I'm rather partial to this established monster-of-the-week show, for its atmospheric mix of horror, twisted history and parallel-universe overlaps. Tom Mison is a wonderful Ichabod (giving Washington Irving's classic character a contagious Dr. Who charm), and Abbie (Nicole Beharie) is a sturdy partner for him: no one else at this point would do. Too bad John Noble won't be returning as Henry, his misbehaving son, nor will Matt Barr, Orlando Jones, or Katia Winter this season (bummer). Oh, and no Headless Horseman, or so I've read--that does make me exceptionally woeful.
Even so, I'm anxious to watch and report on the new set of occurrences. Hey, as long as the arcane proceedings remain prominent (and why wouldn't they?), I'm confident "Sleepy Hollow" will remain one of television's most mind-bending entries.
(Say, how 'bout figuring a Rip Van Winkle character into the show: a crossover of Irving's most famous leading men? Even a time-tripping Van Winkle series, in its own right, would be worth a daring whirl!)
Watched "I, Witness" and at first the jump in time felt awkward to me, but as the episode rolled (and past events were recollected), I felt more at home with the scenario. I can't say yet whether Pandora (and her box) will match the mad glory of the Headless Horseman (or that of dear Henry or monstrous Moloch), but for the sake of establishing a new villainous vibe, the lady does have potential.
ReplyDeletePS: Also nice to see C. Thomas Howell involved in the action. I think he'll make a swell supporting character. He's a fine (and sadly underrated) actor. Maybe he'll even direct some of the episodes. (Personally, I thought he did a bang-up job with "War of the Worlds 2: the Next Wave".)
DeleteOh, and I must say, in addition to Shannyn Sossamon's Pandora being fetching to the eyes, so is Nikki Reed's Betsy Ross. I believe Betsy will make a fine addition to saga, even if she's now a youthful, spunky version of the famed maker of the flag: yes, a good way off from the historical figure we all know, but for the sake of this fantasy series, a wise reinterpretation.
DeleteThis season is in beautiful full swing with "Whispers in the Dark". I do believe it's safe to say that the monster-of-the-week angle will prevail. Indeed, the series has shifted from the Horseman pitch, but the overall change isn't at all radical. At its heart, this is still the "Sleepy Hollow" I watched from the start.
ReplyDeleteJohn Noble was great in this show, as he is pretty much all of his work. He's heading to "Elementary" now and I am sure he will be fantastic in his new role. I've had the pleasure of meeting him and he is a kind, caring, dynamic individual who is stellar in his craft.
ReplyDeleteIn my estimation, Mr. Noble can do no wrong: such a fine, splendid actor. I'm glad he's found a place on "Elementary". He'll surely make a sterling impression there.
DeleteWas it just me or did "Blood and Fear" have a distinct "Friday the 13th: the Series" vibe to it? Hey, I'm not complaining. I'm a fan of the latter. I also like the Jack the Ripper angle on this episode. I've always had a morbid fascination with the Ripper, I must confess.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed "Sisters Mills", the Tooth Fairy episode: scary but funny. I like the creepy looks of the creature, and Crane's involvement in the classroom and at the dentist were a real hoot.
ReplyDeleteSay, how 'bout that "Bones" crossover in "Dead Men Tell No Tales" (this year's "Sleepy Hollow" Halloween episode)! I'm a sucker for these crossovers, as you know. This was a good one--good Halloween episode, overall, with a cool, monster element at its core.
ReplyDeleteBTW, the General Howe/Revolutionary zombie angle was most novel. It had a sort of old-school Disney feel to it at times. Nice touch.
DeleteNice to see an old-school approach to the beserkers in "Art of War". CGI is okay, serves the purpose, but the ol' facial appliance technique simply can't be beat...unless it's stop-motion animation, maybe.
ReplyDeleteAt long last, "Sleepy Hollow" is back after what I consider to be an unnecessarily long hiatus. Nonetheless, the Nathan Hale tribute, "One Life" (aka, the Mirror Monster/Where-is-Abbie? episode), was a nifty way to restart things. By the very nature of the episode's featured creature, I couldn't help but think of the "Mirrors" movies, but the story's core also offered a good deal of desperation and woe, making for some fine drama.
ReplyDeleteAlso, with "X-files" back in swing at Fox, I think it would only be fitting that the network offer a team-up with "Sleepy Hollow". Really, it would be a more logical crossover than the "Bones" offering (even though that was pretty neat in its own quirky right). Well, if both monster-of-the-week series continue, I can't imagine the opportunity would be bypassed. For crying out loud, the prospect is beyond obvious, don't you agree?
Found "Incident at Stone Manor" a winner, at least as far as parallel-world departures go. Really, it held its own with similar "S.H.I.E.L.D." material.
ReplyDeleteI like that "Sleepy Hollow" isn't afraid to explore such turf. It's also nice that the series never loses track of its roots when it does so (and that goes as well with its time-travel jaunts). These offshoots texture the show well and sometimes even give the monster appearances more depth. Yep, good stuff on the whole.
Wish to add that I quite fancied the episode's gargoyle. Thank goodness, it wasn't some quickie, see-through thing, but more of a throwback to something along the lines of the classic "Gargoyles" television movie. I think my father will fancy the creature, too. He's most partial to gargoyles.
DeletePleased to see the Kindred (Frankenstein-ish Monster) return in "Kindred Spirits". It's neat to see such spirited revisits, since they do tie to the series' past. Sure, "Sleepy Hollow" may be on a slightly new track these days, but that doesn't mean what came before should be ignored. Glad the producers are aware of that. Maybe we'll get some other revisits down the line. I, for one, will welcome them.
ReplyDeleteOh, the "Bride of..." angle was most logical for the Kindred's sequel. I'm glad that path was taken: made the creature's resurgence all the more mythic.
Delete"Sins of the Father" was certainly an emotional and complex chapter. I thought the monster element could have been extended, though, but while it lasted, I found it satisfying.
ReplyDeleteLooks like something monumental struck at the end with Abbie. I wonder how this will shape the remainder of the season.
I found "Dark Mirror" a dandy, dark adventure, but I must confess, I'm biased when it comes to the Jersey Devil. The legend is big in my neck of the woods.
ReplyDeleteThe creature's characteristics differed from mythology, but at least Ichabod acknowledged such. The Leeds link, with the alchemy component, was a surprise to say the least, but I fancied it.
I also found Leed's Pandora flashback fascinating. It exuded a "Hellraiser"/Clive Barker feel to it, but overall, I thought the episode had a distinct "X-Files" feel, even more so than other "Sleepy Hollow" installments. (As I now recall, "X-Files" also catered to the Leeds legend in a unique way.)
"Delaware"--really enjoyed this one due to the backyard element and the cool, dimensional slip. (I also work right near the Delaware River, I must confess, so I have a sentimental link to the episode's events, just on that basis).
ReplyDeleteSure wish the producers would film an episode right in Trenton, but I suppose various complications would thwart such. I recall a fellow who wanted to film a portion of a zombie flick on the Trenton Makes the World Takes Bridge, and well, it didn't happen due to governmental/city-based red tape. Damn shame...
BTW: This surprise turn with Joe...well, try as I may, I can't buy into it. There's got to be a catch.
DeleteAnd as for Betsy Ross, I wonder if Ichabod would hook up with her. I'm not into mush by any means, but with all considering, it does seem like a practical merger.
"Ragnarok" was one helluva finale. It started off kind of flippant, too, with Ichabod distinguishing between "Star Wars" and "Star Trek" with the "City on the Edge of Forever" reference. However, with the Abbie deal...well, I don't know what to say.
ReplyDeleteDon't know what all this means for the next season, either. Where will it go? How will the series change? Evidently, only time will tell...
"Ragnarok" was one helluva finale. It started off kind of flippant, too, with Ichabod distinguishing between "Star Wars" and "Star Trek" with the "City on the Edge of Forever" reference. However, with the Abbie deal...well, I don't know what to say.
ReplyDeleteDon't know what all this means for the next season, either. Where will it go? How will the series change? Evidently, only time will tell...
"Ragnarok" was one helluva finale. It started off kind of flippant, too, with Ichabod distinguishing between "Star Wars" and "Star Trek" with the "City on the Edge of Forever" reference. However, with the Abbie deal...well, I don't know what to say.
ReplyDeleteDon't know what all this means for the next season, either. Where will it go? How will the series change? Evidently, only time will tell...