Wash n' Wear; Rock n' Roll; Scratch n' Sniff; Gag n' Puke

[taste_is_sweet]

Sleepy Hollow, Ladies and Gentlemen: a recent debut on the pit of voles Fox network with the winning premise that mixes The X-Files with Supernatural, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and CSI. Ichabod Crane, instead of being a dick, is a warrior-scholar who was BFFs with George Washington, as well as resurrected over 200 years after he croaked while putting the 'Headless' in 'Headless Horseman'. Two requisitely beautiful heroes banter and angst a lot and together they solve crime.

But, there is one major aspect of it (leaving aside the general crazyness) that bugs the hell out of me, and I'm not the only one.

He's trying to breathe, not getting a blow job.

Ichabod never changes his clothes. The same clothes he was buried in.

"The mildew and rot remind me of happier times."

Now, the show's writers and producers are obviously aware of this. Entertainment Weekly even quotes the Executive Producer as saying that "It’s like his security blanket... He can never feel comfortable in our world. The minute he gets comfortable, the show is over." (Because jeans and a fresh shirt = instant acclimatization.)

On the costume-design blog Hello, Tailor, the blogger says:

The show needs to keep him in the 18th century costume for more than a couple of episodes, purely to remind the audience that he’s from the 18th century. It’s a visual cue.

Which makes me glad the SH producers didn't also make The Avengers.

Who the hell are these guys?

Do I buy that? Well, sort-of. I mean, yeah: anyone newly tuning-in will need a bigger clue that Ichabod pulled a Captain America Lazarus than a ponytail and sexy accent. But how many people will start watching the show without knowing what it's about? And sure, while I can buy both that Ichabod is used to wearing the same stuff for weeks on end as well as that he's clinging to the security of his outfit, this is an outfit that he was buried in. In an underground cave, which he then dug himself out of after 200 years. Now, I don't know about you, but I might forgo a bit of familiarity to not smell like a swamp.

It's gotten to the point where Ichabod's outfit is distracting attention from the plot, and I can only imagine how much Lieutenant Abby Mills wants to stand downwind of him. Maybe in a future episode the fungus doubtlessly growing behind his lapels will help repel a demon. Because that outfit's gotta be repelling everyone else.

( All screencaps from Screencapped.Net.)

Comments

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

Hey, in the first episode where we see Ichabod in his motel room he is attempting to clean his shirt.

... No, I've got nothing. *g*

But I still love this silly show.

[debris_k.livejournal.com]

I was saying this all through THE SECOND EP OMG ICHIE JUST GET OUT OF YOUR BURIAL GARB ALREADY. (ALSO, THE BAD WIG, BURRRRRRRN IT.) Reason eleventy why I didn't want to watch the show after that, but due to peer pressure made it through ep 3 only to roll my eyes some more. I keep being reassured that Teen Wolf is still much much worse; since I only lasted 8 minutes by the skin of my teeth of that pilot I am not reassured.

Also, Abby, she who proclaims far and wide that she was supposed to be off to Quantico, yet her major assets are... puppy eyes? o.O Tell me some more how capable you are, dear, just please don't show it, that'd ruin your whole "capable woman" characterization dontcha know. *rolls eyes*

[sgamadison.livejournal.com]

You are killing me here. Oh dear, there goes the slash potential. :D

[reedfem.livejournal.com]

Maybe he'll discover some Renfaire apparel shop and start showing up in what he thinks is high fashion...

However...

[brumeier.livejournal.com]

...in one of the first couple of eps, they do show Ichabod washing his clothes in the hotel sink. And yes, I realize that's not enough to wash the swamp and burial stank off it, but hey...at least they made an attempt. And in this week's ep a bottle of detergent was front and center.

That being said...yes! Please! Get him some new clothes. I'm sure they could even replicate his look with clothes that are new. Or almost new. Certainly newer than the ones he's wearing.

We're smart people. We understand he's from another time. Can we move on and at least have a clean shirt?