2020 Emmy Spotlight: Could Hulu’s ‘Veronica Mars’ Be Kristen Bell’s Path to Her First Emmy Nom?

Megan McLachlan looks ahead to Emmys 2020 to see where Hulu’s Veronica Mars might be in contention.

Veronica Mars premiered on UPN in 2004 and soon developed a cult following. The neo-noir TV series followed a teenager (Kristen Bell) who developed private investigator skills from her PI father (Enrico Colantoni), solving a new case each episode. Even when it was canceled in 2007, devoted fans, known as “Marshmallows,” kept the spirit of the show alive and in 2013 financially supported a feature-length film of the series through a Kickstarter. Based on the success of the film, Hulu produced an eight-episode fourth season of the show, which dropped on July 19.

Veronica Mars is one of the more quietly successful TV reboots that doesn’t get enough mention. This series doesn’t necessarily have the hype of other TV reboots like Arrested Development, but unlike its early 2000s TV peer, it consistently satisfies audiences, leaving them wanting more. And unlike another TV reboot, like the recently-canceled Will & Grace, Veronica Mars doesn’t appear to be out of stories to tell.

Hulu’s Season 4 Veronica Mars

In the new season of Veronica Mars, it’s clear that Ms. Mars is no longer a teenager, and the show makes great effort to depict her as a grown woman, especially with a lengthy sex scene in the first episode between her and long-time love Logan (get it, girl). Kristen Bell reportedly said the fourth season would be bigger and darker, and it doesn’t disappoint, as Mars tries to solve the murders of Neptune spring breakers. Veronica Mars really sheds its formerly teenage image this season and evolves into its own adult TV series, which is really interesting to watch, as not many reboot series attempt to recharge their tone in such a way.

Veronica Mars 2020 Emmy Chances

Many people thought that 2019 might be Kristen Bell’s year to get her first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Comedy Actress for The Good Place, but she has a shot at two Emmy nominations next year since she could place in the Outstanding Drama Actress race.

In 2020, this category loses two current nominees:

Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones
Jodie Comer, Killing Eve
Viola Davis, How To Get Away With Murder
Laura Linney, Ozark
Mandy Moore, This is Us
Sandra Oh, Killing Eve
Robin Wright, House of Cards

But two other actresses were complete surprises this year, including the return of Davis and the rise of Moore. Could Bell be a surprise in 2020?

2020 Outstanding Actress Drama Race

In 2020, The Crown will return, with Olivia Colman entering the race. Also, Season 3 of The Handmaid’s Tale will also be eligible, which means Elisabeth Moss will come back. Also, Big Little Lies moves from limited series to drama race.

Most Likely:

Olivia Colman, The Crown
Jodie Comer, Killing Eve
Laura Linney, Ozark
Nicole Kidman, Big Little Lies
Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid’s Tale
Sandra Oh, Killing Eve
Reese Witherspoon, Big Little Lies

In Contention:

Kristen Bell, Veronica Mars
Viola Davis, How To Get Away With Murder
Regina King, Watchmen
Mandy Moore, This is Us
Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld

Emmys and Critics’ Choice?

Clearly, it’s a crowded race, but as the 2019 Emmy nominations proved, the voters are changing who they vote for. For the first time ever in 2019, the Emmys started to mirror Critics’ Choice, especially with long-shot surprises like Schitt’s Creek coming out of nowhere in the Outstanding Comedy races.

What Veronica Mars has going for it is 100% Bell, who will be very high-profile in 2020 with Frozen 2 coming out at the end of 2019 along with the end of The Good Place. Plus, with strong reviews from critics, look for the series to pick up some Critics’ Choice Nominations. Even though Outstanding Actress in a Drama might be even more crowded than the Outstanding Actress Comedy race, Bell’s first overdue nomination could come in the form of her most iconic TV role.