The works ofStephen Kinghave been adapted to other media for decades, and fans of the King of Horror should watch one of his sci-fi thrillers with five seasons. For years, Stephen King has taken readers into different worlds and realities to meet a variety of characters, both human and supernatural.
Although there have been many adaptations of King’s stories, some have succeeded more than others for different reasons. On TV, many Stephen King TV shows have fallen under the radar, whether because of their quality, loyalty (or lack of it) to the source material, or because it wasn’t clear they were stories by King.
Among thoseforgotten Stephen King TV showsis a five-season sci-fi thriller that, while not faithful to its source material, and thus it could be debated how much of an adaptation it is, is a must-watch for King fans and those into sci-fi stories.
Haven Is A 5-Season Sci-Fi Thriller Based On Stephen King’s The Colorado Kid
Developed by Sam Ernst and Jim Dunn,Havenis a supernatural drama loosely based on Stephen King’s novelThe Colorado Kid.Havenfollows Audrey Parker (Emily Rose), an FBI Special Agent sent to the small town of Haven, Maine, on a routine case. Once there, Audrey finds herself involved in the return of “The Troubles.”
These are a plague of supernatural afflictions that have occurred in the town before, but Audrey has an open mind to paranormal phenomena. What Audrey isn’t counting on is that this will lead to the discovery of a personal link in town, which could lead her to the mother she has never known.
With time, Audrey realizes that her arrival in Haven might not have been just a routine case, and there might be more linked to her past and identity.Havenaired on Syfy from 2010 to 2015, ending after five seasons due to declining ratings and a shift in the network’s programming plans.
How Haven Compares To The Stephen King Novel
As mentioned above,Havenis a loose adaptation of Stephen King’sThe Colorado Kid, so don’t expect a loyal adaptation of it.The Colorado Kidwas published in 2005, and it’s the story of the unsolved and mysterious death of a man known as the “Colorado Kid”, which the editors ofThe Weekly Islandertell to young intern Stephanie.
Havendoesn’t have much in common withThe Colorado Kid, except that both begin with a mystery.Havengoes on a supernatural route and follows interconnected mysteries, whileThe Colorado Kidis about just one mystery, with no supernatural elements, and has an open ending.
Why Haven Received Mixed Reviews
At the time of writing,Havenholds a 63% critics' score onRotten Tomatoes, so it’s still considered “fresh.”Havenwas praised for its concept and mix of supernatural elements with mystery, though this led to a sometimes uneven and predictable story. Some critics also found thatHavenlacked character development, suspense, and creative storylines.
Still,Havenhas mostly been labeled as an entertaining show, and despite not being an adaptation ofThe Colorado Kid,Havendoes have many references to other works fromStephen King’s universe, such asIt,Misery, andRita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption.
