Sleepy Hollow, “And the Abyss Gazes Back”, (2.6) - TV Review

Sleepy Hollow, Season 2, Episode 6, “And the Abyss Gazes Back”

October 27, 2014, 9:00 pm, Fox

Every episode I watch of this season, I like a little less. It’s a huge bummer since I was such a huge fan of the first season, it had one of the strongest pilots of last year, its voice clear and present from the beginning with a clear direction, strong writers, and actors. Right now, it’s the actors alone carrying the show. The writing is still snarky and entertaining, but the plot just seems like it’s going in circles. The way every curse, every monster and demon can be traced back to Ichabod’s past is just too easy and convenient. Last week with his “jilted ex-girlfriend,” (based on the news coming out of my city in Toronto, this is not a story-line I loved, and I’m a bit tired of the “bitches be crazy” trope. This episode Sheriff Corbin’s son is cursed as a “skin-walker”, where he turns at the sight of blood, and returns to Sleepy Hollow looking for a cure. Henry, is of course responsible for the curse. Blah, blah, blah, they find the chant to release him, after it goes awry for a snippet of time, it then works. Day is saved, etc. It’s just so overdone at this point.

Throwing Hawley into the mix is their attempt at adding something fresh to the show, but he just seems out of place. Why does he live on a dock, with a convenient stash of historical and magical objects, in the open? That seems irresponsible. How does he just seem to show up during every crisis? The writing just seems lazy. After all the not-so-dangerous-dangerous-situation, it turns out it was all a carefully constructed ploy for Henry to retrieve a potion.

Highlight of the episode: Ichabod embracing technology - he’s now a gamer.

I really hope this season gets back on the rails, with the ratings not as strong this season, it’s really getting into dangerous territory.