My performance of the week ending 11/2/19 on TV goes to…

Lili Reinhart as Betty Cooper on The CW’s Riverdale.

For two weeks in a row, Betty Cooper has been on fire! She’s strong, fearless, and a bad-ass girl you do not want to mess with! Even if you’re family, you are not off limits, as Betty has no problem putting you in your place if you deserve it.

There are so many characters on this show and I enjoy the dynamic between all of them, but there just has to be something said for the talent of Lili Reinhart. She’s in a league of her own and she always steals the show.

It’s interesting how I was more excited for the premiere of the Nancy Drew series and yet I found Nancy’s character needing to channel some more Betty Cooper to truly come alive because Betty has set the bar so high for female amateur sleuths.

She’s not afraid to challenge authority and even the adults listen to her because she’s usually right…about everything!

Please note some spoilers are ahead if you are not caught up on the series.

In season 4 episode 4, we get a fun and spooky Halloween episode and Betty decides to dress up as Laurie Strode, the original scream queen herself. Betty absolutely has Final Girl potential and she continues to get even stronger when more threats come her way.

That being said, Betty is so strong individually, but there is this wonderful and supportive quality to Bughead (Betty and Jughead together). With the new mystery unfolding, it doesn’t look good for Jughead’s fate, but how will that impact Betty?

We have seen her deal with the reveal of the Black Hood and her mom’s drama with the Farm, but Jughead has always been Betty’s rock. I’m slightly worried that she may completely lose it and resort back to dark season 2 Betty, but let’s hope that she can continue to stay strong.

What’s next for Betty? We’ll have to wait and see, but it looks like we could be revisiting her dark past. Betty may have this “serial killer darkness” within her because her father was the Black Hood, but I feel like she can tap into it to get an edge over everyone else, but let’s hope it doesn’t consume her completely.

When a mystery emerges in town, I’m always looking for my girl Betty to solve it and I hope that she can figure out a way to somehow save Jughead since we know that this show has presented us with a lot of twists and surprises before. Either way, I’m always going to root for Betty and I can’t wait to see what she does next!

Stay tuned for a recognized performance on TV each week!

**Do you love television shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Once Upon a Time, Lost, Charmed, The Vampire Diaries, and Supernatural? Do you enjoy dark fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, paranormal romance, horror, and mystery? Then you may like my book series, Dreaming of Wonderland…available on Amazon! Thank you for taking the time to check it out and I appreciate any feedback as well. I really hope you enjoy!

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Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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Have a performance on TV that you think is simply outstanding? Feel free to contact me with your nomination for the week by Friday at midnight!

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Ranking the top 5 moments from “Riverdale” Season 4 Episode 4: When a Stranger Calls

Happy Halloween TV fans! During the CW’s Riverdale season 4 episode 4, our characters are threatened on Halloween night, bringing real terrors to life.

Is it just a test or a warning? Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet.

In last night’s episode, “Chapter Sixty-One: Halloween,” Betty rocks it as Laurie Strode, but her prank caller decides to channel another horror movie. Meanwhile, Mr. Honey shows what he is capable of, Choni has a séance, and Veronica ends up in a life threatening situation. My top 5 moments from Riverdale season 4 episode 4 are:

“It’s literally six hours of our house…”

Well, we don’t have to wait that long to find out what’s on the mysterious VHS tape delivered. Everyone watches it together and finds out that it’s just footage of their house from the street. Everyone in town begins to receive a similar tape. There is no note left and we don’t really understand what’s going on here, but everyone in Riverdale is being watched. I’m intrigued!

“The Family Man.”

Everyone seems to be having their own spooky adventure during this Halloween themed episode, which was actually a lot of fun! Veronica is about to close up Pop’s, but a man comes in and asks her for a home cooked meal, revealing that he just wants to get home to his family.

He seems like a nice enough guy, but Veronica later sees a news report revealing that he is a serial killer nicknamed “The Family Man” and he enjoys getting a home cooked meal right before he kills his victim.

Our girl V doesn’t waste any time, as she is able to escape down to her club downstairs. Luckily, V is aware of her surroundings and she ends up lighting The Family Man on fire before getting out of there. Go V!

It’s definitely interesting that there are several mentions of Shady Grove during this episode, which is the asylum he escaped from. Could another serial killer be pulling the strings from inside?

“Who or what are the Stonewall 4?”

Well Jughead, apparently they are a group of students from Stonewall Prep who have mysteriously vanished over the years. Even though it’s said to be an urban legend, I think that Jughead is really about to become the fifth member of this group, especially since we know that he goes missing during spring break in the future.

Jughead decides to do some research of his own, but his plans get put on hold when his fellow students decide to lock him in a box as some kind of twisted initiation because you know…being buried alive is totally harmless.

Luckily, Jughead is released in the morning and is all right, but it absolutely makes me suspicious of pretty much everyone at Stonewall Prep.

“This is so messed up.”

Poor Toni! Toni tells Cheryl that it’s time to say goodbye to Jason and Cheryl agrees to bury him again, but reminds Toni that he is not going to be happy about it. After Jason’s body is gone, this really creepy doll begins to show up.

Cheryl thinks that perhaps it is Jason, but Nana Rose fills us in on Cheryl and Jason’s triplet brother, Julian, who died in the womb after Cheryl absorbed him. Cheryl thinks that they should all have a séance and even Nana Rose participates.

Cheryl admits to pretending, but when Toni agrees to let Jason return, the doll comes back as well and Cheryl swears she has nothing to do with it.

This was really disturbing, but also a lot of fun and it gave Choni some quality screen time. While we certainly enjoyed seeing them in their costumes, I thought that the spooky moments with Nana Rose were actually really entertaining. I’d love to see more of these three and I have a feeling that Julian is not going anywhere just yet…

“Who is this?”

Betty is ready to give out candy and watch some scary movies with Jughead, but she begins to worry when he doesn’t show up. I absolutely loved Betty’s costume as Laurie Strode, but her prank caller decides to channel When a Stranger Calls instead. The caller claims to be the Black Hood, but we know that Betty’s dad is dead…

Charles shows up and agrees to help Betty trace the call since it’s obviously not coming from inside the house. He tells her that it is coming from Shady Grove, which is where Polly is staying, but is she really the one behind the call?

After Betty puts her in her place on the phone, it seems like everything is back to normal. She recaps her night with Jughead, but now Charles is listening in on their call. There’s something definitely not right with Charles, but what is his end game here?

Also, we get another sneak peek into the future and see FP and Betty identifying Jughead’s body. The face is partially revealed and it definitely looks like Jughead’s fate is sealed, but we will have to wait and see how this unfolds.

Overall, I thought this was a fun and spooky Halloween episode. It really channeled a lot of old horror movies and presented us with some genuinely scary moments. Plus, we got to see Archie and Mad Dog in those hilarious costumes courtesy of Katy Keene. Way to sneak that in guys and I’m not sure that the vigilante should wear tights, Archie! Stay tuned!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Riverdale in the comments section below. Thank you so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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The Dreaming of Wonderland Book Series is available here!

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Ranking the top 5 moments from “Supernatural” Season 15 Episode 3: “The Rupture”

Happy Friday TV fans! After watching the CW’s Supernatural season 15 episode 3, I realized that sacrifice is never easy, but sometimes it is necessary. Would you let the world die so that someone else could live or would you be able to make the impossible choice that Sam Winchester is left with? Please note MAJOR spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet.

In last night’s episode, “The Rupture,” the team works together to retrieve Lilith’s horn to summon the souls back to hell, but not everything goes according to plan. Meanwhile, a sacrifice is made that reminds us that we are coming to the end, but what does it mean for the fate of our remaining characters? My top 5 moments from Supernatural season 15 episode 3 are:

“Go team!”

In the beginning of the episode, Rowena tries another ritual to cast the souls back to hell, but it doesn’t work. Rowena says that they are all going to die and that no magic can stop it. Dean insists that they try and come up with another plan and it seems like Belphegor has an idea with potential.

Belphegor explains that Lilith had a horn to summon all of the souls at once as a measure of last resort, but that it is probably locked away somewhere in hell. At this point, no one else has another suggestion, so it’s time for the team to get to work.

“Not at any price…”

Ketch is still recovering in the hospital, but he is anxious to return to his friends. We know that Ketch was hired to track down Belphegor by a demon named Ardat and she certainly makes her presence known now. Ardat threatens Ketch and demands that he give up his friends, but Ketch has this moment of redemption.

The old Ketch would have given them up to save himself, but he remains loyal and true. Ardat rips out Ketch’s heart and leaves him there to die, but we know that not everyone is going to make it on the last season of SPN. Either way, I’m glad that he did the right thing in the end. RIP Ketch.

“You’re an abomination…”

Castiel is forced to join Belphegor in hell to track down Lilith’s horn, but he is not exactly pleased about it. Belphegor claims he wants to be friends, but Castiel cannot bear to look at him wearing Jack’s body like a suit. Castiel tells Belphegor that he is an abomination, but proves to be quite useful when it comes to opening up the box to retrieve the horn. Nice singing, Cass!

Ardat attempts to break up the party, but is eliminated. However, she warns Castiel that Belphegor is trying to claim the throne of hell for himself. Belphegor’s true motives are revealed, explaining that he wants to absorb all the souls so that he can become a god. After all, there is a vacancy for that position.

Castiel is able to stop him in time, but Belphegor clearly does some damage when he pretends to be Jack one last time. Castiel recognizes the lie and destroys Belphegor, but it broke his heart to do so. Will Castiel be able to recover from this or is he too far gone now? I can’t bear to see him apart from the Winchesters, but he may need to find his sense of worth on his own. We need you Cass!

“It has to be you.”

SPN is not holding anything back for the final season, as Rowena suddenly realizes that “death is an infinite vessel.” She explains to Sam that she can absorb all the souls and bring them back to hell, but her death will seal the spell. Sam tells her that there has to be another way, but that pesky prophecy comes back up, as Rowena reminds him that he will need to be the one to kill her.

Sam and Rowena have grown very fond of one another and this moment was beyond heartbreaking, as Sam kills Rowena to save them all. Rowena absorbs the souls and says goodbye to her boys before she enters into the rift, which had me crying my eyes out.

Rowena has been one of my absolute favorite characters, but I thought that she also found redemption here. The witch who used to look out for her own interests truly discovered her purpose and this moment with Sam reminded her that she did have a family in the end.

Farewell Rowena. I will miss you so much!

“I don’t think there’s anything left to say…”

After this incredibly heartbreaking moment, Sam and Dean return to the bunker. Sam is dealing with his grief and Dean reminds him that they did it. Dean and Castiel have an argument and Castiel feels like Dean is still blaming him for Mary’s death. There has been a distance between these two for quite a while, but Castiel decides that it’s time for him to move on now.

Where will Castiel go? Is there a way for him and Dean to resolve their differences? I hope so because I can’t bear to see him separated from Sam and Dean. Castiel reminds Dean that he has Sam, but I have always looked at them all as a family and I can’t bear to see them apart. Let’s hope this gets resolved! Stay tuned SPN family!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Supernatural in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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The Dreaming of Wonderland Book Series is available here!

Free Instant Preview of The Search for Alice is available here!

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Do you love horror series? Of course you do! Please also check out 12 Nights of Horror Series Coming Soon. It’s your home for everything you need to know about new and returning horror television series including new trailers, premiere dates, reviews, recaps, and renewals!

Ranking the top 5 moments from “Riverdale” Season 4 Episode 3: Saved by the Bobby Pin!

Happy Wednesday TV fans! After watching the CW’s Riverdale season 4 episode 3, I realized that change is not necessarily a bad thing. But what happens when new threats emerge because of this change? Is it truly possible to earn a clean slate with so many buried secrets? Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet.

In last night’s episode, “Chapter Sixty: Dog Day Afternoon,” Jughead adjusts to life at Stonewall Prep, but a new rival doesn’t make it easy for him. Meanwhile, Edgar calls Betty, but she’s ready for the final showdown. My top 5 moments from Riverdale season 4 episode 3 are:

“I’ll take those odds.”

In this episode, Archie decides that he wants to turn the gym into a community center where kids can go, especially after Munroe’s (Mad Dog) little brother gets caught up with a gang down at the arcade. I feel like they could have picked a more threatening spot, but I’ll go with it for now. Veronica is willing to lend Archie the money he needs, but Archie wants to do things his way.

We get an enthusiastic car wash from the boys, but it doesn’t earn enough money. After Archie tries out being a vigilante, he ends up taking the money from the drug dealers down at the arcade, but it’s not like they can use that either.

Archie’s mother wants him to get out of Riverdale, but Veronica reminds her that she is willing to invest in her son, explaining that he can do so much good in town and I think she’s right. The community center is open and it looks like Mrs. Andrews will be sticking around for a while after all.

“You will do as you’re told. Nothing more. Nothing less.”

Even though we get a brief intimate moment between Choni, Cheryl continues to have her chats with dead Jason, which just gets creepier and creepier. After Nana Rose starts to have some trouble with reality as well, Toni decides to hire a night nurse, Darius. Cheryl channels her best impression of Beauty and the Beast by telling him that he is forbidden from entering certain areas of the estate, desperate to keep Jason a secret.

Cheryl thinks that someone moved Jason and decides to fire Darius after she discovers that he was in the basement, claiming he heard rats. It looks like Darius was on to something, as Cheryl finds one of the rats inside Jason’s stomach, which instantly made my skin crawl.

The cat, or the rat, is out of the bag, as Toni finally stumbles upon Jason. Cheryl actually handles this surprisingly well, asking if Toni has ever met Jason before.

Will Toni be able to bring Cheryl back to reality? Let’s hope so!

“Blood doesn’t wash out…”

Hiram somehow finds out that Veronica is thinking of changing her name and decides to pay her a visit. He may be in jail, but he owns that jail, which apparently means he can come and go whenever he pleases? I’ll leave that one alone, but Hiram decides to tell Veronica the story about how he created the Hiram Lodge name, explaining that his name used to be Luna.

Hiram tells Veronica that changing her name will not wash out her past sins, but Veronica decides to go through with it anyway. Only she won’t be changing her name to Veronica Gomez, she will now be known as Veronica Luna, which clearly infuriates her father.

Will Veronica Luna be able to start fresh or will her Lodge past continue to get in her way?

“You need to buy us time!”

After Charles sends in an undercover agent to deliver pizza at the Farm, things go horribly wrong and Edgar decides to get on the phone. Only he seems to be more interested in calling Betty directly with his list of demands.

Under Charles’s instruction, Betty asks Edgar to release some hostages and poor Polly shows up with a bomb. Edgar has removed the pin on the dead man’s switch and the timer is counting down pretty quickly, but Betty’s bobby pin comes to the rescue, as she saves the day. Go Betty!

Betty decides to get Edgar his list of demands since she knows people and shows up at his front door, ready to end this once and for all, but she is clearly outnumbered and is knocked unconscious before anything too major can happen.

“Edgar ascended…”

When Betty wakes up, she is held hostage with Alice in a motel room. So good to see you Alice! We get an impressive mother-daughter tag team, as these Cooper ladies show us what they are made of. Betty works on trying to get the innocent Farmies on the bus, while her mother goes after Edgar.

Apparently Edgar wants to get on his recently built rocket, but Alice has other plans for him. After a gunshot is heard, Betty panics, but Alice is able to eliminate Edgar once and for all. At least I think so. You never know on Riverdale! It looks like this Farm cult story has wrapped itself up neatly, but I’m slightly confused on Edgar’s behavior in this episode.

Part of what made Edgar so intriguing was that he kept his cool and used manipulation to get what he wanted, but he almost seemed like a loose cannon in this episode. I’m not sure if there are some holes in that plot or if the writers were just done with his story, but I was slightly disappointed with this outcome.

Either way, I’m glad to see that both Betty and Alice are all right. So I guess it’s on to the next mystery, as Betty and Jughead get some kind of tape delivered to them at their doorstep. Is this a warning or a threat? I’m not sure, but we’ll have to see how this all links to Jughead’s future disappearance. Stay tuned!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Riverdale in the comments section below. Thank you so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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The Dreaming of Wonderland Book Series is available here!

Free Instant Preview of The Search for Alice is available here!

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My Ship of the week ending 10/19/19 on TV goes to…

Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones on The CW’s Riverdale season 4. There’s just something about Bughead that makes your heart skip a beat.

While both Bughead and Varchie had some passionate and fiery moments in season 4 episode 2, Bughead takes the crown for me because they have a bond that transcends all of that, understanding what it truly means to give up everything to do what is best for your partner. Please note some spoilers are ahead if you are not up-to-date on the series.

In a lot of ways, Betty and Jughead are ahead of their time. There is a maturity and friendship to their relationship and they really make you think past the temporary moments of passion. Sure, we love seeing these swoon-worthy parts, but I really enjoy witnessing Betty and Jughead’s selfless moments together even more.

They won’t have an easy year ahead of them, but Betty understands Jughead’s talent and potential and she reminds him that they can get through anything together, which was really inspiring and heartwarming to hear.

Betty and Jughead aren’t perfect by any means. In fact, I think that both of them have kept their fair share of secrets, but season 4 is really allowing them to flourish. In a lot of ways, they have moved past their prior mistakes and now they are truly grateful for one another, understanding what really matters in the end…being together.

There doesn’t need to be some epic moment between them because of all of their small moments together make them stand out that much more. They resemble a real and stable relationship and while I am worried about their future fate now that they will be separated, I have faith in these two no matter what.

Betty and Jughead are both strong characters individually and when they are together, they compliment each other so well and I love seeing them team up for mysteries.

My favorite moment of the episode was during English class when Betty pulled Jughead out in the hallway to tell him to go to Stonewall, reminding him that they are always together. Betty wants what is best for Jughead and I know that he would do the same for her.

What’s next for Bughead? We’ll have to wait and see, but I am anxious to find out more about Jughead’s disappearance in the future. Betty is my go to girl to solve the case, so I know that she will not stop until she finds him, but I am starting to wonder more about what led them to this separate path.

Long distance relationships are never easy, but I know that Betty and Jughead will do everything in their power to stay together. The King and Queen of the Serpents deserve every bit of happiness, but I have a feeling that someone might try and get in their way. These two are stronger together, but I am not underestimating either of them and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

I’m always rooting for these two and I would love to see some more screen time for both of them, especially since we know that they will really need to work at putting in some quality time together.

What are YOUR thoughts on Bughead? A dynamic duo or on the outs?

Stay tuned for a recognized Ship on TV each week!

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In honor of the release of Book 3, ALL 3 books of the Dreaming of Wonderland Series are FREE for a limited time! (10/16-10/20) You can read now or recommend to someone who might enjoy at:

The Dreaming of Wonderland Book Series is available here!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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Have a Ship that you think is absolutely swoon-worthy? Feel free to contact me with your nomination for the week by Friday at midnight!

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Ranking the top 5 moments from the “Supernatural” Season 15 Episode 1 Season Premiere: “Back and to the Future”

Happy Friday TV fans! After watching the CW’s Supernatural season 15 episode 1 season premiere, I realized that we’re coming to the end of the road for the Winchester brothers, but how will it all end? I mean, “What’s one more apocalypse, right?” Will Sam and Dean drive off into the sunset together or is there one final battle still coming? I can’t wait to find out! Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet.

In last night’s episode, “Back and to the Future,” Sam, Dean, and Castiel face off against an overwhelmingly large group of the undead. The souls of hell have been freed and they are looking to inhabit the nearest bodies, but some of them seem to be pickier than others. Meanwhile, Sam and Dean are forced to work with a demon, as some familiar ghosts begin to wreak havoc in town. My top 5 moments from Supernatural season 15 episode 1 season premiere are:

“Welcome to the end…what did that mean?”

An excellent question for sure, as we start off the season premiere exactly where we left off. Chuck/God is out and he leaves the Winchester brothers and Castiel to fight off the undead. Our favorite heroes are outnumbered for sure, but they are able to get to a nearby mausoleum, barricading the door. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they are out of the woods just yet though…

“It’s not Jack…”

For all of you Jack fans (me included), fear not! Even though Jack appears to be gone, a demon decides to set up shop in his body and even sports some nice new shades since Jack’s eyes were burned right out of him. Castiel is beyond upset and wants him to get out of Jack as quickly as possible, but the demon offers to help the Winchesters out, claiming that he likes hell the way it is.

While I’m not sure that he can be trusted, they hilariously refer to him as “Crowley Junior” and Jack’s got a new attitude, but it’s probably only a matter of time before he turns on Castiel and the Winchester brothers.

“If she’s back, then they’re all back…”

Sam and Dean run into quite a few familiar faces…only they’re ghosts and it looks like a lot of this season may involve them trying to eliminate past foes that they killed previously. A lot of these spirits will most likely have vengeance on their minds, but some of them just want to have fun, tormenting several people in town, which forces Sam and Dean to get creative about evacuating everyone.

This is only going to last for a little while; however, so they better come up with something else fast even though the demon’s spell seems to work for now, creating some kind of barrier, trapping the spirits where they are. Either way, I thought this was a fun and clever way to allow fans the chance to see the Winchesters face some of the more popular villains again and I can’t wait to see who else shows up!

“Did you fix it?”

As a reminder, a bullet did hit Sam in the fight against Chuck/God during the season 14 finale, but it looks like there is something strange going on with the wound. It has no exit and Castiel tries to heal him, but explains that there is some kind of energy he has never felt before surrounding it. What exactly does this mean for Sam’s fate? We’ll have to wait and see, but I’m hoping that they can figure out a way to heal him soon. We need you, Sam!

“You and me vs. every soul in hell. I like those odds.”

Toward the end of the episode, Dean feels frustrated and asks Sam what it all meant, feeling almost like a rat trapped in Chuck’s maze. Sam reminds him that they saved so many people and that it did matter. Dean doesn’t seem completely convinced, but Sam also explains that Chuck/God is gone and that “it’s just us.”

After they figure out everything and stop the newest apocalypse, they are basically free. Dean is on board and they say that they have work to do, but it will definitely be interesting to see where their last journey leads them.

Will the Winchesters be able to earn true freedom or is this the end of the road for them? It will be a bitter sweet ending for sure and I’m not sure that I’m ready to say goodbye just yet, but I’m looking forward to exploring the road ahead and I can’t wait to see what happens next. Stay tuned SPN family!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Supernatural in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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The Dreaming of Wonderland Book Series is available here!

Free Instant Preview of The Search for Alice is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Nancy Drew” Series Premiere on the CW: “Maybe more horror and less mystery?”

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“Mysteries were everywhere and I loved solving them.”

Your favorite amateur sleuth is getting her own show, but it seems like this Nancy Drew is darker and more mature, but can she measure up to the competition? The series premiere of Nancy Drew aired on the CW on October 9th 2019. The show will run weekly episodes and it comes on directly after Riverdale. Know your audience, right?

The show stars Kennedy McMann, Tunji Kasim, Leah Lewis, and Scott Wolf. Nancy Drew makes reference to how she started solving mysteries at a young age, paying tribute to the book series character we all know and love. However, after tragically losing her mother, Nancy Drew is all grown up and it seems like she wants to stay away from mysteries and ghosts, but it doesn’t look like they are ready to let her go just yet.

Nancy Drew has a lot of competition, especially since other shows like Riverdale, Veronica Mars, and Stranger Things all have a captivating female lead who likes to solve mysteries, but where does that leave the girl who started it all? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Nancy Drew CW Premiere 1 — Images courtesy of The CW

True respect for the original character.

Nancy Drew was the first book series I fell in love with and I lost myself in the mysteries again and again. I have seen several movie interpretations and I appreciate that this show is trying to do something different, but I also respected the clever Easter eggs thrown into the mix, including our girl Nancy investigating with the infamous flashlight.

Some potential for the new Scoobies.

I am still sorting out who is who and I’m not sure how I feel about Nancy’s friends just yet, but I like that they all want to help out. I always loved “The Scoobies” on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, reminding us that you don’t have to be the obvious hero to make a difference and save the day, so I think this could be the start of something really fun and nostalgic.

The supernatural horror elements are genuinely scary!

If you know anything about Nancy Drew, you know that even though you get your fair share of ghostly mysteries, there is always some kind of rational explanation to bring us back to the real world. Even this Nancy reminds us in the beginning of the show that she doesn’t believe in ghosts and yet there is this very real ghost story going on, which has captured my full attention.

I expected this show to be more focused on teenage drama with mystery sprinkled in, but I was genuinely surprised by the supernatural horror aspect and I think this might be something that can help Nancy Drew create a voice of its own separate from Riverdale. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina comes to mind, but so far they are doing much better with that deliciously dark component, but that doesn’t mean that Nancy Drew can’t step up to the plate too. More horror please!

The Cons:

Nancy Drew CW Premiere 2 — Images courtesy of The CW

I can’t get a real read on Nancy yet.

Part of the reason why I like characters like Betty Cooper, Veronica Mars, and Nancy Wheeler is that they channel Nancy Drew while having this magnetic spark that really draws you in to their character. I’m missing something with Nancy Drew so far and while I get that she is dealing with her grief and seems closed off, I haven’t connected with her at all yet and that could be a problem. I’m only one episode in so I hope to get some more layers soon, but I want to ignite a fire within Nancy as soon as possible.

Forcing a ship.

Part of the way I fall in love with a ship, is that I see the progression of their relationship that leads to some epic moment between them that cannot be ignored. We dive into this relationship between Nancy and Nick (Ned Nickerson) and I just don’t feel the chemistry yet. I want to see some real moments between them leading up to something, rather than these bits and pieces that are being forced upon me.

The actual mystery is just kind of blah…

A dead body shows up and Nancy Drew is on the case, but there is nothing really unique or special about the murder and Nancy’s process to discover the clues seems very by the numbers and uninspiring. That being said, the mystery surrounding this ghost story and her parents might be the real winner, but I still want Nancy to surprise me and invest me in her other mysteries. Maybe she should call Betty Cooper up for some advice on this…

So am I in or out?

Nancy Drew CW Premiere 3 — Images courtesy of The CW

As of right now, it’s about 50/50 for me. The show isn’t necessarily bad, but there’s nothing that magnetic or special about it just yet. I feel like right now it is in the shadow of its competition and it needs to do something spectacular to pave its own way. Maybe that’s the horror element I mentioned earlier, which has a lot of chilling potential.

I plan on giving the show another two episodes to really get a feel for it, but I’m hoping for some kind of a spark here. Out of every new Fall show premiering, this is the show I was really looking forward to and perhaps I set my expectations too high, but I’m keeping an open mind for now.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Nancy Drew in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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The Dreaming of Wonderland Book Series is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Two Sentence Horror Stories” on The CW: An Eerie Delight

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

Sometimes less is more and Two Sentence Horror Stories delivers with its short episodes, bringing us just the right amount of unnerving moments for these compelling female protagonists. Real life horror lurks in the shadows, seeping into our doubts, which creates a unique take on psychological horror, while touching on social concerns seamlessly. If you are looking for some chilling fun with some terrifying twists, you are in the right place!

Two Sentence Horror Stories is a horror anthology series based on the popular fan-fiction that emerged on Reddit. Each episode is about 30 minutes in length and follows a different creepy story, somewhat similar to the approach of Hulu’s Into the Dark and The Twilight Zone reboot on CBS All Access.

The series will feature 8 episodes for season 1 and the first 2 episodes premiered on The CW on August 8th 2019. While I have been underwhelmed by some of the other horror anthology series currently airing, Two Sentence Horror Stories genuinely surprised me and captured my undivided attention, but will the rest of the episodes be able to measure up? I’m hoping so!

The Pros:

Two sentence 6 — Images courtesy of The CW

Genuinely satisfying twists.

I don’t know about you, but I love playing Nancy Drew when it comes to figuring out any type of mystery and I have to say that both episodes kept me guessing. The reveals were shocking and unsettling.

Strong female protagonists.

These interesting female characters will immediately draw you in. I absolutely love that the majority of the episodes will feature women of color and I really thought that the performances were believable and spot on. There are so many real life dangers that women have to face and this series has successfully brought some of these social concerns to light without hitting you over the head with them like some other series.

The episodes are the perfect length and really pay tribute to where Two Sentence Horror Stories originated.

I mean, it would probably be silly to have a series based on horror stories consisting of two sentences airing for an hour, but is 30 minutes enough time to truly make an impact? Yes! While I have been previously bored by some other horror anthology series, I really appreciated the short length of the episodes of Two Sentence Horror Stories. The creepy background music and the simplicity of it all just works somehow and it doesn’t drag anything out.

I also love that each episode starts off with the first sentence of the horror story and then once the twist is revealed, it ends with the second sentence, really reminding you what this show is based on and proving that something genuinely terrifying and unique doesn’t have to be long and drawn out.

The Cons:

Two sentence 7 — Images courtesy of The CW

Maybe not the type of horror you are expecting.

I honestly really can’t come up with a con for this series yet, as both episode 1 (Gentleman) and episode 2 (Squirm) deliver. The only thing I would say is if you are expecting something supernatural or a slasher gory massacre, this is not for you. It has more of a dark psychological vibe, but the real life terror works just as effectively in my opinion. We’ll have to see if the remaining 6 episodes can hold up to the first 2, but I have high expectations now.

So am I in or out?

I am in 100 percent! I have to admit that I didn’t really expect much going into this series. The CW added it to the summer line-up, which made me hesitate slightly, but I am so glad that I gave this series a chance because it is unique, smart, and scary! I can’t wait to watch the next episodes and I definitely recommend it!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Two Sentence Horror Stories in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

[twitter-follow screen_name=’TV_Fanatic_Girl’]

The Dreaming of Wonderland Book Series is available here!

Free Instant Preview of The Search for Alice is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

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