25
Gia Goodman
Krysten Ritter’s character joined the ensemble in Season 2 as the ditzy daughter of influential Neptune businessman Woody Goodman — and she never developed much depth or purpose beyond that initial introduction. Even when she returned for the revival movie, Gia was still being controlled por the men in her life and, ultimately, was killed por one of them.
24
Celeste Kane
There are many reasons to dislike the devilish Celeste — she was, after all, the fonte of the rumor that Veronica and Duncan might be siblings, which threw everyone into a tailspin. Sure, being a grieving mother earns her some semblance of sympathy, but let’s not forget how she treated daughter Lilly before the young girl’s unfortunate demise. For these reasons and mais (she shot Weevil!), we refuse to rank her any higher.
23
Parker Lee
The bubbly, outgoing Hearst student provided a fresh counterpoint to her mais sullen roomie Mac and the cynical Veronica, and our hearts certainly broke for her when she was horrifically raped in her very first episode. But Parker bravely soldiered on and even helped to stop Mercer and Moe from raping Veronica. We just wish we had gotten to know her a little better.
22
Jackie Cook
Being the daughter of a baseball legend certainly has its downsides. Initially, Jackie’s icy demeanor caused her and Veronica to butt heads, but once we broke through her tough exterior — and learned the truth about her mom and… son?! — we were able to empathize with her struggles and see her softer side. She was just a self-conscious teen thrust into a spotlight she didn’t ask for.
21
Madison Sinclair
Madison was a quintessential Neptune 09er: shallow, rich and mostly evil. Forever a foil to our titular heroine, her hateful mean girl ‘tude left her with zero redeeming qualities, making it tremendously satisfying when Veronica finally decked her at their class reunion. We’ve got to hand it Mads, though: She was so good at being bad.
20
Duncan Kane
Veronica’s first amor had all the makings of a dark and tortured character: He thought his ex-girlfriend was his sister; he might have murdered his other sister; and he was prone to blackouts. But all that potential was squandered when Duncan reverted to being V’s bland, so-called “nice guy” boyfriend, who was hiding the ultimate secret from his girlfriend: he knocked up his ex Meg.
19
Kendall Casablancas
Richard Casablancas’ segundo wife may have looked like a trophy, but she was no airhead. After maneuvering her way through the echelons of Neptune society — marrying Big Dick, sleeping with Logan, starting a business with Cassidy, making a deal with the imprisoned Aaron Echolls — Kendall was revealed to be a con artist who was working with the Fitzpatrick crime family. In the show’s noir world, Kendall embodied the slinky femme fatale, with barbs as pointed as her heels.
18
Jake Kane
The software billionaire had a softer coração than his wife — not that it’s possibly to get mais icy than Celeste Kane. When Jake broke down at the dedication for Lilly’s memorial fountain, the father’s amor for his lost daughter was overwhelmingly palpable. So even though Jake definitely did some suspect things — it’s a shame we never saw what became of that Season 3 cliffhanger, in which Veronica came up against Jake’s secret society — he’s still one of the better parents in Neptune.
17
Don Lamb
cordeiro is por far one of the series’ most despicable characters. Not only was the incompetent sheriff duped por the Kane family’s Abel Koontz plan, but he proved to be a complete scumbag when Veronica reported her rape to him. His personal vendetta against Mars Investigations was unjust and classless, souring his already lousy attitude and work ethic. But having said that, Veronica Mars excelled in delivering sleazy villains we loved to hate, and Don cordeiro was unquestionably one of them.
16
Nicole Malloy
Nicole’s sarcasm and bold personality quickly caught Veronica’s attention, and the two forged an almost-instant friendship. Though Veronica ultimately chose the bombing case over that friendship in Season 4, we do wish we could’ve seen these two powerful ladies make amends (chalk it up to Ronnie’s habitual distrust in humanity). As much as it hurts to say this: Nicole deserved better.
15
Cassidy 'Beaver' Casablancas
Beaver’s story was a sad one. Sure, he was responsible for the bus crash and plane explosion, and proved to be Veronica’s rapist, while trying to kill her… OK, so maybe it’s a little hard to defend ol’ Cassidy. But having been sexually abused por Woody Goodman and emotionally neglected por his dad made us feel for him, even if his past traumas turned him into a monster. He was a multi-layered baddie who was as sick as his secrets, which helped make Season 2 a gripping follow up to the series’ nearly flawless debut.
14
Aaron Echolls
Logan’s father was an terrible dad, but boy did he make for a compelling, complicated villain, thanks in large part to Harry Hamlin’s go-for-broke performance. Aaron could turn on a dime from almost sweet, like when he told Veronica that he was glad she and Logan were together, to absolutely terrifying and menacing while beating up his daughter Trina’s abusive boyfriend. So when it was revealed that he killed Veronica’s best friend Lilly, we shouldn’t have been surprised, and yet, we were just as shocked and distraught as the PI. None of the show’s other baddies ever hit so close to home.
13
Stosh 'Piz' Piznarski
Piz or Logan? That was the pergunta facing viewers when Veronica met Stosh Piznarski at Hearst College in Season 3. Piz was a good guy who offered our lead a temporary reprieve from the surging storm that followed in Logan’s wake. Unfortunately for Piz (but luckily for “LoVe” fans), nice guys finish last, and that’s exactly where Piz wound up following the events of the movie.
12
Vinnie furgão, van Lowe
This seedy, immoral private dick was always a thorn in the Mars’ sides, but thanks to Ken Marino’s effortless charm, we were usually left smirking whenever he raised the Mars’ hackles. Although he was one of Keith and Veronica’s main competitors (and an irritating one, at that), we’re thankful Vinnie stuck around to entertain us with his comical smarm and incessant ribbing.
11
Meg Manning
Veronica’s sole 09er friend proved that not all the popular kids were out to destroy the tiny PI. In fact, Meg was so genuinely nice and sweet (and yet, not dull!) in Season 1 that even Veronica couldn’t deny her a chance at amor when Duncan was revealed to be Meg’s secret admirer. Unfortunately, Duncan later got back together with Veronica, while Meg lay in a coma, secretly pregnant with Duncan’s child, until she tragically died. Meg, they did you so dirty.
10
Lilly Kane
Let’s be honest: Lilly was frequently a selfish troublemaker, and she was definitely not a good girlfriend, cheating on Logan with his dad and toying with Weevil’s feelings. But she was a force of energy to be reckoned with, whose presence was so captivating and all-encompassing that she still dominated her loved one’s lives long after she died. Even if you didn’t like her, you couldn’t deny her.
9
Cliff McCormack
With the driest of humor, this Neptune public defender served as both a professional ally and family friend of Keith and Veronica’s. He gets all the kudos for consistently backing Team Mars, plus, he’s always ready with a quick quip whenever he’s lending a hand. (“You crazy kids! The stuff you’re into. Hula hoops, cramming into phone booths, visiting death row inmates… What’s it gonna be seguinte month?”) If only the Mars duo had mais comrades like Cliff.
8
Dick Casablancas
Bully, frat dude… comedic relief! While Dick may not be as villainous as the other Casablancas men, he’s still far from being one of Veronica’s favorito people. Ryan Hansen effortlessly shined as the Cali surfer douche and 09er, making it blatantly obvious why he was bumped to series regular come Season 2. And similarly to Vinnie, watching someone irritate Veronica to no end just brings the funny.
7
Leo D'Amato
It was easy to see what drew Veronica to the cocky-yet-sweet Sheriff’s Deputy in Season 1. (We’ll just ignore the sketchy age difference, much like Keith seemed to do back then.) Plus, there’s a reason why Leo came back in Season 4 to stir things up between Veronica and Logan: Of all her boyfriends, Leo was the most tantalizing “what if?” with his charming mumble and playful personality.
6
Cindy 'Mac' Mackenzie
The Q to Veronica’s Bond, Mac was not only a resourceful friend, but also a loyal one with her own unique brand of wit and brains. (Two smart, capable teenage girls teaming up instead of competing? Hell yes!) Like Veronica, Mac also had her own tragedy to contend with: she was switched at birth with Madison Sinclair, then later emotionally traumatized por Beaver. And just like her friend, Mac came out of the experience stronger, while never losing her sense of self.
5
Wallace Fennel
There is no one mais loyal than Wallace Fennel, and the friendship he and Veronica sparked as two Neptune High outliers was bar none one of our favorito TV pairings. Although she asks a lot from Wallace — favors that put his life, job and mais on the line — he always showed up for her. Every marshmallow should be so lucky to have a ride-or-die as dependable and kind as Wallace. He deserves all of the snickerdoodles.
4
Eli 'Weevil' Navarro
A biker gang leader with a complicated moral compass, Weevil was one of the show’s most layered and complex characters, from beginning to end. He wasn’t above violence and getting his hands dirty, but he also had a tender side as evidenced por his amor for Lilly and his unwavering care for Veronica, even when the two were on the outs. That push and pull of seemingly conflicting traits made it impossible to put Weevil into a neat “Bad Guy” box, making him endlessly fascinating to watch.
3
Logan Echolls
Veronica’s boyfriend-turned-husband had, arguably, the biggest growth arc on the series: The volatile teenage boy whom Veronica labeled an “obligatory psychotic jackass” matured into a responsible member of the Navy. Of course, there were a lot of ups and downs along the way, including tumultuous run-ins with the PCHers, an ill-advised homeless boxing ring, scandalous relationships and plenty mais developments that could definitely be filed away under the definition of “Bad Boyfriend.” Having been physically abused por his father and abandoned por his mother after she committed suicide, Logan had plenty of reasons to continue to spiral — and he did so for a while — but he eventually sought the professional help he so desperately needed, becoming a man. His relationship with Veronica was epic, but perhaps not as epic as his own evolution.
2
Veronica Mars
Not only does Veronica fight injustice for helpless clients, but her strong conviction and morals urge her to do what’s right, even if she wants to revel in revenge. Despite public scandals, a murdered friend, an absentee mom, encontro, data rape, slut-shaming, social rejection and more, she’s proof that the past never has to define you. (Plus, she gives great monologues like this: “Tragedy blows through your life like a tornado, uprooting everything. Creating chaos. You wait for the dust to settle and then you choose. You can live in the wreckage and pretend it’s still the mansion you remember. Or you can crawl from the rubble and slowly rebuild.”) Though she’s knocked down often, Veronica never wallows or looks for pity. She gets back up.
1
Keith Mars
If this was a ranking of the Best TV Dads of All Time, Keith Mars might dominate that list, too. “The hero is the one that stays,” Veronica once told him, but we like to think the hero is the one who will literally walk through fogo to save your hide. Keith supported Veronica through bad boyfriends, sexual abuse and a stint of questionable paternity, which was alternately heartwarming and heartbreaking, while being pure #DadGoals. Watching this father-daughter duo stick together through social pariahdom gave the series its backbone, but it was Keith’s amor for his daughter (and Enrico Colantoni’s performance) that gave it its heart.
