Someone at the CW must have made a deal with the devil because from what I’ve seen so far, they’ve got a hit on their hands with Reaper. The show can be described as a dark comedy with a bit of drama thrown in here and there for good measure. Reaper centers on a Sam, played by Bret Harrison, a 21-year-old slacker who learns that his parents sold his soul to the devil before he was born in order to save his dads life. The deal stated that their first born son would do Satans bidding when he turned 21, unfortunately for Sam the premier takes place the day he turns 21 so now he’s got to do the Devil’s dirty work. The Devil, played perfectly by Ray Wise, has informed Sam that he’s to capture escaped souls and return them to hell where they belong, officially making him Hells Bounty Hunter.
Only problem for Sam is that he’s an underachiever, he dropped out of college because it made him sleepy so he might not be the right guy for the job. Unfortunately for him the Devil doesn’t care, he’s got a debt that needs to be repaid and if he doesn’t the devil will take his mothers soul instead. Sam enlists help from his buddies Sock, played by Tyler Labine, and Ben, played by Rick Gonzalez. They all work together at a Home Depot-esque store along with a girl that he’s had the hots for for a couple years now. Andi, played by Missy Peregrym, is a college student who not only has the brains, but definitely has the looks. Sam still broods over the fact that she had to cancel a date with him because her dad died.
The pilot focuses on Sam coming to grips with the unfortunate reality of his situation, working for the Devil. You can tell that although he might be a slacker, Sam is genuine in his feelings for his friends and family and he’ll do anything to make sure they’re safe. His relationship with them will prove to be very important to the story, it’s what gives the show its human feel. Overall, between the fine script, great acting an fun storyline this looks like it’s going to be a hit. And it deserves to be. This is definitely a show I’d recommend.