It does help if youve seen the series. But I'll say this, my favorite TV show of all time is THE WIRE, my top five favorite shows include SPORTS NIGHT, The 1st 3 Seasons of the WEST WING and VERONICA MARS.
Veronica Mars is well written, funny and engaging in a way that Buffy and other GIRLS ARE AWESOME shows are not. Even as a 30-something year old (when I watched the show), straight, black male I GOT Veronica. Essentially she's a teenaged hard boiled private eye. Because she has somewhat of a tragic past and complicated relationship with everyone from her classmates to her dad who is the sheriff.
Veronica doesnt have super powers or a trust fund with which to pay for training to make her the best in the world at EVERYTHING. But she's smart, tenacious and at times UTTERLY RUTHLESS. Especially when she's been crossed or when someone is messing with her friends. The interesting thing is that those same traits work against her and her friends as well. Often to dire effect.