ROUND 1: CASE STUDY
NANCY DREW: In the new Nancy Drew movie, the private investigator packs her bags and leaves River Heights to enrol at Hollywood High. Before long she discovers clues that will help her solve the mysterious disappearance of a Hollywood actress.
VERONICA MARS: Veronica Mars is a student at Hearst College in sunny Neptune, California. Between solving the murder mystery of her best friend Lilly Kane and uncovering the truth about why a bus full of students crashed over a cliff, there is never a dull moment with Veronica hot on the trail.
The storylines of Veronica Mars are more intriguing than Nancy Drew’s star search.
SCORE: NANCY DREW – 0
VERONICA MARS – 1
ROUND 2: BOYFRIEND BRAWL
NANCY DREW: Ned Nickerson is Nancy Drew’s patient boyfriend. He is always willing to come to the aid of his private-eye girlfriend and recognizes how important her investigations are to Nancy.
VERONICA MARS: On the other hand, Veronica Mars has had at least four boyfriends. Duncan, Troy, and Leo have all had relationships with the blonde detective, but let’s not forget Logan, her on-again-off-again flame. Logan has tried to convince Veronica to stop her investigations and has even hired a bodyguard to follow her. A little overprotective, don’t you think?
Ned encourages Nancy, rather than trying to get her to stop. Nancy Drew scores!
SCORE: NANCY DREW – 1
VERONICA MARS – 1
ROUND 3: IMAGE IS EVERYTHING
NANCY DREW: What happens when Martha Stewart meets Sherlock Holmes? You get Nancy Drew, of course. The amateur detective is a classic overachiever with a squeaky-clean image that can’t be tarnished…literally. She can climb through sewer drains and still come out clean.
VERONICA MARS: Veronica Mars is more like Smallville’s Chloe Sullivan: a little rough around the edges, quick-witted, and closer to your average teenager than Nancy Drew’s unattainable level of perfection. After all, being a teenager isn’t about being “perfect”. We’ll leave that to Hollywood.
Veronica Mars is an authentic portrayal of teenage life on television. Nancy Drew’s case turns cold…
SCORE: NANCY DREW – 1
VERONICA MARS – 2
ROUND 4: HISTORY TEST
NANCY DREW: Nancy Drew first popped onto the pop culture scene in the 1930s book series by Edward Stratemeyer. The lead detective has inspired countless other books and TV series of the same name since. Every teen detective to come after Drew is a footnote.
VERONICA MARS: Meanwhile, Veronica Mars made her debut in 2004. She has a strong fan following, but under Veronica’s skin is Nancy’s skeleton. Veronica Mars IS Nancy Drew for a new generation.
Simply put, Nancy Drew is the original female super-sleuth. The game is tied!
SCORE: NANCY DREW – 2
VERONICA MARS – 2
ROUND 5: SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST
NANCY DREW: Movie theatres will welcome the reincarnation of Nancy Drew this month with Emma Roberts in the gumshoes. There is no clear indication as to whether the movie will be a hit or miss, but one thing is certain. Warner Bros. has already ordered a second helping of Nancy’s adventures in a sequel that has yet to be written.
VERONICA MARS: Sadly, Veronica Mars may not be as lucky. At the time of this printing, rumours abound that the CW will cancel the show after ordering only 20 episodes this season, instead of the usual 22. That would end the show’s successful run after only three seasons.
Sequel or no sequel, Nancy Drew could still flop, whereas viewers already have something virtuous in Veronica. Here’s hoping that the show lives on.
SCORE: NANCY DREW – 2
VERONICA MARS – 3
ROUND UP: Get a clue, Nancy Drew. The vintage investigator may have inspired her Hearst College counterpart, but, be that as it may, Veronica Mars is simply out of this world. Miss Mars has made murder mysteries cool again, and she didn’t need the hijinks of Hollywood to do it, making our top P.I. Pretty Incredible.
The new NANCY DREW hits theatres June 15.
Web Links:
www.nancydrewmovie.com
www.veronicamars.com