Sleepy Hollow (TV Series) Blood Moon (2013) User Reviews

Witch of the Week

[GunnersMate · 7/10 · 9 October 2018]

The second outing of Sleepy Hollow presents the first of the series requisite non-horseman villains of the week - Headless is, afterall, the primary story arc foe, but the WItnesses need other ways to sharpen their evil-fighting skills, and fresh episodic supernatural villains fit that bill. No - they certainly do not all promise to be witches, but the alliteration is too simplistically tempting to resist.

Blood Moon brings us a new evil awakening in Sleepy Hollow with a spooky lunar deadline to fight it. The villain is visually beautiful in presentation and plot, however the mouth-full-of-marble explanations that our Witnesses must share to keep the viewer apprised is a bit muddy and distracting. Crane and Abbie's friendship is solidifying nicely and they are simply the best part of the episode; second only to Crane's wonderful but not-quite-history backstories.

Well ---

[kols · 24 September 2013]

Easy to see how our British friends were left unimpressed since this was their introduction to Sleepy Hollow. Front matter is pretty lame and, quite frankly, confusing and pointless. Hope we don't have to suffer through it all season. In fact, all of the 'explanatory' material dumped on us before the opening credits was poorly done. And then it picks up, as Crane and Abie drive to the funeral of her former partner.

Of course, by then, the Brits were totally alienated and confused.

So I'd strongly suggest that the producers edit out all of that front matter, especially the 4 horseman chase.

As for this episode, it ain't up to the pilot but that's like saying The Thinker isn't David. All of the elements that made the Pilot exceptional are still there: pacing, character interaction, especially the chemistry between Crane and Abbie, and visual elements.

For example, the Revolutionary War scenes, as Crane describes the original mystery to Abbie, were as well done and effective as anything in the Pilot. Short, to the point, and telling without leakage - portraying the point in three cuts cumulatively lasting less than a minute. The same kind of economy and focus that graced the Pilot so well.

There is one flaw that will dog the series until its end - the historical inaccuracy of Crane's wife, Kate, being tried and convicted of Witchcraft, sentenced to be burned at the stake. Fact is the last Witch Trial in America was in 1706 (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6400850) and no one was ever burned. Couldn't confirm that using witchcraft was a civil offense in New York in 1776 (Web was being its cranky self) but, by then, the issue was moot. And, while the whole issue of Kate's status and fate was mishandled badly, it was the only flaw in a sea of excellence.

Back to this episode, I'd rate it a sound journeyman piece of work, as much a pleasure to touch as a fine but utilitarian piece of cabinetry.