S03.E01: I, Witness

[OnceSane]

With old enemies gone, Abbie and Crane are apparently moving on with their lives. However, the discovery of a mysterious tablet shows that there may be a new dark prophecy surrounding our Witnesses. The two team together, with the help of an old amulet, and continue their epic takedown of the forces of evil.

[Primetimer]

Is Sleepy Hollow getting back on track?

Read the story

[janeta]

Hmm, getting a Once Upon a Time vibe with pulling convenient fantasy characters out of the hat. And, "directed by Peter Weller"-- *the* Peter Weller?

[Skyfall]

Seems more season 1 so already an improvement from last season!

[Enero]

janeta - I noticed too that Peter Weller directed it. I think it is *the* Peter Weller.

Well at least they finally brought on a powerful witch/demon, Pandora I guess, even if she is as dull as dishwater.

Surprised no one from the FBI questioned who Crane was and why he was wandering around the crime scene.

Jenny connecting Abbie's raid to the Algui (sp?) attacking was a stretch IMO.

Where exactly did Crane's adventures with Betsy Ross fit in with him falling for Katrina? Or was that a complete retcon?

So Jenny gets knocked into next week and Abbie and Crane take a moment to hug without a word or thought about where she is or if she's okay? SMH.

This wasn't a horrible episode, but it wasn't all that great either. Really not dynamic enough to bring back old or in new viewers. IMHO. I'm going to miss the horseman or rather the potential that was the horsemen since he was virtually wasted when he was on.

I do like that they haven't completely thrown the baby out with the bath water and are keeping the witnesses bit with the 7 years of tribulations.

Glad Abbie moved on with her life and moved on to her desire for a career at the FBI and wasn't waiting around for Crane.

Glad they didn't kill Irving off which means there is a small possibly he could show up in the future.

Again this episode was okay, but based on what aired tonight, I'm not sure the changes will be enough to keep the show on for a full season.

Edited October 2, 2015 by Enero

[janeta]

Yes, i was thinking, "go see if Jenny's ok!" too.

[benteen]

A quick rant...Ichabod went back to England (okay, Scotland) and we didn't see it?  WTF?  I know the name of the show is Sleepy Hollow but Ichabod back in his homeland would have made a GREAT episode.  I can't believe it was wasted like that!

 

That being said, I REALLY enjoyed this episode.  It was a lot of fun and definitely felt like the old Sleepy Hollow.  A lot of great Ichabod and Abbie interaction and plenty of Jenny to add.  Supernatural creatures and pseudo-Revolution history.  Ichabod's disgust over the Colonial restaurant was absolutely great, as was his happiness at how they portrayed Franklin.  I liked the creature and the new FBI setting.  The last scene with Pandora was intriguing.  RIP, Headless!

 

Didn't care for Betsy Ross.  Irving couldn't even be reunited with his family offscreen?

 

Poor Abbie...that's two bosses she's lost on her watch.

Edited October 2, 2015 by benteen

[phoenics]

I LOVED this episode! LOVED IT!

Ichabod was back to his likable self - ornery about American Capitalism and egregious use of our history to make a buck - but still oh so earnest and really desperate to find his place in the world.

And BAMF ABBIE!!! Yes! She was awesome! And just like some of us thought - she was rejecting the whole Witness thing at first because she didn't want to get sucked back into that - not after realizing her dream of becoming an FBI agent. But then she stepped up into that role because she saw she was needed. That scene with the criminal who saw the demon was surprisingly good - and emotional. I actually felt badly for him - he saw something terrible and wanted to be believed... and Abbie believed him because she knows it's all true.

And Pandora! I loved her! She's really creepy and just bad... I don't quite get her motives yet - but when she bumped into Abbie at the end, I got chills.

And that part when Ichabod saw Abbie for the first time after 9 months.... wow - the music changed and everything... and he looked so content in that moment when he saw her.... I went "Awwwwww!" and then Abbie snort laughed and then I snort laughed with her.

The Ichabbie banter was back in full force - gahhhh I loved it!

Thank goodness the show is back!

Betsy Ross? Well - Nikki Reed's voice is too high pitched for me... she had a nice teasing tone with Ichabod, but the voice just doesn't work for me. When you've got Shannon, Nikki and Lyndie's rich voices, Nikki's stands out as being a bit girly. It takes away from her bad-assess. It also makes her look mismatched with Ichabod. I'm trying to give her a chance, but I'm underwhelmed. I was much more impressed with Shannon.

[Writing Wrongs]

So the villain is Pandora?

 

Yaoguai made me think of Once Upon A Time.

 

I like Ichabod's haircut.

[janeta]

Perhaps the scotland bits will be portioned out in flashbacks throughout the season.

[CalamityBoPeep]

Here at my house, we enjoyed it, as a reasonably good episode.  Considering the pain of season 2, I'll take it as a good opener.  I liked that Abby seemed to be getting ready to rant some more about the 9 months of no communication, but responded with sympathy to Ichabod's subdued pain over feeling alone, instead.  She does get him, and sometimes it needs no words.  He gets her too, which I enjoyed watching.  His appreciation for her drive in her career, was sweet.

 

I think it was a solid effort at laying the groundwork for the season, and honestly, I'm just glad I didn't hate it.  It would have fit nicely in with season 1.  I just wish we could have avoided having to look at Katrina at all, but I guess the tiny flashback was necessary to explain the necklace to viewers who bailed in the middle of season 2.  Oh well.  Hope that's the last we'll see of her.

 

ETA:  Yeah, we were also going "uh... Jenny?"  And noting how all the other FBI agents didn't seem to notice that Jenny and Ichabod were traipsing all over the place, shooting things.  Seems like it would have attracted a little attention, but then that's kind of old-school Sleepy Hollow, too, right? LOL

Edited October 2, 2015 by CalamityBoPeep

[tennisgurl]

So, the first thing I thought when we saw the bad guy was "holy crap, its the killer from Scream Queens! They even call him the Red Devil!" 

 

Anyway, I really really liked this episode. After last years tragic "gas leak year", I hope that this year is the back to basics fun that I have been hoping it would be.

 

We had Crane vs. the modern world! Abby being awesome! Abby and Crane bonding and hugging it out! Jenny and Crane hugging! Not to mention a kickass, new, Katrina less opening title sequence. 

 

Of course Betsy Ross was a colonial badass. Of course. And the "whites of their eyes" line was about an ancient Chinese demon thing. Thats the show I signed up for!

 

I already like the new villain. I thought Shannon did a great job being creepy and threatening, without being over the top. A much better villain line up than last year.  

 

I`m so happy!

Edited October 2, 2015 by tennisgurl

[MrsRafaelBarba]

NFTG about BLANDora or Flag Woman.

So glad I didn't have to suffer with C.Thomas Howell for long.

[stealinghome]

I thought this episode was pretty decent as a soft reboot. It was definitely trying too hard in certain moments, but I can forgive that in the first "let's reinvent ourselves!" episode. But I hope that within the next few episodes the "trying too hard" vibe goes away and it all feels more natural. This episode felt like they were trying to look both back and forward--just look forward, show, move forward. (Like it was obvious that Betsy Ross is nuKatrina and Abbie's boss in the promos is nuAndy--don't do it, show, do other things!) I hope they keep pressing on the nine-month gap and how they've both changed in that time, though. That's interesting--don't sweep it under the rug.

 

Love love love Jenny. She just works so perfectly as the plus one to Abbie and Ichabod. I loved the sisters ganging up on Ichabod, and Ichabod and Jenny's bond. Didn't miss Irving one whit. Never understood the fandom love for the character. Orlando Jones is a solid actor but the character added very little to the show.

 

I'm not feeling Betsy Ross AT ALL and Nikki Reed is an...interesting...casting choice, but Evil Girl Pandora is okay so far. They gave Shannyn Sossamon some really thankless material tonight but she pulled it off pretty decently, it wasn't too hokey. I'm curious to see where they go with her. Also, dayum, she was kind of hitting on Abbie hardcore. "It's time to go back to my HOTEL ROOM. It's  SIGN." Hee!

 

Abbie has crap luck with boss/father figures. I don't love her being in the FBI--I mean, I like that Abbie is progressing in her career and doing what she wants, but her balancing being a Witness with an FBI agent is already really, really, straining credibility and I don't see that getting better. Hopefully they do something kind of interesting with it. Shallowly, I miss Nicole Beharie's long hair. But LOVED her clothes tonight!

 

So Jenny gets knocked into next week and Abbie and Crane take a moment to hug without a word or thought about where she is or if she's okay? SMH.

Yeah, that bugged me. I know that it was all about letting Abbie and Ichabod have their Big Moment, but I was like "...um, Abbie, are you worried AT ALL about Jenny?"

[phoenics]

Well... "It's a hard knock life... for us."

[Marie F.]

This seems like an episode that belongs in season 1.  I liked most of it.

 

I didn't like how far up to her neck they had Nikki Reed's boobs in the intro; they were nearly choking her.  However, I liked Nikki Reed; she wasn't whispering and it seems like they're giving SBR an actual personality.  I'm just not interested in Crane getting love interests--I counted two with her and Miss Dani, one in the past and one in the preset.  I also gave a side-eye to Pandora's comment about her dowry at the end.  This show has made me paranoid; maybe it will have nothing to do with Crane, but I wouldn't be surprised if she develops--or already has--some kind of romantic fixation on him.  Other than that, I'm intrigued by Pandora.

 

I mostly liked the episode.  It was really fast-paced; the first few minutes were the best.

Edited October 2, 2015 by Marie F.

[Senna]

It was OK.  I'm a bit disappointed we skipped so far into the future and seemingly missed some interesting stuff (Crane on a plane!  Did someone forge a passport for him at some point?  I can't remember).  I probably would've been fine with it as a middle of the series episode, but for a season opener, I wish there were a bit more spark.  But, I was glad to have Jenny heavily involved in all the goings-on.

 

Also, I dub this version of Betsy Ross "Busty Ross."  It's not that I have a problem with busty women in general, I just am wondering if she has a point other than being the requisite "sexy revolutionary era woman" that I really don't think this show needs.

[benteen]

Not only don't we see Crane return to his native land but we don't get to see his first plane ride?  WTF?

 

I thought Pandora's behavior at the end was just interesting enough to make me intrigued by the character.

[phoenics]

Can I just say that the look Ichabod had when Abbie snort-scoffed at him when she saw him in the orange jumpsuit? Just a look of shame and like he was sad he'd disappointed her.

My feels!

[Pyralis]

Pandora looks interesting - at least until she falls for Crane (yes I've dialed my distrust of the showrunners to 11).

 

The voice - and modern accent - on Betsy Ross threw me completely out of the show - couldn't they have tried harder.

 

I'm in for now, but remain wary.

 

And most importantly - You killed Binky 2 - Ba***rds.

Edited October 2, 2015 by Pyralis

[kanona29]

I thought it was great. I was in the middle of a home improvement project and I had to keep stopping to watch. The prison scenes with Ichabod were hilarious!

I like the new witch. She doesn't feel out of place like the last one who shall not be named.

My only small complaint was I felt there was a bit too much of Jenny for the first episode. Sorry. Other than that, I enjoyed it thoroughly. Probably my favorite premiere of shows I've seen this Fall so far.

I'll be rewatching this again.

The great team dynamic between Ichabod and Abby is very much so still there.

I'm in!

[Free]

Perhaps the scotland bits will be portioned out in flashbacks throughout the season.

 

I'm hoping for flashbacks too, I'd love to see those.

[phoenics]

I'm hoping for flashbacks too, I'd love to see those.

I thought I read a spoiler somewhere that

this would be the case.

Edited October 3, 2015 by OnceSane
added spoiler tags

[Free]

I thought I read a spoiler somewhere that

this would be the case

.

That's good to know.

Edited October 3, 2015 by OnceSane
added spoiler tags

[Dizzychickstar]

I enjoyed this episode. At times the pacing did seem frantic, but it was probably needed to wrap up and move on quickly. Liked: the funny, Ichabod's dressing scene, hard knock repeated, the archives, Pandora's slightly crazy disaffected air, ichabbie, jenabod, and the twin do's. Meh's: BR flashbacks as they didn't seem to fit, fitting her and the new villain in felt a bit much, and Dani. The necklace as link back to K Yechhs: the scene with Pandora and the cop: just awkward. Scene confronting demon felt rushed. Overall, tho I'm back in. I trust the show runner and like the way Fox is now interacting with fans on Twitter.

[nurse1]

Well... "It's a hard knock life... for us."

 

That line alone had me laughing out loud, as well as the restaurant scene and Crane's very loud speech against it!!

 

This is a step in the right direction....the writers and new showrunner is really trying to redo the damage season 2 did....I enjoyed it, didn't love it but liked it a lot more then didn't......welcome back show!!...and on a shallow note..I loved both Crane and Abby's new haircut!!...oh and those two still got it!!

[DearEvette]

I liked it.  It didn't have the giddy awesomeness that was This Is War, but it hit the right note for me. 

 

Even though it is clear Abbie & Ich still share their bond and affection, under it was some coolness and acknowledgment that things didn't end right with them so they have to work their way back to each other.  The episode kinda felt that way to me as a viewer.  I still have a lot of love & affection for the show, but I couldn't help but feel that the characters feel a little unfamiliar and we need to work our way back to each other.

 

But... there were some great Ichabbie moments and I can see that they are trying to make sure Ab & Ich are central to each other.

 

I liked Pandora.  I think the actress brought a good vibe to the character.  I like how the show began with her dispatching Headless.  Let us know he's not completely gone, just tucked away in a box.

 

Just as I feared, Betsy was problematic.  Not because they are trying to create this flirtation between her and Ichabod, but the character just feels over the top. The boobsie mc-pushup corset is distracting.  And unnecessary.  It feels like a try too hard.  I am no prude, but nothing would have been lost if she was just wearing a shirt.  She could have still been a bad ass spy and flirt with Ichabod but the tits were turned up to 10 and it feels cheap.

 

I liked the call back to the pilot with Abbie's boss.  C Thomas Howell dying in a cavernous structure from a slit throat with Abbie screaming 'Agent Down!' was just like Corbin's death.  Even Abbie's voice inflection was the same.

 

Love the preview for the next ep.

[Ann Mack]

I enjoyed the premiere. Loved all of the Abbie and Crane interaction as well as Jenny being brought into that mix. There were some funny and familiar moments between Abbie and Crane to demonstrate even when they have been apart they can easily mesh right back into place.

 

Didn't care much for the Betsy Ross kissing of Ichabod, hope that will be the last one. But my biggest problem with her is the outfit. Excuse me but if you are being a spy and going to be on the front line with the men shouldn't you at least disguise yourself as one? Her coat was too small to cover up her pushed up to her chin boobs. Really is it necessary to show so much cleavage who are they trying to impress with this?

 

Overall enjoyed the monster, enjoyed the reunion and the script minus a few that could have been done better...hello check the hell on Ms. Jenny please. But I'll definitely be back next week.

Edited October 2, 2015 by Ann Mack

[possibilities]

Where exactly did Crane's adventures with Betsy Ross fit in with him falling for Katrina? Or was that a complete retcon?

I was wondering that, too, but I hope that we never find out, ebcause I xon't want to hear all about his soapy romantic past, expecially not to have to hear them re-tell the meeting of Katrina. Shudder.

 

Also, based on other people's forum posts, I am getting the feeling I was wrong about this-- and I do sometimes have facial recognition issues, so I'm willing to believe it's my problem-- but I thought Betsy Ross and Pandora were played by the same actress, and I was really upset because it implies another Ichabod Princess Good-turned-Evil story, and just... no. NO!

 

So Jenny gets knocked into next week and Abbie and Crane take a moment to hug without a word or thought about where she is or if she's okay? SMH.

I was very disturbed by that. I wonder if they edited out a scene, it was so upsetting to me that we jumped from Jenny falling limp to the floor to Abbie and Ichabod embracing as though neither of them was at all concerned about where she was or what had happened to her.

 

A quick rant...Ichabod went back to England (okay, Scotland) and we didn't see it?  WTF?

Yes! That and... how did he get on an airplane? Or did he take a boat?? It seemed to me that customs would be the least of his problems crossing borders. I suppose someone must have given him papers, but I couldn't recall us ever seeing that happen and it was totally distracting. Plus, Ichabod in an airport, and on an airplane, would have been fun to see. And being irate at the changes in Scotland, like he is with the state of the USA? Or not? They should have done web minis exploring this, and Abbie's FBI training, during the hiatus.

 

I didn't like the haircuts on Abbie or Ichabod, though I noted that they seemed to have had the same one, which was kind of funny in a way. At least hair grows back, so there's still a chance for the longer 'do to return.

 

I think it's the third boss Abbie's lost. First was the guy who was her and Jenny's mentor in the pilot. Then Irving. And then the one this week.

 

I did like that Abbie was a total BAMF and that Jenny was integrated into the team.

 

Are they really getting rid of the Archives? Is it a cost-cutting measure to reduce the period sets and costuming? I hope not. It seems like such a loss. Even Crane's outfit seemed dialed back. I don't really want the show to go totally modern.

[mjc570]

I want some "I cannot tell a lie" cherry pie!  And a Ben Franklin bobble-head!

[BigEasygirl]

Thank goodness the show is back!

Betsy Ross? Well - Nikki Reed's voice is too high pitched for me... she had a nice teasing tone with Ichabod, but the voice just doesn't work for me. When you've got Shannon, Nikki and Lyndie's rich voices, Nikki's stands out as being a bit girly. It takes away from her bad-assess. It also makes her look mismatched with Ichabod. I'm trying to give her a chance, but I'm underwhelmed. I was much more impressed with Shannon.

I really enjoyed the show.  Some things could have been tighter and they crammed a lot into it, but overall, I'm pleased and hopeful that it will just get better and better as the season goes on. 

 

 

Nikki Reed's voice totally took me out of the scene. She really needs to learn some voice projection or something. I may not be able to take her seriously otherwise even if her character turns out to be somewhat useful to the narrative. 

 

[wanderingstar]

I dug it. 

 

Loved seeing Ichabod and Abbie together again. Ichabod flashing a gang sign? I need a gif of it! 

 

Also loved seeing Jenny again. 

 

RIP, C. Thomas Howell. It was nice seeing you in this ep.

[Amethyst]

I didn't love it, but I did like it.  The pacing was a bit slow, but they had to fit in a lot for the opener.  Cracked up at Ichabod being in jail and making friends with Jesus.  That's the Ichabod I know and love.  We better get some flashbacks of his first plane ride.

 

I'm glad that while Abbie is happy as an agent, she's also great at it.  Even though her boss' death clearly hearkened back to what happened to Corbin in the plot, Abbie was so much more confident this time around.  I'm looking forward to what she does with her new responsibilities.

 

One of the best moments of the episode: Ichabod's reaction to seeing Abbie's new office.  His surprised, but pleased "Lieutenant!" only to be mirrored by Abbie's proud expression just made me smile.  

 

I feel like we just picked up right back where we left off with Jenny and I loved it.  She's still getting shit done and doing it her way.  And she has a legal job, lol.  Go Jenny!

 

Definitely had my reservations about Pandora, but she gives off an aura of being genuinely dangerous and menacing.  She really surprised me.  I wish I could say the same for Betsy, but her intro left me cold.  She wasn't bad, but the whole thing felt Mary Sue-ish, like her singlehandedly mowing down a line of soldiers?  Um, ok, show.

 

I was also wondering why Abbie and Ichabod didn't check on Jenny in the end.  The long-awaited hug was great, but it should have come after they made sure Jenny was ok.  Putting it right there felt callous.

 

Glad Irving and Headless aren't dead.  Means they can make a return if necessary.

[vanarnd1]

I thought this was a really solid opening episode. We got a lot of good Ichabbie moments, and the awkwardness when they first were reunited was understanble. They really did seem like old friends who were trying to get back on the same page, and we saw them use humor to break the ice which is in character. There was a lot of subtle emotions in their interactions and it was nice to see them be more open in conversation as opposed to last season.

 

It felt like a breath of fresh air not having Katrina and Henry hang over everything. There was a good balance within this episode. Pandora was introduced efffectively, but didn't take up too much screentime. Jenny was brought back into fold well and we got some classic Ichabod railing against the present moments. I wasn't a fan of how they debuted Betsy Ross but hopefully she will have manageable screen time like tonight. I think it was a good episode to set the table for the rest of the season and I feel relatively optimistic going forward.

[netlyon2]

[snip]  I also gave a side-eye to Pandora's comment about her dowry at the end.  This show has made me paranoid; maybe it will have nothing to do with Crane, but I wouldn't be surprised if she develops--or already has--some kind of romantic fixation on him.  Other than that, I'm intrigued by Pandora.

If it's any consolation, the box actually is Pandora's dowry in mythology; Zeus created her and gave her as wife to Epimetheus.  Hopefully that detail was just character-building or an in-joke and not an indication of a romantic involvement with Ichabod.

 

Speaking of which, I'm sad to report that I hated Sexy Betsy and her pirate corset.  I mean, Mrs. White "flames on the side of my face" hate.  I tried to keep a reasonably open mind, but that introductory sequence broke me.  I actually yelled at the TV.  [For the second time during the episode.  The first was when the credits started and still began with Katrina.  Full disclosure:  last season, my Katrina-hate got so bad that I counted the number of times each character appeared in the opening credits.  Guess who was there the most!  I was worried that they wouldn't change, so seeing the edits made me much more sanguine about the whole episode.] Anyway, with SBR, the best I can do is look forward to the delicious snark and ridicule that I'll be served over the season.

 

Other than that, I really enjoyed the episode.  I, too, felt cheated about missing out on so many new experiences for Ichabod, a sentiment that I think we all shared with Abbie.  I hope he's not out of the doghouse for just walking off like that, or considering fricking Henry to be more his family than Abbie and Jenny.  I'm hoping I can eventually return to my pre-Sanctuary levels of affection for Crane, but it's going to be a long haul.

 

For the record, I don't think Abbie would have known that Jenny was knocked out; she came in to the lower room where Crane landed after the demon threw him.  Jenny was knocked out in the upper space.  I did ask the same thing ("What about Jenny?") when they were hugging, but I honestly have such a massive girl-crush on Abbie that I can see how Crane lost his head for a bit once she patted his face with such affection.  [Oh, there's my poor battered and bewildered shipper heart peeking out again!]

[Ann Mack]

I was wondering that, too, but I hope that we never find out, ebcause I xon't want to hear all about his soapy romantic past, expecially not to have to hear them re-tell the meeting of Katrina. Shudder.

 

Also, based on other people's forum posts, I am getting the feeling I was wrong about this-- and I do sometimes have facial recognition issues, so I'm willing to believe it's my problem-- but I thought Betsy Ross and Pandora were played by the same actress, and I was really upset because it implies another Ichabod Princess Good-turned-Evil story, and just... no. NO!

 

 

 

I was very disturbed by that. I wonder if they edited out a scene, it was so upsetting to me that we jumped from Jenny falling limp to the floor to Abbie and Ichabod embracing as though neither of them was at all concerned about where she was or what had happened to her.

 

 

 

Yes! That and... how did he get on an airplane? Or did he take a boat?? It seemed to me that customs would be the least of his problems crossing borders. I suppose someone must have given him papers, but I couldn't recall us ever seeing that happen and it was totally distracting. Plus, Ichabod in an airport, and on an airplane, would have been fun to see. And being irate at the changes in Scotland, like he is with the state of the USA? Or not? They should have done web minis exploring this, and Abbie's FBI training, during the hiatus.

 

I didn't like the haircuts on Abbie or Ichabod, though I noted that they seemed to have had the same one, which was kind of funny in a way. At least hair grows back, so there's still a chance for the longer 'do to return.

 

I think it's the third boss Abbie's lost. First was the guy who was her and Jenny's mentor in the pilot. Then Irving. And then the one this week.

 

I did like that Abbie was a total BAMF and that Jenny was integrated into the team.

 

Are they really getting rid of the Archives? Is it a cost-cutting measure to reduce the period sets and costuming? I hope not. It seems like such a loss. Even Crane's outfit seemed dialed back. I don't really want the show to go totally modern.

I think Hawley gave him a false Passport and other documentation papers when Sheriff Reyes asked him to produce some identification. I could be wrong but I do believe that's where he got his documents from.

[phoenics]

So - wait - the tablet showed what looks like Ichabod and Abbie, but the tablet references them as "Destroyers"? And what was with Pandora watering the tree with "fear" juice?

And Pandora referencing the box like a dowry - intrigued. I wonder what that means.

[Yolapukka]

I hugely enjoyed the episode, and although I found much to love about it, my overall feeling was like rather than love. I loved how much plot was crammed into one episode, I loved the way Ichabod and Abbie picked up with a nod to the intervening months, I loved that Ichabod and Jenny had a genuine bonding moment together instead of just being connected though Abbie and their shared mission, I loved the action, there was the right kind of batshit crazy happening, I thought the MOW was sufficiently scary, I loved the mythology, I loved the humour and I loved seeing again how much fun these two (three!) are as a team.

 

The scenes with Betsy and Pandora were good, they introduced the characters effectively without either of them running roughshod over the episode. The kiss was odd, any shipper-blinders aside, it didn't appear as though Ichabod was into it. (Bless Mison for something I wont refer to as tanking.) Also if I recall the titles correctly, Ichabod was acting as Betsy's Uber driver to the Battle Of Bunker Hill, which I think took place before the death of her mister no.1, in which case not only is she acting oddly for a recent widow, she's not even a recent widow but a woman whose short marriage has been interrupted due to her husband going off to war, though I suppose it's all so much handwavium twistory anyway.

 

I thought there was a lot of verbal exposition, a lot of talk re-establishing the relationships and accounting for what occurred between seasons, although I think overall, it's all good and it consisted of things I wanted to hear, this would be a hard episode for someone to enjoy as a newcomer. There was a lot of fan-service going on, combined with attention to establishing the season's myth-arc. It was less an episode to be enjoyed on it's own merits than one for established fans. As someone who wants the show to do well, I want to see episodes that are easier to just drop in and watch. I want to see and I believe we'll get standalones that are enjoyable even if a viewer isn't familiar with this particular fictional universe.

Edited October 2, 2015 by yuggapukka

[stealinghome]

Are they really getting rid of the Archives? Is it a cost-cutting measure to reduce the period sets and costuming? I hope not. It seems like such a loss. Even Crane's outfit seemed dialed back. I don't really want the show to go totally modern.

About halfway through tonight's show, I texted a friend who follows the show more than I do to ask whether SH's budget was significantly slashed this season. I think there were more outdoor scenes tonight than there were all of last year, and a lot of the sets just looked cheap to my eyes. So, to answer the question, I wouldn't be surprised if the Archives set was going away--though I really hope that's not the case. I totally thought the end of the episode was going to be some mysterious benefactor buying the Archives and saying they could stay put....

[Ann Mack]

If it's any consolation, the box actually is Pandora's dowry in mythology; Zeus created her and gave her as wife to Epimetheus.  Hopefully that detail was just character-building or an in-joke and not an indication of a romantic involvement with Ichabod.

 

Speaking of which, I'm sad to report that I hated Sexy Betsy and her pirate corset.  I mean, Mrs. White "flames on the side of my face" hate.  I tried to keep a reasonably open mind, but that introductory sequence broke me.  I actually yelled at the TV.  [For the second time during the episode.  The first was when the credits started and still began with Katrina.  Full disclosure:  last season, my Katrina-hate got so bad that I counted the number of times each character appeared in the opening credits.  Guess who was there the most!  I was worried that they wouldn't change, so seeing the edits made me much more sanguine about the whole episode.] Anyway, with SBR, the best I can do is look forward to the delicious snark and ridicule that I'll be served over the season.

 

Other than that, I really enjoyed the episode.  I, too, felt cheated about missing out on so many new experiences for Ichabod, a sentiment that I think we all shared with Abbie.  I hope he's not out of the doghouse for just walking off like that, or considering fricking Henry to be more his family than Abbie and Jenny.  I'm hoping I can eventually return to my pre-Sanctuary levels of affection for Crane, but it's going to be a long haul.

 

For the record, I don't think Abbie would have known that Jenny was knocked out; she came in to the lower room where Crane landed after the demon threw him.  Jenny was knocked out in the upper space.  I did ask the same thing ("What about Jenny?") when they were hugging, but I honestly have such a massive girl-crush on Abbie that I can see how Crane lost his head for a bit once she patted his face with such affection.  [Oh, there's my poor battered and bewildered shipper heart peeking out again!]

Hahaha I actually laughed out loud when you said Mrs. White and I had to post this:

http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m93350sv8g1qko769o2_r1_500.gif

[Yolapukka]

 

I totally thought the end of the episode was going to be some mysterious benefactor buying the Archives and saying they could stay put....

 

Maybe Joe? He's not rich but maybe he's been busy flipping real-estate since he didn't go to Quantico as per his plans the last time we saw him.

Edited October 2, 2015 by yuggapukka

[Amethyst]

The archives aren't connected to that secret room from last season, were they?  The one that Thomas Jefferson and the other founding fathers created.

[Indi]

I cried legit tears of laughter at those opening credits with Betsy. Ichy who? His humor is such a crutch for the character and it was so heavy-handed in this episode, it's ridiculous. Put those opening credits on rotation, they are the real winner.

 

Forget missing Ichy's first experience on a plane, how did he finance that trip to Britain and his stay there? Where did he get the large amounts of money to be able to do that?

 

Is no one suspicious that evil comes to Sleepy Hollow, whenever Ichy does? Why hasn't it occurred to anyone that the curse in Sleepy Hollow could be Ichy?

 

Mison continues to be flop in romantic situations. Such an embarrassing kiss! He just doesn't have it. He has the same chemistry with Nikki Reed, as he did with Katia Winter. He is lucky Nikki Reed is putting some effort into it, unlike his former partner.

 

That hug, omg. I cringed! Campbell tried, I'll give him that, but he shouldn't have forced things so much. he tried to put the team back together and the chemistry failed as result. The spark was just not there. That's what happens for making Abbie too accommodating of Ichy's shit for no good reason.

 

One thing I didn't expect was anything Katrina, but unfortunately she is still a presence in the show. Ichy is still carrying a torch for her in the form of that necklace and the show made sure she was mentioned, in case we had forgotten about her. I wonder if he'll try to bring her back from the dead...

 

The show is not back to S1, it's something different. It's like S2 without Katrina (mostly) and with new villains. I have to say though, that I liked Pandora. So she's a much more promising villain than the Cranes, Moloch and Headless together.

 

Abbie continues to be awesome at her job, but we already knew that. Even Goffman made sure to write that well most of the time. Now give her some relationships and emotional development, like this show loves to do with Ichy.

[benteen]

I'm curious as to how Ichabod was allowed to wear that necklace in jail.  Or perhaps I don't want to know that story...

[Rosiejuliemom]

The scenes with Betsy and Pandora were good, they introduced the characters effectively without either of them running roughshod over the episode. The kiss was odd, any shipper-blinders aside, it didn't appear as though Ichabod was into it. (Bless Mison for something I wont refer to as tanking.)

 

 

I was kind of impressed with Pandora. Something about the character is just...off in a way I can't fully articulate. I'm interested to see where they go with her. Not sure about Betsy yet. Her introduction screamed "Trying Too Hard" in my opinion. Hopefully, she'll get better. As for the kiss and Ichabod's reaction, wasn't Betsy Ross the woman he hid from in a closet? More than once? Or am I hallucinating again?

 

I loved the fact that Jenny helped Irving leave. Maybe he can pop back for a visit?

Edited October 2, 2015 by Rosiejuliemom

[phoenics]

FYI - Sleepy Hollow trended on twitter tonight - on par with Scandal... and over The Blacklist.

It's also trending on Facebook.

I guess the show didn't get a huge PR budget so they went all in for social media mentions.

[Yolapukka]

 

Hmm, getting a Once Upon a Time vibe with pulling convenient fantasy characters out of the hat.

 

Major BuffyTVS vibe for me. Almost self consciously so, to the extent that the closure of the archives felt like they were trying to pull back from that vibe.

 

 

So Jenny gets knocked into next week and Abbie and Crane take a moment to hug without a word or thought about where she is or if she's okay? SMH.

 

That bothered me. All they needed was a shot of Jenny yelling at Crane to duck or something to show she was largely unharmed before he went down. It did take me out of the Abbie/Ichabod hug, I'm glad I first saw that as an out-of context clip.

 

 

Ichabod's disgust over the Colonial restaurant was absolutely great, as was his happiness at how they portrayed Franklin.

 

Yep, the episode had a few laugh out loud moments for me and that was one.

 

 

Definitely had my reservations about Pandora, but she gives off an aura of being genuinely dangerous and menacing.  She really surprised me.  I wish I could say the same for Betsy, but her intro left me cold.  She wasn't bad, but the whole thing felt Mary Sue-ish, like her singlehandedly mowing down a line of soldiers?  Um, ok, show.

 

I enjoyed Pandora, no over the top vamping. I liked how she tried to seem a bit geeky in her encounter with Abbie. Betsy seems like a character made for flashbacks, I'll just leave it at that.

 

 

Also, based on other people's forum posts, I am getting the feeling I was wrong about this-- and I do sometimes have facial recognition issues, so I'm willing to believe it's my problem-- but I thought Betsy Ross and Pandora were played by the same actress, and I was really upset because it implies another Ichabod Princess Good-turned-Evil story, and just... no. NO!

 

Your feeling is correct, they are two different actresses, but both have dark, flowing hair, olive skin and pretty eyes, so if they aren't familiar to you from other things, the initial confusion is not outlandish. I'd be with you on the "just... no. NO"

 

 

If it's any consolation, the box actually is Pandora's dowry in mythology; Zeus created her and gave her as wife to Epimetheus.  Hopefully that detail was just character-building or an in-joke and not an indication of a romantic involvement with Ichabod.

 

I wondered if that comment hinted that she was looking for her groom and he was not anyone or anything good.

[fantique]

Ok...

The good:

- Abbie at the FBI, loved everything about it. I loved Abbie kicking ass, confident and clearly valued at her work. I knew the agent would die but I still got attached, especially with his brusque manner and then hidden smile when she turns around. I loved the pilot/Corbin flashback feels it brought me. So it is nice they know how to make me care about a character in one episode. I liked the easiness with which Abbie worked throughout the episode. I can believe this is a well established routine, with a job she loves and her cheeky opening line with her CI was awesome. She feels more relaxed and settled. I liked her reluctance to go back to the spn fighting and her clear hesitance in following Crane into this new adventure. And while it was clumsily worked in, I loved the moment when she took up the witness mantle again and accepted that the mission is back on. I do hope to see her struggle between her sense of duty and the gratification she gets by being a regular FBI agent. I am hoping for/expecting setbacks, self realisation and finally her being able to have the two jobs work together.

- Ichabod in prison was way more hilarious than I anticipated and I loved him rearranging the guy's hat at Colonial Times. I am suspecting this was a Tom ad lib. I really, really want to like Ichabod as much as I like Tom.

- Pandora, pleasantly surprised. This is weird because she is both in the good and bad section for me. The bond villain monologues are hard to not roll my eyes at but her creepiness as a modern person is so much more interesting. because I can see why others don't pick up on her crazy while still seeing her crazed look. I am interested in her backstory and the interaction with Abbie was interesting. I am pleasantly surprised it happened this early. I enjoy the character when she's trying to blend in with her eeeevillll settings on low simmer. All in all, I feel there is potential for a good use of the Pandora myth.

 

The bad:

- SBR was just weird. Her costume didn't bother me as much in the scenes as it does in the credits or the promo pics (I find it absolutely horrid in those and it's not even about the pathetic attempt at boobage) but it had nothing distinguishing or interesting about it that made me want to know more about her. Also the scene where she is introduced and takes off her hat was played off as if the viewer is supposed to think it's a man at first, but it was kind of clumsy. NR didn't impress or disappoint me though I liked her for a microsecond before she kissed him really awkwardly. But if they allow the actress to be less "yoohoo!!! I am here to be sexxxayyy and flirty *wink*", it could go in a interesting direction. I certainly hope she stays in the past. Her intro was awkward and they were trying to hard to sell her as cool and they did that show rather than tell thing with Ichabod telling us all  her virtues instead of letting us find out as the show goes on.

- Ichabod and the ladies... makes me cringe. It's weird because I loved Caroline crushing on him but the Danny scene was so overplayed. I guess the show is aware of its male audience and relies on Tom's looks to keep the ladies under his charm. Problem is there is such a clear difference between Crane and Tom that I can't buy the whole "all the ladies love Crane" thing. 

- The show is ruining my love of period stuff with their cheap and boring costuming. Pandora in old timey gear? *snore* In modern gear? Interest piqued. I think they've made me lose interest in the past, I hope that is rectified because it was one of my favourite bits.

- Crane pain: I did not feel an ounce of sympathy/empathy/pity for Crane and his challenge of finding a place in the world. I have never emotionally connected much to Crane but now I just lost all interest and only enjoy his comedic moments. This is a bummer. I have never had so much disparity between my liking an actor and the character they play. I hope that changes. Crane should be like catnip to me: tall, long dark hair and gorgeous eyes, crazy smart and a gentleman in period costume? I should be all over that...but that might have to do with my taste more than the show's fault. I guess I find him too one-dimensional? I don't know...

 

Overall, an ok episode but I found myself pouting that I missed Project runway at the same time and that is not good. I also didn't really care much. It was fun in the moment but I was't always connected to the characters and that's a problem. While I am not going to avoid it until all the first half is out, I am also not going to rush to see it. If I have time, yay, if not, oh well. I am feeling slightly less pessimistic about the taste level though and I approve of the decisions to put previous seasons' elements on the back burner without getting rid of them altogether. I also liked the soft reboot and callbacks to the pilot that had a appreciative feel for the original idea while wanting to pave their own way. I will give them a pass on the pacing and editing because they were trying to do a lot ad the trying hard feel of the episode is a growing pain.

[Amethyst]

- Ichabod and the ladies... makes me cringe. It's weird because I loved Caroline crushing on him but the Danny scene was so overplayed. 

 

- Crane pain: I did not feel an ounce of sympathy/empathy/pity for Crane and his challenge of finding a place in the world. I have never emotionally connected much to Crane but now I just lost all interest and only enjoy his comedic moments. 

 

For the most part, IA with both of these.  I didn't like the scene with Dani either; it just felt like a hollow retread of Caroline's crush from s2.  And that came off as endearing, this time it was just meh.

 

I do have sympathy for Ichabod, but most of his angst felt like a retread as well.  He's been through this before in s1 and Abbie told him the same thing then: that he wasn't alone in this new world.  But the circumstances are different now, and if they were going to devote a whole episode to his angst, then they should have expounded on why Ichabod felt so alone.  Even if it did require a brief mention of Katrina and Henry.   Otherwise, it was just empty grousing.

 

And while Abbie did call him on it, the lack of exposition made Ichabod just look selfish and needy.  I hope they explore what happened in those nine months they were both away.  

[HalcyonDays]

Pretty good episode. Quite liked it.

 

Loved the humour - damn, Crane makes me laugh. Mison is brilliant with the comic bits. I was howling with his reactions in that colonial restaurant thing whatever. Even the prison Yo, peace man to the other prisoner was a riot. Mison has a gift for comedy (he really does, though I don't think he - or others - realize it) and there's lots to gleen from it in this show.

 

Thrilled at the Abbie/Crane and Jenny/Crane reunion. I love Crane and Jenny together, so it made it all the more better. Truly - as much as I love Ichabbie, I crave Jenny and Crane bonding scenes. Hell, any scenes. Truly, the two actors work wonderful together and the characters have this great chemistry also - love them!

 

I will say that I kinda wish they portrayed more what Crane's reaction would be to seeing his own grave. I mean, yeah, he gets the weirdness, but I was hoping for a bit of poignancy over him discovering what was to be his ultimate "resting place", and maybe a reflection over his loved ones who mourned his death. I will say it totally screamed "National Treasure!" to me (which is a great thing - love the movie)

 

Good solid story, though with some past influences that may not be so good... And you know what - Pandora?? I like this character. I like that the cop saw her first in "weird" clothing, then as a modern person just wandering. I love her introducing herself to Abbie in the bar, spotting the other Witness (Crane), and being all shady and such. Loved it. If they do it right, there is a good villain here to present. I'm in for this.