If Nancy Drew Season 1 Episode 3 proved anything, it's that this mystery is not for the faint of heart.

It may be hard given its popularity, but don't let your pre-conceived notions of the 1930's book series lead you astray. 

Related: Nancy Drew Season 1 Episode 2 Review: The Secret of the Old Morgue

The television show has toned down the practicality and amped up the horror in every way possible.  

Sorry, but you're not going to finish an episode of Nancy Drew with the sweet remembrance that monsters don't exist and people are the root of all evil.

Well, it may not be a sweet remembrance, but you get the point. 

Nancy Drew will have you hiding under the covers, jumping at every sound, and wondering if the shadows in your room are something more than meets the eye. 

Picture this: It's storming outside, and the house is dark and quiet. You hear a sound. You turn around and come face to face with a figure so estranged you couldn't even picture it in your nightmares. You blink, and then it's gone. 

This exact scenario has taken place in every Nancy Drew episode so far. Is anyone else both excited and terrified for the characters to realize the ghost isn't a hallucination?

Another person has been added to the list of ghost witnesses, and that's Ryan Hudson.

Ryan: I don't know how she died. You think maybe she was haunted?
Carson: That's a literal question? You think she was haunted...by ghosts?
Ryan: I don't know. Maybe. Do you think we're visited by vengeful spirits? You know, forces that are trying to harm us?

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The Sea Queen, if that is indeed the ghostly figure, seems to love hanging around the Drew household. 

Ryan's quick glimpse of her was enough to frighten both him and viewers and it drove Ryan and Carson out of the house and to the Lilac Inn. 

This, of course, caused problems for Nancy and Nick who had sneaked off to the Lilac Inn to find the clues Tiffany left for him. 

Nick's anger at Nancy for wanting to know about his past felt completely unwarranted.

It's understandable that he's not proud of his actions and it's not something he wants to discuss, but Nancy is his girlfriend and it's not unreasonable for her to be curious about a situation that is now directly affecting her. 

Nick: This one guy, we got into it one night. Tiffany saw how it ended. She wanted to know how it started, so I told her. Afterward, she told me she wished she could take it all back. Like if she could turn back time she could change my life.
Nancy: How did the fight start? I'm just trying to solve this.
Nick: No, it feels more like you're trying to solve me than Tiffany's puzzle.
Nancy: I'm on your side.
Nick: Doing what, exactly? Digging into places I've asked you not to go? And for what?
Nancy: You haven't told me the details of what happened! If I knew the circumstances I could try to understand how-
Nick: How what?! I could take someone's life? It was self-defense! Why do you care how it happened?

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There was never any doubt that Nick's crime wasn't committed with malicious intent, but it was satisfying to get answers to something we've been wondering about since Nancy Drew Season 1 Episode 1.

What viewers couldn't conclude beforehand was that Tiffany and Nick formed a friendship during his time in jail. 

Yes, he took a life once. But Tiffany learned he would never do it again.

Nancy

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Nick never had it out for Tiffany, and she felt guilty about testifying against him in the first place. She even left him five million dollars in bonds as a way to give him a fresh start. 

While Nancy was excited about the money, I'm with Nick on this one. 

The only thing those bonds will do is make Nick look more guilty. The police already have him pegged as a suspect, and the money gives him the perfect motive to want Tiffany dead. 

No way. This kind of money brings trouble. I mean, people could think I killed her to get to these.

Nick

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The only way Nick can safely spend it is if Tiffany's real murderer is behind bars, which gives him even more incentive to help solve the case. 

Related: The Purge Season 2 Episode 2 Review: Everything Is Fine

Then again, if Tiffany's murderer turns out to be the Sea Queen, things might get more complicated.

How do you arrest a ghost?

Changing gears a bit, I've become fonder of Bess and Ace's relationship now that he's her "platanchor." It's clear that Ace cares about her deeply and wants to be there for her in whatever way she needs.

He's completely selfless when it comes to Bess, and makes decisions that benefit her rather than ones that benefit himself. 

Take Ace texting Nancy for example.

There's no doubt that he was curious about Bess' living situation, but he brought Nancy to confront her to make sure Bess wouldn't be embarrassed. 

Bess never even told Ace she was living out of her van, but he was able to pick up on it by paying attention to her.

No matter where it's going or where it's not, Bess and Ace have formed the best relationship on the series. 

Maybe he'll even be the person Bess confides in about Tiffany's ring. It's highly unlikely Bess is the killer, but viewers can't rule her out without answers. 

Related: Nancy Drew Season 1 Episode 1 Review: Pilot

If she doesn't give the information willingly, there's no doubt that Nancy will get to the bottom of it.

And as she's beginning to prove, there's nothing she can't uncover. 

Stray Thoughts:

• Nancy choosing Nick over her freedom was never a question. But ironically, Nick's innocence may also be what gets Nancy's charges dropped. Karma, anyone?

• Now that Nancy's dad knows she was at Lilac Inn, will he confront her about it? Carson may be sketchy, but it does appear as if everything he's doing is to protect his family. 

• We may not have known much about her to begin with, but Nancy Drew Season 1 Episode 3 showed viewers that there's more to Tiffany than meets the eye. What else don't we know about her?

• George has to be cursed. She almost died three times in one workday, and that's not normal for someone who works at a diner. The creepy dead girl who came in to apply for a job confirmed our suspicions. 

It's your turn, TV Fanatics! What did you think of Nancy Drew Season 1 Episode 3?

Hit the comments section below and let us know!

And don't forget that if you missed the episode you can watch Nancy Drew online right here at TV Fanatic!

Nancy Drew airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on The CW. 

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