'Nancy Drew' Episode 2 suggests that Beth could be the queer character on The CW show, will they get it right this time?
Spoilers ahead for Episode 2 of 'Nancy Drew' titled 'The Secret of the Old Morgue'
Episode two of 'Nancy Drew' took us deeper into the mystery of the two murders that are haunting Horseshoe Bay.
In the first episode, Tiffany Hudson (Sinead Curry) was found dead outside the diner that Nancy (Kennedy McMann) and her friends work out of.
Following the discovery of her body, the group — comprising George (Leah Lewis), Bess (Maddison Jaizani) and Ace (Alex Saxon) — become suspects in the murder because the police think that each of them has a motive of their own.
Nancy thinks Bess is a rich kid away from the city who is currently crashing with her rich aunt in a mansion. But at the end of the first episode, we see Bess living in a trailer. What makes Bess suspicious is not just that, but also the fact that she was in possession of Tiffany's ring.
In 'The Secret of the Old Morgue', the group gets to know that Tiffany's corpse in being moved out of Horseshoe Bay for a private autopsy.
Afraid that the private autopsy that the Hudsons have planned would absolve Tiffany's husband Ryan (Riley Smith) from the murder, the group tries to retrieve some evidence from the morgue before the body leaves their town.
Bess and Ace are instructed to block the only way to the morgue with the help of a stranger Lisbeth (guest-starring Katie Findlay). The duo broke down Ace's car on purpose and enlisted Lisbeth's help to get out of the situation.
It is here that Bess and Lisbeth share a particular moment which has Bess eagerly looking at the stranger.
Back in the diner while they are waiting on Nancy to get back from the morgue, Bess confesses to him that she doesn't date anyone since she has been alone for so long now that she hasn't learned to let her guard down in that way.
But before their conversation can go beyond that, they are cut short by George rushing in with the stolen evidence and the news that Nancy has been arrested.
At the end of the episode, as Bess sits outside her trailer contemplating texting Lisbeth to catch up sometime, her hesitation speaks of the territory she is still reluctant to explore.
It looks like The CW is portraying her character in a queer light — technically, not the first time that the network has experimented in this way.
'Riverdale' had received a substantial amount of backlash from the asexual community for its decision to not portray Jughead Jones as asexual despite the character being described so.
Queerbaiting was also another issue that cost the show its audience. Fans have mixed feelings about Bess and comparisons with 'Riverdale' are aplenty. "Is Bess supposed to be the asexual representation? When Jughead is right there?" rightly asked a fan.
It is obviously too early to determine anything, but The CW should get representation right at least this time around. 'Nancy Drew' airs on Wednesdays at 9 pm on The CW.