S03.E09: One Life

[OnceSane]

Following Abbie's huge sacrifice, Crane and Jenny find themselves at a loss. In an effort to save Abbie, Crane forms an unlikely partnership and Jenny confronts a former foe.

[janeta]

Ah, glad it's back. :)

So what's Beharie doing that she's not doing this?

[Primetimer]

Ring-ing in the second half of the season with a Japanese vengeance demon, Nathan Hale, and many feels.

Read the story

[Browncoat]

I was about to be pissed off that Crane would even consider sacrificing Abbie like he and Boobsy Ross had to sacrifice Nathan Hale, but at least we know she is alive and in another dimension (or something).  I don't mind the new person, but I do hate that the gang is separated.

 

Nice, creepy mirror monster, too.

[Enero]

So cool that they filmed this episode in Stone Mountain Park. I recognized several landmarks from the park throughout the episode.

Ok. About the episode…. Loved the fact that though Abbie was missing in this episode, her presence was still VERY strong throughout. Even with that, the show just isn’t the same without her. I did NOT like the fact that Crane was about to give up on her at the end. Wow. Really show? SMH. That was way too soon, considering we'd only seen him brood and go 'scorched earth' (which he really didn't go scorched earth, but you know what I mean.) for one episode.

The way Sophie was pulled into the drama was nicely done. However, I did not like Crane’s partnership with her at.all. They have no chemistry, not that they should, and it felt like TPTB were testing a partnership between them in the event that NB decides to leave or is asked to leave the show, not that the show will be on long enough for that to happen, but still. I didn’t like it.

I did like that Crane was totally serious throughout their partnership and was not softening to any of her light comments or jokes. He was all business.

The Hidden One is an ass. I don’t see him and Pandora lasting long as a “happy” couple. With him asking her to find Abbie, I’m guessing there will be a race against time for Crane to find Abbie before Pandora and her hubby do first.

Nitpicks:

Crane being dry as a bone after jumping into a lake.

Crane trying to cook the frozen lasagna in a frying pan. Didn’t Abbie teach him about frozen dinners and to read the instructions before cooking? LOL

I know things were moving fast, but Crane couldn't call or send Jenny and Joe a text about what was going on with him and Sophie?

The ghost/demon that Crane brought from the other side not going after Jenny. Surely her desire to find Abbie was stronger than that of Daniel Reynolds? Jenny is, after all, Abbie’s sister.

The ghost of the week was creepy, but I saw no point to her except to 'bond' Sophie and Crane more and to give him a lesson in being over zealous about his pursuit of Abbie.

IMHO, this was a weak premiere after the hiatus.

Now that Sophie is in the loop, I wonder how they’re going to work the dynamic once Abbie returns? Seems like the dynamics will be off, but we’ll see. Next week looks like they step it up due to what appears to be significantly more Abbie. I’m looking forward to it.

Edited February 6, 2016 by Enero

[janeta]

I think Crane jumped off the bike before it hit the water...

Edited February 6, 2016 by janeta

[benteen]

I still hated all things Sexy Betsy Ross and the idea that her words to him were seemingly making Crane "move on" from the search at the end but otherwise, very good episode.

 

I'm glad this show is finally developing a bigger group of characters instead of the 7 they clung to for absolutely everything in every episode last season.  I like almost all of the new characters and it makes Sleepy Hollow a bigger world.

 

Ichabod and Sophie don't have nearly the chemistry that Ichabod and Abbie have but I like Sophie's character a lot and this was an interesting new dynamic here.

 

I liked the return of that crook...I can't remember his name.  Good stuff on the Jenny and Joe front.

[Free]

I did NOT like the fact that Crane was about to give up on her at the end. Wow. Really show? SMH. That was way too soon, considering we'd only seen him brood and go 'scorched earth' (which he really didn't go scorched earth, but you know what I mean.) for one episode.

 

Agreed, like the premiere and Abbie/Ichabod separation/time skip, it was too much too soon.  It felt like a premiere of a new season tbh.

[Miss Dee]

I was SO relieved we saw Abbie before the episode ended! I was starting to be afraid she really wasn't coming back.

Loved the Joenny. And Zach Appleman's arms. Loved Jenny getting vulnerable with him and telling him she loved him. Loved his reaction - that little face realization some actors play in that sort of scene is so hot. And speaking of hot: maneuvering into the bedroom during that kiss had me fanning my face.

RANDALL!!! So happy to see him again even though he's a douchebag! I am all for redeeming Randall into a hilarious semi-regular sidekick.

Everyone is likely to have different thresholds for Crane's level of angst, and I know for some nothing other than complete abject self-immolation will do, but I thought his grip on reality here was sufficiently haywire without making him completely useless.

I don't think Ichabod was giving up on Abbie there at the end...I think he realized the manic way he was going about it was not working and even actively doing harm. Abbie wouldn't have gone off the deep end; she would have been measured and calculating and bided her time and grabbed every shot that presented itself with logic and purpose. Walls of crazy (per the PreviouslyTV article) are not getting him anywhere. He has to cool down and take measure.

I also appreciated that there was no visible attempt to force chemistry between Crane and Foster during their partnership. They're pleasant to watch together, which bodes well if Foster is going to become part of the group, but it wasn't compelling like the Ichabbie and more importantly, there was no hint that it was meant to be (a là the Katrina nightmare).

In fact, where I *did* get that vibe was between Sophia and Daniel. Hmm.

Edited February 6, 2016 by Miss Dee

[Free]

IMHO, this was a weak premiere after the hiatus.

 

Between the disconnected flashbacks with Betsy and the series having to restart itself without Abbie, it just felt very ho hum through its' approach.

[Writing Wrongs]

For the whole episode I was wondering if I'd missed a news item that Nicole left and Abbie was being replaced by Foster. 

 

I'm not interested in Jenny and Junior's adventures at all.

[Free]

For the whole episode I was wondering if I'd missed a news item that Nicole left and Abbie was being replaced by Foster. 

 

I'm not interested in Jenny and Junior's adventures at all.

 

It did feel like it, but it's not that unusual with this show since they tried to do this with Katrina last time.

[Amethyst]

The way Sophie was pulled into the drama was nicely done. However, I did not like Crane’s partnership with her at.all. They have no chemistry, not that they should, and it felt like TPTB were testing a partnership between them in the event that NB decides to leave or is asked to leave the show, not that the show will be on long enough for that to happen, but still. I didn’t like it.

IMHO, this was a weak premiere after the hiatus.

 

I couldn't agree more with the bolded.  It was like Abbie was dead and Sophie was basically being initiated into the group in her place.  

 

I know Abbie is fine (thankfully) and I'm ok with Sophie being around, but the way they emphasized the Crane/Sophie partnership was unsettling.  There were too many parallels to Abbie to be coincidental, like Sophie being orphaned young, and her awareness of supernatural activity at a young age.  Bad enough that Abbie was gone the whole time.  Felt like the beginning of s2 all over again.  I wish the monster hadn't been a fakeout, and it really was Abbie trying to reach Crane.  But again, I'm just glad she's alive and I hope she returns soon.

 

That said, I didn't think Crane gave up on Abbie in the end.  I took that to mean that he wasn't going to obsess over the search and make another grave mistake like he did this week.  

 

Betsy Ross continues to bore me.  

 

I actually "awwed" over Jenny and Joe.  Randall can stick around because he's funny.

[netlyon2]

Hmmm, after some consideration, I've decided that I really liked this episode. If they hadn't shoved Busty at me, I might have loved it. If we hadn't gotten the glimpse of Abbie at the end and seen her during the promos, I might have hated it.

I don't think Ichabod was giving up on Abbie there at the end...I think he realized the manic way he was going about it was not working and even actively doing harm. Abbie wouldn't have gone off the deep end; she would have been measured and calculating and bided her time and grabbed every shot that presented itself with logic and purpose. Walls of crazy (per the PreviouslyTV article) are not getting him anywhere. He has to cool down and take measure.

I also appreciated that there was no visible attempt to force chemistry between Crane and Foster during their partnership. They're pleasant to watch together, which bodes well if Foster is going to become part of the group, but it wasn't compelling like the Ichabbie and more importantly, there was no hint that it was meant to be (a là the Katrina nightmare).

In fact, where I *did* get that vibe was between Sophia and Daniel. Hmm.

Agreed on all points! I had so many Ichabbie feels this episode (as the show runners intended, I'm certain) and most of them sprang from the fact that Ichabod clearly sees Abbie as his true north at this point. I can just imagine him constantly asking himself and talking about what she would do because he's all at sixes and sevens. As someone who grew to dislike his treatment of Abbie from way back in "Necromancer," I find it satisfying to see the arrogant ass learning to truly value his partner, rather than just prattling on about their bond while he does whatever the hell he wants. I say that with, like, 90% affection and only 10% bitterness. . . . Okay, maybe 85/15. Yes, sir, she is most certainly your better half.

I'm also cautiously optimistic about Agent Foster. I actually like the potential for her to be an ally for Abbie, especially if Agent Mills has to stop agenting in order to continue witnessing. Once that happens, having a woke contact within the bureau would be helpful in a number of ways. I liked the interactions they had in the fall finale, especially once it was settled that they had no real beef since Daniel was the one who kept Abbie in the dark.

With all this love for Crane and Foster, though, let me be clear: Imma need my girl back in the next episode. Feb. 12th, SleepyWriters, and for more than just a hot second. As cynic mentioned in the relationships thread, valuing Abbie as a character does not mean focusing the whole show on Ichabod's reaction to her absence. I need for her to be front and center in her own story. And also for her to stop jumping into those damn portals. . . . A mystical upgrade would be nice, too. Please and thanks.

PS - Pandora, you in danger, girl. Run or put his suffering butt back into the tree where you found him.

Edited February 6, 2016 by netlyon2

[bethy]

I really liked it. I thought the Crane/Foster chemistry was perfect in that the two played of each other well, but it didn't feel charged, like the Abbie/Crane chemistry does. I like Sophie and the dynamic she brings. I also thought they made a point of emphasizing the different type of connection/partnership Crane has with Abbie - having Crane refer to her as his "better half" is significant to me.

[Sparkling Beth]

I liked this episode a lot.  Never had the feeling that the writers were trying to make Sophie into NuAbbie.  As viewers I think we sometimes assume that all male/female partnerships are tinged with a romantic and/or sexual tension, and I don't believe they have to be nor do I feel that we were supposed to get that from Crane and Sophie.  There's no reason why another female character can't be part of the Scooby Gang without taking Abbie's place.  I think Sophie is a wonderful addition to the team and I'm really looking forward to getting Abbie back.  

[formerlyfreedom]

I liked this a lot too - Foster was a pleasure, and I wasn't expecting that. I'm still amazed that the actor playing young Corbin isn't related to Clancy Brown, because, DAY-UM!

 

Now let's get Abbie home next ep, please.

[HalcyonDays]

First note, these are just quick thoughts from the watching, and fast typing, so I am gonna jump from topic to topic.

 

I liked it! I did. Crane's desperation, Jenny trying to get it, Joe being supportive, and I actually really loved how Foster had a supernatural connection, but was initially suspicious of Crane, then kinda fell in.. I said earlier, it makes sense that Crane should be the first suspect

Whoa - excellent episode.

 

Three way anyone?? i.e. both Reynolds AND Crane were both incredibly desperate to find Abbie. I think they are setting it up for her to choose which man to be with.

 

I admit it - I totally liked the interactions between Crane and Sophie. They work well together. Do they have the crazy-ass chemistry that NB and TM do? No. But they are really natural and bounce off each other well. I like them as a team

 

It was nice, it was good to see.

 

Oh, Pandora and Zod are gonna have some issues. Is Pandora gonna be the one to "rescue?" Abbie. And Zod, you are an ungrateful bastard. Though I totally understand and agree with your opinion that humanity "was allowed to spread, and destroy earth, and must be destroyed". No really, I do. But I predict Pandora will somehow bring back Abbie, instead of Crane. I hope it's Crane, but we will see.

 

Also, the mirror totally gave me visions of the movie Constantine, with Keanu Reeves' character trapping a demon in a mirror, then destroyed the mirror to destroy the demon. Oh, and I cannot help think that special effect of the rippling mirror, totally reminded me of Star Trek: DS9, with the effects for their wormhole. Basically nicely done.

 

I really enjoyed the episode and the time FLEW!! See, this was like season one, where time flew. This one did too!

 

And shallow comment of the episode - Crane, pretending to be Daniel, with his hair slicked back. HOT!!!!!

 

God, I will miss that sexy man on my screen. He may not be "conventionally" sexy, but there is something about Mison that does it for me! Le sigh.

 

Oh, I should also say that apparently NR has been working on her dialect. She no longer sounds like Valley Girl in Colonial times. Her voice/line delivery was pretty good actually. She didn't make me cringe, she didn't make me roll my eyes.

 

Actually, she reminded me a little of Anna Strong, from TURN. Basically, she is MUCH improved. The only thing is that I don't know a crazy amount of history on Nathan Hale - just what I read in the book TURN is based off of, but I think he was much more of a Patriot and calculating individual than portrayed. But still, the show is nicely embracing the dark side. Like it. Love it.

 

Oh, and show? Giving me Crane on a motorcycle?? Why you mess with me like this...........??

[HalcyonDays]

I don't think Ichabod was giving up on Abbie there at the end...I think he realized the manic way he was going about it was not working and even actively doing harm. Abbie wouldn't have gone off the deep end; she would have been measured and calculating and bided her time and grabbed every shot that presented itself with logic and purpose. Walls of crazy (per the PreviouslyTV article) are not getting him anywhere. He has to cool down and take measure.

I also appreciated that there was no visible attempt to force chemistry between Crane and Foster during their partnership. They're pleasant to watch together, which bodes well if Foster is going to become part of the group, but it wasn't compelling like the Ichabbie and more importantly, there was no hint that it was meant to be (a là the Katrina nightmare).

 

^^ THIS ^^ All of this.....

[Indi]

Everything about this felt repetitive and frustrating, even more considering they put Abbie in the Katrina role. Hardly seen, but constantly talked about. Just awful.

 

Drama Queen Crane bores me to tears. I didn't need an hour of that, considering I had two seasons of him angsting and waxing poetic about Katrina relentlessly. Just because they changed the object of his obsession, even if this time the obsession didn't last him long, doesn't change things at all. And it's not like his words were that believable either, considering he had left "his better half" for almost a year without regrets or any wish to contact her. Meh! All that drama, just to end with a whimper. But then, I didn't expect better from him than giving up. Something will pull him back and continue the search next week, of course, but meh!

 

This bitter pill would have been easier to swallow if Abbie had been given her own point of view, but, as always, the writers find her easy to dismiss.

 

If that terrible romantic scene with Joe and Jenny is an example of the writers' capabilities, the show is screwed, because it brought me to tears. Of laughter. Yes, Jenny is scared of letting herself love someone, and yet she kept throwing herself a Hawley, knowing well he had feelings for her sister. Please! Apparently, the writers thought they needed to spice up this rushed romance with some quickly resolved angst.

[thuganomics85]

First scene back from the hiatus is a flashback with Sexy Betsy Ross?  That's a bold, if stupid move there, show.  I will say that Nikki Reed seemed a bit better in this one, but when I mean better in this case, it means she was just kind of boring, as opposed to cringeworthy and distracting.  And their whole take on the Nathan Hale real life event wasn't all that interesting, although I guess I can understand why they didn't want to be too silly with that particular event.  Having fun with the Boston Tea Party is one thing, but a patriot getting executed is quite different to say the least.

 

If I didn't know better, I would have really thought Sophie was getting a test run as an Abbie replacement, which I have to think isn't the case, unless Nicole Beharie secretly wants out, and they're just that good at keeping it hidden.  It's too bad, because I do like the character and Jessica Camacho, and even enjoyed some of the banter with Ichabod, but I have a feeling there will be some pushback with this decision.  Hope Jessica avoids social media for a while.

 

Joe and Jenny was entertaining, but held no surprises.  Already know that Jenny is someone who doesn't like to show her feelings, and would need Joe to finally bring them out of her.  They're nice together, but moving on...

 

Pandora may be an evil creature trying to destroy Earth, but she so deserves a better husband.  Why do you got to be a dick like that, Peter Mensah?!  Boo!  Team Pandora!

 

I wonder if Reynolds is actually going to drop Ichabod as a person of interest or was he just trying to appease Sophie?

 

I did love Joe and Jenny's reaction to seeing Sophie in their lair.  The club is getting new members!

 

Glad for the Abbie appearance at the very end, although I have to admit that shallow man in me couldn't help but just go "Damn, Nichole Beharie has got a nice ass!"  What?  The way it was shot just highlighted it.  Have no idea if that was on purpose.

[Badsamaritan]

My show is back, Yay!

Crane fell asleep cuddling the mirror to be closer to Abbie, y'all! Right in the feels, Show. And Better Half....Ichabod loves him some Abbie, and I can't wait til they're reunited.

Pandora...I said it on Twitter, she needs to love herself cuz Zod ain't shit. Is it possible she will end up on the side of our Destroyers? Hell hath no fury, Zod. You need to remember that while you fuckin around.

Edited February 6, 2016 by Badsamaritan

[Free]

If that terrible romantic scene with Joe and Jenny is an example of the writers' capabilities, the show is screwed, because it brought me to tears. Of laughter. Yes, Jenny is scared of letting herself love someone, and yet she kept throwing herself a Hawley, knowing well he had feelings for her sister. Please! Apparently, the writers thought they needed to spice up this rushed romance with some quickly resolved angst.

 

And boy was it rushed, he only just joined the team just this season and they act like they've been in love for a while.

[Enero]

I couldn't agree more with the bolded.  It was like Abbie was dead and Sophie was basically being initiated into the group in her place.  

 

I know Abbie is fine (thankfully) and I'm ok with Sophie being around, but the way they emphasized the Crane/Sophie partnership was unsettling.  There were too many parallels to Abbie to be coincidental, like Sophie being orphaned young, and her awareness of supernatural activity at a young age.  

 

 

Agreed. I actually think Sophie is okay. Her partnership with Crane would've been okay too, if her backstory wasn't so contrived i.e. losing her parents at a young age, having experience with the supernatural and always wanting what she believed (that the supernatural existed) to be proven RME. Her knowledge about the mythology of haunted mirrors which helped her and Crane solve this week's case, didn't help matters either. IMO it was so obviously an initiation. The partnership for me would've seemed less like they were testing her as a replacement for Abbie if they'd just made her a normal person with living parents and had no knowledge of legends and the supernatural. Also, they should've had Crane either working alone or with Jenny and Joe. Jenny, Joe and Crane should've been in contact throughout the episode, updating each other on their progress. Crane working alone would've better emphasized how difficult it is for him to do the witness duties without Abbie. With Sophie immediately in the mix, covering for him at the FBI and providing insight into the supernatural surrounding the MOTW, Crane calling her to let her know he was pulling back on his search of Abbie and her showing up at the archives, came off as if Abbie and Sophie were interchangeable. Of course they are not, but that's how the show sort of presented it. 

 

 

Crane fell asleep cuddling the mirror to be closer to Abbie, y'all! Right in the feels, Show. And Better Half....Ichabod loves him some Abbie, and I can't wait til they're reunited.

 

 

Yeah, I must admit, that gave me feels too. Also him saying how she makes him better than he is and how she is his better half, clearly indicates IMHO, that he is in love with her. Now whether he'll admit it to her when she returns should prove interesting. 

 

 

And boy was it rushed, he only just joined the team just this season and they act like they've been in love for a while.

 

I like the Jenny and Joe relationship, but I thought her declaration of love and their subsequent passionate kiss was ridiculous. I was hoping she would stop the kiss and say she loved him like a friend or brother. I know, that would've ruined the moment. LOL. But they did grow up together. So there is likely some form of love between them. However, being in love seems a bit much. I think the scene would've played better if she'd said she was afraid of losing someone else she needed or cared about, rather than someone she loved. 

Edited February 6, 2016 by Enero

[phoenics]

Okay. I watched twice so I could get a better grasp of the episode.

First and foremost I really enjoyed it - although that enjoyment would have evaporated if Abbie wasn't shown for real at the end.

My theory about Betsy Ross and those historical flashbacks is that she only exists now to parallel that old partnership with Crane's REAL partnership with Abbie. Abbie never would have let Nathan Hale die. Not ever. And the whole flashback was simply pointing to the fact that Ichabod DOES NOT agree with Betsy and that all of those memories are really about Ichabod comparing and contrasting Abbie with Betsy... and Abbie comes out on top. She's "the woman that will make Crane do something crazy" (paraphrasing) that Betsy referred to.

Crane acts all calm and patient when he's back in the past, when he HASN'T met the woman who will make him desperate, so he can preach about "patience and calm" back then, but the show clearly wants us to see that Crane now HAS met the woman who makes him desperate, impatient, and who will cross all kinds of lines (like the ones he warned Joe not to cross) to get his Abbie back.

"Be patient, blah blah" ... immediately cuts to present day Crane riding like a badass nut job on a bike, stealing a relic and averting capture by the dangerous folks he caught it from. All for Abbie.

Then we cut to Crane babbling on like a madman (he had shades of Mulder from X-Files here) with a wall of crazy (pics of Abbie and string lines everywhere, maps everywhere, etc). Crane is so desperate to get Abbie back - this just hit me with a ton of feels! And then he's so wrapped up in getting Abbie back and feeling responsible to get her back that he forgets Jenny! Jenny reminds him - dude that's MY sister - and Ichabod finally sits his @ss down somewhere, lol.

I mean - the show is SCREAMING "Ichabod is in love with Abbie!"

Joe and Jenny's faces when Crane was babbling on indicates that he has been doing this desperate act for over a month now - trying to find Abbie.

I mean - he was NEVER like this over Katrina. He didn't spend every waking moment or breath trying to find her. In fact, it took him all season one to redraw that map... but with Abbie, it sounds like Crane has been breaking rules and acting out almost immediately by the looks on Joe's and Jenny's faces.

And hello?!?! Crane with the lasagna? He looked so depressed and just lost. I think he's also been desperately trying to find Abbie and spending all of his time doing that so he doesn't have to be alone with his thoughts about her. And the way he bolted up those stairs after finding Abbie's unmentionables on the stairs - dude - he took those two at a time. I swear if Abbie had been nekkid in bed when he got to her bedroom, he would have joined her and .... bow chica wow wow!!

Then he wakes up snuggled up to the mirror like he was trying to get closer to Abbie?

And now about Sophie... I do think that Sophie's time on the show was her "initiation". I didn't like her sudden connection to the occult via her parental backstory or any of that. I thought it was too close to Abbie. I do not want her to be "another witness". There should be only 2. Period. And if there were more, it should have been Jenny - not Sophie.

Having said that, I saw no chemistry with Ichabod/Sophie - and even when Sophie tried to make a joke, Ichabod was not having it. Their first scene in the winter finale I saw some chemistry - I don't see anything like that anymore. But you know where Sophie DID have chem with someone? With DANIEL! I was like ... oh... there might be a quad with Sophie, Daniel, Abbie and Ichabod at some point. I actually like Jessica Camacho - but if this show thinks they can replace Abbie with her, it's crazy. I don't think the show would do it by getting rid of Abbie - I think the only way this would happen is if NB decided she wanted out. My hope would be that she wouldn't want out - I can't imagine TM staying without her.

The one thing I did like about the Sophie/Ichabod interaction was that Sophie SO knew that Ichabod is in love with Abbie, but he's in denial about it. Either she's going to tell Abbie about it when Abbie gets back or she's going to encourage Ichabod to finally step up where Abbie is concerned.

And THANK you writers - the CREEPY is back! I hollered/screamed/yelped multiple times through the episode - they finally brought back the fast jerky run move that demons do that terrifies me. They used a MIRROR to creep me out. They had the scary moments that jump out at you... just THANK YOU! That was more like a S1 Sleepy Hollow for me - just need MORE ABBIE!

Joe/Jenny - I liked their scenes, although their kiss scene left a bit to be desired. Joe charges up to her, but then his kiss felt a bit wimpy. If you charge a woman like that, you have to really GO ALL IN with a kiss. LOL.

And Pandora - you in danger, girl. The Hidden One ain't playing. Pandora better get it together - and stuff his @ss back in that tree.

And yay the box can still call stuff to them - so Headless isn't destroyed!?!? Maybe Moloch was trapped in there too somehow and he can come back?

I really enjoyed this episode and cannot wait for next week... I hope we get some kind of hug with Abbie/Ichabod in the other world... even though he's only an astral projection apparently... I just want some form of physical touch. I'm trash I know.

Also, last night on twitter, both the sleepyhollowfox, zach, and peter mensa all made #ichabbie related tweets - liking and retweeting other tweets that were very "Ichabod is so in love with Abbie!" The writers room did too. And SH trended for like 3 hours last night.

I think WheresAbbie did too.

[Free]

I thought her declaration of love and their subsequent passionate kiss was ridiculous.

 

That's what made it so rushed, like I said, he only recently learned about all of it this season.  Other than that, I would've hoped for more build up to this.

Edited February 6, 2016 by Free

[cynic]

...Crane fell asleep cuddling the mirror to be closer to Abbie, y'all! Right in the feels, Show. ....

I've seen this commented on in several places, but I don't think he was sleeping with the mirror. He had pulled it off the wall to examine it. His eyes were open and he had his face pressed against it trying to get a certain perspective. When the phone rings and he jerks upright, you can see that he was just bent over with his feet on the ground the whole time. And the quality of light in the room and at the window never changes, so there's no passage of time.

 

Anyway, I thought this was mostly a good episode. The monster and creepy atmosphere were well done. It was also nicely paced. It felt weird though. It was like it was originally written as just another normal episode and then got retooled to deal with Abbie's absence. With just a few mostly minor changes, Sophie could have lifted straight out and Abbie put in her place and the episode really wouldn't have been different at all. As a character, Sophie feels very much like Abbie, complete with a traumatic supernatural-tinged childhood. I don't see the point of her. She's not a bad character and it's not that I dislike her, but I don't see what she brings to the table that Abbie doesn't already contribute. Plus, all the talk about her being here instead of Abbie made it seem more like the first episode of a new season after cast changes. Are they setting her up as a possible replacement in the future? In the meantime, since Camacho is now  a regular and presumably Abbie will be back in an episode or two, it makes me wonder what the writers are planning to do with the team's dynamics. There's a lot of people on team good now.

 

Speaking of other people on team good, the Jenny and Joe pairing bores me to death. He doesn't have much of a personality, feels more like a sidekick than a partner and doesn't generate much heat with Jenny, so I can't get very excited about her falling for him. IMO, he has the opposite problem of Hawley who was pushed to the front too much at her expense and was written as a big trope instead of being a real person, but at least he had chemistry with her. I wish we could have something more in the middle. And on a completely shallow note, I'd much rather be looking at Hawley than at Joe.

 

One nitpick, Crane's been in modern times for three years now. He lived on his own in Corbin's cabin for part of it and he's been without Abbie for a month. Am I really supposed to believe that he would try to fry a frozen lasagna when there are instructions right on the box? I understand that he is meant to be out of sorts, but that was just makes him look stupid.

 

Lastly, Nikki Reed still cannot act.

[Archery]

I think the lasagne in the frying pan was to convey that he just doesn't give a crap about anything.  He looked numb, like, Okay, fine, I'll eat. 

 

They really got me with the "Crane comes back with the Not-Abbie Ring-Demon" jump scare.  Loved it.  I also love how Jennie owns her violence and ruthlessness.  And everybody knows it.  Heh.

Edited February 6, 2016 by Archery

[bluvelvet]

I really enjoyed the episode and I did wonder if Nicole was still on the show until they showed Abby at the end.

Crane was lost and desperate, loved it but I also liked that they showed how this was hurting the situation rather than helping. I liked his interactions with Sophie. No romantic chemistry there just a nice potentional friendship.

I love Joe and Jenny but I agree the kiss scene was rushed. Although props to Jenny, the look on her face when she thought Joe was shot was great acting on her part. Go slow with them writers, that's what you did last season and it worked.

Agree about Pandora. You in danger girl !!

The monster of the week scared the crap out of me. Not a fan of that ring monster.

Edited February 6, 2016 by bluvelvet

[Happytobehere]

Any scene with the Katrina levels of bad acting Busty = excruciating

Any scene Jenny and Joe as some sort of great passion, love, or anything = laughably unbelievable

Any scene with Daniel Reynolds = why, I like Lance Gross, but he simply doesn't work here.

Any scene with Sophie = tedious place holding. There were several scenes where I muted her and did something else, yet still knew exactly what was happening her role in this Abbyless episode was just that, place holding.

If this episode showed anything it is just how much the show loses its magic with ABBY's absence. If things remain as is for more than one additional episode, I'll be out without a second thought.

[jhlipton]

My show is back with a great episode but one note for now: When Crane says "Anchor me.", that means "tie the rope around something heavier than me". Your tiny ass ain't gonna anchor ANYTHONG, Sophie!

[Sparkling Beth]

I'm a little confused by the reaction here to Joe and Jenny's kiss.  Did I imagine it, or didn't they already kiss last season?  Joe said it had been a month since Abbie disappeared, so given that Joe and Jenny began a romantic relationship at least a month ago, why does it seem rushed that they're kissing now?  Or even that Jenny says she loves him?  That seems like a reasonable time frame to me, especially given that they were already friends before their feelings deepened.

[orza]

Joe and Jenny have been together as a couple for a while with, I would assume, all that implies. This incident has brought them to the point of either committing to a serious relationship or parting ways. Obviously, they are both committing.

[jhlipton]

Time for deeper thoughts:

 

BRING ABBIE BACK!

 

"The Ring" monster was well done and looked a hella like Samara. [1]  I don't mind Sohie, but she better not replace my girl.

 

BRING ABBIE BACK!

 

Boobsy was again totally unnecessary (albeit slightly better, since she wasn't as boobsy as prior).  The "Unlike a cat, you only have one lif" lead-in really didn't work with the famous Hale quote.

 

BRING ABBIE BACK!

 

I like Joe and Jennie.  Jennie's relationship with Hawley was completely superficial (two hot people hooking up with no deep emotions) and ties in with her fear of commitment. And She and Joe have been together for months, so it's reasonable that she's had time to develop "the feels" (as the kids say) for him.  [Lynn Greenwood in that cream-yellow top... I'll be in my bunk!]

 

BRING ABBIE BACK!

 

I really liked it but they better BRING ABBIE BACK!

 

 

[1] That movie scared the crap out of me.  When I got a phone call about 5 minutes after I watched "the video", I nearly had a heart attack!

[Julia]

I really didn't get what the parallel is between the historical stuff and the current plot. They told Nathan Hale not to be reckless, he was reckless, he got caught, he riffed on Ichabod's cat thing to signal that he was OK with them not pulling a sacrifice play to save him, he died. Which teaches us what? That Ichabod should let Abbie stay dead? Pandora would be very, very stupid to give her husband his powers back (true enough, but I suspect not the point)? What message was that?

Also, though I guess this isn't a plot point, I see that Nikki Reed's sophisticated relationship with colonial history is still informing her performance. It's not a baseball bat, princess, it's a parasol. Ladies carried them open, because it was a bad idea in the social climate of the time to heave your bosoms at people if they were tanned. See, in the days before sun block, having a tan generally meant you had to work for a living. Gentlemen didn't have the same rules for ladies who had to work for a living if they ran around with their bosoms out. Just, FYI.

Not a Sophie fan. I feel like this ensemble is getting too crowded to have a new featured character who occupies the same space as another character. She feels a little poor man's Abbie to me.

[tennisgurl]

I will say, Joe and Jenny have grown on me a lot as a couple. I think they're a solid team, without going overboard with the couple stuff.

 

I liked this episode, but BRING BACK ABBEY!

 

Also the flashbacks...happened. Look, show, the flashbacks here haven't gotten to Arrow levels of pointless and stupid, but its getting dangerously close. I am watching you.  

[catrice2]

The first season was must see TV.  I could barely follow what was happening last night.  I am the minority...I see no chemistry with Joe and Jenny....at all. 

[possibilities]

I still can't tell Pandora and Betsy apart unless I see the abusive former tree guy in the scene. I do think Pandora needs to bury his ass because all the threats and blaming are just bad news. Like someone upthread, I also had a thought that Pandora might switch sides and be the one to rescue Abbie.

 

I knew it couldn't be Abbie writing that "Help me" message. It isn't her style at all. Even if she needed help, she would say something more useful, like a clue to where a useful object was, or the name of a spell, or her location, or something for him to work off of. "Help  me" is just too vague and pretty useless. He presumably would already be trying to help her. She would never waste her energy just saying the obvious.

 

I think Sophie is more like a replacement for Orlando Jones than for Nicole Beharie. She's someone on the inside of the law enforcement institution, who is friendly and an ally but somewhat new to everything, and lets the others lead. I did worry that they were setting her up as a replacement for Abbie, especially during that car ride, and when she and Ichabod had mirror brands and were touching arms a lot. I actually did see chemistry, but Tom Mison could probably have chemistry with frozen lasagna if he wanted to. But I am hopeful they didn't retool the show and fire the person who sidelined Abbie, just to sideline her again. Seems like that would be too stupid even for a TV network.

 

And that glimpse of Abbie in wherever she is? It's not just her ass that's fine. They better bring her back next week. I don't want a season of her scowling from another realm, I want her back home and filling up as many scenes as they can get her in without working Nicole Beharie to exhaustion.

 

I took the flashbacks about letting hale be executed to be filled with regret, that Crane wished he had not listened to BR, and that a true partner would not be so casual about the loss. He seemed to be noting that he needed to be thoughtful, not just reactive. At least that's how I took it.

Edited February 7, 2016 by possibilities

[Free]

I really didn't get what the parallel is between the historical stuff and the current plot. They told Nathan Hale not to be reckless, he was reckless, he got caught, he riffed on Ichabod's cat thing to signal that he was OK with them not pulling a sacrifice play to save him, he died. Which teaches us what? That Ichabod should let Abbie stay dead? Pandora would be very, very stupid to give her husband his powers back (true enough, but I suspect not the point)? What message was that?

 

It feels disconnected and I still don't see much of a point in Betsy's character.

 

I still can't tell Pandora and Betsy apart unless I see the abusive former tree guy in the scene. I do think Pandora needs to bury his ass because all the threats and blaming are just bad news. Like someone upthread, I also had a thought that Pandora might switch sides and be the one to rescue Abbie.

 

I hope so since I've been disappointed in Pandora's subplot, so far she's playing second fiddle to the tree guy and she was so promising in the first half.

[Miss Dee]

By the way, I haven't heard any discussion about that oh-so-subtle mention of Orpheus and Eurydice yet (the lamp Ichabod used in the beginning was said to belong to them).

 

From Wikipedia:

 

 

 

Orpheus fell in love with Eurydice, a woman of unique beauty; whom he married and lived happily with for a short time. However, when Hymen was called to bless the marriage, he predicted that their perfection was not meant to last.

A short time after this ominous prophecy, Eurydice was wandering in the forest with the Nymphs, when Aristaeus, a shepherd, saw her and was beguiled by her beauty. He made advances towards her and began to chase her when she attempted to flee. As Eurydice sprinted through the forest, she managed to escape him, but was tragically bitten by a snake and died instantly.

 

Orpheus sang his grief with his lyre and managed to move everything living or not in the world; both humans and gods were deeply touched by his sorrow and grief.

Apollo then advised his son to descend to Hades and see his wife. Any other mortal would have died, but Orpheus, protected by the gods, went to Hades and arrived at the infamous Stygian realm, passing by ghosts and souls of people unknown. He also managed to charm Cerberus, the monster known to have three heads. Orpheus presented himself in front of the god of the Underworld Hades (Pluto) and his wife Persephone.

 

Orpheus played his lyre, melting even Hades' cold heart. Hades told Orpheus that he could take Eurydice with him but under one condition; Eurydice would follow him while walking out to the light from the caves of the Underworld, but he should not look at her before coming out to the light because he would lose her forever. If Orpheus was patient enough he would have Eurydice as a normal woman again by his side.

 

Hopefully it doesn't end as tragically as this story though! But I thought it was interesting that this was the connection the writers made.

Edited February 7, 2016 by Miss Dee

[missysays]

I really enjoyed the episode and I did wonder if Nicole was still on the show until they showed Abby at the end.

Crane was lost and desperate, loved it but I also liked that they showed how this was hurting the situation rather than helping. I liked his interactions with Sophie. No romantic chemistry there just a nice potentional friendship.

I love Joe and Jenny but I agree the kiss scene was rushed. Although props to Jenny, the look on her face when she thought Joe was shot was great acting on her part. Go slow with them writers, that's what you did last season and it worked.

Agree about Pandora. You in danger girl !!

The monster of the week scared the crap out of me. Not a fan of that ring monster.

I agree; I enjoyed this ep too. I've been on the fence with Sleepy Hollow for quite some time now. I enjoy the chemistry between the actors - esp Ichabod/Abbie and now Jenny/Joe but the writing and possibly the direction of the show has always been problematic. It's like they've got some really great raw ingredients but the writers/directors can't seem to create the right sense pace and rhythm to the scenes. It's like the actors and their chemistry pull us through unsightly plot lines and some awkwardly directed scenes.

 

For ex, I started to really notice Jenny and Joe's energy awhile back and I loved the emotions on Jenny's face when she thought Joe was shot and then when he reappeared- the relief and suppressed joy. And while their physical chemistry has potential- the kiss scene could have been shot a little differently to give it even more heat.

 

And I love watching Ichabod not knowing what to do with himself without Abbie- constantly referring to her. And what a shot in the arm to see her back in the final scene. She is part of the lifeblood of the show. Ichabod's chemistry with that other detective was nothing in comparison to the energy he has with Abbie.

 

BTW, I hate the Pandora and husband storyline. I know they need a baddie to struggle against but for such a build up for the Pandora character as a woman of strength- yes she's evil but she seemed to be her own woman earlier in the season. Now she's just a wife looking for her petulant husband's approval. The relationship has abusive overtones that I didn't like seeing. Also for all the buildup they're showing him to be moody, powerless and constantly blaming his wife for everything that's happening to him. Why does what I thought was a bad-ass evil female character put up with that?

 

Overall, however, this episode peaked my interest again in the show so hopefully they can continue to build on last night's storylines.

Edited February 7, 2016 by missysays

[roomtorome]

This show has always been all over the place; it is a completely different thing than when it started and while I think it is good for shows to evolve and not remain stagnant, this show has continued to make big swerving turns with characters, story lines, etc - they never seemed to have had an actual foundation idea for the series and so, at this point, I think it is all just them throwing stuff at the wall to see what (and who) sticks and I am not invested in the characters at this point - haven't been really since the end of the first season.  

 

Shame - I like TM a lot (liked him from Parade's End, first role I saw him in) - not a big fan of any of the other performers and, for me, I never felt the chemistry others have felt between Ich and Abbie - so, that's probably a big part of why last night was it for me; I just don't care.  

 

Hope it ends well - From the way some posters are talking, it seems already known this is it's last hurrah, correct?  I haven't followed it in the media so don't know if officially cancelled or not though I wouldn't be surprised.  I still can't get over how they wasted the amazing John Noble in that stupid ridiculous role - ugh.

[netlyon2]

[1] I think Sophie is more like a replacement for Orlando Jones than for Nicole Beharie. She's someone on the inside of the law enforcement institution, who is friendly and an ally but somewhat new to everything, and lets the others lead. I did worry that they were setting her up as a replacement for Abbie, especially during that car ride, and when she and Ichabod had mirror brands and were touching arms a lot. I actually did see chemistry, but Tom Mison could probably have chemistry with frozen lasagna if he wanted to. [2]

 

[3] And that glimpse of Abbie in wherever she is? It's not just her ass that's fine. They better bring her back next week. I don't want a season of her scowling from another realm, I want her back home and filling up as many scenes as they can get her in without working Nicole Beharie to exhaustion.

 

[4] I took the flashbacks about letting hale be executed to be filled with regret, that Crane wished he had not listened to BR, and that a true partner would not be so casual about the loss. He seemed to be noting that he needed to be thoughtful, not just reactive. At least that's how I took it.

[1] That makes perfect sense to me.  I think having Foster (or Mulder, as I've started calling her) on Team Witness will be particularly important if they have Abbie leave the FBI for real.  Right now, I could see things going in either direction, depending on what this "asset" and "diamond in the rough" business is leading to.

 

[2] **Insert wigstand joke here**

 

[3] TRUTH!  My secret inner hope is that they have Abbie meet the spirit of that petrified Dixon adventurer from "Magnum Opus," also played by Nicole Beharie.  Twice the awesome in every scene!

 

[4] I took it the same way.  I'm really buying into the idea that the flashbacks with whack Boobsy are there to highlight the real and true partnership that Ichabbie could potentially have (once they hash out some of Ichabod's actions and how they've impacted Abbie).  I was somewhat concerned when he started taking down the Archives version of the crazy board (still has one at home!), but then I interpreted what he said to mean that he realized that abandoning his mission and being reckless was not the way to get his partner back.  He has to return to being a Witness in order to reconnect with the other Witness.

 

I hope so since I've been disappointed in Pandora's subplot, so far she's playing second fiddle to the tree guy and she was so promising in the first half.

Yeah, I was never excited about the Hidden One, especially once I realized that he was supposed to be the Bigger Bad.  If they have Pandora do a face-turn and help Team Witness, I really hope that they avoid having it be because her husband doesn't appreciate her or some such BS.  Plus, there's the icky possibility that he's the guy who bought her from her father.  They have laid some decent groundwork, I think, with Pandora's more neutral attitude toward the Witnesses, her comments implying that the Witnesses are higher beings, and the connection that she seems to have made with Abbie.  I like the idea of Pandora being an unknown quantity; I just hope that she makes decisions based on her own beliefs/desires rather than the Hidden One's opinion of her.

 

On a related note, some people on Twitter call them Kanye and Kim; now I can't un-think it.

 

By the way, I haven't heard any discussion about that oh-so-subtle mention of Orpheus and Eurydice yet (the lamp Ichabod used in the beginning was said to belong to them).

 

Hopefully it doesn't end as tragically as this story though! But I thought it was interesting that this was the connection the writers made.

Yes, I caught this on my (closed-captioning-enhanced) rewatch earlier today!  Hopefully they'll only parallel in the sense of "trying to get the woman he loves out of the underworld" and not the tragic ending.

[GHScorpiosRule]

The only thing Nikki Reed has learned to do is not speak in contractions. Other than that, she still looks and sounds and acts like she's a modern woman thrown into the past.  And just so I know I'm not talking out of my ass, the word "idiot" she hissed at Nathan Hale, didn't come into being until a 100 years later! How difficult is it for the writers to use Google? Yes, yes, I know I'm nitpicking, but shit like that peeves me. As well as the way she was holding the parasol.  Was hiring her some kind of paying back a favor to someone?

 

And on a purely shallow note: so niiiiiiiice to see Mison again. I did snort at him dumping the lasagna, which fell easily out of its "tray" onto the frying pan. And it did look to me as if he were trying to find the directions. I will admit, sometimes, when I buy frozen foods, I'm turning the box all the way around front and back, because I can't find the directions.  

 

Cue in my eye roll to the max when Sophie came in to try and "arrest" Ichabod.  Did so love his, 'if you're going to charge me, do it, otherwise leave me alone.'

 

And that's all I got, because I'm halfway through.

[vanarnd1]

I liked the episode overall. It had a different feel to it, but I liked the emotional beats.I could see why people thought Joe/Jenny happened quickly. but i thought it was character development for Jenny to show vulnerability that we hadn't seen previously. And  I thought Sophie/Ichabod had good working chemistry and that helped to carry the episode. The writers did a good job of showing a sense of urgency and despair over if they would find Abbie which helped bridge the gap for an episode that didn't have her on screen.

 

I am not really liking the direction they have taken with Pandora. As others have said she is all of the sudden taking orders and being threatened and it has diluted the aura her character had early on in the season. I am uncertain of where they really go from here with dynamic

 

And while I did like Ichabod's desperation to find Abbie, it was a bit much to have it tie back to another flashback. Maybe there was no other way to do it, but we have seen him talk about his crisis of conscience during the revolutionary war many times already it seemed like overkill along with giving screen time for Betsy ross

 

All in all I enjoyed the episode but like others have said, lets have Abbie back on screen ASAP

[Free]

This show has always been all over the place; it is a completely different thing than when it started and while I think it is good for shows to evolve and not remain stagnant, this show has continued to make big swerving turns with characters, story lines, etc - they never seemed to have had an actual foundation idea for the series and so, at this point, I think it is all just them throwing stuff at the wall to see what (and who) sticks and I am not invested in the characters at this point - haven't been really since the end of the first season.

 

It's because this show has had different people in charge who have taken the series in different directions each season, which is why it's all over the place.

[cynic]

I'm so glad that others have mentioned the parasol thing. It annoyed me, but I thought I was being too nitpicky and maybe I just didn't know that women really did hold them like that. Now, I feel free to roll my eyes even more at Nikki. And yeah, she still sounds terrible to me too.

The show really seems to be reaching in its attempt to come up with flashbacks and make them relevant. I wish the writers would realize that they're not required and it's especially not necessary to make them so long while forcing parallels to the A plot. They could just give us quick glimpses to add context or even forgo a flashback altogether if the main story doesn't support it or just to give the main story more time to breathe. Sometimes less is more (this is especially true in Reed's case). The sandman episode worked just fine with just a snippet of a flashback for Crane. Speaking of, hey, remember when Abbie used to get flashbacks too?

[Frozendiva]

I too snorted at the frozen lasagna falling on to the skillet/frying pan. Most frozen dinners I buy have some sort of plastic covering so I wonder if the plastic was stuck to the dinner. Convenient also that the microwave was just above the stove.

 

Did chuckle at Foster's mention of Icky only committing a crime of fashion, and that he talked like someone out of a Jane Austen novel.

 

Pandora can't be that naïve that the Hidden One is just like old times. He's been out in the sun a little too long. Pyramids can be cramped. Bakes the mummified brain. He's not exactly made for these times. Living in the distant past. And abusive and nasty to boot.  There are better husbands out there. Time that she ran, stuck him back the tree, got him a gig on a new Stargate series.

 

I didn't mind Foster. Her background seemed a bit contrived in the Indiana Jones vein. She did seem willing to test things out and make up her own mind. She wants to believe. Can't really see her as any sort of replacement for Abbie - maybe more of a supportive colleague who gets transferred to a different office.

 

Not hugely interested in Jenny's love life.

 

Still want to know more about Reynolds.

 

The mirror demon was cool though. You never do know what you summon when you knock on the door.

 

Interesting to see if Headless visits Sleepy Hollow's upcoming Monster Mash.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Confession: I will admit, I'd forgotten who Nathan Hale was in my history lessons, except that his name was used as part of a plot in the pilot of Scarecrow & Mrs. King (reallly dating myself here, hee!) since the baddie used famous people from the 18th century for the dishes/desserts she made.  And then his last line, before he died as being referenced in Outlander last season.

[cynic]

...

And on a purely shallow note: so niiiiiiiice to see Mison again. I did snort at him dumping the lasagna, which fell easily out of its "tray" onto the frying pan. And it did look to me as if he were trying to find the directions. I will admit, sometimes, when I buy frozen foods, I'm turning the box all the way around front and back, because I can't find the directions.

...

I really loved seeing him in his flashback wig. I miss beautiful shampoo commercial Ichabod.

As for the lasagna, I also find myself hunting for directions, especially when they put it on the side flap, but this box said "microwave" in huge letters right on the front, so you would think that he had least knew that frying it would be wrong and pick something else.