Nancy Drew Review: The Fate of the Buried Treasure (Season 2 Episode 4)
It’s common for dramatic and action-packed stories to have a narrative lull before the climax. Nancy Drew Season 2 Episode 4, “The Fate of the Buried Treasure,” feels like that moment as a literal “do or die” confrontation with the Aglaeca approaches.
There are certainly intense scenes, including the last, which acts as a sort of penultimate battle with little resolution. Still, more screen time is given to character interactions and exploration of who this ghost was when she was alive.
Like Lucy Sable and Tiffany Hudson, Odette had a full and complex life that was tragically cut short. Also like them, she has seen her reputation warped into something for rumor and scandal that barely acknowledges her as a person.
These backstories give us the chance to humanize and relate to characters that would otherwise just be paranormal threats to our heroes. There have been times when Nancy Drew has relied too heavily on flash and shock value, but at its heart there’s a lot of depth.
We see more of the work to invest us emotionally by highlighting both romantic relationships between the Drew Crew and the platonic ones they have with members of their families; in this case through one of George’s younger sisters.
With much of George’s character now focused on her relationship with Nick, it can be easy to forget her own uneasy home life. But she has sisters who rely on her. For that reason, she may well be the only one besides Nancy who really can’t be killed. (We hope.)
The Drew family saga continues in its familiar tense form, this time with the added spin of putting Carson and Ryan together in the same space, finally having a chance to air their grievances with each other as poor Ace drives them and stands by awkwardly.
In the end, it gives us a sort of truce between the two—a development both anticipated and interesting for how it could shape both their dynamics with Nancy from here on out. For now, though, I question their wisdom in talking about her behind her back.
In another very ambivalent relationship moment, Lisbeth breaks her long and mysterious absence by returning to Bess’s life and wanting to rekindle their relationship. Bess agrees to a dinner, but soon flees the interaction and the conversation that would come with it.
I’m hopeful that, as she says, most of Bess’s anxiety comes from the fear that she won’t live long enough for them to have any hope of a future. I also hope she’ss completely wrong. Still, these two feel very up in the air, much as I’m rooting for them.
As well done as this episode-long pause is, I’m still very eager to see this plot line through. For one thing, there’s a lot of progress left that will be best made when we get back to (a very comparative) normal. For another, these three days are starting to feel long.
And what will seeing this through mean? So far, all attempts at defeating the Aglaeca have fallen short, but that’s unsurprising. It’s meant to heighten the stakes and sweeten a final victory. Still, thanks to the latest promo, I’m nervous.
With a showdown that seems scheduled for the next episode, we are asked “who will survive the night?” Suddenly, I’m not as confident as I’d like to be that everyone will. I’ll take the celebration over the angst any day, but all we can do is wait for what the drama has in store.
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.