(Spoilers)

The Old Switcheroo Pt. 2

She’s back! Amusing episode ending with a great scene of Audrey being exorcised from Mara (or vice versa).  So, I was wrong in that they weren’t two people, they are, proving Nathan’s faith in true love.  Kudos also to Duke (in Nathan’s body) for thinking up the idea of using a Trouble to force Audrey out of Mara.

Great acting in this episode, and I think now that the Scooby Gang is trying to figure out both weekly troubles and unpuzzle the greater arc over the trouble origins, Haven feels like, well, Haven, again.  The best parts of this ep were Mara now obviously pretending to be Audrey to manipulate Duke and Nathan in their switched bodies, and the end scene with the three of them.  Pretty compelling.  Also, the South Carolina Thinny thing is a freaky vacuum vortex!

Nowhere Man

Like Sherlock, LOST, and a few other shows, the writers don’t feel obligated to explain certain plot points, like how Audrey is now a separate person.  And that’s ok for now, but if the reason stays as being an unknown trouble it may hurt the impact of the show as a whole, for the show has always been about who or what exactly Audrey (and now Mara) is as well as why the Troubles exist.  Leaving an explanation for later, however,  keeps the momentum of the storyline going strong.

Nathan, dear Nathan, finally gets some lovely time with his one true and Duke has an interesting verbal sparring match with Mara.  Will there be a Duke/Mara relationship?  Could prove amusing, but perhaps too much fan service if the show goes that route.  And now Audrey is a separate person, yet no longer immune to the Troubles.  I think, though, that she will still be good at helping the Troubled despite that.

Trouble of the week: Awesome.  A Trouble that flips people to a ghost-like existence while leaving a burnt shadow figure on the floor.  And Nathan’s the one who gets ghosted!

The Guard: They seemed shoehorned in in far too many scenes.  In the earlier seasons, the Guard seemed relevant, but now I just don’t see the point of them other than to promote more Hollywood stereotypes that “hicks” often with Southern accents (never mind we’re supposed to be in Maine, here) are easily-led goons who stick with their traditions or marching orders no matter what.  Duke’s addressing Guard members in a mocking Southern accent both mocks these members and pokes fun at the show itself for portraying these people as hillbilly types.  The writers are possibly acknowledging that for now Haven needs a villain, and the Guard works in that capacity.  Mara’s evildoing ability is currently put on hold as she is prisoner on Duke’s boat.

Speaking of Duke, he seems more like S1-S3 Duke, though I can’t put my finger on why.  Maybe its his drinking of hard liquor and threats of violence towards Mara.  Plus, a gun just looks so right in his hands.

Nathan gets his own screen time and scenes that are not so Audrey-focused in what seem like forever.  In them, he shines!  He, too, is born to figure out Troubles.

Audrey:  Yes, she’s back, but she’s nowhere near her old self.  She appears weak compared with Mara, but then it’s supposed to be that way.  She’ll find her way.

Trouble of the week, dos:  It is not the Trouble of the week, but  of the fortnight (for you Austen lovers.)  I’m thinking this Trouble is photography-based, and figuring that, it’s pretty obvious who’s behind it.  Dun, dun, dun!