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TV Tonight: The Reaper Finale

BuzzSugar — Tue, 26 May 2009 10:30:55 -0700

I'm not happy to see any of my favorite shows end for the season, but tonight's Reaper finale is particularly poignant, as the show was not picked up by the CW for another season and several of the show's people have already signed on for new things (including Tyler Labine and the show's creators Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters). All is not totally lost, though, as there's talk of possibly continuing the show on ABC. Anyway, I have absolutely loved this season - perhaps even more than the first - as we've gotten to know Sam's half-brother Morgan (the ever-dashing/sleazy Armie Hammer) and Ben's demon girlfriend Nina (Jenny Wade). And, of course, my two favorites, the Devil and Sock, have been consistently amusing as well.

In tonight's finale, "Sam (Bret Harrison) and Andi (Missy Peregrym) try to find Tony (guest star Ken Marino) to help them translate the scroll Nina brought back from Hell. . . . Sam challenges The Devil (Ray Wise) to a game of quarters, but they play to a draw and The Devil refuses a rematch, so Andi offers her soul as collateral." Yikes! I can't wait, and yet, I'm also dreading having to part with one of my most beloved shows. Reaper fans, what are your favorite things about the show? We can get through this together. To check out a promo for tonight's finale and share your thoughts, read more.

Photo courtesy of The CW

Link Time! 4/23

BuzzSugar — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:30:36 -0700

The case for renewing Reaper. - HitFix
Who could play a big-screen Bernie Madoff? Maybe Dustin Hoffman or Tom Wilkinson? - Popwatch
Will Arnold Schwarzenegger's cameo make or break Terminator Salvation? - Cinematical
Time for Danny Gokey to shake things up a little. - TV Squad
In celebration of St. George's Day, here are PopUK's top ten favorite British actors. - PopSugarUK
Check out the 2009 Cannes Film Festival lineup. - MTV Movies Blog
Is it wrong for a white director to take on one of August Wilson's plays? - TrèsSugar
Watch five great shorts from the Tribeca Film Festival. - Vulture

Photo courtesy of The CW

On the Bubble? Where TV Shows Stand Now

BuzzSugar — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:30:52 -0700

By this time next month, the Fall TV schedule will be set. Starting with NBC in a couple of weeks, each network will piece together its programming slate, including which current series will return and which new pilots will get a shot at success. That means it's crunch time for shows that are "on the bubble," with equally good chances they'll get renewed or canceled. The Hollywood Reporter broke down which series have a good shot at returning and which look dead, and a few tidbits jumped out to me as I read its take:

Good news, bad news at the CW. This line set off a rollercoaster of emotions: "Over at the CW, Reaper is gone, while the prospects for Privileged have improved, and the show is now considered for a possible midseason order." Reaper had been holding its own against American Idol, so I'm surprised the CW would dismiss it so quickly, but at least we've gotten two seasons of it. Privileged definitely seems like it deserves another shot - especially if it could air during one of these extended breaks from Gossip Girl.
A bunch of shows are really 50/50. Among the ones considered true toss-ups: Chuck (whose chances are said to be hurt by Southland's early success but whose fans are vocal), Dollhouse, and CBS's Without a Trace and Cold Case - of which only one is expected to return.
Good news for some midseason shows. Even though none of ABC's midseason shows have been blockbuster hits, Better Off Ted, Castle, and The Unusuals are all considered possibilities to return next year. (Cupid, however, seems dead already.)
Say farewell to . . . In addition to Cupid and Reaper, things are reportedly not looking good for Life, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, or Eleventh Hour.

Check out the full story and tell me what you think. How are things looking for your favorites?

Photo courtesy of The CW

TV Tonight: The Romantic Side of Reaper

BuzzSugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 06:30:02 -0700

Basically I just want an excuse to post the funny promo for tonight's episode of Reaper because it makes me laugh every darn time I watch it. Though it's a little silly at times, the writing on this show consistently cracks me up. Like in last week's episode when we learned Sock's (Tyler Labine) "signature" pick-up line: "Excuse me, I think you're standing on my penis." I mean . . . come on!

Tonight's episode promises more sleaziness from Sam's (Bret Harrison) um, half-brother, Morgan (Armie Hammer) as Sam works to win Andi (Missy Peregrym) back. Seriously, though, the promo after the jump is a treat all its own. To watch, read more.

Interview With a Devil (or, You Know, Ray Wise)

BuzzSugar — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 07:30:25 -0700

Speak of the Devil! No, seriously. Ray Wise brilliantly plays the Devil on the out-of-this-world CW comedy Reaper and I recently got to chat with him one-on-one which, you might imagine, was a little bit intimidating at first. I mean, he's a scary dude! But once we got talking it was clear that Ray Wise himself is just a nice, not-demonic man - though he does have a deep-rooted love of vampires (specifically Brahm Stoker's Dracula). Best of all, though, he's made up a word to describe the genre in which Reaper probably belongs: horramedy! That's horror + drama + comedy. I dig it.

It was a fun conversation with the guy who plays one of my favorite characters on TV right now. Check it out. . . .

Buzz: It seems like you have a lot of fun playing the Devil.

Ray Wise: Oh yeah, I have the most fun.

Buzz: Do you base your performance of the Devil on anything or anyone in particular?

Ray Wise: (chuckling) No. No, I'm very steeped in the mythology of the Devil, and I've seen all the great Devils in the movies. . . . There have been a number of great Devils, good ones, ones that I've enjoyed - and all different. . . . But mine, I think, is probably more different than any of them in that there’s a certain charm to my Devil . . . and also the sense of humor is increased in my Devil, and plus, you know, he's . . . resplendent he likes to wear nicely tailored suits and ties and he takes very good care of himself.

For more of my interview with Ray Wise, read more.

Buzz: I've read that you're a fan of Brahm Stoker's Dracula.

Ray Wise: Oh yeah. Ever since I was a kid, you know, I have a first edition of Bram Stoker's Dracula, got it when I was about ten years old and I’ve read it, I don’t know how many times, quite a few times. And I've enjoyed some of the other Draculas over the ages, like Frank Langella’s and some of the others. But I’ve never really felt that they've . . . ever captured, truly, the real Dracula in that book and of course, being half-Romanian myself, I feel a kinship with the character, so it would be my dream to one day soon to play the ultimate Dracula and really do a great job on the book.

Buzz: Does the supernatural stuff on Reaper appeal to you in that sense?

Ray Wise: Yes, yes, all of it, it really appeals to me. . . . Some of these characters and some of the special effects are just incredible. And I enjoy feeling, just momentarily, that sense of power, that one would feel if they did have that ability, some of the abilities that the devil has. It feels very empowering as you’re doing it.

Buzz: Is it fun doing such a silly comedy after doing so many years of so much drama?

Ray Wise: Yeah, boy, yes, it is. And be able to make people laugh and to make myself laugh while I’m working, it’s a gift. It’s a great feeling and I’m really enjoying it. This whole comedy thing is a lot of fun!

Buzz: Yeah, I appreciate the silliness of Reaper so much because it’s refreshingly different from everything else on TV right now.

Ray Wise: It is, isn't it? I mean, it’s pretty much all by itself, I think. I call it a horramedy: It’s horror, drama and comedy, all wrapped into one. . . . And I don't think there are any other horramedies on television! And even in the movies there aren’t many horramedies so we’re pretty much exploring that genre all by ourselves.

Buzz: I’m enjoying this season so far as we see the deepening of the relationship between the Devil and Sam.

Ray Wise: Yeah, and you're going to see the Devil interacting with some of the other characters too, so it's not gonna be just the Devil and Sam anymore. And we're kind of getting a little bit away from that escaped-soul-of-the-week thing and like you said, getting into the personal relationships between the characters which is infinitely more interesting, I think.

Buzz: Personally, I think it's really fun to see the Devil thrown off every once in a while.

Ray Wise: Mm-hm. Or appear to be thrown off!

Buzz: Ah, that's right. Nobody can ever out-Devil the Devil, I guess.

Ray Wise: Yeah, he likes to think of himself as always being in control. And I think, pretty much, he is.

Photo courtesy of CW

TV Tonight: Reaper's Back!

BuzzSugar — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:30:48 -0800

It feels like it's been an eternity in hell since we last got to hang out with the Devil, Sam, Sock, Andi and Ben. Have you missed them as much as I have?

Last we heard on Reaper, Tony tried to trap Sam - only to bury alive Sam's dad instead. In tonight's season two premiere, Sam, Ben and Sock return from a long road trip to find themselves fired from the Work Bench and pretty much homeless. Meanwhile, Andi is rather peeved at Sam for not letting her know where he was for several weeks, and the Devil has a scary and challenging soul-catching assignment for Sam. Also, Sock finds an attractive girl living in his mom's house while his mom's away.

I've already seen the episode and while it's nothing too-too different form the same old Reaper goodness, it really does deliver the laughs. I didn't realize how much I was missing these guys - Sock especially - until they made me belly-laugh for an hour. To check out a preview of this season, which kicks off with tonight's premiere, titled "Episode IV: A New Hope" (ha, Star Wars), read more.

Photo courtesy of The CW

Reaper's Back Early, 90210 Moves Later, and More From the CW

BuzzSugar — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:31:40 -0800

The CW revised its midseason schedule just a bit today, bringing Reaper back early (yay!) while putting it directly in the path of American Idol (boo!). Meanwhile, Privileged has a finale date. The big stuff:

Reaper will be back a couple of weeks earlier than originally planned, with a new premiere date of March 3. It's also switching times, moving to 8 p.m., which is noteworthy because it will put it directly up against That Which Cannot Be Defeated, American Idol.
The other part of that announcement is that 90210 will move to 9 p.m. starting March 3. It makes more sense there, I think. That also means it will be protected from Idol, which might give it a better chance at good ratings and renewal for next season.
Meanwhile, the finale of Privileged will air Feb. 24. That seems so soon!
All 13 episodes of Reaper will air in a row, ending May 26.
90210 will basically take the month of March off. It'll be in repeats starting Feb. 17, but it will be back March 31 with eight new episodes in a row. The first-season finale is set for May 19.

What do you all make of the moves? Is there more good news or bad news for Reaper? And can you believe we only have a few weeks left of Privileged?

Photos courtesy of The CW

First Look: Reaper Season Two

BuzzSugar — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:30:24 -0800

Among the awesome things about TV this Winter is the return of Reaper, the quirky CW buddy comedy about a boy and the devil who rules him. Yup, I love this silly show, and finally, today brings a quick glimpse of the second season.

It's just a little teaser, but I'm at the point where any glimpse of Sock making gross bodily noises or Sam attempting to take out some demon with a frying pan is good enough for me. It's just good to see the Work Bench crew again - not to mention the devilish Ray Wise.

The show returns Tuesday, March 17, but no need to wait - to get a quick taste now, just read more.

Photo courtesy of The CW

Castle, Reaper, and Other Shows Coming to a TV Near You

BuzzSugar — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:30:09 -0800

CBS and ABC both released their midseason schedules this week, and the CW dribbled out a few little teases, giving us an almost complete picture of what we'll be watching on TV in 2009. It's good news for fans of Reaper and Nathan Fillion, and not such good news for those who love Pushing Daisies or Ashton Kutcher reality shows.

Some of the highlights:

Castle, Cupid, and The Unusuals all made ABC's midseason schedule. Castle will air Mondays at 10 p.m. starting March 9, Cupid will air at 10 p.m. on Tuesdays starting March 24, and The Unusuals will get the post-Lost time slot of 10 p.m. on Wednesdays starting April 8.
Harper's Island, which CBS is calling a "13-episode mystery event," will air on Thursdays at 10 p.m. after CSI from April 9 through July 2. It's actually one of the only changes to the CBS schedule; another is that Flashpoint, which aired last Summer, will start its second season Friday, Jan. 9 at 9 p.m.

For a couple of others, including the premiere date for Reaper, just read more.

Poor Ashton Kutcher. Everyone wants him to make reality shows, but then they either get canceled (ABC's Opportunity Knocks this Fall) or dumped on Saturday night, which is what CBS is doing for his Game Show in My Head. Saturday night! And you thought Friday time slots were bad.
The CW's midseason plans are still coming together, but here's a definite bright spot: Reaper's second season is scheduled to premiere March 17 at 9 p.m. after 90210.

So, no Pushing Daisies or Dirty Sexy Money on the schedule - but hey, I suppose that if ABC's three new series tank, there's a chance those shows could get another look for next Fall. And hooray for the return of Reaper, which I hope will be just as delightful as it was toward the end of the first season.

What do you make of all this news? Are any of these shows on your radar?

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 07:30:54 -0800

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue.

Get Smart
Get Smart is the big pick of the week this week, and as far as rentals go, this would be an excellent choice. I enjoyed the goofy comedy on the big screen, but it's just as much fun for a relaxed, lighthearted at-home viewing - especially after watching all those scary movies for Halloween last week.

Netflix explains, "When the identities of secret agents from Control are compromised, the Chief (Alan Arkin) promotes hapless but eager analyst Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell) and teams him with stylish, capable Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway), the only spy whose cover remains intact. Now, they must work together to thwart the evil plans of KAOS and its crafty operative Siegfried (Terence Stamp)." The Rock also stars in the film and he is both funny and handsome.

Two more funny-geeky picks this week, so read more.

Reaper
Yes! The CW's Reaper was one of my favorite new shows last year and I faithfully watched every single wacky, silly, bizarre episode. The show follows Sam (the very cute Bret Harrison) who learns on his twenty-first birthday that his parents sold his soul to the devil (played to hilarious perfection by Ray Wise) and now Sam must re-capture souls that escape from hell. Together with his bumbling friends Sock (Tyler Labine) and Ben (Rick Gonzalez), Sam chases down the souls and brings them to Gladys (Christine Willes) at the DMV who naturally has a direct portal to hell through which she sends back the souls.

It sounds ridiculous, I know, but I had my reservations about the show at first and ended up loving it. The cast is totally endearing and the writing is very clever. Check out season one before the second season starts up (sometime in early 2009)!

Futurama: Bender's Game
Here you go, Futuramaheads, Bender's Game has arrived. I appreciate the punny play on the sci-fi classic Ender's Game in the title, and I'm sure this Futurama movie will be full of all kinds of nerdy goodness.

This feature film "traps the Planet Express crew in a fantastical world where anything can happen - and does. Billy West is back as the voice of hapless pizza delivery boy Philip J. Fry, with John DiMaggio and Katey Sagal reprising their roles as Bender the potty-talking robot and Cycloptic captain Turanga Leela. Rich Little and George Takei guest star."

The DVD comes with ample bonus features, including (but not limited to): commentary by members of the cast and production team (including Matt Groening), interviews with the writers and producers, a featurette titled "How To Draw Futurama in 83 Easy Steps," recording session bloopers, a deleted scene and the preview for the next Futurama feature, Into the Wild Green Yonder.