Kennedy McMann On 'Nancy Drew's Second Season: 'Taking It To The Extreme'

(CBS)- America's favorite super sleuth is back as season two of Nancy Drew kicks off tonight at 9/8c on The CW. Nancy Drew star Kennedy McMann returns as the show's title character along with most of the cast from the program's successful first chapter.

CBS' Matt Weiss spoke McMann about her love of literature, filming during the pandemic and hitting the show's stride in season two.

MW: Hey there Kennedy! Nancy Drew, season two, kicking off tonight but before we get into that I'm sure it was a very different experience filming this chapter compared to the first season. Can you go into that process and what it was like with all the protocols and social distancing and everything it took to really make this happen?

KM: Yeah, there was a time during the summer I wasn't sure if we were going to be able to make it work. Now that we have it's been a huge relief. The protocols have definitely changed some things but for the most part it's as normal as it could be.

Once the cameras are rolling things are pretty normal, but it's all the stuff that happens behind the scenes. We're all very used to getting our noses swabbed and communicating through the eyes.

MW: Yeah, people I've spoken to on other shows, they're like, I don't even know what a lot of the crew looks like because I've never seen their face before.

KM: We have a lot of the same crew from season one, which is nice, there's a basis there. Anytime from far away if somebody is like going off to have a drink of water from 15 feet away, you're like, hey you have such a nice-looking face. [laughs]

MW: I think we can relate to that. So now we're in season two, how much more familiar did you feel coming in compared to season one?

KM: It was so nice. It felt like I actually had my feet under me. I think that all of all the actors have sort of found their characters and found a sweet spot. For me too it was a comfort from a technical aspect of doing my job. When we started filming season one, I had spent maybe 10 days on the set before we filmed the pilot.

I was so new, not to acting, but to television work. I think I was doing so much learning in the first season just from a technical aspect of things. It was really nice to come into season two and be like, now I can just focus on my work, my acting and stuff. It's been really great.

MW: Had you read any Nancy Drew before this? Were you a fan coming into it?

KM: Oh yeah, for sure. My mom was a bookseller when I was a kid and she's an author now. Nancy was always very much on the docket for literature in our household. I've always been a big fan. Actually, to be here and playing the role is a bit surreal.

MW: You get it then because there's such a big passionate fan base built into it. I'm sure you get responses from people all the time who tell you what a big part of their lives these books are.

KM: Yeah, those are the best messages ever. Anybody that has been a fan before our show and has enjoyed our version that's just the best messages to get. The best we could ask for.

MW: Very cool. So now where are we picking up tonight?

KM: We are picking up one hour after the season one finale. We're right back in it. Everybody still reeling over the death visions that they saw from Blake and kind of realizing that there's no more playing around. We really have to figure out how to save ourselves before she kills us all.

MW: Last question before I let you go here, so that's the first episode, but season two as a whole, what can fans expect?

KM: Yeah, there's a whole lot of fun packed into this season. There's a lot of mini-mysteries along the way that I think take the Drew Crew on some very goofy adventures. There's also a really serious through line about Nancy and her identity and coming to terms with all of the things that have happened in the past couple months of her life, we're kind of taking it to the extreme. It gets very, very, very good. I wish I could spoil it all, but I can't.

MW: No, please tell me everything. [laughs]

KM: [Laughs] Maybe next time.

MW: Alright, good deal. Thank you so much all the best with the new premiere and everything going forward!

KM: Thanks very much!

Tune in for new episodes of Nancy Drew Wednesdays at 9/8c on The CW. Check your local listings for more information.