Reviews: Reaper, Dirty Sexy Money, and K-Ville

Reaper
Premiere date: September 25, 2007
Airs: Tuesdays @ 9 p.m. ET on the CW

One of my favorite new comedies of the season is Reaper. It’s about a young man who finds out on his 21st birthday that his parents sold his soul to the devil, prior to his birth. Satan, of course, has come to collect, and quite literally, there is Hell to pay. Sam must work for the Devil, as Hell’s bounty hunter. With the aid of his goofball friends, he must track down evildoers and send them back to the fiery pits of Hell. Bret Harrison and Tyler Labine are outstanding. (Labine’s character is just as funny as his Dave was on Invasion.) And Ray Wise is delicious as wise-cracking Satan. The jokes are witty, and the acting is superb. I dare you to watch and not laugh. Kevin Smith fans, you should know that Smith directed the pilot. But no worries, the four-letter words are nowhere to be heard. Reaper is devilishly delightful. Don’t miss it.

Dirty Sexy Money
Premiere date: September 26, 2007
Airs: Wednesdays @ 10 p.m. ET on ABC

After watching the first two episodes of this new soapy drama, it gives me a new appreciation for my humble, middle-class existence. The story follows the uber-wealthy Darling family of New York City and their posh lifestyle. Among the family members are an actress, a socialite, a boozing slacker, an attorney general and a minister. In the premiere episode, their family attorney is killed in a plane crash, leaving his son to take his place and start cleaning up the messes the spoiled Darlings can’t seem to avoid. There are plenty of dirty dealings, and Nick is conflicted about his new job and his history with the family. Secrets, lies, and one transvestite hooker later, you’ll understand why Dirty Sexy Money is getting plenty of positive buzz. The show has potential. The cast is excellent, with Donald Sutherland as the patriarch and Jill Clayburgh as the matriarch. Peter Krause and William Baldwin help round out the cast. Fans of The O.C. will recognize “Anna,” actress Samaire Armstrong. Yes, she plays the actress. Dirty Sexy Money is a little bit Dallas, Dynasty, and Falcon Crest combined and could put the nighttime soap back on the map.


K-Ville
Premiere date: September 17, 2007
Airs: Mondays @ 9 p.m. ET on FOX

If you like cop dramas, then K-Ville may be to your liking. The show is set in modern-day New Orleans and follows the plight of the police department, still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The show is actually shot in New Orleans, so you’ll see plenty of shots of the city and the remaining devastation. Anthony Anderson leads the cast and is excellent as the veteran cop. His partner, played by Cole Hauser, is a former soldier and criminal. The two have good chemistry. The show gets its name “K-Ville” from a graffiti sign “Welcome to K-Ville” that was painted after Hurricane Katrina. The show is intense at times, and does an admirable job of showing folks trying to rebuild their city. This one is heavy on the drama, but has the actors and stories to actually have substance.

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