Haven Season 5B Premiere Review: Cleaning Up the Mess
Carissa Pavlica
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What?
That's a pretty logical reaction to being told about the Troubles for the first time, and it's exactly what one police officer asked after being given the scoop on Haven Season 5 Episode 14. He also wound up being one of the kind ones, as things went downhill fast in the premiere in an us against them scenario.
It's been a long time coming, the second half of Haven Season 5. It's also the end. Will it be given the opportunity to wrap up in a satisfying manner? Will we finally discover who killed The Colorado Kid? Well, so far, things are pretty intense.
Yes, a television review isn't about me, but to be perfectly honest, I could not remember why Audrey thought that the Barn would cure all of the Troubles if Audrey killed her one true love.
Somewhere it's in the back of my mind rustling around, but it made so little sense in the overall scheme of things why – as part of Mara's punishment – killing Nathan would cure the troubles that I lost it.
Nonetheless, it turns out that wasn't the plan after all. Whoops. Charlotte gets points for not pulling that punch. If Audrey had fallen prey to killing Nathan, all the Troubled would have been killed when a pulse was emitted from the Barn. It seems crass, when just as easily it could have emitted a mind-wiping cure, but there you go.
If Charlotte had a cure, things would end right away. She's reluctant to do that, though, even though part way into Haven Season 5 Episode 15 Audrey was pretty sure Charlotte figured out how. And she did, but that just snowballed, causing yet another eventual problem. There is always a roadblock to curing the Troubles.
Curing the Troubles has always been important, but even more after what Mara did to Duke, setting new Troubles upon so many unwitting people unable to handle them. In hindsight, it might not have been the best idea to keep the truth about the town hidden for so long after all. The people didn't take it well, being Troubled and learning about them in such short order.
Even so, revealing the Troubles to the police force was a long time coming, and it felt like a weight off of all of our shoulders. That part of the story made sense. There was another line that fell flat.
Duke would not cut and run. Not the Duke we've come to know over five seasons. Unless something happened to him during the Troubles expulsion, then it was a plot contrivance that wasn't needed. The whole thing would have worked just as well with him there to help his friends, but unable to really do anything because, really, what could he do?
What's unfortunate, is Duke's "out in the world" story kind opened up the Troubles to a far wider arc. The Troubles are outside of Haven. Will there be adequate time to explore all of that or will it turn out to be something that dissipates when duke makes his way back to Haven? If not for the previews, I would have thought he might not make it back so easily. That would have been a neat twist. Hopefully we'll have answers before it's all over.
Seeing Audrey and Nathan together and happy was wonderful, but of course, something had to go wrong on his mission when he went off book to secure aether to cure the Troubles. Their happiness is never long-lasting. It does make one wonder if, like those on Castle, the writers are just unsure of their abilities to write a happy romantic relationship. Nathan will be on trial for Kira's death on Haven Season 5 Episode 16, so happiness is a stretch away!
The first hour was certainly the more sold of the two, and would have worked far better on its own to get the juices flowing in anticipation for the remainder of the season. However, Syfy is blowing through these older shows in such a way that gets them off the air as soon as possible. At least it's airing!
Here's hoping all the talk of Croatoan comes together and means something and the death of The Colorado Kid is solved. Maybe we'll even get to see Emily Rose pull double duty again for what really happened back then. And can poor Dave discover exactly what it means to be a halfling?
It's hard to believe the Troubles will be solved, but at least some closure is in order. We've been so much with these characters and this story, we just really want answers before we say goodbye.
Am I right? Hit the comments! What are you hoping to see before it all ends? Do you think they're on the right path?
If you're a little out of sorts, you can watch Haven online for a refresher.
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.
