Don’t fear ‘Reaper’

Shows with a sci-fi, horror or alternative reality slant have a hard time finding an audience because they’re only enjoyable to certain fans. And although many genre shows fail to find that audience because they’re not very good, when programs put it all together, they’re beautiful.

The CW’s “Reaper” is one of these shows. By mixing horror, drama, comedy and action, “Reaper” is one of the most underrated and enjoyable programs on TV right now.

On the morning of his 21st birthday, perpetual slacker Sam (Bret Harrison) learns some truly troubling news: his parents sold his soul to the devil before he was born. Now the Devil (Ray Wise) has come to collect, and he orders Sam to be a bounty hunter searching for escaped souls until he dies. After some obvious reluctance, Sam dives head first into his new job.

Even though the premise is a bit morbid, the writing on “Reaper” is top-notch and every episode is fun to watch. The show is light-hearted at its base and consistently funnier than some programs that claim to be comedies.

The character interactions drive “Reaper,” especially the relationship between Sam and the Devil. The two mature from boss and disgruntled employee to something more. Ray Wise’s performance as the Devil is the major highlight, and he makes Lucifer so cool it’s impossible not to love him.

While the middle of the season slumped slightly, the mythology-centric episodes in the second half were one major hit after another. The show could have easily fell into the “soul of the week” drudge, but it didn’t, and that’s probably one of the only reasons it was picked up for season two.

The special features here are sparse – one commentary, a few deleted scenes and a gag reel – but it’s obvious the cast and crew have as much fun making the show as fans do watching it.

Though it struggled to find a major audience on the lowly CW, “Reaper” is a program everyone can love.