‘Sleepy Hollow’ Review ‘Weeping Lady’

Sleepy Hollow co-creator and executive produce Alex Kurtzman told Vuture “We don’t see soap operas on television as being a bad thing; we see it as being a great thing. It’s been the substance of television for so long. We respect it, we appreciate it and we want to infuse that into our show.”  This week’s episode was a very defined embracing of the series’ love of the soap opera. I’ve written previously about Ichabod and Abbie’s close bond and Katrina’s jealousy. “Weeping Lady” explored this while introducing some more obstacles into the mix. The big bad of this episode is unrequited love…or more specifically Ichabod’s ticked off ex-girlfriend.

The Weeping Lady

The ghostly story of a woman dressed in black weeping over an unknown sorrow is a familiar one with many variations. The “Weeping Woman” in Sleepy Hollow just happens to be the spirit of Ichabod’s former betrothed Mary (Heather Lind from TURN: Washington’s Spies, we see what you did there ).

Mary is madly in love with Ichabod but he called off their engagement before he came to America. Not wanting a long distance relationship was really more of an excuse than anything. Ichabod cared for Mary but not in romantic way. Mary was also possessive of Ichabod and was often jealous. Mary decides to push her luck and follows Ichabod to America only to realize he has fallen for Katrina.

Disappointed, Mary leaves Ichabod a letter and returns home. Or so it seems… 

Marriage on the Rocks

It turns out that Mary is haunting the earth not because of a wrong that Ichabod did to her. Though she was unhappy by his rejection, it was Katrina’s sin that caused her spirit to eternally weep.

On the night of Mary’s supposed departure, she had confronted Katrina about her relationship with Ichabod. Things took a dark turn when Mary accidentally fell off a cliff and died. Deciding that Ichabod would not be able to forgive himself or her for Mary’s death, Katrina forges the letter telling Ichabod that Mary has gone home.

After learning the truth, Ichabod is angry with his wife for keeping yet another truth from him. “Marriage is difficult on a best day but without trust, without honesty, how can a union between two people hope to survive?”

Friends with Benefits

The Headless Horseman is in love with Katrina who is in love with Ichabod who is feeling an attachment to Abbie who is flirting with Nick. Why stop there though? In a bit of a surprise twist, this week’s episode revealed that Jenny and Nick are friends with benefits.

Two sisters interested in the same guy sounds like an story line from The Bold and the Beautiful. Nick and Abbie aren’t in a relationship yet but considering the amount of flirting and mouth to mouth, I think it’s pretty clear where things are heading for them. Abbie does not know about Nick and Jenny’s relationship otherwise I believe things would be a lot different.

Jenny and Nick’s interaction, though brief, made a few things very clear. Nick seems to enjoy Jenny as a good distraction but doesn’t see anything that deep in their relationship. To him they are just friends who like to have a little bit of fun. I got the impression though that it’s a little more than that for Jenny. The commitment isn’t there but she wouldn’t mind it if things went to the next level. If Nick does pursue Abby, you can bet things will get very messy between the sisters.

Some other notable moments:

• Ichabod thinks lover’s lane is a walking path for holding hands with one’s betrothed while watchful parents follow close behind.
• Molloch is unhappy that Henry put Katrina in danger. She is a vessel of some sort.
• The nod to the “teens making out in a car” slasher flick trope.
• Katrina’s magic has been bound but she is still able to enchant a raven to deliver a love letter to Ichabod.
• Henry is able to read Katrina’s sin from her signature in a copy of the book Gulliver’s Travels.
• Carline’s coffee mug says “I heart founding fathers.”

What did you think of the episode? Are Ichabod and Katrina doomed? Does Nick have a chance with Abbie? Hit the comments to share your thoughts!