The mid-season finale summed up a middling first half of the
season by killing off Captain Frank Irving. To the consternation of
self-proclaimed 'Sleepyheads' and casual fans alike, the death of Irving was
another betrayal. Katrina, the world's most boring witch was still alive
spreading corseted Goth malaise. Jenny Mills, treasure hunter and mercenary was
reduced to waiting for the phone to ring. And Hawley of the majestic white
teeth and golden mane. Good gravy. He and Katrina were allowed to sidetrack the
entire show. Our witnesses, the pulchritudinous, raven-haired, and honor-bound Abigail
Mills and Ichabod Crane were left in a state of flux.
In the 2015 mid-season premiere, Sleepy Hollow may have redeemed itself by returning to its core
narrative: the battle to save humanity from unquenchable evil. Thanks to Henry,
the Horseman of War and Peter Pan of the apocalypse, Moloch has been defeated.
As a result, purgatory has been torn open freeing those trapped inside. This
event will henceforth be known as “Purgatory Blowout 2015.” What a relief for Ichabod.
He was just telling Abigail that he would rather "fight the threat of the
apocalypse," than get a job and sign up for health insurance at healthcare.gov.
Purgatory's first escapees seem to be the angel Orion and an assortment of
lesser demons looking for a Moloch replacement. Orion is God's most judgmental
angel. His biggest turn-ons are hastening epidemics and natural disasters. His
turn-offs are indifference and Goth witches. Orion lays out the stakes for Abigail
and the viewer: Headless is now the top demon, there are countless evil souls
on the loose thanks to Purgatory Blowout 2015, and FYI: angels are crazy. This
is great news since Katrina just set Headless free from captivity while she
works on a spell to make him human again. He won't be lonely. Purgatory Blowout
2015 has provided him with his own gang of useless minions. Headless, minions
and souls on the loose? That is a lot to work with. How many episodes until the
season finale? In other news, Jenny and Hawley have teamed up to recreate scenes
from the highly anticipated, but never released 1986 romance-adventure,
"Is This Love or Treasure?" starring Rae Dawn Chong and Gary Busey.
All of these developments could become satisfying story
lines. A touch of Type A romance between Abby and Orion could also provide real
sexual tension and another layer of comic relief. One of the greatest indicators
of the show’s potential redemption is the return of Captain Irving. What are
the effects of selling his soul to Henry and hanging out in purgatory? Who has
he become? Will he play his return a la Denzel in Training Day with a
"purgatory aint got nothin’ on me" aplomb or will he be cool like
Isiah Whitlock, Jr. as Maryland State Senator Clay Davis on The Wire:
"Purgatory, shiiiiiiiit."
I am excited to find out.