Haven (4x08) Crush Review
Nov. 2nd, 2013 04:25 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
azukaTonight's episode of Haven had a slower pace than the rest of the season so far but it was still an enjoyable episode.
If I wasn't already in love with the Duke Crocker character, this episode would have sealed it. Eric Balfour does an amazing job of selling how much pain Duke is in because he was forced to kill his brother and of showing how overwhelmed he is about the sacrifices he's made to date for Nathan, Audrey, Wade, and Jennifer that seem to be in vain. The only person that supports him unconditionally is Jennifer but Duke's mentality at the beginning of the episode saw him pushing her away. Jennifer was willing to uproot her life and begin a new one in Haven just because he asked her too, while Nathan and Audrey remain wrapped up in themselves.
Speaking of Audrey and Nathan, it was weird seeing their roles reversed for once. Usually it's Nathan who is single-minded and oblivious to everything else that going on around him while Audrey is a little more perceptive. But this time Audrey was the one with the blinders on, refusing to see anything else, even Duke's obvious distress, and choosing instead to focus on the newest trouble. And while Nathan was originally oblivious to what was going on with Duke, he eventually realized that his friend wasn't okay. Instead of striking out at Duke in anger, he was compassionate and even went so far as to let Duke know that he is appreciated, something that wouldn't have happened pre-barn.
Nathan even used that new found maturity to change the tone of his plea to be killed not on his on emotional pain and guilt, but on the suffering their actions--or rather inactions--are causing everyone else.
I loved that Jennifer gave Duke crap for kicking her out of the boat. I wish that she would have strung him along a little longer because he totally deserved it but Duke deserves some happiness right now.
Additional thoughts:
I wonder what made Vince question Duke's slip of the tongue versus Lexie's behavior in the previous episode. Vince is not a stupid man and I would think it would be more likely that Duke, who know Audrey before the personality transplant, would 'accidentally' call her the wrong name than I would believe that Nathan is such an amazing detective that she's rapidly picking up his skills.
Does Duke have a lock for the boat? If I were him I'd have a complex if it were that easy for everyone to get on-board. With as enemies as the man has, you'd think he'd at least prop a chair under the door or invest in a lock.
My new theory is the Jennifer is a backup for Audrey in case something happened to her. Since someone had to go in the barn for the troubles to end, it makes since that you'd have someone on reserve just in case something happened to the 'chosen one'. I may be way off but I'd rather Jennifer be her own person instead of finding out that she's related to Audrey in some way. Too many shows seem to use that trope to tie everything to the main character when it would be just as satisfying going another route.
Of course it's more likely that Jennifer will end up being the harbinger of doom since she's the only one seeing the 'portents of evil' and because Duke's luck is just that crappy but I guess we'll see as more of this story unfolds.
It was gratifying to finally see Duke blow up. It would have been more satisfying if the focus of his anger would have been equally split between the two instead of Nathan bearing the brunt of it but at least it was something. A person can only bail someone out of trouble so many times before they start to feel unappreciated and it's about time they know it.
"What was once your salvation, is now your doom." It's nice that everyone thinks that Nathan needs to stay alive because it might do away with his death wish, but I think that it's more likely that Audrey or Duke fit that category. The Crocker 'curse' probably felt like a form of salvation to the family 'afflicted' with a particularly bad trouble. And Audrey kept the troubles away for 27 year which was a big relief for the town as well. Guess we'll see over time.
If I wasn't already in love with the Duke Crocker character, this episode would have sealed it. Eric Balfour does an amazing job of selling how much pain Duke is in because he was forced to kill his brother and of showing how overwhelmed he is about the sacrifices he's made to date for Nathan, Audrey, Wade, and Jennifer that seem to be in vain. The only person that supports him unconditionally is Jennifer but Duke's mentality at the beginning of the episode saw him pushing her away. Jennifer was willing to uproot her life and begin a new one in Haven just because he asked her too, while Nathan and Audrey remain wrapped up in themselves.
Speaking of Audrey and Nathan, it was weird seeing their roles reversed for once. Usually it's Nathan who is single-minded and oblivious to everything else that going on around him while Audrey is a little more perceptive. But this time Audrey was the one with the blinders on, refusing to see anything else, even Duke's obvious distress, and choosing instead to focus on the newest trouble. And while Nathan was originally oblivious to what was going on with Duke, he eventually realized that his friend wasn't okay. Instead of striking out at Duke in anger, he was compassionate and even went so far as to let Duke know that he is appreciated, something that wouldn't have happened pre-barn.
Nathan even used that new found maturity to change the tone of his plea to be killed not on his on emotional pain and guilt, but on the suffering their actions--or rather inactions--are causing everyone else.
I loved that Jennifer gave Duke crap for kicking her out of the boat. I wish that she would have strung him along a little longer because he totally deserved it but Duke deserves some happiness right now.
Additional thoughts:
I wonder what made Vince question Duke's slip of the tongue versus Lexie's behavior in the previous episode. Vince is not a stupid man and I would think it would be more likely that Duke, who know Audrey before the personality transplant, would 'accidentally' call her the wrong name than I would believe that Nathan is such an amazing detective that she's rapidly picking up his skills.
Does Duke have a lock for the boat? If I were him I'd have a complex if it were that easy for everyone to get on-board. With as enemies as the man has, you'd think he'd at least prop a chair under the door or invest in a lock.
My new theory is the Jennifer is a backup for Audrey in case something happened to her. Since someone had to go in the barn for the troubles to end, it makes since that you'd have someone on reserve just in case something happened to the 'chosen one'. I may be way off but I'd rather Jennifer be her own person instead of finding out that she's related to Audrey in some way. Too many shows seem to use that trope to tie everything to the main character when it would be just as satisfying going another route.
Of course it's more likely that Jennifer will end up being the harbinger of doom since she's the only one seeing the 'portents of evil' and because Duke's luck is just that crappy but I guess we'll see as more of this story unfolds.
It was gratifying to finally see Duke blow up. It would have been more satisfying if the focus of his anger would have been equally split between the two instead of Nathan bearing the brunt of it but at least it was something. A person can only bail someone out of trouble so many times before they start to feel unappreciated and it's about time they know it.
"What was once your salvation, is now your doom." It's nice that everyone thinks that Nathan needs to stay alive because it might do away with his death wish, but I think that it's more likely that Audrey or Duke fit that category. The Crocker 'curse' probably felt like a form of salvation to the family 'afflicted' with a particularly bad trouble. And Audrey kept the troubles away for 27 year which was a big relief for the town as well. Guess we'll see over time.
