S01.E03: The Curse of the Dark Storm

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

A nor'easter hits Horseshoe Bay and Ace warns everyone that the storm has been known to blow restless spirits ashore; Nancy confronts Nick about the secrets he's been keeping.

Promo:

Original air date: 10/23/19

[Camera One]

This episode lost me a little.

It was good they revealed Nick's entire backstory, but the pacing felt way off.  There were so many leaps in logic.  For example, Nancy immediately assumed the package mentioned by Tiffany was in Nancy's mother's car?  

I'm glad Nick is smart but the speed at which they figured out Tiffany's cryptic clues really destroyed any suspense that they could have had.  It was all so convoluted but easy as A B C to solve.  How could Nick have ever figured it out himself without Nancy immediately figuring out the code in the clock were ISBN numbers, for example.  Nick had no idea about Lilac Inn and Nancy wouldn't have known about it either if her dad didn't just happen to have a meeting with Tiffany's husband right before she left for work and the paperwork didn't just happen to be open on that particular page and she just happened to notice it.

Those paper bonds would have been safer in Nancy's house than Nick taking it back to his place.  Hopefully, he buries it or something.

So now we know Nick's backstory.  I generally like him, but I really don't see much potential for further exploration and it's only Episode 3.

Nancy knew her dad was at Tiffany's house, and that he would enter the wine cellar, but she just leaves her wine-soaked shoes by the front door?  You can't have her be intelligent in one scene and then a total idiot in the next.

I don't like the insinuation that there really were ghosts, like the dead tourist who visited The Claw and threatened George.  So is there an actual mystery with who left the bucket of blood for George, or are we just supposed to believe in evil spirits and curses now?  Not to mention the drowned ghost who lives in the Drew house.

It was fun to see an old clock and a place named Lilac Inn, but that doesn't make this feel like Nancy Drew yet.  She was petulant yet again in this episode.  The actress who plays Nancy also smiles at weird times for no reason like when Nick was talking about the manslaughter.  

Carson's girlfriend wasn't too likeable either.  So Nancy's keen eye spotted her watching the diner?  

Hopefully, Nancy will confront Bess about the ring at the beginning of the next episode as quickly as she confronted Nick about the burner phone at the beginning of this one.  I wonder what far-fetched connection Bess might have to Tiffany or the town (groan).

And just how long is Nancy's shift?  So she's in trouble if she's late but it's okay if she leaves for hours or talks in the locker room with her boyfriend whenever she wants.  Who owns The Claw?  If it's George, then how?  She just graduated from high school.

Edited October 24, 2019 by Camera One

[AnimeMania]

11 minutes ago, Camera One said:

Who owns The Claw?  If it's George, then how?  She just graduated from high school.

I thought they said something like George's mother owns it, but is too sick to work there. 

I kind of liked this episode, at least better than the ones before it. There were a couple of funny scenes, like the flammable salt and the rest of George's mishaps. Nancy seemed to be a little smarter. And there really are supernatural elements.

[thuganomics85]

So, it certainly seems like ghost lady might actually be a thing, because not only did Ryan see her, but water dripped on Carson as well.  Hmm...

Judging from the majority of the episode and the ending with Nancy finding the ring, I'm guessing the season is going to play out with Nancy focusing on one potential suspect for an episode or two, and then moving on to the next one after she believes they are innocent.  Nick was the main suspect for these first ones, but it now looks like she'll focus on Bess next, who I'm sure will not be it either, and then I guess she'll focus on George and/or Ace next.  I guess that is a good way to develop the supporting cast more, but hopefully others won't get lost in the shuffle.

Heh, poor George seems to be living through her own Final Destination film, due to this bucket curse.

Can't wait to see how Chekov's... err, Tiffany's money bonds come back into play.

I'm starting not to trust Detective Karen..

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I felt for Nick when he had to put a bowl out because his roof was leaking. I've been there, dude.

I laughed when Ace told Nancy, "Locals tell tales." Isn't Nancy just as much a local as he is?

Man, they really zoomed through a lot of mystery/puzzle solving this week. It's a good thing that Nick and Nancy are sleeping together because Nick never would have figured all of that out on his own.

I don't know how I feel about Rita. I guess the show is really leaning into the supernatural vibe. My question is why the ghost community decided that George will die in the next year. Did she do something to make them mad? Do they choose a random person in town every year?

I'm glad that Nancy found out that Bess has been living in a van (down by the river). One less secret for them to have. I really hope she just asks Bess why she has Tiffany's ring. I don't know if it's always prudent to be so direct and confrontational with people who you suspect might be murderers, but I do appreciate that they aren't going the soap opera route of having Nancy keep it a secret that she knows other people's secrets. I liked that she asked Nick about the burner phone immediately so I hope she does the same with Bess and her ring.

Why is Ryan so desperate for money? Isn't his family loaded? Does he have gambling debts? A serious cocaine habit? Tell me, show!

Heh, I liked Nancy's dad for a second when he asked Ryan, "Are you self medicating?" I still see Bailey Salinger when I look at him but I'm hoping that eventually I'll see him as Nancy's dad.

[kirkola]

I was a bit put off that none of the literary faces were recognizable without Ned/Nick's help.  Has Nancy never read any books?  Not even in school? 

I'm glad that Ned/Nick is no longer a suspect.  At least for the moment.  Nancy's focus will be on Bess now that she's seen the ring.  Of course, the bearer bonds and the wine-soaked shoes makes the police more insistent that Ned/Nick is the killer and Nancy is his accomplice.  I doubt Carson will allow that to happen.  He's certainly used to covering up things.  Or stealing evidence from the police station.  Seriously why does/did he have the Lucy's dress?

I suspect we're burning through suspects (Ned/Nick, George & Bess) rather quickly to get them to the "friends of Nancy" stage.  But while each suspect is easily revealed to not be the killer to Nancy's satisfaction, it isn't helping them prove their innocence to the police.   The bearer bonds that Ned/Nick practically walked right up to is a pretty good motive for murder.  Also, how does Nancy know what bearer bonds are, but never heard of Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe?

I'm doing my best to ignore the weird logic jumps like why Nancy rarely seems to work when she supposedly "needs the money".  Honestly this is why Book Nancy had a wealthy father and no job.  Because she needed to be able to jet to whether the mystery was and solve it. 

[Camera One]

50 minutes ago, kirkola said:

I was a bit put off that none of the literary faces were recognizable without Ned/Nick's help.  Has Nancy never read any books?  Not even in school? 

Also, how does Nancy know what bearer bonds are, but never heard of Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe?

That bothered me a little too.  I know they needed to make sure Nick brought something to the table, but Nancy's blank looks made her a tad clueless too.  She doesn't have to be the smartest person in the room in every scene, but at least have her show some signs of recognition.

6 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

So, it certainly seems like ghost lady might actually be a thing, because not only did Ryan see her, but water dripped on Carson as well.  Hmm...

I'm wondering where they're going with this.  Is the ghost a character?  If not, is this just a way to keep the show creepy?  Likewise, was the visit of the dead tourist lady a one-off to add to the creepy vibe, or a continuing arc?  It's looking less likely that there are totally logical explanations for these supernatural happenings, especially the vision in Nancy's house.  I suppose there could be an elaborate plan to make George think she's dying, so someone had hired the dead tourist impersonator to show up and rig The Claw, but I really don't see why anyone would do that or how that could fit in with the bigger plot.

Edited October 24, 2019 by Camera One

[Samwise979]

Awe Ace really is a great plat-anchor..... he figured out that Bess was living in that trailer and got Nancy involved so he wouldn't embarrass Bess and he took zero time to say all is forgiven to Ned when Ned explained his story.  Except that he's spying on his friends for the sheriff!! He needs to confess before he gets caught. 

Idk if it was because I watched this late at night but I was confused throughout. The solving of the clues went so fast I couldn't keep up. I might have to watch it again. 

[Jenniferbug]

I really liked this week's episode. It wasn't perfect, but as I'm watching it for relatively light entertainment that's fine with me. 

I'm glad we got more answers and mystery solving this episode. I really don't know what to think about all the literal haunting that's happening. 

Hoping that Ace still gets to be part of the team even when they inevitably figure out he's spying on them. 

Agree with @thuganomics85 that Karen is suspicious. I texted my friends who watch last week that my guess is she's behind one or both of the murders (I'd guess Lucy right now- Carson probably thought Nancy's mom did it and was covering for her). 

[MarkHB]

5 hours ago, kirkola said:

I was a bit put off that none of the literary faces were recognizable without Ned/Nick's help.  Has Nancy never read any books?  Not even in school? 

I have read many books, plus I'm from Maine, and the only face I recognized immediately was Longfellow's. OTOH, I was thinking "Harriet Beecher Stowe? Edna St. Vincent Millay?" for the Wharton pic.

[AnimeMania]

5 hours ago, kirkola said:

I was a bit put off that none of the literary faces were recognizable without Ned/Nick's help.  Has Nancy never read any books?  Not even in school? 

It didn't bother me since all the authors were from the books that Ned read. The pictures were probably the same as the the ones in the books in the "About the Author" section. All the clues were written specially for Ned so he should know the answers.

[tennisgurl]

I think that Karen might be hiding things, she is acting suspicious, and she isnt even hiding who she is dating anymore! Plus, she is one of the few people that hasn't been a suspect yet, and that makes her automatically suspicious. 

So does the whole local ghost community just vote on who gets the blood bucket and join them by the end of the year? How does this work? Are they super into the Final Destination movies? Poor George, just trying to get through her day without being decapitated by a decorative fish. 

Nancy comes off as more petulant than tough more of the time, and I dont think its the actress, who is pretty good, but she is written like a kid playing at grown up. Of course, she is only around 18, so maybe thats on purpose. 

Glad that at least some of the secrets are out, like Nicks past with the victim and Beth's van down by the river. Now only 10000 secrets to go!

[ursula]

On the one hand, I don't need Ned (or anyone else for that matter) to be dumbed down to make Nancy look like the smartest person in the story. On the other hand, there were many times in this episode where Ned felt more like the master detective and Nancy his sidekick than the other way around. 

That said, the two have a lot of chemistry that jumped out from the screen several times this episode so it was nice watching them sleuth together, and I hope we see more of that. 

[UNOSEZ]

15 hours ago, ursula said:

On the one hand, I don't need Ned (or anyone else for that matter) to be dumbed down to make Nancy look like the smartest person in the story. On the other hand, there were many times in this episode where Ned felt more like the master detective and Nancy his sidekick than the other way around. 

That said, the two have a lot of chemistry that jumped out from the screen several times this episode so it was nice watching them sleuth together, and I hope we see more of that. 

I enjoyed the episode and the two of them together.. Not that I don't like the others but if it was just Nick n  Nancy solving mysteries I'd still be watching.. I'm glad they let Nick  bring something to the table... Karen does seem fishy.. I hope I'm wrong.. Cuz it would be a play on evil step-mother and i rather not... But if we believe its none of the kids.. Not many other options 

[ursula]

6 minutes ago, UNOSEZ said:

I enjoyed the episode and the two of them together.. Not that I don't like the others but if it was just Nick n  Nancy solving mysteries I'd still be watching..

Seriously. Maybe it's my love for mysteries (it's not a coincidence that I was a huge Nancy Drew fan back in the day) but there's something about a couple sleuthing together - matching each other in smarts, and solving a puzzle - that I find sooooo sexy. 

[bettername2come]

This was my favorite episode so far. Nick and Nancy definitely had some chemistry and I enjoyed the literary references. They made Nick's backstory believable as both him being a truly decent guy at heart, while still having done something bad enough for any parent to have well-placed concerns. Nancy's voiceover gives me season 1 Veronica Mars vibes. 

The supernatural elements are still throwing me off. 

[Megan]

Nancy looks very different this episode somehow?

I love Ghost-y stuff so I wouldn't be against a bunch of spirits/whatnot in an old seaside New England town. I also have never read any Nancy Drew.

Edited October 27, 2019 by Megan

[Lady Calypso]

I still am not really feeling Ned...ahem, sorry, NICK, in general, nor am I really feeling Nick/Nancy as a couple. I mean, I'm all for sleuthing couples, and I will say that this episode had some interesting moments that I did like, but I'm still not really a fan of Nick. Then again, I'm not a fan of any of the guys. Not Ace, not Nick, not Carson, and not Ryan. They're mostly ok but none where I'd call them a favourite. 

I like Nancy, George, and Bess for sure. Karen is one who I did like in the first two episodes but this episode definitely lost me a little with her character. 

That being said, the Nick/Nancy scenes were somewhat fun to watch. I'm all for watching Nancy sleuth with someone. I didn't love the contrived way that got Nick and Nancy to Lilac Inn, but I liked the way they figured out the safe. 

I did like the Nick backstory and I like that we got answers right away. But yeah, are we really burning through the suspects? Now that Nick's cleared, the next one suspected is Bess, so is the mystery of the ring in Bess' possession going to be solved by the next episode? 

I felt for poor Bess and I am glad Ace brought Nancy to her van discreetly. I am quite curious about Bess' backstory; she interests me the most. 

I'm actually quite cool with the possibility of the ghosts being real. I think it could be a fun twist, if done right. And right now, it IS kind of spooky and enough to interest me at the moment. Of course, they could end up butchering that element but right now, I'm all in on ghosts being real.  

As for the George stuff, is she really marked for death? I assume she will get very close to death at some point this season but I don't see her actually dying...again, unless ghosts are a thing and she'll just become a ghost to hang out with the gang. 

I know this isn't supposed to be a light show by any means, so I'd rather they deal with the George marked for death stuff as more of a prank by someone in town. 

[secnarf]

11 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

As for the George stuff, is she really marked for death? I assume she will get very close to death at some point this season but I don't see her actually dying...again, unless ghosts are a thing and she'll just become a ghost to hang out with the gang.

I hope not. As in the books, George is my favourite character.

And I really hope ghosts aren't a thing.

[rainsmom]

11 minutes ago, secnarf said:

And I really hope ghosts aren't a thing.

It would be pretty dang hard to explain all the different things we've seen. Pretty sure ghosts are real in this one.

[Camera One]

30 minutes ago, rainsmom said:

It would be pretty dang hard to explain all the different things we've seen. Pretty sure ghosts are real in this one.

Yeah, I can't imagine how they'd do it.  Maybe when she solves the mystery, the ghost will be at peace or something.  Until next season with the next haunting because now it's a "thing" with the show.