Now, when a lot of people think of, or see the name 'Nancy Drew,' the picture that automatically pops into their head is of the young, clean-cut, innocent girl detective. If you are looking for that, this show may not be for you. This is a reinvented, thrust into the 21st century Nancy and crew, but still laced with respect and homage to the original books.
This is meant for a younger audience - in terms of those who didn't necessarily grow up with the Nancy Drew books - but also an older audience in the terms of the maturity and issues dealt with throughout the show.
With all of that being said, I have really enjoyed this show (I am reviewing this in retrospect in a rewatch prior to Season 3). The characters are well fleshed out and are all three-dimensional, each has their own story and arc while not detracting from the fact that Nancy is the main protagonist.
Right off the bat this episode introduces the season long mystery, all of the important players in the town of Horseshoe Bay, the supernatural elements of the show, and the show's really stellar cinematography and aesthetics.
This is a pilot, so there is a lot of wiggle room for improvement, and the season starts a bit slow (definitely could have done without the voice over). But improve this show does, and it's completely worth the watch! The writing is so tight, especially in Season 2.
So, if you are reading this, please give this show a shot. If you like good writing, character development, supernatural scares, yet realistic drama, this show is for you. I think the fact this is on the CW and it was advertised as "Made by the People that Brought You Riverdale" really, really hurt the initial performance of this show. This show is NOTHING like Riverdale.
Give it a shot, get into the characters; they will all have your heart by mid-season.