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May 27, 2012

Will Reaper get a full season order? - VIDEO

by Mike Moody, posted Jan 8th 2009 1:11PM

reaper the cw season twoI've always been a fan of the underdog. Maybe that's why I love The CW's Reaper so much. Or maybe it's the clever writing, the charming cast, or the show's slightly cracked but cheery tone that has me anticipating its return on March 17.

I was delighted but also shocked to learn that Reaper would be back for a second season this spring. The critics seemed to love it, but the show wasn't exactly a hit with audiences – it never even pulled in four million viewers during its first season.

When Univision is beating you in the ratings, it usually means the end is near, but somehow Reaper got a reprieve. Maybe Ray Wise really is the devil. That might explain how such a low-rated (but high quality) supernatural show made it back on the schedule.

I hope Reaper gets a full season order, but the outlook isn't so good. It's been almost eight months since we last saw Sam bag a soul for Big Red, and there are only five episodes on The CW's schedule so far. It's likely that most people think the show was canceled last season and aren't even aware that it's coming back. Do you think Reaper will be able to earn a full season order?

At least the network has started running a promo for the upcoming episodes. Check out this quick teaser for a taste of what's to come in season two:

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Amanda

@ Blue Sunflower: I'm guessing that's why they're pairing it with 90210? I can't imagine how that won't totally backfire. I know 90210 has fallen off most critics' radar; I haven't checked the ratings to see if they've followed, but I also haven't heard anything to indicate its ratings were getting better.

It's a real shame they can't pair Reaper with Supernatural like the original rumors indicated, because I think the non-obsessed-fangirl audience would really connect with Reaper. My roommate's boyfriend loved Reaper and he's a straight male Supernatural viewer (yes, they exist).

January 09 2009 at 11:54 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Amanda's comment
j0phus

They do exist? What are you saying?

I'm missing something, I think.

March 04 2009 at 6:30 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Decay33

They are still filmi8ng, I am here in Vancouver, Canada and they just announced on the radio that there will be a big explosion for the filming of REaper and to warm ppl to not be shocked or surprised by the loud sounds.

January 09 2009 at 12:38 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Blue Sunflower

Reaper actually has all 13 season 2 episodes on the CW schedule. They are to run directly through to June with no breaks, and they've already finished filming all 13 episodes. They finished about 2 weeks ago. While it's unlikely they'll get a full season order for S2, there *is* a decent chance it will get a season three pickup. (You can find spoilers up to 2x13 here at ReaperDMV.com; they're free, but use the password "broken circle".)

It's ratings, contrary to what you said, are actually some of the highest on the CW. The problem is NOT with tota viewing numbers, it's with the demos. Reaper doesn't get the tween girls the CW desperately wants, like GG or 90210 does. It's mostly a male dominated audience.

January 08 2009 at 9:02 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Blue Sunflower's comment
tracey

Seriously? They're hoping to get tween girls with Reaper? I thought they were aiming for college-aged guys (19-25). If they're interested in tween girls, they're going to need to dial down some of the crude humor. Teenage girls really don't want to hear Sock talk about his name for his "junk," for example. And they're going to have to get some more substantial female characters (the women in this show have strong personalities, which is good, but they're very much in the background, not so good). And they're definitely going to have to get rid of those triangles involving one man and two women (Sam/Andy/Cady; Ben/Kassidy/Brit chick; Sock/Josie/Succubus). Tween girls don't want a guy who's playing the field.

But really, I don't want to see this show turn into The Devil and Hannah Montana.

January 08 2009 at 10:22 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Scott Schrantz

I'm hoping that what's happening is "the schedule" you're referring to is just incomplete. The last I heard a few weeks ago, the CW was committed to showing 13 episodes of Reaper. Of course they could always pull it off the air if the ratings are low, but come on. It's the CW. The ratings are going to be low anyway.

"Reaper..." "Pushing Daisies..." Why is it that the list of the best new shows of 2007 has become the list of shows that are being slowly and quietly killed in 2009?

January 08 2009 at 6:37 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Darren

Reaper rocks! Its the only thing I watch besides LOST Heroes and the Simpsons...I really hope it gets a full season. Ive shown 2 friends season 1 on DVD and they love it! Come on CW, do it right....

January 08 2009 at 4:29 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
DarthPaul

Oh noes!
8 months off air & only 5 episodes (after a previous run of 20 odd?)

does everyone in America have a short attention span & no patience, because last time I looked at the best shows here in the UK, the longest run of a show's season in 10-12 episode, most running at 6-8 with a 10-18 month gap in between.

It confuses me, is all - Reaper would be well suited for an annual short run of 10 episodes.

January 08 2009 at 4:16 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to DarthPaul's comment
GL

nope

January 09 2009 at 1:47 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
julie

Dang! First ABC pulls 2 of my faves and now this (and possibly the end of the Workbench - did anyone catch it on the last Eli Stone?) Fortunately Leverage seems to be pretty fun, some other shows will be back soon (Eureka, Breaking Bad, Mad Men) so all hope is not lost. Thank goodness Netflix exists...

January 08 2009 at 4:01 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tobias

I'm looking forward to having some questions answered: Like why Sam's parents were such jerks

January 08 2009 at 3:29 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
tony

13 episodes is the full order for the year. They are going to air all 13 episodes back to back. I believe filming has already been completed. The most you can hope for is a successful ratings season for the CW to bring it back in the fall of 09 or winter of 2010 for either 13 or 22 episodes. The bad news is it's starting late and it will have to show good ratings in the first month because the upfronts are only 6-8 weeks after it's season premiere. Therefore it won't be given the proper time for it to grow an audience from the first episode of season 2. The good news is , it's the CW and you don't exactly have to have a ratings jaugernaut to get renewed.

January 08 2009 at 2:26 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
erroneous_nick

Reaper is one of our favorite shows, but I think it's dead. Let's look at the facts: 8+ months off the air, low rated when it was last on, only 5 episodes on the schedule. Taking all that into account and then adding in the fact that the average TV viewer's attention span and intelligence seems to be somewhere between "gnat" and "jelly bean", and Reaper has "It's dead, Jim!" written all over it.

I've never wanted to be proven wrong more than now, I'm just afraid I won't be.

January 08 2009 at 1:33 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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