Equal parts "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Nancy Drew", "Veronica Mars" is smartly written and well-acted. This third and final season of the critically acclaimed (but viewer-challenged) series ends as all good shows should--by leaving viewers wanting more and wondering how their favorite characters will fare in the future. By now, our spunky heroine Veronica (played by the effervescent Kristen Bell) is a college student working on a degree in criminology. Though blond, pretty, and uber-smart, Veronica doesn't have an easy time fitting in to her new setting. The series focuses as much on her personal life this season as it does on the cases she is hired (and paid) to solve. Besides dealing with rapes, robbery, and other sordid crimes, Veronica has to clear her own name when she is accused of plagiarizing. She also gets involved in helping figure out who may have given a pregnant friend a pill that caused her to lose the baby. This year's guest stars include some stunt casting with Patty Hearst, who plays a wealthy woman who disappears during an event held in her honor. Unlike the first two years where Veronica focused on solving one major crime, this season features several story arcs. Perhaps it was the producer's way of trying to attract more viewers, but diehard fans may be turned off by the change, which provides a less cohesive storyline than in the past. All 20 episodes--which aired originally during the 2006-2007 television season--are included in this six-disc set. The collection also includes a cute gag reel and an informative bonus feature that includes insightful commentary from show creator Rob Thomas. "--Jae-Ha Kim"