Merry Christmas: Reaper is finally back! (Yes, I know it’s March, but the show only just got around to airing a yuletide episode that was next in line when the show went on break back in December.) Alas, last night’s ep, "Hungry for Fame," didn’t offer much to chew on, and it continued to underscore the widening gap on this series between the dull main plots (capturing the soul of the week) and the more interesting subplots (this time, it was Sam trying to convince a would-be rock star not to sell his soul to "Jerry"). At least the episode found a clever way to tie the two main strands together at the end.
The rocker (played by a surprisingly low-key Jamie Kennedy) was a street busker named Ryan — excuse me, Ryän. (Guess you can’t rawk without a superfluous umlaut.) The Devil landed him a sold-out gig at an arena, planning to swoop in afterwards to sign Ryän to the record contract from hell. Sam (Bret Harrison, pictured) got the not-so-brilliant idea to bring hell’s latest escapee (a cannibalistic serial killer, whom Sam captured a little too easily via this week’s vessel, a nifty spear gun) to the concert in order to scare some sense into Ryän. The idea backfired when Cannibal Soul bit off Ryän’s hand before Sam could recapture him. Fortunately, doctors reattached the hand at the hospital, but there was enough nerve damage to keep Ryän from ever playing the guitar again; with his rock star dreams dashed, he was no longer about to sign away his soul. A win-win for everybody — except Satan, who vented his disappointment by creating a giant mess of knocked-over shelves and spilled merchandise at the Work Bench. (Paging Sam, Sock, and Ben: Clean up in aisle 6, 7, 8, 9…)
Despite his several rows of shark-like teeth, Cannibal Soul didn’t seem that scary (notwithstanding Ben and Sock’s post-capture discussion at the bar of their past captures), but he sure was cold; he even killed and ate his own mother because she had nothing in the kitchen but pie. Some of the same pie that the sweet old lady had served to the soul hunters just hours before. Sock was having his own mother issues this ep; he contrasted the unconditional love and support Cannibal Mom had given her son with his own mother’s surprising return from Vegas with a new husband in tow, a cowboy-hatted Asian guy named Morris. Sock finally decided to forgive his mom and allow her her happiness, only to find that she wants her 25-year-old son to move out already and had already converted his room into a pottery studio. Guess he’ll be crashing with Sam a while longer.
Sam’s romance with Cady took a junior-high soap-opera turn when she discovered the necklace he’d bought weeks ago for Andi. She thought it was a gift for her, and he let her think so, until her run-in with Andi revealed the truth and made both women mad at him.(This even though, when Sam had tried to give Andi the trinket, she rejected it and started crying, leading him to start dating Cady in the first place. Andi and Sam clearly still have feelings for each other, though neither will admit it, even to themselves.) Cady ultimately forgave Sam, but her second meeting with Andi, when she told the Work Bench-er a disturbing story about how she’d once gone to a romantic rival’s house with a knife and slashed her tires when she didn’t find her at home, didn’t exactly smooth things over between the two women. We still don’t know if Cady really is the Devil’s daughter, but she sure seems to share his temper.
Question: Is that temper going to drive Sam away (and back to Andi), or will it be her snoring? Who is the scariest soul the boys have captured? And will the CW renew Reaper for another season? The network has already announced the renewal of several shows, but our favorite demonic dramedy was not on the list. Better bring it back, CW — you don’t want to piss off Beelzebub.
Comments (1-10) of 10 Add your comment
Agreed that while the week to week capture plotlines are lamer by the minute, the romantic subplots and surprising depth of the characters are what sell me on this show. Who would have thunk that Spanish from Old School and the dorky neighbor’s kid from Grounded for Life would have such great acting chops?
I’m hoping this show gets a few seasons to get some legs. The characters have enough back story to keep this show on for several seasons.
OH CW please bring back Reaper!! I was so looking forward to last night’s episode. I have been waiting too long for it to come back. I enjoyed it, I think Cady is the devil’s spawn! In next week’s episode she goes all nutso!
Hey, if they can keep Smallvile for all these years, I think they can bring back a show that hasn’t lived past it’s premise…yet. Though to tell you the truth, last night’s episode did feel a bit forced.
Oh reaper, I’ve missed you so. It can be kinda cheesy, but it’s actually one of the few shows that make me actually laugh. Welcome back and hope you come back next season!
A definate “bubble” show. Hopefully they renew it but the CW (ex WB) has made some spectacularly questionable choices in the past to wit…
1.Cancelled Angel to make room for Dark Shadows which they didn’t pick up.
2.Brought back 7th Heaven from the dead for another wretched season
3. Kept Charmed on the air for how many long?
4. Didn’t pick up Mercy Reef/Aquaman despite huge public interest and a surprisingly good pilot.
5. Two words. Dawson’s Creek.
I couldn’t decide if Cady’s psycho ex-girl friend story was made up or not. Either way, it points to her being spawn. Because if it was true, she has some anger issues (like her presumed dad), and if it’s made up, she would have the same bizzarro sense of humor.
And I too want to CW to renew Reaper. It has an entertaining story line to it, and plenty of back story to be revealed over the course of the show. When are we going to find out about that page Sam’s dad tore out of the contract? And I don’t mind that the soul of the week feature is just a McGuffin. They’re still entertaining in their background capacity.
Um, just to clarify, *my* favorite “demonic dramedy” is “Supernatural,” whose time slot “Reaper” stole this week. But “Reaper’s” not that bad either. I’m trying not to hold Supernatural’s hiatus against it.
Love the characters on this show. The weekly “capture the soul” plotlines are a good excuse for the action. The friendship among the three guys is fun and touching. I really hope they renew it.
I too am really hoping for a renewal of Reaper. The natural humour of Sock and Benny have always been great, and I think that Andi and Sam have really upped their game in the acting department since the start of the series. The Devil has been pretty flawless all the way through, and Cady is looking like a promising “baddie” addition to the cast. Hopefully the CW gives this show a chance to play out and let things develop a while longer.
I so love this show and it is just starting to mature. Please write the CW at cwtv.com and ask them to renew Reaper!