Sleepy Hollow: Canceled After Four Seasons
Carissa Pavlica
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Ichabod Crane's ride is finally over on Fox.
Perhaps he can finally get some much needed rest.
After four seasons, the loss of a lead and banishment to Friday nights, Sleepy Hollow has been canceled at Fox.
Sleepy was a surprise hit in the fall of 2013 and the duo of Nicole Beharie and Tom Mison set the airwaves on fire.
But the series didn't seem to have the story power to maintain audience attention and the second season wasn't nearly as hot as the first.
Beharie's character, Abbie Mills, wasn't utilized to her full potential in light of the overwhelming fan appreciation of Mison's Ichabod, either.
Fans and Beharie herself began to get concerned.
There was also a constant influx of new characters in an attempt to spark the old flame when the kindling was already there but not igniting.
Still, the show had great name recognition and international interest, so it was renewed for a third season even though everyone expected otherwise.
The biggest surprise was killing off Abbie in the Season 3 finale after previous fake-out deaths.
This time it was permanent, and she'd not be making her return.
That inflamed fans, but gave others hope that maybe things would settle down and the ratings would begin to rise again.
Unfortunately, the show had already been sent to Friday nights.
Although Fridays are a night for genre programming, viewers weren't prepared to take another chance on a show they'd already given up.
The ratings languished, but Sleepy Hollow Season 4 was still a go.
When asked about the show in January, Fox Chairman admitted that airing a series on Fridays was tough, but added, “We love the show, we think the storytelling has always been incredibly inventive, and Ichabod is fantastic.”
The heavy bubble under Sleepy Hollow has now burst.
Co-Creator Phillip Iscove shared a series Tweets after receiving the news with this heartfelt message:
It's a sad day but in the end #SleepyHollow was an absolute dream for me...
From the bottom of my heart, thank you to every actor, writer, director, producer and incredible crew on all their endless hard work.
But it's the fans that made the show truly come alive and to them I owe the biggest debt. Thank you so much! I love all the #Sleepyheads!!
What do you think of the news out of Fox today? Are you surprised they canceled Sleepy Hollow, Rosewood and Pitch so far?
What else are you worried about?
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.
