'Nancy Drew' Episode 5: George's possession is turning the murder mystery into a ridiculously clichéd supernatural show
Spoilers ahead for Episode 5 'The Case of the Wayward Spirit'
Episode 5 introduced the character of Owen Marvin. Played by Miles Gaston Villanueva, Owen is a young real estate mogul and Ryan Hudson's (Riley Smith) business rival.
In 'The Case of the Wayward Spirit', Owen approaches The Claw to cater to the gala remembering Tiffany Hudson (Sinead Curry). Apparently, some caterers canceled in the last minute and a real estate mogul is tasked with the job of finding new caterers — sure, that seems very real.
In an episode that is far from anything "real", it (kind of) fits. So far, the show was toeing the line between being a murder mystery and a supernatural show.
However, in Episode 5 'The Case of the Wayward Spirit', it clears any doubts of it not being a supernatural show — complete with spirit possessions and a (Chinese) exorcism. Earlier, we had seen Tiffany's ghost take possession of George's (Leah Lewis) body.
When returning Tiffany's wedding ring (that Maddison Jaizani's Bess stole from the crime scene), George happens to mess up the instructions her mother gave her missing out of the second step of the two-part process: placing a mirror on Tiffany's chest to apparently guide her spirit back into her body.
Confused, the spirit goes into George's body and so begins a paranormal saga. When she is possessed, George shows up at Ryan's house and in a classic case of haunted beings, writes "I know" on the bathroom mirror in blood, indicating that she knows about the affair Ryan had with George.
Her vindication takes a (not so) new phase. The next day, George doesn't know how she cut her finger. But a call from Ryan puts that mystery to rest.
Then Tiffany's spirit slices her hand once again locking George in her office, where she scratches off George's face from photographs. It is all really ridiculous and very much a standard horror/supernatural series trope.
At the gala that The Claw is hosting, George is still possessed. She walks around a high-end gala that is hosting the rich and powerful with a big knife in her hand.
That's right — among all the power and hoity-toity of Horseshoe Bay, a young lady is walking around in a murderous rage and no one even bats an eye.
No one even cares when she kisses Ryan at the gala. It is all so loosely stitched together — sure 'Nancy Drew' has taken a turn for the supernatural but, in the process, it is tossing all practicality out of the window. 'Nancy Drew' airs on Wednesdays at 9 pm ET/PT on The CW.