The curse was fulfilled on The CW’s Nancy Drew! Never disregard the superstitious ramblings of old tales and town fables; sometimes there is a grain of truth to any story. During “The Drowned Woman,” the Drew Crew faced the big bad Aglaeca as the death clock reached its mark, which we came to expect would happen sooner than later. But, it was the return of an early Nancy Drew Season 1 plot point that threw everything for a loop. Kudos to Nancy Drew for finding a seamless and organic way to transition from one big storyline to their next big mystery. And, for creating one of the best episodes of the series so far!
“The Drowned Woman” shined in part thanks to the strength of the Drew Crew. Nancy, Bess, George, Ace, and Nick are friends—they’ve moved beyond reluctant allies, former/current lovers, and colleagues to become full-fledged friends who care about each other. In their final hours before the Aglaeca came to collect their lives, the team balanced the tender moments between their families and the time they spent with their friends. Each character showcased a sympathetic side to them and what they truly cared for in this world. George with her sisters, Bess revealing her friends are her family, Nancy with her dad… it’s these types of small moments that provide the biggest impacts to their character development.
Though, the strongest scene of the episode has to be the confession group phone call between the Drew Crew. Did anyone else melt during their conversation? The group faced their potential fates head-on, but even in their last moments, they wanted to have each other nearby in some way. Plus, their last-minute round of confessions brought them closer than ever since it broke down any barriers and secrets they may have kept. The scene had a healthy balance of hope and sadness; it’s the first time that the Drew Crew all equally felt close and connected to one another.
How the Aglaeca got “defeated” was good in context, especially in comparison to what the group tried before. They tried curses, traps, and bargaining, but all it came down to connecting to the human INSIDE the Aglaeca. Sure, it’s cheesy and cliché for that sentimental trope, but since Nancy Drew added the surprise twist into the mix, that outcome completely changed the reaction to the defeat. With the monstrous Aglaeca defeated, does that mean the spirit of Odette has completely taken over George’s body, or is this a possession angle? Nancy Drew could go in two different directions here, so I’m curious how they’ll progress the character and how it’s tied to the rest of the season.
Speaking of George, her death was shocking! Not because of the encounter with the Aglaeca, but due to the fact that the blood curse came true. Ever since “The Secret of the Old Morgue,” George has referenced the bloody bucket and her impending death, almost as if it was a punchline. The spear killing her and completing the curse took all of us by surprise—it’s surprising whenever a show kills off one of its main characters early (like on The Vampire Diaries or The Originals). Granted, George is still on Nancy Drew, but this isn’t a supernatural show that justifies multiple deaths; her death came out of nowhere and took our breath away.
Ace’s phone call could reveal much more about his past and family dynamic. Nancy Drew never mentioned a brother before, so whoever this man is, he must’ve done something big to end up in witness protection. Ace has been secretive before and kept a lot to himself, but even his dad never mentioned a son. Could this potentially be a thread that reveals Ace’s true connection to the Nancy Drew book series? He’s supposedly a new character for the TV show, but we don’t know his last name or even if Ace is his real first name. There’s something more to his story than we know.
How Nancy saved George with the blanket inadvertently released several evil spirits back into Horseshoe Bay. I liked this twist because it raised the stakes and threat level in town, and the malevolent spirits could shift how Nancy Drew approaches its mysteries. Could this be a Monster of the Week scenario like Buffy The Vampire Slayer? Or, is this a situation like The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo where the Drew Crew has to capture each one before facing their biggest foe? Horseshoe Bay won’t be prepared for the evil unleashed into the quiet town, so the mysteries are bound to get intense and addictive from here on out.
“The Drowned Woman” delivered mischief, mayhem, and major fun in its thrilling face-off against the Aglaeca. The sea creature has been vanquished (for now), but new foes have been unleashed within the town. New plot threads were started, some came to fruition, and the Drew Crew became a strong group. For fans of Nancy Drew, this is an episode that had all the elements of what we love about the show and how it’s done right.
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Nancy Drew airs new episodes Wednesdays at 9 p.m. EST on The CW and streams Thursdays on cwtv.com.
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