Lyndie Greenwood

For months now, Sleepy Hollow has struggled to regain the magic of its first season. Episodes throughout season two have been entertaining, but they’ve lacked the punch of the best of season one. The series has been too focused on Abraham, the potential redemption of Jeremy, and Hawley (the Manufactured Mills Sister Love Triangle Instigator), and moved away from what it worked so hard to establish in season one, the bond (platonic or otherwise) between Abbie and Ichabod and the recovering relationship of Abbie and Jenny. Moving Ichabod and Katrina’s marriage from epic fairy tale romance to occasionally struggling, realistic partnership has worked well, but keeping Jenny MIA and trying to force a connection between Abbie and poorly written Han Solo knockoff Hawley has not.

When Sleepy Hollow expanded from 13 to 18 episodes for its second season, it was simultaneously encouraging for everyone who wanted more of the show and discouraging for those who appreciated the condensed insanity of season one. One of the arguments frequently hurled at broadcast shows is that with a full season order writers have much more room to fill, and with rare exceptions—The Good Wife being an arguable example—it’s hard to maintain high-energy storytelling for 22 to 24 episodes. There’s been a few flickers of that in recent weeks, but “Heartless” is the first episode to feel entirely like a wash for the season. And more problematically, by producing a slower installment of the show it leaves more time to think about the series’ workings, a risky process on a show as driven by lunacy as this.

Sleepy Hollow, Season 1: Episode 11 – “Vessel” Written by Mark Goffman, David McMillan, and Melissa Blake Directed by Romeo Tirone Airs Mondays at 9 PM EST on Fox – After a winter hiatus, Sleepy Hollow returns with one of its most complete episodes of its first season. “Vessel” takes all of the elements which make Sleepy Hollow a …

The Shop’s methods are revealed as the ex-Division crew makes a move of their own.

Just in time for Thanksgiving, Sleepy Hollow decides to indulge in the haunted house horror genre. However, “Sanctuary” fails to be scary in any way because of shoddy camera work from director Liz Friedlander and an overall lack of atmosphere.

After the events of “The Midnight Ride” where Ichabod (Tom Mison), Abbie (Nicole Beharie), and Captain Irving (Orlando Jones) capture and neutralize the Headless Horseman, it seems his threat is over for a while. This isn’t the case as the Horseman’s probing reveal Ichabod’s deepest fears and yet another dark secret from his past. “Necromancer” also explores the idea of free will vs. destiny using the undead cop Andy Brooks (John Cho) and Ichabod’s wife Katrina (Katia Winter) as case studies. Writers Mark Hoffman and Phillip Iscove use both Ichabod and the Horseman’s past to create conflict in this episode while also giving it real thematic resonance. There is also a nice B-plot involving Jenny Mills (Lyndie Greenwood) and Irving as they work together to prevent the Hessians from rescuing the Headless Horseman. Even though it isn’t as humorous as previous episodes, “Necromancer” has a tight plot with only one possible hole in it near the end as well as strong character and thematic development.

“The Lesser Key of Solomon” has the most compelling Sleepy Hollow plot since “Pilot”, and it also sheds light on the backstories of the protagonist Ichabod Crane (Tom Mison) and Abbie Mills’ sister Jenny (Lyndie Greenwood). This episode shows Jenny escape from the psychiatric hospital, and police chief Frank Irving (Orlando Jones) gives Crane and Abbie (Nicole Beharie) a twelve hour head start to investigate why she has escaped. Along with this, the real reason for the Boston Tea Party is given, and tattooed men start impaling bartenders. It’s just another day in Sleepy Hollow where random murders are becoming the norm, and this episode is the strongest hour of the show since “Pilot”.

“For the Triumph of Evil” brings the weird back to Sleepy Hollow as Ichabod Crane (Tom Mison) and Abbie Mills (Nicole Meharie) investigate a series of strange of coincidences that are connected to Abbie and her sister Jennifer Mills (Lyndie Greenwood). Much of the plot happens in various characters’ dreams and involves a spirit known as the Sandman.

Nikita, Season 3, Episode 20: “High-Value Target” Written by Michael Brandon Guercio Directed by Dan Sackheim Airs Fridays at 8pm (ET) on the CW Among the many tumultuous events of the past few weeks of Nikita was Amanda awakening Owen’s dormant alter ego Sam Matthews, a ruthless criminal soldier who was only interested in finishing …

Nikita, Season 3, Episode 19: “Self-Destruct” Written by Kristen Reidel Directed by Nick Copus Airs Fridays at 8pm (ET) on the CW The process, or lack thereof, of dismantling Division has been a looming concern for all of Nikita’s third season. The concern voiced by many from within and outside of the organisation focused on …