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?
That show was amazing .I looked forward to his higher power messages .great acting truly disappointed a&e the duggers please
This show was great, realistic, attention grabbing. Shouldn’t have been cancelled
This show was too great to cancel – what happened?? I guess A@E needs a wake-up call on what their viewers like. Great plots, current topics, fantastic acting!!!! A@E, bring this show back!!
THIS SHOW WAS AMAZING!!!…IT SHOWS IT HOW IT REALLY IS TO BE AN ADDICT OR ALCOHOLIC AND HOW RECOVERY CAN WORK AND PEOPLE FROM ALL DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS COLORS SHAPES AND SIZES CAN COME TOGETHER AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE SUFFERING…IT IS YOUR DUTY TO SHOW THE WORLD RECOVERY WORKS
Please bring back The Cleaner. It was such an amazing show. As being a recovering addict/alcoholic, and picking up my 4 year chip in a month. I truly related to almost every single episode in some way, shape, or fashion. I see friends in and out of the rooms constantly fighting their demons. Some make it, some don’t. But this show is real. It really digs deep to the demons of addiction. It show the reality of the affect on the families. The cast was amazing and it really hit home.
Just watched both seasons. So sad there are no more. Please bring it back. Praying for Season THREE!!! Great acting. Excellent story lines.
Just saw the final episode and SO SAD it’s over. It’s been a long time since cancelled but not too late to bring it back!!! It was so excellent and second season just as compelling as the first. Big mistake cancelling it, right up there with Breaking Bad.
Bring the cleaner back!!!!! Was an amazingly awesome show. It was hilarious and action-packed!!! I loved it!!!! Upset that there is no third season 🙁 🙁 🙁
Its the same thing a braking bad please bring it back
can it be found on, on-demand
Please bring back a show that people can relate to…like I would ever become a millionaire making say TURKEY CALLS! Or any of the shows that are just nobody’s wanting to be a somebody!
The Turpin family made a million selling turkey calls!
Bring The CleNER BACK pleasel
Season 1: Marvelous. William Banks seen as a father, husband, team leader, and recovering addict helping other addicts with elaborate & shrewdly-planned surveillance/kidnapping/undercover work. Season 2: Appalling. Williams Banks without a wife, children, a real team (Darnell gone, Akani only occasionally tapping in) or apparently any memory of the techniques he used in the first season to catch his ‘clients’ (i.e. he’s now inexplicably reduced to pleading for people to come back with him for treatment, nothing more, nothing less). Increasingly repetitive plots and the lack of diversity in the storyline we saw the first time ’round leave little doubt… Read more »
Sorry guys: The second season was abysmal. The producers inexplicably killed off Darnell (why?); created a superfluous and unconvincing tension between William & Melissa leading to a separation which completely altered the (essential) family dynamic of the first season, where we really saw William as a father and husband, not just a junkie fixer with a vigilante bent; scaled back or entirely eliminated the high-tech modus operandi of the first season Banks crew (i.e. coordinating strategic kidnappings, surveillance, and surreptitious sedative injections into their ‘marks’ while liaising with local police and the LA underworld to tap their sources for information)… Read more »
I too am very sorry that The Cleaner was cancelled & I do what a lot of people are doing, searching to see if has come back on. I loved Benjamin Bratt in this show. He was fantastic. I don’t know who they would get to play William Banks, since Benjamin is now in Private Practice, but the show was & would be great with or without him. ( I would like it with him, myself). There are a lot of shows that don’t draw that big of a following & then with word of mouth they boom. You should… Read more »