The Sin Eater is a pivotal installment of Sleepy Hollow for reasons that are revealed by credit roll and reasons that have yet to fully make themselves known (to the characters or the audience). Elements of the episode are brilliantly good - Crane as he explores a painful decision from his past and we learn more about how he came to know Katrina; Abbie and Jenny as they work together to help Crane; and Abbie's deep partnership relationship with Crane are so beautifully crafted that a higher rating would be expected. However, the annoying and downright frustrating aspects of this episode tear it down to soap-opera-level manipulation and implausible character behavior. YES, this is a dark-fantasy-lore series centering on the horsemen of the apocalypse where a man from the revolutionary war who is living in modern times is the key the survival of the human race and that all important willing-suspension-of-disbelief is in full play with each and every episode, but the element which makes this series work, really work on an emotional and personal level, is the interpersonal interactions among the key characters. The Sin Eater slips here, with Abbie and Crane behaving out of character. So while the episode is important for the season's story arc, some aspects of it must be acknowledged as plot devices, as annoying as that may be. Just watch it once so you know what is going on...
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
