Last night’s “Reaper” finale was a mixed bag, much like the series’ two-season run.

The show’s always been likable, but it’s never quite lived up to its potential. Like Sam, it’s been an underachiever. But that hint of potential was always intriguing enough to keep me hooked.

It felt like the writers were always unsure where the show was going. Was it a supernatural thriller? Yeah, sometimes. A slapstick comedy? Sure. A coming-of-age satire? You bet. But it was a jumble of genres, and never settled on a solid identity. The series mythology came and went, and the series always seemed to be holding itself back, never completely letting loose.

Last night was a prime example. Sam finally found a way to regain his soul: Challenge the devil to a contest and beat him. That contest? Quarters. (Um, really? I know it’s a low-budget show, but come on!) The contest, though, managed to lack any real drama and suspense. In a fight for one’s very soul, it somehow came off as soulless. The climax, ironically enough, was anticlimactic. (For me, the high point was Sock saving Nina from the exorcism — now that was a plot point filled with emotion and drama.)

And then came the intriguing twist — Steve, now an angel, told Sam that he was to play a key role in the battle between God and Satan, that big things were in store for him. OK cool, but. . . . wasn’t that kinda implied last season? I like the concept of where it might lead, but it’s not exactly a game-changer.

There were plenty of small delights — Sam doing the monkey dance, Gladys wanting to make out with Andi, a drunk Andi wanting to get “nuded” with Sam, and every scene with Ray Wise. But too often, the series relied too heavily on the small — though amusing — scenes at the expense of a cohesive storyline.

In fact, if you look back, not much actually happened this season. Sam’s still stuck in his contract. Steve’s still an angel. Andi was still a wet blanket (well, until the final episode. And after knowing what she knows about the devil and hell, I have a big problem with her giving up her soul so easily.) And waaaay too much time was completely wasted on Sock lusting after his step-sister. There was the addition of Nina, who has pretty hair for a demon, but other than that, we’re pretty much where we were at the end of last season.

The series has consistently lacked a big payoff. Look at “Buffy” or “Angel” — big things happened. Characters changed. People died, raising the stakes and creating drama. Commercials could ominously say “After tonight, nothing will ever be the same.” You got the feeling there was a story arc, and that it was all going somewhere. With “Reaper,” you get more or less the same story again and again. The characters are likable enough and the writing is clever enough to keep you interested, but at some point, you have to wonder where it’s going. And to me, it was never quite satisfying enough. I always wanted to like the show more than I actually did.

The show’s future is still very much up in the air. It’s been canceled by The CW, but there are talks to produce the series in syndication, where it would most likely be sold back to The CW for Sunday night programming. But I’m wondering if it’d be worth it. Sock would be gone — Tyler Labine is in the new Fox comedy “Sons of Tucson” — and so would the show’s creators, Michelle Fazekas and Tara Butters, who have signed a seven-figure deal to develop a show for Fox. A syndicated “Reaper” would also be fiscally lean — think fewer guest stars (how cheap will Michael Ian Black work?), fewer special effects (which were cheesy to begin with), and cheaper writers and directors. Would the stars even stick around? Syndication doesn’t hold nearly the money or cachet as a network show, even one on The CW. Sadly, after two good-but-not-great seasons, I get the impression that it’s never going to get dramatically better, and in all likelihood could be significantly worse than it is now. Maybe it’s best to let “Reaper” rest in peace.

I think it’s great that fans of the show care enough to lobby for its survival, and I wish them the best. (And if you want to join the effort to save “Reaper,” here’s a good place to find out how.) It’s been a fun run, but I just can’t muster the same enthusiasm for a show that never seemed to give 100 percent.