Apologies for the lateness of this week's Reaper blog. I could tell you a long story about an unfortunate run-in with a two-for-one margarita night, but why waste time when there's so much to digest this week. "Leak" brought Reaper's nausea-inducing up-and-down inaugural season back to the peaks of "Acid Queen" and "Rebellion" several weeks back, which is great news heading into the finale and the show's just-approved second season.
I'm sure some of you in T.V. Club land thought there might not be a Reaper blog at all after I threw that hissy fit last week. For the record, I stand by what I wrote. The previous two episodes sucked, and Reaper has taken way too long to get where we are now. Imagine if "Leak" had come, say, nine episodes into the series rather than 17. Surely the implications of Satan possibly being Sam's father–I'm not ready to say it's so just yet, since the packaging is a little too neat and convenient–would make for more compelling episodes than bringing back a nothing minor character like Greg to wreak havoc for 40 ho-hum minutes. Reaper has coasted on easy-going charm for far too long, and by occasionally showing flashes of the better Reaper it could be, it's made sitting through bores like "Coming To Grips" and "Greg, Schmeg" that much more frustrating.
OK, enough bitching. Let's get down to the nitty gritty of "Leak": Is The Devil really Sam's father? For some commenters, this has been in the cards all along. Me, I'm not so sure. If Sam is really devil spawn, why is there a contract at all? He would already "belong" to The Devil. Sam also has shown no signs of being demonic. He doesn't even seem to have a dark side. Did you notice that the two times Sam talked to Tony about looking at the contract he did it outside a circle? That would mean that The Devil was privy to what they were saying. (Actually, even the circle thing was pretty much discredited in the "Rebellion" episode.) Is it possible that The Devil merely wants the other demons–and us—to believe Sam is devil spawn? I'll be curious to see if this is resolved next week, though I won't be surprised if it dragged out into next season.
This week's demon, played by Richard Burgi of Desperate Housewives fame, was one of the series' best. Funny, sleazy, and nasty, Burgi kept getting brought back from Hell by Gladys, who has emerged as perhaps Reaper's most valuable supporting character. Sam begged the Devil to spare her, and the Devil's capitulation was presented as further evidence of a fatherly bond. But, again, I find it hard to believe the Devil didn't know about Gladys' shenanigans well in advance, so sparing her from a punishment he already probably delayed might not really qualify as mercy.
As for the Ben-Lucy story, I've never been a fan of the sitcom-y green card contrivance, so I'm happy that it appears to be over. Lucy Davis, an actress I normally like, gave me a stomachache whenever she messed with poor Ben, and their story just didn't go anywhere fruitful, funny or interesting. Good riddance, I say. Otherwise "Leak" was just enough and not too late. My hissy fit, for now, is over.
Grade: B+