TCA: ‘The Cleaner’ talks to the big guy upstairs

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William Banks, the main character on A&E’s upcoming original drama “The Cleaner” talks to God, literally -- but don’t call him religious.

“The Cleaner” is based on stories of real-life former addict and “extreme interventionist” Warren Boyd, whose mission it is to get people clean by any means necessary. His on-screen persona, William, played by Benjamin Bratt, arrives at this position after hitting rock bottom and striking a deal with God in exchange for a second chance at life.

And William keeps in touch with the big guy throughout the series, even if God doesn’t talk back. ‘We’re not sure God’s listening actually,’ said series show runner Jonathan Prince. As for how to save those moments from being cheesy, Prince told Bratt to make like Tevye. “I grew up listening to ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ so I know how Tevye talks to God. So I was telling Ben, ‘Be more Jewish!’ ”

Not every episode has a happy ending either. People will fail, some will die. “It wouldn’t feel real otherwise. This isn’t ‘Touched by Interventionism,’ ” Prince said.

Bratt admitted, however, that he was dubious about taking a role based on such a premise. “My concern was, ‘How believable will it be? An extreme interventionist? What is that?’ And they told me, ‘Oh, you didn’t know, it’s based on a real guy,’ ” he said. “Once they said that, I played coy but then surreptitiously started campaigning for the role.”

Boyd has been at extreme intervening for more than a dozen years and continues to do so today.

-- Denise Martin

Photo: Benjamin Bratt stars in ‘The Cleaner.’ Danny Field / CBS