Six Reasons Why "Sleepy Hollow," Episode 7 Was the Show's Best Yet ("Midnight Ride")

I rarely want to watch a TV show twice. Unlike movies, some of which I will watch over and over, TV is largely disposable, unless it's something like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Even rarer still is an episode of TV that is SO good I want to watch it again immediately.

Yet Monday's episode of "Sleepy Hollow" was just such an episode. "The Midnight Ride" highlighted everything that is so enjoyable about the series as a whole and immediately became the best episode of the series' brief history to date. Here's why:

Now I have a shotgun. Ho, Ho, Ho.

1) The Horseman is back!
"The Midnight Ride" featured the triumphant and kick-ass return of the Headless Horseman. In my last blog, I talked about how smart it was to keep the Horseman in reserve, as featuring him every week would quickly prove tiresome. After teasing his return for two episodes, "Sleepy Hollow" showcased just what a fantastic villain the Horseman really is. He used automatic weapons, threw his axe at a main character and -- in addition to taking several heads -- later used them as makeshift Jack O' Lanterns. He was intimidating, violent and scary as hell. I loved every moment he was on screen.

2) The humor was better than ever
Every episode of "Sleepy Hollow" has featured some stand-out touches of humor, most of them based around Ichabod Crane's adjustment to the 21st Century. But this episode, in addition to being both scary and exciting, was also laugh-out-loud funny. Ichabod's confrontation with a museum guide discussing Paul Revere's "Midnight Ride" was the highlight, with the 18th Century former soldier ranting, "He didn't shout 'The British Were Coming.' As we were all subjects  of the Crown, that wouldn't have been very helpful, would it?" Yet there were also terrific exchanges about the relative difficulty of getting to London, "That's a three month journey by sea" and his first accidental encounter with Internet porn. The conversation about Thomas Jefferson was also excellent, as was Ichabod's conclusion: "You never really know people, do you?"

3) John Cho returns

Dead Man Walking and Shining Flashlight

This episode featured two villains. While the Horseman was riding once more, John Cho's dead Officer Brooks was also back. In addition to frightening Detective Morales, "You'll have to choose a side," he also confronted Abbie Mills. What makes Cho's character great is his reluctant nature and the audience's inability to assess his true loyalties. He makes it very clear he doesn't want to work for the bad guys, but feels compelled to do so. He even justifies himself that he's trying to "save Abbie." Figuring out exactly what he's up to and why is an ongoing mystery, and one I hope we don't solve quickly.

Have severed head, will travel.

4) Captain Irving finally clues in
From the show's beginning, the writers have played it coy with Orlando Jones' Captain Irving. One minute he's insisting that none of this is possible and the next he's approving some crazy scheme by Abbie and Ichabod. I've always been secretly convinced Irving knows damn well what's going on, he just didn't want to admit it. But that guess turned out to be wrong. After dismissing the existence of the Headless Horseman, Irving later comes face-to-face with the Hessian cavalry officer -- and in the process becomes a believer. That changes some of the nature of the show, and undoubtedly will make Irving a more integral part of what's going on.

5) The Midnight Ride

Aside from the Headless Horseman and the names, "Sleepy Hollow" has little in common with the short story that inspired it. So it's nice to see an homage to "The Legend of the Sleepy Hollow" included in an episode. Ichabod's final ride against the Horseman was directly drawn from Washington Irving's story and even if it only lasted a couple minutes, it was still awesome.

"It's not my head, but I'll take it anyway."

6) The Ending

The showdown between Ichabod, Abbie and the Headless Horseman was expertly done. How do you defeat Death itself? The show wisely doesn't offer up a solution to the problem, but instead focuses on a way around it. The finale, which involved the Horseman trying to reclaim his head, was tense, funny and dramatic. Exactly like the show itself.

Shameless plug: If you like "Sleepy Hollow," check out my novels, which feature the Headless Horseman in an entirely new mythology.

Guilt and Monsters -- Review of Sleepy Hollow Episode 6 "The Sin Eater"

Half the fun of a show based around a monster is the anticipation of its arrival. Indeed, most horror movies and TV shows go right down hill once the monster actually shows up.

So the writers and producers of "Sleepy Hollow" have played it smart in letting the Headless Horseman -- whose presence is conjured up by the title "Sleepy Hollow" -- keep a relatively low profile. Beyond a feature role in the pilot episode, the Horseman has been seen only in dream sequences and one brief teaser at the end of an episode, which concluded with him strolling out of a river (maybe he needed a bath). This has frustrated a few fans, but overall allowed the series to establish one clear fact: this show is NOT about the Headless Horseman. He's the villain and he's not going to show up every episode.

"I'm just dying to get some new puns."

This is vitally important because familiarity is a poison that kills any sense of tension. Just ask any horror franchise villain, like Freddy Krueger, Jason Vorhees or Mike Myers. The more you see them, the less scary they get. Keeping the Horseman away has let viewers anxiously anticipate his arrival in a way they never would if he popped up all the time.

Since the finale of Episode 5, the writers have been teasing us, however, with the Horseman's return. In Episode 6, "The Sin Eater," we are told again and again that the Horseman will return "tonight," but aside from a brief appearance in Abbie Mills' dream, we never actually see him. Yet his presence hovers over the entire episode, letting it build an extremely satisfying narrative tension.

Perhaps just as important, "The Sin Eater" breaks with the rest of the series by forgoing the usual monster-of-the-week in favor of a more internal struggle. Technically, there's a new monster in the form of Ichabod Crane's British commander, but he's not the point of the episode. Instead, it focuses on Ichabod's guilt over the death of a freed slave when he still lived in the 18th Century. Ordered to torture Arthur Bernard until he reveals the name of the treasonous "Cicero," who is writing tracts calling for the Colonies to rebel, Crane reluctantly obeys before finally setting him free. What he doesn't count on, however, are the forces that are hunting both Ichabod and Bernard.

For a show normally about evil in an external form, like a witch or a Native American demon, it was an interesting twist for it to instead delve into the evil that lies in a man's heart. Ichabod's fate turned not on whether he could defeat an external force, but rather forgive himself for the choices he made.

This is Ichabod's really hot wife.

"The Sin Eater" was also notable, in addition to the appearance of Fringe's John Noble as a recurring character, for its spectacular acting. Simply put, this episode couldn't have worked without some forceful performances from Tom Mison (Ichabod) and Nicole Beharie as Abbie Mills. Abbie's efforts to save Ichabod, as well as convince him not to sacrifice himself to stop the Horseman, were incredibly moving. Technically, the characters have only known each other for a few weeks, so a scene like this could have been less than credible, but its due to the strength of Beharie and Mison that it works. Katia Winter also turns in a terrific performance as Katrina Van Tassel. My only wish is that the writers give her more scenes to appear in as when she does, she is electrifying.

Overall, despite the fact that the Horseman didn't show up yet, this was an excellent episode that ably showed off the writers and cast's ability to make us care about the characters even when they aren't fighting the Headless Horseman or other monsters. Or, more precisely, the show makes us care when they are fighting the demons inside us all.

A Preview of the A Soul to Steal Audiobook (Letter from Lord Halloween)

It's still in production, but since it IS Halloween, I thought I would drop a quick sample from A Soul To Steal (The Sanheim Chronicles, Book One)'s audiobook version. The following is Lord Halloween's first letter to Tim Anderson, the Loudoun Chronicle's crime reporter. It is performed by Brian Gill, who -- in addition to being a close friend of mine -- is a professional actor and theater professor. I cannot say enough wonderful things about his reading -- it gave me chills. I'm really looking forward to releasing the full audiobook, which will hopefully be out by yearend.

But enough talk. Take a listen. And I hope you have a wonderfully scary Halloween!

The Ten Best Songs for Halloween

It should be obvious by now that I’m obsessed with Halloween. I’ve written three books centered around the holiday, glory in all the traditions associated with it (ghost stories, costumes, candy) and even go so far as taking the day off work to ensure I never miss a moment of it. One way that I get into the spirit is by playing my substantial Halloween-themed playlist, filled with songs about ghosts, vampires, and anything else that goes bump in the night.

Following are ten of my favorite songs from that playlist, and while there are undoubtedly many that you know, my hope is that you find a few that are unfamiliar. In the comment section, be sure to tell me what your favorite Halloween songs are.

No. 10 — Dead Man’s Party by Oingo Boingo

These days, Danny Elfman is better known as a film score composer (Batman, Spider-Man, The Nightmare Before Christmas) than as the lead singer for the new wave band Oingo Boingo. But Elfman’s knack for dark themes was already apparent in 1986 when this song premiered. As befitting a party, the song’s tune is upbeat, featuring a blistering and catchy horn part, but the lyrics are what make this song especially perfect for Halloween. “It’s a dead man’s party, who could ask for more? It’s a dead man’s party, leave your body (and soul) at the door.” Later in the song, Elfman repeatedly sings, “Don’t run away; it’s only me.” But I have the distinct impression this is one party you don’t want to attend.

Hear it on Spotify here. Buy it on Amazon MP3 here: Dead Man's Party

No. 9 — Cry Little Sister by Gerard McMann 

It's not even fair to call this a one-hit wonder, as it never actually charted on Billboard or elsewhere. Still, "Cry Little Sister," the single off The Lost Boys soundtrack, has been covered by multiple artists and even sampled by Eminem since its debut in 1987. Part of that is undoubtedly because of the movie it's attached to, which remains a cult favorite. But the song itself has a menacing back beat that's spooky and hard to forget. Its brilliance, however, is in the chorus. As the male lead singer sings to be released, a choir of children's voices intone faux-Biblical commandments like "Thou shalt not fall" and "Thou shalt not fly." Their final statement, in which they emphasize the last word, is an actual commandment, "Thou shalt not kill." The song never talks about vampires directly, yet the reference to flying and killing makes it clear that is what they are talking about. 

Hear it on Spotify here. Buy it on Amazon MP3 here: Cry Little Sister [Theme From Lost Boys]

No. 8 — Nature Trail to Hell by "Weird Al" Yankovic

If you've only heard Weird Al's parody songs, you are missing out on the man's unmistakable genius. When he isn't constrained by someone else's tune, Yankovic can knock out a helluva good song. Case in point is "Nature Trail to Hell in 3D," an ode to slasher films. As you would expect, it's damn funny with a title like that and lyrics like this: "See severed heads that almost fall right in your lap, see that bloody hatchet coming right at you. Know you'll never see hideous effects like these again, until we bring you Nature Trail to Hell, Part II. So bring the kids along, it's good, clean family fun. What have you got to lose? If you like the Six O'Clock News, then you'll love...Nature Trail to Hell." But the best part is that the song is actually really good. The synthesizer part is the best I've heard in a rock song, second only to A-Ha's "Take on Me." Seriously, I wish I could play it on Rock Band 3. The accompanying sound effects, including an ominous bell tolling, storm effects, and a backward subliminal message ("Satan Eats Cheese Whiz,") help make the song the perfect mix of terrifying, catchy and hilarious.

Don't believe me? Listen to it on Spotify here. Buy it on Amazon MP3 here: Nature Trail To Hell

No. 7 — Headless Horseman by Bing Crosby

Given my obsession with "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," it's only natural I would love this 1949 Bing Crosby chestnut first shown in the Disney cartoon adaptation of Washington Irving's classic tale.  It's not modern by any stretch of the imagination, but it is a lot of fun. The lyrics include some bad puns —  "He'll show them that he can get ahead" —  but the lyrical interpretation of Brom Bones meeting the Headless Horseman one Halloween night is impossible to resist.

It's not on Spotify, but you can buy it on Amazon MP3 here: The Headless Horseman  

No. 6 — Bloodletting by Concrete Blonde

This is arguably the best song about vampires ever written, and I don't say that lightly. Like Sting's "Moon Over Bourbon Street," the lyrics appear directly inspired by Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles, including references to New Orleans in the chorus. But whereas Sting's song is quiet and introspective, "Bloodletting" rocks. The guitar riff is jagged and hypnotic, and the lyrics are hardcore horror: "There's a crack in the mirror and a bloodstain on the bed... You were a vampire and baby I'm the walking dead." Add in some bat sound effects and some eerie laughing at the end, and this song makes me want to pull the covers over my head. (For what it's worth, buy the extended edition, which adds a little extra horror to the song.)

Hear it on Spotify here: Buy it on Amazon MP3 here: Bloodletting (The Vampire Song) (Extended Version)

No. 5 — This is Halloween by Danny Elfman

The first track from "The Nightmare Before Christmas" soundtrack is also its best, a thrilling tribute to all the monsters that lurk on Halloween night. There's a shout-out here to almost every thriller out there, from vampires to witches to the "clown with the tear-away face." The childish sing-song is also creepy and catchy at the same time: "In this town, we call home, everyone hail to the Pumpkin song." The best part about the song: it uniquely captures the spirit of All Hallow's Eve. Yes, it's all about the scares, but as the creatures sing, "That's our job, but we're not mean, in our town of Halloween." These are innocent scares, the kind that are designed to spook but not terrify. Just like the holiday.

Hear it on Spotify here. Buy it on Amazon MP3 here: This Is Halloween

No. 4 — Boadicea by Enya

I know what you're thinking. Enya? Don't you use her music to relax in a bubble bath? Why, no, of course I don't. That would be unmanly. I take only cold showers in the open air. But hang on with me a second. Go listen to the song on Spotify here. Take your time, I'll wait. You see what I'm talking about? There are no lyrics, but the melody is downright haunting. There's an air of menace to this song. In my mind's eye, it's the music that plays at the beginning of my first novel, "A Soul to Steal."

Buy it on Amazon MP3 here: Boadicea (Remastered 2009)

No. 3 — Haunted by Poe

Fittingly, this song (and the album it comes from) was released on Oct. 31, 2000. It's easy to see why. As the title would suggest, the song is about a woman haunted by a ghost — one that she seems reluctant to see depart: "One more look at the ghost before I'm gonna make it leave." And yet the song suggests the singer may also be a spirit, beginning by saying "Can you tell me where I am?" and later "You and me and these shadows keep on changing." Overall, it's a song about love, loss and grief. "I'm haunted by the hallways in this tiny room, the echoes there of me and you." The final coda, in which a young child says, "My heart won't break before I cry... I will go mad," ends it on a deliciously creepy note. During October, I have this song on repeat.

Listen to it on Spotify here. Buy it on Amazon MP3 here: Haunted

No. 2 — The Devil Went Down to Georgia by The Charlie Daniels Band

This song is so fantastic that I took all three titles from The Sanheim Chronicles from its lyrics: A Soul To Steal, Band of Demons, and Give the Devil His Due.
 Everything about the song works, from its lyrics, which tell the story of how a boy named Johnny has a fiddle competition with the Devil, to its tune, which transitions between country, rock n' roll and bluegrass. The actual fiddling here is drop-your-jaw amazing and if you want to see how difficult it is, ask the next fiddle player you meet to play it live. Ultimately, the song is all the sweeter because Johnny prevails, taunting the Devil: "I done told you once, you son of a bitch, I'm the best that's ever been." It's both a song and a short story. I would put it as my favorite song for Halloween, but for the existence of this next hit...

Listen to it on Spotify here. Buy it on Amazon MP3 here: The Devil Went Down To Georgia

No. 1 — Thriller by Michael Jackson

Catchy pop song? Check. Dancing zombies in music video? Check. Creepy lyrics about ghouls and demons? Check. Vincent Price rapping and saying "Y'alls'"? Hell yeah. "Thriller" by Michael Jackson is the essential song of Halloween. Why? Because it has everything you could possibly want. And though the late King of Pop is at his finest here, Price really does steal the show. His final "rap" is so well delivered it still gives me chills no matter how many times I listen to it: "Grizzly ghouls from every tomb and closing in to seal your doom. And though you fight to stay alive, your body starts to shiver. No mere mortal can resist, the evil of... The Thriller." Cue horrific laughter. There will never be a Halloween song to top this. Ever.

Screw listening to it on Spotify, if you don't own it, you need to buy it RIGHT NOW: Thriller

That's my list. What about you? What's your favorite Halloween song? 

The Brilliant Insanity of "Sleepy Hollow": A Review of Episode 5, "John Doe"

If there's one consistent criticism of my first novel, it's that I tried to do too much. The book has the Headless Horseman, a Celtic myth and a serial killer all wrapped up into one big package. I think it works (obviously), but there's a certain kind of reader that disagrees, sometimes vigorously.

What's "Middle English" for Crazy Town?

The only thing I can assume is that if those readers came across Fox's "Sleepy Hollow," their heads would explode. The writers of this show clearly aren't worried about tossing too much at the viewer. In just five episodes, we've had: a time-traveling Ichabod Crane, his witchy wife (who is trapped in another dimension), a gun-toting Headless Horseman, an undead zombie cop, a resurrected 18^th century witch, a dream-traveling Native American spirit, a ghost cop, a demon named Moloch, a band of still-thriving Hessians anxious to raise the dead and – wait for it – the lost colony of Roanoke.

Here’s the strangest thing of all: somehow the show still manages to work. “Sleepy Hollow” is consistently entertaining with a great mix of humor and horror. It’s unpredictability and sheer willingness to throw anything at the wall to see what sticks is part of its charm. One criticism you can’t level at the show is that it’s either boring or unwilling to take risks. In fact, it’s easily my favorite show on TV right now, in part because I never know what the hell will happen next.

Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of head-scratching moments. The ending to Episode 5, “John Doe,” is rather bizarre. Ichabod and Abbie spend the episode’s final moments trying to save a boy who – without giving anything away – doesn’t actually need saving. And the colony of Roanoke, around which the episode is based, disappears again. Or was never there at all. Or something. Indeed, the show never really bothered to explain why the lost colony had relocated to the back woods of New York. Because it could, I guess.

But no matter. We could spend a lot of time poking holes in the plot of various episodes. For example, why does Captain Irving, Abbie’s boss, refuse to listen to her about how to stop a plague and then – five minutes later – willingly go along with her insane plan, which involves taking Patient Zero to the backwoods for no discernable reason? How did the Headless Horseman learn to use automatic weapons so quickly? Why is Ichabod still wearing 18^th century clothing when he’s been living in the 21^st century for at least three weeks? Did his wife leave some extra clothes in the cave where she buried him? Also, why is there Spanish moss growing in the local graveyard, given that Spanish moss grows in the south and this show takes place in New York?

But if such questions worry you, you’re missing the point. The show is just so damn fun.

Much of the credit for this goes to Ichabod, who is both smartly written and well-acted. Most of my favorite moments from any show center around his take on the modern world. In Episode 4, it was his conversation with the OnStar representative, who wept when he told his story of lost love over the centuries. In Episode 2, it was his reaction to the tax on baked goods. In “John Doe,” it was his frustration with the plastic packaging his razor blade came in. (“What is this impenetrable barrier?”) His comments are funny, but Ichabod himself is not played for laughs. Most of the jokes seem on us and our modern world, not him.   

I keep washing the same outfit over and over.

Ichabod follows the first rule of any good story: he’s just interesting to watch. He’s smart, charismatic and while I have no idea why the police force is using an ostensibly crazy person as a consultant, I also don’t really care.

Abbie Mills, his partner, has a bit of a thankless job, given that she’s the straight man to Ichabod. Still, I find her character intriguing and the backstory they’ve built for her is both mysterious and interesting.

Perhaps most impressive is that the show’s writers have managed to take us to crazy-town without also descending into camp. The problem with any supernatural show is the need to take itself seriously, but at the same time give a wink and a nod to viewers who know the plots are preposterous. Sleepy Hollow manages that with aplomb.

Overall, “John Doe” was probably the weakest entry into the series to date, partly because it tried to do too much, even by its own standards. Finding the lost colony of Roanoke is epic; tying it to a virus, however, just felt forced. And the ending, as I mentioned, was confusing and odd. But even on its off days, Sleepy Hollow is damn good TV.

It’s fitting, I suppose, that it now goes on a three-week hiatus due to baseball playoffs before coming back with a show that promises the return of the Headless Horseman (who has not been seen since the pilot episode). After all, this is one TV series that – whatever its faults – is always swinging for the fence.

  

For a limited time, The Sanheim Chronicles, a trilogy of novels that feature the Headless Horseman in an entirely new mythology, are on sale. Book One, A Soul to Steal, and Book Two, Band of Demons, can be purchased for just 99 cents! Book Three, Give the Devil His Due, was just published on Oct. 1.

Find out why the books have been called the “perfect” novels for Halloween.  

The Sanheim Chronicles Sale! Featuring A Soul to Steal and Band of Demons

The Sanheim Chronicles trilogy is on sale for a limited time!

Book One: A Soul to Steal is FREE on Oct. 7-8. Find out why it's been called "the perfect read for Halloween." 

Two reporters rush to stop a serial killer before a promised bloodbath on Halloween night. But to unmask and defeat the murderer, they may unleash a far darker threat--and pay an unimaginable price. 

A Soul to Steal has been featured on USA Today and praised by book bloggers and readers alike as an addictive page-turner with an ending that will blow you away. 

Download it for Kindle here!

Book Two: Band of Demons is just 99 cents for a limited time! 

"Not only are the intricacies of Blackwell's tale well-planned and flawlessly executed, there is a consistent element of surprise. While A Soul to Steal was undoubtedly an adventure worth taking, its sequel is the journey of a lifetime... Band of Demons promises plot twists that will have you gasping for air."

-- Indie Reader

Quinn O'Brion and Kate Tassel, two community journalists, tapped into a dark power last Halloween in order to stop a vicious serial killer. But they are still grappling with their new abilities--and wondering if what they unleashed may soon consume them.

While they confront what they have become, a new threat is hunting them--a force that could destroy their whole town.

Buy it for Kindle here

Buy it for Nook here

Book Three: Give the Devil His Due was just published on Oct. 1. 

Reader review: "I'm still reeling from the ending, which was fabulous & satisfying."

In Give the Devil His Due, Kate's only hope to save Quinn is to trust the man who took him from her. Don't miss the epic finale to the trilogy that has readers raving about its great characters, plot twists and deft combination of urban fantasy, mystery and suspense.

Buy it for Kindle here

Buy it for Nook here 

Give the Devil His Due: The Sanheim Chronicles Book Three is Out!

I'm very excited to announce that Give the Devil His Due has finally been published! Find out how the story of Kate and Quinn ends in this heart-stopping finale!

Here's the official description:

The stunning conclusion to The Sanheim Chronicles trilogy… 

A Soul to Steal revealed an ancient Celtic myth in which a man and woman could gain tremendous power around Halloween, provided they faced and conquered their fears. Quinn O’Brion and Kate Tassel, two small-town journalists, became the Prince of Sanheim and used that power to defeat a serial killer. 

In Band of Demons, they battled a new threat, two legendary creatures that destroyed a small town. But Kate and Quinn’s victory came at a heavy price. 

In Give the Devil His Due, Kate’s only hope to save Quinn is to trust the man who took him from her. Don’t miss the epic finale to the trilogy that has readers raving about its great characters, plot twists and deft combination of urban fantasy, mystery and humor. 

The Lord Sanheim rules forever… 


Buy Give the Devil His Due for Kindle here.

Buy Give the Devil His Due for Nook here.