Feature Story
Kennedy McMann is in the rare position of ending one series run while possibly starting another.
The actress begins the end of her tenure as television’s “Nancy Drew” when the supernatural-infused show — inspired by the longpopular franchise of young adult mystery novels written under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene — returns for its fourth and final season Wednesday, May 31, on The CW.
Though ABC hadn’t yet announced its fall schedule at press time, McMann has had a potential series in the works there: “The Good Lawyer,” which was previewed in a March episode of “The Good Doctor.”
“It was definitely emotional,” the pleasant McMann recalls of bringing the filming of “Nancy Drew” to an end last December. “I think we were so fortunate to know in time to write a proper ending. That is a really unique thing in network TV these days.”
“Things are savage out there,” McMann notes, “and the fact that we got the opportunity as a cast to know that this was our final arc … a lot of our crew worked with us for all four seasons, and it was great for them to have that notice to know that they could move on to something else. It really allowed everybody to soak it in, and the finale episode is really a sentimental, lovely sendoff to these characters and their world. I think the fans will be really satisfied.”
That final episode is slated to air Aug. 23, but before “Nancy Drew” gets there, the title sleuth and her allies have another puzzle to solve. When bodies vanish from the local cemetery, Nancy and her “Drew Crew” have to determine whether someone dug them up — or if they left under their own power. Nancy also gets a new love interest who displeases many of those close to her, particularly her sometimes boyfriend Ace (Alex Saxon, “The Fosters”). Scott Wolf (“The Night Shift”), Leah Lewis (“The Half of It,” 2020), Maddison Jaizani (“Into the Badlands”), Tunji Kasim (“Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story”) and Riley Smith (“Frequency”) are among other cast regulars wrapping up their roles.
“I think Horseshoe Bay, as a town, has always been a character in the series,” McMann reasons, “and in this season, that’s more so than ever. The sins of the past are a massive part of this final arc, and we get to watch the characters really parse through history and their ancestors, and find justice for generations of people. And as usual, there’s a spookyooky creature of sorts, and I think people will really enjoy the horror element of this.”
Still, “Nancy Drew” has been revered by many fans for its exploration of Nancy’s psychology, much of that sparked by her psyche … encompassing the loss of her mother, plus her father’s identity.
“It was a collaborative effort, of course, but it was such a pleasure to get to play her for this long,” McMann says, adding that “we were the longest-running (screen) version of Nancy.” Bonita Granville (“Now, Voyager,” 1942), Tracy Ryan (“Young Drunk Punk”), Pamela Sue Martin (“Dynasty”), Maggie Lawson (“Psych”) and Emma Roberts (“Scream Queens”) were among the actresses who had the part in earlier movie or television versions.
“I’m really thrilled with what we were able to do in terms of humanizing this heroic character,” McMann says. “There was such a ‘perfect’ nature to her in her original iteration, and she was incredible, but something I think we were able to add to the canon was the complexity of her spirit. There’s a darkness that comes with dedicating your life to solving mysteries that have horrible consequences, and that’s been a meaningful contribution. I think that’s what storytelling is about, sharing intimate experiences and creating the ability for an audience to connect mentally and emotionally.”
As for “The Good Lawyer” — which had its pilot given another sampling via a “Good Doctor” repeat in April — McMann expressed satisfaction with its tryout run before ABC confirmed its fall season plans. She’s content with her initial performance as Joni DeGroot, an ambitious young attorney grappling with OCD (obsessivecompulsive disorder), a condition that has challenged McMann in her own life.
For McMann for now, though, it’s the beginning of the end for “Nancy Drew.”