Nancy Drew is back, but not as we know her. A new series about the teen detective hits our screens today, and turns out to be a spooky mix of Riverdale, Sabrina and Veronica Mars all rolled into one.
Who is the heck is Nancy Drew?
It’s Nancy Drew! You know Nancy Drew, even if you think you don’t. She’s the red-haired teenage super-sleuth who’s been solving mysteries and cracking crimes since forever, and you’ll have heard of her even if you’ve never read one of the bestselling Nancy Drew novels or watched any Nancy Drew movies or TV shows.
Nancy Drew was created back in the 1930s as a wholesome high school student who had a thing for solving mysteries about hidden staircases and twisted candles because the 20th century was super quaint. Since then, she’s been reinvented time and time again, turning up on both the small and big screens, usually holding a torch and staring into the darkness. She even had her own cookbook, because teenage crime fighters still have to eat.
Regardless of how many versions of Nancy Drew there’s been, she’s remained an iconic female hero to this day. She’s always been smart and determined and never fails to surprise the elderly menfolk of her small town with how gosh darn brilliant she really is.
What’s the vibe of the new Nancy Drew?
If you like your teen dramas dark and angsty and with a touch of the supernatural, Nancy Drew will blow your pop socks right off. It’s a moody and haunting murder-mystery with some genuinely freaky moments, and a whole lot sexier than Nancy Drew has ever been before.
It also feels really familiar. It’s made by the same network behind Riverdale, and feels like they took all the best bits of Riverdale, Sabrina and Veronica Mars, chucked them into the Nancy Drew mould and hoped for the best. Overall, it works well, with the show featuring a teen ensemble cast like Riverdale and the supernatural twists of Sabrina, while Nancy is a fence-jumping, secret-stalking teen detective much like the smart and sassy Veronica Mars.
Also, ’90s Party of Five heartthrob Scott Wolf plays Nancy’s estranged lawyer father, which is a nod to fellow ‘90s 90210 hearthrob Luke Perry playing Archie’s father on Riverdale.
Is this Nancy Drew still obsessed with forgotten caves and fiery chambers?
Hold on to your clam chowder, this is not your Nana’s Nancy Drew. This is Nancy Drew like we’ve never seen her before, a cynical 18 year old who’s secretly shagging a mechanic (Nick Nickerson, if you please), ditched all her friends, and won’t speak to her father. There’s nothing innocent or wholesome about 2019 Nancy, who’s so pissed off with her life that she can’t even be bothered solving crime any more.
In fact, this Nancy Drew is so anti-mystery that she’s probably let the batteries in her crime-fighting torch go completely flat on purpose, and that’s some serious mood right there.
But this is a mystery drama, so there has to be a mystery, right?
Nancy Drew lives in Horsehoe Bay, a quirky seaside town that’s heaving with secrets and lies. Nancy is waitressing one night at her local diner (The Claw, looks delicious) when local socialite Tiffany Hudson is murdered outside. Nancy is the last person to see Tiffany alive, and you know what that means, right? Nancy Drew’s in trouble.
Now Nancy’s not just solving crimes, she’s being accused of them. Along with four fellow teenage suspects who Nancy is definitely not friends with (yet), Nancy needs to work out who killed Tiffany Hudson before she ends up charged with the crime. She’s also dealing with a police officer with a grudge (Nancy solved the crimes he couldn’t), and the mysterious disappearance of a local prom queen back in 2000.
Why is there a dress with blood on it in Nancy’s attic? Could the Prom Queen Ghost have something to do with Tiffany’s death? Is Clam Chowder even a thing? So many mysteries, so little time.
The premiere season of Nancy Drew drops weekly on NEON starting tonight.