Here's How Veronica Mars Explained Mac's Absence in Season 4

[Warning: The following contains spoilers for Veronica Mars. Read at your own risk!]

We already knew that Tina Majorino wouldn't be appearing in Hulu's Veronica Mars revival as Mac, Veronica's (Kristen Bell) tech-savvy best friend, due to scheduling conflicts. But what we didn't know was how the series would explain her absence, given that the 2014 film ended with Mac quitting her job at Kane Software to work at Mars Investigations full time.

Episode 3 of the miniseries answered that question -- albeit vaguely. When asking Logan (Jason Dohring) to use his government clearance to help with her investigation into the spring break bombings, Veronica quipped that she wouldn't have needed this favor if Mac wasn't off in Istanbul. Veronica didn't elaborate as to why Mac was off in Istanbul, but knowing Mac, she probably planned a vacation to purposefully avoid the bacchanalia that is Neptune during spring break. Mac notoriously dislikes most people, and particularly people who partake in beer bongs, beach volleyball, and basically... being basic. So her plotting to escape the chaos with a fun-filled adventure half a world away definitely seems very in-character for everyone's favorite hacker.

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While it's a shame that Mac didn't make an appearance in the eight-episode revival, it's heartening that the excuse for her absence didn't involve her leaving her job at Mars Investigations. Meaning, if Veronica Mars does return for another season, we'll hopefully be able to see Mac and Veronica working together on a case again.

Veronica Mars is available to stream on Hulu now.