By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
Accept
Nerds and BeyondNerds and Beyond
  • Television
    • ABC
      • 9-1-1
      • ABBOTT ELEMENTARY
      • THE COMPANY YOU KEEP
      • THE ROOKIE
      • THE ROOKIE: FEDS
    • AMC+
      • ANNE RICE’S MAYFAIR WITCHES
    • APPLE TV+
      • TED LASSO
    • CBS
      • FBI: INTERNATIONAL
      • GHOSTS
    • DISNEY+
      • PERCY JACKSON
      • STAR WARS SERIES
    • FOX
      • 9-1-1: LONE STAR
    • HULU
    • NBC
      • NIGHT COURT
    • NETFLIX
      • BRIDGERTON
      • MANIFEST
    • MAX
    • PEACOCK
      • YELLOWSTONE
    • PARAMOUNT+
      • STAR TREK SERIES
    • PRIME VIDEO
      • THE BOYS
      • THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY
    • SHOWTIME
    • SHUDDER
    • SYFY
    • THE CW
      • ALL AMERICAN
      • ALL AMERICAN: HOMECOMING
      • GOTHAM KNIGHTS
      • NANCY DREW
      • RIVERDALE
      • SUPERMAN & LOIS
      • THE FLASH
      • THE WINCHESTERS
      • WALKER
      • WALKER: INDEPENDENCE
  • Movies
    • MARVEL MOVIES
    • NETFLIX MOVIES
    • PARAMOUNT+ MOVIES
    • PIXAR
    • SONY
    • SONY MARVEL
    • STAR WARS MOVIES
  • Books
    • STAR WARS BOOKS
  • Recaps
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
  • Contact Us
Search
Reading: Pride Month Spotlight: Bess Marvin of ‘Nancy Drew’
Share
Sign In
Aa
Nerds and BeyondNerds and Beyond
Aa
Search
  • Television
    • ABC
    • AMC+
    • APPLE TV+
    • CBS
    • DISNEY+
    • FOX
    • HULU
    • NBC
    • NETFLIX
    • MAX
    • PEACOCK
    • PARAMOUNT+
    • PRIME VIDEO
    • SHOWTIME
    • SHUDDER
    • SYFY
    • THE CW
  • Movies
    • MARVEL MOVIES
    • NETFLIX MOVIES
    • PARAMOUNT+ MOVIES
    • PIXAR
    • SONY
    • SONY MARVEL
    • STAR WARS MOVIES
  • Books
    • STAR WARS BOOKS
  • Recaps
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
  • Contact Us
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© 2022 Nerds and Beyond. All Rights Reserved.
Nerds and Beyond > TELEVISION > THE CW > NANCY DREW > Pride Month Spotlight: Bess Marvin of ‘Nancy Drew’
NANCY DREWSPOTLIGHT / SERIES

Pride Month Spotlight: Bess Marvin of ‘Nancy Drew’

Jules
Last updated: 2020/06/14 at 12:11 PM
Jules
Share
9 Min Read
SHARE

Welcome to the fourteenth installment of our 2020 Pride Month Series! Each day in the month of June, we will be highlighting a different member of the LGBTQ+ community who we think is a great example of representation and dynamic characterization. We will focus on fictional characters, celebrities, and activists alike – the positive voices within the LGBTQ+ community and in mainstream media. A note: this article contains mild spoilers for season one of Nancy Drew. 

From the moment it was announced that the classic teen detective Nancy Drew was getting a new, modernized show from The CW, fans wondered how beloved characters from the original novels would translate to the high-concept drama. The pilot made it clear that it was not going to be your mother’s (or your grandmother’s, for that matter) Nancy Drew, with darker subplots and even a new setting (Horseshoe Bay vs. River Heights.) The updates didn’t stop there, with Nancy herself becoming a more nuanced and flawed heroine and the addition of new characters with their own agendas. Nancy spends more time going after ghosts out for revenge than rounding up neighborhood criminals. All of these changes made for an intriguing and well-done teen drama, but what really stands out about Nancy Drew is its inclusive treatment of its LGBTQ characters, in particular, Bess Marvin (played by the talented Maddison Jaizani.)

Image courtesy The CW.

Bess is a character who appears in the books as one of Nancy’s best friends, but in this version starts off as a coworker of Nancy’s at The Claw. She’s secretive and pretending to be related to the rich Marvin family, but the audience soon finds out she’s really living in a trailer on the outside of town. Bess also has an addiction to shoplifting, which is what got her fired from her first job as an au pair. She’s convinced she’s really a Marvin, and moved to Horseshoe Bay to pursue her family. Bess is a lonely character at first, not letting anyone in.

Image courtesy The CW.

But that changes quickly as she and the rest of the Drew Crew must team up to prove their innocence in Tiffany Hudson’s murder. In the second episode, Bess and Ace are in charge of delaying a transport van by pretending to have a flat tire so that Nancy has time to get evidence to use to solve the case. Ace has been flirting with Bess throughout the episode, but that changes when the driver of the transport car, Lisbeth (Katie Findlay), gets out to help them with their flat tire. She’s smart and funny, and Bess is smitten. She even gets her number before they leave.

Image courtesy The CW.

Ace notices this, and when they are alone back at The Claw, he asks Bess about Lisbeth and if she has feelings for her. What follows is a great exchange where Ace affirms her right to identify however she wants, and clearly stating that he supports her no matter what:

Bess: The thing is that I don’t really date anybody. Boys … girls…
Ace: Why not?
Bess: I don’t know. I guess I’ve just been on my own for so long that I never let myself drop an anchor to get close to someone like that.
Ace: I can be your anchor. Your platonic anchor. Call it a platanchor. If you let me.
Bess: Are you asking to be my friend?
Ace: Yeah.

- Advertisement -

Bess ends up pursuing a relationship with Lisbeth, who is eventually revealed to be an undercover cop working on the Hudson case. But her feelings for Bess are real, and they continue to date after this reveal. At first, Bess worries that telling Lisbeth the whole truth about her past as a shoplifter and her rough childhood will scare Lisbeth away, but this is disproved when Bess finally tells her the truth. Lisbeth loves Bess for who she is, and the two of them are ridiculously cute together.

Image courtesy The CW.
Image courtesy The CW.

Bess also grows over the course of the season, and we get to see more of her bubbly, loyal personality. Her friendship with her “platanchor” Ace also remains a major strength of the show as they work together on a number of side quests for the Drew Crew, where hilarity often ensues (Bess and Ace trying to procure holy water in “The Whisper Box” remains a series highlight.)

https://hafael.tumblr.com/post/190739198585

She also shows how much she cares about her friends when she urges Nancy to wake up from the spirit realm she’s trapped in in “The Whisper Box,” crying and holding Nancy’s hand while telling her all the reasons she needs to return to them after Ace tells her that’s how he made his way back from the spirit world. Bess has a heart of gold, and now that she’s found friends like these, she lets it show much more than she did at the start.

But her desire for family and belonging often allows others to take advantage of her loyalty, like when she discovers she really is a Marvin after all. Bess (and the audience) get to know the extended Marvin clan, a family so twisted they have a “Hall of Tragedies” to memorialize members who have died in strange or unusual circumstances. Matriarch Aunt Diana sees an opportunity to use Bess’s desperate longing for a family to help the family’s status, often suggesting that Bess use her relationship with Lisbeth to get information about ongoing police investigations involving the Marvins.

- Advertisement -
Image courtesy The CW.

Lisbeth finds out about this quickly (lying is not one of Bess’ talents), but doesn’t blame Bess. She does, however, tell her the difficult truth that her new family is not to be trusted, reminding her again that they have a literal Hall of Tragedies (it cannot be overstated enough how hilarious and terrible this is.) Bess and Lisbeth are still together and happy in the season finale, but it seems clear the two will have a lot to work on in season two.

Image courtesy The CW.

Bess is a perfect character to spotlight for Pride Month, and the show itself deserves a lot of praise for its LGBTQ representation. Bess’ sexuality is not treated like a massive reveal or something that matters to the other characters. Bess just is who she is, dating who she wants to date and going through the same romantic dilemmas as anyone else (well, minus the murderous family, I suppose.) She doesn’t put labels on her attraction, and no one else pressures her to. The news she’s dating Lisbeth is notable to her friends only because she’s a cop, not because she’s a woman, and even stern Aunt Diana has no problem with Bess’s sexuality. Bess is also a funny, relatable character who helps hold the Drew Crew together with her kindness and loyalty to her friends. I hope we see a lot more of “Lisbess” in season two!

Nancy Drew is available now on The CW app and HBO Max, with season two set to premiere in January. Be sure to check out the rest of our Pride Spotlights this month!

Share this:

  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Related

You Might Also Like

‘Nancy Drew’: Season 4, Episode 2 “The Maiden’s Rage” Synopsis Released

‘Nancy Drew’: Season 4 Trailer Released

‘Nancy Drew’: Season 4, Episode 1 “The Dilemma of the Lover’s Curse” Synopsis Released

‘Riverdale’: Catch Up on Season 6 Before the Final Season

‘Riverdale’: Fast Forward Seven Years In Our Season 5 Recap

TAGGED: 2020 Pride Month Series, katie findlay, maddison jaizani, nancy drew, pride 2020, the cw
Jules June 14, 2020
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Reddit Copy Link Print
Share
By Jules
I am a nurse and dedicated nerd from Boston, MA. When I'm not at work, I'm rewatching old favorites like Supernatural or discovering my new obsessions (too many to count!). When not fangirling, I can be found reading, writing, or listening to a true crime podcast. You can find me on Twitter @juleswritesblog for more nerdy nonsense.
Previous Article
Review: Learn About Song Writing ‘It All Begins with a Song’
Next Article
Interview: Wig/Hair Designer Kelley Jordan Talks Theatre and More
Leave a comment Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Stay Connected

2.6k Followers Like
35.3k Followers Follow
2.2k Followers Follow
3.8k Subscribers Subscribe

Latest News

Check Out Webtoon’s ‘Bloodhounds’ Comic Ahead of Netflix Adaptation
COMIC BOOK NETFLIX TELEVISION June 5, 2023
Interview: ‘Cruel Summer’ Stars Sadie Stanley, Lexi Underwood, and Griffin Gluck Talk Season 2’s Mystery at ATX Television Festival
FREEFORM INTERVIEWS TELEVISION June 5, 2023
Interview: ‘Hailey’s On It!’ Creators Devin Bunje and Nick Stanton Talk Balancing Sci-Fi and Reality, What to Expect From the Series, and More
DISNEY CHANNEL INTERVIEWS TELEVISION June 5, 2023
Five Big Reasons Why ‘Gotham Knights’ Needs a Season 2
GOTHAM KNIGHTS TELEVISION THE CW June 5, 2023
Nerds and BeyondNerds and Beyond
Follow US

© 2022 Nerds and Beyond. All Rights Reserved.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?