Sleepy Hollow S1 Ep03 — For the Triumph of Evil

Good news, Ichabbie shippers! Episode 3 of FOX’s Sleepy Hollow is a glorious display of fan service and naked, or, in the case of Abbie, mostly naked torsos. No, they didn’t kiss — that’s probably not for another season or two — but there’s chemistry, and tension, some of it sexual, and saving each other repeatedly because neither can bear to see the other in danger. Sigh. Also, some bad news for Ichatrina shippers who thought Katrina would visit Ichabod in every episode: not this time. And Andy’s nowhere to be seen, either. No, this week was all about Ichabbie (mostly Abbie), with some Chief Irving thrown in (and by the way, Orlando Jones totally has a Sleepy Hollow Tumblr now, and he’s looking for Irvabod fics. Just an FYI).

All in all, “For the Triumph of Evil” is a strong episode, a bit better than “Blood Moon” (Ep02), though it has its issues. This episode features Mohawk Indians, and it’s handled… OK, I guess?  Magical Native Americans are always pretty cringeworthy, but then, everyone of note on this show is pretty magical. They did throw viewers for a loop when the Mohawk used car dealer, Seamus, got pissed off at the suggestion that he was some kind of magical shaman… but with some pressing, yeah, he was magical. Still, the arc allowed Ichabod, who was friends with the Mohawk in his time (because Ichabod was always on the right side of history), the opportunity to share some obscure facts about Native American involvement in the Revolution, and a moment to mourn what happened to the Mohawk with Abbie. It was pretty well done overall.

The monster of the week was The Sandman. OK, that sounds lame, but it was pretty creepy, and continues last week’s theme of monsters that go well with songs from the ’50s.  Abbie first meets The Sandman in a dream, where she sees Ichabod interrogating her younger self after the demonic incident in the woods. Also in the dream is a forensic psychologist, who shows up in real life the next day about to jump off a ledge, asking to speak to Abbie. The psychologist is the one who committed Abbie’s sister, Jenny, and this leads to an awkward visit to the mental hospital and a lot of Abbie backstory exposed. Abbie tells Ichabod a dark secret she never even told Sheriff Corbin about her demonic experience with Jenny. Then, in a flashback, we learn that the man who found the girls in the woods, Mr. Gillespie, also saw the demon, but never admitted to it. Ichabbie go to Gillespie’s house, and he’s having a suicidal episode and is asking for Abbie. She goes in to talk to him, and he sees the Sandman behind her and starts shooting. Ichabod runs to the house as soon as the shooting starts (sigh). She gets through it, with Ichabod keeping an eye on things through the window. Gillespie, like the psychologist, isn’t so lucky.

Oh yeah, and both Gillespie and the psychologist had eyes that were “sand-filled orbs of the purest white,” as Ichabod put it.

Eventually they go to Seamus, the Mohawk shaman, because Abbie’s been told that she’s next. Seamus makes this blue tea that will somehow help her fight The Sandman in her sleep. But, they’re told, if Abbie dies in the dream, it’s pretty much a Freddie Kruger nightmare — she will die for real. Ichabod hears this and grabs the bottle of tea and drinks it down so he can go with her (sigh). They’re laid out on these tables with their shirts off and have to be stung by scorpions under jars for some reason. Shut up, it’s romantic. So they wind up back in the dream interrogation room, and The Sandman comes after Abbie, and Ichabod tries to save her, but The Sandman starts to attack him, and that’s when Abbie finally gets the courage to stands up to The Sandman (sigh).

Ichabbie go back to the tunnel vault thing to recover and have some bonding time. Chief Irving shows up, and you’d think he’d freak out that they were in there, but he doesn’t. He gives them a key so they don’t have to sneak in. What is Irving’s deal? You know he stashed Sheriff Corbin’s secret demon files down there, and he’s not even batting an eye, like he knows exactly what’s going on. I’m not sure what to make of him. Anyway, after that, Abbie goes to see Jenny, but it turns out Jenny, in perfect Sarah Connor style, has escaped.

Next week: Ichabod started the Boston Tea Party? Oh boy.