It may not have felt much like a Winter Finale, but Nancy Drew Season 1 Episode 9 was still a fun addition to television.

The ongoing storyline throughout Nancy Drew Season 1 isn't something that lingers long with viewers after each hour ends, but the mystery is entertaining and deserves a lot more credit and attention than it's been given.  

However, there are points where it feels as if the show is beginning to recycle old storylines. And considering that we're only nine episodes into the series, there's still so many unique roads the writers could choose to travel down.

Carson has been a suspect since Nancy Drew Season 1 Episode 1, so it makes sense for that story to finally come to a head.

But his arrest wasn't the huge shocker we were expecting, and it feels a bit redundant to have Nancy questioning, once again, her father when the two have finally cleared the air. 

Nancy has always had her walls up around everyone, but she's shut out her father most of all. 

Nancy: I really miss her.
Carson: I know.
Nancy: I'm sorry I had all those walls up. And I'm sorry that I shut you out.
Carson: I'm sorry you felt like you had to. You don't have to anymore. You know that, right?
Nancy: Yeah.

• Permalink: I'm sorry I had all those walls up. And I'm sorry that I shut you out.

He's been making a real effort to get close to her, even though she's shot him down at every opportunity. 

The father/daughter team up in this episode was exactly what the Drews needed to bring them back together.

That just goes to show that fighting an evil spirit can be a great family bonding activity.

Of course, the moment after they finally make amends, Carson is arrested for the murder of Lucy Sable. The worst part is that Nancy's journal is what landed Carson in prison, in the first place. 

If Nancy doesn't stand by her father throughout all of this, then it feels as if their development over the last nine episodes have been for nothing. 

Nancy: I was so scared. I thought I'd never see you and mom again. I thought I was gonna die.
Carson: You didn't die. You saved yourself. It's over now, I'm here. I'm here.

• Permalink: You didn't die. You saved yourself.

The series may have been trying to trick the audience into thinking Carson is guilty when he refused to respond to Nancy's question, but I'm not buying into it. 

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I've always believed that Carson was responsible for some sketchy things, but I've never believed that he was capable of murder. 

Hopefully, Nancy Drew will use this as an opportunity to bring them closer together, rather than to pull them apart once more.

The angst-filled father/daughter dynamic is getting old, and I would prefer to see their relationship improve instead of watching it constantly backslide. 

Ace may not have been in the episode, but he did wake up from his coma in the show's final moments. While Ace was missed, Owen's presence helped severely. 

Owen has been out of town for the past several episodes, but now that he's back I never want to let him go. 

I'm going to be blunt and say that I ship Nancy with Owen. They're the superior relationship. 

Nancy: You're growing on me.
Owen: Then the day's not a total loss.

• Permalink: You're growing on me.

Of course, that's not to say that Owen is the superior guy. Both he and Nick are great in their own ways.

But Owen and his giant heart captivated me from the start, and the writers' and actor's ability to turn who I thought was a guest star into an incredible and complex character deserves endless amounts of praise. 

When it comes to Nick, he deserves much better than the way Nancy has treated him, and he has put up with her dishonesty for far too long. 

Then again, Owen also deserves better than the way Nancy was treating him, but maybe she could open up to Owen in a way she never has been able to with Nick. 

They'll never know unless they try. 

I could be alone here, but I'm starting to see some sparks between Nick and George. 

While Nancy has been off keeping secrets and doing her own thing, Nick and George are the ones who always end up having each other's backs. 

They don't keep secrets, they're equals in their friendship, and they have chemistry. I'm officially onboard. 

If Nick and Nancy were truly meant to be, Nancy would treat Nick like a partner rather than an inferior and she would be relieved to confide in him. 

Nancy: You don't owe me anything. Especially now.
Nick: Just because we're not together anymore doesn't mean I don't care about what you're going through.
Nancy: I'm not going through anything.

• Permalink: You don't owe me anything. Especially now.

With Carson in jail, Nancy will undoubtedly need someone to talk to. Will she finally open up to her friends and turn to them for help to save her dad? Or will the situation cause her to close up even more?

Given what a wishy-washy character Nancy is, there's no saying what she'll do next. 

Stray Thoughts:

• Consider this an official plea to the Nancy Drew writers. Please keep Owen in the series as the incredible character he is.
  
  He was acting a bit sketchy when Bess asked him for a DNA test, and there has to be a reason why. Was his hesitation malicious? Or is there something deeper going on that we don't know about?

• The new alliance with Nancy and the Captain seems to be serving them both well. The two can help each other just as much as they can hurt each other, so why not just be on the same team?

• What's next for Carson and Karen? It's not every day that your girlfriend arrests you. 

• I miss Ace. It's a bit surprising that he woke up from his coma and viewers weren't there to see it.
  
  Actor availability issues feel like the only reasonable explanation for his absence, as the coma hasn't done much to push the plot forward. Will all be well when he wakes up? Or is his injury going to play an important role in the story?

• Lisbeth was also severely missed. After that shocking revelation on Nancy Drew Season 1 Episode 8, it seemed as if she would have some kind of presence on the Winter Finale. 

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It's your turn, Nancy Drew fans! What did you think of "The Hidden Staircase?" Was it a worthy Winter finale? 

Do you think that Carson killed Lucy? If not, who did?

Hit the comments section down below and let us know your thoughts and predictions! 

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.