Television series

Haven

Name: Haven
Genre: Drama, Crime, Supernatural
Released: 2010
Cast: Emily Rose, Lucas Bryant, Eric Balfour, Nicholas Campbell

Haven is a supernatural crime procedural where an FBI agent arrives in a Maine town plagued by recurring supernatural afflictions called The Troubles. It blends case-of-the-week mystery with deeper mythology and personal stakes, building toward answers about the agent's own past. Warm-hearted despite the weirdness, it rewards patience and investment.

TVMaze rating

4.0

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like a case-of-the-week procedural with a slow-building mystery underneath, where small-town quirks and a stubborn romance carry as much weight as the strange afflictions.

Skip it if you want the supernatural sharp and scary, since this leans on mood and character over genuine dread, and its crime plots can feel formulaic in places.

What it asks of you: Expect hour-long episodes that stand alone well enough to dip into, while the longer arc rewards staying with it across five seasons and a slow, steady build.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

The X-Files1993

Two investigators chasing paranormal cases with chemistry, humour, and genuine scares. The mythology arcs deepen as the show progresses, much like Haven's unfolding Troubles mythology.

But Seasons 8–9 disappoint many fans, and the revival felt unnecessary. The mytharc can strain credibility.

Fringe2008

Supernatural procedural with a strong ensemble cast, escalating stakes, and a mystery that recontextualises the entire show. Each episode reveals pieces of something larger and more personal.

But The pacing stumbles in season 4, and some plot threads feel abandoned. It demands more commitment than Haven.

Supernatural2005

Brothers hunt monsters and demons across America with growing emotional depth. Early seasons blend humour and horror; later seasons invest in mythology and character arcs like Haven's personal mysteries.

But It runs 15 seasons and gets repetitive. The tone shifts wildly, and not every episode rewards your attention equally.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Haven

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Twin Peaks1990

Both use a small town as a locked box where supernatural afflictions reveal character and community secrets. Both balance eerie mythology with genuine affection for their odd residents.

A murdered girl in a small town opens onto darker mysteries, strange residents, and questions that refuse simple answers. Lynch proved small-town American horror could be both terrifying and profound.

But The middle section drags painfully; the 2017 revival is experimental and alienating. Patience with abstraction is mandatory.

Manifest2018

Passengers return from a plane with no memory and discover they have supernatural abilities. Mystery unfolds in layers, with personal discovery alongside larger conspiracies.

But Cancelled on a cliffhanger for years; the Netflix revival felt rushed. The mythology becomes convoluted and less satisfying than Haven's clearer answers.

Kolchak: The Night Stalker1972

A reporter investigates the paranormal in a forgotten 1970s gem with genuine weirdness and charm. Influenced everything that came after; watching it is like visiting Haven's ancestor.

But Only one season and now very dated in style. The effects are primitive, and some storylines feel thin.

Eureka2006

A quirky town where science creates constant chaos. It shares Haven's locked-location mystery box, ensemble warmth, and balance between humour and escalating stakes.

But The tone is lighter and sometimes feels too whimsical. Later seasons prioritise romance over mystery in ways that divide viewers.

The Twilight Zone1959

Standalone tales of the uncanny, each revealing human nature through supernatural circumstance. Influences Haven's approach to exploring how afflictions reshape communities.

But Episodic format means no character continuity; some episodes miss their mark. The pacing and effects are very much of their time.

Carnivàle2003

A dark, apocalyptic mystery set during the Great Depression, blending supernatural dread with character depth. It shares Haven's commitment to overarching mythology and moral complexity.

But Cancelled after two seasons on a cliffhanger. The bleakness and slowness test patience; some viewers find it frustratingly vague.

The OA2016

A woman returns home with scars and newfound abilities, setting off a mystery that expands into multidimensional scope. Strangeness meets genuine emotional investment in character connection.

But Cancelled after two seasons without resolution. The ambition sometimes outpaces execution, and the finale divides opinion sharply.

The Owl House2020

Both explore what happens when someone becomes trapped between worlds and discovers they belong to a place they didn't know existed. Both use that displacement to examine identity and home.

A girl falls into a demon realm and gets caught between worlds. It builds mythology through character connection, escalates genuinely high stakes, and earns its emotional beats.

But It's animated and initially reads as light, which deters some viewers. The earlier episodes feel slow compared to the payoff later.

Brimstone1998

Both feature an outsider detective uncovering an escalating supernatural threat in a single location. Both explore how communities respond to afflictions that blur criminal intent with supernatural inevitability.

A detective escapes from Hell itself to hunt down serial killers. It's a grittier, darker take on supernatural crime procedural with Gothic atmosphere and real body horror—what Haven might look like under different creative hands.

But Cancelled after one season; very violent and nihilistic. The tone is unrelenting dread without Haven's warmth, which some viewers find exhausting.