Round Two: Haven

Haven: Season 1, Episode 2 “Butterfly” (B)

In week two, we’re now two for two on bad guys with mysterious abilities who are actually good (and may not even know about their powers) in addition to a false positive early on initially pegging the wrong family member or spouse as the one with the abilities. It’s similar to the frustration that I had occasionally had with “The X-Files” – every once in a while it seemed like it would be appropriate to have some supernatural event explained away by logic instead of the mystical. In any case, this episode isn’t really any better or worse than the premiere last week, presenting another semi-intriguing case that doesn’t pack too many surprises. The priest really gives Haven the same feeling as the “Our Town” episode of “The X-Files” where an entire town didn’t take terribly kindly to intruders. Setting this show in a small town where everyone knows and has a history with each other is definitely an asset, and it’s much more effective than the similar premise in ABC’s short-lived “Happy Town” earlier this year. While this episode certainly doesn’t present anything nearly as intriguing in terms of dreams and their connection to reality as the new film “Inception,” it is interesting that he knows that he’s hurting people and therefore wants to stay awake and keep himself from falling asleep. Even if she doesn’t have the charm of fellow skeptic Mulder, Audrey is much smarter than she looks, able to talk Bobby down during those frantic jump cuts between Bobby’s family and the two agents in the car. Her getting a job offer to permanently stay and find out about her possible mother is a positive plot development, and I like the line that comes close to the end of the episode: “I guess we’re going to find out.”