You Don’t Need to Catch Up on ‘Veronica Mars’ to Enjoy Season 4… But You Absolutely Should

Hulu’s Veronica Mars revival is like catching up with an old friend. Premiering next Friday, the new eight-episode season is not only a ton of fun, but as I wrote in my review, it’s your crazy, sexy, cool noir binge of the summer (shoutout to TLC, obviously). One of the most pertinent questions heading into the new season of V-Mars has to do with Seasons 1-3. Do you have to be a fan of the franchise to enjoy the new season? Are the previous seasons (and movie) required viewing before pressing play on Season 4?

The short answer? No. Veronica Mars maestro Rob Thomas is an adroit writer who understands that many viewers won’t be familiar with the show’s mythology. The new season delivers the necessary exposition without beating you over the head with it. Novice Mars fans interested in devouring a fun mystery noir will be able to follow the story, only needing to take the bare minimum amount of “wait, who’s that person?” Google breaks.

With all that said, you should absolutely catch up on Veronica Mars before watching Season 4.

The new season of Veronica Mars is an affectionally penned love letter to diehard fans while still being inclusive enough to be enjoyed by outsiders. Catching up on three seasons (64 episodes) of television is no easy feat. A few weeks ago I decided to rewatch the final season of Justified (which is also just a pure chef’s kiss of a TV series), and I legitimately felt guilty about the new shows that were left unwatched. How can I rewatch Justified before bingeing Schitt’s Creek!? (I know, I know, I need to get on that).

Streaming the first three seasons of Veronica Mars (which are available on Hulu) is a substantial time commitment, but it’s a journey worth embarking upon. The show is extremely well-written; Kristen Bell is a tour de force of bravado and charisma; the series showcases one of the most endearing father/daughter relationships in recent memory; and Season 1 delivers one of the most captivating season-long mysteries in TV history.

As if that weren’t enough, Veronica Mars newcomers also need to take the time to familiarize themselves with the Logan Echolls of it all. Trust me. If you’re a fan of brooding bad boys, this articulate amateur philosopher is for you.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of streaming a long-running TV series is discovering the inside references specifically included for fans. Community and Arrested Development were experts at this practice, and while the new season of Veronica Mars doesn’t get too inside baseball, the creative team inserts a few amusing callbacks that long-time fans will appreciate.

If you have the time, catch up. If not, no biggie. There’s no wrong way to watch Veronica Mars.

Season 4 of Veronica Mars premieres Friday, July 26th on Hulu.

Where to stream Veronica Mars