I know I wasn’t alone in my EXTREME JOY at the idea of a Veronica Mars spin-off featuring Dick Casablancas as a private eye. But before you wrap your minds around what that means, exactly, know this: that’s not really what Play It Again, Dick actually is. No, this weird little web series (which will consist of eight episodes, eight minutes each) is about Ryan Hansen – the actor who plays Dick – trying to get a Dick spinoff on the air. In the meantime, beloved actors from the series will drop in, sometimes playing themselves, sometimes playing their characters. Veronica Mars showrunner – and Play It Again, Dick mastermind – Rob Thomas has assured fans that the narrative contained within these episodes is not strictly canon, so just let all of this wash over you like the tasty waves Dick loves to surf.
The first ep, released yesterday, follows Hansen as he tries to convince Kristen Bell and the bigwigs at The CW to give Play It Again, Dick a chance. Kristen agrees, mostly because she thinks The CW executives won’t, but then they give their approval and she’s stuck. In the meantime, we get a few glimpses of what the show-within-this-show will consist of: lots of shirtless Dick and Logan (not hating that!), many backflips, some cool dance moves, Dick on a motorcycle, Dick solving crime, Dick solving crime shirtless on a motorcycle. Into it!
I made a little drinking game, because obviously:
The Official FYA Play It Again, Dick Drinking Game
Drink once every time:
Dick dances.
Dick does a backflip.
Dick or Logan is shirtless.
The name “Dick” is used in a way that could also mean penis.
Drink twice every time:
Someone says “Veronica Mars.”
This first ep allowed for fifteen drinks in eight minutes, which is a pretty groovy ratio. And for each episode, I’ll also include the most meta moment. In the pilot, that honor belongs to this AMAZING speech by Kristen Bell, aghast at the idea that anyone would want a Dick spinoff:
Kristen: “Dick Casablancas was an entitled, self-involved, hedonist moron and, I mean, if you were really paying attention to the story, a likely date rape enabler.”
HAH!
To which Ryan Hansen replies:
Ryan: “Right, okay, well, it didn’t really seem to concern Rob.”
Kristen: “That’s true. Rob always had a blind spot for Dick.”
Double hah!
That is an INCREDIBLE shout-out to everyone who’s ever felt affronted that Dick was treated as such a cherished character after enabling V’s date rape by Beaver in Season One.
So that’s our first peek at the totally bizarre world within a world within a world of Play It Again, Dick. Meet me back here every Wednesday for the next eight weeks as we take this journey together!
(And check out the FYA Veronica Mars Rewatch Project while you’re at it! And you might as well read my review of the Veronica Mars novel, too.)
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