Nancy Drew returns from hiatus on January 7th, 2022. The show is in the middle of its third season, bringing back supernatural elements mixed with the funny moments between the characters and absolutely iconic lines and quotes that typify the show's charming blend of sarcasm and humor.
As a character, Nancy is flawed and often makes mistakes amidst solving cases. But from funny to snarky, Nancy Drew delivers a neverending variety of unforgettable lines that reveal her unique personality. They're always true to her character and are delivered in a way that makes them memorable.
Nancy's Unique Ideas Of Romance
"You know what is so romantic? Solving a homicide together. With me." - Nancy
Nancy has a way of convincing people into helping her when she needs them. Even though at the beginning of the show she prefers to work alone and avoids emotional connections with people, she eventually caves in and accepts the help from her friends - especially the help she can't get anywhere else (often the hacking help from her friend Ace).
While Ace and Laura, one of Nancy Drew's best couples, are having a conversation about whether he'll move to Paris with her, Nancy loses her patience and tells them that solving a homicide with her would be just as romantic. Whether because of her conviction or the fact that Ace already liked her as more than a friend, he caves in to her demands and they go investigate together.
Nancy's Determination
"Good news: I found a smoking gun. Bad news: The smoking gun is ghosts." - Nancy
It always seems to be good news/bad news with Nancy Drew. One of the most likable character traits she has is not dwelling on the negative and quickly moving forward after bad news (with the exception of huge life-altering news). Nancy is always in motion and searching for the next possible solution.
When Carson employs Nancy to help him on a case, she is eager to help and find him a smoking gun he needs to win the case. But when the clue he asked for turns out to be a supernatural presence, she quickly rips the bandaid by delivering the bad news.
Nancy's Clever Marketing Idea
"What do you want us to post? We promise our waitstaff didn't murder anyone?" - Nancy
Following the gruesome murder of Tiffany Hudson, which was season 1's big plot twist, the restaurant called The Claw faces a serious lack of customers. George is known for being constantly grumpy, but when she suggests they get the guests to come in by "posting something on Yelp," Nancy delivers this amazing sarcastic line.
The conversation eventually turns back to the murder suspect (ghost or otherwise) and even so early in the series, it's obvious how much Nancy needs her new friends as a sounding board for her ideas.
Nancy's Killer Jealousy
"Who's Annette? I'll kill her." - Nancy
One of the most hilarious episodes of Nancy Drew is one where she gets possessed by a dress full of centuries of pent-up lust. As George calls it, Nancy goes a little "boy crazy", which is all-around bad timing, since Nancy is supposed to be worrying about college applications.
Despite being attracted to multiple guys, like Nick and even Detective Tamura, Nancy displays strong feelings towards Ace, even softly caressing his hair. When he explains to her that the dress is "a net," she confuses this for the female name, assumes Ace is seeing her and in a fit of jealousy threatens to kill Annette. The quote is funny and also gives hope that the slow-burn Nace, Nancy Drew's best potential couple, will fully develop into a long-lasting relationship.
Comfort Food
"Did anyone get my sorbet?!" - Nancy
The family dynamic drastically changed in season 3. No longer just Carson and Nancy, Ryan joins the family unit at the Drew residence. It's all going well, but moments in the premiere unveil that there might be some bumps in the road for them.
Ryan is seen spending $600 on weekly groceries, and while Carson berates him about it and Ryan defends his choices by explaining they "need variety," Nancy shuffles through bags in search of her comfort food - the sorbet. As Ryan and Carson continue to have a discussion in the background, Nancy continuously asks if anyone got her sorbet. The scene is endearing and funny and shows that anyone can adapt to new circumstances - albeit with difficulties.
The Dead Don't Talk (Sometimes)
"What do you do when the dead stop talking to you?" - Nancy
Faced with many odd problems throughout the show, this is perhaps one Nancy did not anticipate. Not a believer from the beginning, she seems to be more of a skeptic, but comes around to the idea rather quickly after being haunted by the ghost known as Dead Lucy.
Hitting the wall with the ghost and stuck in the middle of the case, Nancy feels like if she could just talk to Lucy, she could tell her what happened. But unfortunately, the dead are unpredictable, often unable to help even if they wanted to. Lucy eventually figures out how to get the message across, but not before Nancy can pose this metaphorical question.
Deja Vu...Again?
"How can I not remember any of this?" - Nancy
Another one of the hilarious episodes in season 2 was when the Drew Crew continuously wipes their memories to save themselves from dying at the hands of an unknown entity. The crew develops a system, writing flashcards with facts and filming videos to speed up the process.
This line is delivered multiple times throughout the episode. Each time Nancy says it, it's after an attempt of saving themselves from the entity, and each time she looks more incredulous. How can she not remember slinging knives at the entity or other wild ways they've tried to beat it with.
Bonding Through Danger
"Which means we should definitely not flatline you and re-shroud you as a way to hit the reset button." - Nancy
Despite being snarky and seemingly cold, George Fan has quickly become one of the most likable characters on Nancy Drew. Her defenses come down and a different side of her is explored in late season 1, but further developed in season 2. One of the main things that change is George's relationship with Nancy.
George was never secretive about her dislike of Nancy despite letting Nancy work at the Claw (even though she never actually does any work there), but they grow a lot through solving murders and ghost mysteries together. When George dies early in season two due to their fight with Aglaeca, Nancy is devastated. Not only is George her friend, but she feels personally responsible for the mess she got them into, so she uses the supernatural shroud to revive her. Nancy projecting this sarcastic front is nothing new, and George is the queen of sarcasm, but if one reads between the lines it's clear how much Nancy cares, despite the fact that George gets angry Nancy would even consider it.
Nancy's "Normal" Experience
"It wasn't my first chloroforming." - Nancy
This line is meant to reassure Bess when she feels guilty, but it might have been a subtle way of paying homage to the Nancy Drew books. They often reference various places and titles of the books on the show, so this line might have been in reference to how Nancy was often subdued by the use of chloroform in some of the novels.
It also just goes to show how normal it all seems to Nancy - she just got kidnapped and almost killed and that's the line she comes back with. It wasn't even her first time.
Blood Baths
"What is she gonna do? Bathe in my blood again?" - Nancy
Temperance Hudson was introduced at the end of season 2 by bathing in Nancy's blood and restoring her youth. Nancy references this odd development when Ace tells her to be careful, but this sarcastic comment perhaps carries more weight than just being a funny remark to put Ace's mind at ease.
Nancy has been through a whole lot the past season, hosting a parasitic presence called The Wraith who slowly sucked her life energy out of her. Perhaps attempting to joke at yet another traumatic thing that happened is a hint that she is not dealing well with everything that happened to her. But Nancy is unlikely to show that in any other way, so sarcastic remarks are all she has left.