Two nerds/geeks stuck in retail hell. One backed by Kevin Smith, the other by McG. Reaper had the strongest pilot of any network this fall, and then… nothing. Just more of the same stuff.
Chuck, otoh, seemed flat and has gotten increasingly more interesting. Both shows are silly, in the basic premise, but where it’s believable that Sarah Walker* could warm up to Chuck, it’s not believable that cute girl in Reaper would not fall for whatshisface.
If both shows get cancelled tomorrow, I’ll miss Chuck, but not Reaper. Basically, Chuck is more fun, better drama, more entertaining.
*Yvonne Strahovski is a super babe. Adam Baldwin is great too, even though he doesn’t get my testosterone flowing.
I didn’t get a chance to watch the Reaper pilot (I was traveling) but I absolutely adore Chuck. I think Chuck is getting better and better, loved last night’s episode with Captain Awesome and “tucking,” the sandworm costume and the sandwich debate (particularly Adam Baldwin’s expression). Love love love! Also love the music choices. It is my favorite new show this year and the only show I would make a special effort to see if I missed it.
I disagree. I think Reaper has been really solid since it started up while Chuck started off pretty strong and has been getting progressively less interesting.
Reaper might be stuck in a holding pattern, but it seems to me to be developing a lot like Buffy did at first - lots of Monster of the Week episodes that seem to be leading to something bigger.
Chuck seems to me like something that would have worked better as a movie. A lot of the aspects that it shares with Reaper don’t really fly with me just because of how serious the government agents take things, whereas the Devil in Reaper is a pretty goofy guy, so I can see why he lets Sam keep his job, old life, etc.
The humor in Reaper also appeals to me a lot more. If Adam Baldwin were a regular on Reaper there’s nothing I’d like better about Chuck
I’m going to have to get in the “Chuck” camp, too, for the same reasons as the OP. Reaper is boring me; I have to keep watching to find out what the deal is with the damned contract, but if there wasn’t that, I’d stop right now. Chuck is just getting better and better. MORE ADAM BALDWIN!!! Much, much more Adam Baldwin. And maybe his shirt could just - you know, fall off once in a while. Oh, Chuck is adorable, too, in a realistic I-would-totally-date-that-guy kind of way.
Is it just me, or are Chuck and his sister waaaay too close for families outside of the Appalachians?
It’s interesting that Baldwin is very good as a very tough guy and also very good at comedy in a very dry understated way.
I wrote the OP when I realized that I’m looking forward to Chuck and not so much Reaper and that the Big Mystery in Chuck isn’t very interesting, but the interaction among the characters is. The Big Mystery in Reaper is not very interesting either, but th characters are getting richer every episode.
Reaper doesn’t have much going for it except Ray Wise, but he’s enough to keep me interested (mostly because I can’t help but see him as Leland Palmer).
Agree with Shy Guy. Reaper isn’t about getting the girl; it’s about getting the devil — or more specifically, getting out of the contract with the devil. I like Reaper much better than Chuck.
Only watched the pilots, and as people said, Reapers was stronger, so I may revise this opinion…
Chuck struck me as pretty much Alias from the poor bloke who wasn’t in the CIA’s viewpoint. Its probably unfair, theres no proof that people going to a nightclub in Latvia (excuse to wear another outfit and wig) will find an international spy organisations Nerve Gas manufacturing division in the door beside the toilets…
Then again, I got the impression they might.
Nice stunts though…
Reaper made me laugh loads though. If it stays the same, its good for me…
Another vote for Chuck, which I would not have guessed from the pilots, where I liked Reaper much better.
Reaper has not really done anything with its premise - it’s always the same MO: Main guy wakes up to weird power (which never really does anything, it’s just THERE), Devil doesn’t tell him anything about anything, soul is found somehow, vessel doesn’t work, more stuff happens (usually with the girl), vessel works, THE END. Also, I hate the stoner friend. I just like the Devil, and that’s getting stretched thin.
Chuck, on the other hand, has similar plotlines each week, but you get to have actual character development and background. They actually made me like Morgan in the last episode! And the sandwich discussion was priceless (as was Adam Baldwin’s face). Even though I can’t agree with Chuck about the mayonnaise.
That simply isn’t true. Again, this show isn’t Friends-Lite. It’s not about relationships with girls and buddies. It’s about a good guy trapped in a fate of working for the Lord of Evil, who, thanks to the writers, is truly truly evil: “You WILL do it. Or I’ll take your mother.” The idea is for him to handle what he has to — reaping the souls — while trying his damnedest to figure out (1) how he got into this mess, and (2) how to get out of it. And so this past week, he got hold of his contract, which turned out to be almost as large a volume as the US federal budget, and is written in Latin. THAT is where the plot is headed. He will be scrutinizing the contract for a way out, and the devil will be making it harder and harder to do. There is movement in the plot; it’s just that you’re looking for something that isn’t there and isn’t supposed to be.
I haven’t seen Chuck since it is on opposite something else that I record. I like Reaper well enough, but if it were dropped I wouldn’t miss it too much.
Yeah - apparently, the relevant pages. I want to see how that plays out, but I’m already tired of his hiding things from Andy (although we understand why better now), and I’m tired of his parents hiding things. Basically, for me the show is doing something I particularly hate (hiding things when a simple explanation would clear everything up), and that is pretty much the only thing driving the plot. And Sam’s ambiguously evil dad.
Chuck makes me laugh. It’s got Adam Baldwin and makes fun dork-references (i.e. Chuck and his best friend dress up as Shai-Hulud for Halloween. Shai-Hulud!!!) I think it’s gotten better as time goes on and as Chuck’s relationships with his family and friends are shown more.
I gave Reaper a shot. It was the episode with the magician. I was bored and unimpressed with the acting.
Besides, there is only one spot in my head for shows with main characters named Sam doing battle with demonic evildoers. And I prefer the one with the shotguns and the cool car.
I saw the pilot for Reaper. Wasn’t impressed. I’ve seen it before. It was the premise of Brimstone written with the attitude of a less-inspired episode of Buffy. Only character I liked was the Devil, and the rest of the plot didn’t work for me at all.
I’m surprised by how much I like Chuck. The characters are all just too charming (except for Harry Tang) to not like it.
I agree with everything Liberal said, and he said it a lot better than I could.
Another problem I have with Chuck is that I just don’t really like any of the characters except Adam Baldwin. I find myself really not caring what happens to Chuck himself or his female handler. Chuck’s friend Morgan drives me up the wall and, for me, ruins just about every scene he’s in.
On the other hand, I like the characters in Reaper. Sam actually has a reason for being as much of a loser as he is (his parents have pampered him his entire life because of the contract), and is slowly beginning to get some momentum behind his life. I think Sock is pretty funny, and I’m even starting to like what’s-his-face, Sam’s other co-worker who gets hurt all the time.
I guess I like the formulaic aspect of the episodes thus far. Like Liberal said, a lot of the elements of the show are just there to be funny and move the characters along while more important stuff happens.
I am still watching Reaper but stopped watching Chuck halfway through episode 3 - I was interrupted by a neighbour and couldn’t be bothered rewinding to see the rest of the show. Upon realising that I didn’t care I stopped downloading it.
I am watching both shows still and Pushing Daisies which I love.
I like the fact that Chuck is improving week to week. This weeks show was quite good. Reaper has dropped off a lot from the pilot. However, Smith was only really heavily involved in the pilot. I am still watching it, but mostly as my daughter likes the show. I would still rather watch this piece of fantasy than a show like House or any of the CSIs.
I guess when a show starts with an impossible premise, I am more forgiving. House drives me insane with the stupidity of the show and the CSI brand tries to outdo each other for over the top clueless stupidity. I guess I want to laugh with the show and not at the show.