Worry is usually warranted when wondering if a television show might lose a step in its creative giddyup between seasons. Yet “Sleepy Hollow” strides seamlessly into its sophomore spell with a premiere that figuratively picks up right where the series left off, even though it certainly doesn’t do so literally.
How “This Is War” narrows the offseason gap while opening on a “one year later” jump is by continuing the flavorful flow underscoring the spirit of “Sleepy Hollow” as a weekly hour of escapist entertainment. On display is the usual modus operandi featuring end of the world antics lightened by anachronistic comic relief and the charm of characters whose plucky resolve can produce a perfectly-timed quip no matter how perilous the predicament. This is the familiar feeling fans have come to know, love, and expect of “Sleepy Hollow.”
Indulging in one standout stranger in a strange land gag has become standard practice for each hour. This episode’s historical ha-ha concerns a confounded Ichabod’s commentary on the absurdity of birthday celebration traditions. It remains routinely astonishing to continually uncover how much Ichabod still does not know about modern living, such as how to put a vehicle into reverse. The timeframe of exactly how long Ichabod has been out of the ground is unspecified, but you’d think any available moment not devoted to combating otherworldly entities might be spent getting up to speed on essentials like driving. Or maybe freeing up available storage space on a cell phone.
Of course, a fully acclimated Ichabod would likely be a less entertaining one. Although there would always be plenty of revisionist history humor available as an alternative when concepts like Timothy Busfield’s Benjamin Franklin having a proclivity for “air baths” are introduced.
“Sleepy Hollow” has been a show that takes its imagination seriously, even if its dire straights storylines are approached with a bit more of a mischievous wink. That doesn’t stop “This Is War” from piling on the demonic imagery and devilish iconography, though. Loaded with fire, bats, tortured voices moaning, and skulls lining a lair with an inverted pentagram mirror as its centerpiece, “Sleepy Hollow” holds tightly to an ability to be dark, moody, and melodramatic when it comes time to turn up the terror.
What is good news for familiar fans doubles as bad news for newcomers, however. Initial overnight ratings for the second season premiere indicated a dip in viewership when compared to numbers for both the first season premiere and the finale. Any number of factors can be speculated as contributing to the decline. But it is worth considering that the previous season’s cliffhanger was made more complicated first by the time jump and then by the rug-pulling revelation of its true nature.
Such twists can make a devotee delightedly mutter, “ooh!” But requiring an audience to recall where things were while following a whole new timeline is not exactly new viewer friendly. Especially when the entire first act of exposition turns out to be a trick. It’s terrific that the showrunners are thinking first about what will surprise loyalists. Except if the series cannot find compromises to entice anyone not already watching, and make itself friendlier to follow, “Sleepy Hollow” runs the risk of losing everyone uninterested in keeping up. That leads to the show taking a dirt nap longer than Ichabod’s.
I’ve eagerly watched, recapped, and reviewed every hour of “Sleepy Hollow” thus far. And when I found myself wondering, “where is Captain Irving in all this,” I had to consult my own season one episode guide to be reminded that Irving is still imprisoned for the crime his daughter committed, and actually hasn’t been seen for two episodes now.
In coming up with their scripts, TV creators have to remember that even diehards have lives in between each episode and in between each season. Factor in every other movie, show, piece of entertainment, and slice of real life occupying that time, and what viewers are expected to retain in their memory banks has to remain within reason. It gets to be a lot to keep straight, and a two-minute pre-credits recap can only do so much. By no means does “Sleepy Hollow” need to be any simpler in its style. But it does have to be aware of how to remain accessible if it wants to remain relevant.
That is a hurdle for future hours to continue hopping. For the time being, “This Is War” accomplishes the primary goals that any second season opener should. And that is wrapping up the previous cliffhanger while replacing the pins for a new arc to come. Despite erecting a somewhat hard to climb wall for those late to the party, “Sleepy Hollow” nonetheless appears poised to pull back its bowling arm with confidence, strength, and straight-arrow aim. Let’s see what happens on the release.
If you want to see impossible amounts of blood explode crimson colors like the world’s worst version of a gender reveal, well, “Abigail” at least has that.