For all the criticism the Veronica Mars movie gets for being "fanservice" and "nostalgic" (as though either is a bad thing), it was still 100% Veronica Mars. Veronica was still our Veronica, but she was also something more: she was, at long last, a hero. Veronica has not been a hero since season 1; she lost all her positive traits in later seasons. The movie managed to still keep her as Veronica, but also enabled her to grow up and become a hero again.
In season 5, she is once again, a Hero in Name Only. She is paranoid, abusive, insensitive, inconsiderate, dismissive of other people and their needs, and generally exhibits no real desire to change herself. But the biggest change though is her immaturity. This season completely disregards the growth Veronica had in the movie and the two books and returns her to the same place as her childhood: self-destructive in every way. At over 35 years old, she has learned absolutely nothing.
I will not spoil the ending (there are plenty of other ways to do that).
But I will tell you that it was absolutely HORRIBLE.
This did not need to happen.
Veronica did not NEED to experience needless tragedy, just when her life was finally looking up.
To give you an idea of just how bad the ending was: More than 2,600 fans (in counting) have specifically said they will *not* watch a potential season 5 unless the final twist is undone.
Hulu, if you are reading this, please do not reward the lazy and self-projecting writing of Rob Thomas.
Please do not renew Veronica Mars.