In The Cleaner on A&E, Benjamin Bratt stars as William Banks, a former drug addict who helps other addicts kick their addiction by any means necessary. Bratt’s portryal of Banks is loosely based on addiction counselor Warren Boyd. The first season had a 13-episode run in the summer of 2008, and will continue with a second 13-episode season later this month.
When his daughter Lula was born, Banks made a promise to God he would get clean and get his life together. He has created a “cleaning service” with other former addicts, including Darnell (Kevin Michael Richardson), Swenton (Esteban Powell), and Akani (Grace Park, Battlestar Galactica). Banks uses former addicts to help the current addicts kick their habit. He reasons that only addicts know what other addicts really go through. Banks and his crew use whatever methods they can, some morally questionable, and they don’t always work. Akani is the breakout member of the crew who constantly thinks she knows more than Banks and has had a relationship with him which nearly ended his marriage.
Banks routinely has chats with God and even though he has the best of intentions, they don’t always work out. He puts the clients first and that has caused strains on both his marriage to his wife Melissa (Amy Price-Francis) and his relationships with his children Ben (Brett DelBuono) and Lula (Liliana Mumy). All three threaten to break off relations with him routinely as Banks hasn’t been able to find a way to balance work and family. Also as a former addict he has the added threat of relapsing.
Banks and his crew encounter people addicted to drugs (both illegal and prescription) and alcohol. Since this is a drama, there’s nothing as “mundane” as food addiction or gambling, which can be serious in their own way but doesn’t fit the style the writers are trying to achieve. Just like in real life, not everyone is saved and Banks must deal with the consequences from those who hire him to help the client and his own crew who sometimes had the solution Banks didn’t see. Bratt is believable as the recovering addict who wants to help others get clean and the ensemble strengthens all performances.
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