Reaper: "Coming to Grips" (Episode 115)

Pass the paprika...

Word is that this show is on the bubble. I wish I could say I was surprised, but I can't help but feel that all the freshness and good work that was done with Kevin Smith in the pilot has just been squandered over time on this series. The writing just leaves a lot to be desired. It's not that the dialogue isn't great or that the scenes are fun, but its the characterization and the plotting that leave so much to be desired. Characters constantly do things simply because it's moving the plot along, but often behave differently than they logically should. And the plots of the episodes started off so slow in the beginning, hitting the exact same story beats over and over again with different types of souls, that all the fun was just leeched out of this series. Now that the show is trying to find some momentum with the storyline, its just an uphill battle and the writers continue to do things like kill off Michael Ian Black (who was stealing his scenes), yet reiterate Ken Marino staging a rebellion over and over again. I enjoy this show, but I can't truly say that I'll miss it when its gone.

We begin with a dynamic shot of something flying into Sam's window. This can't be good. Turns out that its Ken Marino and he is not pleased with Sam getting all of his rebellious friends killed, including his lover, Michael Ian Black. He's in full demon form, yet he can do little besides throw Sam around and demand answers as to why he was betrayed. One look in Sam's eyes and he knows that Sam is telling the truth about the devil tricking him and lets him off the hook. Well, that was a disappointing resolution to last week's cliffhanger. Ken sticks around though and continues to stay in demon form while helping Sam cook for his date with Andi. It's humorous, but I can't help but feel like I saw this sort of thing from Joss Whedon years ago. Although, I will admit him deboning the chicken with his bare hands is a sight to behold. He tells Sam that he's going to continue his fight against Satan, basing his operation out of the house in the country that he and Ian Black were going to retire to.

It's not long before Andi arrives for their date and hears Sam talking to Ken inside the apartment. She storms in, hoping to catch Sam in the act... of something. But finds him alone, with Ken hiding on the ceiling. Its tough being a reaper for hell and maintaining a normal lifestyle.

Nametag. Credits.

At work, Sam and Ben observe Sock making nice with Josie and they discover that they are indeed a couple again. This prompts them to discuss Ben's lack of companionship and the fact that his standards are extremely high, as evidenced by the list of attributes for his perfect woman, including green eyes, being a fan of mixed martial arts and enjoying the work of Sue Grafton. “G is for Gumption was so off the hook,” Ben says. The boys advise him to kill off the list and start playing the field.

Sweet scythe!Later, Sam is whisked away by the Devil to a children's playground, where he sees a number of children that were all fathered by the same escaped soul. He's a narcissist that impregnates women through the sperm bank that he's running. Back at work, Sam finds the vessel: an awesome collapsible scythe. Unfortunately, Andi sees the cool new toy as well and her suspicion continues to grow.

A "head" for business? A "head" of time? A "head"y concoction?The boys make up a lame excuse as to why they can't stick around for lunch, which of course prompts Andi to follow them to see what they're up to. At the sperm bank, Sam and Sock lie their way into seeing the Sperm Donor Soul and promptly attempt to use the vessel on him. They get to chopping and for a moment I think that this guy isn't a soul at all, but just a person. They chop off Sperm Soul's head... right in front of the window, prompting Witness Andi to speed off. My fears of a regular human are put to rest as the headless"Addams Family" did it. body starts to run around and the disembodied head starts to insult the boys from the floor. Sam continues to chop at the body, but it continues to run around, body parts flying off every which way. With a final stab, Sam manages to absorb the soul's body. He stabs up the head next, but on the way out, the boys fail to notice that one hand is still scurrying around Thing-style.

Are you sure you wouldn't rather be on English TV? I'd rather be watching English TV...At the Bench, Ben is still pondering his girl list when he's joined by Dawn from The Office. That's Dawn of Dawn and Tim, as opposed to Pam and Jim, for those heathens of you that are unfamiliar with the original series. Lucy Davis moved from that excellent series into American television recently, appearing last season on Studio 60, and now she's here... wearing a Work Bench smock. Sigh. At any rate, Dawn sits down and has a chat with Ben regarding his dream girl and tells him that he has to dream. Her dream guy is Phil Collins and Ben has to find his Phil Collins.

Elsewhere at the Bench, does Andi react with fear or shock to the fact that she watched Sam kill a guy? Nope, just comical rage. She beats up on Sam and in fact gives him the chance to explain. She in fact even gives him 24 hours to get his story in order before she goes to the police. And is going to the cops really going to be a problem for Sam Oliver, Reaper of Hell? I mean, where's the body? Can't Satan just make things disappear? Like the stolen car a few weeks ago?

Sam sends a note to Satan along with his Sperm Soul drop off, which Satan manages to get instantly. Sam is transported to porn shop (natch) and Satan informs him that his delivery was incomplete. Spermy had been there recently. Sam must have missed a piece (the hand) and it grew into a whole new Spermy. Now Sam has to catch him all over again. Sam brings up the question of Andi seeing Spermy get beheaded. Again, Satan seems a bit over-concerned, can't he just make Andi forget that she saw what she saw? Nonetheless, Sam has to break the news to Andi and Satan agrees on one condition, that Sam grant him a favor in the future. Sam agrees without even considering the consequences. Sure, it's never a bad thing to be in Satan's debt.

Later, the boys tell Sam the exact same thing. But there are more important issues at hand, like the fact that Ben has gotten married! For sixteen hundred dollars, Ben married Lucy to help her stay in the country. Suddenly Sock is on board.

At the Booze Hole, the boys try to figure out how to explain to Andi about Satan and Hell. As Sam is building to it, Sock spills the beans. Of course, Andi doesn't believe a single word of it. She thinks its just some lame excuse to avoid her going to the police. Again, if you really thought someone was a murderer, would you really give him more time after an explanation like that?

This is how Sock got Josie...Back at the Sperm Bank, Sam finds Spermy's date book full of baby birth appointments, but no Spermy. But Satan is there and he's not happy about Andi. He threatens that he might have to handle the situation himself. At work, Andi is snatched in the parking lot and we know that foul play is at hand. Turns out though that it wasn't Satan, but rather Ben and Sock that abducted her. They have a plan to stuff her in the car trunk and then... well, that's all they thought through. They take Sam to see her He's naked. Perv.and she is spitting mad. With no other ideas, they drive Andi out to Ken Marino's place in the country. He pulls his transforming trick and scares the crap out of Andi... and Sock and Ben. The difference is that Andi bolts out of the cabin. This wouldn't be a problem, except that Sock mistakenly left the keys in the car. And like that, she's gone.

Ken has to drive the boys back into the city and he seems extremely chatty, even on the topic of dead Ian Black. Shouldn't the character be in mourning just a little bit? Or will he just see him again in Hell? I don't know how these things work. And neither does the show.

Sam and the boys head to the hospital to catch Spermy since there still hasn't been any sign of the frightened Andi. When they arrive, Satan pops up to tell Sam that he took care of Andi, she's fine, but she's stuck in the trunk of the car again. Sam lets her out and she tries to make sense of the situation, he tells her that he loves her... but she tells him that she's afraid of him.

In the hospital, Ben is searching for Spermy, but instead finds Dualla from Battlestar Galactica. I know actors have to work, but it makes me so sad when I see them moving from great pieces to whatever work their agent is able to dig up in the same Canadian city. But check this, she's got green eyes and she's reading a Sue Grafton novel. Ben is on his way!

You've got a naked man on your back. Not that there's anything wrong with that...Sock and Ben find Spermy and the chase is on, however he cuts off his own hand and tosses it away to make his escape. Sock tracks the hand in the ceiling while Sam attempts to grab the original. In the middle of the fight, Andi walks in and with a reactionary punch, knocks Spermy back and actually ends up holding the vessel an accidental captures the soul herself. Sam, like an idiot, leaves her standing there alone to soak up what just happened while he runs off to help Sock and Ben. Meanwhile, the hand has now fully grown up into a naked Spermy, who pounces on Sock, much to his horror. Sam shows up in the nick of time and manages to capture his third full grown Spermy. And of course, when he goes back to look for her, Andi is gone.

Meanwhile, at the Booze Hole, Ben has his own problems. Dawn is starting to take their fake marriage a little too seriously and is demanding that he not even consider seeing Dualla. Ben wants to renege on the deal, but Sock reveals that he spent all the money on tickets to The Blue Collar Comedy Tour? Andi shows up and Sam tries to feel out the situation. Andi is surprisingly understanding and is actually worried for Sam's safety. Sam is transported away though to see his buddy Satan. He's calling in the favor and he wants Sam to spy on Ken Marino's new devil rebellion, for real this time. Why do I feel like things are happening, but we keep end up hitting the same dramatic beats?

NEXT WEEK: Andi's ex has to get got.

Did she see a demon or her grandmother naked?

Definitely the grandmother naked...