Reaper

"Cancun. It’s where we took our first vacation. We called it heaven."

How ironic that Reaper’s season finale would have as much to do with God as the Devil. The God factor has been like the white elephant in the room all season, quickly mentioned but not legitimizing itself. And now with the demon rebellion against Satan and his supposed spawn, a whole new bag of heavenly worms has been opened up.

I really thought this finale was handled well. It wasn’t one big action-packed event after another, as I initially thought would be fitting for a demon rebellion. Instead, we learned more about Sam’s mysterious origins, some about his parents’ secret, and a bit about the relationship of hell to heaven, which was previously skimmed over. For all the information packed into it, I thought this finale progressed really beautifully and very gingerly tackled all its important matters. I know “gingerly” is a strange word to use to describe this show in general, but I think this time they really achieved a delicate balance between the story, the action and the comedy. And I don’t know about you, but I just want more. Like, right now.

So what did we learn about Sam’s world?

• Sam’s super powers are considered “evil powers” by the demons and are proof to them that Sam could only be the son of the Devil
• Angels exist and can give signs to the living when they need them
• Father or not, the Devil is not beyond hurting Sam to get what he wants
• Sam’s dad admits to keeping a secret from him that he can’t tell
• Tony believes Sam's situation isn’t that he was born human and had his soul sold, but that his parents made a deal with the Devil to bear the Devil's son
• Tony was convinced God’s forgiveness would never extend to demons until Steve showed up as an angel and made him think differently
• Sam’s mom still claims her husband is his real father, but her integrity is at stake
• Tony saved Sam from the death he and the demons planned for him in Solomon's cage because he believes God has another plan
• Sam and Tony are now likely marked men in the eyes of the rebellion
• The Devil’s giving Sam time off from reaping
• Sam’s mom dug her husband up from his dirt grave, and found him amazingly alive

So, let's start from the top. Despite all the rebellion action, Sam still had a soul to catch: A tarot card reader, Madame Ozera. His card reading for Sam was quite revealing, consisting of:

1. The Emperor Card: He has recently come into conflict with his father
2. The Ace of swords: Meaning deceit between he and his father
3. Death: There are lies about his birth
4. The Devil: The Devil obscures the truth between him and his father
5. The hanged man: Trick card! The jig was up and Sam was literally hung up by an invisible noose, struggling in his tight, tight jeans

Well, hey, at least he got some mystical truth about his situation while on the job.

Does anyone remember all the previous hubbub about someone dying on this episode? Seeing as no one we know actually kicked the can in the end, my guess is Sam’s dad’s fake death is the one we were all teased about. So the question must be asked: If he was buried alive and came out alive, is Sam’s dad a demon? Are both his parents not of this world? If Tony was right, that Sam’s parents made a deal with the Devil to bear his son, what did they get in return? It could just be that they indeed wanted a son and this was the deal they made, but what if their efforts were paid in other, more devious ways that we don't yet know about? That’s one of my personal conspiracy theories.

So I have a few questions of my own. Why didn’t the devil come to Sam’s rescue? If he's really the guy's dad, why didn't he come save the day? Maybe it had something to do with the cage being in the middle of a circle, but El Diablo sure seemed to know everything that had gone down when he ran into Sam in is driveway anyways, so ignorance can't be a defense. Would the Devil let his own son die? If Sam's parents (or at least his dad) are demons and could survive a burial, why couldn’t Sam just survive the burial? Why did he need to be saved? And if Sam is the Devil's son, why would a dirt nap even kill him? If it turns out Sam could survive a mortal death all along, that seriously changes the stakes for his life and his reaping.

I thought it was a little off to see how nonchalantly Sam's mom was taking the news of her husband's death. We all know she knew he was still alive anyway, but as a son, how do you hear your mom say flatly, "Tomorrow you can show me where your father died, I’d like to lay some flowers”? She may as well have said, “Oh, your dad's dead? Want some ice cream? I know a swell place.” Interestingly, Sam didn't seem as broken up about his dad dying as I would have thought either, despite the firework effigy.

Sam told Ben and Sock that he would understand if his new position as a marked man meant that the three of them couldn’t be a team anymore. Sam is still looking out for his pals like he always has, but I wonder what kind of danger could really be in store for them if they do stick together. It all has a much realer face now, and this all smacks if Sam's problems only just beginning. Psych on us!

The moment I think we all relished was seeing Sam stick it to his dad and demand answers for how his life came to be the way it is. Obviously Sam's parents are demons or the like, cavorting in chalk circles and surviving live burial, but what is it about their situation that can't be uttered out loud? The Devil didn't even make many appearances in this episode, and when he did, he strictly warned Sam not to believe a word that comes out of his mouth. It must be insane knowing that everyone close to you has been lying to you about your life. With all these shady characters surrounding Sam, I don't know how he'll ever find the truth about his past, but I'm hoping next season shapes up to have more of this underhanded kind of suspense it's been so good at for the past five episodes. I don't think this episode wasn't the most thrilling or the most spectacular Reaper episode ever, but to me it seems to be the most meaningful. What does the Devil have in store? What does God? I guess we'll be waiting until next winter to find out.

What are your thoughts on the finale? Are you satisfied with where the show is going? What are your theories?



Quotes:

Sam: What does that look like to you?
Sock: A unicorn fighting a werewolf. What? It’s the ultimate battle.

Sock: This is an attempted murderer suit? Nice, can I try on the jacket?
Ben: Hands off.
Sock: Come on, I let you try on my homeless guy pants.

Sock: In that case, do you mind if I go back to sleep? I was kinda having a kickass dream about zebras.
Josie: You don’t get it, do you?
Sock: What? They’re just basically striped horses.

Sock: I felt so good for a couple hours and now I barely have enough energy to scratch my junk drawer. Would you mind, Sam?

Sam’s dad: There is something I haven’t told you. Something I’m forbidden from telling you. I wish I could, Sam.

Tony: You are the son of Satan, Sam. Your parents didn’t make a deal for your soul, they made a deal to bear the child of Lucifer.

Sam: He is NOT my father!

Sam’s mom: Your father stays buried.

Devil: Look, Sammy. I have too much respect to lie to you, so I tell you in advance that I probably am going to lie to you. I’m the Devil, Sam! Lying is kind of my whole bag.

Sam: Turns out the devil might be my dad. Evidently, I’m destined to end the world. Can’t let that happen.
Sock: You know, you’re not really good at anything. You’ll probably screw that up too.
Sam: (sincerely) Thanks.

Sam: He said he couldn’t kill me, that God had another plan.

"Sam is the son of the devil." — Tony

Holy hell. We were right.

I mean, I suppose there's some chance this is all one big misunderstanding, but then how do you explain "Someone very carefully went through this [contract] and removed every page that references who Sam’s father is"? And "The kid just got the DMV demon released. When was the last time you saw the devil show mercy?" WHAT? Is it really true? Is Sam even actually under contract? Is his mom his real mom? Would the Devil actually ever harm him?Does Sam have to keep reaping? Someone needs to slap me.

This episode is undoubtedly the most important of the series so far and all melted into one big dun-dun-DUN in the end. We all had our suspicions about Sam's origins, but to have it spelled out like this is something I didn't expect.

And who knew Gladys would play such a pivotal role in Sam's life? The DMV demon just helped to out Sam to Tony and what are probably his new footsoldiers. These kinds of things don't seem to end well with demons. Short fuses, you know? I am glad that Gladys wasn't sent to eternal hell and away from us forever though. Three separate times this episode, I sat biting my nails, hoping it wasn't the last time I'd ever see her be a jerk to Sam. And now Sam saved her from her "reassignment" back to hell with his puppy dog eyes and a "please." Seriously, if the Devil isn't Sam's dad, he better freaking be in love with him or something because no ruler of the underworld could be that soft. How did the Devil have such a nice, kind-hearted kid anyways?

Ok, I need to breathe.

Richard Burgi was most excellent this episode as the Casanova demon of the week, Mike Volta. Seducer of the ladies, adulterer extraordinaire, Volta pissed off the Devil with his fun ways, leaving a path of destruction everywhere he got busy (I'm just glad he didn't get Andi).

Speaking of Andi, my other wish came true: she's part of the demon-hunting team now. I suppose it happened on a fluke, filling in for drunky drunk Ben, but the girl stuck around and helped deal with Gladys' stabbing and the hunt for Volta. I don't know if there are plans to keep her fighting underworld scum in the future, but I like how it fits her. And though it hasn't been mentioned, I wonder if Josie knows or will know about Sam's other job now as well.

Volta was using his connection with Gladys to keep out of getting sent back to hell, even after being captured with a vessel. Did she make the fake deposits for the nookie? From the sound of "I just got tired of being lonely," it sure seems that way. Speaking of lonely, what about the Devil? Volta sure opened up about the Devil deep-down being miserable, not knowing a good time if it bit him on the ass. I feel like these clues are going to play an important role some day.

Volta was eventually captured by Sam with the help of Sock and Ben, but only after, like usual, Sam was pinned down on the ground and about to have his insides pumped out by the demon. Aren't there other ways for Sam to appear defenseless?

Ben's marriage took a turn for the worst tonight as immigration caught up with his and Sara's scheme and threatened to jail him and deport her. Despite all those naked family photos they showed the officer? How is that possible?

In the end, Sara the Manipulator got the last laugh, pretending to need a bribe for the immigration officer so she could take all of Ben's savings and run off. Think we'll ever see her again? Because I'd personally like to see some giant snake from Hell come out of the ground and much her up. Oh wait, that already happened to someone in this episode. My bad.

This night was just all so heavy. Sam isn't even aware he might be sharing turkey jerkey with his dad, the Prince of Darkness, and the rebellion seems to be bubbling up again. Poor Tony looked so distraught when he realized that he and Sam belong on opposite sides of evil and eviler. It was a little like what was going on with my face at the time, actually. Poor Sam. Just when he was starting to get accepted into a community, albeit a demon community, this had to happen.

Also, the scene where the Devil made pina coladas in Sam's apartment with his minion Winston — priceless. Isn't that the same name as the bird from the magic episode that Ben took a shining to? Maybe Winstons will be following us throughout the series.

And did anyone else think that the scene where the Devil shows Sam the husband and wife who killed each other post-Volta very much resembled a gory dream sequence a la Six Feet Under?

I can't wait to hear what you guys have to say about this episode, and I can't wait for the finale next week. Hopefully you've all heard the good news by now that Reaper was renewed for a second season. If you want some scoop on what's in store for the finale, you can check out the Q&A I did with Reaper exec producers Tara Butters and Tom Spezialy.

Bonus: The song in the bar when Gladys was chugging away was "Comfort Eagle" by Cake. How badass!

Some "Quotes" for you "people"

Volta: "Do you have any idea how hard it is to shoot a man who’s crying like a little girl?"
Devil: "It’s not that hard."

Devil: "Me — Devil. You — minion."

Sam: "I think you just got official demon approval."
Andi: "Ooh, that’s going on my resume."

Sock: "Josie and I have enough photos of each other’s junk to fill a library."

Ben: "I feel the night air on my nipples! I’m alive!"

And how about this for a nice little shout-out: "Go ahead, do it, see if I care. Seriously. You could have picked anything in the whole big, bad universe to use as a human shield. You picked the one thing that I care the least about. you could have grabbed that old TV Guide over there and held a knife to it and I would have been more conflicted.”

Nice to know you care, Sock-y. (c:

Sorry for the delay, everyone!

Sometimes your first impressions of people are actually the right ones. The first time I saw Andi’s "boyfriend" Greg? Toolbox. The first time I saw Gladys? Evil. The first time I saw the Devil? Handsome. Erm, bad, bad man. The reality of first impressions on this show is that they're invalid — you never really know what you’re going to get. The Devil spins his webs in devious little ways and doesn’t ever seem to lose. It seems that as soon as Sam ever gets an inkling that the good guys might have a chance, he has to be cruelly reminded that the Devil’s the one calling the shots and, oh, yeah, he’s the man. Knowing that, I got to wondering. Should we even have hope left for Sam’s eternal soul? Or for that matter, for anyone he loves?

Andi is someone Sam loves, and as we found out tonight, she still loves him too. Unfortunately, her ex-boyfriend Greg also loves her, and the ensuing battle over Andi’s heart played out with chainsaws and daggers and telescope rifles. Sounds exciting, except that Sam didn’t use a-one of those to win his lady back. Greg showed up out of nowhere in this episode to steal Andi back with his newly acquired powers of irresistibility, courtesy of the Devil for a swap of his soul. Oh, that tricky Devil, always messing things up for Sam. Just episodes ago, the Devil played the hurt-friend-card at Sam for Sam’s betrayal. And now here he is, setting up Greg with a sweet Jedi mind trick to steal Andi's love from Sam. The Devil is no friend of Sam’s, but at least that’s been beaten into Sam’s brain enough times now. I hope so, anyways.

With Greg’s new powers, his inner anger also manifested itself as the chainsaw murderer from his favorite slasher flick, much to Sam’s (and I think everyone’s) surprise. It was a pretty great wrench to throw into the equation, after all the souls and demons and supernatural beings we've seen: A soul from nowhere goes after Sam, and there's no vessel in sight to catch it. Though it did turn out to be Greg and not a soul, the intrigue of the mystery slasher who fit no escaped-soul equation was something totally new for this show. Can you say "Hell’s Most Wanted" three times fast? (You see how I segued into Gladys there? I love me some Glad Bags). It seems that with every episode since the introduction of Tony and Steve, there's a greater payoff for us viewers while the puzzle keeps building. How rewarding.

Speaking of my love for Gladys, what a great scene that was with her helping the guys get a bootleg vessel from the demon at the self storage in exchange for cat sitting. "She's a Persian and her name is Fancy." And she said it with the straightest face I've ever seen. Gladys the Demon: Real American Hero. One question, though. The self-storage demon told Sam "He’s got no dominion over the human heart, bro. Devil can’t undo true love." That sounds like a guideline. So where is this Demon rulebook people keep quoting from? And as the Devil's minion it makes me wonder Sam doesn't know things like this already.

How did you like that there was no escaped soul to catch in this episode? And that any harm that could come to the guys was from mortal, deranged Greg? This one was all about love, and to what lengths everyone would go to get it and keep it. Greg sold his soul for Andi. Ben's breaking the law out in the open so he can date Cassidy. And Sam used his Get Out of Hell Free card to save Andi from Greg. As we all know, Sam is way too good of a guy, so I wasn't that surprised that he did this insanely selfless thing to save Andi's life and to keep himself from killing Greg like the Devil wanted. Under all this pressure, he's this absolutely moral character, and I'm sure that drives the Devil crazy.

My theory is that these are all tests from the Devil to make Sam fall and show he can be wicked too. I'm sure that's just Sam's nature to be good and he's pretty incapable of doing bad things on purpose. But unfortunately, Sam seems to be giving up all of his proverbial "get out of hell free" cards to save everyone he loves. What happens when he can't figure out how to fix something in a moral way? You know the Devil's not going to quit tripping him up. It makes me wonder if Sam's bound to do something terrible because of the circumstances he's been put in. What do you think?

Tons of Quotination

"You’d be dead if you were in that treehugger. Go America" — Sock on the hybrid car

Sock: "No way, Hell’s Most Wanted?"
Gladys: "We have a few outstanding cases."

"You know what I’ve been thinking about lately, Sam? Trust, honesty, integrity. I don’t like those words. Not one little bit." — The Devil

"Chicks do not want sensitive. They want someone who’ll break all the rules. Someone who’ll bang them on the back of a motorcycle and not do the dishes." — Sock

"I knew she’d never go back out with that douchebag. What the hell did you do to her?" — Sam to Greg

"Sadly, all sales are final." — The Devil, on soul-purchases

"Bullying me will never work. I do, however, respond to bribes." — Gladys

"Then we’ll run away together. You like Buffalo? The winters are murder." — Sam

"You gonna offer us anything to drink? No? Fine." [whips out juicebox from nowhere] — Sock

Sara: "My, my, my. When did we acquire testes?"
Ben: "Yesterday."

Don’t fear the Reaper, explore our Online Video Guide for episodes you can’t get enough of.

Dear God,

Were you watching Reaper tonight? Because this show about the Devil is about 1,000 times more awesome than 7th Heaven ever was. Sorry.

<3
Sandy

Okay, seriously. This episode may be my most favorite ever, after the pilot. Last week's episode turned a new corner in storytelling for the show, but this week's cranked it up to 11. It even came close to making me cry. There, I said it. I'm a big baby. WHO'S WITH ME?

Did I say this show is awesome? Oh, I guess I did. Well, it is.

Since the start we'd all been waiting to see how the storyline with Andi was going to pan out. Some of you had hoped that Andi and Josie would join the team and hunt Demons with the guys, but that seems to have quelled once we all realized that bringing anyone else into the fold would be really dangerous for them. Sam seems to have had no choice tonight in showing Andi how deeply involved he is with the underworld after she witnessed him killing a demon, and put himself on the line to both save his own butt and to make common ground between himself and Andi, who's at long last being acknowledged as his girlfriend. Finally, the secrets between them are over. But from the looks of next week's episode, I don't think that means their problems are.

Despite major setbacks, a nonexistent Sword of the Archangel Michael and the possible death of Steve (Tony didn't seem all that broken up about his soulmate being dead, did he now?), Tony's still on a crusade to rid the world of Satan, and not through Steve's Ghandi-like peacenik methods — He's promising a real showdown and wants Sam to be on his side of evil. I was surprised to find out that that whole "circle of truth" business was for real, and that it keeps people safe from the prying ears of the Devil. However, I wouldn't be surprised if that was another ruse on his part. You never really know what's honest coming from that guy.

The soul this week was pretty fantastic as well. The guy must have "Jack King — Adorable" stamped on his business card, because that's sure what the narcissist thought he was. (He was played by Ian Gomez, husband of Nia Vardalos and showed plenty of face time on The Drew Carey Show.) His fancy power was the ability to regenerate from any severed limb, making his falling out of the ceiling naked (er, reborn?) one of the biggest laugh-out-loud moments I've seen in a long time. His parts were tied into the show very seamlessly, and left me thinking that this right here is the perfect balance of demon-catching to the rest of the drama in the series.

Regarding Ben, I'd started to wonder why exactly it is he hadn't been getting any attention from girls. And then I realized that Ben is a sucker. Come on now, $1600 to get married to someone you don't care about, in order to keep them in the country? I mean, its pretty awesome that new wifey Sara was played by Lucy Davis from "Shaun of the Dead," but didn't he listen? His Phil Collins was still out there! And maybe he's really found her in nurse Cassidy (Kandyse McClure of Battlestar Galactica and every other cool sci-fi show made in the last 10 years). I hope we do get to see where their romance could go in spite of Ben's shiny new wedding ring.

Let's get back to Sam, turd that he is. How could he make another deal with the Devil? How? It's bad enough that he's got one deal with the Devil that he didn't even have control over hanging over his head. Now he's got two, one of which he asked for. In a way, I can see how he may have had no choice — I doubt the Devil would have negotiated the consequences for letting Andi in on Sam's secret life. But that doesn't mean Sam shouldn't look before he leaps, or believe that this would keep Andi permanently safe in any way. He was very quick to agree to the broad consequences the Devil laid down(Sam owing him any favor at any time), only to find out the favor is to betray his friend Tony by being a spy for the Devil's side of the impending rebellion. Good going, studly. You really are the Devil's puppet.

(SPOILER ALERT) I have to address the scene where Sam told Andi he loved her. There was a tenderness in there that has so far not at all existed in this show. And mind the term, but it gives it some actual soul, some real dimension. I love that Andi couldn't honestly tell him she loved him back, but that he frightened her. And seeing Sam get stabbed in the shoulder by the demon's knife was great too, to remind us that yes, this wimp is human and barely makes it out alive every week. It's been looking a little too easy up until this point to capture these supernatural creatures, and tonight I think we saw the very human side of Sam's situation: Someone could very well die in this demon-hunting process any time. And from what I hear happens in the finale, someone will. Oh, boy. (END SPOILER ALERT)

Here are some other events that made my night...

• Sam listening to Sock's "Tunes 4 Humping" disc.
• The scene where they had Andi sexily shaking her own hair in the wind of the standing fan.
• Andi kicking the crap out of anyone who gets near her. Seriously, it would takes six Sackens (Sam + Sock + Ben) to equal the brains and muscle of just one Andi. She should get on their team!

Quotes:

• "I’m going to rebuild the army. Pass the paprika." —Tony
• "We would just like to see you happy making a woman miserable like we’re both doing." — Sock
• The guys out-credentialing each other at the sperm bank: "I research alternative power sources." (Sock) "I have a four-foot vertical leap." (Sam)
• Sock: "Did you hook up with Sarah?" Ben: "No, I just got married."
• "Please do not pee on the carpet, I just put it down." — Tony
• "In the end, only love matters. Love is worth any sacrifice" — Tony

Hey, Reaperholics, know where you can get your daily dose of your favorite demon-hunter? Our Online Video Guide, of course.

Plenty of shows on TV these days know how to balance their funny factor with drama. Scrubs and My Name is Earl particularly do a good job at being comedies that the audience takes seriously. Reaper isn’t quite in that category yet, probably because it deals with the Devil and a demon-catcher instead of folks we can empathize with like a young guy moving up in the ranks at his job or a poor guy trying to do some good in the world. When those shows have a serious message to convey, you quit your laughing and pay attention. Not so much with Reaper. Tonight’s episode did get closer to that than it ever has though, demon rebellion and all. I'm not certain this show even needs to be on that track to Serioustown, but tonight's episode lended this show a new kind of importance, and to me it felt good.

Andi was still hanging out in a hospital bed when we revisited her tonight, on the verge of release after the car accident last episode. Whatever you were hoping she would keep in her memories, it seems she did because she does remember details about the acid queen. Though really, who’s not going to remember a girl dripping bloody acid from her fingers? Sam and the gang hired a hospital janitor to dress up as Andi’s doc and tell her hallucinations are common with head trauma and to give her a bottle of brain medicine Tic Tacs. I guess Sam had to cover his ass somehow incase Andi had prying questions. But what I think no one expected was Andi’s new lease on life, seizing the day and violently making out with Sam whenever they were in the same room together. That, of course, after a predictable mega- awkward moment together. They don't disappoint, those two.

Sam is all businessy with the Devil in this episode, no love at all, and I got to wondering why. My guess is being a dog-catcher-of-the-underworld has started getting old, which was confirmed by his eagerness to join the demon rebellion to overthrow the devil. I don't expect Sam to just grin and bear it when he's been forced into a new life/”career”, but hello, the dude’s Satan. And he owns your ass. You really think a rebellion is going to work? Man, I'm such a pessimist. But really? I can't be the only who thought that sounded like a bad idea.

The soul, Cubby Bryce, was around for a smidgeon of time, and easily captured by Sam and the gang. Maybe not so easily, as Sam had no idea how to maneuver the vessel (a whip) and ended up hurting himself, Sock, Ben and messing up the Work Bench’s break room while he was at it. He also assumed his weekly position-o’-death in the process, on his back on the floor, pinned down by a demon who wants to eat his face, right before capturing the guy. There was no more Cubby Bryce action until late in the episode when Sock and Ben realized all the unsolicited Beers of the World packages they’d been delivered were for their apartment’s previous tenant, a one Cubby Bryce. No coincidence.

Ironically, Steve and Tony reminded me of door-to-door salesmen, or those people on TV who think they can change your life by motivating you to buy their treadmill. We all knew something fierce was nigh, but a revolution? The proposed death of Satan? As Sam, I would have shut the door, even with the possibility of release from bondage. This isn’t some regular Joe to outsmart, but the Devil himself. How could Sam think that Satan didn’t know everything that was going on? Steve and Tony became fanatical in their ideas, but at least Steve’s motivation was to overwhelm the world with Good, and not to literally attack Satan. I knew that Archangel Michael sword was fake from the start, and I knew those guys were in for some serious annihilation. The Cubby Bryce apartment realization by Sock and Ben clued Sam in to the scam the Devil was running, having set up the rebellion himself so he could do away with the Demons who posed a threat to him (the ones trying to make the world a better place). I didn’t expect Sam to end up a pawn in the Devil’s games once more, used and abused (but thankfully unscathed). That's a little disappointing. What a bummer, to taste your freedom and then find out your captor was behind your false hope from the start.

Satan demo’d the building the opposing demons were in, with all of them them in it. And since only Tony climbed out of the rubble alive, I assume we’ll see him continue his mad crusade (sans Steve? Cry), Sam now surely being no friend of his.

Do you think Sam and the Devil are actually friends? I think Sam deserves to be free and have a normal life and not have to lie to Andi or put his loved ones in danger, and still at times he felt like guilty for betraying him. Is Sam too good of a guy? And is the Devil really lonely? It’s never easy to know who to trust.

Other notes
-When Josie gave Ted her scarf, “I See Spiders When I Close My Eyes” by The Boy Least Likely To was playing. And Eew, Ted and Josie?
-Why didn’t I think of Beerios myself?
-It was nice to see Robert Clendenin as Bob the demon.
-I was hoping for some Gladys action, but nothing. I want more demon deposits!
-The Devil’s number is in the Phoenix area code? I’m back to wondering about Cady now. And what kind of Hell might break loose when she gets backfrom her "break".
-The Devil got all emo on Sam, talking about his love for God and his loneliness. Again, what’s the truth and what’s a ploy?
-Why the heck would Andi trust Sam more than anyone I the world? All he’s done is let her down!

Quotes
The Devil: “What, you don’t like banana splits? What, are you some kind of a Commie?”
Sock to Josie: “Even though I’ve moved on, it’s nice to see my mark is still all over you like dog pee on a pretty, pretty little tree.”
Sam to the Devil: “You are so weird.”
Sock to Cubby: “I would be wiling to put on your underwear with you still in them for seven figures.”
Sock: “There is no way Josie thinks she’s better than me.”
Steve, at the human sacrifice: “Here, just jam this through his heart, easy as pie!”


Hey, Reaper fans, looking for more goodies? Our Online Video Guide will hook you up.

Tonight's episode of Reaper was immensely thrilling, the pinnacle of everything this show has aspired to be since it started. They fully executed romance, mortal danger, misunderstandings, even love triangles, revenge and demons in one hour. You know, that description disturbingly reminds me of the mornings I obsessively spent watching Days of Our Lives circa 1997 and its bizarre storylines (remember when Marlena was possessed by he Devil? Anyone? OK, don't hate me). But this was tender and surprising and thrilling. I couldn't ask for more.

After some consternation, the guys figured out a way to break up with their new BFFs, neighbor-demons Steve (Michael Ian Black) and Tony (Ken Marino), only to find that they'd been hasty in doing so after the two prove they're harmless and misunderstood. Still, you have to know they're hiding something — Steve very obviously took an active interest in Sam's unique buddy-terms with the Devil. What could he want? He did save Sam's life (how awesome was that?), but I can't help but feel that he can now use that against Sam and make him return the favor. Nice demons are still demons, son.

Then there's our girl Andi. Not everything in life has the best timing, including Andi and Sam's googly-eyed admiration for each other. After Andi spits out that she does actually have real feelings for Sam, the two do what they're good at and get all awkward again until Sam decides to return the sentiment by asking her out for Friday night... Even though he's still with Cady. Though he'd been trying to do the right thing and break up with Cady all episode long, I can't help but feel this is all going to be a big mess when she comes back. Her mortal-ness/sanity is already in question, and here Sam goes two-timing her/it. Real smart.

Of course, it took an escaped soul, Nikki Manders (Erica Cerra), almost killing Andi to make the reality of the situation come to a head. Tony saved Sam's unthinking ass when he whipped out an extra ticket for Andi to attend the Friday night Seattle Style event with the Guys so that Sam didn't have to ditch her for the bazillionth time for soul-hunting. But from the look on Sam's face I knew he wasn't happy about mixing business with pleasure. We've all been waiting to see if Andi or Josie would get involved with the soul-hunting, and this would be a rather perfect way for that to happen. Too bad Andi's life ended up in terrible danger because of it.

I really expected that Andi would wake up from the car accident not remembering a thing. It would be so easy to write off a girl dripping bloody acid from her fingers and getting trapped in a soap bubble (Did anyone else think this bottle of bubbles vessel was odd?) as the result of a hallucination-induced concussion, but the writers didn't. I would say there may some hope yet that Andi will be let in on the real goings-on, except that this last botch-up made Sam feel so incredibly guilty that I doubt he'd ever let Andi know what his life really is now. In fact, it makes me wonder whether he'll even keep Sock and Ben around as co-soulfighters. And that really frightens me.

So are Andi and Sam doomed to never really be together? It hasn't been addressed until now, but the Devil had a point near the end: Sam doesn't have a choice in whether he helps the Devil out for the rest of his life or not, and because of that anyone Sam gets close to could to get hurt or maimed in the process. It's heroic and kinda fun to catch demons with your friends while you're young and unfocused, but what happens when Sam really grows up? Will Sock and Ben still be there to help him catch souls when they have their own relationships or families? Can Sam ever let himself love anyone? I really want to root for Sam and Andi, but being the good guy that Sam is, he might not let himself get involved. He finally realized as he left the hospital that he may be forced to live his life secretly from everyone he loves so that no one he loves gets hurt. It's immensely sad to realize the guy probably has no way out of the disastrous fate his parents put on him.

This was my favorite episode. We do have to wait until April 22 to see where everything's going to go (and I'm way excited that Black and Marino will no doubt have a continuing arc on this show), and I have a brand new excitement and respect for this show, different and greater than before. I hope you all enjoyed it too and I can't wait to hear what you all thought of it. See you in a month!

Quotestime

Sock: "Yes, Steve and Tony smell terrific, and yes, they have great taste in beer, but they are demons."

Devil: "Serious question: Are you a boob man? Ass man? Leg man? What’s your preference?" Sam: "I’m not having this conversation.” Devil: "I’ve always been more of an ass man myself"

Steve: "The homophobe thing, alright, I don’t agree with it, but I understand it. But fallen angels doomed to walk the earth for all eternity, that weirds you out?" Tony: "Racist."

Devil: "Good job, Sammy. My heart’s swollen with pride. Wanna go to a strip club? I know one with a good buffet."

Hey, Reaperholics, know where you can get your daily dose of your favorite demon-hunter? Our Online Video Guide, of course.

Oh, how I love a good (mild) cliffhanger. Did anyone else expect the Guys’ new neighbors Steve (Michael Ian Black) and Tony (Ken Marino) to be demons? I mean, I think we've all come to accept that anything on this show that appears to be great at first (dads, vacuums, girlfriends) rarely is. But demons? Adoptive parent demons? Badass, lovey chefs-who-discuss-crown-moulding demons? Oh, Well. Even if they are 28,000% evil, I still want their lobster macaroni and cheese recipe. Yum.

I quite enjoyed seeing everyone's storylines flesh out in this episode. And though last week's demon was pretty gnarly, I found Herbert to be one of the scarier escaped souls I've personally seen — you can't see him coming at you! Though in a way, I've come to expect that sort of thing when I walk on New York City streets. At least in my case it's usually just the crazies and not the returned-dead to keep wary of.

Sam started the episode out in confident form, backbone intact, hallelujah. Minus his new cockiness, he was acting so much more the hero tonight. I only fear he might pay for all his sassing of the Devil later, as we've seen what bad Devil karma will get you. Sam got his soul-catching assignment with minimal clues from the big guy (his own choice), and the guys set out to catch the murderous forest hermit who'd been killing innocent joggers near his old haunts in the woods. I fully expect to see that very description somewhere on a dating site in the next few days.

As a vessel, the guys received a Magic Bullet portable food processor. It slices, it dices, it helps transport demons back to hell. If only all home appliances were so useful.

There's still the burning question of Cady's origins. Namely, is she evil? And if not, what gives?

Reasons Cady is Crazy Demon-Spawn
-she made a fish die in her presence
-she made a flower wilt
-she shattered glass
-she snores beast-growls
-she's a jealous beeyotch
-she moved a bowling ball with her mind

Reasons Why Cady is a Normal, if Icky, Girl
-'Cause the Devil said so
-'Cause The Devil gave Sam "evil- viewing glasses" and Cady looked normal through them.

Really, are you going to believe the guy with the horns or your own gut on this one? I suppose other theories might include that her mom's a demon herself or her real dad is a demon, but I don't think Jerry/Mr. Belvedere/Satan really gave us a good enough reason to discount him. Something's fishy, and it's not Steve and Tony's crab salad.

Speaking of, the most exciting part of this episode for me was the Guys' new apartment. (Time out: Three bedrooms for $1200/month, furnished, and including a parking space? Unreal, former meth lab or not.) It's the ultimate bachelor pad, and the guys even have laundry service demons awesome, handy neighbors. Neighbors who... could be evil. Sounds like my own, actually.

This story was much less about catching the demon and more about the interaction between the characters and their resulting lives because of the demon-hunting. This is what you loyal watchers have been commenting about and hoping for all along, so what did you think? Do you prefer the direction things are now going? For those who do, you'll be glad to know that Valerie Rae Miller (who plays my hero Josie) writes in her TVGuide.com blog that we can expect a lot more of that to come.

As I previously mentioned, we're also seeing this refreshing grab-the-assignment-by-the-horns (pun intended) attitude that Sam's evoking. And as Ray Wise told me earlier this week, (shameless Reaper promotion!) while the Devil may not be thrilled with Sam's ego, he sure hopes it helps make him a better guy. I still don't know how much I fully buy the Devil's pride in his charge, even though it makes you "Aww" whenever he treats Sam all fatherly.

All in all, I loved Black's and Marino's characters, I loved the guys' independence, I loved Andi doing the right thing by being honest with Sam about Cady being a freak, and I just love where this is all going. Only six more episodes left, guys. Let's see what we can do to make sure this show sticks around.

Quotes 'n Quotes 'n Quotes

Sock: "I need a bat cave. I deserve a bat cave."

Sock: "Oh dude! Magic Bullet!"
Sam: "What?"
Ben: "What is it, a vibrator?"

Sam to the Devil: "I don't need you."

The Devil: "I told you before — you're much more than an an employee. I care about you."

Hey, Reaperholics, know where you can get your daily dose of your favorite demon-hunter? Our Online Video Guide, of course.

Q: How happy were you to see the Devil with the blue tie on tonight? (A: Very.) Somehow one can go an entire summer without new episodes of a favorite show, but after said show has aired only 10 episodes and goes the same span with no new word, there's a bit of withdrawal that sets in. It better have all been worth it, writer people. For those of you curious, Reaper's still in limbo. No word yet on a deal that will go beyond the 18 episodes that will comprise this season. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Well, it was a nice comeback. Not a super magnificent my-face-just-exploded return, but good enough to remind me that I still want more after every episode. We were introduced to Sock's mom (Marilyn Norry), who wore just as much blue eyeshadow as I pictured she would, and her surprise new husband, Morris. Apparently, What Happens in Vegas Stays In Really Hurts Your Kids, because Sock's total deflation over his mom's "betrayal" consumed him for the entire episode. But Tyler Labine (and big props to the writers) is the man, as we all know, and even his character's depression is brilliantly funny. I’m going to go join his fan club right now, k thx.

And then there was the drama. The ghoul? A cannibal. The vessel? A spear gun. Frankly, I find the vessels that are actually weapons to be a lot less effective (read: fun) than, say, catching a demon with a Snow Globe. No? Just me?

The guys try to catch the demon at the morgue, get busted for using a doctored version of Josie's old work ID to get in, and have to suffer her wrath. Her crusade against the guys seems to have only begun. Can you imagine what will happen if she finds out the truth? And did you see how bad-ass she was when interrogating Ben? That girl wears a spandex super hero uniform under all that lawyer garb, I'm convinced. And a little afraid.

So, what did we think of the brewing Andi/Cady rivalry? I'm not so sure Cady is the Devil's daughter anymore as much as she's just a big ol' bitch. "I'll slash your tires if you steal my man!" So we’re on Jerry Springer now, is that it? But Sam was just insane to have ever let Cady think he bought the necklace for her. You create your own lady problems, my friend. Both girls had the supreme right to be majorly angry at him, and in true Sam Oliver style, he messed up and then manned up, even though he pretty much let Andi take the fall for their argument. You re-gifted a special gift, dude! I'd be like, oh, it's not a problem, I'm glad you found a way of showing me that I truly mean nothing to you. And then I'd kick him in the junk just like he asked.

Does anyone else feel like the girls on this show are wearing a lot more makeup this episode? I feel like the orange-toned skin and the perfect complexions extended way beyond just Ray Wise this time.

Jamie Kennedy guest-starred in this one as Ryan, a really terrible musician (I wonder if he did his own bad vocals?) whose soul the Devil ("the umlaut was my idea") tries to buy in exchange for fame. Of course do-gooder Sam steps in and keeps the transaction from happening, but not before Ryan does a really terrible performance, gets his hand gnawed off by the cannibal demon (via the Guys' harebrained scheming), thereby ending his musical career and nulling the soul-exchange deal with the Devil. Of course Sam doesn't think about how mad Satan's going to be that he lost a soul on Sam's account. "This isn't me mad, Sam, this is me disappointed," he said as he destroyed the Work Bench, almost killing Sam. Clean up on aisle 666? I feel for Sam, but I think I'm almost starting to feel for the Devil more. Evil, that's what I am.

What did you all think of this first post-strike episode back? Remember, we’ll have two more episodes the following two Thursdays, and then there’s a break until the show returns April 22 for five more Tuesday night episodes.

Quotes:

“My mom got married. Now I have nobody except for you two. Can somebody get me a six-pack? That’s what my mom would have done.”

"Can I have a word with you, Mr....Belvedere?"

Sam: “Next time I buy a present for a girl, I need you to punch me in the junk. Hard.” Sock: “That’s the only way I punch.”

"Where’s your heart, on the left?”

“I get very excited about confirming the truth, it sets me free.”

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Episode Recap: "Cash Out"

This show makes me wonder what I would do if I were put in the same situations Sam gets shoved into, these tests of honor and morals that give the Devil a clue about what kind of a person he is. Like, would I keep $6 million I found in a closet? I probably wouldn't have bought a gold bling belt, but I probably would purchase a spa day. And a house. And a room full of candy. Sam, you're a better person than I.

Okay, down to business. Aren't Sam and Cady great together? I mean now that he's her boyfriend and all. They seem to have nice chemistry, even though she's a weirdo who brings her dead pets to drinky-time. But there's still Andi. Not that I blame her for that forlorn look she had when the guys told her about Sam's new girl who they didn't trust.

Andi: "So what's wrong with her?"
Ben: "She's a huge fan of Lionel Richie."

Not that that really helps when you like a guy who you maybe plan on asking out some time in the next century. Maybe.

I was glad that the commercial teaser that led us to believe Cady likes her chicken meat really really raw was misleading. Though hearing "Come on, man, admit it, I totally hosed you," and "Easy on the G-word (God), buddy, it's rude," from the Devil was totally worth the prank. But I'm glad we didn't find out all in one big Cady episode whether or not she's the Devil's offspring, despite Sock's "passion for hot-tubbing" and their I'll-show-you-mine-you-show-me-yours deal. So there's no 666 Devil-mark on her. But that doesn't necessarily mean anything, and she did admit that "Jerry" might be her dad at the end of the episode. And then those flowers wilted. What will it all mean?

The bad guys were two dudes who robbed a bank some years ago and dragged the bank's innocent manager and fellow problem-gambler with them to prison. Gladys rejecting the lighter vessel after they caught the first soul was such a classic DMV moment. She whipped out the giant rejection stamp, an appeals process, and her service window rapidly closed after the incident. You almost forget you're at a DMV until you realize yeah, that is Hell.

Can all the escapees walk through walls? I don't remember that being the case before, and I don't know what gives these two guys the power to do so, but the way Wang held Ben in the wall as a hostage, threatening to leave him there and let his body be split in two was another signature creepy move on the part of this show's writers. They let us ha-ha it up, and then make us beg for the characters' lives. And, um, I like it. I'm still surprised Ben isn't sick of near-death experiences yet. But the guys, of course, captured the other soul in the end, and in a real good-guy move, gave the remainder of the stolen cash to the wrongly-accused bank manager.

We also know that now Josie and Andi are in cahoots to find out what the guys have been up to, seeing as Sock suddenly has money out of nowhere, Josie knows they've been breaking into her office, and Sam has a girlfriend he's been keeping a secret. Are the guys busted? I want to see how creative J&A will be to try and figure it out. But really, I just want to see how it'll go down if/when they do.

It wasn't really an episode full of answers, though it brought up way more questions that will keep me glued in the coming weeks. And it only makes me sad that because of the writers' strike there are only a handful of new episodes left this season for us to see and find out. And next week is a rerun. Until then, guys!

For more Reaper goodness, check out our Online Video Guide.

Episode Recap: "Ashes to Ashes"

Ben: "Does he still have a chance with you?"
Andi: "Maybe."

This may actually be indicative of how people confusingly act in real life, but if that's the case then I'm not used to these real "human emotions" in my TV. "Maybe"? If Andi hadn't lost a fan in me before, she certainly did then. I suppose the bigger point of her indecision was to put it up next to the Devil's purposeful indecision and to say that any way you slice it, you shouldn't treat people that way. Well, maybe it's actually Andi who's the Devil's daughter because, yes, that's mean, girl, even if that wasn't your intention.

It was pretty great seeing Melinda Clarke as Mimi, acting outside her evil wench role on The O.C.. So the Devil's girlfriend is a sweetheart and the Devil likes to go by "Jerry" and vacay in Cabo? I love this show.

One thing in this episode that kind of freaked me out was when Sam woke up in the coffin. When Sam slips into the Devil's example sequences before he goes ghost hunting, it makes me wonder if what's happening to him in those seemingly alternate worlds is real. Like, is it all Nightmare on Elm Street-style where if you die in the sequence/dream you die in real life? I figure that unless Sam messes up pretty badly, we won't ever have to find that out. But waking up in a coffin is no way to start a day.

Tonight's escaped spirit seemed particularly menacing to me because of both his crazy strength (he brought on psudo-Earthquakes), his bad-guy nature (he sold off dead people's body parts when he was alive, ick) and he had a deadly vengenace for a very large number of still-living people. We saw the Devil much angrier than usual this time around, really creepily so, and all becuase Sam was concentrating so much on helping the living instead of capturing the dead. The Devil seems to forget that that's the one thing about his job that helps Sam sleep at night. Or in true Devil style, he knows and doesn't care. At least tonight Sam got the kind of validation about his job that he rarely gets — he's actually making a positive difference, according to Ben's grandmother. And despite all the dangers, Sam stood up to the Devil again in this episode, to defend Mimi's decision to leave him, even though the stakes seem much higher for him now. It reminds me that instead of just being a goofus, Sam is proving he's actually hero material too.

Speaking of the grandma, does that mean that she's yet one more person that Sam has unknowingly put in danger by involving her in his side work? And yet again, I can't figure out Sam's dad's intentions. It was odd to me to have him pop up in this episode, giving Sam tips on when he should let someone go. While I suppose that's the kind of talk a guy might actually have with his son, I just don't trust the dude.

I thought it was a pretty cool episode, and we even got to see what Ben's family is like. Soon we'll get to meet Sock's mom too, and that I can't wait for.

Awesome quotes time:

Sock: "I wanna be the prince of darkness. No, whats below prince? Duke, I want to be the duke of darkness."

Sam: "Just for the record, Sock embarrasses you more than me, right?"
Ben: "Absolutely."
Sock: "Damn skippy."

Ben: "You know, I never thought the devil had genitals."

Sam: "What am I hanging onto? A glimmer of hope? I could wait forever and miss out on living my life."

See you all next week, in the company of Satan's possible demon-spawn. Can't wait!

Catch up with all your favorite Reaper episodes with clips and episodes in our Online Video Guide.

Sock and Gladys made out. Sock and Gladys. Made. Out. Is nothing holy? I guess that's the wrong question to be asking of a show about the Devil's favorite minion. And though it was just a dream sequence, Gladys' red bra amidst the doilies and angel tchotchkes and the glint in Sock's eye when he agreed they should get it on will haunt me every time I watch this show. I wish I could escape it like they do in Wayne's World. Deedly-oot, deedly-oot, deedly-oot….

Otherwise, and thankfully there is an otherwise, tonight's show actually had a few twists I wasn't expecting. Many of us have been wondering if things on this show are going to get shaken up a bit, if the formula is going to stray from its tried (and almost tired) path. I think tonight's crazy episode showed that it does. Though the plot still clung to the whole demon-of-the-week deal, we actually saw very little of him (Curtis Dean Mays, an executed felon), and spent more time on Sam and the Devil's twisted relationship. I really enjoyed what we did see of Mays, though. How brilliant is it to create a character that uses his tattoos as weapons? Despite my other protestations, I can't say the writers on this show are lacking in creativity. I have no complaints about a single villain or vessel so far.

On second thought, I didn't find tonight's Taser all that thrilling. Meh.

After finding her shopping at The Bench, Sock and Ben stalked DMV lady/demoness Gladys all through this episode while Sam hunted Mays mostly on his own. I wasn't expecting horned Gladys to have a home full of tea cozies and porcelain angels, just as I wasn't expecting Sam to get framed by the Devil for murder. The promos gave that last point away a bit, but like most promos I assumed they were purposely misleading. Not so this time. As Sock and Ben got to know more about Gladys' tormented existence (being shunned in her neighborhood, getting her house egged by kids), Sam became Play-Doh for the Devil. First I cursed the guy for getting Sam into so much trouble with the detective, and then I wanted to excuse him because his brilliant plan worked out so well in the end — he collected his souls and Sam didn't have to eat any bullets or go to prison. Still, it's undeniable that Sam makes too convenient a plaything for the orange-skinned one. I don't trust any shows of respect or adoration from the guy anymore, and I'm glad to see that Sam doesn't either.

"It's the Devil, it's got to be a trick," Sam said after receiving the Devil's Get out of Hell Free card at the end of the episode. It seems so easy to forget that the guy is still the prince of darkness and that Sam still has a job to do... or else. Though now with the introduction of this card, it makes me wonder under what terrible circumstances it'll need to be used.

And what of Andi and Sam? Again? I shrug at the thought. There's no denying that the two have mutual feelings toward one another, but I was still shocked to hear Andi say that Sam is "the most important person in her life." That's not apparent to me one bit. And are we assuming that Sam's relationship with last week's Taylor is done for? Because for five seconds, it was not only refreshing to see him interested in someone else, but it was pretty excellent that he felt he could do something about it. I wanted so badly to root for Andi and Sam, but there's only so much hope I can allow to be crushed.

Parts I thought were keen:
• "Hey, I'm not Ted. What a d--k." (The Devil, judging Ted's "Dog of the month" employee prize.)
• "It was very classy of you not to go for the crotch." (The Devil, after asking Sam to take a swing at him with a bat.)
• Greg and Sam's slap fight(!).
• Sock's very serious lawyerly toolbox.
• "You know what I could go for? Bloomin' onion." (The Devil, post-detective murdering.)

Party on, Satan.

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This episode didn't have enough Ray Wise in it for my taste, but maybe I have to get over that. What it did have was enough 1970s nostalgia to make me wish for a closet full of bell-bottoms. Not.

From the way last week's ads looked, I thought this episode would have a bit of a Grindhouse-style grainy look to it. Nope. Even the actual Betamax movie Sam and Andi watched of "Love, Bullets & Blacktop" didn't have the grittiness I expected. I think that would have been a really great touch, something else to say the show stands out by doing. Looks like the CW ad people have tricked me once again.

The guys' goal souls in this episode, Kit and Holly, were two escapees who spent their lives living on the edge: driving fast muscle cars, being dangerously in love and modeling themselves after law-breaking characters in a low-budget car-chase movie. Oh, and they have a soft spot for the movie's eight-track soundtrack (despite it's being this week's vessel), most prominently track 1, "Radar Love." The scene where we first meet Kit and Holly and they hear Sam blasting the song ("Say Anything"-style, eight-track held up above his head), is almost touching: Ignoring everyone else around them, the pair start dancing in the parking lot, looking like the two most-in-love people on the planet. Funny how the Devil knows just when to come in and tell us that our whole love concept is a farce. I didn't believe him, and I'm glad Sam didn't either.

On the love front, Andi redeemed herself in my eyes this week. When Taylor, a girl who hit on Sam at the bar the night before, both calls him and later shows up at the Work Bench, Andi is not only not jealous, but even encourages Sam to give her a chance. Which makes me think maybe the girl either never actually had a thing for him like I thought, or she's just super diplomatic. I mean, we haven't heard from her admirer Greg in a few episodes, so I wonder how that's going for her. But the scene where Sam and Andi watch the Beta video and toss popcorn at each other and giggle was almost overboard cute. It's nice to see the people you've been rooting for all along share that kind of moment, even if their general fickleness together is annoying. But I don't know how much more of that wishy-washiness I can stand.

Sock, redeeming himself in the genius department, comes up with a plan to appear to sell their stuck-in-the-'70s coworker Russ' (Curtis Armstrong, "Booger" from Revenge of the Nerds!!!) muscle car to attract the souls. The plan works and the guys capture the male soul, Kit, sending Holly into a vengeful rage, almost killing the trio and Russ on several occasions. I know it's wussy of me, but I was actually concerned when the car appeared to crush Sam in the auto body shop. For a second, I did think our hero was a goner.

While I thought this episode had some rad moments, I can't say it was one of my favorites. Andi, a character I was just about to start loving to hate, redeemed herself tonight with her good attitude and her Ted-free Zone. The devil showed up to offer his misleading advice, but we didn't get any more clues about the developing backstory on Sam's contract or the situation with his dad. We did hear the Devil talk about his nonbelief in love, but I kind of expected that from the Prince of Darkness, you know? Of course, not every episode needs to explore the direction the series is ultimately going, but I think its success will ultimately depend on how much us viewers fall in love with these characters' own stories. And with plots like tonight's that are very steeped in soul-catching, I wonder if anyone's starting to lose their patience? Or are these episodes all stand-alone great?

One last note on Sam and Taylor: I'm glad Sam did what he knew was best for him and told Taylor to take it slow. While I do wish he'd take more risks in general, at least the guy finally knows what he wants. The old Sam might have totally blown Taylor off. And while the new one isn't all suddenly about nookie in a broom closet, at least he's giving nookie a chance.

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I was surprised to see that this episode started with the soul-hunting trio already in the midst of capturing a spirit, Leon (Patton Oswalt), who killed U.S. President McKinley. Actually, I was hoping that would be the only soul in this episode and that we'd spend the rest of it learning more about our heroes. But even though another bad guy did come along, we still got to find out what was going through our fellas' heads. Though as soon as they captured Leon and Sock proclaimed, "This just keeps getting easier and easier," I knew he'd regret saying it.

Fun fact: Leon Czolgosz was indeed the name of the guy who shot McKinley.

The Devil shows up eventually, completely bummed out by the concept of Halloween, and is in a speech-making kind of mood. He's smoking. He barely speaks. He may as well put on a black turtleneck, grab a tambourine and go to an open-mic night. Halloween, to him, is the cheapening of the evil he promotes, kind of like what Valentine's Day means these days for love, perhaps to Cupid (who I'm sure cries into a heart-shaped box every Feb. 14). His minions all take a holiday to celebrate, which leaves us with the sad absence of DMV lady Gladys (and Sam unable to deposit Leon's soul), and Satan's sad mug to bum us all out. Because when Satan's sad, we're all sad. Right.

Side note: Is anyone going to be Ray Wise for Halloween this year? If so, I'd recommend using a lot of self-tanner.

We find out that Andi is still upset at Sam for lying to her, as I honestly think she has the right to be. I'm a little tired of the two of them pussyfooting around their feelings for one another. These kids ain't in high school no more! I just wish they could prove that their backbones had grown a little since adolescence. I do applaud Andi for taking a stand, but I almost booed when she later apologized to him. Maybe I'm just bitter, but I was surprised that she even took him back so quickly.

One of my favorite moments was the Devil's speech on the fallibility of mankind: "Betrayal is the defining trait of humanity. Your friends will always let you down. The girl will always leave.... You're upset because you're realizing the weakness of your species, the most untrustworthy and unreliable creatures on earth. Except bears."

And then he continues, "In a way, I'm the most trustworthy person you know, and that's just sad."

Sad indeed. Later, Sam and Sock get into a quibble about how Sam really feels about Sock's immaturity (you know, after Sock drops trou in front of The Work Bench and releases Leon from his vessel just because he thinks the dude's funny). The Devil's prophecy about Sam's friends looks like it's coming true, and both guys spend a car ride telling each other what they hate about one another. I couldn't help thinking, "Is this how the Devil wins?"

The other escaped soul in this episode belongs to Barney Kirkwood, the "Butcher of Ballard," who comes back as a huge wolflike creature, tearing his way through metal and almost killing Sam in the process of being caught. But we know how this goes down: Sam gets the ghoul with a little help from his friends; Halloween ends and the Devil's back to his high spirits; Gladys returns; Andi and Sam reconcile. I have a feeling that that girl is never going to be part of that gang, though honestly, I'm really not so disappointed by that anymore.

My favorite exchange of the night:
Andi: "You have brain damage."
Sock: "Maybe."

Happy Halloween!

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I swear, halfway through this episode I had a You Can’t Do That on Television moment, expecting a bucketful of green slime to pour down on someone’s head. That didn't quite happen, but tonight's ooze was nevertheless pretty grody, and I felt terrible that poor Ben got swallowed up in the stuff. But at least this time he didn’t lose any eyebrows from the ordeal.

The escaped soul, a corrupt tycoon who spent years polluting the environment by dumping toxic waste illegally, came back in green blob form (how appropriate) to try to wipe out all the people who stood to get his still-living son in trouble for the crimes he inherited from his dad. Our guys had to figure out how the vessel, a knitted Christmas sweater (Sock: "Maybe you use that and the soul laughs it way back to hell?") could possibly absorb a spirit. Well, I guess that’s exactly how it went down in the end, now isn’t it? Superabsorbent knitting saves the day. I especially enjoyed the Freddy Krueger claw that DMV-maven Gladys whipped out to extract the spirit. I have a feeling Sock really enjoyed that part.

So, let’s get down to brass tacks. I knew, I so knew that Sam’s dad was up to something. I didn’t buy his whole suddenly worried-dad shtick. I don’t doubt that as a father he must be worried somewhere inside that heart of plastic, but until he heard about Sam’s contract possession, he wasn’t exactly Mr. Involved. I want to know what he’s hiding. Is the page he burned something that points blame at himself? In any case, we know the Devil sees all, and I’m sure this isn’t the last we’ll be seeing of the issue.

It was creepy finding out that the moment many of us were waiting for, Sam coming clean to Andi about his deal with the Dark One, would be dangerous for her. Though that seems relatively logical, I think I would have still preferred it if she was able to play a spirit-butt-kicking role. In any case, we’re reminded here that the Devil, despite his charm, is still a baddie. 'Cause, yes, we needed some reminding.

Do you think Andi will ever find out the truth? Will Sam ever get a girlfriend with the kind of schedule he’s keeping? And what is the Halloween episode all about? I'm not telling, but I’m drooling in anticipation.

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