Monday evenings are about to get a lot more exciting on FOX. Last week held the premiere for “Sleepy Hollow,” a new drama series centered on the infamous story of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman, with both being placed in a modernized America. The show seeks to tell a more in-depth history, involving the symbolism of the horseman and the repercussions his appearance could have on the world.
Though the plot looks to be interesting, what will keep the viewers coming back is the dynamic between Crane (Tom Mison, “One Day”) and Police Lieutenant Abbie Mills (Nicole Beharie, “42”).
The viewers are first introduced to Crane during the Revolutionary War as he fights for the side of the colonists. He has been instructed on a special goal—to kill a particularly malicious soldier, who seems unaffected by bullets. Eventually, Crane succeeds in removing the man’s head, but not without obtaining a fatal wound himself. The screen fades out and he awakens in a cave in 2013. At first, Crane believes he is still in a 1770s time-frame, but after nearly being run over by a semi-truck, is forced to reevaluate.
“Sleepy Hollow” has been created by Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, well known for their parts in the creation of “Fringe” and the reboot of “Star Trek.” The former was highly acclaimed throughout its years on TV, using a vast wealth of symbolism, social commentary and science fiction to propel forth its story line. “Star Trek” has also received many good reviews for its cinematography, special effects and acting.
The most appealing part of the show so far is the main characters, Crane and Mills. Crane, who is 250 years behind on history, has no understanding of the way things work in today’s society; he is repeatedly shocked by the tax percentages, or “levies” as Crane calls them, and additionally cites passages from documents written by the founding fathers after he has been arrested. Mills, on the other hand, is an independent African-American woman, who is days from leaving Sleepy Hollow for a career at Quantico. When Crane is introduced after the brutal murder of Mills’ partner, her hidden past is brought forth and sheds some light on what is truly happening in the town of Sleepy Hollow.
This pilot episode was filled with laughs, complex mythology, a couple of scares and active character development. Mills has her own secrets about her past, while Crane struggles with the memories he has before waking up in this new world. Another police officer, Andy Dunn (John Cho, “Star Trek”), is also given a surprisingly front and center part when he is not all he seems to be and begins helping the Headless Horseman find something that has been hidden in the small town. Also, shockingly enough, it does not appear that the two will become romantic interests, which is almost revolutionary for a TV show of this type with two attractive main characters. Mills is more worried about finding this killer rather than paying attention to Crane’s British accent and rugged handsomeness, while Crane has just discovered that everyone he ever knew is dead, including his wife.
Another intriguing aspect of the show is the complete change in presentation from usual “Sleepy Hollow” translations. This version does not seem to have a great desire to make the show about the scares or up the creepiness factor. From the first episode, it appears to want to offer something more intellectual, realistic (or as realistic as one can get with a Headless Horseman) and cinematographically different. If your Monday nights are free, you should absolutely give “Sleepy Hollow” a chance.
