Aren’t “truth spell” episodes so much fun? Nancy Drew was bound to have a plot where the characters spilled their guts, especially since magic has played a bigger part in the series. “The Confession of the Long Night” was a tidal wave of exposition to push the plots forward while having some cheeky fun in the mix. We’ve had the Drew Crew deal with A Nightmare on Elm Street dreams and a Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure mishap for the dads—anything is on the table when magic goes awry. It’s an upbeat episode once the action goes into full force.
The main mystery at the core of “The Confession of the Long Night” could best be described as “irrelevant.” Someone dying mysteriously at a construction site slowly got pushed lower and lower on the importance scale as all the characters became more interested in secret truths and magical spells. The problem with this treatment was that it made the attention on the main mystery filler and a slog to follow. The focus was so skewed that I’d completely forgotten that we didn’t get an official answer to who killed the surveyor. Was it a magical defense from the ore artifact? Let’s go with that because it’s the only plausible answer left to fill in the gap. Other answers were peppered to clear characters of suspicion, but the death itself wasn’t the main point of interest.
Thankfully, the rest of “The Confession of the Long Night” picked up the slack to make the case exciting. For example, the chaotic spell and the drama it caused. I loved that it forced Temperance to admit some truths about her secret plans; it’s too early to get all the facts, but even a little tidbit would keep us interested for weeks to come. We could finally put the pieces together for her main goal during Nancy Drew Season 3. Now if only Bess didn’t burn her bridges with Temperance; the Drew Crew will need all the help they can get once she goes full evil witch to get her spell completed.
The same goes for the underhanded motives of the tech giant. Ryan’s heart was in the right place, but it was obvious something shady was going on during their meetings and why he wanted the artifact. We’ll no doubt see him come back in a future episode; Temperance needs three days to get the item, but he might try his hand before that. I’m just waiting for the satisfying moment when Ryan uses the recording from the ball to blackmail him into leaving Horseshoe Bay—the dramatic climax is writing itself at this point.
Is this the end of Nick and George for good? They had the harshest reaction to the truth spell, and the secrets they dropped weren’t the kinds of white lies you can easily forgive. The issues between them needed to be said for them to survive as a couple—Odette’s possession had placed a ticking clock on their relationship, so it’s true that they were rushing into everything. However, some of the things George brought up were things that should’ve been addressed and worked out before they were planning to get married. And, Nick did have a major savior complex by trying to be George’s hero. I want this couple to work out; for that to happen, they need to get together and work through their issues. There is potential they can make it through this.
The Nancy/Agent Park/Ace love triangle had a messier outcome. The odds of Nancy and Agent Park lasting long-term are still pretty low, but we can’t deny they have chemistry. The truth spell only pushed them further to admit the obvious: they’re attracted to each other and wanted to hook up/get together. Now that it’s out of the way, let’s see how they will last as a couple. However, every scene with Ace looking longingly at Nancy in the shadowland was a heartbreaking jab to the emotions. They love each other so much! If it weren’t for the cliché dramatic hurdles keeping them apart, we’d finally have the scene of them telling the truth. (Oh well, we’ll have to wait a few more weeks now.)
At least Bess and Carson worked out their love life issues. There is only so much side-lining and hiccups they can go through in their romances before it becomes a bad trend. Hopefully, these two pairings stick around. Bess seemed to find someone who balanced her spontaneity, and Carson got together with someone who felt like a good match for his life and his feelings.
Will Nancy and Bess regret performing the spell with Temperance? Granted, the spell saved Hannah and Ace from the shadowland, but the blood bonded all three together. Temperance doesn’t do anything unless it benefits her or pleases her motivations. Bess and Nancy being in Temperance’s witchy circle could possibly be a missing part needed for her ritual to bring her daughter back from the dead. Let’s not forget about Temperance’s tarot card predictions; this could all be part of her master plan.
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“The Confession of the Long Night” was a case full of magical hijinks, but it was low on the crime-solving element. The case got weaved into all the shenanigans at the ball, but by the end, it was eclipsed by more interesting plots and developments. Magical mishaps made the case stronger, and Nancy Drew pushed storylines further, so it’ll benefit the series in the long term. For now, it’s nothing more than a fun time and scandalous CW drama.
Nancy Drew airs Fridays at 9 p.m. EST and streams the next day on cwtv.com.
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