GIVEN that he punches the clock at the studio every day, maybe Satan could give the producers of "Reaper" some survival advice. The show could sure use it.
A quirky comedy-drama about a young guy forced to work for the devil (played as an unctuous charmer by veteran character actor Ray Wise) after his parents sell his soul, "Reaper" generated near-universal critical acclaim when the beleaguered CW marched it out last fall. But as is so often the case, all that acclaim may prove the kiss of death.
Bedeviled --heh -- by disappointing ratings, the series has joined the short list of other shows that find themselves "on the bubble" -- that is, nervously awaiting word on whether they'll return in the fall. Most networks officially announce their schedules next month.
"They would be foolish not to pick us up," executive producer Tom Spezialy told me last week.
Hey, you can't knock the guy for hoping. This year's endangered list includes some established series, such as ABC's "Boston Legal" and CBS' "The Unit," "The New Adventures of Old Christine" and "How I Met Your Mother." But the algebra of TV renewals typically punishes new shows like "Reaper" the most because studios are anxious to cut their losses early if a program looks like it's treading water.
That's why we've bid adieu to shows such as ABC's "Big Shots" and NBC's "Bionic Woman," while so-so performers that executives nevertheless believe could grow -- such as Fox's "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" or CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" -- won early pickups from the networks.
Another series that's returning? CW's "Gossip Girl," the teen soap that has averaged fewer viewers this season than "Reaper" but does noticeably better among the advertiser-beloved cohort of viewers ages 18 to 34. Clearly, the CW is trying to mine more of the urbane-teen mode. The network is developing a spinoff of "Beverly Hills, 90210," as well as a series based on the books "How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls," from the same publisher as the "Gossip Girl" novels. Having evidently decided where its future lies, CW promoted last week's return of "Gossip Girl" with a splashy, sexually suggestive ad campaign headlining the text language that's faddy among teens ("OMG" and a more vulgar version of that acronym). As a result, the "Gossip Girl" episode was the second highest rated so far among young adults, according to Nielsen Media Research. ("Gossip Girl" producers declined to comment.)
