SDCC 2019: The CW's Nancy Drew Panel Recap
Ready to solve some mysteries?
The CW, known for bringing some of the most exciting panels to San Diego Comic-Con for TV lovers, brought their newest dark series Nancy Drew to Ballroom 20 on Thursday afternoon. Moderated by TV Guide’s Damian Holbrook, the panel consisted of executive producers Noga Landau and Stephanie Savage, showrunner Melinda Hsu-Taylor, Kennedy McMann (Nancy Drew), Leah Lewis (George), Maddison Jaizani (Bess), Alex Saxon (Ace), and Tunji Kasim (Ned).
This reboot will bring us to Nancy Drew post-high school graduation working at her local diner, The Claw. As she’s closing up shop alongside George, Bess, and Ace, a socialite gets murdered nearby which causes her to become one of the key suspects and brings her back to her old detective ways. Something she stopped doing once her mom passed away. As we dive deeper into the show, we learn that everyone has a motive and secrets. Nancy Drew, what will you do?
After watching a sneak peek into the pilot episode (featuring Freddie Prince Jr. as Carson Drew who has since been recast by Scott Wolf), here’s what we know so far:
On how the show came about + the modern-day adaptation:
The executive producers and showrunner were all huge fans of the ’70s show version and ready to put together a reboot that brought everything they loved. Nancy is “brave, smart, and fearless. She wasn’t just a good girl but she had a dark side.” And naturally, they gravitated towards the stories with supernatural elements which obviously bled into the series they created. “Girls always wanted to do whatever they wanted to do. That’s a universal appeal. Now she’s complicated. She makes mistakes. Her vulnerability helps her make a team,” says Landau.
On how the cast got their roles:
In true Comic-Con spirit that vibed well with everyone, Kennedy was playing Dungeons & Dragons when she got the call about the open role. She just knew she was going to be Nancy Drew. “This is my voice. This is the way I think and speak,” says Kennedy. She even mentioned an exchange she had with Leah in the audition room, “She came up to me and said “‘I saw you standing there and I thought, She looks like Nancy Drew.'”
On how well the cast gets along:
Actually, the Scooby gang got along too well. Kennedy recalls a time when they shot together and the behind-the-scenes told them, “‘Hey guys you like each other too much. You need to reign it back.’ So it was kind of funny to be intentional with [not liking each other.]”
Whether or not there will be easter eggs:
They have a great team of interns, costume designers, and more who are really into the iconic books (and book covers) which really shined through. So keep your eyes peeled for any iconic signs. There was a lot of deep thinking into details you wouldn’t even think of.
Will the Hardy Boys make an appearance?:
With a sly smile, Landau says, “We shall see!”
On who they think the killer is:
While there will be no big “Scooby-Doo reveal”, Alex Saxton blurts out “me” with no hesitation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omiogm9JBvo
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