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Veronica Mars Season 1 Episode 8

Like a Virgin

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 11/23/04

A purity test being passed around Neptune High leaves many students embarrassed and humiliated, which leads Veronica to enlist the help of "Mac" to find the person responsible for its creation.

Meanwhile, Keith helps Wallace's mom with a tenant who refuses to leave, and Veronica has a shocking meeting with Lilly's confessed killer.moreless

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122

The Veronica Mars Season 1 Dossier: Episodes 1-8

Set your time machines for 2004: We're taking a closer look at one of TV's most beloved cult series.

By Price Peterson, Apr 11, 2012

Fan Episode Reviews (15)

Not the greatest episode.

7.5

By attilasd, Jun 04, 2011

This episode fell flat after the last few. The plot line was pretty boring, although I did like the chaos of the school after everyone found out each other's results. And the ends didn't tie together. Why was the IT guy instant messaging Veronica's account? His girlfriend, Kimmy, didn't even care about getting to her. It was Pam who wanted to spread the rumors, because of Duncan. There was no reason for Kimmy to actually be on that account or send the e-mail to Duncan or talk to her boyfriend on it.

I love Mr. Mars...he's so great! Him scaring off the tenant was very funny. I don't really like Wallace's mom, though. She should know not to listen to petty town gossip!

And the part at the end with Koontz was funny. But why'd he lose his Virginian accent after exposing Veronica? That didn't really make sense either.moreless
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A purity test being passed around Neptune High leaves many students embarrassed and humiliated, which leads Veronica to enlist the help of "Mac" to find the person responsible for its creation.moreless

6.0

By andrada_charmed, Jun 04, 2011

A purity test being passed around Neptune High leaves many students embarrassed and humiliated, which leads Veronica to enlist the help of "Mac" to find the person responsible for its creation.

Meanwhile, Keith helps Wallace's mom with a tenant who refuses to leave, and Veronica has a shocking meeting with Lilly's confessed killer. nothing happened..finally we meet mac..
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The Double Slip Up...

8.7

By cavanagh15, Dec 15, 2010

I think the past two episodes have been the only time in eight episodes into the show that I have given back to back ratings below a nine. The "case" in this one just didn't hit home for me - whichever case you want to look at. The hgih school drama of "who hacked my password" was comical at times and I love seeing Veronica try to figure everything out as she just goes through so much crap day in and day out. But I must admit closing in on the end of that mystery I was getting a little bored of the whole thing. The second one being the problem Wallace was having with his new tennant, which seemed to almost come out of nowhere. I didn't even know he was housing someone else and then out of nowhere here is this big problem to solve. When watching a series on a rundown you tend to miss a few things, but I thought it would have been better for the storyline to just get mentioned in an earlier episode and I dont believe it was. The ending was obviously powerful and the main that "killed" Lily Kane seems to be the right guy as he gets well under Veronicas skin here. We're solving this case little by little - cant wait to see the next one even though the last two have left me wanting more then what I got.moreless
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The students of Neptune High get caught up with an online purity test. When everyone's answers become available to purchase the school is throw in to mayhem.

8.5

By verbaldaggers, Apr 21, 2008

Okay so Like A Virgin has one of my all time favourite A plots in the history of the show. The purity test is a stroke of pure genius, it works well in the Veronica Mars world, gives Veronica some great lines and is very identifiable. The cute scene with Wallace and Veronica on the couch is a personal highlight. This episode also has the introduction of some major Veronica Mars future players. MAC is loveable from moment one on and Meg is a really nice allie for Veronica to have. What stops this episode from being one of my all time favourites is plot B, it is pretty flat and does not work well with the tone of plot A. I think a flash back would have worked so much better. Another flaw comes in the form of the under use of Logan, Duncan and Weevil. I really Like A Virgin it is what you want from an episode in terms of High School drama/ comedy. It's just a shame the second plot does not fit around it well.moreless
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Superb for overall plot development, below average episodic mystery.

8.7

By PabloExobar, Jan 30, 2008

This episode wasn't by any means bad. It was really fun, but the backbone of it, the mystery of the week was slow and a bit confusing. However, all the side plots and the cliffhanger was super awesome.

One thing makes me appreciate this episode a bit more after seeing the rest of the episodes is the fact that Mac is introduced in this one. And on first viewing she might seem just a guest star but she's actually recurring which is great. Same with Meg. I don't really like it when complete strangers are the key(s) to the case solution. Now the whole purity test thing was really funny at the beginning, and then it just got a bit tiring and by the end I really didn't get it. The last scene dealing with it in the studio, I don't know. I just didn't understand,. Exactly because there were a galore of new, previously unseen characters calling eachother names. Not like I knew any of them. So I got kinda lost even on 2nd viewing. But it's just probably me.

But once again nice twist in the end with Mac driving away with her brand new car. It's not said out loud but it's obvious she made the whole test thingy.

Side plots of the episodes on the other hand are really strong. We meet Wallace's mother who's struggling with a tenant who just won't leave and literally takes over the Fennel appartment. Keith offers his help but Alicia refuses as she hears only bad things about the Mars family. Obviously by the end of the episode she changes her perspective, but why and how, well, let's just say Keith scares the tenant away. But how and why. You gotta see that yourself. It was so... hilarious. And then there's plot C, the overall arc, Veronica finally meets Abel Koontz! Yay. So much for trying to be "undercover", Abel instantly identifies Veronica and shares some shocking secrets with her. Is Jake Kane the real father of Veronica? I also liked Veronica's breakdown in the end. It was long overdue.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Enrico Colantoni	Keith Mars
Percy Daggs III	Wallace Fennel
Kristen Bell	Veronica Mars
Teddy Dunn	Duncan Kane

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Robert Dobrev	Renny Demouy	Guest Star
Mike King	Lars	Guest Star
Gwendolyn Oliver	Choir Teacher	Guest Star
Brandon Hillock	Deputy Jerry Sacks	Recurring Role
Ryan Hansen	Dick Casablancas	Recurring Role
Carl Bresk	Computer Teacher	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (7)
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- Veronica's old password for her email account in school is GJ7B!X.
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- Veronica's locker has a sticker with the cover of The Dandy Warhols' Welcome to the Monkey House album, which includes the song's theme song, "We Used to Be Friends".
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- The email addresses should end with ".edu" rather than the ".org" used. It should have been something like "veronica.mars@neptune-high.edu". The ".edu" ending is the top-level domain for educational institutions.
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- In the Pilot episode the news report on the TV screen shows an evidence bag with Lilly's shoes. They are sandals, but in this episode the crime scene photos and the news report show Lilly's Pep Squad sneakers.
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- Koontz loses his accent after telling Veronica he knows who she is. But the fact that Veronica was faking doesn't mean he was too.
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- The IT guy instant messages Veronica's account, thinking it's Kimmy, but Pam was the one who wanted to get to her. It doesn't make sense that Kimmy would be talking to the guy through Veronica's account.
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- We see Wallace's mother and his younger brother Darrell for the first time.
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QUOTES (12)
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- Veronica: Listen to this. "Not that innocent? Buy the results of anyone's purity test. Ten dollars will let you know if you're dating an angel from Heaven or a hottie from Hell."
  Wallace: That's crazy. You can go on there and buy anyone's test?
  Veronica: I never thought I'd say this, but I kind of can't wait for school tomorrow.
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- Veronica: Funny. No one's come running up to me.
  Meg: It's because people are afraid of you.
  Veronica: Then something's working.
  Meg: Getting tough? Yeah, that was good advice. And I needed that. The getting even part? You might want to rethink that one. You do have friends, Veronica.
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- Veronica: Oh God!
  Mac: What?
  Veronica: My outbox. There's an email from me to my ex-boyfriend.
  Mac: Duncan Kane? You used to be all anyone gossiped about. You still are, just... in a different way. So what does it say?
  Veronica: (she reads the message out loud) Dear Duncan, I want you to know that I still love you very much and I think about you constantly. Every time I see you, my heart breaks. I need to tell you that when we were dating I had VD. I hope you didn't catch anything from me... (she turns to face Mac) Am I naked? Because in my nightmares, I'm usually naked.
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- Wallace: My mom thinks I'm staying at Norman's house.
  Veronica: Who's Norman?
  Wallace: Norman is my imaginary, straight-A, Eagle Scout (does air quotes gesture) mama's boy friend.
  Veronica: He sounds boring for an imaginary friend.
  Wallace: Mom seems to like him.
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- Mrs. Murphy: (catches Veronica whispering to Meg) Veronica, you seem to be in a sharing mood. Why don't you tell us your position on this?
  Dick: All fours.
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- Meg: Veronica, did you find your clothes yet?
  (Veronica stares in the toilet where her clothes have been dumped)
  Meg: People can be so awful here.
  Veronica: Well, does this towel make me look fat?
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- Alicia: I don't know if you've heard some of the things they say about you...
  Keith: Oh, I know, trust me. I barely let me socialize with myself! I'm a bad influence.
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- Veronica: Can I get you some coffee? A donut? Baked good of some sort?
  Cliff: Aren't we pleasant. You're not going to try to sell me a raffle ticket, are you?
  Veronica: Close. I want you to get me onto death row to meet with Abel Koontz.
  Cliff: You crazy kids! The stuff you're into. Hula hoops, cramming into phone booths, visiting death row inmates...what's it gonna be next month?
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- Keith: Wallace's mom had a plan, and I didn't want to overstep.
  Veronica: Overstepping is your main form of transportation.
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- Meg: You believe me?
  Veronica: Meg, you're the last good person at this school. I'd believe cartoon birds braided your hair this morning.
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- Veronica: (voiceover) I admit it, I splurged and spent 10 bucks to read my own purity test. Apparently I've pleasured the swim team while jacked up on goof-balls.
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- Meg: What did you score?
  Cole: Ugh, 91...
  Dick: Dude, Snow White took it and scored an 89!
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NOTES (3)
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- Jason Dohring (Logan), Francis Capra (Weevil) and Sydney Tamiia Poitier (Ms. Dent) don't appear in this episode despite being in the opening credits.
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- This episode marks Tina Majorino's first appearance as Mac. During the third season, she is credited as a series regular.
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- Music:
  "Hands On The Money" by Kid Symphony
  "Don't Let It Get You Down" by Spoon
  "Don't Tell Mama" sung by Alona Tal and Annie Abrams (from Cabaret)
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ALLUSIONS (9)
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- Veronica: Or Single White Female, Kimmy.
  
  Single White Female is a 1992 movie about a woman who places an add in the newspaper for a roommate, only to have the roommate attempt to steal her life. Veronica's reference to Kimmy as a "Single white female" alludes to Kimmy's desire to have Meg's life.
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- Veronica: Just call me Otto.
  As Veronica is about to pick Mac's car-door with her plastic lockout tool, she refers to herself as Otto. 'Otto' was the lead character in the 1984 Alex Cox cult-movie Repo Man, starring Emilio Estevez as the original 'Otto' in question.
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- Veronica: Don't worry. It's his specialty. Bustin' heads and breakin' hearts.
  
  One of the taglines used to promote the 1989 movie Road House, starring Patrick Swayze as a professional bouncer, was "Bustin' heads and breakin' hearts", and Veronica find that reference fitting upon the task of facing the unwilling tenant.
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- Veronica: Meg, you are the last good person at this school. I'd believe cartoon birds braided your hair this morning. If you want, I can find who posted that test for you. We'll clear your name and make somebody pay.
  Meg: Really?
  Veronica: Unless there is a Fairy Godmother already on it.
  
  Veronica makes two quick referrals to Disney's 1950 animated movie Cinderella, were the title character have birds braiding her hair in the morning and a Fairy Godmother helping her pick dress for and get transportation to the Prince's ball.
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- Cole: I did not have sexual relations with that woman.
  
  Cole is impersonating Bill Clinton who said this exact same sentence in 1998 while trying to convince the American people that he didn't have an affair with his intern, Monica Lewinsky.
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- Veronica: You mess with the bull...
  This quote and Veronica's coinciding hand gesture are an homage to The Breakfast Club's Principal Vernon. The full expression is: "You mess with the bull, you get the horns."
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- Cliff: Dershowitz, Cochran, and Shapiro were offering up their limbs, and he comes here for representation.
  
  Alan Dershowitz, Robert Shapiro, and the late Johnnie Cochran are three members of the so-called Dream Team, the group of defense attorneys that won O.J. Simpson an acquittal from criminal murder charges.
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- Cabaret
  
  The musical Meg is trying out for is Cabaret, a hit 1972 movie-musical staring Liza Minnelli and Michael York, about pre-war time Berlin in 1930.
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- Episode Title: Like a Virgin
  
  Refers to the 1980's Madonna song from the album of the same name.
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