Courtesy of FOX
Sleepy Hollow chooses to go out with a decisive bang instead of a whimper for its season one finale (probably to make sure fans don’t forget about the best new 2013 show during the insanely long 8 month hiatus). Did the show succeed?
Let’s bitch it out…
I can’t hold it in any longer, so we need to start with the major spoiler of the two-episode season finale: Sin-Eater Henry Parrish (John Noble) is the second horseman of the apocalypse! Oh, AND he’s also Katrina (Katia Winter) and Ichabod’s (Tom Mison) son! Mind = blown. We knew, of course, that Jeremy would pop back up as a key figure in the series. However, I wasn’t anticipating anything else this season, let alone involving Henry Parrish. Did anyone see this coming?!
Side Note: Kudos to John Noble for having the gravitas to pull his reveal scene off. A lesser actor could not deliver those lines with such chilling effect (it could so easily have been pure camp).
Let’s back up, shall we? We start with Nicole Beharie’s Abbie getting a visit from Andy Brooks (John Cho) at home. (Side Note: Abbie looked dynamite last night, right? Between that opening scene turtleneck, her lip gloss and her shiny hair, she really stepped up her game. But I digress…) Andy arrives to tell her two important things: (1) Moloch wants Washington’s bible because it contains instructions to a map that the witnesses can use to fight the apocalypse. And (2) Crane is going to give Abbie’s soul to Moloch. We all know the only reason Crane would give up Abbie would be to save Katrina right? That is some in-your-face foreshadowing (more on that later).
Meanwhile, Crane discovers a secret message from Washington in his bible. Turns out that four days after he died, he was resurrected by Rev. Knapp (remember him? The Thorn Birds clone killed in episode one). The reason behind the resurrection: so Washington could draw a map how to get to purgatory from earth. Abbie for the win: “You and I have seen a lot of crazy stuff, but Zombie George Washington?! That takes the cake.”
The team decides to bring Henry Parrish back into the fold to see what memories he can get from Rev. Knapp’s prayer beads – since they were used during the resurrection the group hopes that they will reveal where the map is. Phew, did you get all that? One of many “sure, why not’s” of this episode (I’m getting used to just accepting things in order to thoroughly enjoy this show).
Without getting into too many details (because let’s be honest, I had a hard time keeping up), the team figures out that Washington is buried with his map. And he’s not buried in Mt. Vernon, he’s right here in Sleepy Hollow! That’s handy. Here’s where we get all Indiana Jones (seriously, was I the only one that wanted to see Crane in a wide-brim Fedora as he’s opens caskets with his ring or pushing stones to access secret rooms?). They find the map but Andy shows up briefly to wreak some havoc. Because apparently he’s full blown evil having begged Moloch to make him more evil (?), which made clear to us because he now has some sort of bicycle helmet under his skin. Nevertheless, he’s just as quickly dispensed of…just in time for Crane to make a serious decision. Do you burn the map (as Andy says to) to ensure the survival of humanity, or do you try to get into Purgatory to save Katrina?
Crane chooses the former…but wait! Let’s not forget what the pre-show recap reminded us: Crane has a photographic memory. The sneak simply goes home and redraws the map. Which turns out to be a good thing since Parrish tells him (from a premonition caused by Rev. Knapp’s prayer beads) that the second horseman is coming, and the only way to stop him is with magic. Too bad all the witches we know on earth are dead. Let’s go get Katrina!
Courtesy of FOX
With some chanting, Abbie and Crane open the door into Purgatory (sidenote: you NEVER open the gates between two worlds. COME ON!). In some fantastic scenes, Purgatory tempts both Abbie and Crane with the things they most desire. For Abbie, it’s a return to a time when Corbin and Brooks are alive and well. For Crane, it’s his dad’s (Victor Garber!) praise and acceptance. Luckily, both see through the temptations and realize they’re not real right before they succumb. They reconnect and find Katrina so she can say what we’ve been waiting for: The only way Katrina can leave is if another soul takes her place. Naturally Abbie volunteers as tribute. And we get an amazing goodbye hug with Crane, in which he promises to come back for her. Katrina’s eyebrow raise is AMAZING! Let’s get this love triangle started.
Then a few ridiculous things happen:
- When Katrina and Crane get back from purgatory, Henry ties them to the white trees and tells them the truth: he is the second horseman, War, and he’s their son. He also lets them know he’s been resurrected and planning this for ten years. War isn’t coming, it’s here (chills).
- Jenny (Lyndie Greenwood) discovers who Henry really is and as she races to save Crane and Abbie, the Headless Horseman shoots her truck with a shotgun, flipping it over and leaving her status at the end of the finale TBD.
- Abbie is stuck in some crazy Purgatory doll house with her childhood memories, stolen from her on the day she first saw Moloch (which allow her to see Henry’s resurrection).
Other Observations:
- Over in B-plot land, Captain Irving (Orlando Jones) is interrogated and ends up confessing to the murders that Macey committed while she was possessed in order to protect his daughter. While the show needed to address the fall-out of last week’s insanity, the police scenes unnecessarily slowed down the momentum of an otherwise break-neck paced finale.
- Am I the only one that thinks the Purgatory woods would be perfect for a Halloween Haunted Forest? Somebody make this happen. All you need is a red velvet chair and a naked girl with no face.
- Crane and a cell phone was everything I could have hoped for. So many fantastic highlights, including his desire for a Smart Phone upgrade, learning what an emoticon is, and damn texting autocorrect. Also, when Abbie says “There’s no way he’s getting that message,” it reminds me of what I think every time I leave my grandparents a voice mail.
- I liked the reference to the Manhattan Project and the one-off line about what are the right vs. wrong hands to control the A-bomb. I ended up thinking about that for quite a while after the show ended.
- I’m looking forward to Katrina on earth (assuming she gets out of her current predicament). This will hopefully give Sleepy Hollow time to develop her character and her relationships with others. I dare you to make me care about her!
- What was with that weird reenactment scene? Was that just bad editing? How did he stumble upon it? Where did it go? The concept – a way to get him clean period clothing – was good, but the execution was not…how shall I say this…good.
Best Lines
- Henry Parrish (before we knew to hate him): “Cross fighting a demon off my bucket list”
- Jenny: “So does this mean we can finally get away of that ratty coat?” Crane: “Please. And risk it be worn ironically by purveyors of artisanal marmalade that discovered it at a local thrift shop? I thank you, no.”
- Crane (to Siri, referring to his On Star friend from a previous episode) “Yolanda was a much better listener.”
- Jenny: “Have you forgotten about Moloch” Abbie: “Oh, was that his name?”
So what did you think? Are you happy with the surprise twist? Are you ready to see more of John Noble next season? Most importantly, are you going to dress as Zombie George Washington for Halloween 2014? Sound off below!
Sleepy Hollow has finished airing its first season and returns in the fall for S2. Thanks for reading!