Took me a while to parse, but made me laugh like a drain.

I think it's Cashmere who coined it around here.

But I think unjustifiably treating someone badly-- like say stranding them at a gas station-- makes one a bitch.

I think it's a bitchy thing to do, but that a bitchy, spiteful action when hurting doesn't make a person a bitch, if that makes sense.

No, it makes sense. I think what circumstances will excuse what behavior differs from person to person, so I wouldn't argue with you. For me, though, the fact that Veronica tolerated a similar situation with Meg makes Meg's actions especially ill-founded. Anyway.

I kind of suspect it's not Duncan's baby. It's her Dad's. Because of my pet theory that it's Chinatown. bon bon "Veronica Mars: Annoy, Tiny Blonde One. Annoy Like the Wind." Nov 22, 2005 12:10:36 pm PST

But that would only work if it were Gia who's pregnant!

I think that feelings of bitterness and jealousy toward an ex's new girlfriend are normal. But I think unjustifiably treating someone badly-- like say stranding them at a gas station-- makes one a bitch. Veronica was in a similar situation with Meg and wouldn't punish Meg for it. Meg owed her the same courtesy.

Yes, this. Veronica can be incredibly vindictive and sometimes has some questionable ethics, she's still a good person at heart. The Meg we were introduced to last year was both a good person at heart and lacking in the vindictiveness and ethical deficiencies. At her core, she was a nicer/better person than Veronica.

This year we're presented with a person who's willing to leave Veronica stranded at a bus station and practically tears her head off when Veronica is trying to help her with the falsified drug test results. Plus we find out her parents are psychotic freaks, which wasn't even hinted at previously.

The Meg we were introduced to last year was both a good person at heart and lacking in the vindictiveness and ethical deficiencies.

I blame the Duncan cooties.

Now I have another theory. A cheap trick like making Meg's family so villainous is not VM-esque; they're usually a little more restrained with motivations. But Veronica makes that mistake all the time-- she's always quick to think someone's got some horrifically machiavellian scheme or past they're covering up. (She gets that from Keith.) So Veronica will jump to the conclusion that the child is a product of abuse. I think this episode is seeding a larger plot where her unfounded suspicions get her in much, much bigger trouble.

ETA: though Meg's mom trying to kill her puts a different spin on just how bad her family is-- and one asks just why she wanted her dead. (Because she knows it's her husband's child.) Why did the alternate ending end in a cliffhanger if they're not going to follow it up? I kind of thought they might actually air it at the beginning of the next episode.

Now I have another theory. A cheap trick like making Meg's family so villainous is not VM-esque; they're usually a little more restrained with motivations. But Veronica makes that mistake all the time-- she's always quick to think someone's got some horrifically machiavellian scheme or past they're covering up. (She gets that from Keith.) So Veronica will jump to the conclusion that the child is a product of abuse. I think this episode is seeding a larger plot where her unfounded suspicions get her in much, much bigger trouble.

I want to agree with you, but I think leaving a child that age, alone at home, never mind locked in a cubby, and all the notebooks (upon notebooks) of punishment-writing can't have a conclusion that lies outside the realm of abusive.

From the promo it seems like Veronica has jumped to the conclusion that Meg's baby was fathered by Duncan. (I hope it isn't because making Duncan the Worst. Boyfriend. Ever by way of dumping his pregnant ex is a cheap way out. As would be a cheating revelation, but I digress)

edited for spelling

Yeah, I am 75% convinced the baby is not Duncan's because of that promo. I'd say 100%, but UPN does tend to give away the HSQs in promos sometimes. My first reaction to it though, was that Veronica was totally jumping to the wrong conclusion.

I'm willing to bet it's not Duncan's, but I just wish we had a clearer time frame of:

1. The season 1 finale
2. Logan's hearing
3. Logan and Veronica break-up
4. Duncan and Meg break-up
5. Meg gets pregant
6. Duncan and Veronica get together
7. Bus crash
8. Present day

Without a time-frame, it makes it very difficult to even speculate. Did Meg have a fling with this Chris guy over the summer? Did she cheat on Duncan with him? (Which seems incredibly out of character, but after the rest of this season, who knows.) Or, if some of the nastier suggestions of the father are true, why was there no hint of anything like this going on previously?