Just what we need. **mushroom sigh.**

[ladybug_archive]

So a few weeks ago I was on YouTube and somehow ended up seeing a trailer for Fox's new Sleepy Hollow series (probably as an ad before something I was watching). And ... I actually thought it looked intriguing. I thought maybe I'd want to check it out.

So now the series is out and I've looked up some more stuff on it. And I am most unimpressed to discover that it gets into apocalyptic stuff. The Horseman is supposed to be one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, blah blah blah.

Seriously, why can't it just be a nice creepy ghost story about a restless spirit still haunting modern-day Sleepy Hollow? That's what I thought it would be when I saw the trailer.

I get so tired of all these shows that decide apocalyptic storylines are the way to go. The X-Files, Millennium, the 2005 Kolchak remake.... And the list goes on and on, yadda yadda yadda.

I saw one reviewer pleased with the show and recommending it as a fantasy show for people who want something other than fairy-taleish stuff.

How about something for people who really thought the series would be a retelling instead of a re-envisioning? I thought a modern-day version of the story could be fun. Throwing the Apocalypse in there ... pretty much ruins it for me.

That, and well, of course if the Horseman's attacks on people are depicted graphically, that would finish it for me even if they weren't doing apocalyptic stuff. I don't know how graphic the attacks are and I don't have any desire to know, particularly since I am assuming the attacks would involve one of the methods of death I abhor more than most others.

Comments

[rose-of-pollux.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I wasn't bothered enough to even check it out with the whole post-apocalypse thing.

(Not that I have enough time to devote to another show, anyway...)

And yeah, I imagine the Horseman's attacks would be... involving that. Ugh.

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

I probably might have tried to see it at least once, if not for that.

Blech.

I am admittedly curious about the angle of Ichabod Crane time-traveling to the present day and seeing how he deals with that. (It could give me some ideas for my own stories.) But I'm not too impressed with the storyline of trying to prevent the Apocalypse both in George Washington's day and in the current time.

[yamsteapot.livejournal.com]

I've yet to actually watch Sleepy Hollow, but several of my friends seemed to like it, but they also like darker things in general.

I think apocalyptic stories right now (and over the last five years or so) have been particularly popular since so many things have been uncertain and people are so consumed with the idea that everything could collapse at a moment's notice. Similarly, I remember an article that talked about why zombies have become so popular—the audience's need to be afraid, and find new things to be afraid of. With both zombies and the apocalypse, there's the loss of everything and humans being tested to the limits, losing family, family/friends turning on you. The loss of humanity in general.

I admittedly didn't get a retelling out of the trailer, though I also don't remember much from it. It got something a little more sinister and mildly The Village-esque. It does make me wonder how long an updated Sleepy Hollow could sustain itself. I can imagine a mini series, but not really a multi-season thing unless there was a lot of time jumping and something in the form of Once Upon A Time.

Maybe you should write one yourself!

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that makes sense. Me, I'm fed up with it because I don't care for those types of themes and I have enough real worries without getting freaked out over imaginings of the Apocalypse (a topic I find highly depressing to begin with).

I wondered myself how they could stretch it into a series, if it had really been like the book. The people themselves seem to have described it as a retelling, although I would definitely say it's a re-envisioning instead.

Possibly! Although considering the Horseman, I ... rather doubt I would be comfortable writing any such thing.

I could certainly write something about a restless spirit terrorizing a town, though! Hmmm. Perhaps I'll write something similar to Sleepy Hollow, only where the spirit is in possession of all body parts. (Or maybe missing something like an arm.... Yeah....)

[yamsteapot.livejournal.com]

It really is hard to find lighter stuff. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact people use such sad and depressing things as a method of catharsis. (I remember an article a while back that talked about using depressing books as catharsis and dealing with depression.)

Though on Netflix I just finished watching the first season of Derek and I'm left with so many good feels my heart could burst. That may be why I also tend to turn to a lot of stand-up comedy—to get away from the overly heavy plots. Anything else that's light(er) is often rather daft, in my opinion.

Go classic cartoon Horseman. Give him a pumpkin head (or it could be pumpkin head mask. Scooby Doo styles).

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

That's true. I myself usually find sad songs more helpful when I'm upset. Happy songs just tend to make me want to scream if I'm already upset. LOL.

I am unfamiliar with Derek. But that's great that there's so many good feels with it!

Stand-up comics definitely have a treasure trove of material.

LOL. Maybe so! That could be amusing.

[moonshadowmagic.livejournal.com]

H'm... does it rip off Tim Burton's movie (which had the nice touch of making shots of the village look just like in the Disney version, except for being really dark and creepy. But it lacked Bing Crosby.) Or does it really go off on its own?

I was there once. Sleepy Hollow is now a restored Dutch colonial era village/ museum, doubtless thanks to Washington Irving, who may want his name removed from the credits.

The 'fairy tale' comment-- is that perchance a slam at Once Upon a Time? Does it imply that fairy tales are sweetness and light? Has that person ever heard of the Brothers Grimm (or Princess Tutu?!) Or for that matter, Washington Irving?

Anyways. I have to agree re: prophecies and apocalypses and stuff. It works once or twice, but after Lord of the Rings (the books!) and the Revelation (not yet entirely fulfilled) most other things really start to look contrived... because they are. The X- Files worked soo much better before they got mired in that over- complicated aliens- and- their- politics plot. (Btw, see H.P. Lovecraft, 'The Whisperer in Darkness.' See if anything feels familiar.)

Oh, and one other thing:

Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
God bless you and keep you
Another year through!

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

I have no idea. I haven't seen Tim Burton's movie, either (although I was kind of curious about it, too).

I researched the town when I used it in a fic several years ago. It looked like a really fascinating little place.

It was a slam at Once Upon a Time. I think the person was aware of the darkness of that series, but just was tired of fairy tale characters regardless. It was a review on IMDB.com, the Featured one on the Sleepy Hollow page when I was there, but maybe they're showing a different Featured one now.

Yep, contrived and really dang depressing. On The X-Files, I really enjoyed the Mytharc before it started contradicting itself all over the place. It certainly did end up as a mess!

And thank you! :)

[moonshadowmagic.livejournal.com]

Being Tim Burton's, there is blood, witchcraft, goings- on and shenanigans, Johnny Depp, violence and gore. Disney certainly kept to the original story most closely (and had Bing Crosby.)

I.e., I'm not sorry I saw Burton's, but I do not seek it out either-- I'd find the book.

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

Yep, that sounds like a Tim Burton formula, alright.

I had to read the story for school, although it was a version that cut out some of the long monologuing/descriptions, so I still need to technically find the unabridged.

Happy birthday, by the way? Three days is not as late as usual!

[northeastwind.livejournal.com]

I totally understand not being very enthused about the Apocalypse part of the show-- even if you're not bothered by that, they kind of got the order of the Horsemen wrong, among other things. Also Crane thinks he and the female lead are the two witnesses from Revelations, which may or may not sit right with some people (she is unimpressed, lol). I had Assassin's Creed for the Apocalypse, guys.

I've only seen the second and third episode-- according to my sister, there's a moment in the first episode where you kinda wonder if they can show that sort of violence on TV, but my (limited! I don't pay attention!) experience has been that it's not graphic enough to be offputting on its own without jumpscares (...which there are).

Definitely one moment in the second episode, though. Not a violent one, but... eeuugh I had to look away. Beware of morgue scenes >>

Also, I haven't seen the horseman yet. I think he's only in the first episode-- the second and third episodes deal with a witch and a Sandman demon thing, respectively. Seems to be a Monster of the Week sort of deal.

Its saving graces include:

-"Get off the horse and put your hands on your.... oh."
-Apparently the horseman in general either has the best sense of humor or is trying and failing to be intimidating.
-Black female lead. Who spends most of her time rescuing Crane instead of the other way around.
-The beginning of the second episode has a fun "Crane adjusting to modern life" montage! In all, those scenes are really fun.
-The show is completely aware that it has the most ridiculous plot ever and tries its very best to be funny instead of depressing.
-...The main character *__* I love her so far.

The fourth episode airs tomorrow, so I will watch that and get back to you. I can totally understand being disappointed, though, as I would rather have a Halloween-style Haunted Town sort of TV show instead of the whole world being at stake etc. I think it's fun, but three episodes is too soon to judge...

Re: Happy birthday, by the way? Three days is not as late as usual!

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :)

Huh, Ichabod has some interesting thoughts. That would be odd if they are the witnesses, though.

Thanks for the low-down on what you've seen of it! I figured the violence probably wouldn't sit well with me; Fox's shows usually are more graphic than the other broadcast networks', I think. Although I've heard NBC's Grimm is pretty graphic, too.

LOL. Poor Crane, always needing to be rescued. I'm intrigued by him trying to adjust to the modern world.

Shows that are aware of themselves can definitely be amusing!

And yay, awesome female lead!