User reviews

This makes for uneasy viewing as one must ask should psychological or chemical addiction be turned into entertainment? This series skates close to trite clichés, but overall it does succeed in concentrating on the sufferers' problems. William Banks is 'The Cleaner'; himself a past drug addict, he now works as an interventionalist, trying to help others whose addictions have reached a point where they are no longer in control of their own lives. Banks is no paragon either as he is a very controlling individual and has swapped his chemical addiction for a spiritual relationship with God whom he talks to about his problems, and a career which gives him power over others. He is also trying to win back his family who mistrust him after fifteen years of hell, and while he has moved back in with them, he sleeps apart from his wife at the start of the series. Banks has three employees who have all had their own addictions in the past and work for him for their own reasons, he also runs a residential clinic where clients are detoxed. Background plot isn't too soapy as, if it were it, would detract from the message. Banks has teenage children who want to see him reunited with them and their mother. Problem is the job which means that he takes off at short notice day or night and so manages to alienate his family as they come a poor second when there is a client who needs help.

William Banks is a hard man to like though, and he has demons of his own. You cannot fault what he does, but he is abrasive and pushy and talks to his family and employees as if he is the only one who is capable of knowing what is right. Is he in fact a messianic megalomaniac or just an ordinary man trying to save his own soul? Just a man with a calling? There are those would would equate his conversations with the almighty as evidence that the men in white coats will not be far away. However if this helps him to keep on the straight and narrow then as therapy maybe he has found his own personal answer.

The ensemble cast is good, Benjamin Bratt has one of those voices you could listen to all day, and fills the William Banks role very well. His employees (played by the talented Grace Park, Esteban Powell, and Kevin Richardson) all bring depth to their parts, but, and this is a big but, the writing does not endear the characters to us. Hopefully if and when there is a season two there will be more character development, and we will come to understand and empathise with the characters. To date the series has failed spectacularly in that respect and the writers are to blame as there is real potential here.

My view is that this is a worthy effort to portray the nature and effect of addiction, on the addicts themselves and their family and friends, and goes some way to showing the physical spiritual and moral degradation that people fall into. Many, it is true, are beyond help and in spite of attempts to help will eventually succumb, only a quarter of clients are cleaned which is a sobering statistic.

Recovering addict William Banks (Benjamin Bratt) made a deal with God to save people from their addictions. He is trying to fix his marriage to Melissa (Amy Price-Francis) with their two kids after his imprisonments, his afflictions, and his fling with Akani Cuesta (Grace Park). With Akani, Darnell McDowell, and Arnie Swenton (Esteban Powell), he finds and saves addicts from their dire situations.

This show differs from one episode to another. Some of them are excellent. Others are pretty bland. The trouble is that recovery by itself is not much in terms of drama. It requires interesting characters and sometimes a connection to the cast. When the patient-of-the-week is bland, the episode fails. I still remember the twins and the ballerina. The ballerina's connection to the daughter is what makes that episode great. In the end, this back and forth in quality makes it a difficult show to continue. A&E is not necessarily the most stable network for written shows anyways. It had two seasons which is probably one more than can be expected.

I found this show on a fluke. When i read the storyline I was shocked to see that television was actually going to touch on a very real subject. I was extremely disappointed to see that it only lasted 2 seasons. If we had more shows like this one maybe the reality of addiction might sink in. But it makes people uncomfortable and society would rather turn a blind eye that face reality. I am a sometimes recovering addict. I have great clean time and then i dont, and for no particular reason other than I am a addict. For me this show keeps things in perspective. I've read some of the other reviews and its a shame to see what people complained about and how they really couldn't see the real picture. Addiction is real. The struggle and despair are real. The denial, the hurt, the fears, the solidarity is real. And the battle is daily, every single day for the rest of an addicts life, everyday for the ones who are close to a addicts life. Addiction doesn't only affect the addict but their loveds ones to. It is a never ending war. We win some battles and we lose some battles. But we keep fighting the good fight. For those who found this show offensive and too graphic, good!! I hope you kept watching cause this is only partially what addiction can look like. If you ask me, this is a PG rated show compared to what the reality of it really looks like. This is what reality TV should be, who cares about what celebrities had sex scandals or who can out last who on popularity votes. Wake up America, this is reality. Benjamin Bratt at his finest... I give the show a 20!!!

As a former addict I can say this show is on point. I just wish it was was continued. Benjamin Bratt does an awesome job as an interventionist even with the risk of losing his own family. So sad it was not renewed! he sacrifices his own family to do the good works. It hit home for me and an emotional roller coaster ride in the life of an addictive and an interventionist, even if you haven't been exposed to addicts this show is heart wrenching, I would recommended this 2 season show for the relationships and how they are like a real couple.after Law & Order......Benjamin kaplaus this character to perfection. Worth the watch! I hate that it was cancelled. I didn't even know it exsited. Well done on all parts. Give it a chance....it's well produced and directed. And finally, the actors play their parts to Perfection!

I began watching this show with the very first episode. I maybe would have not given it much thought, however, my husband has been in recovery from addiction for about 14 months now. He loves the show and can relate to so many of the addicts Mr. Banks helps. It is real for him. I like the show and can relate with the families of the addict. My husband and I have been married 25 years and addiction has been a major struggle in both our families for most of our lives. This show is a wonderful look at both sides of the addiction. Not only the addict but also the affects it has on the family member dealing with the addict... I will look forward to many more episodes of The Cleaner. God bless William Banks for saying, I'm not gonna take it anymore... My husband would love to meet the man behind the show. Is there a way???

Absolutely zero entertainment value. Slow, boring and no likeable characters.

Benjamin Bratt puts his money where his honest, believable acting is. Show is addictive! In a good way. Whoever decided to ax this wonderful, gritty dramatic series is loony, end of story. Congrats Benny!

So redeemed alcoholic seeks to save others. religious salvation. so cliché, uninteresting. I think this fits Benjamin's view on life good works, bad TV. for me, unwatchable.

One of the greatest series EVER. Hats off to the director. A+ cast as well. Your series honestly kept me clean, and most importantly help others. I will open a cleaner business here shortly. Why. Because your series inspired me to help others. Thsnk You for keeping it real. One day at a time. GOD is Good.

Need to bring back this show, everything else is just crap. Somebody get these actors back together, it will help out a lot of kids and adults with their problems.

William Banks is an ex-addict who turned his life around by making a covenant with God to help addicts if he can live a life free of addiction. William and his crew engage in interventions with primarily drug and alcohol addicts. I found the show to be absolutely riveting. It is refreshing to see CBS doing a show that showcases a man talking to God throughout each episode. William Banks offers a black and white crystal clear point of reference on the rights and wrongs of substance abuse. The pilot episode was a little hard to get through, but, after that I couldn't stop watching until I had seen every episode. The Cleaner is a truly unique drama. In the present stench of a drug legalizing culture, The Cleaner is a well deserved breath of clean fresh air.

This show covers addiction and the problems it creates in the life's of the user, their family and others. Some scenes are tough too watch if you have suffered through it either as a addict, a family member or a friend of one.

I'm not a fan of shows that show people using hard drugs. It can be a trigger for relapse I feel and provides too much information to young people on how to use. Some scenes make me cringe. For this I give it only a 8 rating, but then again without those scenes the show wouldn't be what it is.

This is the first year this series has been available to me. At this point I have watched 6 or 7 shows. I have been totally enjoying the show until the last one I saw. the addict got help but it then showed the Cleaner and his wife having sex on the screen. In my opinion it was completely out of context, unexpected (I could have been watching it with family), it did nothing for the story of that episode. Things left to the imagination would be more suitable. Anyone who needs a porn fix - they have shows for that. That way we are given a choice as to exactly what we wan to watch. I believe it took away from the show. The Cleaner will be taken off my viewing list.

I found the program surfing through Prime. Found myself addicted to the addiction show. Disappointed it was only two seasons, easily developed interest in the characters. Relevance to addiction, recovery, family dynamics.