I think this show is in a serious Sophomore Slump and the problems aren't easy to fix.
The biggest problem is the casting of Henry. As was said up thread, John Noble was great as the Sin Eater. As Ichabod's son, he just doesn't work. I think it's the age difference. I can see where that was clever on paper, but with John Noble being more than twice Tom Mison's age, the actors are struggling to sell the familial drama. I can't buy the parental love, I can't buy the teenaged anger that rules Henry. Imagine that Henry were played by someone of an age like Joseph Gordon-Leavitt or Jonathon Rhys Meyers. I'm terrible at casting but the idea is someone who can still pull off the 'damaged child with a lot of scary power' role.
Irving incarcerated doesn't work. It's breaking up the team chemistry especially since Jenny has been underutilized. They can keep him as an unwilling accomplice to Henry but just get him out with the group again.
Humanizing Headless by focusing on Abraham's unrequited love was another big mistake. They should have left him more mysterious and bent on revenge not trying to get domestic with Katrina. The idea of it wasn't bad if they'd kept it off screen. But the took away the creepiness factor that they really need.
As for Katrina...well I guess now she'll get to play full on evil but have a moral out clause due to spider? It will be interesting if Ichabod's has to decide whether to kill her and if that causes strife between Abbie and Ichabod especially when it comes out she's been spidered?
Tha Hawley/Mills Sisters triangle is distasteful. It seems like a obvious plot device to shoehorn them into this season's theme of discord/strife being sown between all the heroes.
