I am – Hercules!!

A drama about an ex-junkie who becomes an “extreme interventionist” to help strangers overcome their addictions, “The Cleaner” was created by Jonathan Prince ("Cane," "American Dreams") and longtime cable-TV-movie writer Robert Munic (Lifetime’s “Dawn Anna,” Showtime’s “In A Class Of His Own” and “They Call Me Sirr”). It stars Benjamin Bratt (“E-Ring”), Amy Price-Francis (“K-Ville”), Grace Park (“Battlestar Galactica”) and Gil Bellows (“Ally McBeal”). It’s A&E’s first original drama in six years!

None of the critics seems very excited about it.

USA Today gives it one and a half stars (out of four) and says:

… "precious" is only one of the problems with The Cleaner, a hacky drama … Inevitably, the bad monologues give way to bad dialogue …

The New York Times says:

… The writing doesn’t dissuade Mr. Bratt from his inclination toward overstatement. He is forced to sound like a report from the Centers for Disease Control while administering CPR. …

The Los Angeles Times says:

… slightly exasperating … It's a mix of the professionally done, the professionally overdone, the reasonably convincing, the surprisingly hackneyed and the occasionally absurd. …

The Chicago Tribune says:

… The most interesting part of "Intervention" is seeing the painful and dysfunctional personal relationships that can contribute to an addict's downward spiral. So far, "The Cleaner" has little of that drama and none of that pathos. …

The Washington Post says:

… might be exciting if there were a soupcon of substance to the show. If not a soupcon, maybe a tidbit. A dollop. A morsel? …

The San Francisco Chronicle says:

… Though "The Cleaner" in no way approaches the top-notch fare of AMC or FX, it competes well in the arena of TNT and USA series. That is, "The Cleaner" is a solid drama with true grit but several more obviously telegraphed moments or twists than you'll find in the upper tier of cable. …

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says:

… all these elements don't add up to much more than a predictable franchise drama featuring an intervention of the week with a little bit of character development thrown in for good measure.…

The Boston Globe says:

… a concept that begs for - but doesn't altogether get - sophisticated treatment. … good intentions do not a successful drama make. …

Variety says:

… feels painfully slight in the premiere, despite Benjamin Bratt's stoic performance …

The Hollywood Reporter says:

… a visit to the Cleaner is only slightly more cheerful than a meeting with an undertaker. … Without more skillful dialogue and lively stories, this won't help A&E kick the reality habit. …

10 p.m. Tuesday. A&E.

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