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Sleepy Hollow: The Art of War

"Nothing beats a good blindside."

After the tragic error that was Hawley, I've been slow to commit, but I had to admit while watching this episode that I've grown to like Joe Corbin. I even like Joe Corbin as a love interest for Jenny Mills. Plus he's handy to our Sleepy Hollow Scooby gang as both a medic and a former marine.

But I've seen too many Joss Whedon shows. As soon as Joe and Jenny kissed (which was also clearly signaled when they were sparring in the ring early on), I thought, one of them is going to die. Please tell me that it's not going to be Jenny. Let's hope that they go the "shard-ectomy" route so she won't glow like a road flare any more.

This was very much an Ichabod and Joe bonding episode, too, to the point of them hunting Norse berserkers together with mistletoe-soaked crossbows and talking about how each of them needs to talk truth to their particular Mills sister. What's nice is that both of them did.

While I've been happy with the adorable and practical two witnesses as housemates situation, it's clear that the FBI thing isn't working for Abbie and Ichabod. (And me. And possibly other viewers.) It seems obvious that Abbie needs to be focused on fighting supernatural evil with her partner, not trying to hold down a demanding government job.

Case in point: when Danny left Abbie in charge, she used her authority not to stay in the office and actually act as boss, but to pull the 24/7 surveillance on Atticus Nevins so that Ichabod could break into Nevins' office and do the pencil on the blank pad of paper trick. And now undercover Sophie's cover is blown. Will this have an effect on Abbie's job, or will it get swept under the rug? I sort of hope it will get Abbie fired and the FBI thing will go away. But I'm sure it won't.

The Norse berserkers didn't do much for me either ("Go fetch"? no resemblance at all to attack dogs) although I enjoyed how they defeated them with vials of Jenny's blood by getting them to fight each other. Too bad that mistletoe didn't work. And at least we seem to have moved on to the point of Pandora's mischief and the Shard of Anubis: Pandora has a boyfriend who makes her look like a homeroom teacher. Anubis, I presume? Is he anything like Moloch?

I'm sure we'll find out in the fall finale next week. In February, Fox is moving the show to its infamous Friday death slot. This does not bode well for the future of Sleepy Hollow, but I'm starting to think that cancellation is inevitable, anyway. This episode was a step in the right direction, but it's also too little too late.

Bits and pieces:

-- While talking about Sun Tsu's The Art of War, Abbie beat Ichabod at chess. That was fun. Guys can be so weird about losing at chess. If Abbie has studied classic games that have occurred since the 18th century, it's not a surprise that she beat him. Or maybe she's just better at it.

-- I enjoyed how Atticus Nevins was all tentative with the chanting until he realized that the incantation was working and he got all Shakespearean.

-- Pandora has been staying somewhere. Does she have an apartment in Hell? I hear they have one bedrooms.

-- This week's flashback was happily Betsy-Ross-less and centered on Daniel Boone in 1779 Boonesborough, Kentucky, who was outgunned so he turned the British and Hessian allies against each other.

-- Joe, who I think still doesn't know Ichabod's origins, said that in the future, Ichabod will be a college professor who teaches modern cinema once a week, and Abbie will be running the FBI. I thought that was cute.

-- The "dark metal cave" was a junkyard. Clever.

-- Danny has a boss, a guy with glasses, who is interested in Abbie. What's up with that? For that matter, who was Nevins working for?

-- FYI, Daddy Mills was just cast.

Quotes:

Danny: (re: Ichabod) "I have to say, I still don't get that dude."
Their jealousy of each other is so obvious.

Ichabod: "United States Immigration may well be Dante's tenth circle of Hell."
Has Ichabod been to the DMV yet?

Jenny: "I think I would remember developing mutant powers."

Abbie: "Berserkers? That would explain their anger management issues."

Joe: "Mistletoe. Wait, seriously? As in, gosh who put that there, oh well I guess we should kiss mistletoe?"

Ichabod: "Do I look like a common thief, stealing worms?"
Sophie: "No. You look like the bass player from some British rock band."
She also called him Doctor Strange.

All of the disparate plot threads are coming together for the fall finale. Two and a half out of four stolen worms,

Billie
---
Billie Doux loves good television and spends way too much time writing about it.

4 comments:

  1. At this point cancellation would be a blessing and in hindsight the show will only be remembered for Ichabod Crane and probably Ichabod/Abbie.

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  2. Better, but it's already too late I'm afraid. No Betsy-whee!
    The actor playing Pandora's bf was great on Spartacus: Blood and sand-so he should be a credible threat.
    I still heart Ichabod and Abbie-and if Jenny dies I'll be very cross.
    Corbin Jr is okay I guess.

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  3. It is with much sadness that I must report - I have taken SH off of my "series to record" list. I will catch it if I'm up late enough, but, even with it recorded, I don't have the patience to watch any episode all the way through now. Much as I love Ichabod - this show doesn't seem to be going anywhere. The same thing happened a couple of years ago with "Once Upon a Time". Oh well, I enjoyed it as long as I could!

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  4. I wish people would stop picking on Anubis. He was not a god of evil. That would be Set.

    ReplyDelete

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