Nightmare Monsters. Retrospective: Sleepy Hollow – “For the Triumph of Evil”

Season 1, Episode 03

Air Date: Monday, September 29, 2013, 9PM ET/PT on Fox

Rating: ★★★★★

“I think our definition of impossible has been irrevocably broadened.” — Ichabod

The plot thickens as this week’s episode, “For the Triumph of Evil,” starts to delve into the darker side of Ichabod (Tom Mison) and Abbie’s (Nicole Beharie) unusual alliance. To call this a friendship isn’t quite true…yet. This unlikely duo are still exploring the nuances of working together on something much grander and frightening than they could imagine and what they must face in this episode is nothing short of terrifying.

The Past Rears Its Ugly Head

The Sandman/Dream Demon forces Abbie to confront the lies she told years ago.

While the Headless Horseman (Richard Cetrone) doesn’t make an appearance, someone more diabolical and crazy scary makes his presence known. This version of “the Sandman” isn’t something anyone would want visiting them. Ever. The local Mohawk Native American tribe calls it a “dream demon.” How apropos. So Mr. Sand-Demon is stalking and killing people who knew about Abbie and her sister Jenny’s (Lyndie Greenwood) experience with a demon in the forest more than ten years ago. Despite Abbie telling Jenny not to say anything about the demon, Jenny told the truth and was committed to a sanitarium. This betrayal of sisterhood caused a huge rift between them, forcing Abbie to face a hard truth – if she doesn’t admit to what she knows is true, it could mean her imminent demise. I don’t know if I mentioned this before but this demon thing is really effing scary. I mean, hollowed out eye sockets, long tendril like fingers with nails that could pierce your skin with ease, and pasty white skin. I need my nightlight and a teddy bear STAT!

Geronimotors and The Reluctant Shaman:

Ichabod decides to join Abbie in the dream world to help her battle the Sandman

Of course, Ichabod participated in “pow-wows” with the Mohawk tribe insuring his convenient knowledge of the “dream demon,” and the fact that he and Abbie need the help of a shaman. Bad news – Ichabod didn’t know Native Americans were pushed off their land by the white man, causing the lack of shamans when you really need one. Good news – Abbie knows a place that may help—a local used car lot called, you guessed it, “Geronimotors.” I’m still giggling. Seamus Duncan (Michael Teh) doesn’t want to partake in any of what Ichabod and Abbie are trying to sell him but of course, he ends up helping them. I’m not sure drinking strange green concoctions and having scorpions sting them is what they had in mind, though. While I appreciate the use of Ichabod’s past, sometimes it feels a little contrived. Thankfully, Mison’s skill as an actor makes it so believable, you find yourself wondering if it really could have happened. I love Teh’s portrayal of the reluctant shaman although I’m not so sure he really needed them both to be shirtless. Ichabod must really love his wife because he hasn’t looked at another woman, not even the beautiful Abbie who’s wearing ONLY A SPORTS BRA! And I have mentioned before that while I like Ichabod’s period clothing, I’m sure it needs a thorough cleansing…I mean, 250 years of muck and whatever that gelatinous stuff was caked all around him…it didn’t look like it smelled good. I digress.

Suspicious Yet Helpful

We know why Abbie and Ichabod are in the secret armory, but what is Capt. Frank Irving doing down there?

Captain Frank Irving (Orlando Jones) is becoming harder to decipher. One minute, he seems helpful but then the next, cold and distant. At the first crime scene when Dr. Vega (Mary Kraft), who is standing on a high ledge, asks to speak only with Abbie, I wasn’t sure what was going on. Dr. Vega’s eyes are totally white and cloudy (or as Ichabod says, “sand filled orbs”) and she says things to Abbie that are eerie. Interestingly, Abbie has a “prophetic dream” in which Dr. Vega, Captain Irving, and Ichabod are all in an interrogation room. A pattern emerges as each victim is connected to Abbie and Jenny. Fast forward to Ichabod and Abbie chilling out in the armory where all of former Sheriff Corbin’s (Clancy Brown) files are located. I know why Ichabod and Abbie are there, but when Captain Irving pops by unannounced, it seems like he is caught off guard at their presence. What is he doing there? Does he know about Sheriff Corbin’s files? Then, he offers to get them a key so Ichabod won’t knock down any more walls to get in. I’m not quite sure what Irving is up to, or what his role is in the grand scheme of things, but I have a feeling he knows more about the strange happenings than he lets on. I think he believes the crazy “Twilight Zone” stuff is real, too.

Old Boyfriend and the Escape Artist

Ichabod tries to talk to Jenny about the evil she and Abbie witness years ago – he tell her the Four Horsemen are coming.

I’m still puzzled over the introduction of Det. Luke Morales (Nicholas Gonzalez), Abbie’s ex-boyfriend. Don’t get me wrong, he’s pretty hot but what else is there besides eye candy for me? (Ok, and probably for a few of you too.) Is it to establish Abbie’s capacity to feel something other than disdain for another human being?

Jenny has a huge chip on her shoulder but can you blame her? I mean, she knows what she saw, she knows it was real, and her only blood relative turned her back on her when she needed her most. And now, just when Abbie is ready to make amends, Jenny is nowhere to be found. Escaping from a secured psychiatric hospital is no easy feat but the agile and crafty Jenny manages to disappear, making Houdini roll over in his grave.

***

I’m devouring this series and waiting until Monday – I know, crazy that I’m looking forward to Mondays, right – each week is painful. Sleepy Hollow makes Mondays worthwhile. I’m anxious to find out how Jenny will be incorporated into the mix – will she fight alongside Ichabod and Abbie, or will she set out on her own? I do want to see if Andy (John Cho) will return; his time on the show was too short. I desperately need to know what Irving’s secret is, too. I love Jones and am happy to see him playing this darker character. Admittedly, I did love him in Evolution.

Tune in to Sleepy Hollow, Mondays at 9/8c only on Fox.

For more on the show, go to http://www.fox.com/sleepy-hollow/.

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Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.