Fix: Stephen King-Inspired, Sometimes Spooky Paranormal Suspense, Slow-Burn Romance
Platforms: Roku, VIX
Netflix Summary:
Residents of Haven, Maine, are plagued by supernatural afflictions. To reveal the truth, FBI agent Audrey Parker must delve into her own strange past.
FYA Summary:
FBI agent Audrey Parker travels to a small town in Maine known for strange occurrences and general weirdness. She’s supposed to be investigating the occurrences—and the people who live in the town—but she soon becomes invested in the town … and realizes that fate might have led her there for more than just her job.
Familiar Faces:
Emily Rose as Audrey Parker
I didn’t know Rose from anything prior to watching this show, but she’d been in quite a few things before shooting Haven. I can’t really compare the role of Audrey to any of her others, and the character is honestly a bit boring for the first season, but as we learn more about Haven—and Audrey—Rose gets to use some of her skills playing something other than “generic white cop lady.” (Also, I spoke with Rose at an ATX Festival a couple of years ago, and she was lovely and gracious when I told her how much I liked Haven.)
Eric Balfour as Duke Crocker
Duke’s the kind of guy who first comes across as totally smarmy and honestly a bit creepy, and Balfour’s played many of this type of character in his career. Thankfully, Duke—like Audrey—wasn’t just a stereotype. (At least, eventually.) It was really fun to watch his character grow into a likeable and deserving person over the show’s five seasons.
Adam Copeland as Dwight Hendrickson
I’m a big fan of wrestlers turned serious actors, and was pleasantly surprised at how well Edge (Copeland’s wrestling name, if you didn’t know) did in the role of Dwight. He’s a bit of a “scary man with a heart of gold”-type character, but Edge brings a sweetness to the role that is truly believable.
I’m just now realizing that this show was FILLED with stereotypical characters who eventually broke out of their molds.
Also: Guest stars over the course of the show’s five seasons included Jason Priestley, William Shatner and Claudia Black.
Couch-Sharing Capability: Binge Buddies
Watching 78 episodes is a lot to ask of your friends and/or family, so I’d recommend breaking the series down into smaller, bingeable blocks. If your friends are into a thoughtful and sometimes thought-provoking show with a really great cast of characters and a really great slow-burn love story (spoiler alert: there’s a bit of a love triangle), by all means, ask them to join you. Just maybe tell them that they have to go (to their own) home at regular intervals.
Recommended Level of Inebriation: Low
Although Haven isn’t the most complex of suspense TV, it can still be quite twisty, and there are plot threads and foreshadowing that begin in the first few episodes that aren’t resolved until the final season. It would be a shame to miss out on the fun of trying to follow along with a level head, so I can’t recommend bingeing while bingeing with this one.
Use of Your Streaming Subscription: Catch Up
Haven first aired on the SyFy channel, but if you missed out while it was airing on the reg, now’s a great opportunity to check out this underrated show. And since the series is complete, you can speed through the numerous cliffhangers, lingering mysteries, and painfully slow-burn romance that those of us who watched from the beginning had to suffer through, like the plebs we were. (That makes it sound like I didn’t enjoy the experience, which is incorrect. But there are always certain things it would be nice to move more quickly through, even with your most favorite of shows. And I am a pretty dang impatient person by nature.)
