Comic-Con: New 'Veronica Mars' season drops on Hulu a week early (thanks, Kristen Bell!)
SAN DIEGO – You don't need Mars Investigations to figure out who just dropped the entire new "Veronica Mars" season a week early. It was star Kristen Bell.
The actress announced at the end of a "Mars" panel at Comic-Con Friday that all eight episodes of the Hulu revival are available to stream immediately, a treat for all the Marshmallows who were waiting patiently until the announced release date of July 26.
"Truly what I want for my birthday is for you to see these episodes," said Bell, who turned 39 Friday. "I want it on the Internet right now for my birthday, Hulu!"
Season 4 of "Mars" catches up with Veronica (Bell) and her private-investigator dad Keith (Enrico Colantoni) in the beach town of Neptune, California, with a new case involving a mad bomber on the loose during spring break.
Related: Review: Hulu's 'Veronica Mars' is the best TV revival in years
Veronica is also dealing with her relationship with main squeeze, Logan Echolls (Jason Dohring), now a Naval intelligence officer who's back in town when everything goes kablooey. But Bell teases that Veronica's got some serious commitment issues after seeing her own parents break up and taking pictures of strangers' infidelities for 16 years.
"It's perfect now, and she doesn't want to ruin it," Bell said.
Series creator Rob Thomas pointed out that Veronica's first line in the pilot was "I''m never getting married." So, "How (does she) get past that and decide to get married herself?" he asked.
In the season premiere, Keith has trouble remembering things, and fans should be "very worried," Colantoni said. "You should always worry about your dad."
Thomas also gave a shoutout to the chemistry between Bell and Colantoni: "Those two are brilliant, and they take mediocre material palatable and make good material great."
One of the new characters is no-nonsense club owner Nicole Malloy, played by Kirby Howell-Baptiste ("Killing Eve," "Barry"). "We fell in mad love," Bell said of her new co-star. "She's so spectacular in every scene."
When will Bell's kids be old enough to watch "Veronica Mars?" "They're going to have to get through all of 'House of Lies' first," Bell said. "I think 13 is a good age. Season 4 might be 15."
And should fans be excited for a Season 5? "I'll play Veronica until everyone in Neptune is dead," Bell said.
"I'm afraid I'll be dead," Thomas replied, with Bell countering, "I'll stay alive."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kristen Bell drops new 'Veronica Mars' season on Hulu a week early
