A&E has decided to get rid of another original drama series. After two years on the air, they’re dropping The Cleaner.
In The Cleaner, Benjamin Bratt plays William Banks, a recovering drug addict from Los Angeles. Following the birth of his daughter, Banks made a deal with God that he would end his drug use and help others beat their addictions as well. He and his team of recovering addicts use whatever means necessary to help end others’ addictions. Others in the cast include Grace Park, Esteban Powell, Kevin Michael Richardson, Amy Price-Francis, Liliana Mumy, and Brett DelBuono.
The drama kicked off on July 15, 2008 and attracted 2.58 million viewers with a 1.0 rating in the 18-49 demo. Season one averaged 1.1 million viewers in initial viewings and 4.2 million through multiple airings. A&E boasted that The Cleaner was the network’s highest rated original drama to date among adults 18-49 and 25-54.
 Loading ... |
When the show was renewed for a second season, Bob DeBitetto, A&E’s President and General Manager, said, “The Cleaner has garnered critical acclaim and a loyal audience in its first season… Its authentic, dramatic storytelling combined with superb acting, led by an exceptional performance by Benjamin Bratt, has struck a chord with A&E viewers. It is exactly the sort of high quality, engaging programming that our fans have come to expect.”
Now, following a drop in ratings for season two, A&E has changed its mind about The Cleaner. The second round of episodes concluded on September 15th and, according to THR, the cable channel has decided not to order a third.
No reason was given for the cancellation but A&E typically draws more viewers for cheaper, unscripted programming. The Beast, another A&E drama, was cancelled earlier this year, months prior to star Patrick Swayze’s death.
What do you think? Are you sorry to see The Cleaner go? Was the show any less compelling or watchable in season two?
I am disappointed in the network, I am disabled and do not have much to do, this is one show that I appreciated because it hit close to home, what happened to good programming, does everything have to be sex and cussing all the time, can’t you have a decent show for people who do not like seeing other peoples privates. If you did an acurate rating of a show (people who actually watch tv 95% of their time), you would know the what shows were actually watched and which were not. As I said before, the network A&E has… Read more »
I am so depressed about The Cleaner being cancelled! I loved that show & Benjamin Bratt! I DVR’d the show each week so I wouldn’t miss it. As the former wife of an alcoholic & the friend of former drug addicts, the shoe really hit home. I was touched that it was a true story & that he had genuine conversations with God. Please A&E listen to your viewers & bring back our beloved show!
This sucks really it was a good show and i really enjoyed it sorta hit home for me and i am sad to see it not stick around.
How is it that all the good shows get canceled and they keep all that reality crap on. A&E BRING IT BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PLEASE
PS. NBC cancelled Law & Order (I think someone did not want it to surpass ‘Gunsmoke’ with James Arness, as the longest running series ever). CBS cancelled Ghost Whisperer, Cold Case (my other two favorites), Numbers, The Adventures of Old Christine, and Miami Medical (which just started and I recently tuned in to and already fell in love with it, and with Jeremy Northam). Now they’re advertising some new shows that are coming next season, but I have no intentions of following them. I’m sticking with the ones that are remaining (like the other L&O series, CSI series, The Good… Read more »
I checked on Benjamin Bratt’s page on imdb, and it doesn’t seem as if he is doing anything at the moment (he guested on Modern Family as that Vega’s character’s ex-husband). Now why put an excellent actor as Benjamin Bratt (and those other fabulous co-stars) out of work, to have shows like Fix this house, which repeats I’ve seen thousands of time, and Soprano repeats etc. I’m not even seeing The Cleaner repeats. What a waste. What a waste of a fantastic actor like Benjamin Bratt, and I loved the storyline was going with his wife (of the show) as… Read more »
I am soooo disappointed that The Cleaner has been cancelled, I thought it was a very well written and acted show…..what is happening to all the good shows? I won’t watch A & E anymore either,
I am SHOCKED that they cancelled that show! I loved it, and was definitely looking forward to another season. I really hope that another station picks it up. It was so helpful to so many people. Addiction is everywhere!!!! Whether it’s you, a parent, a sibling, a friend, a neighbor, etc… This show was helpful to everyone who is involved with addiction in their lives. It helped recovering addicts stay clean, and showed them a different way to go about it. The cast was incredible! The show was also helpful to family and friends of addicts, and gave them more… Read more »
I am so upset about the cancellation of The Cleaner. I am a child of former-drug addicted, gambling addicted parents and I am also married to a recovered addict as well, as my husband is a child of a former-drug/alcohol addicted father. This show has touched all of us. Our family, our parents, sisters, brothers and friends. Instead of putting garbage on television, maybe get back in touch with your viewers and their interests. Real Life. Real Problems. Real Solutions. Who knows, maybe FOX will pick up The Cleaner. And maybe air it at an earlier time, like maybe 9pm.… Read more »
Bring it back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had no idea… now that the winter seasons ended I was looking forward to The Cleaner this summer! I am VERY upset. This was like top 5 of my favorite shows along with Greys Anatomy, Private Practice. Medium, and Biggest Loser.
I was just browsing and came upon this page. I so loved the Cleaner and was very disappointed when it did not return. Why do these networks do that? They bring some really good shows and then stop it. The Cleaner was not only an interesting show, but I bet it could help people/addicts or their families as well. Such a terrible loss.
I think it really sucks that you are cancelling The Cleaner…It was a fantastic show!! I am very disappointed:(
I can’t believe that they canceled this. I loved The Cleaner and was looking forward to Season 3. Why do all the good shows get canned
It seems that all networks care about is not giving the viewers shows that they want to watch. So as of now I do not watch anything on A&E. So how does that help your ratings…..?