SLEEPY HOLLOW Season 4 Premiere — “Columbia” Review. New Town, Same Old Demons.

Season 4, Episode 1

Air Date: Friday, January 6, 2016 at 9/8c on Fox

Rating: ★★★★★

“…once you start down this path, there really is no turning back.” – Ichabod

SLEEPY HOLLOW: L-R: Tom Mison as Ichabod Crane and Lyndie Greenwood as Jenny Mills in the “Columbia.”
©2017 Fox Broadcasting Co. CR: Tina Rowden/FOX

Oh how I’ve missed the proper English that flows so freely from the handsome Ichabod Crane’s (Tom Mison) lovely lips. After watching “Columbia,” I profess I had a yearning to speak in such a grandiose manner. That’s what Ichabod does to me. I digress. I’ll speak plainly henceforth, but please pardon me if I stray into that ever so delightful proper tone of English grammar. (Curtsy)

As most of the Sleepy Hollow fans know from the season three finale, “Ragnarok,” our beloved Abbie Mills (Nicole Beharie) descended into the next world along with the amiable Joe Corbin (Zach Appelman). So now, it’s just Ichabod and Abbie’s sister Jenny Mills (Lyndie Greenwood) who are left to carry on the battle against evil. One person who intrigued me in season three was Abbie and Jenny’s father Ezra (guest star James McDaniel). He seemed to know much more about the paranormal and strange occurrences than he originally let on. At the end of “Ragnarok,” he gave Ichabod a missive written by our nation’s first president, George Washington (Mark Campbell), stating Ichabod would lead the charge to defend the country from the dark forces trying to ravage it. I wonder if we’ll be seeing more of Ezra in season four.

SLEEPY HOLLOW: Tom Mison in the "Columbia" ©2017 Fox Broadcasting Co. CR: Tina Rowden/FOX

As season four begins, we find Ichabod detained by the agents who accosted him at the cemetery at the end of season three—agents who seemingly know much more about Ichabod’s escapades in Sleepy Hollow. As “Columbia” continues, Ichabod finds himself crossing another foggy road but this one doesn’t lead to Sleepy Hollow. Standing firmly in our nation’s capital, Ichabod must battle the unknown but he’s not alone. It’s strange how Ichabod finds himself partnered with yet another strong female law enforcement officer. Meet Special Agent Diana Thomas (Janina Gavankar) of Homeland Security. Many might remember Gavankar from her stint on HBO’s True Blood as Luna. Diana reminds me a lot of what Abbie was like in the beginning of Sleepy Hollow. Special Agent Thomas is headstrong and quite skeptical of the supernatural, even after seeing her own partner, Agent Eric Cortez (Ace Marerro), being attacked by a “demon.”

SLEEPY HOLLOW: L-R: Tom Mison and Janina Gavankar in "Columbia." ©2017 Fox Broadcasting Co. CR: Tina Rowden/FOX

SLEEPY HOLLOW: L-R: Tom Mison as Ichabod Crane and Janina Gavankar as Special Agent Diana Thomas in “Columbia.”
©2017 Fox Broadcasting Co. CR: Tina Rowden/FOX

Though their first meeting is unconventional, Ichabod and Diana are now partners in their mutual quest to find the demon that slayed her partner before more innocent blood is spilled. Throughout “Columbia,” the twists on American history become a complex, yet thrilling puzzle to solve. The liberties the writers take on how President Abraham Lincoln was really killed fuels the story arc in “Columbia.”

Many fans may not like the changes in the cast or the new characters being introduced this season. Admittedly, I’m saddened that both Abbie and Joe are gone, but sometimes a character, or rather multiple characters, must die in order for the story to move forward. Let us not forget what Ezra said to Ichabod about Abbie’s soul – it is “eternal,” and her soul has moved on to someone else in her bloodline. I really enjoyed where the writers take the plot for the next witness but I won’t spoil it for you. You’ll have to watch until the very end of “Columbia” to find out who the next witness is, and yes, she is revealed.

SLEEPY HOLLOW: L-R: Rachel Melvin as Alex and Jerry MacKinnon as Jake in the "Columbia." ©2017 Fox Broadcasting Co. CR: Tina Rowden/FOX

The new characters this season are quite interesting. Two lowly librarians, of sorts, tucked away in some forgotten office of the government (reminds me a lot of the first season of The X-Files) keeping track of the abnormal and unexplainable occurrences, are brought into the fold as Ichabod and Diana try to find the demon that has a strange penchant for the stars and stripes. Jake (Jerry MacKinnon) and Alex (Rachel Melvin), two young and very different people, both have their own sets of beliefs about the occult. Jake kind of thinks of Ichabod, aka “Captain Brown Beard,” as he so aptly names him, as a paranormal superhero; he has followed Ichabod’s adventures in Sleepy Hollow with conviction and adoration. Alex, on the other hand, likes to experiment with all the strange gadgets in their library and believes in things she can see and feel rather than the silly notions of the paranormal.

SLEEPY HOLLOW: Jeremy Davies as Malcolm Dreyfuss in the "Columbia." ©2017 Fox Broadcasting Co. CR: Tina Rowden/FOX

Then, there’s Malcolm Dreyfuss, played by the enigmatic Jeremy Davies. I’ve always appreciated Davies’ approach to his characters, having adored his portrayal of Dickie Bennett on FX’s Justified. Davies gives Dreyfuss a slightly unconventional and unassuming edge as the quote/unquote villain. It’s clear Dreyfuss is up to no good when you see him cloaked in a hooded robe, reciting an incantation while holding a goblet of dark liquid (presumably blood) above his head. But, as the saying goes, “never judge a book by its cover;” however, I judged and hit the nail on its villainous head when I pegged Dreyfuss as the bad guy. What’s unclear is Dreyfuss’ end game and how he knows so much about Ichabod. Of course, we will find out in due course over the remaining episodes of the season and I cannot wait!

I’m totally excited for what the season holds. “Columbia” is an entertaining, fun, and pivotal episode that introduces us not only to key players, but gives us important clues as to what may happen this season. “Columbia” is a fantastic episode that reminds me of what I loved about Sleepy Hollow in the very beginning. I hope the remaining episodes are just as good because this is the Sleepy Hollow that I’ve been craving. I am also curious whether we will see more of the previous cast, including the dutiful Betsy Ross (Nikki Reed), perhaps in flashbacks, and possibly the reemergence of an old friend. I wonder if Hawley (Matt Barr) ever found the woman who betrayed him in “Kali Yuga?”

What did you think of “Columbia?” Leave me a comment below and/or tweet me @judybopp.

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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.