While a lot of shows seem to be thriving in cable, in the last couple of days, two series have bitten the dust. TBS dumped The Bill Engvall Show after three seasons, and now A&E Network has canceled The Cleaner, opting not to give the drama series another year. Hmm... does that mean Benjamin Bratt is available to return to Law and Order? Probably not. Been there, done that, you know. But the TV pro is now unemployed although I doubt that'll be for long. The Cleaner just never really clicked for A&E. It was as intense as the network's hit reality show, Intervention, but it wasn't nearly as compelling.
Bob suggested that The Cleaner had gotten lost in the shuffle of returning series last June when it began its second season. That's likely, but I also believe that A&E didn't do the show any favor by running it during the summer. Even efforts to make the capturing of the addicts more like a "caper" didn't help. It also didn't ring true.
The Cleaner might have done better had it been less TV drama and more like Intervention. That was clearly A&E's goal, but in the end, they didn't reach it. With The Cleaner canceled and the Patrick Swayze show, The Beast, also gone, A&E is currently devoid of original dramatic series.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
9-26-2009 @ 4:37PM
0megapart!cle said...
You know how wrong you are about the Cleaner. It is a great show. One of the best on TV. Far more compelling than any ridiculous reality show.
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9-30-2009 @ 12:11PM
Val said...
I agree. I so looked forward to watching each week. I'm sad to hear that it has been cancelled.
9-26-2009 @ 5:47PM
unc69dmo said...
The Cleaner was a dammm good/ well done show......
.i guess that leaves A&E pretty much as a Garbage Dump for more cheap UNwatchable Reality Crap.......
WON'T BE THERE......RIP A&E !!!!!!!!
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9-26-2009 @ 6:58PM
Robynn said...
I have had enough "reality" shows to last me a lifetime. I am sad to see The Cleaner going off the air. I thought it was very well written and Benjamin Bratt showed his acting chops better here than anywhere else I've seen him. I hope A&E gets their act together.
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9-26-2009 @ 8:40PM
Vera said...
Cleaner is a good show. It showed that someone does care about people with an addiction. Wish someone was there for people I knew that had a problem and needed help. Sorry to see it off the air. No A&E in our home!!
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9-26-2009 @ 9:24PM
bsgfan2003 said...
Sorry Tim-1!
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9-26-2009 @ 9:55PM
Kelly K said...
I cannot believe that A&E would cancel such a great show!! I only watched the A&E network because The Cleaner was on it. The other "reality"shows were not worth watching. The Cleaner gave you hope that someone was out there caring for those that were in need. It explained that you do have a choice to make your life right if you find the right help and get the supportive care you need to better your life. It showed if you were lost, you can be found and helped to a better life if given a chance. The executives at A&E need to re-evaluate there thinking. Why not try a new time slot and day first before just cancelling it. I have no reason now to watch A&E. I hope the season 2 DVD series comes out soon so I have something to watch on a Tuesday night.
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9-26-2009 @ 11:14PM
Deezul said...
Ugh, I stopped watching this show after 3 episodes. It was "Touched by an Angel" with a dude.
Then again, "Touched by an Angel" lasted a lot more seasons. Maybe the show needed more vagina?
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9-28-2009 @ 11:06PM
gerlie said...
Your such an idiot
9-27-2009 @ 5:06AM
Cj said...
I can't believe they cancelled this show. Great show someone that helps people. They cancel reality shows suck.. I like things that make you think about things so sad was a great show..
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9-27-2009 @ 5:39AM
shamon said...
why the hell they do that ? I love this show .
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9-27-2009 @ 5:57PM
CJ said...
There will be nothing to watch on A&E now... that was a GREAT show.
I'm SO tired of reality TV. *grrr*
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9-27-2009 @ 6:35PM
Tim-1 said...
Another outrage, another lack of appreciation of excellent television by bumblers who wouldn't know quality if it were spoon-fed them. At least I could see Grace Park for a few minutes a week in this show. This is crushing news. I was going to write a more detailed work....but what's the use.
ps. Thank you bsgfan. I miss you and Dorv.
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9-27-2009 @ 9:17PM
justme said...
The show didn't sound or look appealing at all. A recovering addict who talks to God and helps junkies get back on their feet?
I'm sorry, but it was a premise doomed from the start. And I'm not a big Benjamin Bratt fan, so his casting certainly didn't help me want to watch.
I think it would have been more interesting if 'The Cleaner' was about a guy who cleaned up botched hits or scandals. Basically he'd tie up any loose ends. Have it star Mandy Patinkin.
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9-28-2009 @ 4:31AM
Francesca said...
I'm sorry, too, to see this show go. It was well-done and original. When I first heard of it, I thought that someone had finally had the courage to produce something that wasn't the usual medical or crime drama that seem to be everywhere on TV right now along with reality shows.
Perhaps it got lost in the shuffle of returning series when it began its second season, and I agree that A&E didn't do "The Cleaner" any favor. However, I'm left with the idea that A&E had been considering to discontinue this show after its second season since right when it was still in production, if you look at how it ended. In fact, the season 2 finale looked dangerously like a closure.
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9-28-2009 @ 4:49AM
collin said...
Hmm... I guess I'm the only one who found this show boring. With the other superb dramas on cable tv, this show never delivered.
To me, that is.
But I will miss seeing Grace Park on television. In fact, I miss her already.
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9-28-2009 @ 1:46PM
kurt said...
This show feel off dramatically from the 1st season. Stopped watching after the episode with the old army guy, alcoholic. Just an awful episode. Season 1 was pretty good. Why did he have to have some sort of connection to everyone?
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9-28-2009 @ 2:47PM
kurt said...
Fell off dramatically.
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9-28-2009 @ 3:34PM
Ana said...
OMG! Why? I love watching this show. Just knowing that this is a true reality show. I love what they do. I love the actor's in the show. It Is The Best. How about change the time slot or day. Don't give up on us yet!
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9-28-2009 @ 3:44PM
Anna said...
Can't beleive they cancelled this great show
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