In Which I Review Sleepy Hollow (4x13)

What is the fight against evil really about? It's about freedom. Evil is often talked about in abstracts but when you get down to the nitty gritty, evil is understood as a lack of freedom and lack of choice. Evil can be seen in tyranny and oppression. It's what the colonists fought for against King George and the English; it's what Ichabod, Abbie, Diana, and Molly are fighting for against Moloch, The Hidden One, and Dreyfus. All three major antagonists of Sleepy Hollow had dreams of not just unleashing Hell on Earth, but forcing the peoples of Earth to live under their harsh and unjust subjugation. The concept of freedom is often equally ephemeral but it certainly becomes concrete enough when it is threatened. In this week's episode, "Freedom," Crane and his partners fight to stop a mad tyrant from taking over America. Grab your soul and don't sell it to the devil and let's go! 

The real crux of the problem this week isn't the Four Horseman or even Ichabod's long standing feud with his son, Henry. It's the fact that the main villain, Malcolm Dreyfus, is immortal and cannot be killed by any means that Ichabod and his team have here on earth. The key words there, by the way, are here on earth. Enter: Hell and all its minions. Sleepy Hollow has never shied away from a good journey to the Underworld; both Ichabod and Abbie have had to escape Purgatory and--come to think of it--both had to escape the Catacombs of Death as well. The katabasis, a regular staple on the shows I review it would seem, serves a good narrative purpose in that it reveals information to the hero or heroine of which they were previously unaware and it is usually the jumping off point for the next phase in their journey, defeating the villain. All of this fits comfortably in the this week's episode as Ichabod and Lara--who very much wants to be seen as a separate individual from Molly--travel down to Hell to strike a deal with the Devil. Every TV show pictures Hell differently; some simply add a red filter to their previously established locales, some create an entire new set and feel, and some create a landscape that is equally familiar and foreign. Sleepy Hollow took this last route and I have to say it was effective; both Ichabod and Lara have experienced a very mundane sort of hell. A war zone and an orphanage are both hellish in their own ways and having Hell look differently for each person is a clever move and avoids a lot of the cliches the show could have gone with like fire and brimstone. The information revealed in the katabasis is obviously useful; the Devil is willing to strike a deal with Ichabod because while an Apocalypse would grant him more souls to torment, Dreyfus snaking his way out of a deal irks the Devil more. In return, Ichabod is given the Philosophers Stone which can magically harm Dreyfus and allows a bullet to kill him. It's all neat and orderly and, yes, rather spaghetti-to-the-wall which is in the wheelhouse of this show. The larger issue I'm having this week is not with any plot device but rather the future of the show.

Quite a few threads were left up in the air; Henry is still out there, hating his father and still the avatar of War. Lara left Columbia, officially the new Witness because of some time travel explanation that leaves Molly un-Witnessed. Jenny decides, off screen, to stay and be a part of them team permanently without telegraphing to the audience if this is satisfactory to her; Alex and Jake kiss in the heat of the moment (not that I actually care about these two) and, the biggest cliffhanger of them all, Ichabod sold his soul to the Devil to gain the Stone to kill Dreyfus. I'm not sure if the show is getting renewed--ratings are rather dismal--but if it's not, which I'm sure the writers would have suspected given that this season was a bit of a Hail Mary pass to begin with, then several of these storylines were clumsily executed. What was the point of making a Molly a Witness at all if she was going to serve no purpose as said Witness? The show could have made Lara the new Witness at the start, have her be a woman from the future to contrast Ichabod being a man out of time. What was the point of having Jake swoon over Jenny for several episodes before moving on to a new girl if he and Alex were to kiss and have stars in their eyes? What was the point of Henry coming back to life if he was going to do a rapid fire about face in character just because Ichabod drops the word "freedom" a few key times? The main point of this season of Sleepy Hollow was to prove to me--and the audience at large--that the show deserved to continue to exist. It certainly had moments where I could see its argument but overall it didn't succeed in making its case. These cliffhangers leave me with the impression that if Sleepy Hollow got a fifth season, it would be still another new show, an amalgamation of the previous seasons--a new Witness, Ichabod versus his son, a quirky love story between a tough girl and a sweet guy, and a new approach to procedural over mythology. Being charming only gets you so far; you must also have an aim and the logline "the war of good versus evil" can only be spun out here and there if each season is simply a new threat, a new evil, lather, rinse, repeat. Wars end and progress--definitive progress--must be made. Last year, after Abbie's death, I said I probably wouldn't be back but I here I am, another season finale. If the show returns, I'll be here, hoping that Sleepy Hollow can find its way back to the crazy, surprising, heartfelt, purposeful show I know it wants to be.

Miscellaneous Notes on Freedom

--All season Sleepy Hollow has been making fun of the Hamilton phenomenon. So, naturally, they open with Ichabod and Henry having a duel. I half expected a "10 Duel Commandments" reference to be made.

--#RevelationsIsTrue

--The scene in which Ichabod and Lara's journey to Hell was interrupted by a cable technician was classic Sleepy Hollow. I especially enjoyed that having to reschedule his internet hookup to some vague three weeks in the future between the hours of 8am-9pm was "the torments of the damned have already begun."

--If the show does return it can benefit from trimming the excess, meaning specifically Alex and Jake. No offense to their actors but neither one of their characters offers this show anything new or interesting.

--"Is this hatred worth sacrificing your freedom?" I'm always glad when the show works in John Noble but the idea that freedom meant more to Henry than taking down his hated father seemed pretty out of character. He was, after all, more than happy to be Moloch's plaything.

--"I have traveled back from Purgatory, the Catacombs....and New Jersey."

--If this is goodbye, then thank you all for reading. If not, see you next year!

In Which I Review Sleepy Hollow (4x12)

When push comes to shove, never ever listen to the recently animated and reborn jar of black goo. I have often said it in my Sleepy Hollow reviews but I feel as though it has never been more appropriate than now in this week's episode, "Tomorrow": this show is written by throwing spaghetti at a wall and seeing what sticks. Just to recap we have time travel Molly, demon controlled Dreyfus, Zombie Hessians that are defeated by Greek Fire, the resurrected and much older son of our leading man, and glimpses of a dystopian future that seem eerily similar to our non dramatized present. If this really is the beginning of the final goodbye for Sleepy Hollow, then brava to the writers for going full on balls-to-the-wall crazy and running with the most absurd of plots. And hey, that's not a criticism. This episode was engaging, thoughtful, and actually really enjoyable. The fact that it's legitimately insane is just an added bonus at this point. Grab a bottle of black goo and let's go!

I'm not one hundred percent convinced that there is any higher analysis to be had here this week; granted, I've also thought that there was a lack of higher analysis for about a year and it hasn't stopped me from giving my opinions and thoughts on any passing episode. There are, however, really nice beats that perfectly align with previous emotional beats, the main thrust of it all being teamwork, a staple motif in the spaghetti platter that is Sleepy Hollow (the pasta sauce, if you want to really torture this metaphor). Whether it be Ichabod and Abbie, Ichabod and Diana, Ichabod and Molly, the sisters Mills, Jake and Alex, or any combination thereof, teamwork and ability for different people with various backgrounds, expertise, and views on life to work together to defeat evil has always held the show together. Ichabod couldn't do it on his own; Abbie and Jenny needed each other to move past their traumatic childhoods. Diana needed Ichabod and his presence in Molly's life for her daughter to realize her full potential. There are a lot of pairings-up this week and they all serve to highlight that it is the parts that make the whole. While Diana might think that Ichabod needs a totem in the form of a clothing or a picture, intuitive Molly can see that Diana is a loved one and its through her own mother that the second Witness can reach the first. Molly (or maybe we should call her Lara since Molly is once again her own being) is trying to hide her feelings behind a tough shell, but it's her own mother who gets to the root of the problem Molly has being back in the past; she's an angry scared little girl who lost her mother, her father, and her father figure in one fell swoop and had to rely on whatever came her way, even if it was Malcolm Dreyfus. It's only through Diana's understanding and compassion and letting Molly/Lara talk about those feelings that Molly/Lara is able to reconcile with her internal angst. For Ichabod, it's the presence of his other divine half--the other Witness--that saves him from being swallowed wholly by the Horseman of War. And off in Sleepy Hollow, Alex and Jake get to show how far they've come under Jenny's careful eye as they take out Zombie Hessians (I'm not making that up. Zombie Hessians, guys. Spaghetti meet wall). Even Malcolm and his demon friend Joeb fair better because they are working together; they might lose Ichabod as the Horseman of War but they gain another ally, someone who is eager to team up with those he likes. Welcome back, Henry Parrish (who will always be Walter Bishop to me); Henry isn't just looking for teamwork with Malcom and Joeb--in fact I'd say those two are more of a convenience rather than a sought after team. No, Henry is looking to take his place as the rightful Horseman of War. That's a match made right in the very bowels of Hell and Henry is eager and very willing to make his favorite partnership work. One team will win as the curtain closes on Sleepy Hollow, maybe for the final time.

Miscellaneous Thoughts on Tomorrow 

--In the alternate future Molly/Lara leaves, Jenny is a Resistance fighter. If anyone finds this shocking, you haven't been paying nearly enough attention.

--"The Riders will come." Straight up terrifying and outta the mouth of babes.

--I appreciate that the show references its own past, like finally giving the Horseman of Death his proper name (Abraham von Brunt) and mentioning Katrina's season two time travel spell.

--"Time travel sure does complicate verb tenses."

--"The only thing that matters is that your survived."

--"You and I. We are the Witnesses!" "Yes. We. Are."

In Which I Review Sleepy Hollow (4x11)

The mythology of Sleepy Hollow has always been deep, developed and, above all else, insane. When your show centers on a man coming back to life, the Horseman of the Apocalypse, and George Washington secretly leading a society of spies that attempt to stop the spread of evil, how could it be anything but deeply strange? However you have to give the show its due diligence when it manages to go still deeper four years after the initial pilot episode. Because one secret society was not enough this week's episode, "The Way of the Gun," introduced a cadet branch of the Masonic Order who sought to transform the world through the Four Horseman. Round and round we go, until we come back home. While much has changed on Sleepy Hollow since that beginning point, it's nice to know that this show hasn't completely forgotten from whence it came. If this is the end, let's go back to where it all began: the Horseman, the Apocalypse, and the coming of unrelenting evil. 

At this point, Sleepy Hollow reads a bit like a wanted advertisement: "Wanted: One Horseman of War; needs to cause chaos, exhibit malevolent traits, and does not necessarily need to get along with others. Will work in tandem with three other powerful beings who seek to destroy the world and create a new order. All applicants must submit their resume to Malcolm Dreyfus, internet billionaire and all around psycho." The clock is ticking down and in order for Malcolm Dreyfus to bring about his plans of worldly dominance, one more Horseman of the Apocalypse is required, specifically War.  However you have to question the intelligence of both Ichabod and Diana when they put their trust in a perfect stranger who shows up, robs the Archives, and clearly knows too much about all the supernatural goings on--which is why making Lara an aged up version of Molly was, admittedly, sorta brilliant. This whole time I've been complaining that Molly was too off to one the side; as a Witness, her role needed to be front and center, alongside Ichabod Crane but the show refused to make Molly anything other than a scared little girl who hid under her bed and let the adults handle the problem. Diana felt more like the Witness instead of Molly, in other words. The fact that this child-Witness grows up with our main villain as a father figure, in a future timeline, and becomes one of the reasons that Ichabod turns into the Horseman of War was a twist I did not see coming and I need to applaud the writers for it. It brings Molly into the action the only that would have been acceptable given that time travel has long been established as possible in this world. It's also strangely poetic. Two seasons ago, Ichabod struggled to save his own son, Henry, who was turned into the Horseman of War by the demonic version of Dreyfus (seriously, Molocoh and Malcolm would get on like a house on fire); now, in an effort to save his pseudo-daughter Molly, Ichabod becomes War. Again, wheels within wheels and circles within circles. With just a few episodes to go, it's no longer about saving just the world. It's about saving Ichabod Crane.

Miscellaneous Notes on The Way of the Gun

--I demand that for every child's play henceforth Ichabod Crane be in attendance.

--The perimeter alarms didn't go off until Lara/Molly was in the tunnels, but not when she literally stole a book off a shelf.

--The fight between Lara/Molly and Jenny was really well executed but also extra meaty once Lara's identity is revealed.

--So Ichabod isn't going to be War forever, right? That would be nonsense. Paging Henry Parrish!

--As of right now Sleepy Hollow has not been renewed and it's unlikely it will be given the poor ratings. There are two episodes to go before I can reflect on if this season was a success.

In Which I Review Sleepy Hollow (4x10)

What are you hungry for?Perhaps your answer is pizza but I was speaking in a more metaphorical manner. What do you crave? I personally desire a show with a cohesive narrative, interesting characters, and an overarching and involved mythology. It's a tall order but not impossible. This week's episode, "Insatiable," is all about cravings, the sort that feel like they can never be fulfilled. Sleepy Hollow produces a bunch of Tantaluss' and asks us to watch as the water continually recedes back and back and back. Whether those cravings are safety, catching the bad guy, harmony, love, a place to belong, or the flesh of the human sitting next to you on the Subway, Sleepy Hollow wants us to know that sometimes, you can't what you most want. Grab your steak knife and let's go!

First, a bit of a confession. I am finding it more and more difficult to review Sleepy Hollow. Lately my reviews read (to me) as lackluster, short, and without any real analysis. It's not lack of understanding but instead it comes from a rather by-the-book narrative that employs the same motifs, themes, and symbols it has always used. The monsters are less effective, the chemistry between the parties is less compelling, and the overall narrative is less gripping. This isn't to say that there aren't things to discuss but rather discussing them seems a chore instead of a pleasure. If season four is a reboot (which is absolutely is) then the reboot is failing to captivate its audience and provide reason to tune in week after week. With that out of the way, this episode did have a solid theme (if a bit rote) that was demonstrated across many of our characters. Several of our characters are desiring something that seems just out of reach; a hairsbreadth away from being attainable, these desires can drive people mad. Imagine seeing your goal, knowing it is right in front of you and not being able to reach it. For Alex, it's another person. Obviously Sleepy Hollow has decided that Alex's other trait--besides scientific skeptic--is liking Jake. It's not the strongest storyline and I wish Sleepy Hollow could have figured out a way to make Alex more likable and approachable without saddling her with an unrequited love story, but at least her story fits with the theme of the week. Jake, for his part, is oblivious, but that's Jake's other hallmark trait, isn't it? While he might be bookish and intelligent, he's unwise in the ways of people and picking up on interpersonal signs. Diana's story this week is both understandable but also grating (which might be another theme across the board this week). Of course Diana wants to protect her daughter; of course Molly is her first concern but her zealous "get Dreyfus at all costs" mentality costs her team. As Ichabod says, "we must always stay on the same page." Diana can't beat Dreyfus without the team and as much as she desires ending the threat to her daughter, it doesn't do to ignore the proper way to go about these matters, as a team with Ichabod, Jenny, and the two superfluous others. It's Jenny's story this week that has the most impact and that's largely thanks to our emotional connection to this Miss Mills. We already know that Jenny is a wanderer; she roams hither and tither and settling down in Sleepy Hollow was only because of Abbie and the mission there. Without those two things Miss Jenny is left adrift, craving her old life, a life of adventure in far off places, never having to settle down and get involved in the mundane life. Watching Jenny struggle between these two options--the settled and the floating--is far more compelling than the others this week because I'm invested in Jenny's decision. The show already lost one Mills; can it really lose another? The other question that naturally occurs with that one is whether or not Ichabod can survive the loss of another Mills. With all the desiring going on this week, it's rather telling that Ichabod has a full life. He has a team, a home, a mission, and is recovering from Abbie's loss. For Ichabod, "D.C. is shaping up to be home." If the reboot is sincerely working for anyone, it's Ichabod.

Miscellaneous Notes on Insatiable 

--Another point of criticism, but I remember when the monsters of the week had interesting and almost human backstories instead of just being drawn from obscure mythologies.

--A woman goes nuts and starts chowing down on passersby. This is witnessed by several D.C. residents yet is not commented upon or makes any sort of news. I know that D.C. is a dog-eat-dog world but surely even the most Frank Underwood-esque of politicians would note when one of their own eats another person.

--Dreyfus is creating new Horseman. That's actually quite cool given the past mythology of the show. Might Henry Parrish show back up? After all, he's the only Horseman of War I'd ever want to see.

--"Actually I'd go with smashing success."

--"I was a master at Rubik's Cube." "I have no idea what you just said"

--"Shamilton"

In Which I Review Sleepy Hollow (4x9)

Was it a smart move to make the new Witness a child? Several reviews ago I discussed how having Molly be a child, and quite a young child at that, was a staggering difference between her and the Witness who came before, Abbie. The latter had an independence and ferocity of spirit that was not directly tied to her Witnesshood but to being an adult. Molly lacks that; so far, when danger rears its ugly head, Molly has spirited away, hidding out of sight, waiting for the adults of Ichabod and Diana to save the day. It does little to prove that Molly has the same cosmic significance as Ichabod or even Abbie. Where the show used to be focused on two partners, it can feel that this is now the Ichabod Crane show. In this week's episode, "Child's Play,"  Molly is put front and center and we are asked to consider her status as a child as an asset and a strength, not a hindrance. Grab your favorite childhood toy and let's go!

There are perks to being a kid, not the least of which is an active imagination and the ability to create worlds and figures by simply believing you can. The best authors and artists likely had over active imaginations as children. As with adulthood, however, if there are perks, there are also pitfalls. Puberty isn't exactly fun; school is draining; you have little independence, no money, and are controlled by those older than you. Perhaps more obviously, parents have almost total control over your existence. The feelings toward one's parents can range from love and devotion (for providing the necessities of life) and anger and resentment (for the control, the restrictions, and the cloying clingyness). Molly, at the gentle age of 11, is going through all this plus dealing with a world that is suddenly full of monsters, demons, and the supernatural. Not to mention the whole cosmic destiny thing. Getting through the sixth grade is hard enough without wondering if you favorite imaginary friend is going to come to life and attack your mom. Molly's id, Mr. Stitch, has no motivation outside of what Molly's deep subconscious is feeding it--that dynamic of love and respect vs anger and resentment. The little girl loves her mother Diana so much that she can't bear to voice the feelings she's keeping locked up inside. Molly is scared and feels alone; she is worried about real monsters coming to get her in the middle of the night and not knowing if her father is really her dad or a shapeshifting wolf. But because Molly loves her mother so much she can't tell Diana all these feelings because that's a burden to her mother. But being told constantly that everything is okay is equally draining when the world keeps demonstrating how it's not actually fine. Dreyfus is incredibly creepy when he shows up exactly where Molly is like some sort of dark wizard, but he's got a point when he manages to pinpoint Molly's unhappiness. Mr. Stitch allows Molly to act out this unhappiness without actually acting out (the downside being that Mr. Stitch can hurt people). So is Molly's innocence and childhood a plus? It certainly can be; Molly has the ability to imagine things the adults cannot; Molly's kindness and childlike acceptance are another bonus and when push came to shove, Molly beat the monster of the week through acknowledging and giving weight to her own feelings, one of the vital moves one must go through on the path to becoming self-actualized. Abbie needed to face the three white trees and Moloch; Molly needed to face Mr. Stitch. This was the first big step in allowing Molly on to the team in a more prominent feature. She went into the belly of the whale and emerged victorious. How very Witness of young Molly Thomas.

Miscellaneous Notes on Child's Play

--Dreyfus's vision of the future includes being close friends, possibly even a father figure, with Molly, with intimate dinners on the White House lawn. I have no idea what to make of that.

--Pizza, according to Ichabod, is Neapolitan Flat Bread and Chinese is a far better fare.

--Mr. Stitch is very much like the Golem of season one that was attached to Ichabod's son, Henry. Nice callback.

--"Battling against the supernatural made us sisters again."

--I continue to not care about Alex and Jake, though the latter had some funny moments this week.

--"We must rescue ourselves."

In Which I Review Sleepy Hollow (4x8)

Modern technology is one of my favorite Catch-22's. I know that sounds weird but think about it. We do not need modern technology--by which I mean phones, computers, TV, and social media hubs like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit, and even my dear precious Blogger--to go about our day to day lives. If I don't get on Facebook, my life is not in peril. And yet, go one day without being connected to billions around the planet by a quick click or finger tap and it certainly feels like your life might be over. You can feel starved for news and information (and forget that the printed words is still very much a thing). Over the course of the last twenty years (and, really, even less) technology and social media have become an integral part to the way we live our lives. There's a darker side to all that interaction, though. Just look at our current political climate; we have a President who tweets his policies and thoughts; rapid up to the minute news that we consume as soon as it crosses our timeline. All of this has led to a divided nation and deep antagonism. This is to say nothing of the way social media becomes a mindless time killer. And that's one of dangers explored in this week's episode "Sick Burn." A funny and creepy video designed as a way to kill thirty seconds that infests the human body until it burns them alive. Something so banal causes so much harm. It's a very literal way of showing how social media can consume the viewer. Grab your mobile device, even if it is a weapon, and let's go!

There's something ironic about the premise of this episode. After all, the writers who run the Sleepy Hollow social accounts are really hoping you are tweeting along, promoting the show, re-tweeting their thoughts and engaging in a conversation all while Ichabod Crane and Diana Thomas try to find a way to turn off the internet. Should we disconnect from all forms of social media? Put aside the fact that jinn are not real (or, at least, not likely to infest a YouTube video) and ponder what the show is trying to say here. I'm honestly not sure how to read the commentary in this week's episode which is a bit strange given that the Trump/Orwellian overtones of Dreyfuss are about as subtle as a two by four. In some ways the message is to steer clear of social media; you never know what may get inside your head and consume you (the conspiracy theory shtick in which you become convinced that the world is run by an oligarchy of Martians). However, at episode's end, it becomes a little more clear: stay engaged even in the face of grave danger. Yes, social media might not be the healthiest of activities and it can cause anxiety, stress, and depression as you scream into the void; but it's better to be engaged; it's better to be informed. Ichabod recognizes that his leadership might lead Jake or Alex or Diana or Jenny to an early grave--just like it led Abbie to an early death--but being informed, being dedicated, and being heroes is more important. Of course, there are vast differences between logging into Twitter versus going to war against a demon (though Twitter can often feel like a forgotten level of Hell) but the common theme is that engagement in the world, making the decision to show up, is the better option. After all, never doubt that a small dedicated group of passionate people can change the world. Why? Because it's the only thing that ever has.

Miscellaneous Notes on Sick Burn

--In case anyone was wondering where this season was going, we had quite a few visions of Ichabod in Dreyfus's America.

--Compare Dreyfus's speech about people being animals in need of shepherd to just about anything Napoleon says in "Animal Farm." Then cross reference all that with recent speeches or press releases from President Trump. Like I said: not subtle.

--Peter Pan continues to be evil no matter what show he's in! Though, it's always nice to see Robbie Kay.

--Of course Uncle Sam, Davy Crockett, and Sacagawea were genie and demon hunters.

--I would probably be more moved by Alex and Jake's blooming romance if they had been developed as characters at all.

--Molly is destined to be an Oracle. Cool.

In Which I Review Sleepy Hollow (4x7)

Is it fair of me to compare and contrast Abbie and Molly as Witnesses? On the one hand, Molly is a totally new character who should be allowed to develop and thrive (or falter) on her own merits on this almost totally new show. On the other hand, the comparisons are ripe for the picking and to think the audience wouldn't be looking at both characters in tandem is equally unfair and a bit naive. There are a lot of differences between Abigail Mills and Molly Thomas, not the least of which is their age and situation in life. It's those two differences that are highlighted in this week's episode "Loco Parentis." If some beastie or creature of the night had Abigail Mills captive she could find her way out, Ichabod or no. Abbie would never need a parent to come save her from the big bad. In other words, her status as a grown woman lent her an independence that enhanced her abilities as a Witness that Molly, through no fault nor character flaw of her own, does not possess. In fact, since her introduction, Molly has stayed out of the fray while mother Diana takes the wheel dealing with the monsters of the week. However, instead of looking at Molly vis a vis Abbie, let's leave our Leftenant in her grave and look at Molly as her own character. How does the youngin' fair on her own as both character and mythological construct? Grab your red jacket and let's go!

Diana's concern for her daughter Molly is understandable; Diana has seen the sort of terror monsters can cause. To some extent it's hard to argue against her logic that thus far she and Ichabod have made a perfectly adequate team, taking down the various monsters that haunt Columbia. However, on the eve of Molly's birthday, it is obvious that the larger story at play this year is Molly's own bildungsroman, her spiritual education and journey into adulthood. Surely it's no coincidence that her first encounter with the supernatural occurs as she enters her next year of life, a milestone as a woman and, as it turns out, a Witness. Molly, then, is what we might charitably call a young lady and when one enters that phase, one usually begins to fight ones own battles. Okay, to be fair those battles are mundane things like homework and cooties, but Molly ain't living a normal life anymore and if there was any doubt to that, the Big Bad Wolf taking the form of her father in order to eat her heart certainly settles the debate. So, how did Miss Molly fair against a very literal Big Bad? I'd say rather poorly; Molly had a few good moments with the pointed questions about the bicycle and the fake out with the red hood, but on the whole Molly simply hid, ran, and waited for Diana and Ichabod to show up and shoot the monster. I understand that Molly is 11 and Witnesses are not blessed with innate magical abilities, but if ever there was a time to make Molly feel more real and show her true abilities as a Witness, this would be it. What I think bothers me more, however, is not Molly's lack of agency in the story but what it means for Ichabod Crane. In this episode, Ichabod has a duel role--Witness and father figure to Molly. The writers could have made the Big Bad into any figure from Diana and Molly's life but they chose to make it Molly's long estranged and distant father in order to draw the parallel between the bad father (Mitch) and the good father figure (Ichabod). It casts Ichabod into a role that I don't believe he needs--the paternalistic savior of the fair maiden. It makes Ichabod appear like the real hero of the story while the other Witness is the submissive victim or sidekick, despite Ichabod's protestations that Ichabod and Molly are "in this together." And here's where my question at the start of this review comes back into play. It might be unfair to compare Molly and Abbie but when it came to the Witness relationship, Abbie and Ichabod were equals. The Leftenant saved Crane as many times as he saved her. Partners, true mythological and cosmological partners. Are Molly and Ichabod capable of that same partnership? The show has yet to prove it so; it's proving it has the ability to show it with Diana and Ichabod but Mama Thomas isn't the Witness. Molly is. I wonder if the writers realize this rather vital plot point.

Miscellaneous Notes on Loco Parentis 

--Honestly, who goes into a church graveyard in the middle of the night? You're obviously going to die.

--Ichabod is in awe of "dolls that talk, robots that transform. Putty that is silly..." This is because "all I had in my day was a hoop and a stick and woe the day the stick broke."

--So, Jenny spent the entire episode hanging out with a half naked demon. No judgement; Joeb looked good.

--I didn't even notice Alex and Jake were missing from this episode until someone pointed it out in the show.

--Dreyfus wants to help the world be reborn. I'm sure that will go well for all of us.

In Which I Review Sleepy Hollow (4x6)

There's no place like home. There have been a few vital components missing from this new rebooted version of Sleepy Hollow; Abbie is the most obvious and the Horseman of Death comes in at a close second but the third elephant in the TV room is the quaint and charming--yet riddled with supernatural monsters--town of Sleepy Hollow. In this week's episode, "Homecoming," we finally went back to where it all began, to where Abbie watched her friend and mentor become a head shorter followed by meeting a man out of time who told her of her destiny. As you might imagine, it's an emotional episode, fraught with memories of days gone by and people who are no longer with us and likewise no longer with Ichabod and Jenny. The emotions of both Ichabod's homecoming and his betrayal at Washington's hands play so much better than the too broad monster of the week who is truly characterless. Often times rebooting a show means revealing new information previously unknown to the audience; in this case, taking another look at Ichabod's death in ye olde Sleepy Hollow works to propel the overarching arc forward. Grab a magic-finding-scepter and let's go (back home)!

You have to give Sleepy Hollow credit when it's due; it doesn't forget its past like other shows do when they hit the same reset button. It would have been easy for the writers to start over at square one this season; all they would need to do is never mention Abbie, ignore the mythology and characters of the first three seasons, and pretend that Jenny is simply some girl Ichabod knows from "somewhere." Instead, the first six episodes have tried to remember their past, even while they push their own new agenda. Katrina, Abbie, Henry, past missions, and past emotions were all touched upon in this episode proving that even the writers miss aspects of Sleepy Hollow, season one through three. The emotional resonance of missing Abbie and that past life compacts the weighted feeling of betrayal when Ichabod learns that George Washington, his commander and his dear friend, condemned him to die all those years ago. Ichabod keeps losing many dear people in this little village, but in both cases the loss is mitigated by the joy of having them in the first place. A few blogs ago, I discussed Ichabod's archetype as a solider; one of the most prominent aspects of said archetype is a willingness to sacrifice their life for the greater good and a just cause. Ichabod has never hesitated to walk into the fire when called, but being pushed into that fire by a friend has a different taste. A more bitter one. It's to Ichabod's credit that he does not resent nor hate Washington for the decision to send our hero into battle against Headless, knowing Ichabod's life would be forfeit; indeed he understands it and agrees with it. If Ichabod's life meant that the American Revolution was won and that evil was stopped for a short period of time, then die Ichabod must. What this sacrifice caused is two fold; a unique bond was forged between Ichabod and the Headless Horseman--a bond Malcolm uses to his own ends in this episode with the Philosopher's Stone--but it also forget a new life for our man out of time. Without that sacrifice, without Washington's machinations, Ichabod would never have met Abbie, never known he was a Witness, and--in the long run--never met his new teammates, a new family. Sacrifices can often feel like betrayals in the moment, when we cannot see the path that lays before us, but hindsight is 20/20. If given the choice, Ichabod would want Washington to make the same choices the General made the first time around. He's still a hero, our Ichabod Crane.

Miscellaneous Notes on Homecoming 

--Ichabod with a giant blue Slushie (and then a brain freeze) feels very much like classic Ichabod.

--Jenny, regarding Ichabod and Abbie: "They had something special."

--Jenny's emotional journey this episode was also well done. She's right that there are "lots of ghosts in this place, but all ones I adore." In the end, she's able to see Alex and Jake as valuable teammates, who will fight by her side just as much as Abbie and Joe did.

--Making a Faraday cage is a total shout out to LOST, right?

--Look, I'm pretty familiar with ancient Egyptian mythology and that wasn't a sphinx.

--Ichabod at Abbie's grave was an emotional gut punch but it was perfectly acted and written. The Headless BobbleHead was a nice touch.

--I'm not sure I'm on the new #TeamWitness all the way yet but damn it if the show isn't selling it to me slowly, week after week.

In Which I Review Sleepy Hollow (4x5)

Predictability can be a good or a bad thing in TV--and all other--writing. On the one hand, if the story crafted is predictable it might be an indication that the writer did a good job of laying clues, of developing their characters, or building the story to a logical end. On the other hand, if the story is predictable, it's more likely that the writer has not attempted to stretch themselves, that they've done the bare minimum in creating a beginning, a middle, and an end. The twists can be seen a mile away and nothing learned is surprising and, more importantly, is something the reader of the text guessed or knew several pages/chapters/minutes before the story itself made the reveal. The second this week's episode, "Blood From A Stone," showed that Malcolm Dreyfuss once had a partner who apparently died, it was painfully obvious that the same former partner was the Hooded Warlock gunning for Malcolm and laying siege to his building. When Sleepy Hollow had Dreyfuss playfully say that he sold his soul to the devil it was a giant neon sign that he really had made a deal with the demonic forces for wealth, fame, and recognition. Rich, egotistical men: they are all fragile and insecure little boys. Is this message relevant, a little more than meta, and pertinent to the plot? Sure. But it's also pretty gosh darn predictable. Grab your sigil and let's go!

It's not fair to say I didn't enjoy this episode. As I said above, predictable can be good. All the pieces fit together nicely; but, rather, none of it makes any lasting impression because I had guessed the majority of it several episodes ago. This is somewhat of a narrative paradox; the story progresses in that we get our main villain fleshed out and given a proper motivation, but at the same time the story doesn't move forward at all since the audience is already in on the reveal. It's a plot heavy type of episode that does not lend much in the way of analysis so a brief rundown is needed. Malcolm Dreyfuss felt like no one saw him when he and his friend and partner, Ansel, were trying to get their business started. Malcolm believed he deserved more credit because, after all, he was "the brains" of the operation. His genius went unnoticed while his partner's charm and charisma were noticed in spades. Enter, predictably, a wish, a magical place, and a demon with a contract. The forces of the Underworld would grant Malcolm the life he wanted, in exchange for his soul, and Ansel would be cast down into the pit to suffer so that Malcolm's star could rise. In an effort to cheat his eventual death, Malcolm has been collecting pieces of the Philosopher's Stone (side note, the show didn't even give us one good Harry Potter joke about this!) All of this plot is necessary for whatever is coming up. That doesn't make it any less predictable, rote, and a touch boring. The only real emotional and character push here occurs at the end when Diana tells Molly she's a Witness, like "Mr. Crane." There is a throughline about good versus bad partners in this episode, the narrative takeaway point being that good partners are equals and are there for each other while bad ones are egotistical, self-centered, and will--literally!--damn the other to Hell to get ahead. Molly appears to have a lot of emotional maturity for one so young but the show needs to spend more time with her, and quickly, because right now she comes across as a Wesley Crusher-Wudnerkind sort of character. And those are always annoying. Surely she's got some spunk, some pizzazz buried somewhere in that mystical kid shtick. All of this is to say that this was a groundwork episode, neither good nor bad. But hey---next week? We're going home!

Miscellaneous Notes on Blood From A Stone

--Ichabod gave a rather rousing speech on the very bloody history of soccer. To a bunch of 13 year old girls. Bless.

--"A Witness is no different from any other person." Is that actually true? I would say the three Witnesses we've met--Ichabod, Abbie, and Molly--defy that rule.

--Apparently Dreyfuss was trying to drain a literal swamp at one point. Once again...subtle, writers. Subtle.

--I am a broken record but when it comes to Jake and Alex, I'd rather the show just...not. Surprisingly, Alex was more likable this week as Jake got creepy in his instance that the only reason why Jenny isn't "in to him" is because she doesn't know him. That's not okay! Also, Jenny not only lost her sister but also Joe. Do the writers have to force a romantic relationship on her so soon?

--"We will not stand idly by while innocent men suffer for your sins."

In Which I Review Sleepy Hollow (4x4)

Who killed Abigail Mills? On the simplest level, the answer is straightforward: Pandora and The Hidden One both contributed to Abbie's death. The Leftenant also chose to die in a moment of sheer heroism at the end of season three, running headlong into danger and refusing to come back to the land of the living, claiming her time and her mission were over. The last person upon whom we could lay blame for Abbie's death would be Ichabod Crane, her best friend and partner. Right? The question of Ichabod's guilt over many losses is the question at the heart of tonight's episode, "The People vs Ichabod Crane." Ichabod leaves a trail of bodies behind him: Joe Corbin, Abraham von Brunt, Katrina, Henry Parrish, and Abbie have all died under Ichabod's tenor as a Witness and do good'er. Are they all his fault? The narrative certainly does not suggest that; Abraham chose to have his head removed and become the Horseman; Katrina turned evil and threatened to kill Ichabod and Abbie both; Henry was already a vessel of evil working alongside Moloch. Joe is the true tragic figure but there are always losses in the fight against evil. So who is it that really thinks Ichabod is responsible for these people's deaths? Ichabod, of course. The man carries the weight of the world, the universe, the battle of good versus evil, and all the lost souls in that battle on his (arguably handsome) shoulders. Grab some Fire of Joy and let's go!

There are a lot of archetypes we apply to Ichabod Crane: hero, man out of time, father, journeyman. But the one we rarely talk about is soldier. Crane has been a literal solider in the American Revolution and a more metaphorical one in the war against evil. In that regard, he has adopted some of the more striking soldier traits. Ichabod is undaunted in the face of death; he accepts that his demise might occur at any moment and, moreover, that those he love might perish in his long war. Ichabod has a strong sense of what is right and what is wrong and that he is on the side of right and good. Along with these hallmark characteristics is knowledge that there are risks and that sometimes you and others will pay the ultimate price; it this knowledge that Ichabod uses to defend himself against Henry Parrish, his long dead son, and a courtroom of angry 18th century villagers. Ichabod tries to explain that he is a soldier and as such both he and Abbie knew the risks and made their own choices accordingly. Does this mean that Ichabod is responsible because Abbie and others died "on his watch?" After all, Ichabod refused to give into Katrina's desire to redeem their son; Ichabod "stole" Katrina from Abraham; Ichabod did not protect Henry from the supernatural forces and ensorcelled him. And perhaps most damning, if Ichabod hadn't convinced Abbie to believe in the fight against evil and her role in it, maybe she'd be alive, off at Quantico, with the FBI and living it up with Daniel Reynolds. Is a soldier to blame for those that die in his wake if he's just doing his duty? Is he responsible for the lives that are overturned while he's out on his righteous mission? In a court of law, the answer would most likely be no. A soldier is following orders and he cannot be held accountable for what happens while performing his duty. Ichabod, too, is following orders. In the olden days, he did what Washington commanded him to do and in the present he's following that self-same mission. And while it's nice to imagine that in another universe Abbie might be still alive, being her badass self, would she still be Abigail Mills? Our Abbie Mills? Without that title of Witness, without Ichabod by her side, without her pragmatic approach to the fight against evil, without breaking down stereotypes and gender norms and racial assumptions would she still be Abbie Mills? Probably not. Abbie developed as a person because she chose, freely, to fight along side Ichabod Crane. I expect Ichabod to feel guilty over the deaths of those whom he's lost along the way, the same way I suspect soldiers are never fully comfortable with the knowledge that they've killed enemy combatants. But Ichabod soldiers on (if you'll pardon the pun) because that's what he must do. Everyone needs a little bit of hope now and then and it's only through his partner's words--through the eternal soul that is the Incarnate Witness--that he is pulled back from being swallowed up by this guilt. I think in a lot of ways this episode was a memorial to Abbie; a way to question if Ichabod could truly go on without her (and, if we're being meta, if the show can go on without her). The ending spells it out: she's not gone, not really. Abbie Mills may have died, but the things that she gave to Ichabod and to the show--the hope, the wisdom, the kindness, the ability to save our man out of time--they still exist. If only in a slightly smaller scale. I still don't know if I'm all for Molly being the next Witness (I think there are a myriad of problems here) but the essence that a dual TeamWitness brought to Sleepy Hollow is slowly but surely coming back to life.

Miscellaneous Notes on The People vs Ichabod Crane

--"Hello Father." Ah, John Noble. So glad to see him again (and yes, I still call him Walter when I take notes).

--"The world needs me to have more time. This is for the world's benefit." The show isn't exactly subtle in their Dreyfuss-Trump comparison, are they?

--The spider demon was absolutely creepy.

--"These are the times that try men's souls." Well, this episodes is maybe the most literal reading of that line ever.

--Jake is growing on me a bit more as a character but Alex is still so terribly bland. I don't really believe we need either of them in the show except to fawn over Ichabod and give science exposition.

--"Maybe he went to the mall and got lost. Again."

--"I would die a thousand deaths if it meant she lived but one hour more."

In Which I Review Sleepy Hollow (4x3)

There is something hysterically meta about the fictional female President of the United States almost getting her head lopped off by a mythical headless horseman on the same day that, here in the real world, a terrifying, misogynist, and racist man was sworn in as the 45th President. I'm not entirely sure Sleepy Hollow didn't plan "Heads of State" that way. Meta commentary on the state of the union aside, this week's episode actually felt more like a proper bout of Sleepy Hollow weirdness than what we've been served the past two weeks. Several important icons and motifs of the show reared their much missed heads to say hello: Headless is here with his glowing axe; Molly is drawing the four trees associated with the demon and main antagonist of season one and two, Moloch; Jenny's sass is tempered by her heart and Ichabod found his funny once more. The camera trick of season one by which we enter a scene upside down even made an appearance! Sleepy Hollow's main goal in season four has nothing to do with plot; it needs to prove to me (and, okay, all the viewers) that it can carry on, be the same show, without Abigail Mills. Stumbling in the dark, maybe the show is slowly finding its way toward the light. Even if sunlight gives you cancer. Let's go!

There are many good things about this episode, but the one that sticks out the most is that this week had a strong case. Sleepy Hollow has always towed the line between case-of-the-week and mythology building arcs. The case of the weeks were, in the past, met with applause because they were fun, well thought out, and combined history with the supernatural. The past two cases-of-the-week fell drearily flat because it lacked all those important aspects. However, in this case of the week (which doubles as the start of a long arc given Dreyfus's role) we have a lot of classic Sleepy Hollow hallmarks: an important historical figure, a secret otherworldly history of an American story we thought we all knew; a totally bananas, larger than life figure giving cryptic hints about the story at large and, most importantly, Ichabod playing a crucial role both in exposition and heroism to save the day. That, by the way, is the second best part of this episode. Ichabod has always been the center of the story; his knowledge in history and the supernatural provides the audience with much needed context while developing his character as a sacrificer for the greater good with a noble heart. In the past two weeks, the show has had--almost understandably--to take a step back from Ichabod, a character we already know, to introduce and flesh out the newbies with whom we have previously been unacquainted. However, focusing on the other characters means that the main narrative of the cases of the week and the larger arc were seriously lacking in any sort of meaning or thrust. I have no idea what Dreyfus wants (though I suspect he's telling the truth about selling his soul to the devil), but for the first time all season, I'm actually really interested in finding out. The story of what this evil billionaire mogul (again with the meta commentary!) feels like it belongs in the Sleepy Hollow world; Ichabod didn't just fight against monsters; he fought against injustice and attempts to tear down liberty. An egotistical manic who claims to be fighting for the rights of the people--but is really just fighting for himself--fits right into Ichabod's overall storyline. Speaking of acceptable storylines, it was nice to see Diana have a very natural and normal reaction to learning her daughter is the next Witness. After taking demons, witches, headless horsemen and time travel all in stride, it's the safety of her daughter that breaks this particular camel's back. Diana doesn't quite feel like a real person yet--she's still too new and raw, but moments like her telling Ichabod "no more you!" even when the latter promises that Molly's safety will be held in the highest regard, help us understand her more. She's tough but she has a weakness, a rather big one. Molly might be Diana's fatal flaw, her harmatia, but because that flaw is one that speaks to human emotion and connection, she's instantly a little bit more compelling. She has no role in the supernatural world and thus Diana can feel quite disconnected from the larger, and arguably more important, narrative but her true purpose is that of a protector. I wouldn't be surprised if she does the heavy lifting of Witnesshood for Molly given the latter's prepubescent stage. It's an interesting way to keep the integrity of the show--two Witnesses--while making Ichabod the lead choir boy. All of this is to say that the show might be finding a fair footing. It's up to the writers to keep from stumbling once more.

Miscellaneous Notes on Heads of State

--"I could not in good conscience stand by while a nation was oppressed by tyranny." Ichabod had a lot of great patriotic quotes that I half expect to see on placards in future protests.

--Jake very clearly has a crush on Jenny. I hesitate to comment on this but Jenny did just lose Joe. To thrust her right into another pairing feels cheap.

--Ichabod has a "proclivity toward obscure donut toppings." That and his boots apparently make him a hipster.

--"Just admit it! You're a time traveler!" Well, at least that particular cat is out of that particular bag.

--One thing that was missing, however, from this episode was that Ichabod failed to explain that the Headless Horseman isn't just the Horseman of Death from the Apocalypse but is also his former best friend who fought for the hand of Ichabod's late wife. Abraham and Katrina were important facets of this show, just like Moloch and Abbie.

--"My strength is replenished and I am ready for battle once more." Ichabod tackling IKEA furniture after downing Chinese from carton boxes is exactly the sort of Ichabod I expect from this show. I've missed this version of Ichabod.

In Which I Review Sleepy Hollow (4x2)

What made Abbie Mills such a great Witness? Was it her total acceptance of the sudden bizarre turn of events in her life? No, not really. In fact, Abbie remained skeptical for a good part of the first season. Was it because she was "touched" as a young girl by Moloch? No; helpful, maybe, but ultimately her Witnesshood was something deeper and more meaningful. Abbie made such a great Witness because she was not only the supernatural second half of Ichabod, but because she was his emotional, intellectual, and mature equal. Abbie was a bit of a revelation on network TV; a woman of color who was simply not the helpmate of the white male protagonist, but instead, every part his equal. While staring down at the black abyss of nevermore, Abbie stood shoulder to shoulder with a man out of time, looked demons and Purgatory in the eye and did not blink. Abbie was tough, practical, no-nonsense, and even when all felt lost, Abbie kept going. Should the next Witness be a copycat of Abbie Mills? No, absolutely not. That's an insult to Abbie's memory and the audience's patience; but while there is something to be said about subverting the audience's expectations, does anyone really believe that a thirteen year old teenager is really ready to fight the forces of evil and potentially the Apocalypse? Is that what we want this show to become? From a pairing that shouted equality--professionally, personally, and supernaturally--to one that has a centuries old man and a child running around the United States Capital looking for things that go bump in the night? I'm not sure "In Plain Sight" fixed any of the missteps of last week; it might have made them worse. Grab your witch stone and let's go! 

Here's a hard question: what do you want out of Sleepy Hollow? I've always been up front that this show could be as nutty as it wanted--and it often went full on straight-jacket crazy--so long as the core of the show remained the same. Take out the actual characters for a moment, forget Ichabod and Abbie and everything they've done, and the core of Sleep Hollow was really the story of two lost souls who found each other and then managed to find their way through a dark and weird world. Ichabod was the man out of time, a fish out of water; Abbie could neither escape her past nor find her future. But when the two souls met an alliance that went beyond our mortal ken was formed and together each person found what they were searching for. As cliche as it sounds, they found a home together. To be sure, there are some romantic underpinnings to this kind of narrative but it need not be; indeed Sleepy Hollow never went over that particular precipice. Romantic or not, it does not erase the deep loving bond between the two Witnesses. Can anyone imagine Ichabod having that with Molly? Does anyone want him to? There's something a little unsettling--a little squicky--about the loving and platonic romance of Ichabod and Abbie being overtaken by Ichabod and Molly. I know the show won't suddenly turn Ichabod and Molly into some sort of love story--in fact, I can see the show keeping Ichabod and Molly at arms length to drive home the idea that Molly might be the next Witness but she's not Abbie--but even if you take out the core of the two Witnesses and the sort of partnership they are supposed to have, is Molly really capable of stopping whatever evildoer is coming? She's got homework to do and boys (or girls) to flirt with. She can't fire a gun or a crossbow or read Latin or, hell, even stay out late to research big-bads. What use is Molly as a Witness? While I was not thrilled with the idea of Diana being the new Witness, Molly as a Witness is more ridiculous than some of the hair-brained plots Sleepy Hollow has trotted out in the past. So, once again, I ask: what do you want out of Sleepy Hollow?

Miscellaneous Notes on In Plain Sight

--Ichabod, while trying to find the new Witness in a prophetic dream, still calls out for Abbie.

--The three Witches were the very definition of cliche bad women--tight leather clothing and all.

--I can't get any sort of read on Alex and Jake except that one's a skeptic and one's a believer. Those characteristics don't make for very compelling characters.

--Speaking of unreadable, whatever Malcolm Dreyfus is up to is so undeveloped that I'm choosing to refrain from any real commentary. Also, I keep wanting to refer to him as Daniel Faraday.

--"How do you know so much about witches?" "I was married to one."

--Our Ichabod Crane, "the one and only!"

--I did have a moment of sheer joy at seeing the Headless Horseman. No idea how he's there in Washington, but whatever.

--"She's not Abbie." No. No, she's not.

In Which I Review Sleepy Hollow (4x1)

Don't worry; I'm just as surprised as you are to find myself writing a review for this show once again. Eight months ago I wrote what I believed was my final review for Sleepy Hollow. With Abbie dead and the concept of the show changing from what had been working delightfully well for three years, I was convinced that Fox would not renew the show after fan backlash for said changes and the final word on Sleepy Hollow was Crane alone in the world looking for another partner to replace the one he lost. Turns out, I was wrong. I also said back then that if the show did return I most likely would not be returning with it. I was convinced that Sleepy Hollow without Leftenant Abigail Mills wasn't really Sleepy Hollow and any attempt to say otherwise would be heartily laughed at. Never underestimate the power of a TV network to think they can alter the viewers minds through sheer will and determination. Let's get real: this isn't Sleepy Hollow. Yeah, Ichabod--and even Jenny--are here and they talk about all that came before, but the show has been altered--rebooted and retooled--to become a new show, a different show. The season four premiere sets it all up in the title; welcome to "Columbia." So, diving head first (are head jokes still acceptable puns for this show?) into this new uncharted territory, how did it fair? Let's go!

Do you remember what made Ichabod so special in those opening moments of season one? It was the basic yet fun "fish out of water" theme that the show ran with for several seasons. This sort of story works because the audience is in on the joke; someone not being able to work something as everyday as a shower is automatically hilarious to a viewer who encounters these mundane objects on a daily basis. Ichabod, a man from the eighteenth century, finds himself in the twenty-first, driving in a car with a black cop wondering why there is a Starbucks on every corner. Also, just wondering what a Starbucks is. It was this man-out-of-time feel that made Ichabod so delightfully cute and captivating. In one breath, Ichabod Crane could explain the metaphysical ramifications of a demon's plot and in the next breath declare that he must "internet immediately" while having no idea how to even turn on the computer. The show itself has gone to impressive lengths to reboot itself this year--a new partner, a new city, a new mythos. But the one thing it cannot reboot and retool is Ichabod's charming wonderment at the world around him; after three seasons, the gig is up. He knows how to turn on a coffee pot; he knows how to drive; he knows how to use a computer to research. His quirks are still present with greatly diminished returns; they are a gentle and fond remembrance of something long since passed. If it is next to impossible--and I would argue just impossible--to recapture Ichabod's initial charm then isn't Sleepy Hollow, the show, in danger of becoming another run of the mill supernatural procedural? Fox already has another one of those--it's called "Lucifer" and its biggest saving grace is that the titular character has that same fish out of water feel while bringing his own (literally) devilish charm to a police/civilian partnership. At any rate, this humdrum feel was exactly what I was waiting for while watching the season four opener. After all, go back and reread my season three reviews; those feelings were already starting to creep in.

So with all that in mind, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that the season premiere managed to create a decent amount of intrigue and mystery. We have billionaire moguls who are interested in the Dark Arts, a search for a new Witness, a child who is suddenly rendered mute, and what appears to be prophetic drawings of our leading man. All of that makes for an interesting narrative set up; there's plenty to unpack and expand upon and delve into. Sleepy Hollow is usually at its best when it throws spaghetti at the wall and sees what sticks. This includes everything from demons to witches to apocalypses to monsters of the week to uncovering "real" American history to huge sweeps of mythology; it's all goofy and weird but somehow endearing and charming. The narrative being laid out has all of those vital Sleepy Hollow elements, so why did it all feel so...hollow (unintentional pun is unintentional). This is the bad news; there was something so bland about this episode. Ichabod was neither witty nor charming (though Tom Mison did his very best to make Ichabod the character we've known for three years); Diana has the same "tough but emotionally troubled cop" as Abbie (which is only slightly infuriating) but with the added element of being a struggling mother which overall feels like a pointless character point and only serving the narrative; and the chemistry that Ichabod had almost instantly with his Sleepy Hollow compatriots was sorely lacking with his Columbian ones. Every effort was made to help the audience feel at home with this new rebooted series; they even constructed a highly improbably secret vault for Ichabod and Diana to play in, just like Mr. Crane and his Leftenant. If this had been the episode that premiered four years ago, I don't know that I'd be as enamored. Sleepy Hollow, in its original form, was not only a quirky supernatural police procedural with fantastic characters but was meaningful and oddly subversive with its strong, black, independent woman taking point in a fight against evil, carrying her weight just as much as her white male counterpart, with a pragmatic eye and no nonsense attitude. Everything that comes after that must find a way to walk outside the long shadow that Abbie Mills cast and I just don't think that Diana Thomas cuts it. For example, gauge your response to Diana throughout the entire episode versus your singular reaction to seeing Jenny Mills wielding a machine gun, saving Ichabod's life. That is what this show is (was?). Diana and her D.C. friends are place holders for what was and could be again if the writers went in a more natural (read: Mills) direction. Maybe it will feel more natural as we roll on and learn more about Diana and the other lab rats, but I can't shake the feeling that Sleepy Hollow died with Abbie Mills. This is Columbia and it's just not as good.

Miscellaneous Notes on Columbia 

--Things that are evil, according to Ichabod Crane: "demons, the apocalypse, the ongoing success of real housewives. You know...evil."

--This episode felt weighted by the past and the idea that while the past is beautiful the future is even better. Many conversations beat this idea into our heads; it's a bit heavy handed.

--President Abraham Lincoln was killed by a demon.

--"Everything is about Hamilton these days." I agree, random guy in Washington D.C. I agree.

--Presenting Jenny Mills: "soldier, scholar, gentlewoman, and all around bad ass."

--Ichabod on Abbie to Diana: "She helped me find my feet as I helped her find hers. She was the best." These two lines sum up what I took almost three paragraphs to make clear.

In Which I Review Sleepy Hollow (3x18)

Hey, I know that Headless Horseman! Welcome to the final episode of season three. It's been quite a journey; from time apart to happy reunions; to quietly scary Pandora to loudly boring Hidden One; from the death of Abbie to the death of Joe; from Witnesses apart to Witnesses together, we've been on a journey that took us from Sleepy Hollow to the Jeffersonian to the Underworld and back home again (as all good hero journeys should end). It's hard to say what happens now, but if this is the end, it certainly went out with a bang. This potentially series ending episode, "Ragnarok," saw our team of heroes battling to stop the end of the world before the Hidden One could consume it all. It's just another Friday night in Sleepy Hollow, in other words. Heroes, for most of history, have been male and for most of TV narrative, white males. Ichabod fits the hero model to a T, beyond just being a white male. He's romantic; he's got a poetic soul; he's compassionate; he's got an air of destiny about him as well as an otherworldly feeling that follows most heroes around like a neon sign (or lightening bolt scar) indicating who they are. And then there's Abbie. Right from the start, she's the "normal" one. Her story expands gradually to be equally mythic, but from the beginning, Abigail Mills was sturdy and steady, the pragmatic and level-headed bedrock. But, just like her partner, Abbie's a hero. She's a phoenix, just you watch her soar. Grab some tissues for the road, never stop hoping, and let's go!

"Death wins in the end" it seems, even if the victim happens to be a goddess. The show made a very smart move and removed the Hidden One from the action almost immediately, placing the much more compelling and complex Pandora in his place. While quite a bit of this transition was mumbo-jumbo, magic handwaving, it works for this spaghetti-to-the-wall show because the thesis that Abbie as a hero is still being hammered home even when you have Greek Fire, a magical box, and a dying god. The hero defeats the villain and, as it usually does on this show, it takes the unparalleled power of both Witnesses to stop the terror that envelops their little hamlet. Abbie sacrificed her life to defeat the Hidden One; Ichabod used his former enemy--the Headless Horseman, the embodiment of Death--to take down Pandora. It takes two. It always takes two; there must always be two Witnesses. I am going to push the proverbial stop button on this idea to make a confession (because this really is the heart of the episode) and admit that I don't know how to talk about this yet. And chances are, I'm going to do a sloppy job of it (so your humble blogger is begging your indulgence). I was honestly shocked (and upset and heartbroken) that Sleepy Hollow killed off Abbie Mills tonight. Yes, death wins in the end for mortal Witnesses and immortal goddesses alike. I know that the soul of the Witness is eternal and it passes to the next in line (like some sort of Slayer-esque power) but, without trying to put too fine a point on this, Abbie is the Witness. There are no ifs, ands, or buts in this regard. This season has driven home over and over again that the bond between Abbie and Ichabod was mythic, special, and necessary to the existence of both individuals. There is a level of betrayal that I feel as a TV viewer right now because how could any TV showrunner so utterly miss the point of what made their show worth talking about--not two Witness souls living inside whoever-bodies--but Ichabod and Abbie, the heart and soul of this campy, weird little show. I am trying to put that aside for the moment because, in all honesty, this was a very good episode of Sleepy Hollow. Everything about it--from the defeat of the villains, to the reappearance of Headless and Sheriff Corbin, to Ichabod and Abbie's bond--felt perfectly in line with what the show has been saying about magic and friendship for three years. And maybe a good episode pales in comparison to the hurt over losing a favorite character, a character who helped define the show; or maybe the death of a character pales in comparison to a show really bringing the story home in a (mostly) satisfying way. I have always maintained that death in narrative can have a purpose; if something changes inside the story universe, then the death mattered and the story knows that losing anyone--friend, lover, family, enemy, hero, villain--should matter. It should count. It should affect people. Killing Abbie could be a bold storyline; it could propel Sleepy Hollow in a direction that opens up many narrative doors simply by virtue of new blood. But do you want it to?

Readers, let's be honest. This episode really boils down to one question: can you have Sleepy Hollow without Abigail Mills? Following the conclusion of this episode, I tweeted something rather mean that I'll reiterate here: in the span of an hour I went from begging for renewal to praying for cancellation. And, again, this was a season-best episode of Sleepy Hollow, from the emotional beats to the mythology building. But it is so hard--so very hard--to imagine this show without Abbie Mills. What was it she said last week, "what we do, we do together." Can you really have Ichabod without his Leftenant? I feel the need to point out some very necessary criticism because while I sing the praises of the show subverting the traditional hero depiction of a white male, and replacing him with their black female, the killing off of said female hero, and having Abbie tell her white male counterpart that her job was to get Ichabod "to this point" and that, because she's done that, she can "be at peace" is all manner of feather-ruffling. This feather-ruffling comes not only on the heels of Abbie's final demise, but also on top of her--what--fourth sacrifice for the team? I'm willing to swallow this less than salient gendered reading because Ichabod is just as much a hero as Abbie and our man-out-of-time got our Leftenant to her point as much as she did for him. Still, how can the show sell me on having Ichabod and Random New Witness, whom we have yet to meet, running around the world built for Ichabod and Abbie, saving the day? In case anyone is hopeful, Nicole Beharie has done her post-mortem and she is officially out of the show; I don't know if rumors about her unhappiness can be believed or not, and while that's something to consider, it doesn't make our sadness over Abbie's death go away. Like I said above, I'm doing this rather sloppily because my mind is so very torn. Ichabod without Abbie? Makes no sense. Sleepy Hollow without Beharie? Also makes no sense. But there is--heaven help me--there is something almost enticing about Ichabod with a new partner, watching him help a new Witness (like Abbie helped him find his way in this brave new world), to see the dynamic team conquer evil one more time. And, after all, is it not Abbie's soul? She's the Phoenix and when you see the bird after emulation, it's still the same bird. None of this review feels proper, does it? It feels more like a frustrated viewer trying to rationalize what she just witnessed (which, okay, is maybe what TV reviews honestly are at the end of the day). Let's step away from Abbie for a hot second and remind ourselves (and really, I mean remind myself) that the show is still charming, still campy, and can still turn out a seasons worth of stories that are thoroughly enjoyable to watch. But eternal soul or not, Abigail Mills is dead. Actually dead. Pieces have been put into place for if/when Season 4 is a reality, but I'm not sure it should come to fruition. Like Abbie, maybe it's better if we find our peace with this episode, this disquieting turn of events, and move on. Tally Ho!

Miscellaneous Notes on Ragnarok 

--I'm sorry if this review got away from me and became singularly focused. But, honestly, I think it needed to be.

--You'll also have to indulge me while I spend the misc notes sprinkling out some truly amazing quotes from Ichabod and Abbie, and about them, in this episode.

--“Impossible!” “No, just highly improbable. Which, as luck would have it, is our stock in trade.”

--Ichabod is a Trekkie and recognizes that the "City on the Edge of Forever" is a superior episode. In hindsight, this is pretty clever foreshadowing that Abbie (Edith) would die.

--"Your heart belongs to Abigail Mills." Shippers have raged for days that Abbie and Danny gave into their underwhelming and underdeveloped love story. This episode seems to be a placation and an acknowledgement that Abbie and Ichabod are intertwined in ways that matter more than physical love without ever having them utter an "I love you."

--Good for Jenny, shooting Hidden One in the head and ending his life (and our misery of his character).

--"She was your hope. She was your everything. And I took her from you."

--Everything about the final moments between Ichabod and Abbie, opening with the pilot recall in the jail cell, to their talk in their archives, to their goodbye on the front porch--complete with one final Ichabod-style bow--was perfect in every single way that TV viewers and reviewers hope to have their main characters talk and interact. The fact that it ends with the devastating revelation that Abbie is really and truly dead....

--"We are eternal souls, Crane."

--"What is there for me in a world without you?" Goodbye, Abigail Mills. Goodbye.

--Will the show return? I don't know. Will I return if it does? I don't know. We'll see...we shall see.