The CW has a new leading lady, and there’s even more mystery than ever. The new series, Nancy Drew is yet another twist on a classic story (a la Sabrina and Riverdale). Now fans are wondering what this Nancy Drew ghost theory means. The CW consistently brings a much darker edge to the original series. So fans of the book won’t be surprised to learn that classic sleuth story gets very dark. There are even some supernatural elements…hence the ghost discussion. Spoilers for the pilot episode of Nancy Drew below, so turn back now if you don’t want to delve into this mystery.
In the novels, Nancy Drew and her crew solved crimes and mysteries involving hollow oak trees, whispering statues, missing jewels, and old clocks. One through-line in the books was Nancy’s ability to debunk any whispers of ghosts or supernatural elements. If there were any rumors of a ghost behind any of the mysteries, Nancy proved it wrong. She was able to show that everything was all grounded in reality. Kennedy McMann stars as the leading redhead in the new series, and right from the start of the first episode, it’s clear there are some dark, perhaps evil forces lurking in the shadows. Nancy is skeptical of the existence of ghosts, naturally, but many in the small town of Horseshoe Bay believe in the existence of one particular ghost—Lucy Sable. Lucy’s murder remains unsolved after nearly 20 years. The same night Lucy was crowned Horseshoe Bay’s Sea Queen, the girl disappeared. Ever since then, the town has attributed many of the odd incidents that have occurred to Lucy’s spirit.
Even the trailer starts with a scream, flashlights, very serious glances, and dark, moody lighting.
The first episode of Nancy Drew begins with—you guessed it!—a murder. The town’s socialite Tiffany Hudson is killed, and naturally, Nancy and her crew take it upon themselves to investigate the mystery. Nancy was able to catch Tiffany’s last few moments alive on camera, but at the moment of her actual murder, the camera glitches. And it seems like there may, in fact, be supernatural forces at work here.
After Lucy’s spirit appears to Nancy, telling her to “find the dress” (the one Tiffany was wearing when she died), things get even weirder. Nancy finds the dress in her attic. Uh-oh! So based on the first episode, we’re positives ghosts here are the real deal. But just in case you weren’t convinced, the show’s producers confirmed that the ghosts, are, in fact, real in the new world they’ve created of Nancy Drew. At the TCA panel earlier this summer, executive producer Noga Landau explained, “There are ghosts in our show. [But] most of the things that are supernatural are rooted in something that is mysteriously happening in the real world.”
CW.
Season 1 of Nancy Drew continues next week—Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 9 p.m. ET—on The CW.