Sleepy Hollow: Review: Series 1 (DVD)

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, out now

Ichabod Crane returns to life in the 21st century in Sleepy Hollow, New York – and discovers that all manner of other supernatural events are occurring around him…

It’s gorey, it’s fast-paced, and from time to time it’s nonsensical, but there’s no denying that Sleepy Hollow makes for a constantly entertaining hour, and this box set allows you to trace Ichabod’s discoveries as they take him into other dimensions and learn more about the demon Moloch.

Tom Mison is great casting as Ichabod, portraying the necessary bewilderment but underneath it all, a man who may be out of his time, but more often than not is less out of his depth than those around him. Nicole Beharie’s Abbie grows stronger as the season goes on, particularly once the producers realise that this show is as much her story as Ichabod’s, and there’s plenty of solid support for the central pair from genre veterans Clancy Brown and John Noble as well as Orlando Jones, Katia Winter and Lyndie Greenwood.

The box set doesn’t just give you the episodes in clean form – there are some very revealing commentaries on first and last episodes (do not listen to them until after you’ve seen the episodes though – they’re spoiler-filled!); a documentary on the layering of the clues leading to the finale; the usual bloopers and deleted scenes; and – only on Sleepy Hollow – a short piece on the Horseman’s Head!

If you’ve not caught the series previously, then it’s well worth seeking out – with, from all accounts, series 2 living up to the promise of the first.

Verdict: A surprise hit that combines the fish out of water premise with some well-thought through horror and a suitable leavening of humour. 8/10

Paul Simpson

Click here to order Sleepy Hollow: Season 1 from Amazon.co.uk