Review of HAVEN

HAVEN - episodes 1-4

2010, supernatural, paranormal, mystery, Steven King,

AUDREY PARKER is an respected, workaholic FBI agent. When a killer, JONAS LESTER escapes from prison and goes to his home town of HAVEN, Audrey's boss sends her there to apprehend him. But Jonas turns up dead, thrown off of a cliff by some powerful, mysterious force. Audrey forms a somewhat uneasy alliance, with NATHAN WOURNOS a local cop who suffers from an inability to feel pain (and is thus subject to multiple injuries, though Nathan himself seems healthy.) The two investigate Jonas' death. Various suspects are checked and exonerated. One in particular, DUKE CROCKER, is a quirky character for whom Nathan has an intense, unexplained dislike, but at one point he saves Audrey's life, so he can't be the bad guy.

Throughout the episode, strange happenings are noted. Audrey is almost killed by a sudden earthquake and is struck by lightning during an unexpected hailstorm. One of the suspects in Jonas' death disappears in a mysterious fog. Audrey, an orphan, finds an old newspaper with a picture of the COLORADO KID, a woman who looks suspiciously like Audrey and who might be her mother. Mention is made of an era in the town's history called THE TROUBLES, which the suggestion that these troubles might have returned.

Hey - something paranormal has to be going on.  Right?

In each of the first four chapters, Audrey and Nathan investigate and resolve a violent supernatural incident provoked by someone who didn't know (at least at first) that they were responsible, and Duke is usually involved in the investigation.  Small clues are dropped as to Audrey's unknown past, the nature of the 'troubles' plaguing the town, and the antagonism between Duke and Nathan, but these take up only a few minutes.

In short, the episodes are predictable.

Nathan's inability to feel pain is an interesting characteristic, but the writers haven't done anything with it, so I wonder why they throw it in. Likewise Audrey's workaholism.

 

The series was inspired by a story, The Colorado Kid, by Steven King. The first installment is the best because you don't know what's going on. Afterwards, it's too much repetition of the same basic theme to keep your interest. I rate it +++.  It will get your pulse up to a jog.

Review of THE KILLING

THE KILLING – Episodes 1-4

Murder, mystery, suspense, emotions, pathos, 2011

SARA LINDEN is an experienced, coolheaded, homicide detective who is just about to move to California with her teenage son, JACK, to marry her fiancée, RICK FELDER. However, just before leaving the office to catch the plane, her boss, MICHAEL OAKES, tells her to check out a bloody sweater found in a nearby park. After all, she is still on the department's dime.

STEPHEN HOLDER, an undercover vice and narc cop, was supposed to take Sara's place, but since she has not yet left, he's her underling. He's scruffy, hotheaded and looks like a sleaze. At one point he offers teenage girls a hit of weed, but later we learn it's fake marijuana from his days as a narc. He's a good investigator, but seems to have secrets.

In addition to the bloody clothing, Sara and Stephen find a credit card belonging to STAN LARSON and his wife, MITCH. It turns out their daughter, ROSIE, is missing. Her body is soon found in the trunk of a car at the bottom of a lake. The car was recently stolen from the campaign of mayoral candidate and apparently good guy (but who knows with politicians), DARRON RITCHMOND, who suddenly finds himself sinking in the polls. 

Out of this mélange comes several themes.  First is Sara. No surprise that she misses her plane to join Rick, and the one after that, and the one after that. She has to manage his impatience and her son’s teenage resentment while trying to find Rosie’s killer. Next are Rosie’s parents.  Unlike most murder stories, we see the devastation this has caused as they shop for a casket, plan the funeral service, and in general try to survive this horrible loss. Meanwhile, Darron fights to unseat his rival, LESLEY ADAMS because Darron honestly considers Adams a crook.

Several suspects are brought to light – usually near the end of an episode – only to have their innocence shown in the next episode. This is an obvious hook, but it works, at least for a while. The series shows the emotions and feelings of the different characters in great detail.  Let’s face it – it’s a detective chick flick. Women in particular should find it helpful for their workouts, though it can indeed hold interest for men as well. I give it +++.  It will get your pulse up to a jog and, at the same time, make you want to know how the characters will fare, and also who the killer really is.