Sleepy Hollow’s Tom Mison Previews Death & Discord Ahead

Sleepy Hollow is powering its way towards a season two finale in February, and it’s one that will bring some surprises for its viewers.

We sat down with Sleepy Hollow Star Tom Mison to preview the season ahead. What’s ahead for Team Witness? Who’s back and looking for blood? What revelation will affect the Cranes and who is about to die and stay dead?

Full highlights from our call follow below:

On FOX’s decision to make the show less serialized

Tom Mison: I rather welcome that change. Every writer comes to set with their episodes. When we sit around and have a drink after work and discuss ideas there so many amazing ones for the stand alone episodes. To give that format to that group of writers, I have absolutely faith that it won’t become the dreaded monster of the week. It will be much fuller than that. We get so many great ideas from them that we could probably easily fill another season with just what they’ve got now, let alone that they’ll have in the next few months. Within that, we can keep exploring character rather than having to stick to following certain character arcs through so many episodes, when the next writer might have a specific story that they want to tell, but have to stick to something from before. I think it’s a welcome change.

Can you tease any upcoming storylines?

Tom Mison: Over the rest of this season there are very strong episodes. One big change is that up until now … well you know the way when somebody dies on Sleepy Hollow, you can safely expect they’ll be back. But for the rest of this season the danger returns and there’s death coming that is more permanent. I wish I could tell you more but there will be a massive spoiler claxon and I’ll have my hands cut off.

What can you tease about the Finale?

Tom Mison: Brace yourselves! I will say something and it won’t be a big spoiler. There’s not going to be the cliffhanger type ending of season one. We’re not going to repeat that. Instead there is such a level of finality that it’s rather shocking. That will again change everything. It’s an exciting way to end the season.

What were your thoughts on learning you would have Karoke scene in an upcoming episode?

Tom Mison: [laughing] I smacked myself about the face because that was something I joked about a long time ago with Heather Regnier who wrote this next episode. And she called my bluff and actually wrote it in. So I cursed myself. I cursed Heather Regnier and got to picking out what I thought would be a decent song for Ichabod. She allowed me to choose which was kind of her.

What’s your take on fandom discord?

Tom Mison: People are really invested in the show, which is excellent news. The promising thing about the group of people who create the show is that they’ve been listening. We’re aware of what’s been popular on the show, and what’s less popular. It’s very difficult to ignore it. We have very vocal fanbase, which I’m particularly grateful for. So I think it’s rather promising that people say what they’re unhappy too, and it’s being listened to. We’ve got 18 episodes this season and it keeps the creative process a little more – and I hate this word – organic. It means it’s always changing. They can try something and see if it sticks. It’s the tricky second album, y’know. You try something and if it sticks you can roll with it. If it’s less popular you twist it. I think that’s a very positive way to react to the Criticsphere.

Katrina and Ichabod’s relationship has been up and down lately. Where are they now? What can you tease about their journey over the remainder of the season?

Tom Mison: It’s quite nice to have their relationship be so layered, and particularly for it not to be an easy ride. There are lots of things to criticize about every character in the show and their attitudes towards the Crane dilemma. It’s easy to criticize Katrina and Ichabod. Is there a way for them to survive in the modern world? Probably not. They’ve tried their best. They’ve been going back and forth. But it does reach a rather interesting point very soon. There will be some revelations that affect the relationship in quite a large way.

Henry has been MIA in recent episodes. What can you tease about how he gets woven back into the storyline again, and Ichabod’s reaction to same?

Tom Mison: Being MIA has given Henry time to digest, and plan his next move, so when he does come back he comes back with a bang. He’s not going to muck about anymore. He’s not going to accept the “I’m your father. I’m your mother” thing anymore. He’s back and he wants blood.

This season has explored a lot on family and reconcilliation. The Mills family were reconcilled beyond death. Are the Cranes going to be a counterpoint to that theme?

Tom Mison: [jokingly] The Cranes are doomed! They were doomed from the start! They’re out of odds with each other. They’re out of odds with their time and out of odds with how they plan to spend their time. They were always doomed, from the moment Ichabod came out of the ground and Katrina came out of Purgatory and Henry was the Horseman of War. I think, particualrly in this latter half of the season, you’ll start to see that snowball.

Did you always want to be an actor?

Tom Mison: When I was young I wanted to work in a zoo.  I remember going to a zoo and seeing some horrible kid feed the penguins, and I wanted to feed the penguins but I wasn’t allowed. So I thought, I’m going to work in my own zoo and feed the bloody penguins every day. Then I realised how hard it is to work in a zoo and said no, I’m going to flounce about on the stage instead. The zoo thing was purely out of bitterness. I decided to follow a more positive career choice.

Abbie and Ichabod have amazing chemistry. Does that stem from your working relationship with Nicole Beharie?

Tom Mison: It’s such a joy. It’s so nice when you’re part of a pair who rely on each other so much – Nicole and Tom as much as Ichabod and Abbie. When you’re working together over 8 months, you’re going to have days where you come in feeling under the weather and you’re struggling. It’s so nice to have someone on the other side raising your game all the time, and I hope she feels the same about me. It’s fun to play with Nicole. We throw ideas in. We seem to agree on everything, which is very very fortunate. We both come from a background where the scene is more important than the individual actors who are both striving to get the best out of a scene rather than show ourselves off, and I think that’s where the magic lies, in both trying to tell a story and coming at it from the same direction. It’s a real treat. It’s a real joy.

Sleepy Hollow continues Mondays on FOX.