SLEEPY HOLLOW Returns, But What Can Fans Expect From Another Soft Reboot?

Ichabod crane is all of us in Sleepy Hollow's Season 4 premiere (ie. a bit sad and lost without Nicole Beharie's Abbie Mills).

The new season, comprising 13 episodes, kicks off on January 6th, but is it the show's final curtain call? Speaking at an Upfront press call back in may,  FOX boss Dana Walden commented “We are not announcing a final season. We are not sure if it’s a final season.”

Clearly the Network is testing the waters with these new episodes, an unsurprising move given the strong fan backlash following Beharie's departure from the show earlier this year. Will fans continue to tune in to a show minus its co-lead? Will Ichabod vanquish the forces of evil or will Abbie's death prove one tribulation too many?

Much may depend on how familiar (or different) the format looks and feels to fans this season.  With the additional exits of  Zach Appleman and Nikki Reed, accompanied by season 3's villains Shannyn Sossamon and Peter Mensah, a soft reboot was necessary, if only to give Ichabod someone to talk to this Winter.

What does this reboot mean for the theme and tone of show and its characters going forward? Let's break down what's different vs what remains the same.