Courtesy of FOX
‘What Lies Beneath’ offers a holographic Thomas Jefferson (Steven Weber) and flesh-eating zombie sentries. Why not?
Let’s bitch it out…
Unsurprisingly, this week we’re back in the tunnels (I mean, honestly, that set pays for itself). Abbie (Nicole Beharie) and Crane (Tom Mison) get called to the scene when three surveyors disappear underground. Our team discovers the world’s fanciest manhole cover ever, which, using some survey equipment, the team discovers has a shrine underneath. According to Crane, only one person has the skills to build this “fenestella:” Thomas Jefferson, who was at one time Crane’s BFF (as all revolutionary heroes are). Fenestella: named after a Roman historian. The more you know. Or the more Wikipedia knows…
Unfortunately, zombie sentries (who captured the surveyors for food) surround the fenestella, making the rescue mission difficult. When our team heads down, they discover…stay with me now…a hologram of Thomas Jefferson, who built the fenestella and preserved his own soul with “a combination of science and magic” (groan). The fenestella is filled with books designed to help our witnesses defeat evil. Apparently Jefferson has been planning this for hundreds of years. Talk about preparing for the long game in the fight against evil. (Seriously, there has to be an easier, less convoluted way to support the fight than the manner in which our revolutionary ancestors went about it.)
In the end, Jefferson’s work seriously does not pay off. Abbie and Crane realize that the zombies cannot be destroyed without destroying the entire fenestella, and if they don’t destroy them, then they are sacrificing the current hostages and all future adventurers that come poking about. They choose the life of a few Americans over the resources to end evil (not sure how good those books are, but there is a much deeper philosophical debate here about saving individuals or saving all of mankind).
Meanwhile, Frank (Orlando Jones) convinces Jennie (Lyndie Greenwood) to help him break into the police station evidence lock up to “retrieve his wedding band.” Thankfully Jennie is no fool. She plays along as his lookout to figure out what he’s really up to, which turns out to be stealing the Hellfire Club bank account information. You see (stay with me here), Frank found a temporary “soul stealing blocker” that he burned into his hand. This allows him to be free of Henry’s influence for the time being. Before the rune wears off and he succumbs to evil, he wants to make sure his family is taken care of through evil club money. I guess we all have to apologize to Katrina (Katia Winter). When she gave Frank a magical physical, she didn’t lie about him being under Henry’s control; the rune masked it.
Other Observations:
- With about 2 minutes left of the episode, we’re all thinking it: “phew, thank you for an entire hour free of Katrina.” Well, my friends, we collectively spoke too soon. Katrina “dreams” about Henry, and that dream turns out to be all too real when she wakes up to a cut hand and black roses. If the previews tell us anything, girlfriend will be getting into some dark magic soon enough
- This episode introduces us to a new character: Calvin Riggs (Sharif Atkins). He arrives on the scene as a brother of one of the captured surveyors. Calvin is also a famous war correspondent who is intrigued by what’s going on in Sleepy Hollow. There’s some promising feisty chemistry and begrudging respect between him and Abbie. I’m sold on wanting to see him in the future.
- How does the hologram of Thomas Jefferson pick up books? We need to know!
- What has the Headless Horseman been up to the past few months?
- “With everything that’s happened, I can’t help but feel like we’re fighting evil without an end game.” Us too, Abbie. Us too.
Best Line:
- Crane (on his relationship with Jefferson): “To use common vernacular, Jefferson ‘unfriended’ me.”
What did you think of ‘What Lies Beneath’? Are you surprised about Irving’s current condition? Are you ready to see Katrina in all of her dark magic glory? Are you ready to see Katrina at all? Sound off below!
Sleepy Hollow airs Mondays at 9pm EST on FOX