Nancy Drew channeled Jumanji in “The Reaping of Hollow Oak”

Nancy Drew took on a board game that seemed like a spiritual cousin to Jumanji in episode 7, “The Reaping of Hollow Oak.” And in an episode that saw Ned getting his romance on and Ace trying to come to terms with the fact that he chose to break Nancy’s heart to avoid their death curse, is it any surprise that the Drew Crew had to deal with a killer board game too?

Honestly, this was an interesting episode of Nancy Drew for a lot of reasons. Not only was it finally an episode centered around solving the black goo mystery that is forcing hidden secrets into the open, but it was also done in a way that screamed nostalgic vibes.

The Jumanji-like board game at the heart of this episode was filled with all the things we would expect from a Nancy Drew episode. There were reapers looking to steal some souls, a mystery embedded in the game itself, and even temporary deaths.

Nancy Drew saw the Drew Crew taking on a deadly board game in episode 7

We also got to see Ned Nickerson as the ultimate action hero. And we are loving this for us all. Ned being the final man standing in this board game was exactly what the episode needed because it was a reminder that of all the members of the Drew Crew, he is probably the most likely to save the world thanks to his ability to think rationally and not just jump into every situation without a plan.

And even with the rest of the Drew Crew throwing him into the deep end, it was like he was ready for them to do this to him.

At the end of the day, it was Ned who saved the day and the rest of his friends. He was able to defeat all of the reapers and put an end to the game. Not only that, but he was able to be open, honest, and vulnerable with someone that he really likes. He was able to be a hero and showcase his ability to need others.

Nancy Drew might be the titular character of the series, but the show wouldn’t be the same without Ned, Bess, George, and Ace (or even her fathers). Basically, this series is all about the people who support Nancy and we love that this episode was a clear reminder of that.