Haven: Speak No Evil Review

Haven tonight was something special. While it wasn’t the rollicking one-line-having romp of terror that was the first episode, it still delivered on almost every single front (except the whole Emily Rose-playing-two-people one, but that could just be me). Tonight’s installment used the Barrow family’s Trouble, which was introduced last week in the season’s first episode (the stitching up of the mouths, eyes, and ears of the people who come bearing bad news), as a flawless dramatic and emotional device for two central characters.

We’re only two episodes in and I can’t shake the strong certainty that this is a season about power. Duke and Nathan were joined together to accept the grevous losses they both experienced. When Nathan had to bring Duke the bad news (news that he already knew internally) he risked having the Trouble damage him, so intent was he on helping Duke accept the truth about Jennifer. This wasn’t without a healthy dose of irony given Nathan’s refusal to accept that Audrey, as he knew and loved her, is gone, leaving a destructive monster in her place. Duke can accept reality no matter how harsh, Nathan can’t seem to. This doesn’t drive them apart, it binds them, making their every shifting and evolving relationship.

Power is at play all over Haven. Dwight, stepped up, challenging Vince’s leadership over the guard. Dwight’s argument made a lot of sense. Vince’s feelings for Audrey clouded his judgment and let one of his own come to terrible harm. The dividing lines are being drawn, with Dwight and the guard making it clear that they believe Audrey to be gone forever and that Mara should be forced to undo everything’s she done, and then put down. On the other side of the table, Vince and Nathan refuse to make that sacrifice. It’s a compelling struggle for a season, especially given Nathan’s first peek this season at HIS Audrey who broke through momentarily to tell him that she was still there. The stakes are ridiculously high for all parties involved.

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