Before I begin, I should let you know that if you came here hoping this had something to do with Blue Oyster Cult, then please hit the ‘back’ button on your browser because you’re about to be disappointed. No, I’m talking about the drama-comedy series that began airing on The CW last fall, Reaper. This is a show that has the rare privilege of being able to pride itself on a kickass concept, cool characters, and just the right amount of drama and humour in every episode. This is a show that you should definitely be watching.
The idea behind Reaper is so cool that you might get goosebumps: Sam, a 21-year-old slacker, finds out that his parents made a deal with the Devil that involved them giving him their first-born son. They try to trick him by deciding not to have kids, but good ol’ Satan finds out what they’re up to and convinces their doctor to tell them they can’t conceive. You can guess what happens next, and 21 years later, El Diablo comes a-knockin’ and tells Sam he’s got a new boss. Soon enough, Sam is working as a bounty hunter for the Devil, reaping souls that have escaped from Hell and sending them right back. As if this wasn’t awesome enough, every episode Sam gets himself a power to help him take down the soul he’s supposed to reap. These powers are always related to whoever he’s hunting that week, and range from telekinesis to healing to shark teeth. Yes, that’s right, shark teeth.
What makes Reaper really great is the fact that Sam combats these pesky souls with the help of his equally lazy friends. The way he and his buddies go demon hunting every week is portrayed as something you could easily picture you and your own crew doing in your spare time. Adding to the fun is Sam’s superhot co-worker Andi - who he’s got the hots for - played by the unbelievably gorgeous Missy Peregrym, known for her role as the shapeshifting Candice on Heroes. Andi suspects something might be up with Sam, but can’t quite put her finger on it.
All in all, Reaper has a lot going for it, and the idea carries a lot of potential. The show combines great characters with fantastic stories and does so with a good balance of drama and comedy. Every week plays host to a new adventure, a new power, and a new outfit for Andi. It’ll be airing at 9 PM on The CW this week and the next; after that, five new episodes will air starting April 22nd in the same timeslot. I’d end this by saying “don’t fear the Reaper”, but do you really have any reason to?
Dave the Droll
