Despite valiantly fighting off the “evil” ratings juggernaut known as American Idol, it looks like Sam and friends have lost the battle. Reaper has been cancelled by the CW network.
Revolving around a young slacker whose parents have sold his soul to the devil, Reaper showcases the talents of actors like Bret Harrison, Tyler Labine, Rick Gonzalez, Missy Peregrym, Ray Wise, Andrew Airlie, Valerie Rae Miller, Donavon Stinson, Christine Willes, Allison Hossack, Ken Marino, and Jessica Stroup.
Once expected to be a breakout hit of the 2007-08 season, the series averaged just 2.7 million viewers and a 1.2/3 rating/share of the 18-49 demographic. It was renewed for a second year but the network delayed it until mid-season and then scheduled it opposite American Idol.
Initially, the show did pretty well but then the numbers began to erode. As a result, the CW network has terminated the series after two short seasons.
There is a slim chance that Reaper could continue in first-run syndication. ABC Studios, who produces the series, is currently gauging interest. If they are able to keep the show going, it may have to be without Labine’s Sock since the actor’s signed onto a new FOX sitcom, Sons of Tucson. It’s unclear if Labine’s Reaper contract would still mandate his returning to the show if it moved to syndication.
As it stands now, next week’s episode, titled “The Devil and Sam Oliver,” will be the show’s last. In a recent interview with Steve Eramo, Labine said that the possibility that this would be the last installment was very much on everyone’s mind.
He said, “There’s always a certain amount of emotion that comes with what could be the end of something that you’ve put so much work into and where you enjoy the people you work with as much as we do… So it got a little emotional around the set during the final days of filming this story.”
Of the episode, the actor said, “I don’t want to give away any details of the finale, but I can say that it won’t leave you frustrated if we don’t come back. It should leave you feeling like you could go off and imagine what the rest of Sam’s life would be like. I thought that was really clever because when they wrote this episode, the writers weren’t sure if they were writing the end of the show or the end of the season. So I thought it was a good move on their part.”
Should Sam, Sock, Ben, and friends return for more adventures or will you be happy to let it go?
Image courtesy CW.
seems to be a pattern. I to watched these season in a few days. LOVED it to find out it had been cancelled… what is going on with good shows not beeing picked up!. Las Vegas, Firefly and now reaper…Hell just release it to dvd only, you make more money and we all get to keep watching the shows we love, just seems retarted!
i cant believe this. i had just recently followed the show, watching both seasons in 3 days. to find season 3 has been canceled, you cant end the show like this, with a giant cliff hanger. i loved this show. and from the looks of it i wasnt the only one.
i been catching up on reaper. watched both seasons in a 3day period to find season 3 has been cancled. NOT COOL especially how season 2 ended with a huge cliff hanger.
i want my favorite show to have a satisfying ending! It was canceled because of American Idol, and now that show has very low ratings (at least compared to the ratings when reaper was airing). Put the show back on the air, because, frankly, that and Supernatural were the only things I watched on the CW.
Bring the show back… please!!! IT WAS SO AWESOME!!!!!
BRING IT BACK!
bring the show back its the best show av watched ever so bring it back and start making season 3!!! plz 😀
Just one of the BEST SHOWS EVER!!! just bring it back already…
This ending was garbage, it did not leaving you to imagine sams life. It left you with NOTHING. The writers of this article are a joke. They do not understand anything revolving TV. How could you assume the writers made the “last show” when it leaves you with more unanswered questions than an unsolved murder mystery.
I definitely think they should bring Reaper back. I’m not even much of a television viewer, but when I first started watching this show I was very intrigued. There aren’t many shows that catch my eye. I was extremely disappointed to find out that this show had been canceled. So bring it back! (:
I like to see Reaper come back the ending was not what I was hoping for ABC needs to bring it back the 2.7 million people watching wants to know what happens
This show was/is one of the best shows I’ve ever watched.
Hopefully it’ll continue.
Supernatural is coming back on september 24th, its been changed to mondays. ( yuck)
This was one of the coolest shows on TV, I am lost for words
This is a joke Supernatural is gone and now what am i suppose to do lost is gone nothing to watch on tuesdays or thrusaday and im bord
At least SPN returns in the fall, I loved Reaper though.