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.
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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 can not believe they cancelled this show….:( This show was my fav…
Stupid Choice for A&E. Some times it cost to have the great things in life!!!
My favorite show on TV bar none. As a recovering addict, it was almost like a docudrama to me, that’s how real this is. Superb script writing and superb acting made this show so compelling to me. Huge mistake!
The Cleaner was a great show…one of few, on tv now!
Big mistake by A&E to cancel!
I’m halfway through the first season DVD’s. So far, it’s pretty good, sorry that it ended after such a short run. Kind of like Firefly and Life on Mars….
bummer….I truly enjoyed it.
i loved the Cleaner. It was a tough show to watch which made it real. I am really disappointed it was cancelled.
K
extremely disappointed after it received such high acclaim
I’m bummed – they always cancel the good ones. Even though I’m a single female, this was a great family show also with lots of lessons to be learned all around. What are they thinking?
Figures, they always get rid of the good ones; however, the second season wasn’t as good as the first.
My husband & I watched the show with our 16 year old son and all 3 of us really enjoyed it. It gave us a glimpse of what drugs will do, and how someone who has been there, done that, actually cares about others and how bad they want to help. It also shows how hard it is for their own family to learn to trust them again. We thought the second season was great, like the first. I will greatly miss the show and I know my husband and son will truely be upset .
That was a great show…really bad choice..
Why! The Cleaner was the best show that AE had. As a counselor in the addictions field I used it as a tool for recovering addicts. Please reconsider this horrible decision and bring it back!
Oh I am terribly disappointed… I thought the show was awesome… as a recovering addict myself – I felt almost compelled at times to watch it. It seems that if I LIKE something – it gets cancelled… call it fate or whatever… even other things – like restaurants or new menu items at popular restaurants if I like it – they stop making it. I think its a curse. lol
I am disappointed that The Cleaner was cancelled. I really enjoyed the show. I was really looking forward to watching it this summer. I think it was a mistake to cancel it. I have also noticed how the good shows get cancelled.