"The Akeda" Big Move for SLEEPY HOLLOW

Article first published as SLEEPY HOLLOW Review Season 2 Episode 11 The Akeda on Seat42F.

“The Akeda,” besides being the title of the mid-season finale of FOX’s SLEEPY HOLLOW, refers to the biblical story of Abraham being asked to sacrifice his son, Isaac, to God, a story discussed in the episode. This is an appropriate use of the term, considering the installment deals a lot with father / son relationships and sacrifice, including the heroic death of a main character.

As the episode opens, Abbie (Nicole Beharie) and Ichabod (Tom Mison) are hot on the trail of Moloch and his plan to end the world. Events are already in motion, but they have a sword that can slay a demon, so they may be able to stop them. The problem is, wielding said sword will burn the soul of the one who uses it. Luckily, Irving (Orlando Jones) isn’t in possession of his soul at present, and so may provide a loophole to the rule.

Irving does manage to stop the Horseman controlled by Henry (John Noble), but dies in the process. This is a huge shame. Irving is an interesting part that has been sorely wasted this season, spending much of it locked up or in hiding. His lack of soul is an intriguing layer. Rather than really explore this, though, SLEEP HOLLOW kills him off. It feels too soon and without enough consequence since, while the Horseman does die, Irving doesn’t stop Moloch (Derek Mears) nor Henry.

Other than Irving’s untimely demise, “The Akeda” is an excellent hour. The way the team, which includes Abbie, Ichabod, Irving, Jenny (Lyndie Greenwood), and Katrina (Katia Winter), pulls together is inspiring. Finally, they are united in their battle and methods. Standing together, Moloch doesn’t really stand a chance. By the end of the hour, they possibly have a new ally or two, too, which makes them stronger than ever.

One such possible recruit is Henry. Henry has long operated from a place of pain caused by being seemingly abandoned by his parents. Henry views Moloch as a replacement father, one who actually values him. But “The Akeda” finds Moloch revealing how little he actually cares for Henry, which spurs Henry to use the sword against Moloch. We don’t yet know the effect this might have on Henry’s soul, but it seems to stop Moloch, at least for now.

Something Henry takes notice of this week is how Ichabod refuses to abandon him. Henry is loathe to accept any excuses from Ichabod, who was unaware of his son’s existence, and thus unintentionally absentee. Yet, when Ichabod has the chance to kill Henry, he doesn’t. Ichabod won’t give up on his son. Might Henry’s actions be somewhat motivated by Ichabod’s love, and might Henry be tempted to embrace that?

Standing in the way of this is Katrina, whom did know about Henry and abandoned him anyway. However, Ichabod and Katrina aren’t in a good place right now. Katrina betrayed Ichabod, too, and the simmering tension building between them this season erupts spectacularly in “The Akeda.” If mom isn’t in the picture, perhaps the son can be persuaded to give dad a chance.

Katrina’s emotional state is confusing. She shows much compassion for Abraham (Neil Jackson) and saves his life. Ichabod overhears her telling Abraham she cares for him, which could be a ploy, but also seems to bear some truth in it. If Katrina’s heart is torn between the two men who once battled for her affections, which destroyed their friendship, her marriage may very well be over.

Honestly, I’d like to see Ichabod and Abraham reconcile more than Abraham and Katrina get together. She’s kind of a selfish jerk, whereas Abraham acts in the name of love. He may do stupid, downright evil things in that name, but that’s the reason he does what he does. How great would it be if he, too, shuns Katrina, unable to trust her shifting affections, and finds a way to work with Ichabod? After all, Moloch casts out Abraham as well as Henry.

The fact is, “The Akeda” turns several relationships upside down as it brings us to an exciting climax. Because of this, I greatly look forward to the handful of episodes left this season. The number remaining is so small that I’m puzzled why a mid-season finale is necessary at all. But still, they should be good.

SLEEPY HOLLOW will return to FOX after a brief hiatus.

TV Review: "Sleepy Hollow" - "Magnum Opus"

Article first published as SLEEPY HOLLOW Review Season 2 Episode 10 Magnum Opus on Seat42F.

Although FOX’s SLEEPY HOLLOW does a shorter season than most broadcast network series, it is billing this week’s “Magnum Opus” and next week’s episode as a big, splashy, two-part, mid-season finale. Strange, since it will only broadcast a few hours when it returns next year, but welcome, because it’s a gripping tale with much action.

In “Magnum Opus,” Ichabod (Tom Mison) and Abbie (Nicole Beharie) search for a mythical sword that can kill Moloch. Unbeknownst to them, Henry (John Noble) is fully aware of Katrina’s (Katia Winter) “secret” communications with the pair, so he knows of their plan and sends Abraham (Neil Jackson) to stop them. Funnily enough, our heroes need their foe’s help, as the sword is guarded by a Gorgon who can turn them into stone with a look, and did such to Abbie’s ancestor. Since Abraham doesn’t actually have a head (though he increasingly is seen with one due to various spells and enchantments), he is immune to the creature’s primary weapon.

The finding of the sword and the battle to get it is a fun, exciting one. The Gorgon is a scary, cool creature, and the sword room is reminiscent of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, a great film. The fight scenes are well choreographed, and the script plays out pretty clever in how it unfolds the story. This installment pumps the adrenaline and gives SLEEPY HOLLOW fans the adventure element they crave.

It’s also an intriguing personal story. Ichabod talks of how his true self, which he must come to terms with, has been shaped by Abraham. We get flashbacks of the two as friends, Abraham goading Ichabod into traveling to America. Katrina drives them apart, but the two have rich, deep history that begs to be explored further. I am not crazy about the climax of this, when Ichabod proclaims he wants redemption for Abraham, who is not at all receptive, but the backstory leading up to this moment is terrific and something I hope SLEEPY HOLLOW repeats.

The problem with this part of “Magnum Opus,” though, is that it doesn’t quite make sense. Ichabod is painted as a noble patriot who fought for his country. Yet, we see he is an adult in England, so America is a short-term home for him at the start of the Revolution. He truly is a traitor to the crown, not a colonist defending the land he’s grown up on. I’m not saying he shouldn’t fight for the United States, but his motivations are not explored, and on the face of it, seem shaky.

Abraham, on the other hand, remains loyal to his homeland. This is a position that actually makes more sense for the characters as they are presented. Which is why it bothers me that he is painted as a villain for not wanting to turn his back on England. He also has justifiable jealousy at Katrina having chosen Ichabod over him, but that should be a separate thing, not combined with the fight for freedom.

I’m not even sure why Ichabod wanted to be American because he clearly detests many of the founding fathers. We’ve seen his distaste for Benjamin Franklin, though the man provides a much-needed clue in “Magnum Opus” in a brilliant twist of historical fact, and he calls Washington a known liar. He didn’t like the leaders of the movement, so why was Ichabod fighting for them?

Those issues aside, which are glaring and in need of addressing, this is a solid hour. Henry’s conniving plan is well thought out, and Irving’s (Orlando Jones) determination to fight for the side of right, rather than hide out, is a way to satisfactorily serve an underused core character. It keeps me engaged throughout the installment, and builds anticipation greatly for next week’s finale.

SLEEPY HOLLOW airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on FOX.

SLEEPY HOLLOW Would Benefit From Less Structure

Article first published as SLEEPY HOLLOW Review Season 2 Episode 8 Heartless on Seat42F.

In this week’s SLEEPY HOLLOW, “Heartless,” we learn that baby Moloch is not dead, but merely in need of some TLC. Apparently, the demon doesn’t eat formula, though, instead needing to consume souls (natch). Henry (John Noble) brings forth a shape-changing succubus (various actresses, but mainly Still’s Caroline Ford) to collect dinner, which our heroes must scramble to destroy before it kills more people. This is easier said than done because the only way to kill a succubus is to use a spell to burn its heart, which is hidden somewhere outside its body.

I’m quite disappointed SLEEPY HOLLOW still uses a case-of-the-week format so often. Sure, the succubus plot is tied into a larger arc, that of Moloch coming into our realm. And the hour is full of character development and fun moments, which is why the show is still worth watching. But the story would be so much better if it would allow itself to be more free-form, rather than forced to conform to a repetitive structure, with the good stuff built around the unoriginal core. Sigh.

“Heartless” begins with Ichabod (Tom Mison) and Katrina (Katia Winter) curled up to watch a reality dating show. It’s a humorous scene, Ichabod’s fish-out-of-water quality multiplied times two, and mainly brings a smile to the viewer’s face. However, pick apart the moment a little deeper, and you’ll notice that it illustrates a schism between the pair, with both seeing different things in the show and concerning love. This could be waved away easily enough if the hour didn’t further illustrate that they are at different points in their lives with differing opinions as to what must be done.

Ichabod is a Witness, called upon to stop the forces of darkness. Katrina gets in the way of that a little, as Abbie (Nicole Beharie) is definitely feeling neglected (even if she tries not to show it) when Ichabod repeatedly puts Katrina before his partner. This isn’t good for the work, even more so than Ichabod’s nagging hope that he might still save his son. Plus, when Ichabod is confronted by the succubus, it sees pain and woe within him that definitely indicates Mr. and Mrs. Crane are currently out of sync.

Katrina, for her part, does prove her worth to the team, which even Abbie is forced to admit. But she’s not a team player, striking out on her own mission to go back to being a double agent without consulting anyone first, least of all her husband. One may assume that her motivations are pure, but this disconnect will only increase the tension and discord between the couple, which really do feel doomed to failure at this point.

Even more worrying is how Katrina is sucked into what is going on with Moloch. Her affection for Abraham (Neil Jackson) is most likely feigned, something Henry probably sees through even if Abraham doesn’t, but the look Katrina gets when staring at the baby seems real. Moloch appears to be a typical human infant, not a scary demon child, and he did come forth from Katrina’s womb. Might she see him as a second chance to be a good parent? A way to prove to Henry that she can be? Or is this part of an enchantment she’s under because of the necklace she’s wearing?

While Ichabod’s love life is falling apart in “Heartless,” Abbie’s is coming together rather nicely. Hawley (Matt Barr) doesn’t like to show his vulnerable side too freely, but he’s definitely smitten with the cop, and comes to her defense without asking for payment. The fact that Abbie gives him a reward shows the feelings are mutual because she wouldn’t go out of her way for him if she didn’t care. When Ichabod blesses the relationship, it’s all but certain they will get together.

Now, Hawley and Abbie aren’t a perfect match. He has a heart, but he’s also got a business to run and won’t switch his activity to purely altruistic pursuits. This often puts him at odds with the job Abbie must do. However, they both want this, clearly, so they’ll find a way to make it work.

The vast majority of this review is about the good elements in an exciting story. If the show would just free itself up a bit further, as they sometimes, but not often enough, do, it could be among my favorites. Unfortunately, it holds back, not reaching its full potential, which is a frequent disappointment.

SLEEPY HOLLOW airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on FOX.

SLEEPY HOLLOW Review - "Deliverance"

Article first published as SLEEPY HOLLOW Review Season 2 Episode 7 Deliverance at Seat42F.

“Deliverance” is the latest episode of FOX’s SLEEPY HOLLOW. Katrina (Katia Winter) escapes the clutches of her enemies, but her troubles are far from over. She has been implanted with Moloch’s (Derek Mears) seed and will soon give physical form in our realm to the evil demon himself. That is, unless Ichabod (Tom Mison) and Abbie (Nicole Beharie) can stop him in time.

If Moloch were to make it to Earth, that seems like an end-game point for the series. Unless the show is on the verge of cancellation, I don’t see the writers taking such a big step any time soon. Sure, there’s always the chance they may do so if they are uncertain about renewal and want to make sure they get to tell the story, and then they’d have to come up with a new game plan if they get picked back up. But all of SLEEPY HOLLOW thus far is building towards Ichabod and Abbie facing Moloch in an epic battle, and it’s too early for that.

Though, I will say the ending of the episode is unexpected and begs several questions about whether this week’s events actually count as a loss for the baddies.

Since it’s hard to believe Moloch will arrive in “Deliverance,” the plot is a little boring, low stakes stuff with a virtually certain outcome. Add to that an increased presence of Katrina, an underdeveloped character who usually comes across as annoying when on screen, and the ‘A’ plot this week is a little underwhelming, even with all the action. Ichabod and Abbie running around, racing against time is nothing new, and without the threat they could fail, it’s not as enticing.

At least Ichabod and Katrina are together again. For the entire show thus, far they are angst-ridden at their separation. Now, the fans will get the chance to see what they are like together, Katrina finally rescued and staying with her husband.

“Deliverance” does find time to explore some interesting things, though. We get more pieces of the overall puzzle. We see Henry (John Noble) is definitely subservient to Moloch, a fairly recent development. We see Abraham (Neil Jackson) put Katrina before his loyalty to Moloch, which is an interesting direction for the character.

More importantly, we see Leena Reyes (Sakina Jaffrey) begin to come around to our heroes. She takes on the job with an immediate dislike of Abbie and Ichabod, intent on reigning them in and puzzled about good recommendations of Abbie. This is a hindrance to Abbie using her time and police access to forward the supernatural mission. Reyes isn’t let in on the whole picture, but she does see Abbie’s value and smarts, and even the usefulness of Ichabod as a consultant. Provided they don’t screw up Reyes’ good will, Abbie and Ichabod should have an easier time of it from here on out.

SLEEPY HOLLOW explores the relationship between Henry and his parents this week, too. Both Ichabod and Katrina think their son may still be saved for the side of good. Ichabod has more doubts, but comes ‘round after Henry inadvertently shares some of his buried pain. I guess it takes a mom or a dad to see past Henry’s public persona, which is of an evil mastermind bent on world domination. But with both in the principle cast, the series forces the viewers to look at a different perspective, even if they can’t agree with it.

For those skeptical about Henry’s chances at redemption, your concerns will be voiced by Abbie, who definitely isn’t buying into the Cranes’ hopes. She has suffered at Henry’s hands and is not the forgiving type. Abbie will make sure Henry doesn’t use his parents’ emotions against them and keep the mission on track.

“Deliverance” isn’t my favorite episode this year for the reasons mentioned above. But it does have some strong elements and is fast-paced enough to be somewhat exciting.

SLEEPY HOLLOW airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on FOX.

No "Weeping" For SLEEPY HOLLOW

Article first published as SLEEPY HOLLOW Review Season 2 Episode 5 The Lady Weeping on Seat42F.

After last week’s disappointing go-round, it’s gratifying to witness SLEEPY HOLLOW’s return to form in tonight’s “The Weeping Lady.” A haunting figure from Ichabod’s (Tom Mison) past begins threatening the women he cares about. It’s not a creature-of-the-week story, though, as the plot ties into a number of threads for various characters, making the struggle matter to the much bigger picture.

“The Weeping Lady” opens with Ichabod hanging out with Caroline (Laura Spencer), who, as viewers may remember from last year’s season finale, is involved in historic re-enactments. The two have become friends, and this bond survives even after Caroline (justifiably) mistakes Ichabod for a single man with whom she could have a romantic entanglement. Sadly, this marks Caroline to be The Weeping Lady, Mary’s (Heather Lind, Turn: Washington’s Spies), first victim, and she’s soon dead.

It’s a shame Caroline bites it. I know Spencer is super busy these days, with roles on The Big Bang Theory and Bones, but she lets us see a side of Ichabod that no one else does. Their involvement in her hobby, which allows Ichabod to nostalgically revisit his own time, is sweet and moving. It’s also a break from the monsters and mayhem. I hope SLEEPY HOLLOW finds someone else to take Caroline’s place in the near future, even if the show risks repeating itself in developing characters.

After Caroline, Mary goes after Abbie (Nicole Beharie), of course, but Abbie survives. It doesn’t make a ton of sense that Abbie escapes what Caroline cannot, but that’s just one of those things viewers have to accept to enjoy a television show. Main characters usually survive; guest stars, not so much. Besides, we don’t really want to lose Abbie.

Finally, Mary learns of Katrina’s (Katia Winter) existence, and the spirit is no match for the witch, who manages to stop her once and for all. Katrina is a formidable foe for anyone, and no one else stands a chance at Ichabod’s heart while she is around.

Is that still true, though, after “The Weeping Lady?” Katrina reveals that she covered up Mary’s death in the past, and this is a final straw for Ichabod, who reams her out for all of the deceptions she has committed. Before the couple can work things out, Katrina goes home with Abraham (Neil Jackson) to protect her cover, further alienating Ichabod. Ichabod is too good a man to just end his marriage, but it’s something he should consider since Katrina is proving to be less than trustworthy and is certainly not around much. Her excuses make sense, but they are excuses, and there’s far too many of them.

While Ichabod’s relationship falls apart, Abbie’s is kicking off, her flirtation with Holly (Matt Barr) heating up. Or is it? Unfortunately, what Abbie doesn’t know is that Holly and her sister, Jenny (Lyndie Greenwood), have an existing physical relationship. Holly definitely prefers Abbie and rejects Jenny’s advances, but that won’t stop some major drama when the siblings learn that they have their eye on the same guy.

Henry (John Noble) slides into the episode because he brings Mary forth in an effort to thwart Katrina. He is subsequently chewed out royally by Moloch (D.J. Mifflin) for endangering Katrina because she’s an important part of his plan. This really starts to fill in some blanks in the overall mythology of SLEEPY HOLLOW and it’s very interesting to see where Henry fits in the villain hierarchy, perhaps a little lower than some might have thought.

The way all of these various character are interwoven, though, is by far the best part of “The Weeping Lady.” There’s a little bit for each of these players, complete with Revolution-era flashbacks, and they all seem to fit together like a well-made puzzle, interlocking, sometimes in unexpected ways, but all part of a singular vision. It really takes a team of brilliant minds to make a show this cohesive, and while not every episode of SLEEPY HOLLOW is perfect (last week’s stinker, for example), this is a fine example of the program at its best.

SLEEPY HOLLOW airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on FOX.

"Evil" of SLEEPY HOLLOW to Deliver This Episode

Article first published as SLEEPY HOLLOW Review Season 2 Episode 3 Root of All Evil on Seat42F.

This week’s episode of SLEEPY HOLLOW is called “Root of All Evil.” A bank robbery looks suspicious, so Ichabod (Tom Mison) and Abbie (Nicole Beharie) search for something that would cause otherwise-sweet people to go evil. They find it in a Judas coin, biblically rooted, and the artifact is also the reason Ichabod’s friend, Benedict Arnold (Scott Pythress, The Signal), turned against the Americans during the Revolutionary War. When Jenny (Lyndie Greenwood) gets a hold of the money, our heroes must quickly act to stop her before she does something she’ll regret.

“Root of All Evil” is consumed a bit too much by the case-of-the-week for my taste. Most of the hour does involve Abbey and Ichabod chasing down this coin, which, of course, ends up affecting another main character. This is a really simple, predictable, tired plot that SLEEPY HOLLOW tries to distract us from by showing historical flashbacks, tossing in some rich character stuff, and introducing Nick Hawley (Matt Barr, Hellcats), a privateer who can’t be trusted. To be fair, these are terrific distractions and they do work for a lot of the running time, but the core of the installment is still not up to snuff.

I do like that conflict is coming between Abbie and Ichabod. Their bond is an instrumental part of the series, but that doesn’t mean it cannot be tested. Ichabod believes that his wife, Katrina (Katia Winter), is working undercover for them. Abbie thinks Ichabod is naïve, and it’s likely Katrina will side with her son, Henry (John Noble), when things get rough. Abbie’s argument is a sound one, and one I had not considered. Ichabod even seems a little unsettled by it. But his faith in the woman he loves is deep, and he isn’t about to choose Abbie over Katrina, at least not at this juncture.

I’m not sure if Abbie is right or not. “Root of All Evil” does show us Katrina sowing the seeds of doubt between Henry and Abraham (Neil Jackson), which could mean she’s trying to dismantle their plans from the inside. She definitely wants Henry to cease what he’s doing. But that doesn’t mean that she will be able to bring herself to harm Henry, which may be necessary to stop him. Katrina’s words may get to Abraham, but they only seem to reinforce Henry’s attitude.

This week’s SLEEPY HOLLOW reveals another part of Henry’s plan, but not fully. Henry becomes Irving’s (Orlando Jones) lawyer and cuts off the former cop from Abbie and Ichabod. But Henry also promises to get Irving out of the mental institution, which doesn’t immediately make sense because Irving is a friend of Henry’s enemies. Ichabod manages to sneak in and tells Irving not to trust Henry, that Henry must be playing Irving somehow, but if Henry is going to get Irving back to his family, can Irving resist whatever Henry has in mind for him? There definitely seems to be some trouble brewing on this front.

The other big unknown is where Sheriff Reyes’ (Sakina Jaffrey) loyalties lie. Jenny hates the new woman because Reyes put their mother away in the place where their mom eventually killed herself. But Abbie seems to think Reyes may have been trying to help their mother, protecting her from jail. Or, at least that’s what Reyes says to Abbie and Abbie doesn’t argue, though Abbie’s facial expressions indicate she may have doubts. Is Reyes a good person doing her job, which coincidentally interferes with the good guys’ plans, or is she trying to subtlety impede them? I’m just not sure at this point.

There are some really good bits in “Root of All Evil.” Everything with roguish Holly is fun. A confrontation between Reyes and Ichabod is more amusing than perhaps it should be. There is also a timely commentary on homosexuality, which Ichabod has no problem with, though he can’t understand why a man would be disrespectful enough to wear a hat indoors. This viewpoint may not be all that realistic for a guy out of time, but it does make those who would block civil rights for gays look foolish, and that’s certainly welcome.

“Root of All Evil” is a good episode because of all of the various elements SLEEPY HOLLOW includes in even the most routine installment. It has a weaker base than most episodes of the series, but still has enough of what makes SLEEPY HOLLOW special to satisfy fans. If this is an example of a ‘bad’ episode, and I think it is, the show is doing very well indeed.

SLEEPY HOLLOW airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on FOX.