Nancy Drew Review: The Tale of the Fallen Sea Queen (Season 1 Episode 7)
Nancy Drew Season 1 Episode 7, “The Tale of the Fallen Sea Queen,” only gives a few more details of Lucy’s story, but they may be ones we don’t want to hear.
Since it took some time for this show to find a strong narrative, we should expect there will be points where it loses it again. Unfortunately, this episode is one. Besides a few shocking reveals, we don’t progress much, and much of what we built in the previous episode is left hanging.
The main point is to get us to a séance with Lucy– completed with the help of a toy dragon that lights up different colors as a spirit activates it from beyond the grave. Otherwise, it feels like we’re learning more of what we already know.
We know about Ace’s deal with the police chief, though we do get a better idea of why it exists and see Nancy figure it out, too. We know Nancy and Nick are on a rocky arc, but now they may be broken up over a poorly defined lack of dedication to the relationship.
We know Tiffany’s sister has a vendetta against those not fully investigating her sister’s killer. Suggesting she’s a suspect herself, out for money she’ll only get if a crime is proven is really a natural step here. (Remember Rule #1)
We know that George’s mother is quite the character and has a complicated relationship with her daughter. That second part does add some depth as a mother drinks to excess and a daughter struggles with both their turmoil.
Asking why she’s drinking here takes us back toward simple shock value. She’s having visions of evil beings brought on by those coins, the kind that come crawling from the walls like black stick figures from your nightmares.
I am interested in exploring more of why Victoria may be having psychological issues in the first place. So far, it’s mostly about the scare tactics, but there are hints we’ll eventually give due to both these and the alcoholism.
The séance itself is effective. Somehow, that little dragon toy totally works. We add some emotional impact, too, when we meet Lucy’s brother and learn of cruel rumors that may have followed her to the grave.
There are answers here, though they’re mostly only mildly surprising. Lucy was not killed by the person who would later poison Tiffany, and not by Celia Hudson. Is the killer another part of the Hudson clan? It’s complicated.
And we’re back to how we see Carson Drew. We know he’s been involved with Hudson affairs for some time. We know he’s trying to hide something. Now, from Nick, we know he’s been paid off by the family, and that this suggests he’s a murderer.
I still can’t buy this as a path we’re going to go down. While this Nancy Drew follows other CW adaptations in being a darker version of its source material, Nancy’s only remaining family member being a brutal criminal would overshadow everything.
Unless I am proven wrong, I will believe this is a red herring. With how tv dramas are told, the cliffhanger when Nancy asks Carson if he’s guilty makes this more likely, not less. Even if I’m right, though, I’ll never love this storyline.
There is one moment in this episode I do love, and that’s George’s sister playing with an unknown ghost through the dragon toy. I know it’ll probably turn out to be some dark force, but couldn’t it just be a lonely soul happy to entertain a little girl?
Sadly, this isn’t how the episode ends, and Nancy’s demands of her father aren’t our only cliffhanger. When Ace and Laura wind up in a car accident under mysterious circumstances, we must also consider who a show might kill off this early on.
The promos suggest that even if Ace is “dead”, he probably won’t stay that way. We’ve already talked to the beyond, so why not bring people back from it? I lean toward Laura surviving as well, though I’m less sure about this.
It does bring up one question that haunts (pun intended) many shows. How willing will this one be to kill off main characters? I wouldn’t be surprised if it happens sooner or later, but this feels a little too soon.
What did you think of this episode of Nancy Drew? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Nancy Drew airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on The CW.
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Caitlin Wyneken
Caitlin is an elder millennial with an only slightly unhealthy dedication to a random selection of TV shows, from PBS Masterpiece dramas to some of the less popular series on popular networks. Outside of screen time, she's dedicated to the public sector and worthy nonprofits, working to make a difference in the world outside of media.