SLEEPY HOLLOW's Prospects "Dark"

Article originally written for Seat42F.

On last night’s SLEEPY HOLLOW on FOX, “Whispers in the Dark,” Ichabod (Tom Mison) and Abbie (Nicole Beharie) try to protect some people being hunted by a shadow. Said shadow has been unleashed by Pandora (Shannyn Sossamon), whom the two begin to realize has been hanging around. Thankfully, they have Ichabod’s memories of an encounter Betsy Ross (Nikki Reed) had with the creature, so they are able to defeat it by the end of the hour.

I am very glad I took notes while watching last night’s installment, something I don’t normally do, because otherwise, I’m not sure I’d remember enough to write about it this morning. The episode had a few fun bits with our heroes, but was mostly a forgettable mess of plot holes and inconsistencies. The hope sparked last week that the third season of SLEEPY HOLLOW would get past the mistakes of the dreadful second year is dying out quickly.

Let’s start with Daniel Reynolds (Lance Gross, House of Payne). He is a mysterious man from Abbie’s past whom she attended Quantico with. Somehow, Abbie attended Quantico and became an agent in the single year between seasons two and three, met an older man who also happened to be in the same program, and that man is now a boss, her boss? None of that sounds the least bit believable.

Abbie’s problems with the FBI don’t end there. Abbie frequently neglects her normal cop duties during the first two seasons of SLEEPY HOLLOW because she’s fighting the supernatural, but this is forgivable because her boss is in on her secret and knows what she’s up to. Now, Abbie is doing the same thing as an FBI agent without that same level of protection from above. There’s no way she can get away with doing what she does and still keep her job, even if somehow, by chance, this shadow is her actual assigned case, which is far-fetched itself. Where are her fellow agents? Who is she working with? She’s a brand new agent, there’s no way she’s given this much freedom.

Also, how did Abbie afford such a nice house as the one she is living in in “Whispers in the Dark?” You can’t tell me her salary as a local cop paid for that, and she certainly isn’t making that kind of money as a newly-graduated federal agent. We know Ichabod doesn’t have any money to help her pay the mortgage (which makes one wonder how he funded his year abroad). Again, the writers fail to think through what is realistic in this situation.

Then, Abbie and Ichabod supposedly defeat the creature the same way Betsy Ross did back in colonial times. Except they don’t. The scene we see with Betsy looks quite different from what they are facing. Why make this parallel if you’re not going to follow through and connect them?

In the ‘B’ plot of “Whispers in the Dark,” Jenny (Lyndie Greenwood) runs into Joe Corbin (Zach Appelman) who apparently has been just waiting around to join the team all this time. She turns down his application, and he is immediately kidnapped and gets drawn in any way. That seems way too big a coincidence to me. Why didn’t we see Joe approach sooner? Why is he kidnapped if he’s not connected? None of it makes sense.

I liked SLEEPY HOLLOW’s first season a lot, especially once the show got going. Now, it seems like a typical crime drama that just happens to have mystical elements, and one in which settings and character relationships are created purely to serve the formula for that genre without any regard as to what makes sense for this world. It’s disrespectful to the fans and lazy for the production to put this type of product forward. The ratings have been poor enough that a fourth season seems unlikely for SLEEPY HOLLOW, which only narrowly got a third run. In my opinion, it cannot be pulled off the air soon enough.

Oh, and since Joe is here for Jenny and Daniel is flirting with Abbie, I guess we won’t get Hawley back any time soon. That’s a shame because he was a cool character with potential. It’s a waste to disappear him.

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

SLEEPY HOLLOW Takes a Step "Back"

Article first published as SLEEPY HOLLOW Review Season 2 Episode 6 And the Abyss Gazes Back on Seat42F.

This week’s SLEEPY HOLLOW verges on really good, but has a few elements that don’t quite hit the mark. “And the Abyss Gazes Back” finds Joe Corbin (Zach Appelman, Kill Your Darlings) returning to town from Afghanistan. He’s been a solider overseas, hence why he misses his dad’s funeral, and now he’s come home, with a chip on his shoulder, to follow his father’s final instructions. He quickly gets drawn into the supernatural game.

The idea of Joe is kind of hokey. This is someone we’ve heard nothing about, yet he drops in with an already-established history with Abbie (Nicole Beharie). Shows do this all the time, of course, but it really seems strange that a new player important to the show’s mythology would enter the picture this late, this suddenly. Stranger still, even after getting the full story, Joe decides to go to Quantico, rather than stay and join the team, ruining the role.

I understand that shows have guest characters to move the narrative along and Joe fits firmly in a typical guest character mold. What’s disappointing is that SLEEPY HOLLOW should be better than this. It isn’t the typical procedural, and when it presents installments that lean in that direction, like “And the Abyss Gazes Back” does, it’s upsetting. Joe could easily be written as a long-term player, but isn’t. Why not?

That being said, “And the Abyss Gazes Back” is not the worst episode of SLEEPY HOLLOW to date. Despite Joe’s fleeting appearance, he does contribute something to the main characters. He brings father/son themes to the story, as well as shedding a little light on Sheriff Corbin, who remains a vital figure, even if a short-lived one.

Joe is bitter about how he thinks his father valued Abbie more than him, and that sparks something in Ichabod (Tom Mison). Thus far, we’ve not seen Ichabod talk about his feelings for Henry (John Noble) much, but he reveals that he does still love his son. This is a little hard to wrap one’s head around. Sure, Katrina (Katia Winter) thinks their son can be saved, but Ichabod seems more grounded than she does. Henry is very clearly evil, cursing Joe and taking Irving’s (Orlando Jones) soul. How can Ichabod hope for redemption? Yet, every parent doesn’t want to believe the worst about their child, no matter who that child may be, so it makes a kind of sense.

The scenes between Abbie and Joe are really sweet, after the initial conflict. Abbie did take Joe’s father’s attention away, but in a sense, that makes them like siblings. We get that by the end of the hour. Children grow up and get over petty jealousies, especially once they can see the bigger picture, which is hard to do when one is young. These two have an interesting relationship I’d love to see explored more.

Irving’s plot in “And the Abyss Gazes Back” is compelling. Learning that Henry owns his soul, Irving tries to resist Henry’s first job for him, which could also be his last: kill the man that paralyzed Irving’s daughter. Irving is sorely tempted to go through with it. Now only would the act get Irving out of the soul deal (or so Henry says; one can’t really trust him), but it would allow Irving to get vengeance for a very dark past wrong. However, Irving is not a monster and stops himself, even though he wants to strangle the man. No matter what happens after this, the episode firmly establishes Irving as a hero, not a traitor or stooge forced to the other side.

“And the Abyss Gazes Back” has some fun moments, with Ichabod getting into video games and trying to remember who Superman is. But it also gets a little goofy when he talks about knowing Daniel Boone. Is there anyone Ichabod didn’t know from colonial times? The world has far fewer people back then and Mr. Crane obviously ran in esteemed circles, but it’s getting a little ridiculous that he is personally acquainted every single person of note.

Over all, I like “And the Abyss Gazes Back,” but it is neither the best nor worst installment of SLEEPY HOLLOW this season. There are some of the elements present that consistently make the show great, while also taking some of the too-often-traveled routes other shows use. My wish is that the writers really come into their own and own their cool concept, tossing off the shackles of what they think broadcast television needs to be.

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