Nancy Drew Review: The Phantom of Bonny Scot (Season 1 Episode 11)
On Nancy Drew Season 1 Episode 11, “The Phantom of Bonny Scot,” the secrets and tensions of Horseshoe Bay’s richest families escalate to a breaking point.
As many dramatic things happen, the overarching plot moves only a few steps forward within this hour of Nancy Drew. What is does is set us up for a huge amount of fallout in the immediate future.
I’m having trouble keeping track of the relations and interrelations between Owen (and Beth!)’s family and the Hudsons. The short version is that the latter are the bad guys, with the seeming exception of Ryan, who at least acts as though he wants justice.
The drama centers on two points: a survivor from the sinking of the Bonny Scot and a very awkward family dinner. The first carries a lot of emotional weight, but it’s the dinner people will keep talking about.
Even as an episodic storyline, though, Basiir’s tale is powerful. The scene that replays the horror of the sinking, atop tragedies he’d already endured, is intense and loaded with imagery that’s disturbing in a way beyond the supernatural element.
Unfortunately, I do feel like the strangeness of it all almost overshadows that emotion. With Nancy and Nick experiencing it too, we have no idea if this is some shared delusion or a new inexplicable gap in reality.
Still, the emotion is there, and it’s a relief to see Nancy’s gambles send the man to safety in the end. A scene that sees the Hudson patriarch arrested feels like justice—more as a win for Nancy than the family drama, which is so messy it’s hard to connect with.
But nothing is ever that easy on this show.
That Carson will be targeted isn’t a surprise, but it is an effective way of giving us yet another thing to await in a state of anxiety. They probably won’t kill him, just as they probably will clear his name. The “probably” is where the fear comes in.
There’s likely to be even more piled on top of this. On that note, I have mixed feelings. The drama is certainly intriguing, but if the show must choose to focus on Nancy and her friends or these third parties, most people would choose to have less of this mini soup opera.
There is one element of friend drama I’m not enthralled with. Nancy/Nick/Owen has now been explicitly set out as a love triangle. I know ships and ship wars bring attention, but I just don’t care, though I don’t admit I’m older than the primary audience.
Thankfully, there’s a lot of love as well. Bess/Lisbeth is one ship I’m totally on board, but it too is plagued by drama. Must Bess really pick between the family she’s wanted and the girl she loves? Can’t everyone just be happy? Actually, don’t answer that.
Apart from this looming tension, I do find this element of the family drama—the part that involves people we care more about—engaging. I like Owen’s aunt a lot, and won’t give up hope that they’ll find a way to work something out.
Then there are the scenes with George and Nick, a pair we haven’t seen much of together. Perhaps they’re hinting at something more and an endgame of Nancy/Owen and George/Nick, but for now, I’m perfectly happy to see friends saving their restaurant.
Finally, we get just a taste of Carson and Nancy finally getting a chance to communicate. There’s a whole new threat hanging over their heads now, but at least ongoing progress is being made away from circular suspicions and toward an effort to support each other as father and daughter.
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.