Veronica Mars is an American television series created by Rob Thomas

Rob Thomas (writer)

Rob Thomas is an American author, producer, and screenwriter, best known as the author of the 1996 novel Rats Saw God and creator of the critically acclaimed television programs Veronica Mars and Party Down.-Education and early career:Thomas graduated from San Marcos High School in 1983 and went...

. The series premiered on September 22, 2004, during television network UPN

UPN

United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...

's final two years, and ended on May 22, 2007, after a season on UPN's successor, The CW Television Network

The CW Television Network

The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...

. Veronica Mars was produced by Warner Bros. Television

Warner Bros. Television

Warner Bros. Television is the television production arm of Warner Bros. Entertainment, itself part of Time Warner. Alongside CBS Television Studios, it serves as a television production arm of The CW Television Network , though it also produces shows for other networks, such as Shameless on...

, Silver Pictures Television, Stu Segall Productions, Inc and Rob Thomas Productions. Joel Silver

Joel Silver

Joel Silver is an American Hollywood film producer, co-creator of the sport of Ultimate, co-founder of Dark Castle Entertainment and owner of Silver Pictures.-Life and career:...

 and Rob Thomas were executive producers for the entire run of the series, while Diane Ruggiero

Diane Ruggiero

Diane Ruggiero is an American television writer and producer. Her credits include That's Life, Veronica Mars, the US remake of "Free Agents", Dirty Sexy Money, Big Shots, and the Mythological X remake The Ex List....

 was promoted in the third season.

The series is set in the fictional town of Neptune, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

, and stars Kristen Bell

Kristen Bell

Kristen Anne Bell is an American actress. Although her first film role was an uncredited appearance in Polish Wedding, Bell previously acted in stage and musical productions. In 2001, she made her Broadway debut as Becky Thatcher in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer...

 as the title character

Veronica Mars (character)

Veronica Mars is a fictional character in UPN/The CW the television series, Veronica Mars, which aired on the UPN and CW networks from 2004 to 2007. She is portrayed by Kristen Bell.- Background and details of plot :...

, a student who progresses from high school

High school

High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....

 to college

College

A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...

 while moonlighting as a private investigator

Private investigator

A private investigator , private detective or inquiry agent, is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private detectives/investigators often work for attorneys in civil cases. Many work for insurance companies to investigate suspicious claims...

 under the tutelage of her detective father.