The finale of a creatively resurgent Season 4 of Sleepy Hollow has been in the books for a month already, but we still might have to wait until the end of next week before we learn the fate of the series.
That last episode brought to a close the Malcolm Dreyfuss storyline, but did leave room for some interesting storytelling if they do get picked up for a fifth season. After all, who could be a bigger bad than the devil himself? The episode's writer, Raven Metzner, was asked by Marisa Roffman at TVInsider about the episode and how it leaves our intrepid team with a satisfying end if it is the series finale, but leaves open the door if the show gets picked up once again.
I think we wanted to make sure we were able to, in a satisfying way, bring Ichabod Crane to a place where he had reached a landmark goal. We had always talked about Crane becoming an American citizen. And the idea that he would finally find both a family and a larger place for himself in the world.
But at the same time, we wanted to complicate that, and messy it up a little bit, because if we were able to come back, we'd have something to look forward to Crane having to figure out. That's where the whole idea of the deal he makes, that puts him in jeopardy. And also, in writing that last scene, we had to write a careful line, because we understand that if the series comes back, that's a real awesome problem. But if it doesn't, I think we all believe and know as Crane says, he will find a way to figure it out.
If that was the last episode of the series, Metzner told EW what he'd like the fans to take away from it.
I hope they look at it as Crane has, which is that he’s come a very long way in the course of the series. He came out of the ground with no one and no idea about how this modern world works and what his place in it would be. He found friends and people who were incredibly important to him. He partnered with Abbie Mills and met her sister and her extended family and friends and over the course of the seasons, he blossomed and learned his place was in the world, in this modern world. By the end of this episode, it was really important to us that regardless of whatever other plot issues might await him, he really has found a place in the world. He’s become an American citizen. He has found a family and created a family around himself that includes pieces of the world he’s known and people who have really mattered to him, and he’s made these new connections in Diana and Molly [Oona Yaffe] and Jake and Alex.
I really hope that fans see that and that they are happy with it and that they feel like his journey has come to a positive place of fruition. I love the character and the world around him, and I really hope it does continue. I think there are many, many, many stories yet to be told. But if not, I hope that everyone knows that Crane is in a really good place. The moment he has with Diana where they’re walking toward us with this determined step — I hope that fans take that with them as a positive moment that either will be built on or is a great place to leave the series.
He also offered a peek behind-the-scenes to TVLine, at a couple of brilliant contributions that Tom made to the episode.
Metzner says star Tom Mison added a few touches to the episode, during the speech at The Vault (“He came in that day and said, ‘Hey, do you mind if I throw in this extra little bit here? He put in this line of poetry that is just so beautiful and so heartfelt.”) and in Crane’s farewell to Lara (“He ran out to me in the middle of shooting and said, ‘I think I want to bow.’ I didn’t want to ask. Tom’s very careful about who Crane bows to, and when.”).
Metzner also posted this wonderful photo, taken during the shoot for the opening scene of the episode.
Whatever the FOX executives decide, we should hear before the upfront presentation to their advertisers on May 15th.
Photo by Tina Rowden/FOX
