The Horseman returns to ‘Sleepy Hollow’ sans head … and soul

With Abbie Mills (Nicole Beharie) out of the picture, an old favorite returned in Friday’s (Jan. 20) episode of “Sleepy Hollow” — but with a new showrunner and smaller budget, the Headless Horseman’s return to FOX’s genre series came with a whimper instead of a bang.

When the show first premiered, the imagery of a Headless Horseman firing off a semi-automatic weapon in broad daylight encapsulated the fantastical corniness of this odd genre series. It was that ominous big bad, along with the quirkiness and chemistry of heroes Ichabod Crane (Tom Mison) and Beharie’s Abbie, that gave the show such big buzz in Season 1.

That was, of course, until the dynamic between Crane and the Horseman transformed from mysterious and insidious into a love triangle-themed drama — deflating the mystique that made the Horseman such a captivating villain in the first place.

RELATED: On ‘Sleepy Hollow,’ Ichabod Crane’s life is anything but ‘Charmed’

After he was given an identity and backstory — and a head, for that matter — it became clear the Headless Horseman’s story arc was nearing completion. And once Pandora (Shannyn Sossamon) banished him in Season 3 (in the most anticlimactic manner possible) we had a feeling this was the last time the red-coated madman would appear.

It was probably the show’s intention, too. But after Nicole Beharie left the series in Season 3, Ichabod Crane was left flailing about — with just one character connecting him to those humble Season 1 beginnings. Sorry, Jenny Mills (Lyndie Greenwood), but that doesn’t cut it. For a show like “Sleepy Hollow” to work, these characters need connections and history.

We may be only three episodes into Season 4, but the emotional bond that was so present in the relationship between Crane and Abbie — which also proved to be the biggest strength of the program — has been so completely absent. It seems that an attempt to alleviate this has come with a flick of the demonic wrist: Malcolm Dreyfuss’ (Jeremy Davies) right-hand man summoned Crane’s worst enemy back to earth for one more go-round.

The monster may have returned without his head, but the horrific luster that made the Headless Horseman such an enigmatic character has all but vanished. What audiences were left with in the episode, aptly titled “Heads Will Roll,” was an obvious play at capturing the energy and excitement from Season 1. But, while the Horseman may be back to his old tricks, his appearance here doesn’t offer much but another domino on the way to Crane’s confrontation with Dreyfuss.

RELATED: Abbie-less ‘Sleepy Hollow’ has 3 things going for it

As Season 4 began, the concept of evolution was on our minds — it’s the perfect time for “Sleepy Hollow” to reinvent itself. But it’s become quite clear that, in a post-Abbie Mills world, Ichabod Crane cannot exist without hints of the monsters that plagued him from his past.

That’s not always a bad thing — Crane’s present reality is embedded in, and informed by, his previous historical adventures. But without embracing the newness of this current situation and openness to move the story forward, we fear “Sleepy Hollow” will eventually buckle under its own semi-convoluted canon.

But hey — at least the Headless Horseman still looks cool!

“Sleepy Hollow” airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on FOX.

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