The Cleaner – The Complete First Season (CBS DVD)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: C     Episodes: C

 

 

Benjamin Bratt has had an interesting rollercoaster of a career, with its hits, misses, commercial highs and lows, but he has always been likable and even ambitious.  As a former drug addict trying to help others in the new TV series The Cleaner, he gets an interesting role that could produce some interesting television.  Unfortunately, as far as The Complete First Season goes, this is a predictable, muddled, formulaic and ultimately non-credible despite his efforts and sincere attempts by the makers.

 

This 4-DVD set has all 13 hour-long shows and we have seen worse, but does this have to drag out and be so melodramatic?  That does not necessarily hook an audience.  Bratt is good and some of the other actors are not bad, but something just never adds up and the shows just go on and on.  Maybe the next season will pick up, but this was awkward when all was said and done.  At least it is something different, but not different enough.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image has a few good moments, but the lack of detail and stylized approach, along with editing and too much shaky camerawork (which adds to motion blur) holds back the quality.  The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is the best of the mixes here, but can be harsh and overdone throughout and in each show.  Extras include a gag reel, music excerpts, deleted scenes, cast/crew interviews, cast/crew commentary on select shows, international promo clip and two making of featurettes.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo