Nancy Drew season 2 has been greenlit, which means our favorite small-town detective still has a lot of work to do in Horseshoe Bay.

The first season of Nancy Drew has officially come to a close, four episodes ahead of schedule. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Nancy Drew season 1, episode 18, served as the show’s season finale.

In it, a lot of mysteries were wrapped up, but plenty of questions were left without answers. Luckily, the plan is for the unaired plotlines to be incorporated into Nancy Drew season 2. Despite the fact that episode 18 was never meant to be the finale, it sure had a satisfying (and shocking) ending.

The Nancy Drew season 1 finale showed us who killed Owen and brought some peace back into Nancy’s life, despite all the terrible things that had happened to her over the course of the season. She’s still got a lot to deal with, but that’s what season 2 is all about.

First and foremost, we need to deal with the fallout from the Algaeca. In season 1, Nancy didn’t hold up her end of the bargain, which was Owen’s sacrifice, and as a result, the Drew Crew are all now marked for death.

In the finale, we saw the various ways they could die, and it only made the stakes feel higher for when the show returns. Nancy’s main goal will certainly be figuring out who the Aglaeca really is and how to stop her.

We learned the Aglaeca was once human and that she has some sort of tie to the Marvin family. This feels like a mystery that will help unravel some other threads as we go along.

I don’t particularly trust the Marvins, especially Aunt Diana, and I think Bess will have to deal with some skeletons in the closet sooner rather than later.

But after the Aglaeca is defeated, what else is there?

So much. One of the great aspects of this show is that they’ve just revealed the tip of the iceberg. We know how much is lying under the surface, and Nancy Drew season 2 is poised to explore that.

There will always be ghosts and demons (and blood bucket curses!) to explore in Horseshoe Bay because the Drew Crew opened a door to the other side and let a lot more through than they ever intended. Tragic deaths and local legends could feed this series for a long time coming.

And boy, am I so ready for that.

But beyond the supernatural, this series has set up a complex web of interpersonal relationships that are just as fascinating (and dangerous) as the spirits the Crew come up against.

To put it bluntly, Nancy’s life is currently a mess. She just learned that Carson and Kate Drew are not really her parents. Her real parents are Ryan Hudson and Lucy Sable. In either version of her life, she doesn’t get to have a mother, and that’s just the beginning of her pain.

Nancy won’t be able to ask Lucy what happened that night on the cliff. She won’t be able to ask her how she felt about having a child. She also won’t be able to ask Kate why she lied to her for Nancy’s entire life. She’ll be able to talk to Carson, but she’ll never quite have the closure she needs.

Plus, things with Carson are messy. Will they ever be able to have a good relationship again? Sure, he lied to her, but he always loved her and cared for her. Will Nancy ever be able to see that, or will the pain of this lie follow her forever?

Then there’s Ryan. The younger Hudson comes from a bad family, and he’ll have to work against his natural instincts to be a positive influence on Nancy’s life — if she lets him into her life at all.

Maybe she’ll be more likely to open up to Patrice, but considering her mental illness, that’s not always going to be easy. Plus, her uncle will be in jail, too, making that relationship much more difficult, too.

The creators have teased that Nancy Drew season 2 will explore the question of “Who am I?,” which is no easy feat.

Nancy clearly has a lot to sort through, and that doesn’t end with her familial life. Just as she was getting to know and trust (and fall for?) Owen, he was snatched away. His death will certainly have a huge impact on her, and the creators have said that she’ll need time to grieve.

I also have to wonder if this grieving process will be made harder by Nick’s relationship with George. Nancy and Nick clearly still care about each other, but they were mature enough to realize their relationship wasn’t working for the time being.

I doubt Nancy will be ready to jump back into bed with him, but that doesn’t mean his newfound relationship won’t be like pouring salt in the wound.

I’m happy for Nick and George, despite my initial reservations. I’m proud of how the show handled George’s relationship with Ryan, which undoubtedly adds another layer of complication to this whole situation. She’s ready to grow and move on, and I hope she and Nick can weather any storms that come their way.

Then there’s Bess and Lisbeth, who were at a bit of a standstill in the Nancy Drew season 1 finale.

Lisbeth realized that Aunt Diana had asked Bess to spy on her to gain valuable insight into the the police department’s comings and goings, but Bess was hesitant to return the favor to Lisbeth when she asked if she’d reveal any Marvin family secrets.

I love Bess and Lisbeth together, and while I understand that an uncomplicated relationship wouldn’t be as interesting, I hope their bumpy road doesn’t get too rough.

Lisbeth is good for Bess and extremely understanding of her various quirks (lying, stealing, being generally indecisive) because she knows her heart is in the right place. But will she stop trusting Bess the more she’s integrated into the Marvin family?

Bess so desperately wants a family to belong to, and I hope she’ll one day realize the Drew Crew is all she needs.

Owen was, quite possibly, the only good Marvin, and now that he’s gone, she’ll have to navigate those waters on her own. He hinted at some darkness in the family, and it’s obvious they’re about as corrupt as the Hudsons. There’s a lot more to come on that front.

Last but never, ever least in my book is Ace. Laura left for Paris, and though it was his choice to stay behind, I wouldn’t be surprised if it took Ace a minute or two to grieve that relationship for a second time. He loves her, but he also knows he belongs in Horseshoe Bay.

I hope Nancy Drew season 2 doesn’t focus on a new love interest for Ace (though I would like to see him have a enemies-to-lovers arc with his arch rival Dominique).

Instead, I hope the series further explores his relationship with Nancy. These two are so supportive and good for each other, and she’s going to need a friend like him while she grieves for Owen.

I’d also love to see more of his dad. Just saying.

There are a lot of other little odds and ends I’d love to see explored in Nancy Drew season 2. I want more of Victoria, George’s mom, as well as George’s little sisters.

I also want to know what’s going on with Detective Tamora, who’s obviously going to be trouble (and probably thinks they’re all murderers or part of a cult). We still need to deal with the elder Mr. Hudson and his wife, too.

Plus so, so much more. I’m so glad The CW renewed Nancy Drew for a second season. It deserves the faith, as its freshman run has already proven to be clever, mysterious, haunting, and heartwarming all at once.

Here’s to hoping Nancy Drew season 2 brings us more of the same.