THE CLEANER: 2.02 “Last American Casualty”
This was a complex one to watch. I’m going to be honest: It was hard getting past the kid from Everybody Hates Chris. I definitely kept seeing him from that and not this other character, but once I did, I once again saw quality.
In this case, we had two addicts–neither seemed to want help. The first saw himself as a lost cause, so why help him now? He’s just going to die anyway. The other–the one William was hired to help–was just angry. And I was much more invested in his story than Duren’s. Then again, I haven’t really seen the series often, so if he’s a series regular, he’d make sense. He was friends with William’s father anyway.
I did think that Duren was going to kill himself there in the middle of the episode. When he suddenly wanted to see himself clean–one last time to see his daughter while sober–it was a nice sentiment. Of course, he didn’t make it. Well, he literally saw her, but his message of sobriety didn’t really get to her.
Meanwhile, the real story was Lonnie, who was an alcoholic and who William was hired to sober up in time for his son’s funeral. It’s rather sad, really. Not only was his son killed in action, but he stepped on a mine, and apparently his father felt it humiliated him. What’s more? His son was gay, adding to the humiliation.
So Lonnie was drunk and angry. Very angry.
And truly, so was I. At Duren! He hires William to help him, and then he drinks out of a flask right in front of him. I wanted to kick his old butt! I’m surprised William didn’t.
Anyway, it was a pretty sympathetic family. How could you not feel for them, especially his son who was being basically abused. My only complaint was that come the funeral, no one really seemed that upset. The father was there, the son, and the boyfriend. None seemed particularly upset at the loss.
Oh, speaking of sons, did anyone else feel super sad for Ben? What a weekend, right? Not only did he have to help watch a guy who was trying to get over addiction (strapped to a bed and all), but he had to deal with drunk Duren. AND THEN he had to deal with dead Duren. PLUS, ride with him in the car.
Sigh. Poor Ben. I was surprised he ended up wanting to stay longer with his father. I guess that’s a relief. To know that throughout all of this, he still had that relationship.
Oh, and William worrying about the loft for Ben to sleep? So cute.
Anyway, it was a good episode. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Duren, but it was interesting to see how William reacted around someone who didn’t want help and he wasn’t allowed to help, so to speak. It’s something I wouldn’t have ever thought about. It’s really a nice touch. I look forward to seeing more.
