Witchcraft, Dark Spirits, and Donut Holes. Retrospective: Sleepy Hollow – “Blood Moon”

Season 1, Episode 02

Air Date: Monday, September 23, 2013, 9PM ET/PT on Fox

Rating: ★★★★★

“The ashes of the pious will ordain your resurrection. Take their flesh and you will reclaim yours.” — Andy

If you haven’t watched Sleepy Hollow yet, you are truly missing out on a fantastic hour (ok…45 minutes) of television. After a great season premiere, “Blood Moon” doesn’t let up on the action packed supernatural mayhem that is plaguing the quaint town of Sleepy Hollow.

Modern Conveniences:

Ichabod recalls a time during the Revolutionary War when a dark presence hovered over the area

Ichabod Crane (Tom Mison) is still adjusting to life in the 21^st century. While under a guard’s watchful eyes, Ichabod gets help from sticky notes courtesy of Abbie (Nicole Beharie) scattered throughout the tiny motel room: how to turn the water on for a shower, turn on the hair dryer, and use the coffee maker. The writers are doing an excellent job of incorporating…into the series and it lends authenticity to him being from. It lends authenticity to Ichabod being from the Revolutionary War era. It also makes for some comedic scenes. But will someone PLEASE wash this man’s clothes! His jacket needs some serious cleansing post haste! I wonder if they will eventually outfit him in more current attire like jeans and a t-shirt. Admittedly,I perfer the period look on him. And I love, love, love his British accent and how he speaks. His vocabulary is exquisite. Of course, the modern conveniences of life in the 21^st century wouldn’t be complete without a small introduction to a delectable treat that most police offers enjoy (so people say). “Have a donut hole,” Abbie says as she passes a brown paper bag filled with the yummy little bites. What kills me is when Ichabod finds the receipt. “$4.95 plus an additional $0.41 in taxes!” Money isn’t the same as is was back in the 1800s…well, with this recession….

Don’t let the beginning of this recap fool you, “Blood Moon” boasts a plethora of dark twists and turns throughout the episode, starting with the opening sequence as Ichabod runs for his life while being chased by the Headless Horseman (Richard Cetrone) and three other scary riders. Just when you think Ichabod is done, the ground swallows him, and his wife Katrina (Katia Winter) delivers a message from beyond. “The first dark spirit rises with the blood moon – she is one of us.” If that’s not ominous, I don’t know what is. Thankfully, it’s just a dream…or is it? Katrina seems to be providing clues, albeit cryptic, to help Ichabod defeat the Headless Horseman.

Scary Witches and Monsters:

Andy gets a rude awakening…his servitude doesn’t end just because he’s dead.

Meanwhile, someone whom we thought had met their untimely demise returns. Andy (John Cho) rises from the dead with his neck completely wrenched backwards – it’s jarring, actually. The sinister looking beast that appeared in the mirror at the end of the premiere episode speaks in tongues as he gives Andy instructions to aide a dark witch named Serilda (Monique Ganderton). Her words, as she is being burned at the stake centuries ago, are haunting. “By the turn of the blood moon, the ashes of your ancestry will be mine and your flesh will be my flesh. I will live again.” What transpires in the wake of Andy fulfilling his duty is frightening, especially when one of the victims is a small child. This is an aspect of the show that excites me – the writers aren’t afraid to instill fear in us by insinuating the murderous death of a child.

Serilda is one scary bi…witch!

Thankfully, the child isn’t a true heir to the original judge who condemned Serilda to burn at the stake. I just hope Cho stays on the show. I was upset when I thought he was dead but I think his role as a puppet in a diabolical plot to take over mankind is actually fascinating. He seems reluctant to do the evil creature’s bidding but I think there is more to his servitude than meets the eye. And can I just say this Serilda bitch is scary as hell? The ritual she performs to “reclaim her flesh” is wicked and I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen. Bravo to the make-up department because I would not want to be Ichabod or Abbie in that dark, dank secret passageway under the armory with Serilda anywhere in the vicinity.

Opening Up and Visions:

Abbie still has doubts despite everything she’s seen.

Abbie decides to open up a little about her past revealing to Ichabod how she and her sister Jenny (Lyndie Greenwood) came across the apparition years ago, and how it changed their lives forever. Sheriff August Corbin (Clancy Brown) found Abbie after she committed a crime but even then he knew she was destined for a higher purpose. What is curious is Abbie having visions of Corbin. Are these true visions similar to those Ichabod has with his wife Katrina, or is this something Abbie is imagining in her head?

Suspicious Behavior:

Captain Frank Irving (Orlando Jones) still gives me pause. He clears out Corbin’s old office and seems to be leery of any uncommon reasons for the strange happenings in Sleepy Hollow. Even if someone hadn’t been visible in Andy’s cell at the end of the series premiere, what would possess a man to run into a wall to break his neck in such a grotesque fashion? Something is up with Irving, I’m just not sure what it is yet.

Overall, “Blood Moon” is a thrilling, frightening, and intriguing episode. We still have many questions and now we’ve added more drama to the mix as Jenny begins to feel a presence in her hospital room. What really happened to these two sisters in the woods so many years ago? Does Jenny have a similar destiny as Abbie’s or is hers a darker path? I hope the writers start revealing more history about Katrina and the two witch covens,l and why they saved Ichabod. Is Katrina a dark witch turned good? She said Serilda was “one of us.” What does she mean?

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.