Haven is an American-Canadian supernatural drama television series loosely based on the Stephen King novel The Colorado Kid (2005). The show, which deals with strange events in a fictional town in Maine named Haven, is filmed on the South Shore of Nova Scotia, Canada, and is an American/Canadian co-production. It stars Emily Rose, Lucas Bryant, Nicholas Campbell and Eric Balfour, whose characters struggle to help townspeople with supernatural afflictions and protect the town from the effects of those afflictions. The show is the creation of writers Jim Dunn and Sam Ernst.
The one-hour drama premiered on July 9, 2010, on Syfy, and concluded on December 17, 2015. On January 28, 2014, the show was renewed for a split 26-episode fifth season. The first half aired in 2014, while the second half aired in the last quarter of 2015. In August 2015, Syfy cancelled the series after five seasons.
Maps, Directions, and Place Reviews
Premise
When FBI Special Agent Audrey Parker (Emily Rose) is dispatched to the small town of Haven, Maine, on a routine case, she soon finds herself increasingly involved in the return of "The Troubles", a plague of supernatural afflictions that have occurred in the town at least twice before. With an openness to the possibility of the paranormal, she also finds a more personal link in Haven that may lead her to the mother she has never known.
Over time, Parker, who has quit the FBI to join the Haven Police Department, begins to realize that her arrival in Haven may have been pre-arranged and that her name and even her memories may not be her own. As the series progresses, she learns more about the mysteries of both Haven and her true identity.
She and her partner, police detective Nathan Wuornos (Lucas Bryant), find themselves frequently facing problems caused by both the effects of the Troubles, as well as the activities of town folk who take more drastic measures against those who are Troubled.
Cast and characters
Main
- Emily Rose as Audrey Parker
- Lucas Bryant as Nathan Wuornos
- Nicholas Campbell as Garland Wuornos (season 1; guest seasons 2-3)
- Eric Balfour as Duke Crocker
Recurring
Development and production
Haven was originally developed for ABC Television in 2007 by writers Sam Ernst and Jim Dunn, with production company Piller Segan.
In September 2009, E1 Entertainment announced it was working with Stephen King to develop a television series based on his novel The Colorado Kid (2005). The entertainment company ordered the concept straight to series, with thirteen episodes planned. In November, Syfy announced it had acquired the series.
Sam Ernst and Jim Dunn wrote the pilot episode. In February 2010, Emily Rose was cast in the lead role of Audrey Parker. Eric Balfour and Lucas Bryant came on board in late March. Canadian broadcaster Canwest Global Communications acquired rights to the series in March as well.
In April 2010, Adam Kane signed on to direct the pilot. Production began April 20 in Halifax, Nova Scotia and surrounding areas. Filming occurred primarily in Chester, Nova Scotia (including using the local arena as a studio) and throughout the south shore of the Canadian province, including Lunenburg, Halifax, and Mahone Bay.
The series premiere, "Welcome to Haven", aired on Syfy in the U.S. on July 9, 2010, and on Showcase in Canada on July 12. The show became available to other international markets in October 2010.
Episodes
The one-hour drama premiered on July 9, 2010, on Syfy. The series was the first property to be produced for Syfy Pay channels around the globe, excluding Canada and Scandinavia. On October 12, 2011, it was renewed for a third 13-episode season, which began airing on September 21, 2012. On November 9, 2012, it was renewed for a fourth 13-episode season. On January 28, 2014, the show was renewed for a split 26-episode fifth season. The first half aired in 2014 with the second half airing in 2015.
Reception
Haven premiered to mixed reviews from critics, with its first season attaining a metascore of 53 (out of 100) according to review aggregator Metacritic. The Miami Herald's Glenn Garvin found it "quite successful" as a "narrative of eccentric, slightly damaged yet ultimately warm characters", while USA Today's Robert Bianco called it a "ludicrously see-through supernatural crime drama that wastes a perfectly fine performance from Emily Rose".
References to other works
Allusions to the written works of author Stephen King are made in the series regularly; the series itself is based upon King's novella The Colorado Kid (2005). On Syfy.com's Haven website, many of these references are pointed out as they occur in each episode. For example, Derry and the eponymous Haven are both fictional towns in Maine previously used in the author's stories. Other references abound: one of the main characters receives a copy of a novel written by a character from King's novel, Misery (1987), while another character has just been released from Shawshank Prison. In some cases the plot of an episode revolves around an idea from King's works: a character who has precognitive, psychometric visions after touching people or things; or plants that start killing people. Many other, less noticeable, references occur in the form of street names, characters, and scenes reminiscent of either books by King or films based upon said works.
Syfy notes, "It is a particular favorite Stephen King book for the Haven writers and producers". For example, in "A Tale of Two Audreys", a little boy in a yellow rain slicker is seen outside the church chasing a newspaper boat that he has set in the stream in the gutter. He chases until it falls down into a stormdrain on Witcham Street. He then sticks his right arm down into the drain and screams. The scene can be found in the opening chapter of the 1986 book. Also derived from It, the episode "Fear and Loathing" revolves around a troubled person who (unwillingly) takes the form of a person's worst fear, and in one instance appears as a clown, a visual allusion to Pennywise of the film version of It (1990). Also during season 3 Vince and Dave reveal that the 'Troubles' return every 27 years - just like the monster from It. In the opening sequence, there is reference to "the most Revered Flagg" (Flagg being the antagonist from The Stand (1978)).
Home media releases
DVD
Blu-ray
In Region A, Entertainment One released the first season on Blu-ray on June 14, 2011, and the second season on September 4, 2012, and in Region B, the first season was released on September 14, 2011.
Broadcast
Haven has been sold for broadcast in several countries worldwide, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Syndication
Chiller acquired the rights to air Haven in June 2013. It premiered on Sunday, July 14, 2013, at 8pm ET, and aired four episodes every Sunday thereafter.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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