海角大神

Earlier this year, I wrote an article for our print magazine about the amount of fantasy and sci-fi titles that were premiering on TV this fall season.

The large number of new shows that were centered around an out-of-this-world element was surprising because those shows are costly (lots of effects, usually) and shows that launch with a lot of backstory and mythology to keep track of can turn off viewers. For every 鈥淟ost鈥� and 鈥淥nce Upon a Time鈥� that do well in the ratings, there are many other fantasy and sci-fi shows that fall flat.

And one of the programs that seemed least likely to make a splash was Fox鈥檚 new show 鈥淪leepy Hollow,鈥� centering around 鈥� well, you know the story. Ichabod Crane sees a headless horseman in the title town.

But 鈥淗ollow鈥� has become one of the surprise hits of the fall 鈥� when it premiered, the show got such good ratings that it became the highest-rated Fox series premiere for a drama in the fall in six years, and it鈥檚 already been renewed for a second season.

So what got viewers hooked? The show is a little different than the legend you may remember from middle school English class. In this version, Ichabod was a Revolutionary War soldier who returns to life in present-day Sleepy Hollow after the Headless Horseman (who is actually one of the Apocalypse鈥檚 Four Horsemen) is brought back from the dead by鈥� someone. Once the Headless Horseman begins killing people, Ichabod begins to work with Lieutenant Abbie Mills of the local police force in an attempt to stop him and protect the people of Sleepy Hollow from supernatural forces.

And according to many critics, this set-up means there鈥檚 something for just about everyone. According to Hollywood Reporter writer Tim Goodman, 鈥淗ollow鈥� is 鈥渇un, it鈥檚 entertaining, it鈥檚 got some scares and some action and plenty of secrets to unveil.鈥�

鈥淲hat makes Sleepy Hollow immediately likable is Mison鈥檚 Ichabod Crane, who is confused about the modern world moments, and the relationship he shares with Sleepy Hollow police officer Abbie,鈥� Goodman wrote. 鈥淲hen things get ever-more outrageous, they also get ever-more fun.鈥�

Los Angeles Times critic Mary McNamara agreed, calling the show 鈥済reat fun.鈥�

鈥淸There鈥檚] strong performances from both leads鈥� [and] several nicely creepy story lines, some terrific CG action,鈥� she wrote.