So the CW has struck again. In its most recent theme of rebooting beloved children's stories, the next on the CW chopping block is a character close to my heart, Nancy Drew. I was hesitant to watch the show after the mess that became "Riverdale," but I decided to give it a shot anyway. And while these might not ring true for every viewer, here at 20 thoughts I had while watching the pilot episode for the CW reboot of Nancy Drew.
(Warning: Obviously, spoilers ahead for the pilot episode.)
1. A ghost story intro? Nice.
The show starts off with the legend of Dead Lucy, a homecoming queen killed in 2000 who is said to still haunt the town. I'm always a fan of a good ghost story.
2. Wait, Dead Lucy haunts what town?
Ummm...Nancy Drew lives in River Heights. Where is this Horseshoe Bay you speak of?
3. A bookshelf is shaking, what's...? Oh.
Well. The CW is really "shaking things up" in seemingly the only way they know how: sex. This is definitely not the Nancy I remember.
4. Well at least it's Ned. Wait. Nick?
So we've turned Ned into a Nick, and he's not actually her boyfriend, but just a hookup? Many questions, but the main one is what's wrong with the name Ned?
5. A Nancy Drew who doesn't ask questions? Am I sure I'm watching the right show?
Nancy doesn't want to know anything about her hookup, Ned (sorry, Nick), claiming that "girls love mystery." I mean, I know she has this insistence to never again go sleuthing after her mom died (which I still don't understand), but asking tons of questions is central to the character.
6. Who's Ace?
I'll admit, I haven't read the books in a while, but I'm pretty sure a stoner named Ace is not a recurring character.
7. Bess and George aren't cousins.
I'm starting to lose faith here, guys.
8. Also, Nancy has zero friends?
Part Nancy's appeal was that she wasn't a stoic "I work alone" type of girl. She always had the help of Bess, George, Ned, and sometimes the Hardy Boys.
9. A rich guy has just entered the diner, something's about to happen.
OK, it looks like the mystery is about to begin. Also, why is The Claw totally reminiscent of Pop's Diner in Riverdale? It's the same network, but they can change things up a little.
10. The power's gone out! The flashlight?!
Spooky, also we get to see Nancy with her iconic flashlight for the first time.
Wait...it's just her phone. Never mind.
11. And we've got ourselves a dead body.
Mrs. Tiffany Hudson, the wife of rich Ryan Hudson, is found dead by her car. Also, Ned (Nick) appears out of nowhere, but now the mystery has actually begun!
12. Wait, Ned has a record?
OK, so we change his name, he's not her boyfriend, and he's an ex-con?! How much more complicated can this show get?
13. How original, Nancy doesn't like her dad.
Oh no, this is going to be another case of "one parent died so now I have to hate to other," isn't it?
14. Nancy is angry and mean, what happened?
This character is an 18/19-year-old girl with the same name as one of my favorite literary characters, but she is not the same.
15. Oh, they're visiting a medium now. She looks familiar?
And now somehow we're also back to the Dead Lucy plot?
16. Wait, the medium is Pamela Sue Martin!
Otherwise known as Nancy Drew from the 1977 Nancy Drew Mysteries TV show! OK, CW, you have managed to appease me with this cameo.
17. Wait, is this an actual ghost story?
I'm starting to think Dead Lucy isn't so very dead.
18. She's breaking into her dad's files now.
At least she's doing some sleuthing now? The second time we've seen Nancy actually do what she's known for.
19. Oof, it looks like Ned/Nick did it.
Nancy learns from her dad's files that the witness who put Nick in jail was none other than the very dead Tiffany Hudson.
20. OK, so Dead Lucy is definitely not that dead.
That ghost behind Nancy didn't seem make-believe at all, so this show is totally incorporating actual ghosts in. Let's see how this goes.
So I will be completely frank: I was not a fan of this pilot episode. The show diverged from the source material in ways that made it seem like the titular character's name was all that was kept. Nancy Drew has been modernized time and time again in the books, so it makes sense for the CW to take their own spin on it. However, I feel they left out so much of her character, from her spunkiness, curiosity, kindness, and great fashion sense. Not much of the original Nancy has remained in this reboot; this Nancy is angry and jaded because of her mom's death and has completely isolated herself. Nancy's personality and positive relationships are part of what made her such a role model for young girls. I think the CW needs to take a step back and realize that modernization doesn't always have to mean aging up a character so they can have a lot of sex and still find time to brood.
I'm curious to see how this show will play, but I also hope it's the last classic character I'll have to see rebooted in this way. If the CW so much as looks at the Scooby-Doo gang, they will hear from me.
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