"Look I'm not advocating violence here, but if you want to take care of Greg, I know some people."
"I know the devil, I'm pretty sure my people trump your people."
These two lines of dialogue encapsulate everything that Reaper is about: friendship and working for the devil. The second line was spoken by Sam, 21-year-old slacker and our hero. To the untrained eye, Sam is just a common college dropout who works at a fictional Home Depot-type chain. But the television audience knows that he is much more than that. Before his birth, Sam's parents sold his soul to the devil in return for wealth, success, and other worldly possessions. This meant that on the day of his 21st birthday, Sam became an employee for none other than Lucifer himself, played skillfully by Ray Wise. His job description entails tracking down souls that have escaped from hell. He gets a demon delivery each week, and visits from Beelzebub even more frequently. Wise portrays the mythic figure as a charming businessman, wheeling and dealing and never losing his cool. He treats Sam as the son he never had, doling out advice about love and life, specifically Sam's love interest, cute girl-next-door Andi.
Our main character is played to a T by Bret Harrison. He embodies slackerdom with an adorable quality, not to mention awkward good looks. But the testament to Sam's good character is his two best friends and co-workers: Sock and Ben. Sock (the first speaker of the aforementioned dialogue) is the steadfast goofball and Jack Black act-a-like. Ben is their quiet third wheel who has an affinity for birds. These two guys are so loyal that they accompany Sam on each mission he goes on, doing the unthinkable to help him catch these lost souls. The friendship between the three home improvement center employees is what drives the show. It raises one important question - how far would you go for your best friend?
I vowed that I would not watch Reaper despite the ranting and ravings of professional TV critics about the show's undeniable charm. I thought that I should probably leave at least one night a week open for homework, but curiosity killed the cat. My curiosity led me straight to the CW last Tuesday, and hooked me onto the only show on TV that promises comedy and delivers. And now where am I? Without a finished paper, and with one new found obsession.
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