CW extends life of ‘Reaper’ for a second season

LOS ANGELES - The CW has picked up cult-favorite supernatural comedy-drama “Reaper” for a second season.

“Reaper” will return for 13 episodes midseason and will likely be paired with “Supernatural” on Thursday nights after “Smallville” concludes its run.

The network made the decision Monday, going down to the wire on whether to pick up the series before the CW’s “upfront” presentation to advertisers the next day.

“Reaper,” which stars Bret Harrison as a young man who’s a bounty hunter for the devil, has a devoted fanbase but has struggled in terms of ratings. Most recently the show averaged about a 1.0 rating among adults 18 to 49. The show initially impressed critics with its strong pilot directed by Kevin Smith (”Clerks”), then seemed to stumble creatively. Recent episodes, however, have fans saying the show is back on track with a more serialized story line and sharper wit.

“Reaper,” along with “Aliens in America” and “Gossip Girl,” is part of CW’s sophomore slate of scripted programming. The buzz-heavy “Gossip Girl” received a quick pickup. The ratings for “Aliens” fell below the line, and few expected a renewal. But the fate of “Reaper” has been a mystery, with rumors about the CW’s intentions swinging back and forth.

The network’s executives are fond of the show, but the Nielsen figures made a pickup a tough call. Playing off one character’s name, fans launched a campaign to save the series by sending socks to the network.

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