis Utz on the short-lived ...
, who plays Keith, stated regarding renewal,
Unofficially, everyone at CBS and Warner Bros is saying, "Yeah, no worries!" But you know, those are always famous last words. And then last year they told us two days after we wrapped, and they got a lot of criticism over that. So I know they're not gonna make that mistake again. They're gonna wait until May.
Colantoni also expressed optimism towards the show's future on The CW, believing that it would be a chance for the show to get more exposure.
On May 15, before the official press release was announced, it was believed that The CW had ordered 13 episodes of ''Veronica Mars''. Later, it was revealed that the series had been renewed for a 22-episode season, but that the season could be shortened if ratings were poor.
Reception
Ratings
In its original broadcast, "Not Pictured" received 2.42 million viewers, ranking 98th of 109 in the weekly rankings. This marked a decrease in viewers from the second season premiere, "
Normal Is the Watchword
"Normal Is the Watchword" is the season premiere of the Veronica Mars season 2, second season of the American Mystery fiction, mystery Television program, television series ''Veronica Mars'', and the twenty-third episode overall. Written by se ...
", which received 3.29 million viewers and the first season finale, "
Leave It to Beaver
''Leave It to Beaver'' is an American television sitcom that follows the misadventures of a suburban boy, his family and his friends. It starred Barbara Billingsley, Hugh Beaumont, Tony Dow and Jerry Mathers.
CBS first broadcast the show ...
", which received 2.99 million viewers.
Reviews
The episode was critically acclaimed. Jesse Hassenger of
PopMatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, ...
wrote that "the season finale showcased the series at its surprising and funny best, not its rushed and convoluted worst."
He called the reversal of the rape plot line a "gimmicky reversal" but that "thematically it worked."
The reviewer commented positively on the reveal of Beaver as the murderer as well as the cliffhanger. "The season's low-key but effective cliffhanger…suggested again that her life, however charmed and TV-ish it can seem, remains in youthful flux."
Eric Goldman of
IGN
''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...
gave a glowing review, giving the episode a 9 out of 10, indicating that it was "amazing".
He wrote that "most of the major mysteries established this season are given a satisfying and proper conclusion."
He praised how the episode combined all the second season storylines, including the mysteries and the Neptune High portion of Veronica's life. "The final scenes do a very nice job of closing the high school chapter of the ''Veronica Mars'' story, while also leaving plenty of questions about the future of some characters in particular."
Goldman also lauded the performances of
Kristen Bell
Kristen Anne Bell (born July 18, 1980) is an American actress, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. List of Kristen Bell performances, Her work includes both film and television, and List of awards and nominations received by Kristen Bell, h ...
and
Enrico Colantoni
Enrico Colantoni (born February 14, 1963) is a Canadian-American actor and director, best known for portraying Elliot DiMauro in the sitcom '' Just Shoot Me!'', Keith Mars on the television series ''Veronica Mars'', Louis Utz on the short-lived ...
, writing that "As always, Kristen Bell and Enrico Colantoni knock it out of the park, with Bell especially having to go through a rather stunning amount of emotional transitions, all of which she does spectacularly."
In a review of the whole second season, Goldman wrote that there were "some complaints that the season finale was a bit too rushed, with a lot of information offered all at once. Yet while that's a bit valid, it's also an exciting and surprising finale, that actually offers some bigger shocks than season 1." Rowan Kaiser of ''
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was created in ...
'' gave a mostly positive review, praising the reveal of Beaver as the murderer while being slightly critical of his reveal as Veronica's rapist. He wrote that "as twists go, this was a good one" and that "Kyle Gallner makes the transition from goofy, kind of pathetic little brother to insane mastermind quite well—the circles under his eyes, specifically, which seemed to indicate anxiety before suddenly indicated darkness and insanity when seen in a new light."
Regarding the rape reveal, the reviewers wrote that "On a narrative level, I was fine with it...it's still a big problem in an emotional sense. In general, rape is a difficult subject, and to see it used as a plot device creates problems on its own." Kaiser summed up her review by writing, "'Not Pictured' acts as an effective capstone for a chaotic season. Sure, it doesn't entirely work, but overall, it gets the job done with emotion and flair."
Price Peterson, writing for
TV.com, gave a glowing review, calling it "the best-yet episode of ''Veronica Mars''".
He elaborated by stating,
This episode was just a total triumph for how it brought together SO MUCH from the past 22 episodes and beyond. I loved the Aaron Echolls assassination. I loved that last image of Duncan enjoying his victory in a perpetual magic hour on some Australian beach. I especially loved the '' It's a Wonderful Life''-esque dream sequence. This episode was so good that even though I knew Beaver was the bad guy, I still came away shocked by many of the reveals. That's just good writing right there.
Conversely,
Television Without Pity
Television Without Pity (often abbreviated TWoP) was a website that provided detailed recaps of select television dramas, situation comedies and reality TV shows along with discussion forums. These recaps were written with sarcastic criticism a ...
gave the episode a "B+".
Amy Ratcliffe, writing for IGN, ranked the episode as the fifth best episode of ''Veronica Mars'', writing, "the Season 2 finale had head-twisting reveals, heartbreaking moments…tragedy, and so many jumps in crime-solving that Sherlock might not have been able to keep up."
BuzzFeed
BuzzFeed, Inc. is an American Internet mass media, media, news and entertainment company with a focus on digital media. Based in New York City, BuzzFeed was founded in 2006 by Jonah Peretti and John Seward Johnson III, John S. Johnson III to ...
called the episode the best episode of the series, stating, "It's extremely violent, extremely scary, and extremely moving. If you don't cry watching this episode, there's a tiny little rock where your heart should be." On a similar list,
TVLine
''TVLine'' is a website devoted to information, news, and spoilers of television programs. It covers various topics including the latest news on television, reviews, latest releases, and more.
History
In late 2010, ''Entertainment Weekly''s ...
ranked the episode third, only behind "
A Trip to the Dentist" and "
Pilot
An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its Aircraft flight control system, directional flight controls. Some other aircrew, aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are al ...
". Give Me My Remote also ranked the episode as the best of the series, writing, "If I had to pick a single episode to represent the show, this would be it. The actual plot of this episode was compelling, fast-paced, and the twist at the end was shocking." The reviewer went on to praise Kristen Bell's performance and the less action-heavy parts of the episode.
Digital Spy
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its initial launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television pro ...
listed the episode on an unranked list of the five best ''Veronica Mars'' episodes, writing that it "has its issues" but that "the rooftop sequence with Veronica, Cassidy (Kyle Gallner) and Logan is pure, gorgeous melodrama, and Keith's fake-out death feels devastating instead of cheap thanks to Kristen Bell's gut-wrenching performance." In a list of the 50 greatest TV shows of all time, ''
Empire
An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...
'' noted "Not Pictured" as the best episode of the series. Reviewer
Alan Sepinwall
Alan Sepinwall (born October 19, 1973) is an American television reviewer and writer. He spent 14 years as a columnist with ''The Star-Ledger'' in Newark until leaving the newspaper in 2010 to work for the entertainment news website HitFix. He ...
wrote that he was "very pleased with how things turned out" and that the twist fit with the evidence. However, he was more critical of Keith's near-death, writing, "What did feel like piling on, however, was Beaver 'killing' Keith. Kristen Bell tried her best to sell it, but I wasn't buying."
''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' called the episode one of the "10 Essential Episodes" of ''Veronica Mars''.
References
External links
*
"Not Pictured"at Mars Investigations
{{Veronica Mars
2006 American television episodes
Television episodes written by Rob Thomas (writer)
Veronica Mars season 2 episodes