# The Cleaner 7/15

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleaner-7-15/456672>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [July 16, 2008, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleaner-7-15/456672 "2008-07-16T12:17:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleaner-7-15/456672/1 "2008-07-16T12:17:42Z")

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Did anyone watch this? The premise is an ex-junkie (Benjamin Bratt) who becomes a guy who gets paid (by their families) to kidnap addicts and get them into rehab.

I dvr’d it and just finished watching it this morning. I liked it. A lot of character development, with “minimal commercial interruptions.” The story focused more on Benjamin Bratt and his interaction with his family and co-workers. His co-workers are also recovering junkies/alkies/gamblers.

It’s kind of melancholy, but not preachy, even though the protagonist talks to God all the time. I want to watch more episodes.

What did you think?

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**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleaner-7-15/456672/2 "2008-07-16T13:41:09Z")

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I’m sure someone will soon come along and wax poetically about how wonderful and insightful it was, but for me…meh. I turn it off 25 minutes into it and went to bed. Dull, dull, dull.

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**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleaner-7-15/456672/3 "2008-07-16T17:40:42Z")

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Watched it through, but had major problems with it, so I’ll pass on future episodes. While I could (barely) tolerate the “talk to God” segments, Grace Park driving an ODing junkie to Bratt’s house instead a hospital was just stupid, and the excuse that she did so out a sense of panic doesn’t wash when the actress delivers her lines in a calm, controlled manner.

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**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cleaner-7-15/456672/4 "2008-07-16T17:53:21Z")

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I watched it, and gave it a “B” – good enough to watch some more episodes. I thought some of the performances were good. I thought Grace Park was pretty nice eye candy, but I didn’t get why she’s with them. I was surprised that Gil Bellows was part of the cast and

a little disappointed that they killed him off in this first episode.

So I’ll try a couple of more episodes.

J.
