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golem Sleepy Hollow

Sleepy Hollow S01E10 – “The Golem”

golem Sleepy Hollow

This meeting of the Lydia From Beetlejuice Fan Club will come to order!


Sleepy HollowThe Golem
Story by Alex Kurtzman
Teleplay by Mark Goffman & Jose Molina
Directed by J. Miller Tobin
golem Sleepy Hollow

Golem smash irony!


Last time on Sleepy Hollow, we found out that Ichabod had a son he never knew about, the name and even the name of the child is a mystery. So now it’s time to go mystery hunting, as our heroes find out whatever happened to Baby Crane. Also there is a monster and some great character scenes. There is a special focus on parentage of many of the characters, particularly the male ones. This makes sense, as many are from fractured families, and they are on the way to forming their own little family that fights the forces of darkness. Beyond that, there is hints of grave danger, which is to be expected, with a two-hour season finale coming up shortly (only one regular episode left!)

We find out more about Ichabod’s unknown child, Jeremy Crane. But just so you know, the answers were be slowly sprinkled throughout the episode, both in order to help build on suspense, but also because there is a secret sort of twist. And possibly more going on that the characters conclude at the finale of the episode, but I’ll cross that bridge when we reach it.

Sin Eater Henry Parrish (John Noble) returns, and he loves puzzles. He does crosswords all the time, because they help center him. Because of his powers, he lives an isolated life, so spending his time doing hobbies like that aren’t surprising. The puzzlework will come in handy, because the entire show is one huge puzzle of crazy awesome. It’s like those huge jumbo puzzle magazines I would get from PennyPress when I was younger and needed stuff to do on plane rides and bus rides.

golem Sleepy Hollow

Crossword puzzles got so much easier when I just used nonsense Lord of the Rings words!


Parrish and Crane share some moments of their fathers, Parrish mentioning that he never got to thank his father for what he gave him (his father now resides in a home, suffering from Alzheimer’s), while Crane laments never getting to be a father to his boy like his dad was to him. If there is one thing Sleepy Hollow does exceptionally well, it is to have well crafted moments between its characters while they’re discussion family relations.

Fear not, there is more Ichabod vs. The Modern World shenanigans going on! Especially amazing is the wordplay of the “awful intercourse” conversation. Which makes since and is very dirty. This episode is more scattered, so some of the analysis will be cut and run with the recap section. Don’t be a gongoozler, it’s time to dive in with “The Golem

golem Sleepy Hollow

The return of Evil Mongo!

Sanctuary Sleepy Hollow

Sleepy Hollow S01E09 – “Sanctuary”

Sanctuary Sleepy Hollow

Ichabod Crane IS Paul Bunyan, this fall on Fox!


Sleepy HollowSanctuary
Written by Damian Kindler and Chitra Elizabeth Sampath
Directed by Liz Friedlander
Sanctuary Sleepy Hollow

Bad Swamp Thing! NO!


Sleepy Hollow becomes Creepy Hollow with this haunted house entry, featuring handheld camera scares that resemble a found footage movie. A huge chunk of the episode takes place with characters trapped in a haunted house and menaced by a monster Scarecrow, but as this is Sleepy Hollow, we also get some awesome character moments, introduced to some more supporting cast members who will definitely be around for episodes to come, and even throw a new mystery twist on top of the already sky high pile.

Some of the coolest X-Files episodes were the monster episodes. The creatures were unique and diverse, and it helped break up the conspiracy mythology of the show turning everything too depressing. Sleepy Hollow has improved on that format, with the monster episodes that are tied into overall story arcs, without the story development becoming the focus or a distraction. The monster here not only menaces today, but has its origins in Ichabod’s time, and even reveals a connection to Abbie.

Sanctuary Sleepy Hollow

We fought a revolution and I can’t even get fresh fries???


Outside of the plot, Sleepy Hollow did more of what it is becoming known for, having multiple minority characters who have distinct personalities and aren’t just tools for the main character to use. Abbie and Ichabod are dual main characters, and Abbie’s sister Jenny is the cool tough breakout role that makes me long for Lyndie Greenwood’s name in the opening credits. Orlando Jones has gone from the “skeptic boss” archetype to a fully functional leader who has to deal with the Biblical Apocalypse happening in his town and trying to keep it under wraps so people don’t panic and so no one carts everyone off to the nut house.

Now, Jill Marie Jones and Amandla Stenberg (Rue from The Hunger Games!) join the cast, Jill Marie Jones as Captain Frank Irving’s ex-wife Cynthia Irving, and Stenberg as his daughter Macey. Macey is in a wheel chair due to something vaguely hinted at (but it is implied that Frank is to blame for not being there), and Cynthia is worried that Frank has practically stopped visiting his daughter, and is threatening taking full custody. Frank is not happy to have this happening on top of everything else, though Macey seems less than broken up about the current situation when talking with Jenny.

Sanctuary Sleepy Hollow

Corn? Corn? Corn?

Necromancer Sleepy Hollow

Sleepy Hollow S01E08 – “Necromancer”

Necromancer Sleepy Hollow

Jenny Mills could take down the apocalypse herself and still have time for dinner


Sleepy Hollow “Necromancer”
Written by Mark Goffman and Phillip Iscove
Directed by Paul Edwards
Necromancer Sleepy Hollow

WHY ISN’T LEGEND ON CRITERION COLLECTION YET?!???


Well, I was wrong, the Headless Horseman didn’t escape in the opening sequence of the next episode, it took him the whole episode to escape. Close enough!

What we get is an Ichabod episode, giving him some much needed characterization, and showing he’s not just a super human sent from the past, but isn’t always perfect and in control. We also get the return of Jenny Mills, being totally awesome as usual. There is Captain Irving kicking butt for a second week in a row, once he stopped being Captain Deny Deny, he’s turned into an action hero (who is still trying to keep everything under wraps, because it is crazy, because people will freak out, and because you don’t know who you can trust.) Katrina appears in this episode, and we find out more of why she’s stuck in limbo.

Necromancer Sleepy Hollow

Fox News is going to have a field day with this Colonial Terrorist Fist Bump!

Don’t worry, villain lovers, we got the return of crazy German Hessians! And lots of demons running around, necromancy (it better with a title like “Necromancer”!), and origin stories of your favorite headless guy who rides a horse. Though the story was a bit convoluted. Things don’t seem to match 100% with what we saw when Ichabod met Katrina. Abraham should have appeared in more episodes before this one, just to inch the emotional impact up a few notches.

Story problems aside, “Necromancer” delivered some good action, conspiracy, and nutso stuff, so I was entertained!

We begin where we ended, with the Headless Horseman captured! This is worth a fist bump, which Abbie teaches to Ichabod, who is both enthused and bewildered. They can’t kill the Headless Horseman, but he is held in a prison designed by Thomas Jefferson to deal with the worst kind of demons. Ichabod theorizes because he was dealing with the French! Oh, France, you’re a punching bag 200 years ago, and still today! The prison features UV lights – which weaken the chained Horseman – and is protected by a hex spell that keeps demons out. Totally secure, I expect it to be destroyed very soon.

Necromancer Sleepy Hollow

Colonial dinner parties were just people hanging around as crazy dudes build junk

Sleepy Hollow Midnight Ride

Sleepy Hollow S01E07 – “The Midnight Ride”

Sleepy Hollow Midnight Ride

Abbie prepares Kris Jenner for her photoshoot!


Sleepy Hollow “The Midnight Ride”
Directed by Doug Aarniokoski
Written by Heather V. Regnier
Sleepy Hollow Midnight Ride

MATRIX!!!


Pop the corks and pour yourself a big bubbly glass of crazy awesome, because Sleepy Hollow has raised the bar on how to make awesomely entertaining shows out something that sounds ludicrous!

Case in point is the latest episode – “The Midnight Ride“. We begin with Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride on April 18th, 1775, but did you know he was chased by He Who Would Be the Headless Horseman? Also the Headed Horseman axed the crap out of most of Revere’s fellows.

Sleepy Hollow Midnight Ride

Sleepy Hollow is the bomb!


This historical tinkering isn’t new for Sleepy Hollow, but as they’ve embraced their new mythology for how the Revolutionary War was just one battlefield for the Secret War Between Good and Evil, the historical events will become more entwined into this mythology. Just last week we learned that the Freemasons (of which Ichabod is one, of course!) are secret heroes, and this battle has just been on pause for a bit until Ichabod and the Headless Horseman woke up.

After a few weeks of reprieve, the Horseman is back, and he wants his head! Thus, everyone prepares for battle, Abbie stocking supplies in Sheriff Corbin’s cabin (where Ichabod lives), and Ichabod marveling at her bulk food purchases. He also mocks her for buying water and becomes disgusted with the pollution in modern society. If anything, this episode has opened the floodgates for Ichabod fish out of water scenes, more happen here than in all other episodes prior. It seems like it would be overkill, but they all fit in very well with the tone.

Ichabod is meeting with the Freemasons to discuss Headless Horseman weaknesses (remember: no girls allowed at the Freemasons!) while Abbie is not meeting with them because of said rule. Also they’re meeting at night for some reason despite the fact the Headless Horseman is only active at night (sunlight can kill him!) If you think this means there will be a slaughtering happening soon, you are correct!

Sleepy Hollow Sin Eater

Sleepy Hollow S01E06 – “The Sin Eater”

Sleepy Hollow Sin Eater

One ring to rule them all, Colonial scum!


Sleepy HollowThe Sin Eater
Directed by Ken Olin
Story by Aaron Rahsaan Thomas
Teleplay by Alex Kurtzman & Mark Goffman
Sleepy Hollow Sin Eater

Just call me “Library Book” because I’m only checked out of here every few episodes!


Sleepy Hollow has been absent from the airwaves the past few weeks, giving us some time to digest what has been going on. Also to forget a lot of little stuff, were we a more casual viewer. Luckily for the casuals, “The Sin Eater” opens with a brief recap of the prior five episodes, telling us what we need to know to get up to speed.
Sleepy Hollow Sin Eater

Demon…or Phantom of the Opera cosplayer???


The theme for “The Sin Eater” is about letting go what you did in the past. You see it both literally with what Ichabod goes through, and demonstratively with Abbie rebuilding her relationship with her sister Jennifer, who Abbie abandoned to a life of mental institutions. Abbie reveals that Ichabod is more than just a working partner for her, he’s someone who helped her find a purpose in life. As Abbie has drifted through life finding people who matter, only to have them taken away, she cannot bear to watch Ichabod be taken as well. It also is rocket fuel for Abbie/Ichabod romance speculations, despite Ichabod’s wife Katrina featuring more heavily in this episode than any prior.

“The Sin Eater” also set up some mythology for the next few episodes, thanks to the appearance of the Freemasons and the hinted return of the Headless Horseman (though this is the second episode in a row where he has “returned” without returning yet!) But the ending feels like the next episode will take place immediately afterwards, with much of the same guest stars popping up, so hopefully things continue to be crazytown and well written.

Sleepy Hollow Sin Eater

Have I told you about the advantages of a Time-Share?

John Doe Sleepy Hollow

Sleepy Hollow S01E05 – “John Doe”

John Doe Sleepy Hollow

Not so sleepy anymore…


Sleepy HollowJohn Doe
Directed by Ernest Dickerson
Written by Melissa Blake
John Doe Sleepy Hollow

This flower is my baby!


It’s Sleepy Hollow time again! After last week topped everything so far, this week’s Sleepy Hollow pulls back while switching gears to do a mysterious disease episode. There is also exploration of more colonial American myths (at this rate they’re going to run out of actual historical stuff to revise by season 2!) and let’s use know that the other three Horsemen of the Apocalypse aren’t just sitting around eating pizza. Okay, maybe Famine. That guy’s a jerk!

There are some mysteries hinted at that should pay off later, and Captain Irving and Detective Morales both have moments beyond scenes to remind people they exist. Even Ichabod’s wife shows up again, having barely appeared in the last two episodes (and she even comments on that fact!) The main problem with “John Doe” is it is following a stronger episode, so I’m just being more picky. Will Morales’ partner turn out to be evil? He seems way to nice to not be secretly evil. Also has anyone seen John Cho? Or smelled John Cho? Because he should be pretty rank by now and easy to track down. I’m sure he’ll appear again before too long.

John Doe Sleepy Hollow

Nobody told me I would be in this episode!


The focus on a different Horseman means we might just have episodes dealing with each one of them trying things as the series progresses. Maybe even the Horsemen will grow some brains and team up. Will the War guy have Sleepy Hollow be invaded by foreign powers? Was Red Dawn set in the Sleepy Hollow universe? A mystery to contemplate…

A mystery kid in old timey clothes peeps on a mystery girl in the woods. The girl is collecting flowers and wants to play with the boy once she sees him, running off and daring him to catch her. He does so, but soon she vanishes and is replaced by an armored dude on horseback. The design is familiar because we’ve seen him before, during the shot of all four Horsemen of the Apocalypse in Blood Moon. Though we don’t find out right away, this guy is Pestilence and he’s not very nice.

Pestilence chases the kid to the highway, at which point the horseman and his horse vanish into dust. Mystery Kid is confused by the highway and cars, and his old timey dress indicates that he might be a time traveler like Ichabod.

John Doe Sleepy Hollow

Food in the future is weird!