Frankie Drake Mysteries Review: Anastasia/Once Burnt Twice Spied (Season 1 Episodes 10 and 11)
Frankie Drake Mysteries wraps up its first season with a story that takes us all the way back to the beginning in Season 1 Episode 10, “Anastasia,” and Season 1 Episode 11, “Once Burnt Twice Spied”.
While “Anastasia” is a perfectly serviceable installment with a fun historical mystery at its center, it’s ““Once Burnt Twice Spied” that truly delights this week, regaling viewers with the story of Frankie Drake and Trudy Clarke’s first meeting and throwing in some Canadian spycraft along with way.
To the surprise of no one who saw the title prior to watching the episode, “Anastasia” focuses on a woman who may or may not be the presumed-dead Grand Duchess Anastasia, heir to the Romanov family who was brutally murdered during the Bolshevik Revolution.
This isn’t exactly a new sort of story, given that there are countless novels, an animated film and a Broadway musical on the subject.
And, like pretty much else that’s come before it, Frankie Drake Mysteries doesn’t actually pick a side in the great Anastasia debate.
The series presents some evidence that young Anna could actually be who she says she is. But it also offers up some contradictory facts that indicate she’s just a Russian girl who had a bad time of it when she arrived in America.
But whether she’s Anastasia or not, Dark Matter’s Jodelle Ferland is charming in her guest role, and the real ending to the story is just the hope that she has a happy life somewhere, no matter whether she turns out to be lost Russian royalty or not.
““Once Burnt Twice Spied,” however, is tremendous fun, a season finale that takes us back to 1918 to show us the days before the formation of Drake Private Detectives.
We see Frankie’s early work as a spy for MI-5, as well as her introduction to Trudy Clarke, originally employed as a maid in a boarding house that Frankie’s been sent to monitor.
Trudy, it turns out, is not particular suited to domestic work, but she is great at sussing out that the visiting “farm girl” isn’t what she seems.
The two women hit it off almost immediately, even though they have no ostensible reason to, and the framing of their story — via Trudy recounting Frankie’s history to an incredulous Mary — is both effective and easy.
And seeing that Trudy’s contentious relationship with her mother still existed, even back then? Hilarious. Plus, it simply reinforces that Trudy, much like Frankie herself, was never destined for a quote unquote normal life.
Frankie’s mission involves sussing out the identity of a German spy, and passing updates to her superiors through a coded phone system.
Luckily, Frankie had solid sleuthing skills long before she ever became an official private detective, even if her fashion game did need a little work in the early 1900s. (I’m just not a fan of this hairdo, is all I’m saying.)
Though considering that Frankie first gets recruited into the Canadian Women’s Home Guard by the same woman she originally thought was a German spy, well. Maybe she’s got some work to do on the detective front.
That awkwardness is 100% worth it thought when Frankie and Trudy are rescued by the same platoon of women. Sometimes, Frankie Drake Mysteries is way too on the nose with its “girl power” moments, and yes, this is one of those times. But it somehow still manages to feel great, in the end.
Now that we’ve seen an episode depicting how Frankie and Trudy came together, I hope the show takes the time in Season 2 to do similar flashbacks about Flo and Mary.
Their connection with Flo generally makes sense, given her job, but I’d love to know how the Drake Detective Agency met Mary, and decided she was someone they wanted to work with.
Season 1 of Frankie Drake Mysteries is, on the whole, about what you’d expect. The show’s not Serious Drama, and most of its mysteries are the definition of basic. But the show is such a good time – and full of such interesting female characters – that you can’t help wondering what’s going to happen next.
Bring on Season 2.
Stray Thoughts and Observations
- I honestly love any episode in which Nora shows up. She’s so much fun!
- I knew we’d never make it through this season without Frankie and Hemingway making out or hooking up, and yup, it finally happened. (Blech. You can do better girl!!)
- At least the the Frankie/Hemingway kisses took place in the same episode in which Hemingway decided to leave Toronto for another professional opportunity (in real life, he only lived in Canada for about a year). Here’s to never seeing him again!
What did you think of this episode of Frankie Drake Mysteries? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Critic Rating:
User Rating:
Frankie Drake Mysteries airs Saturdays at 7/6c on Ovation.
Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!
Veronica Mars: 17 Essential Episodes to Watch Before Season 4
Lacy Baugher
Lacy is a pop culture enthusiast and television critic who loves period dramas, epic fantasy, space adventures, and the female characters everyone says you're supposed to hate. Ninth Doctor enthusiast, Aziraphale girlie, and cat lady, she's a member of the Television Critics Association and Rotten Tomatoes-approved. Find her at LacyMB on all platforms.