It's the fall finale. And that means cliffhangers.
How many of you believe that one of the characters in what is basically a two-character show is gone forever? Honestly, I might have felt a bit more fear and tension if it had been Jenny, because I'm fond of Jenny and she's not one of our two Witnesses. If Abbie is gone forever, I'd be very surprised. And, as much as I adore Tom Mison's Ichabod Crane, pretty much done with this show.
Not that I didn't enjoy this episode, because the Sleepy Hollow powers that be tend to pull out all the stops with their finales. It started with the absolutely gorgeous opener at the falls with Pandora unwrapping her mummified husband like a really hideous party gift, went through an hilarious recreation of the toga party scene from Animal House, and ended with a huge weaponized raid on Treevil Central. Plus it was fitting that Abbie sacrificed herself because she refused to leave her sister, an ongoing plot in this series.
Pandora's husband (Peter Mensah) who is referred to on IMdb as "The Hidden One," is a living, breathing, and no longer mummified god who is pissed off about what humans have done to his world, so we have an "end of humanity" deal going on now. I liked that he didn't just pop Jenny down like a snack but took some time to resurrect, which of course also gave Team Witness time to plan an attack and rescue her. It was almost cute how lovey dovey Pandora and her honey were. If they weren't planning an apocalypse, that is.
There was major death foreshadowing all over the place. Ichabod mentioned early on that the Mills sisters were all that he had. Paul Revere told Ichabod, "Don't let anyone in too close. When you lose them, it will break you." There was the "wage war fearing loss" stuff, and that last Ichabod/Abbie walk through the woods practically had neon signs flashing that it was an important conversation. Interesting that it ended with Abbie calling Ichabod "My man." I know, I know, not romantically. But if the series ends this season, and I'm thinking it probably will, would it be asking too much for them to toss the Ichabbie shippers a bone or two?
It's interesting that Pandora and her hubby (please give him a name so that he's easier to refer to) were talking about past Witnesses being useful, and that Witnesses have a "right by lineage" to a place in the "new world." That's probably something Ichabod can use against them after he retrieves Abbie from Hell, which is where I assume she went when she disappeared into the Treevil.
Why Hell? Because (1) in "This Red Lady from Caribee", Ichabod said, "Trees are often associated with the entrance to the underworld." (2) Before Nevins was vaporized or possibly dragged away by Pandora, he said, "Like Hell. Like Hell." And (3) they've already done Purgatory.
Bits and pieces:
-- "Novus Ordo Seclorum" means "new order of the ages" and is on the one dollar bill.
-- As I hoped, Abbie's actions in the previous episode had consequences, and she turned in her badge and gun. Danny Reynolds immediately called his boss with the news.
-- Loved the taser. Especially after all the bullets that didn't work.
-- There was another flashback to Paul Revere, who seems to be more popular than the universally despised Betsy Ross this season.
-- I've been wondering if Joe knows that Ichabod is from the 18th century, and some things Joe said in this episode made it appear that he does know. Guess I missed that.
-- Joe was willing to become a monster again to get Jenny back. That was sweet. Possibly a little stupid.
-- Pandora's box was a gift from her husband, and Ichabod thinks he can raise more monsters from it using the Ywhatever Saga. I bet that will happen in the back half.
-- I'm reviewing two other shows right now: Supernatural and The Walking Dead. The tease of losing a major character is a big plot point on one of them, and an ancient god is the bad guy on the other. When it comes to TV shows I care enough about to review, I guess I have a type.
-- The next episode airs on February 5, 2016. That's a long time to wait. Plus there's the move to the Fox Friday death slot. Not good.
Quotes:
Ichabod: "Why is emulating a Roman Senate gone amuck considered celebratory?"
Joe: "Oh, it's a college tradition, like winter carnival, spring break, naked summer solstice sprint around the quad. Beer can make a guy do strange things."
Ichabod: "From time immemorial."
Abbie: "Let's just find the book and get out of here before the fumes kill us."
Joe: (to Ichabod) "Okay, I'm still not used to the way you name drop."
Joe: "So all we have is a working knowledge of Sumerian and a very depressing Masonic book?"
Jenny: "No offense, lady, but your man is damned ugly."
Joe: "Do you think you could sketch what he was forging?"
Ichabod: "Can I sketch? I was painting oils while Gilbert Stuart was still shredding snuff in Narragansett."
Abbie: "So that's a yes?"
Sophie: "In about five minutes, some friends of mine are gonna come throw you in a van and drag you to DC, where a damn alphabet soup of FBI, DEA, ATF and DOJ will be waiting to Q&A."
Sophie's ploy was so transparent that even I didn't believe it. Did she really think Nevins would?
Ichabod: "I like to think you and I have developed over the years, Lieutenant. We have fought off horsemen, demons, witches..."
Abbie: "Norse berserkers, whispering wraiths..."
Ichabod: "Zombie redcoats..."
Abbie: "Evil scarecrows, golem..."
Ichabod: "And we sent them packing. Handily."
Abbie: "Yeah, we did. This is our first god, though."
Did it work for you guys? Are you underwhelmed? Ticked off? Lines are open,
Billie
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Billie Doux loves good television and spends way too much time writing about it.
Abbie is not dead. They killed Irving and brought him back and he was a supporting person. Our lovely leading lady lives. Loved the "My man" bit, because he so is. No Betsy-yay.
ReplyDeletePeter Mensah was scary-but please give him a name. Loved him and Pandora-so sweet and murderous. Eek.
Liked Joe's willingness to go the extra mile for his lady.
The show is on its last legs-but this was a good fall finale.
Thanks for the lovely and insigtful reviews.