Sleepy Hollow - Pittura Infamante - Review

   Sleepy Hollow continued its second season last monday with “Pittura Infamante”, which was another great and exciting, yet different adventure : our witness were barely together !
   I was quite afraid before the episode, since Fox announced at the TCA that they felt Sleepy Hollow had become too serialized (mh are they watching the same show ?) and needed to have a more episodic season… It was about the worst thing Fox could say about Sleepy Hollow, it’s against the very nature of the show. Sleepy Hollow was absolutely terrific and perfect in season one because everything made sense and all the episodes are reaching towards one common point. It was a long story serialized. It was a mix of all genre of TV, and that made Sleepy Hollow such an unique and special show.
   I get Fox is seeing their Abbie/Ichabod duo as a powerful and original duo cop, but it’s not what Sleepy Hollow has ever been about. It’s not about Abbie and Ichabod fighting off a demon each week.
   Anyways, I must say I very much enjoyed “Pittura Infamante”. It perfectly balanced between the monster of the week (Oh God, I’ve never thought a man in a painting would be so scary….) and the bigger stories (Ichabod & Katrina’s marriage and Irving’s comeback). If Fox wants more episodes like that, I’m fine with it.

   “Pittura Infamante” was exactly what I love from Sleepy Hollow (even tough I still miss Henry). I was so glad the writers finally took the time to focus on Ichabod and Katrina’s marriage. They still had to fight off a very old serial killer, but it was just the two of them and so they finally made things between them clearer.
   I’m still a bit angry at the writers for messing around with Ichabod and Katrina. They are a couple since the show has started but they never had the chance to experience and enjoy their love in the present time. Back in season one, t was very emotional and interesting to watch them apart, trying to get reunited. I was fine back in the start of season 2 when Katrina stayed with Abraham as a spy. But even with all that, it  really feels like the writers have just been avoiding to put Ichabod and Katrina back as a couple. I understand there’s more dynamic when the couple suffers, it's more interesting, there's more drama. In my opinion, it feels like the writers don’t really have an idea on how to handle Ichabod and Katrina as a happy or regular couple, so they have to put obstacles. Katrina wanting to save Henry from evil was understandable, but her trying the same with Abraham felt a bit far stretched. The writers need to decide if they want Ichabod and Katrina as a couple and deal with them or just separate them and make Katrina evil.

   At least, Ichabod and Katrina have clarified their relationship in  “Pittura Infamante”. It was real fun to watch them dress up and try to be modern. They both are so out of place in our century, it would have been so much funnier to watch them in a modern place.
   Anyway, that situation, both feeling lost in this world should have brought Ichabod and Katrina closer, it didn’t. Katrina was surrounded by the souvenirs of her past life, with her friend Abigail Adams (the second First Lady, played by the talented Michelle Trachtenberg) Ichabod had more time to adjust to this new world, Abbie helped a lot so Katrina still felt a bit behind everything.
   So, Ichabod and Katrina were quite cold at first, and just when they were starting to get closer and talk more, Ichabod’s friend was horribly murdered. Seems like a pattern for Ichabod’s friends.

   The killer story was very interesting. He started killing during Katrina’s time with Abigail Adams. Abigail sought the reverend's help and captured Colby, the killer, inside a painting. Abigail Adams using witchcraft is another excellent and fresh idea. They really made Abigail's character a badass. Another strong woman, but she had her own style. I hope we will see more of her.
   So, when the painting was restored nowadays, Colby was able to get out of it, collect blood killing people and finish his reversed cross on painting… I’ve never imagined how much a painting could creep me out but when we first saw Colby’s face in the painting, I got scared. Afterwards, he was all flesh and blood, lots of blood, it was more disgusting.

   Ichabod and Katrina took all the risks to prevent Colby to kill again, I really enjoyed when Katrina joined Ichabod inside the painting’s realm. They can't be away now, they've been there way too many time.
   Ichabod and Katrina were a great duo, they worked well together to stop the killer (even if Abbie finally kill him thanks to the enchanted bullets from Jenny & Hawley). Finally, Ichabod and Katrina realized they had put their marriage in suspension, like time had frozen. They need to adapt and adjust to their new reality. Now, they get that they have to do it together and share their feelings, otherwise their marriage is doomed.
   Their future is really uncertain, but I really hope they can manage their difficulties and finally find a way to be together again in 2015. For me, it’s part of the show’s dynamic to have Ichabod and Katrina as a couple and Ichabod and Abbie as witnesses. It wouldn’t be the same without that, it's one of the reason the show is so special.

    For once, Ichabod and Abbie didn’t share much time together in  “Pittura Infamante”. While Ichabod was busy looking for a man in a painting with his wife, Abbie (and the whole sheriff station) received the unexpected visit from former Captain Frank Irving ! Yay he is back ! Loved Nicole Beharie’s face ! Priceless

   Abbie was highly surprised by Frank’s return, she watched him died six weeks ago and now he's back on his feet. Of course, she instantly knew something was off.
   The scene between Nicole Beharie and Orlando Jones in the interrogation room was so powerful, so intense, so touching. Abbie really wanted him to be her former friend and mentor but how could she be sure ? Especially after hat happened with Brooks last season, and the fact that Irving’ soul belongs to the Horseman of War.
   Abbie and Irvin’s relationship always has been one my favorite. He has been a great mentor, and a moral compass to Aggie since her duty has started. I’m so glad the writers brought him back. His death was very emotional and devastating for Abbie, but his return is another great and interesting shock for Abbie. It was really touching to watch her struggled with what to do with Irving. She called up his wife, after informing her Frank had died, she had to say him he was back, but maybe it wasn’t him…. Okay, that was weird.
   In the end, Abbie admitted Katrina might be the only one capable to tell them what Frank really is now…. Evil or not, I don’t know but according to Reyes and that new "evidence", it looks like he is going to be a free man soon !

   What did you think of  “Pittura Infamante” ? Did you enjoy as much as I did the perfect balance between Ichabod’s and Abbie’ stories ? Were you scared by the painting ? Hit the comments !

Witness notes : 

- Business & casual. Tom Mison was particularly hot in that costume… And so was Katia Winter.
- How hilarious Jenny was with that disgusting body. I laughed out so loud watching it. Too bad Hawley wasn’t there with her, it would have funnier to watch her hit him.
- Michelle Trachtenberg was great as Abigail Adams, can’t wait to see her back !
- Reyes is growing on me. She’s not that cold-hearted bitch afterall. She recognized Ichabod’s help in many investigations to his wife and she seems open to see Franck as an innocent man.
- So, what do you think about Irving’s return ? Is he good ?

About the Author - Romain Ossust

I'm a 28 TV addict. Here is a non exhaustive list of my favorite shows : 12 Monkeys, Ab Fab, 24, Alias, American Horror Story, Banhsee, Bates Motel, Black Sails, Carnivale, Daria, Dead Like Me, Desperate Housewives, Dexter, ER, Fargo, Fringe, Game of Thrones, Girls, Grey’s, Hannibal, Homeland, HIMYM, HTGAWM, Looking, Lost, Agents of SHIELD, Medium, OUAT, OUAT Wonderland, Orange is the New Black, Orphan Black, Pan Am, Penny Dreadful, Person of Interest, Power, Pushing Daisies, Raising Hope, Rectify, Reign, Scandal, Sex & The City, Six Feet Under, Sleepy Hollow, Spartacus, The 100, The Affair, The Americans, The Big C, The Fall, The Killing, The Leftovers, The Missing, The Strain, The Tudors, The Walking Dead, Transparent, True Blood, True Detective, Tyrant, Ugly Betty, United States of Tara, Utopia, V, Veronica Mars, Weeds.
For SpoilerTV, I'm reviewing The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, Looking, Sleepy Hollow, The Americans & Orphan Black

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