Sleepy Hollow Review: Black-Winged Angels

Sleepy Hollow is back from its mid-season hiatus, and I’m glad to see Team Witness back together again!

However, I’m going to be honest and tell you that my fealty is wavering, partly because I’m not sure in what direction they’re trying to take the show’s storyline, and also because a lot of this episode felt like a rehash of the angst of the first half of the season (and I’m not just talking about the infodumps/flashbacks).

We’re catapulted into six weeks after Moloch’s demise. Henry’s (aka Jeremy’s) fate is unknown, and Abbie and Ichabod are trying hard to pretend everything’s back to normal (Abbie even jests with him about getting a job and a dental plan).

But of course, when icky worms start crawling out of your farmer’s market apple, it’s clearly a sign that unholy things are amongst us. So, Team Witness shrug their shoulders and head out to investigate. They’re led to a farm where demons are attempting to summon a “Master,” and in the heat of battle, a black-winged angel swoops in and kicks butt.

Orion is his name.

And talking as if he’s stepped out of a Shakespeare play is his game.

I actually like Orion! I think there are some fun directions the show could go in with the mysterious, black-winged angel in Sleepy Hollow, sometimes working toward similar goals as Team Witness and at other times, butting heads with them.

We’re treated to an interlude with Ichabod and Katrina fretting over their failing marriage–which had always seemed to have NO chemistry, in my humble opinion, so…meh. And then there’s Abraham (the Headless Horseman) still chillaxing in the warded prison.

Abbie wants to whack the Horseman (understandable), Katrina wants to save him, and Ichabod is pulled in both directions trying to be the mediator. Orion turns out not to be such a prim and proper angel–he wants to kill Abraham in order to usurp the powers of Death, and so everything comes to a clash where Katrina frees Abraham, Abbie crosses her arms and goes, “See, I told ya so,” and Captain Irving inexplicably shows up at a convenience store, drinking a carton of milk without paying for it. Yay!

Oh yeah, and just so we won’t forget that Hawley and Jenny exist, they’re sort of helping our dynamic duo, but not really.

This is what I love about Sleepy Hollow: Team Witness–their friendship, banter, and chemistry are on point and oh-so-fun to watch. I never tire of Abbie and her cute, sassy self informing Ichabod about a fact of modern life or giving her opinion on a matter. I love them together. I also like the obvious paranormal and mythological focus where there’s a secret George Washington bible, Freemasons, covert history, monsters and demons.

What I don’t love: Ichabod and Katrina arguing and fretting over a marriage that’s colder than a block of ice. Before, their relationship (and its conflicts) didn’t bother me, now it’s starting to annoy me. Make a decision! Either you’re together and have chemistry and passion (or even better, chemistry, passion, and Katrina turns against Ichabod!), OR you’re not together (let’s not pretend they’re not flirting with Katrina + Abraham and Ichabod + Abbie).

I also dislike the continued under-use of Team Witness allies (Irving, Jenny, Hawley). Maybe we can get an episode or two where we see a little more of them? Perhaps a person (or monster) from their past comes back to haunt them, and Team Witness needs to step in to help?

I think there is hope, since they are introducing the intriguing angel Orion. However, I do think this episode could have been better.

What do you think of this recent episode?