Likable characters + my Sleepy Hollow Feelings

[wishfulclicking]

A Defense of Likable Characters which comes after I saw a Defense of Unlikable Characters, which really displays the cycle of response and provocation when it comes to these sort of things; but I could just sum these up in that good characters can come from both situations (considering what constitutes likability varies according to the person) and what all characters need is good writing. From my view of what is touted as Quality American Drama (from Cable) there is a lot of shady male characters doing morally suspicious things, usually from positions of authority, and because so many shows start with that the idea of that character type being automatically tied to Quality has sprung up, even if that falls apart when things like Low Winter Sun happens.

I have more thoughts on this but I did want to link to this because I liked reading the piece.

So Sleepy Hollow is getting the 'What's Wrong With X' treatment from multiple venues, and as much it still hurts a bit because I loved this show so much, I have to agree with most of the complaints.

This piece from EW is mostly in sync with my issues with this second season. Mo Ryan, who is very much a fan of the show and touted the first two episodes as good, also presented her view on what ails Sleepy Hollow. Tim Goodman had a podcast that was actually two weeks earlier than the recent wave, and he even noted that the producer commented that he was surprised at the response to the new season.

After spending so much thought because I like sussing out why I'm viewing a show a certain way, my issues with the second season are these: the dynamic is shifting, but the plot really isn't moving. Last season felt like a rush as I watched and didn't know what was going to happen, now I pretty much know that Henry will scheme, Ichabod will have some reaction to modernity which is still golden, Abbie will mention some complaint about how Crane is distracted from the mission but will be mostly ignored, Katrina will show up either in spirit through Crane's same tenor whining or in body, the team will be slightly successful but in that win the battle lose the war kind of way, and then Henry will go back to his next scheme because, on the whole, right now, he is winning.

I want to send the producers a book saying 'We Need to Talk About Henry' and just the inner text be 'No, we don't' with a footnote that adds unless you are going to move the discussion along.

Where is Jenny? Why lock up Irving for so long and just check in on him? At least show his family again to make use of the situation. Why do I find Headless more interesting than Henry?

Then, there is Katrina. I am interested in the version of Katrina of a witch who did things to prevent the apocalypse and is a True Believer in the sense that she is willing to sacrifice herself (and others) for the final goal. I am interested in seeing these supposed powerful witching powers she possesses. I even liked the glimpse of the suggestion that she fed Abraham about why she chose Ichabod over him, and how it wasn't as clean cut as it appeared as True Love for her as it did for Ichabod. I am not fond of magically impregnated Katrina; nor the powerful witch who is knocked out when trying a spell.

Enough, the Ryan piece was really good and touched on a lot of the points I agree with. She notes that the midseason finale is good or at least going to a good place, so I'm going to continue on, but it's not with the enthusiasm I was feeling last season. Just, why fix what wasn't broken?

Comments

[nurseshark]

The article made for a good read. I think that a character being likable or not isn't as important as being well written. The audience is going to react to a character in their own way, and you really shouldn't try to write a character to be popular or not. You should write them to engage an audience: make them worth knowing about.

I feel the same way about Sleepy Hollow. I'm still enjoying the show overall, but this second season is definitely not as good as the first. I find myself missing Jenny a lot, but at least it seems like the next episode will feature her heavily. I also find it odd that we haven't seen Irving's family. It makes no sense.

I also dislike the new character introduced, and every time he appears onscreen I wish he wasn't there. To be honest, I hope he dies before the season is over.

[wishfulclicking]

I agree that good writing is needed to support a character; any character on the spectrum of morality can be interesting to read about if the writing is strong enough.

Hawley I don't mind so much but I don't really understand his place in the world. From listening to the podcast interview with the EP, he described Hawley as someone to lighten up both Abbie and Ichabod and show a different way of approaching the apocalypse, but so far, he seems to mostly avoid it. & it feels like he's taking space from Jenny because so often I'm thinking, why doesn't someone call Jenny to help out with things.

I still enjoy it, too, otherwise I would have dropped it. I will see it through the season, unless something egregious happens.

I am very interested in seeing how the next episode plays because it seems like their mother was afflicted with the supernatural in some manner.