EVOLUTION OF AN IDEA

It’s long been said that there are no new ideas in Hollywood. But we have to admit that there have been some pretty good new incarnations of the old ones.

-- Patrick Kevin Day

‘REAPER’

THE PREMISE

Underemployed twentysomethings find themselves working for the devil, trapping a different escaped soul every week and returning them to hell.

THE WEAPON OF CHOICE

Supernatural “vessels” disguised as household appliances: Zippo lighter, Dirt Devil vacuum cleaner, hair dryer.

GAY CHARACTERS

Sam and company’s former neighbors, the demons Tony and Steve, were a gay married couple.

ADULTS STINK

Sam’s parents promised their firstborn child to the devil when Sam’s dad was in poor health. Upon his 21st birthday, Sam must become a bounty hunter for the devil.

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‘BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER’

THE PREMISE

Underemployed teenagers find themselves living on a “Hellmouth,” using their free time to fight a different beast every week and sending them back to hell.

THE WEAPON OF CHOICE

Wooden stakes.

GAY CHARACTERS

Buffy’s best friend Willow, the witch, and her fellow Wicca, Tara, came out as lesbians midway through the series.

ADULTS STINK

Buffy had to constantly hide her vampire-slaying from her overprotective single mother, whose constant worrying impeded Buffy’s regular world-saving.

--

‘SCOOBY -DOO’

THE PREMISE

Unemployed (and apparently homeless) teenagers roam the country looking to fight a different beast every week. The beasts invariably turn out to be men and women in rubber masks.

THE WEAPON OF CHOICE

Elaborate Rube Goldberg-style devices often using Scooby Doo and Shaggy as “bait.”

GAY CHARACTERS

No one confirmed it, but we’ve all had our suspicions about Mystery Inc.’s resident brainiac, Velma Dinkley.

ADULTS STINK

Any kindly old man would invariably, without question, turn out to be a madman intent on exploiting local legends to frighten people for his own purposes. This usually involved dressing up in scary costumes and attempting to harm the teenagers.