The roll continues, Sleepy Heads. “The Sisters Mills” is another superb episode, equally full of horrifying frights, heartwarming insights and kickass fights. This time around, “Sleepy Hollow” twistory puts a terrifying spin on the tooth fairy and reveals that dentistry was simply Paul Revere’s cover for secret supernatural missions. Super cool! Adding icing to this yummy cake is the sweet and overdue focus on the Mills Sisters’ relationship. Jenny and Abbie’s bond grows stronger as they help two little girls who have become collateral damage in Pandora’s wicked game.
The episode starts on a hilarious note as we see Ichabod Crane playing a video game and texting with Zoe like a stereotypical American teenager. Abbie teases him and tells him to brush up on history. Crane may have lived through, but the books tell a different story. Suddenly, Joe calls them about Pandora’s latest victim and the case hits close to home.
Young sisters, Jessica and Saffron, are sweetly sleeping when the “tooth fairy” creeps in. This is one of Corey Castellano’s most terrifying creatures to date. It’s a haunting mash-up of horror hits. Even the way it moves across the floor sends chills up your spine. Poor Saffron sees this thing hover over her little sister and watches it suck out her life force. Creepy!!! Now, Jessica is in a coma, clinging on for dear life.
It’s like deja-vu for the Sisters Mills. They’re able to get Saffron to open up because they’ve been in her shoes. Actually, Crane makes the most effort to connect with her. Turns out, she’s a fan of slapstick. We need to see Ichabod interact with children more. It is delightful! Saffron draws a picture of what she saw and the gang gets to work on deducing what this freaky monster really is. Time for some twistory!
Betsy Ross’s niece caught a deadly, incurable illness. Sixteen children slipped into comas and died after losing a tooth. So something fishy was going on. Ichabod awkwardly mulled around, hoping to be of some help, but he was quickly shut-out once Paul Revere, D.D.S., arrived and cured the girl. This was before Crane knew about all the supernatural stuff, so he was kept in the dark. Now, he thinks Revere holds the key to beating this beast. Which brings us to the monster-of-the-week.
This creature is an Assyrian demon called the Abyzou. It steals teeth as trophies, takes one’s life force and is invisible to everyone except children. Those poor, traumatized little kids. Its only weakness is silver, which is why children were given silver dollars and dimes when they lost a tooth. Since the Abyzou is territorial, Crane and Jenny hit the school to see which local kids it’ll go after next.
Crane is certainly taking initiative this season. He lectures the class as an official curator of the Hudson Valley Historical Society and Armory. He tells kids the myth about Washington’s wooden teeth, then asks who’s about to lose one of their own. Very clever! Jenny gives Gregory a silver dollar for protection and they head back to home-base, hoping that Abbie made some leeway on transferring Revere’s goods from the Colonial Raleigh Museum.
Abbie’s struggling to get what they need, so Crane snatches up the phone and takes charge of the situation. We’re totally down with Ichabod’s assertiveness. He insists that Revere’s dentistry bag must be transferred in time for the historical society’s grand opening and his wish is granted. While they wait for the bag’s arrival, the gang splits into pairs for a good old-fashioned stakeout. Yay!
A new bromance brews as Joe encourages Crane to date Zoe after seeing all the mushy texts they’re exchanging. It’s fun and refreshing to see Ichabod do a bit of male bonding. Elsewhere, the Mills Sisters have a much needed heart-to-heart. Abbie comes clean about finding their father. Shockingly, we learn that Jenny found their dad five years ago. Whoa! Abbie’s reaction is so real and perfect. She’s been feeling guilty for two lousy months and Jenny’s been keeping this secret for years. Jenny kept quite because she knew Abbie hated their dad. She was just following Abbie’s lead and trying to protect her big sis. Jenny’s even surprised that Abbie would want to catch-up with him after he’s clearly moved on. Why set themselves up for more disappointment? Good point, but still…Unfortunately, that matter is left unresolved as the Abyzou strikes again.
Gregory scares the creature away with his silver dollar and Jenny discovers that the creature’s frame can be seen when it’s sprayed with water. While Jenny blasts the hose, Abbie takes a shot and the Abyzou attacks her. Oh no! Abbie ends up in the hospital, which leads to another tender Ichabbie moment. Crane tells his dear friend that now her duty in this battle is to heal. Jenny stays by her sister’s side and offers Saffron some comfort as they both hold onto hope. She admits that the Sister Mills have gone through their ups and downs, but Jenny thinks about the good times and knows that they’ll always be there for each other. Awww! There go the waterworks. Of course, Pandora has to enter the picture and damper the moment. She secretly gives Saffron a mysterious pouch with something that will supposedly help her sister. Oh no…
Once Crane receives Revere’s tool-kit, Jenny joins him in the archives. Looks like Paul put his old platitudes to good use. Crane muses, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” The dentistry tools fit together to make a weapon. Awesome! When filled with a sodium nitrate powder (like the stuff in water, smart!), the weapon emits a flash that briefly exposes the Abyzou so that it can be quickly killed. Sweet! So off they go…
Back at the hospital, Pandora pays Abbie a visit. With a little wink at fans, she breaks the fourth wall, calling Abbie a “sleepyhead.” (Thanks, Sleepy Writers! You sure made us giggle, before we started screaming at the TV.) Pandora is having a hard time figuring Abbie out. The Witness fights like she has something lose, but it’s not her mortality. Pandora wonders if it could be her father. Guess we will be meeting Papa Mills, especially if Pandora drags him into this mess. Man, she sucks!
Meanwhile, Saffron uses Pandora’s mystery gift, a tooth, to bait the Abyzou. Luckily, Crane and Jenny hunt the creature down in the nick of time. Jenny stabs it in the heart with a fire poker and bye-bye Abyzou. Jessica and Abbie wake-up, allowing us to exhale a sigh of relief. Well, for now at least.
After all that drama, we deserve a little laugh, so Sleepy Writers pen another stellar Crane moment. High on laughing gas during his visit to the dentist, Ichabod takes a gander at Zoe’s latest flirty text, a super cute bitmoji of Crane wearing an American flag cape and riding an eagle. Props to Tom Mison for making this scene epically hilarious. Crane tears up and is deadpan serious when he squees, “I’m adorable.” Oh, Ichabod, you have no idea. Crane shenanigans aside, the Sisters Mills were at the heart of this episode.
Nicole Beharie and Lyndie Greenwood are dynamite together. They play so wonderfully off of each other and deliver such emotional performances. It is always fantastic when “Sleepy Hollow” focuses on their relationship because it is so rich, genuine, heartwarming and engaging. After yet another supernatural scare, the Mills are able to end things on a happy note. Whatever crazy things happen, the Sisters Mills “got each other and that’s all that matters.” So sweet!
However, we’re still given some troubling food for thought. After some more research, they’ve discovered a Sumerian version of Pandora’s myth, which implies that the Witnesses may in fact be the destroyers. Could the prophecy Crane discovered in the premiere be true? Are the Witnesses destined to do damage during the Second Tribulation? Will Pandora succeed in fueling their fears and bending their wills? Can they be manipulated into becoming destroyers?
We have so many questions and worries. What do you think Sleepy Heads? How did you enjoy “The Sisters Mills”? Are you worried about the Witnesses fate? Are you eager to meet Papa Mills? Share your thoughts below!
“Sleepy Hollow” airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on FOX.
