S03.E03: Blood And Fear

[OnceSane]

Fear is rampant in Sleepy Hollow when Pandora releases an ancient artifact from her box that can transform an ordinary human into a terrifying figure from the past.

[MrsRafaelBarba]

No Betsy, YAY!

[janeta]

Now Zoe, OTOH, I like. I hope they don't kill her off like the woman who worked with the re-enactors.

Crane's soliloquy in the opener had me On. The. Floor. :D

[Enero]

So did anybody else think that Pandora was emotionally connected to that knife she brought forth? She looked like she was about to cry when she was looking at it.

Also she seems to have a personal stake in this. I definitely think she struck a cord within Abbie, perhaps fear of losing Crane? Of being alone in her battle against evil? Hasn't that always been kind of Abbie's fear i.e. being alone, being an outsider?

Still would like to know what Pandora is up to. Considering the tree is now blooming I suspect we'll learn her agenda soon.

I enjoyed Abbie's talk with Jenny at the beginning. I'm intrigued by the storyline with the shard. I think the girl that stole it might be Corbin's daughter. But why would she be after the shard? Did Corbin send her after it? Is it possible he's somehow still alive?

I also liked Abbie continuing to ponder the situation with finding her father. I wonder if he'll somehow play a role in a bigger story arc this season.

I really liked Crane's flashback to the University. It was brief, to the point and all the actors did well with the scenes. And no Betsy Ross!!!

I really like Zoe. I hope she sticks around. It's can be expensive becoming a US citizen, especially for someone who don't have a job, like Crane. So I'm glad he won't be pulling from Abbie to get help with this, that he'll be doing it with the help of someone else. I wonder if he'll eventually get a job at the historical society? Or maybe be put on the payroll at the FBI? He is after all working the cases as of he's employed by them. Having a job can only help his case for citizenship.

 

One major nitpick - Wasn't Crane stabbed? How was Abbie able to treat him on the couch at home? She's good but I can't imagine that good.

This was another strong episode. Looks like everyone will be working together next week. I'm looking forward to that.

Edited October 16, 2015 by Enero

[Free]

Now Zoe, OTOH, I like. I hope they don't kill her off like the woman who worked with the re-enactors.

Crane's soliloquy in the opener had me On. The. Floor. :D

 

It's a shame they killed her off.

[Miss Dee]

I really liked this episode. I wasn't expecting Crane to get stabbed; I really did find that shocking. Loved the ending.

They really go to town on the lighting for Pandora. It's effective, beautiful and creepy all in one.

So is Abbie afraid Ichabod is going to abandon her, or that one of these days he's going to succeed in killing his damn fool self?

[topanga]

Favorite line of the night:  "Damn. Aw, damn!"

 

I really liked this episode. Pandora is turning out to be an interesting and scary villain. I'm glad Crane and Abbie have no idea what her agenda is, either. I guess we'll find out together what this second tribulation is and what her role is. 

 

 

One major nitpick - Wasn't Crane stabbed? How was Abbie able to treat him on the couch at home? She's good but I can't imagine that good.

If there was no internal bleeding and no damage to his internal organs, all Crane would be suffering from is dehydration and anemia from being partially exsanguinated. I can fanwank that Abbie convinced the hospital to discharge Crane and allow him to get IV fluids at home with a visiting nurse, and then she sent the nurse home. I'd been wondering why she was so calm in the scene prior to that when she met with Agent Reynolds and sat down to and have a drink with him. Wasn't Crane on his deathbed the scene before? Maybe he was in the hospital in stable condition, which is why she left the hospital. 

 

I love every scene with Crane and Abbie chatting as friends and becoming closer. His speech at about being glad that they found each other again made my heart go pitter-patter. 

 

Question: does Nicole Beharie have chemistry with everyone? Crane of course, and Agent Reynolds. Jenny, Joe Corbin, and now also Pandora and the killers she chases down and often shoots. Whenever Abbie interacts with another character, the scenes pop and the dialogue feels very natural and effective. It's probably just a reflection of her strength as an actor. 

[Yolapukka]

 

One major nitpick - Wasn't Crane stabbed? How was Abbie able to treat him on the couch at home? She's good but I can't imagine that good.

 

Their conversation implied he'd had medical attention between the stabbing and the couch scene.

 

Abbie had an odd reaction to his comment about finding each other again, I didn't really know what to make of it and the comment itself was a little strange.

 

 

Still would like to know what Pandora is up to. Considering the tree is now blooming I suspect we'll learn her agenda soon.

 

It's covered now in roses, but blossoms on a tree usually lead to fruit, which made the metaphor often cited in American law."the fruit of the poison tree" pop into my mind. Skipping over references to evidence in law the phrase often is cited as coming from William Blakes' poem "A Poison Tree", which was inspired in part by exaggerated accounts of the upas tree which was reported to kill all living creatures within a 15 mile radius. (Of course, before it was used as a reference to evidence, it referred to the fruits of slavery.) I have no idea if the eventual use of the tree will pick up on any of that, but It does have me wondering increasingly about the meaning of that tree every episode.

 

I'm guessing that the woman who Jenny had the run-in with is working for the character Peter Mensah will be playing.

 

ETA

 

I'd been wondering why she was so calm in the scene prior to that when she met with Agent Reynolds and sat down to and have a drink with him. Wasn't Crane on his deathbed the scene before? Maybe he was in the hospital in stable condition, which is why she left the hospital.

 

I don't need to see everything, especially things that are a foregone conclusion, like Crane being safe, but all the same, It felt jarringly like there was a missing scene. Maybe though, it was supposed to be jarring and we were meant to be uncomfortable and impatient watching Abbie while she was at the office and then rushed through the drink and work chit-chat with her boss.

Edited October 16, 2015 by yuggapukka

[Frozendiva]

Damian Kindler (the ep's writer) also had a Jack the Ripper character in his previous 'Sanctuary' series (aired on SyFy and Space in Canada). The character was also bounced around on the original Star Trek series - the dagger kinda made sense in that the evil travelled from one host to another.

 

Crane not being a US citizen  would have meant a massive hospital bill.

 

Crane's soliloquy was very funny.

[Kanner]

Liked it. Crane was very "Crane" tonight. Nicole's delivery of the "Damn. Aw damn" lines was great. The at home Abbie/Crane stuff is still working for me.

Not sure if I am totally on board with Jenny and Joe having such a disconnected storyline.

[Free]

Not sure if I am totally on board with Jenny and Joe having such a disconnected storyline.

 

It depends on where it's heading.

[Yolapukka]

 

Not sure if I am totally on board with Jenny and Joe having such a disconnected storyline.

 

I have mixed feelings about it.  I like them being more then side-kicks and having their own story which is not dependent on the witnesses and I appreciate that their plotline has a slow but increasing build to it. However, I liked the teamwork we saw in prior seasons and I miss it.  It must be said that Joe was never part of that team and Jenny was so marginalized for much of last season that we didn't often see her interacting directly with the others, too often the communication was little more than phone calls with Abbie.

Edited October 16, 2015 by yuggapukka

[fantique]

No Betsy, YAY!

OMG, I completely forgot she existed!

 

 

Now Zoe, OTOH, I like. I hope they don't kill her off like the woman who worked with the re-enactors.

Crane's soliloquy in the opener had me On. The. Floor. :D

I loved Abbie's "and here comes the Jefferson"! And I love Crane's man-crush on Jefferson.

 

Good stuff!

• So this was a much better episode than the first two. They're getting their groove and I like where things seem to be going.
• I loved the secondary school flashbacks. Although I totally rolled my eyes because of course the writers had Ichabod go to Eton. Although that's the easiest shorthand for old school for posh British nobility, I guess.
• I will repeat the "Yay no Sexy Betsy!" sentiment.
• I like the double Js' foray into Corbin's past. Gosh i love that they brought back Corbin as a presence in the show! That man has a lot of secrets.
• Loved jenny being confused at this random girl's appearance in their case and how she feels about her life of Indie Jones-ing and seeing someone with the same skills doing it.

 

Awesome stuff

• The monster of the week was such a great idea, and it tied into the heroes and the villain's emotion this week. I could see that Pandora has a chip on her shoulder on the subject of being ostracised and letting evil consume you. This was a much better monster and mythology so bravo.
• Abbie and Jenny's conversation. I just love seeing them in their casual moments. I also like that Jenny doesn't hesitate to ask her big sister for help.
• Pandora was even more interesting this week as it seems like she has a problem with the witnesses personally, I can't wait to learn more.
• The scene with him miraculously recovering o the couch was very touching and sweet. These writers (and the actors) are so god with those little quiet moments

 

The confusing stuff?

• I feel like I am confused by the Daniel character because I don't see how he doesn't get that Abbie's priorities have shifted. I also can't tell if he means his very repeated "oh what we were  doesn't matter" as he asks her out for dinner and then drinks with her in his office. And why did he look so happy with himself at the end of that scene. I also feel like Nicole plays Abbie like she is pretending to be cool about his "forget our thing" stance but is slightly hurt by his 'it didn't mean shit' routine. Unless he thinks she would prefer that so to avoid spooking her he is being super casual, I don't see where this is going. Oh god, what if he's a bad guy?  Because his obsession with climbing through the ranks with Abbie is either him  trying to entice her back to where they were for sentimental reasons or he's an agent of evil trying to lure her away from Witness duty. Whatever, I am just glad this is not taking up too much space in the narrative because it's a little boring. I was actually going to label this paragraph the inconsequential stuff but confusion was more prevalent than the impression that it doesn't matter.

[Criminey]

I really liked this episode. The excitement I was missing was there 10-fold. The flash back to Cranes Eton days was done without taking us out of the story. A lot more like S1. And I really liked the new girl whose going to help Ichabod with his citizenship. It looks like Daniel has plans for Abbie. Not sure about her plans; she's still keeping them close. Loved Jenny and Joe together; but hope they eventually join forces with Abbie and Ichabod. Pandora's monster are getting more and more intense. I'll watch it again a couple of times to pickup on what I missed. But all-in-all, well done.

[catrox14]

I found myself getting emotional when Ichabod said he would become a US citizen.

 

Ichy did the fistbump bursty thing... That was such a beautiful Ichabbie moment. Help.

 

I liked the flashback.

 

I didn't think Crane would die but I was worried. 

 

I didn't quite understand Abbie's reaction to Crane saying he was happy they found each other..again. Peculiar.

 

Hope Betsy stays gone a lot longer like always. Begone Betsy!

[cynic]

While I still adore Abbie and Crane, this season isn't doing it for me. I'm starting to see how the Bones crossover is going to work, because the shows really aren't so different anymore. It feels like Abbie and Crane have been lifted out of Sleepy Hollow and deposited in a generic procedural, albeit one with supernatural touches. The plots are formulaic and the MotW don't feel original or especially connected to our story. I think I've seen the ignored would-be suitor takes revenge after stalking at a club storyline half a dozen times over the years, even some with demonic influenced villains. And slapping Jack the Ripper on the thing doesn't make it fresher, especially with the writing contortions necessary to make it work for Crane's past and it still didn't really fit the Ripper's history. It all just felt lazy. And I really don't like the idea that Crane's always encountered evil as opposed to living a rather sheltered life until moving to the colonies and having an awakening.

As for Jenny, it feels like she was dropped into a completely different show that I keep flipping to during the commercials. It's not a bad show, but eh.

Pandora needs to reveal her plan soon and for goodness sake, please let it tie this mess together. And if possible, have it be connected to same grand colonial masonic conspiracy involving a zombie George Washington because I'm surely missing that.

On the brightside, the interpersonal stuff was good and hey, no Betsy!

Edited October 16, 2015 by cynic

[fantique]

Favorite line of the night:  "Damn. Aw, damn!"

That line cracked me up. Welcome back to the apocalypse.

 

 

Question: does Nicole Beharie have chemistry with everyone? Crane of course, and Agent Reynolds. Jenny, Joe Corbin, and now also Pandora and the killers she chases down and often shoots. Whenever Abbie interacts with another character, the scenes pop and the dialogue feels very natural and effective. It's probably just a reflection of her strength as an actor.

I am too tired to fan girl over Nicole at length but she does have great screen presence doesn't she? I really want more Abbie/Pandora scenes. Actually, I want the episode where she Bond villain exposes her plan to happen because she has kidnapped Abbie/ and Crane and have an hour of them playing off each other.

[Happy Harpy]

"See you at home", awww.

And Ichabod's reaction at the idea that Abbie could be harmed...I know it sounds corny, but I found it romantic. The first and last scenes were made of awesome. They so have the Mulder/Scully vibe 100% back on tracks, imo.

 

ITA about the case of the week being more interesting, and on Jenny/Joe being disconnected for now. At least, she and Abbie had a scene together. I hope Jenny's storyline is leading somewhere because after last season, I'm a bit afraid that they kept the character only in order to prevent the audience from rioting again and don't intend to do anything with her.

I love the bond between Abbie and Ichabod (see above) and I love the focus on them, but I have the feeling that Jenny's importance in Abbie's life is underestimated, here and there. For example, I was puzzled at Pandora telling Abbie she'd be "all alone" without Ichabod, because she'd still have Jenny, then. Of course, Jenny isn't a Witness, but still.

 

My first impression of Daniel is confirmed. I don't like how he thinks he knows Abbie so well and self-confidence is a good thing, but he seems way too sure of himself when it comes to her. I wasn't going to like the Love Interest aspect of his character anyway, because it's a pet peeve of mine in general and because in this particular case I'm an unapologetic A/I shipper, but I find this attitude of him rather unpleasant. I came to wonder whether he really values Abbie's competence, which is something I appreciate about the character, or has personal afterthoughts.

 

I think that Pandora is a huge, huge improvement over the villains linked to the CFD. She could reveal a real, interesting, complex one and I like the actress take on her.

Edited October 16, 2015 by Happy Harpy

[thuganomics85]

Yay to no Betsy Ross!  Automatically makes it the best episode this season!

 

Actually, I thought the episode itself was pretty good even without that reason.  The case was fun; the idea that it's the knife that causes people to turn into Jack the Ripper was fun and the wacky in the way that I like this show (reminded me of the evil the coin that was responsible for making both Judas and Benedict Arnold turn into traitors!).  And both Ichabod and Abbie were great in this one.  I also like the resolution, of Ichabod having to inject himself with tainted blood and let The New Ripper stab him.  And their final moment was great.  Probably my favorite, alongside Ichabod's awesome soliloquy.  I loved that people were cheering him.  I wonder if at this point, pretty much everyone in Sleepy Hollow knows who he is, and are pretty much looking forward to one of his big, historical rants.

 

Still liking Daniel, and I really hope he doesn't end up being bad on any levels.  Also really liking Zoe, and I really hope they don't off her like they did to Ichabod's re-enactor buddy.

 

The stuff with Jenny/Joe wasn't as good, but I'm curious to see what exactly is going on with this other woman, and if she was really trained by Corbin or not.  The actress (Jessica Camacho), must be popular on FOX, since she had a guest-spot on Minority Report as well.  More importantly, I remember her from an arc on Nikita, and I'm trying to remember if she had any scenes with Lyndie Greenwood back then.

 

Pandora is still mainly a mystery that I hope they don't keep hiding for too long, but I'm still intrigued by her, and Shannyn Sossamon is still a blast in the role.

Edited October 16, 2015 by thuganomics85

[Browncoat]

I was with them right up until they said it was malaria-infected blood in the syringe. All I could think about then was why the writers chose malaria, and then how they managed to get blood from someone with malaria in Sleepy Hollow. It isn't exactly a common occurrence in the US anymore (though it was rampant in Colonial times), and it seemed to me that they might have had easier access to some other illness.

But that's just a nitpick -- and how I can easily accept a knife that melds to a person's arm, essentially making him invincible, but can't accept a vial of malaria-tainted blood is a mystery to me!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

So malaria was the colonial version of iocane powder?

[benteen]

3 for 3.  Really enjoyed this episode once again and I feel like a lot of what made Sleepy Hollow special is back.

 

Ichabod's rant in the beginning was great, as was him telling that woman that he would be back.  I like the Ichabod citizen storyline too and curious to see how they'll put that off.  Ichabod should be an American citizen but events made that a little hard to prove.

 

Abbie's delivery of "Damn.  Aw, damn" was great.

 

I like Jenny and Joe's adventures together and look forward to seeing where that plays out.  I thought Randle has the makings of a fun recurring character too.

 

Pandora continues to be a a good and interesting villain.

 

This episode reminded me of Wolf in the Fold from the original Star Trek series, which also dealt with Jack the Ripper.  Though it wasn't a possessed knife in that case.

 

Glad to see some of Crance in England growing up.  Now PLEASE show us flashbacks of when Crane returned home to England between seasons.  I can't possibly believe that they would have that journey (as well as his first trip on an airplane) happen entirely off-camera.

 

I can't remember her name but I hope Crane's new love interest lasts longer than that one from last season.

[DearEvette]

Some random thoughts:

 

- I am glad they made it 100% certain that a) Pandora knows for a fact Ab & Ich are Witnesses and b)whatever her agenda is, it is all about them.  She is using them/their history/their emotions specifically to feed her tree.  That last shot where she is watching Abbie through her Pensieve and you can see Abbie's quiet anxiety on her face as she realizes just how close Crane came to death.  That fear not just of him dying but of her being alone again.  Unlike the last two episodes, this one actually feels like the stakes for our heroes are being raised now.

 

- I am liking how they are incorporating Jenny & Joe's b-plot.  First they are doing something smart by tying it back to Papa Corbin's secrets.  S1 hinted at a lot of Corbin stuff. S2 dropped him like a dirty one night stand.  But it is smart from a character building and story telling perspective to mine that history. And to do it using Jenny (whose backstory with Corbin we know a lot about but still not enough about) and Joe is really perfect.  It'll be even more awesome if we get some Clancy Brown flashbacks sometime this season.  Added to that they are making it a breadcrumb mystery.  I am super intrigued by that girl now.

 

- I appreciate that Daniel cleared the air with Abbie.  He's not trying to mack on her and wants to make sure their past doesn't impact their present.  I liked the way Nicole played Abbie's discomfort over their past relationship with their new dynamic and then relief when he cleared the air.  And he is the one that had to do it.  She couldn't because he is her superior officer.  I am also liking how Lance Gross is playing the character of Daniel.  It is very obvious he still likes Abbie but he won't step over that line, so he instead gives her consideration as a great agent.  Almost as if by praising her work it is the only way he can ethically show how he feels.

 

- The episode felt suspenseful and full.  And also, in a weird way, Sleepy Hollow now feels like there are actual people who live there whose lives are really affected by stuff.  It is hard to describe, but this season their world feels bigger.  For one thing this season is already using recurring characters better.  From Dina the lab girl, to the Citizenship girl, to Russell. and now I am sure we will see Jenny's nemesis again.

 

- The last 10 minutes were excellent.  The fight scene in the garage was exciting. The quick cut after Ichabod got stabbed was WTF?? Mison's acting on the floor of the garage felt very convincing, like he looked like he was really hurting. Pandora materializing out of nowhere and being all creepy.  And finally the quiet at home scene of just the two of them, again. 

 

- No Betsy and I did not miss her one bit.  Really illustrates that she is not really necessary.

[MrsRafaelBarba]

Seems like Daniel ended their relationship and Abbie is still hurting over it.

 

The guy clearly meant a great deal, she confided in him about Ichabbie's battles against the

Supernatural.

[Julia]

OK, first let me get my squee out of the way: Damian Kindler, one of their writers, is the man who wrote the episode of Stargate: Atlantis where the Hoffans develop a drug which makes their blood fatal to the life-sucking Wraith, who suck the life out of you through their right hand. Go now and be genre savvy, little show!

 

Anyway, I liked most of this. I like that Jenny got her own partner (who's not a romantic interest but nothing's stopping him from becoming one) and antagonist, and that Jenny having her own partner and antagonist is going to eat up screen time which would have gone to SBR if this was going to be last season all over again.

 

I like that Ichabod has a friend, I like that she didn't come out of the gate hitting on him, and I like that after his conversation with Abby about not letting her carry his load for him he reconsidered his indignation about having someone with influence help him and asked for help.

 

I think a little Pandora goes a long, long way, but she's good for the amount of screen time she's getting.

 

I appreciate the fan service with the guy in the tub, because he? was very pretty.

 

Making the object of desire such an empty page - if she'd been a bipedal mannequin with "HUMAN" on its t-shirt in helvetica like the labels in Repo Man, i couldn't have been less invested in what happened to her - was either a sad reflection on the producers' use of pretty, poorly-drawn women as plot points or a brilliant commentary on the previous producers' use of pretty, poorly-drawn women as plot points. As long as I'm being swept along with happy endorphins, I'm going to go with brilliant.

[fantique]

Seems like Daniel ended their relationship and Abbie is still hurting over it.

 

The guy clearly meant a great deal, she confided in him about Ichabbie's battles against the

Supernatural.

Wait what? Are we supposed to believe he knows? Then why did she have to lie about it being some kind of ritualistic killing?

[HalcyonDays]

I was with them right up until they said it was malaria-infected blood in the syringe. All I could think about then was why the writers chose malaria, and then how they managed to get blood from someone with malaria in Sleepy Hollow.

 

It has to be a blood-borne illness that was 100% treatable and reversable - like Malaria. Anything else like Hepatitis, HIV or whatever would be very bad - and permanent for Crane.

 

And Malaria is much more common then you think. I work in a med lab, and probably about two or three times a week, there would be patients who were positive for Malaria. It's pretty easy to determine and view on a blood film. Why so much malaria? Because citizens go back home to visit family (India, Asia mostly in our cases), and are too cheap/stubborn to take malarial meds in advance. Then they come back, get a fever, come to ER and boom! Malaria. Very common.

 

I liked the episode. More to say on it later, but Pandora is targeting Abbie specifically I think. Crane is feature and a part of the targeting, but in this episode, his past childhood experiences were used to basically highlight to Abbie her fear. Being alone/abandoned. This theme will continue throughout most of the season.

[DeLurker]

Still would like to know what Pandora is up to. Considering the tree is now blooming I suspect we'll learn her agenda soon.

I was wondering if the rose blooming had anything to do with Crane telling Abbie he was glad they found each other again since the blooming happened right after he said it.

 

Not sure if I am totally on board with Jenny and Joe having such a disconnected storyline.

I like them showing Jenny off on one of her excursions instead of just missing from the ep.

 

Ichy did the fistbump bursty thing... That was such a beautiful Ichabbie moment.

Plus the little explosion sound he made with it.

[proserpina65]

I couldn't really get into this episode, despite liking some of its elements: the rant at the beginning, Jenny and Joe, no Boobsy Ross.  I actually dozed off before the end, although that might've happened anyway since I was really tired.

I loved Abbie's "and here comes the Jefferson"! And I love Crane's man-crush on Jefferson.

 

That was my favorite part of the episode.

[bethy]

I really enjoyed this episode, too. 

 

I also wondered if maybe Daniel is not a good guy. There was something in his expression after Abbie left his office that made me wonder. 

 

I don't mind the Jenny/Joe disconnect right now. I liked that they had a scene between the Mills sisters, showing that they're close even as their lives aren't particularly intertwined at the moment. I suspect that the storylines will intersect at some point, but it's okay by me for the sisters to have separate interests.

 

I do like the interaction between Ichabod and the historical society girl. She seems like a more realistic love interest for him than SBR. Their interactions feel much more interesting to me than Betsy's flirting or whatever. I'm torn on either Ichabod or Abbie having love interests not each other, though I don't really consider myself a shipper of the two. I'm not positive I want them together, but I also don't want them with anyone else. I'm conflicted!

 

I did so love the fist-bump between the two of them, and Ichabod's explosion motion/sound effect were adorable. 

[topanga]

That last shot where she is watching Abbie through her Pensieve and you can see Abbie's quiet anxiety on her face as she realizes just how close Crane came to death.  That fear not just of him dying but of her being alone again.  Unlike the last two episodes, this one actually feels like the stakes for our heroes are being raised now.

 

I have the feeling that Jenny's importance in Abbie's life is underestimated, here and there. For example, I was puzzled at Pandora telling Abbie she'd be "all alone" without Ichabod, because she'd still have Jenny, then. Of course, Jenny isn't a Witness, but still.

 

First of all, what the hell is a Pensieve? I though Pandora was looking at Abbie through a pool of water.  LOL

 

In terms of Abbie being alone if Crane died, Crane is Abbie's only true friend and peer. I know she has Jenny, but that relationship is different. Jenny's her little sister, and yes, they've managed to repair their relationship despite the years of misunderstandings and betrayals. But Abbie doesn't share everything with Jenny, either because she wants to protect Jenny, or because Jenny's a hothead, or because she just doesn't feel comfortable telling her everything. Abbie doesn't like sharing things with anyone, but she's slowly starting open up with Crane. And that's a valuable relationship she doesn't have with anyone else.

 

And I agree that each week the stakes are being raised and the suspense levels are going up. I'm liking this season a lot, even though it doesn't have as much fast-paced action and excitement as Season 1. Pandora, for example, is a much quieter villain than Headless or Moloch. And that's okay. Seeing the same kind of antagonists and threats year after year would get old.

 

 

I was with them right up until they said it was malaria-infected blood in the syringe. All I could think about then was why the writers chose malaria, and then how they managed to get blood from someone with malaria in Sleepy Hollow.

Yes, that one threw me. It's not like Sleepy Hollow has CDC toxicology labs. Maybe the FBI does? Eh, I choose to ignore it.

[Julia]

First of all, what the hell is a Pensieve? I though Pandora was looking at Abbie through a pool of water.  LOL

 

A Pensieve is a receptacle (something like a birdbath or a baptismal font) for memories kept as liquids in Harry Potter.

[Free]

A Pensieve is a receptacle (something like a birdbath or a baptismal font) for memories kept as liquids in Harry Potter.

 

I thought about Harry Potter when I watched that too.

[topanga]

Thanks, Julia!

 

I am also liking how Lance Gross is playing the character of Daniel.  It is very obvious he still likes Abbie but he won't step over that line, so he instead gives her consideration as a great agent.  Almost as if by praising her work it is the only way he can ethically show how he feels.

Yes, but Reynolds still flirts with her in subtle ways, such as inviting her to dinner or offering her a drink. Which a cautious boss would avoid doing, given their history. And the long stares he gives her. He sure doesn’t look at Crane that way. And seeing how uncomfortable Abbie is around him makes me agree with those of you who believe Reynolds is the one who ended things.  With her other boyfriend at the precinct (I’m blanking on his name), Abbie had no problems being around him and working with him because she was emotionally over him. He was the one who made their interactions awkward. Even with Andy, Abbie listened to him declare his undying love for her and was all, “Keep it moving. Help us get the Horseman.”

 

But the chemistry between Abby and Reynolds remains off the charts. Can we get some more details, please about what actually happened between them before their “dynamic changed?” Reynolds once mentioned that they used to have discussions over breakfast. Thanks for that crumb. But tell us about dinner the night before, or more importantly, the hot dessert! I hate that we don’t hear anything about Abbie’s relationships until after they’re over.

Edited October 16, 2015 by topanga

[DearEvette]

First of all, what the hell is a Pensieve? I though Pandora was looking at Abbie through a pool of water.  LOL

 

Snort!  Ha, I just assume everybody is as immersed in Harry Potter lore as I am and would get the reference.  My Bad!

 

ETA:

 

Yes, but Reynolds still flirts with her in subtle ways, such as inviting her to dinner or offering her a drink. Which a cautious boss would avoid doing, given their history. And the long stares he gives her. He sure doesn’t look at Crane that way. And seeing how uncomfortable Abbie is around him makes me agree with those of you who believe Reynolds is the one who ended things.  With her other boyfriend at the precinct (I’m blanking on his name), Abbie had no problems being around him and working with him because she was emotionally over him. He was the one who made their interactions awkward. Even with Andy, Abbie listened to him declare his undying love for her and was all, “Keep it moving. Help us get the Horseman.”

 

 

See, inviting her to a meal or drinks isn't an inherently inappropriate thing.  He hasn't done or said anything really inappropriate.  But it is clear there is something there.  I read it more as him wanting to get her outside of the office to discuss their personal issues because discussing it in the office would not be quite cricket. But the way he looks at her and delivers his lines lends me to believe that he would like there to be. 

 

I also don't necessarily read Abbie's discomfort as necessarily meaning he broke off things with her, only because she is now in the position of reporting to someone she was on equal footing with before and had a personal (most likely sexual) relationship with.  That wasn't the case with Luke, they were still equals in the dept.  She didn't report to Luke either directly or indirectly.  Having been in a position where I moved from being friends and colleagues with a group to people to being promoted to their supervisor, I can attest it can be an awkward space to navigate even without a sexual component.

 

Abbie is a closed off person who tends to compartmentalize her life.  I can see her being very squiffy about their new unequal status.  It really is a bad position to be in.  Also I think there might be a tinkle of professional jealousy there.  Again, I kinda read his reassurance that "he is only a few years ahead' of her where she would eventually be as him also kinda seeing that might be where some of her disquiet comes from as well.

Edited October 16, 2015 by DearEvette

[possibilities]

One advantage of having Jenny involved in a separate story is that it allows her to show leadership. When she's helping Abbie and Ichabod, she's a sidekick. But we know that she was o her own most of her life and has lots of experience in her own area. I think it's worthwhile to let her character breathe a bit, and show her strengths, be in charge, and not just be the helper. I also think they will bring everyone together eventually. Right now, Abbie is deliberately avoiding her because of the father secret.

 

I think Corbin, junior is already being developed as a love interest for Jenny. All that gazing into each other's eyes stuff is typically more than a professional or sibling partnership signal. Him saying, essentially, I'll be there for you 4EVR, Jenny!!! And how uncomfortable Jenny looked when Abbie spoke of him as though he was a pesky pipsqueak, also to me indicates the show has already decided to hook them up.

 

Daniel is Abbie's boss. Whatever went on between them before, Abbie has already explicitly told him that kills it. Him pushing anything personal at all after that, to me is highly inappropriate, and makes him seem like a bad guy.

[Indi]

I was wrong. Daniel is not Luke 2.0, he is Reverse!Luke. This time, instead of Abbie ending the relationship to move on with her career, it was Daniel who did and she's the one, who still has feelings for him. It doesn't matter though, because the result is exactly the same: they gave her an ex, not a love interest. Of course.

 

Ichy continues his trend of not having any romantic chemistry with any of his love interests, this time Caroline 2.0, and yet it's still leagues better than that thing he had with Katrina or Sexy!Smart!Betsy. I'm all for them to be endgame. As long as it's done in the series finale, because, let's face it, if he has a romance right now, he'll sell Abbie out to Pandora with a quickness. Lack of chemistry aside, she's perfect for him. Kind of creepy and willing to feed his ego!

 

At least there was no Sexy!Smart!Betsy, YAY! I hope they keep using her sparingly or not at all.

 

Jenny and Joe are lowkey cute together, but I admit I prefer Jenny, when she's in Abbie's vicinity. Talking about the sisters... Did Pandora forget Jenny, when she taunted Abbie about losing people and being alone? I hope the show is not trying to imply Ichy is the only one in her life, because that couldn't be more wrong. There is Jenny, there is Daniel and it looks like she is capable of moving on famously without Ichy to weigh her down. Bad show, BAD!

 

Pandora continues to be great, but I'm getting tired of her MOTW. I hope we learn, what's motivating her sooner than later. It seems Abbie is her main target, but why?

[fantique]

It has to be a blood-borne illness that was 100% treatable and reversable - like Malaria. Anything else like Hepatitis, HIV or whatever would be very bad - and permanent for Crane.

 

And Malaria is much more common then you think. I work in a med lab, and probably about two or three times a week, there would be patients who were positive fo Malaria. It's pretty easy to determine and view on a blood film. Why so much malaria? Because citizens go back home to visit family (India, Asia mostly in our cases), and are too cheap/stubborn to take malarial meds in advance. Then they come back, get a fever, come to ER and boom! Malaria. Very common.

 

I liked the episode. More to say on it later, but Pandora is targeting Abbie specifically I think. Crane is feature and a part of the targeting, but in this episode, his past childhood experiences were used to basically highlight to Abbie her fear. Being alone/abandoned. This theme will continue throughout most of the season.

Yeah, my family and I joke that people in countries that are not used to it imagine Malaria to be what Ebola is. Just getting the medication is enough, Malaria is only fatal in developing countries because the people who die from it don't get medical attention. It's very rare people that live in urban settings to experience anything worse than being put out of commission for a few days, a week max.

 

 

First of all, what the hell is a Pensieve? I though Pandora was looking at Abbie through a pool of water.  LOL

 

In terms of Abbie being alone if Crane died, Crane is Abbie's only true friend and peer. I know she has Jenny, but that relationship is different. Jenny's her little sister, and yes, they've managed to repair their relationship despite the years of misunderstandings and betrayals. But Abbie doesn't share everything with Jenny, either because she wants to protect Jenny, or because Jenny's a hothead, or because she just doesn't feel comfortable telling her everything. Abbie doesn't like sharing things with anyone, but she's slowly starting open up with Crane. And that's a valuable relationship she doesn't have with anyone else.

 

And I agree that each week the stakes are being raised and the suspense levels are going up. I'm liking this season a lot, even though it doesn't have as much fast-paced action and excitement as Season 1. Pandora, for example, is a much quieter villain than Headless or Moloch. And that's okay. Seeing the same kind of antagonists and threats year after year would get old.

 

Yes, that one threw me. It's not like Sleepy Hollow has CDC toxicology labs. Maybe the FBI does? Eh, I choose to ignore it.

1) You break my heart! It's a Harry Potter reference. A pensieve is a thing where someone can watch memories.

2) Yeah, that's what I understood Pandora to mean. Their destiny is to succeed or fail humanity and probably die a horrible death. Jenny is not under that same type of Damocles' sword. 

3) Now, the fact that they had vials of infected blood is what surprised me. Unless Abbie used her badge to get it from a hospital...?

[Primetimer]

Crane battles bureaucracy, mythology, and a haunted blade.

Read the story

[Browncoat]

 

It has to be a blood-borne illness that was 100% treatable and reversable - like Malaria. Anything else like Hepatitis, HIV or whatever would be very bad - and permanent for Crane.

 

And Malaria is much more common then you think. I work in a med lab, and probably about two or three times a week, there would be patients who were positive fo Malaria. It's pretty easy to determine and view on a blood film. Why so much malaria? Because citizens go back home to visit family (India, Asia mostly in our cases), and are too cheap/stubborn to take malarial meds in advance. Then they come back, get a fever, come to ER and boom! Malaria. Very common.

 

I get the 100% reversible part. I guess I just don't think of malaria as being so common that you can easily get a syringe full of infected blood.  Flu would have been more plausible to me (and they earlier referenced the Spanish flu).  Or any number of infectious bacteria that are easily obtainable from a research lab (anthrax?  plague?).

 

So I thought of something else I kind of wish they'd addressed -- or maybe they did and I was distracted by malaria.  What happened to the knife?  Did Pandora retrieve it when she appeared to Crane and Abby?  Is it in an evidence locker somewhere?  I hope no one else touched it with bare hands (would nitrile gloves protect you from an enchanted knife?).

[topanga]

 

1) You break my heart! It's a Harry Potter reference. A pensieve is a thing where someone can watch memories.

Yeah, I missed the Harry Potter series. I'm not sure why--I was probably too engrossed in the Bourne Series and the 'Before Sunrise' series.

[Yolapukka]

There wasn't one point during viewing where I thought about Betsy Ross. It was only after the end that I even noticed her absence. I noticed when I wondered why the flashbacks in the episode enhanced the story rather than sucking energy out of the narrative as was the case in the first two episodes. It wasn't just the lack of Betsy, it was that they seemed brief and to the point in comparison, so therefore less intrusive. Maybe if they stopped trying so hard to charm us with showcases for her ... charms and concentrated on making the scenes work as a small part of a larger story. More actual humour, greater brevity,  less "behold the awesomeness of Betsy, Isn't she awesome?" 

 

I don't know what to make of Abbie so openly taking Crane along to her crime scenes as an FBI agent, they gave it reasons to work in the first two seasons but now it seems clunky.  Is that ever going to be addressed? Or is it going to be a continuous handwave?

 

 

Making the object of desire such an empty page - if she'd been a bipedal mannequin with "HUMAN" on its t-shirt in helvetica like the labels in Repo Man, i couldn't have been less invested in what happened to her - was either a sad reflection on the producers' use of pretty, poorly-drawn women as plot points or a brilliant commentary on the previous producers' use of pretty, poorly-drawn women as plot points. As long as I'm being swept along with happy endorphins, I'm going to go with brilliant.

 

It partially worked for me because it was in keeping with the trope of the nice guy who actually sucks, because he's never going to see the pretty girl he pines for as anything other than an empty vessel for all his warped issues. Unfortunately it was also in keeping with a problem I've had with all actual and potential victims this season in that I didn't care about them. Writers! Don't make me miss season two! I mean it!!!

Edited October 16, 2015 by yuggapukka

[cynic]

There wasn't one point during viewing where I thought about Betsy Ross. It was only after the end that I even noticed her absence. I noticed when I wondered why the flashbacks in the episode enhanced the story rather than sucking energy out of the narrative as was the case in the first two episodes. It wasn't just the lack of Betsy, it was that they seemed brief and to the point in comparison, so therefore less intrusive. Maybe if they stopped trying so hard to charm us with showcases for her ... charms and concentrated on making the scenes work as a small part of a larger story. More actual humour, greater brevity, less "behold the awesomeness of Betsy, Isn't she awesome?"

...

I appreciated this as well. I feel like, in the beginning of the series, the flashbacks (which both Crane and Abbie experienced) were generally shorter just served to illustrate key points as opposed to later in the series when they became more stories of their own, especially with Katrina and Abraham. I preferred it when they were more enhancements and when they had more of a almost dreamlike quality.

[cassandle]

There wasn't one point during viewing where I thought about Betsy Ross. It was only after the end that I even noticed her absence. I noticed when I wondered why the flashbacks in the episode enhanced the story rather than sucking energy out of the narrative as was the case in the first two episodes. It wasn't just the lack of Betsy, it was that they seemed brief and to the point in comparison, so therefore less intrusive. Maybe if they stopped trying so hard to charm us with showcases for her ... charms and concentrated on making the scenes work as a small part of a larger story. More actual humour, greater brevity,  less "behold the awesomeness of Betsy, Isn't she awesome?" 

 

Last night was the first time I noticed she's in the credits.  What the hell?  And I was all ready to fast-forward once the flashback started because I just couldn't deal with her again.  I can't describe how relieved I was that it was a childhood flashback and not a Betsy Ross one.  I really don't have the energy to deal with another She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named type.  

 

Other than that, I liked the episode and while I'm still not as crazy about the show as I was first season, Crane and Abbie/Mison and Beharie are still enough to keep me coming back.

[HalcyonDays]

First of all, what the hell is a Pensieve? I though Pandora was looking at Abbie through a pool of water.  LOL

 

In terms of Abbie being alone if Crane died, Crane is Abbie's only true friend and peer. I know she has Jenny, but that relationship is different. Jenny's her little sister, and yes, they've managed to repair their relationship despite the years of misunderstandings and betrayals. But Abbie doesn't share everything with Jenny, either because she wants to protect Jenny, or because Jenny's a hothead, or because she just doesn't feel comfortable telling her everything. Abbie doesn't like sharing things with anyone, but she's slowly starting open up with Crane. And that's a valuable relationship she doesn't have with anyone else.

 

And I agree that each week the stakes are being raised and the suspense levels are going up. I'm liking this season a lot, even though it doesn't have as much fast-paced action and excitement as Season 1. Pandora, for example, is a much quieter villain than Headless or Moloch. And that's okay. Seeing the same kind of antagonists and threats year after year would get old.

 

 

Yes, that one threw me. It's not like Sleepy Hollow has CDC toxicology labs. Maybe the FBI does? Eh, I choose to ignore it.

 

Any medical lab in a hospital would most likely have some samples kicking around - you'd just have to get it illegally.

 

I get the 100% reversible part. I guess I just don't think of malaria as being so common that you can easily get a syringe full of infected blood.  Flu would have been more plausible to me (and they earlier referenced the Spanish flu).  Or any number of infectious bacteria that are easily obtainable from a research lab (anthrax?  plague?).

 

I could take a vial of Malaria home if I wanted to. I could even transfer some malaria-postive blood into a different tube and take it home, and no one would ever know. A patient's hematology samples (that's the department that tests for the parasite) are not held in secure locked places, so any medical employee with access could grab the vial sample and take it with them if they knew which one to get. No seriously. I'm really not joking. It's not treated as a major biohazard that incredibly contagious/infectious. I will add that this is my situation - not all hospitals/labs.

 

To get technical in a way, the small amount of blood that Crane injected was not the problem (though would make him feel ill). Malarial parasites basically destroy your blood cells by growing in the cell, leading to severe anemia in major cases. That small amount of blood would only have so many parasites (some probably dead), and they wouldn't have a chance to infect and destroy in cells. Hell, there wasn't time for the injection to circulate through his system. The more serious aspect was that Crane was STABBED! In the lower body, possibly damaging some organs and he had huge blood loss.

 

For the Malaria, Crane just needed testing to determine whether he had a G6PD defiency (most likely not, since he's English), then prescribed Quinine or a similar anti-malarial drug. It was the blood LOSS and stabbing that was serious! Dude should have been in a hospital.

 

1) You break my heart! It's a Harry Potter reference. A pensieve is a thing where someone can watch memories.

 

A Pensieve! I didn't even catch that! First Dementors, then Pensieves! Someone likes HP - Good man, Cliff Campbell!

 

I liked the episode, but thought that the first part would be Crane's fear, then the second half, Abbie. When that didn't happened, I side-eyed that, but by the end realized that it's a longer arc for Abbie. Her fear of abandonment and being alone is the theme that Pandora's playing on.

 

Loved the final scene with injured Crane and Abbie patiently sitting with him. Just lovely and my shipped heart warmed! And what is actually surprising me is that I really am thinking now they are going to get those two together. I didn't think so, but knowing this is most likely the last season, Cliff and co are going for broke.

 

I actually like how the reasons for Pandora's target of the Witnesses is not known fully, but it's obviously it's personal for her.

 

Jenny being awesome, getting back the Anubis thing and basically being annoyed that someone is one-uppering her at her game. Awesome. I really like these scenes and Lyndie is killing it.

 

Still not sure what Daniel Reynolds agenda is.

 

This show needs to be able to swear. Shooting some guy and they fall out a window does not garner an "oh damn." It garners a "Oh shit!"

 

Oh, and SH Casting department...If you are going to cast a young Crane, try to get the eye colour right. Tom Mison's eyes are very blue, and you can't miss that, so try to get a blue-eyed kid next time. Cause you know - eye colour doesn't change that much (naturally).

 

I am finding the interactions between Crane and Abbie really interesting this season. Crane seems so much more relaxed and comfortable. I mean, he still has that formality and stiffness from his time and upbringing, but around Abbie, he just seems so mellow and relaxed and content. Abbie, however, is not. She seems more reserved and she is obviously conflicted over Crane and his return. She had nine months doing her thing for herself and her future. Now Crane comes back, evil returns and she's back to square one. BUT what did Pandora say at the end of the episode - she fears losing Crane, fears fighting alone and BEING alone. That shot of Beharie's face at the end, where you knew that she is totally conflicted about Crane, about them, about the Witness obligations, about this person who she feels to close and connected to. It's not even shipping, it's just very interesting and a new dynamic that I see.

[kieyra]

I don't expect this to be a popular post, but am I the only one confused by NB's performance this year? Her line readings seem weird, and she's just ice cold with everyone. Lots of eye rolling and sneering. Maybe I'm projecting some shit based on behind the scenes drama, and imagining her being in a hostile workplace, but I feel like her warmth is gone. And sometimes I feel like I'm watching Julianna Margulies in one of her green screen situations when she refuses to be in the same room with a costar. Again, I have to say that I don't blame the actress, but it's sad.

On the other hand, I kind of like what Shannon Sossamyn (sp) is doing. She's like, Goth Lady Mary, and I'm on board. I've only seen her in one thing, an old indie movie called Wristcutters, which I liked a lot. I seem to recall some folks have tv baggage with the actress--some vampire show? But I guess she's at least not bugging people as much as SBR, so that's a win.

P.S., I'm working on a little SH fic. Weird!

Edited October 17, 2015 by kieyra

[tpel]

While I still adore Abbie and Crane, this season isn't doing it for me. I'm starting to see how the Bones crossover is going to work, because the shows really aren't so different anymore. It feels like Abbie and Crane have been lifted out of Sleepy Hollow and deposited in a generic procedural, albeit one with supernatural touches.

 

 

Yeah, that's what I'm feeling too. The show-runners got rid of a lot of the annoying stuff that dragged things down last season (Crane Family Drama, etc.) But the show seems to have lost its urgency. Pandora is a cool enough foe, I suppose, but her conjuring some new evil each week is already getting a bit predictable. Now we've got the requisite love-interest characters on board to provide convenient obstacles to a romance between the leads. Meh. I want my wacky, bat-shit crazy show back!

 

That said, at least this week was pleasant to watch. 

[fantique]

Last night was the first time I noticed she's in the credits.  What the hell?  And I was all ready to fast-forward once the flashback started because I just couldn't deal with her again.  I can't describe how relieved I was that it was a childhood flashback and not a Betsy Ross one.  I really don't have the energy to deal with another She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named type.  

 

Other than that, I liked the episode and while I'm still not as crazy about the show as I was first season, Crane and Abbie/Mison and Beharie are still enough to keep me coming back.

Just saying that what you quoted is yuggapukka's not mine... must be the site.

[Indi]

Yeah, that's what I'm feeling too. The show-runners got rid of a lot of the annoying stuff that dragged things down last season (Crane Family Drama, etc.) But the show seems to have lost its urgency. Pandora is a cool enough foe, I suppose, but her conjuring some new evil each week is already getting a bit predictable. Now we've got the requisite love-interest characters on board to provide convenient obstacles to a romance between the leads. Meh. I want my wacky, bat-shit crazy show back!

 

That said, at least this week was pleasant to watch. 

 

The show lost its urgency last season. There used to be discussions about the villain decay the show seemed to be suffering from one episode to the next and then they killed the main bad guy mid season, which rendered Abbie's and Ichy's roles as Witnesses null and void. Last season it was Henry sending monsters to fight the Witnesses, now it's Pandora. The difference is that Ichy is not whining about redeeming a murderous member of his family, so everything is much more pleasant to watch. The Crane Family Drama wasn't the only problem though, it just was the most glaring, so now that the CFD is gone and that SH has become more procedural, the other problems have become more apparent.

[ElleBee]

Crane not being a US citizen  would have meant a massive hospital bill.

 

Crane's soliloquy was very funny.

 

The soliloquy was hilarious! As much as they've used similar rants, I never get tired of FiredUpCrane.

 

Citizenship, or lack thereof, shouldn't affect his hospital bill. (Now whether he has insurance is probably a whole other can of worms...) I have friends and family with green cards, which I'm assuming Crane must have, since they let him back into the country after his jaunt home, and their medical bills are no better or worse than mine.

 

The plots are formulaic and the MotW don't feel original or especially connected to our story. I think I've seen the ignored would-be suitor takes revenge after stalking at a club storyline half a dozen times over the years, even some with demonic influenced villains. And slapping Jack the Ripper on the thing doesn't make it fresher, especially with the writing contortions necessary to make it work for Crane's past and it still didn't really fit the Ripper's history. It all just felt lazy. And I really don't like the idea that Crane's always encountered evil as opposed to living a rather sheltered life until moving to the colonies and having an awakening. 

 

 

As someone mentioned up thread, something about this episode gave me an MotW X-Files vibe. What The X-Files was able to do successfully, IMO, was to mix stand-alone episodes with mythology episodes. Last season they were too heavy on mythology and this season seems heavy on MotW, so I'll be interesting to see if they can find a good balance between the two. But so far I'm really enjoying this season, MotW and all. Possibly because I'm still in a "as long as she's gone, it's all good" post-Katerina honeymoon phase...