Hello, Drew Crew! Welcome to our ninth edition of Nerds Rewatch Nancy Drew, where we will be rewatching the series from the beginning to prepare for the arrival of season 3 this fall. We’ll be watching three episodes of season 1 per week, then switching to two episodes a week for season 2, ending the week of the season 3 premiere. Never seen an episode and want to dive in? Seen every episode but want a refresher? Either way, we’ve got you covered with both spoiler-free and spoiler-filled discussions of our favorite sleuth and her friends. You can head over to HBO Max to watch seasons 1 and 2 now.
Under each episode heading, you’ll find a discussion ONLY of the current episode and the ones preceding it, while at the end of each article there will be a section discussing how the episodes relate to the series as a whole (translation: spoilers). If you missed last week’s rewatch, you can head here for all the action. Without further ado, let’s jump right into the next episodes of Nancy Drew season 2!
“The Legend of the Murder Hotel”
Written by: Katherine DiSavino
Directed by: Roxanne Benjamin
- Carson’s quiet support for Nancy earns him another “Best Dad” award. He makes it clear that he believes she’s capable of going to college, but doesn’t push her.
- Everything about the college girls being babysat by Ace and Nick is perfection. Ace’s blush when they tease him for knowing Downton Abbey, Nick being ditched by Ace as soon as possible, and their generally ditzy behavior is hilarious. The storyline also contains my favorite Ace one-liner as Ace shares a very important piece of life advice: “Zoe, you can’t cook pancakes in the oven. Who raised you?!”
- While Room 413 and the idea of a hotel being haunted for tourism could be based on a number of stories, there is a haunted Room 413 at the Admiral Fell Inn in Baltimore. Coincidence?
- Leah Lewis kicks off an incredible dual performance in this episode as Odette starts becoming her own person distinct from George. Lewis is great at distinguishing the two. She can play Odette as creepy, but also sad and sarcastic. Meanwhile, she explores what it means to George’s life that she’s “time sharing” her body with a ghost. Also, this is George’s second major ghost possession for those playing along at home.
- Nick and Ryan teaming up creates some juicy drama potential. On the surface, these two couldn’t be more different, and their approaches to bringing Everett to justice prove that. But they share the same goal, and that will have to be enough for now.
- Speaking of Everett, we learn a big piece of information about how Nancy fits into Everett’s plans in this episode. If Ryan is caught conspiring against his father and Everett is convicted, Nancy will take control of Everett’s company as his granddaughter. With Nancy being the potential heir to his empire, it’s even more important that Carson, Ryan, Nancy, and the rest of the Drew Crew are able to keep Nancy’s origins a secret.
- And we have a new ship: Amace! Amanda and Ace are sweet together in this episode, with Ace standing up for Amanda with the rude hotel guests and Amanda complimenting his hacker skills. Sparks are there from the beginning — but where will it lead? And is that a jealous Nancy pulling Ace away? Hmmm …
- It’s great to see Nancy slowly taking steps to go back to school after talking with Jennifer. It’s clear she’s afraid, but her ambition is still there. Now if she could just figure out what last name to put on that application, she would be ready to go!
“The Quest for the Spider Sapphire”
Written by: Lisa Bao
Directed by: Roxanne Benjamin
- Fun fact: This episode’s title is a nod to the Nancy Drew book The Spider Sapphire Mystery.
- Everything about the hunt is designed perfectly. The writers really seem to enjoy writing for the snotty elite characters of Horseshoe Bay, and it’s always funny to get a glimpse into that world.
- There are lots of little nods to Ryan being a decent person at heart in this episode, like the revelation that he looks after Patrice Dodd. He’s come a long way from the spoiled rich guy from season 1.
- Fun fact: Kennedy McMann improvised Nancy’s line to Ryan as she leaves The Claw.
- I’ve said it before, but I love the platanchor dynamic between Ace and Bess. They work so well together, and they offer each other much needed support. Ace bringing Bess cookies while she cries over Diana’s rejection is a lovely moment.
- This episode’s best one-liner once again goes to Ace as he tells the Drew Crew he is one with nature.
- It’s nice to get a Bess-centric episode that can really delve into her backstory. Maddison Jaizani is always fabulous as Bess, but this week we really got to see her emotional side. She loses the biological family she worked so hard to find, and while her found family in the Drew Crew is ready to support her, it still hurts. It’s also an intentional parallel to how her mother kicked her out at age 13.
- Stephen is despicable, but actor Oliver Rice is great at being menacing. The initial scene in the airport between Stephen and Bess immediately sets up their dynamic so well.
- It’s nice to see Nancy and George buddying up more for side quests. Their personalities are so different, but they’re both driven women who respect each other. They also had a great scene together when they realize George will die if the shroud is used again. Lewis’ face is priceless.
- Fun fact: Nancy’s line informing the Drew Crew that she’s been chloroformed before is a nod to the books, where poor Nancy is always getting chloroformed.
- Valentina Samuels has arrived! She gets down to business right away, immediately bringing up Tiffany’s murder, Lucy’s suicide, Everett’s murders, and Ryan’s time in rehab. So much for a fluff piece. But Val seems to know a little too much, and this definitely won’t be as easy as Ryan thinks.
Some Leftover Fake Haunting Supplies …
- Welcome, Grant! Ace’s brother makes his first appearance.
- Val’s arc is great. From working with Celia Hudson to eventually falling in love with Ryan, I’m interested to see where they take her character in season 3.
- Amace is a great relationship for a lot of reasons, but perhaps the most interesting one is that the writers make Amanda so likeable. Normally, the counter-ship to a ship like Nace isn’t compelling, with the other member of the love triangle being fairly benign or so evil that it’s clear who to root for. But Amanda is adorable, and she and Ace complement each other well. Kudos to Aadila Dosani for making Amanda a character worth rooting for in her own right.
- Odette comes such a long way from when we first meet her. Her eventual choice to recede into the background rather than keep George from living her life is a far cry from the Odette who callously tells Bess that George will have to die.
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments! Seasons 1 and 2 of Nancy Drew are available now on HBO Max. Be sure to catch up on episodes 9 and 10 of season 2 for next week’s rewatch!
