Reaper News

Reaper Recap: 1.13 - Acid Queen

by Jonathan on March 27th, 2008

I have to say that I loved this Reaper episode as much as last week’s Unseen. The Steve and Tony arc is terrific. It’s an amusing run down a new path for Reaper. You can’t beat that.

1.13 Acid Queen
Original Airdate: 27 March 2008.

Director: James Head
Writer: Alan Cross

At the Work Bench, Sam is leaving a desperate voice mail for Cady. The boys talk about Steve and Tony, their next door neighbors, who, they discovered last week, are demons. Sock wants to move out, Sam doesn’t want to lose the deposit, and Ben likes the cool factor that they have bestowed the boys. They express that they’d miss being around them. Ben is wearing a sweater that Steve and Tony gave him for his birthday, on Monday, that Sam and Sock had forgotten. They “clean” Ted’s chair with wax. After they exit the office, they hear Ted slide out of his chair.

Talking to Sam about Cady, Andi admits that she thinks of him as more than a friend –she likes him. He is stunned, and she says to forget about it.

Ben and Sock sneak through the hallways of the apartment building. They find Sam inside, a little despondent seeming. Steve and Tony show up, saying they haven’t seen the boys in a while. They’re very friendly, and bearing gourmet muffins. The boys are characteristically clumsy in trying to say that they think they need a break for a while. Offended, Steve and Tony leave, in a huff. Steve picks up the muffins and storms out.

Sam is distracted at work. He tells the boys what Andi said, and they convince him to go profess his love to her.

Across the store, Sam helps Andi with a heavy display. He brings up the other day, but she apologizes. He says he was surprised, and fumbles to say anything. She excuses herself.

Suddenly, Sam notices a large crate with “666″ on the side. Inside is a very small wooden box, containing a bottle of bubbles –this week’s vessel. Sam is interrupted by the devil and his camera –”Say cheese!” Suddenly, they are at a magazine photo shoot; the subjects are a group of platinum wigged models. The Devil tries to make small talk, then leads Sam back to a dressing room, where another model sits dead, the left side of her face acid-burnt. He explains that the soul, Nicole Manders, is narcisistic and very jealous of anyone more beautiful –or talented- than herself.

The boys are leaving the apartment, when they see Steve and Tony, who are also heading to the ground floor. The boys take the stairs, only to meet them coming the other direction while they are speeding through the parking garage. Steve and Tony calmly, but aggravatedly, drive around the boys and out to the street.

At the Work Bench, Sam tells Ben and Sock about the soul. They look at an article, in which, they discover that Nicki worked at Seattle Style magazine. Sock spots a guy goofing off at his desk, and invites him to the cafeteria.

The boys make friends with the guy, Kendall. Kendall explains that Nicki was fired, when she went nuts because another model, Angela, beat Nicki out of a magazine model contest –the next victim. Kendall tells them that Angela likes to hang out at the Crush Lounge.

The boys go to the Crush Lounge, and spot both Angela and Nicki, both hanging out in the VIP lounge. Sock and Ben divert the VIP room bouncer, as Sam sneaks in. He spots Nicki, whose fingers are dripping acid. She realizes that Sam’s after her, and she runs off, losing Sam.

At the Work Bench, Sam is leaving Cady another message. Steve and Tony show up because they didn’t know Sam would be working. They ask Sam what they did to offend him. Sam admits that their being demons is the boys’ problem. They are offended, expressing that homophobia they’d understand, but “being demons”? “That weirds you out?”

Sam is struggling to fix a mannequin, when Andi shows up. As they go share a coffee, across the store, Sam invites Andi over to the apartment on Friday. The Devil shows up with a mannequin’s wig on. He asks Sam about his “love triangle”. Then, he tells Sam to hurry and get Nicole.

Sam gets an idea! The boys set up a mannequin at a desk at the magazine, rigged up with remote controls to make her move, and appear to be working. Nicki shows up and tosses her acid at the mannequin. The boys give chase, but Sam is unable to deploy the vessel –blow bubbles. Ben and Sock drop Sam off at the apartment building, and head off to pick up food. Nicki is there, though, and ambushes Sam. As she’s about to get Sam, a dark-winged Steve shows up, and scares her off. “That’s right. Don’t thank me.” He walks off to his nearby car.

Sam goes to a gay bar. The Devil is there. He warns Sam about his neighbors, saying that they are small-minded bureaucrats, and leaves. Steve shows up, and Sam thanks him for saving his life. Steve is bitter that the boys were so rude and “racist”. Sam apologizes, but Steve says it’s too little, too late. When Sam mentions what the Devil said, Steve’s interest is piqued.

The scene quickly turns into Steve and Sam at a table together, enjoying drinks. Steve wonders, out loud, why the Devil would show up to talk to Sam:

Steve: You are special. The question is ‘Why are you so special?’

Steve graciously forgives Sam, and ensures him that he’ll make sure Tony forgives them, as well. Steve tells Sam about a party at Seattle Style Magazine for the 25 most beautiful women. Sam asks for a favor. Steve agrees to talk to Tony to have him get the boys tickets to the party.

As the boys are assembling a swing set, Tony shows up at the Work Bench, wielding tickets for the magazine’s party. Sam, Ben, and Sock are very thankful, and very apologetic. Andi overhears their Friday night plans. Offended that Sam appears to be canceling their time together, Tony saves Sam by apologizing for spoiling the surprise, and hands Andi her ticket. Don’t we all love Tony and Steve?!?

At the Style party, Ben and Sock are ogling the models, as Sam reminds them that they have a job to do. They must find Nicki, as well as Angela to protect her. Andi walks in, all dressed up. Nicki spots Sam and Andi, and gives Andi the eye.

Ben asks Sock how to talk to these women. Sock goes over to Angela, and offers to read her palm. He loses her, though, when his cute ploy turns into an adolescent, goofy, hip-hop proposition.

Across the room, as Sam and Andi kiss, Sam’s phone rings. Of course, it’s Cady. Andi tells him to answer, then heads out the door.

Nicki follows Andi down the street. She catches up with her, but the boys drive up just in time to run Nicki over and get Andi into the car. As they turn around to get away, Nicki splashes the front of the car with acid. Sam loses control and flips the car over.

Sam climbs out of the car as Nicki approaches. Just as she’s about to splatter him, Sam blows bubbles and captures her. “Say goodnight, Bitch.”

The boys are standing, but we see Andi being taken away on a stretcher.

At the hospital, Sam tells the Devil that he’s upset about the “collateral damage”. The Devil expresses little concern, telling Sam just to sleep around, and not get too involved with anyone.

In her room, Andi asks Sam who that woman was that attacked them. Sam tells her that she has a concussion. She doesn’t believe it, so Sam admits that there are things that he can’t ever tell her.

At the apartment building, Steve invites Sam inside to talk “in private. He leads Sam to his special sanctuary in the apartment, where even the Devil can’t hear them. Steve tells Sam he’s seen many bounty hunters, before. He says that it’s rare that the Devil takes such an interest in Sam. Sam must be very special. He tells Sam that they all have their reasons for fighting the Devil –Tony and Steve… and even Sam.

Watch for discussion about Acid Queen in a post coming up.

Share This

Related Stories

• Reaper Schedule: March/April 2008
• Reaper Schedule: April 2008
• Reaper: Sam Oliver Rising
• Reaper Repeat: Acid Queen July 22
• Reaper Discussion: Episode 1.15 - Coming to Grips

POSTED IN: Reaper Recaps