Sparks and Recreation

"Sparks and Recreation" is the fourth episode of the second season of the supernatural American/Canadian television series Haven. It first aired on SyFy on August 5, 2011. It was written by Jonathan Abrahams and directed by Lynne Stopkewich.

Plot

Nathan takes Audrey to Haven's big little league baseball event between the Sea Dogs and the Cutters, which is kicked off with the appearance of the very popular Mayor Brody. No-one notices the night lights spark. During the match the umpire makes a bad call against a Cutter. The crowd takes sides according to their preferred team and both vocal, until the mayor expresses his view that the call was wrong. Suddenly all the crowd start shouting that it was a bad call. Finally, the umpire reverses his call. The lights erupt with huge arcs of electricity and everyone runs for cover. The umpire is struck by a pulse of electricity.

Electrical repairs are done by a mysterious Haven resident, Dwight Hendrickson who notes that someone would need an electromagnetic pulse to generate that much electricity. Nathan figures that Driscoll will use the incident to raise more hatred against the Troubled. Audrey is surprised that Dwight will take care of both electrical and construction problems. He explains, looking at Nathan, "I'm Dwight. I clean things up, that's where your dad and I use to call it (wink)." When the mayor starts to reassure townsfolk that the event was under control, his microphone overloads and kills him in a flash. Chris has suddenly become extremely popular and everyone but Audrey hangs on his every word.

Duke goes out looking for what is indicated on the map in the file Evi stole for him. Nathan tells Audrey that the mayor traded in his wife for a new model when his son Chris was young. Audrey sees that there are two Troubles, the electricity and the strange popularity. They start to suspect Chris, who seems to know a lot about electricity through his studies, has reason to hate his father and may want the popularity. Duke and Evi find a box which contains a short board with the words "Rasmussen House" on it. Audrey and Nathan suspect that the mayor had a mistress and go to the mayor's wake, where they see Ed Driscoll. Duke and Evi arrive to ply information about Rasmussen House from the Teagues. As Audrey talks with Chris, sudden bursts of electricity hit him, then the mayor's wife (Felicia), and Evi.

At the hospital Felicia admits knowing about an old affair of her husband, but rules out a recent fling. Audrey gets the nurse Lori, to run a blood pressure test on Chris which malfunctions because of electrical problems. Audrey has found the electric lady. She escapes, frying the surveillance cameras. Dwight comes in to restore power at the hospital and he tells Nathan that he'll handle it, warning him keep the regular city workers away. He says that Chief Wuornos didn't ask questions and it was easier that way. The camera at the police station shows Lori escaping in a van with Felicia. Duke and Evi separately break into a store and find each other in the basement. He puts the board in a hole in the floor which forms an arrow that points to a wall behind which he finds an empty box with the words Omnia vincit amore ("Love conquers all") inside.

Audrey and Nathan receive phone evidence to confirm that the mayor and Lori were lovers and get the news that the getaway van belongs to Driscoll, so they go to the church. Nathan says that the microphone that killed the mayor had been tampered with. She texts Chris to come and help. Nathan sees flashes from the church basement. They all go down to find Felicia and Lori talking. Lori starts losing some control and admits killing the mayor. Audrey tries to calm her saying she didn't kill him, but she loses more control. Nathan grounds her (using wire from his truck) to a lightning rod outside and skim off the electricity. Chris talks to her and she calms enough to explain the affair. Audrey realizes Lori with her uncontrolled emotions was incapable of rigging the microphone and Felicia had been manipulating Lori to confess to a crime that Felicia committed. Felicia is arrested and Lori is taken away to be looked after and kept "grounded". Driscoll arrives while Dwight is cleaning up the mess and complains, but Nathan points out that all the evidence suggests that he was involved. He then warns Driscoll that if he continues, he'll put him in jail. Chris suggests drinks to Audrey.

At the rerun of the baseball game, Chris cannot get his team to focus on the game being strangely distracted by him. Dwight compliments Nathan on how he handled Driscoll by saying they need people fighting for them, and Nathan agrees with him. Later, a disappointed Duke wonders if he should let the tattoo business go and Evi suggests that they both do the same. Though Duke is skeptical of the outcome, they make love. As they do, a lantern is knocked onto the table with the box on it. The name "Crocker" glows on the lid briefly before the lantern rolls off.

Reception

This episode earned a Nielsen household rating of 0.5 for 18/49. It was viewed by 1.824 million viewers.^[1]

Footnotes