It took some time, but the writers found a way for the Abbie-Crane partnership to work. There were kinks along that time, yet they practically forced the relationship between the two main characters because it was necessary. If that primary relationship doesn't work as an anchor for the series, everything collapses around it. Katrina was almost completely absent from this dynamic during that time. This was the reason why I liked the development from last episode of Katrina finally escaping Abraham and Henry's clutches. The possibility that she could complicate the partnership had to be too enticing to pass up.




Judging by the events of this episode, the writers panicked at the first sign of trouble. They could make some chemistry between Ichabod and Katrina (part of that is on the actors too). It looks like there are some struggles to write scenes with Abbie and Katrina. The easiest route would be for Katrina to be an obstacle in the partnership, which would descend the narrative into two women bickering for one man. "Heartless" does touch on that possibility for a little bit of time. Unfortunately, the shifting dynamic between the trio of characters isn't explored to the fullest degree. The writers undo a significant development from a past episode because it looks as if they didn't like the result.


I harp on this point because it weighed on my mind as I was watching the episode. The scenes with the succubus don't have much visceral impact here. She's a man-hunting, man-eating henchwoman who is doing whatever bidding Henry wants within the plot of the episode. She hardly matters. When she hunts for Hawley's heart, it is revealed that he secretly desires Abbie. That comes out of nowhere, and the revelation is especially egregious in light of the fact that Hawley and Jenny had a little something going a few episodes back. Was that all a front? A misdirection made convenient by the fact that Hawley had just conversed with Abbie prior to the succubus targeting him? Hawley's answer to Crane is unclear.




So that leaves the focus on how the dynamic between Abbie, Katrina, and Ichabod will work. Aside from Ichabod and Katrina's differing views on The Bachelor, Katrina demonstrates a good amount of knowledge that seems under-used by our heroes. Abbie is a stubborn, head-strong woman who tries to work with Katrina in figuring out how to stop the succubus, but the show lingers a bit too much on the friction between the two women. It's mainly on an argument that isn't easily solved: Whether or not the Cranes should attempt to save Henry's soul.


The show needs a Big Bad, and in the absence (or arguably, neutering) of the Headless Horseman, Henry is it. The series seems to want to ensure that the audience sees Henry as all-encompassing evil before bringing about the redemption arc. It's just a question of how much time the writers are devoting to Henry being evil. The discussions of whether Henry's soul is worth saving has the plot spinning its wheels.




The writers are left with a return to a situation that wasn't working. Katrina goes back to being a hostage/spy in Henry and Abraham's camp. The twist is that there is now a new vessel for Moloch to be reborn in. Katrina will likely be forced to kill a baby, unless they go with the genre trope of rapid child growth. This episode gives no indication as to the direction of the show's overall plot. Perhaps it's because Henry isn't much of an active threat to Abbie and Crane. It's hard to see where momentum is being built to the endgame. There could have been more development to how the heroes work as a trio instead of a duo. Stalling for time until the next big event doesn't help with anything.