Reaper Debut Episode Review
This Show Plays the Supernatural For Laughs and Comes Out on Top
Meet the Characters
As the show opens, Sam Oliver (Bret Harrison) is celebrating his 21st birthday the same as any other day. He goes to work with his best friend Bert "Sock" Wysocki (Tyler Labine) at The Work Bench (a Home Depot/Lowes-type of store), where the two arrive late for the daily employee meeting. Also present on shift is Sam's crush, Andi (Missy Peregrym) and another friend, Ben (Rick Gonzalez).
Shortly into his shift, Sam starts getting spooked by weird bouts of telekinesis, including heroically saving Andi from a falling big screen TV. The craziness climbs to a whole new level when seemingly out of nowhere, a pack of wild dogs starts to chase him through the store.
Calling it a day early, Sam leaves, only to discover the devil is carpooling with him. As expected, Sam doesn't take this well.
The Devil is in the Details
Arriving home, dear dad explains that before Sam was born, he and his wife sold the soul of their firstborn to the devil in exchange for the father being cured of a fatal disease. And now that Sam is 21, the devil is deciding to collect.
But instead of taking Sam to hell, the Devil (played with glee by Ray Wise) wants Sam to become a supernatural bounty hunter, bringing back souls that escape from hell. So of course Sam asks for help from Bert, and the two fumble their way through their first recapture, which happens to be a nasty arsonist. Armed with a red DustDevil with extra suction power and homemade fire suits, the two, with help from Ben and Bert’s ex-girlfriend Josie (Valarie Rae Miller), manage to barely save the day…this time.
What Sets This Show Apart From Others
This pilot episode was directed by Kevin Smith and it definitely shows in the pacing, which reminded me of somewhat of Smith's classic film Clerks. The dialogue was full of quick one liners, often with pop culture references, which were spouted in such casual fashion it at times felt like some of the original Clerks scenes - though more in an homage way than an outright copy.
But Reaper is a comedic force unto itself and one that kept me laughing almost continuously from start to finish. Especially when it seemed to wink at the viewer with scenes like towards the end, where, after the Devil has told Sam, "Any place that seems like Hell on Earth is hell on earth," the budding bounty hunter learns that he has to return souls to hell at the DMV.
Why You Should Watch
Picture Ghostbusters starring modern-day slackers and a smart-alec Devil, and you have an idea of the comedic scope of the series, which seems to hold no topic sacred.
"You're done when you die," explains the Devil about Sam's new job during the episode. Let's hope Sam lives a long life, because I can't wait to see where his new job takes him and his friends. I'm hoping that Andi eventually finds out what's going on (she's currently the only one who doesn't know about Sam's new duties), because I'd love to see her join the fight. It’ll also be interesting to see what tools the Devil gives Sam for his next assignment, as it changes every episode.
Part buddy-comedy, part coming-of-age, part supernatural, Reaper is a great addition to the new television season.
Showtimes
Reaper airs Tuesday nights on the CW network at 9pm (ET/PT)
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