The mystical and adventure television series Sleepy Hollow is a modernized adaptation of W. Irving’s short story Legend of Sleepy Hollow. A creative tandem consisting of Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orsi, Philipp Iskova and Len Wiseman worked on the creation of the project. The pilot release was shown on September 16, 2013 by Fox. After a successful four seasons in 2017, the show was officially closed. At the same time, the reviews of the series “Sleepy Hollow” are positive, its rating is quite high - IMDb: 7.40. By the way, this project is considered almost the only one in the history of the American television industry without a "racial orientation." In the first season, there were no white American men and no white women among the key characters. And almost no one noticed this, although in America they are very sensitive to such nuances.
Briefly about the plot
Many authors of the reviews on the series “Sleepy Hollow” admitted that, starting to watch the project, they expected Tim Burton's style and atmosphere of the Gothic horror movie from the TV version. But it was not there! The main character Ikabod Crane (Tom Mison) has little in common with the literary prototype. With the light hand of the scriptwriters, he makes a temporary leap for 250 years, wakes up in modern New York, where, teamed up with police officer Abby Mills (Nicole Bahari), confronts the horrifying civilians with a headless horseman. And he, in turn, concurrently becomes one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse.
Description of the joint project of some of the most successful filmmakers of our time looks at least wild, but in fact, according to critics and audience reviews, the series “Sleepy Hollow” is the most fascinating project in the fall of 2013.
Grand battle
Even during the first season, it becomes clear that the collision of Ikabod Crane with a demon is a small episode of a colossal confrontation with the forces of darkness. Indeed, later two warring witch orders, all the horsemen of the Apocalypse and the devil himself, pulled themselves into Sleepy Hollow. The plot constantly returns to its origins in the 18th century, alluding to the fact that George Washington did not speak out against the British, but fought with the forces of darkness. If we take into account that Len Wiseman, creator of the epic "Another World", had a hand in creating the show, then the story will include vampires, werewolves, and gypsies. According to scenario prophecy, the war of good and evil will last for seven years, but the project was closed after four seasons. Although fans in reviews of the series “Sleepy Hollow” expressed sharp discontent over the fait accompli.
Gothic and thrash beyond
Critics in reviews of the series “Sleepy Hollow” tried to explain the decision of the creators and the reasons for closing the show. In the first season of the project, the authors mixed in more events and characters than in the five seasons of the series Supernatural. And this stream of fantasies, mystical delirium enchants and delights. Indeed, in such shows, no one is looking for realism, and “Sleepy Hollow” looks advantageous against the backdrop of TV shows that produce thrashy prohibitive per hour per teaspoon. But as a result of the sense in the story, it became less and less, by the fourth season the ratings began to decline, so the decision of the authors was correct and justified.
Sense, perhaps, became less, but the Gothic did not go anywhere. Sleepy Hollow seemed to freeze in the 80s, mysticism is very to her face. The provincial town is similar to the scenery for "Catch By Midnight" or "Rambo": the same police cars, uniforms and snack bars. Even suspense is fueled by outdated Hollywood tricks: creeping shadows, reflection in mirrors, gloomy twilight.
Project Advantages
Reviewers in reviews of the series “Sleepy Hollow” refer to the merits of the project very funny jokes from the series “from the 19th century to the 21st” that don’t get boring, the chemistry between the main characters. Crane and Mills are really bright duets in the style of "opposites attract." All the attention of the audience is riveted to little-known, but good performers, the more famous movie star is killed in the very first series, but the most important thing is the Horseman. The shootout between the Headless Horseman in the uniform of a British soldier from the time of the Revolutionary War, but armed with a machine gun, with police officers - is the best moment in the history of American broadcast television in the early 2000s.