Veronica Mars: Why Was Logan Echolls Killed & Was It Planned All Along?
Though Rotten Tomatoes critics generally seem to agree that the fourth season of "Veronica Mars" is a highlight of the small screen revival era, fans of the cult-hit detective drama clearly feel quite differently. Viewers have dropped a 33% fresh score on the eight-episode run, and a quick scroll through the comments section confirms Season 4's final episode was a major deal breaker for many.
That season finale, of course, ends with the killing of Logan Echolls (Jason Dohring), the longtime on-again, off-again love interest of the titular detective (Kristen Bell) — a tragic turn of events that comes mere moments after the couple ties the knot. As shocked as fans were by Logan's death, they remain equally unforgiving of "Veronica Mars" creator Rob Moore for green-lighting Dohring's exit. But as Moore told Entertainment Tonight, Logan's death was very much part of the plan heading into the revival, as he felt the show needed to evolve. "It was decided long before we even pitched the series," he told ET before adding, "The studio knew it going in, the network knew it going in and I had a conversation with Jason about it before he ever signed aboard."
Moore admits his conversation with Dohring was beyond difficult. In fact, he told ET in no uncertain terms, "That was one of the harder conversations I've had in the last few years of my life," even equating it to breaking up with a longtime lover.
Killing Logan was all about ensuring Veronica Mars could move forward in a compelling way
In talking with Entertainment Tonight, Rob Moore makes it clear he did not make the decision to kill Logan Echolls lightly. More importantly, he insisted on being upfront with the "Veronica Mars" cast and crew once the decision was made. "I didn't surprise anyone with it," he said. "Kristen knew that was the plan. [Executive producer] Diane Ruggiero-Wright, who I've worked with on the show since episode two, knew it was the plan."
He also re-iterated that Logan's death had been on his mind for a while, as he believes the only way the series and Veronica herself could truly evolve was in his absence. "Honestly, it had been going around in my head for years that that should be the course," he noted. "For writing a badass noir detective, it just feels funny to then write that with the boyfriend or a husband."
Moore added that he felt freeing Veronica up from romantic entanglements was intended to be a big part of opening up the show's narrative possibilities in future seasons, if only because such longterm romantic plot lines can become tiresome, saying, "It's that it's less interesting drama moving forward." Moore clearly had the future on his mind, adding, "If we wanted to keep doing 'Veronica Mars' episodes — and Kristen has said she will do this show until it's 'Murder, She Wrote' — I wanted to do it with Veronica as a single woman." Sadly, it seems Season 5 of "Veronica Mars" may never happen, meaning fans may never get to see what Veronica's life is like without Logan.