Nancy Drew: Every Main Character On The Teen Drama, Ranked

People who grew up reading the Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene are always drawn to the titular teen detective. There’s just something about her relentless curiosity and her wish to find the truth and make things right. Now that the CW has its own Nancy Drew TV series, fans can check in with the popular character every week. There will be 22 episodes in the first season, and the show is getting a Season 2.

Since no TV show can captivate audiences weekly without solid characters, let’s take a look at how these fictional people stack up. Here is every main character on the teen drama Nancy Drew, ranked.

10 Tiffany Hudson

Since Tiffany Hudson’s (Sinead Curry) death is at the center of the first season of Nancy Drew, it’s necessary for this character to be interesting, magnetic, and memorable. Unfortunately, Tiffany Hudson feels like yet another wealthy socialite who doesn’t have much character development.

With all of the sleuthing going on and the supernatural element of each episode, it’s actually easy to forget that Tiffany’s passing is what got Nancy and her friends interested in solving a mystery together in the first place. Tiffany just doesn’t have a lot of personality.

9 Detective Karen Hart

Detective Karen Hart (Alvina August) seems to be on the show for two reasons: she is a contrast to Nancy since she’s actually working as a professional sleuth, and she’s in a relationship with Nancy’s dad, Carson Drew (Scott Wolf).

The character doesn’t add much to the show, and since Karen never says very much, it feels tough to get a handle on who she is. She’s ranked as number nine on this list of Nancy Drew characters for that reason. Perhaps fans will see more of her in the coming episodes.

8 Chief E.O. McGinnis

Adam Beach’s character on Nancy Drew is ranked at number eight as, similar to the police on Pretty Little Liars, he seems to have a bone to pick with Nancy Drew and her friends. From the pilot, he makes it super obvious that he thinks they’re bad news.

It’s tough to like McGinnis as it’s strange that he has such a problem with the other characters, but hey, he’s trying to do his job and solve cases. It’s not a good look for him that Nancy can’t stop doing that… but he’s still not the greatest.

7 Ryan Hudson

Ryan Hudson (Riley Smith) isn’t very likable, either, which makes sense since as soon as he’s introduced, fans aren’t sure if he killed his wife Tiffany or not.

Rich characters who get their way are definitely a dime a dozen on TV dramas, so Ryan isn’t bringing a lot of new elements here. But since he’s connected to the mystery at the heart of the first season, and since he and George were having a secret affair, there’s a little bit of interest there.

6 Ned “Nick” Nickerson

Ned (Tunji Kasim) and Nancy have a rocky relationship in the first season of Nancy Drew. Things start out great between them but once she learns that he committed a crime, she starts to wonder what’s really going on.

Ned is ranked at number six on this list because it sometimes feels like the show doesn’t give him enough material. He can be really sweet and vulnerable at times and at others, he just feels like yet another character standing there, not contributing a ton to the mystery at hand.

5 Ace

Ace (Alex Saxon) is ranked at number five on this list as he has his good qualities but is also a bit of a “middle of the road” character. On the one hand, he’s a kind person who clearly cares about Nancy and the rest of the coworkers at the Claw. On the other, he doesn’t always say a lot, although he does seem like someone who is keeping a secret when fans learn that he once dated Tiffany’s sister, Laura Tandy (Stevie Lynn Jones).

When Ace is in a car accident that results in him falling into a coma, this is a big, emotional moment that makes Nancy, Bess and the gang realize that this is serious and it’s not all ghosts, fun and games. This storyline brings a bit more to Ace’s character, and the show wouldn’t be as strong without his presence, as he’s got a good sense of humor. And he’s a good friend to Bess.

4 Carson Drew

Nancy’s dad Carson Drew is ranked at number four as he’s a solid character. A sweet father and a devoted husband to his late wife, Katherine, Carson seems like a typical parent at first: worried about his young adult kid and trying to work and do his best to support his family.

As the episodes have progressed, it has become clear that Carson is hiding at least one massive secret, and he might have done some sketchy things with good intentions. This makes him much more compelling. For instance, the revelation that he was helping the wealthy Hudson family cover things up, and that they even paid him $50,000, makes it clear that he’s a character to watch. There’s even the question of whether Carson murdered Lucy Sable, and while fans don’t want that to be true, it adds another element of mystery to him.

3 Bess Marvin

Bess Marvin (Maddison Jaizani) is the third-best character on Nancy Drew. At first, she acts like she’s a member of the super rich Marvin clan and has been living with her aunt, but it turns out that she just thinks she’s a Marvin and that’s why she moved to Horseshoe Bay.

Bess may look prim and proper but she can search for meaning and clues with the best of them. One interesting part of the first season is seeing how nervous and vulnerable Bess is before her first date with Lisbeth (Katie Findlay). When Lisbeth turns out to be an undercover cop, Bess has to adapt. She’s a sweet person whose love for fashion and beauty brings some comic relief ⁠— like when she’s trying to say that an important person came into the Claw and she focuses on how bad her nail polish was.

2 Nancy Drew

Since Nancy Drew (Kennedy McMann) is the main character, it would make sense if she was number one on this list, but she’s actually ranked at number two. While Nancy is still the charming and popular teen detective that she has always been, there is another main character who has a bit more personality.

Nancy is still awesome, though, and she’s as good at solving mysteries as ever. She mentions that she cracked her first case at the age of 12 when she found a missing girl (“behind a hidden staircase” which is also part of the title of the second book), and she’s always impressive.

1 George Fan

George is, hands down, the very best character on Nancy Drew. Played by Leah Lewis, she’s tough, hilarious, and can do anything. She operates the Claw restaurant and always makes sure that everything is running smoothly.

She’s such a compelling character because she juggles a lot in her personal/family life. George takes care of her younger sister, Ted, while dealing with her mom, who tends to drink too much but whose connection to the supernatural world comes in handy for George and her friends. Sure, Nancy might be the star sleuth, but without George, the show would feel pretty empty.

About The Author

Aya Tsintziras
(1742 Articles Published)

Aya Tsintziras is a freelance writer who writes about pop culture and TV. She has a Political Science degree from the University of Toronto and a Masters of Journalism from Ryerson University. She loves coffee, reading, working out, and watching TV. She lives in Toronto with her husband.

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