‘Clean Slate’ Review: Laverne Cox and George Wallace Lead Amazon’s Warm, Well-Meaning, Not Especially Funny Comedy

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Amazon’s “Clean Slate” is less about humor stemming from specific issues and more of a thought-provoking exploration of societal concepts. It seldom elicits laughter, but often leaves viewers with heartwarming feelings that are genuinely deserved.

After binge-watching all eight episodes of the first season, I’m left pondering: Is this comedy, tackling a subject that’s still testing societal norms, as gentle and harmless as it gets? Or is the real edge here found in turning something most assume to be explosive into a comfort zone?

Among the final productions where Norman Lear served as an executive producer, the show “Clean Slate” doesn’t achieve what his ’70s work did so well – addressing, engaging with, and resolving conflicting viewpoints in a manner that made those who held each perspective feel understood. However, given this series centers around the rekindled bond between a father and his long-estranged trans daughter, it could be argued that any stance not rooted in love and acceptance should be disregarded as unimportant.

George Wallace portrays Harry Slate, proprietor of the Slate Family Car Wash based in Mobile, Alabama. Following 23 years apart, Harry anticipates warmly receiving the young man he believed to be his timid, insecure son. Instead, he encounters Desiree (Laverne Cox), who exhibits self-assurance and overall happiness. This transformation occurred as she abandoned her career in the vibrant New York City art scene following a collapse in funding for the gallery she was developing.

Harry shows a momentary surprise for about 30 seconds, possibly slips up with his daughter’s gender identity once or twice. However, he quickly embraces the situation, showing that he’s not like Archie Bunker. Interestingly, it’s Desiree’s vegetarianism that shocks him more. In quick succession, Harry’s ex-convict employee, Mack (Jay Wilkison), and Mack’s clever daughter Opal (Norah Murphy) warm up to Desiree without hesitation. Other characters, such as local choir director Louis (D.K. Uzoukwu) and Louis’ mother Ella (Telma Hopkins), accept her immediately too.

In the latest U.S. presidential election, approximately two-thirds of Alabama’s population cast their votes for a candidate who made transphobic views a key part of his campaign platform. While it’s important to note that this figure may not fully encompass the Black vote, it’s worth mentioning that Alabama is not typically known as a bastion of LGBTQ+ rights support.

In the world of Clean Slate, Alabama is portrayed as a place where only a biased pastor needs education about the newest community member, which could be considered the most forward-thinking approach by creators Cox, Wallace, and Dan Ewen. Instead of Desiree constantly imparting crucial trans lessons to others, it’s the coastal elite audience members who are shown to hold preconceived notions that Alabama is a hotbed of bigotry, and this assumption is something we should question and correct.

However, when the show “Clean Slate” attempts to address bigger problems – such as aggressive Trump-like poll monitors and undemocratic voting restrictions on Election Day – the shift from fiction to reality and then back to fiction feels less than authentic.

A more impactful approach for Desiree’s character development might have been focusing on her personal struggles with anxiety rather than her acceptance by others. This choice often gave me the impression that a more fitting presentation could have been a one-hour drama, reminiscent of the WB style and tonality as seen in “Gilmore Girls,” rather than a single-camera comedy with the frequent, broad humor typical of a multicamera setup, without the audience’s approval through laughter. The writing team, composed of Shadi Petosky (from “Danger & Eggs”), hails from diverse backgrounds, leaving me wondering why this specific format was chosen, even though it is the one in which Lear has established his reputation.

Mostly shot in Georgia, the series Clean Slate derives no aesthetic advantage from its location filming. At its peak, it’s visually uninteresting. More often than not, it suffers from poor production values, although the Spanish moss hanging from the trees appears genuine. With a talented team directing—Nisha Gantra for the pilot, Matthew A. Cherry and Randall Keenan Winston for other episodes—the show could have presented itself less cheaply.

Cox and Wallace make an excellent central duo. While Cox is humorous, I found her delivery of dramatic scenes and the slow-building romance between Desiree and Wilkison’s Mack more compelling than her comedic timing, which at times lacked the expected audience response. The relationship between Desiree and Mack aligns well with the show’s theme of casual acceptance, as Desiree inquires about Mack’s dating experience with trans women, a topic seldom addressed in the series. Mack responds, “Not yet,” but the conversation is never revisited.

Instead of this, the esteemed comedian Wallace appears quite comfortable with jokes that seem reminiscent of posts on his various social media platforms. While his more serious content doesn’t appear frequently, when it does come up, it’s handled well.

Instead of focusing on conflict, the series emphasizes warmth towards its characters. Some of the most heartfelt scenes are attributed to Hopkins, a character who challenges traditional Southern church lady stereotypes with her empathy, while I found myself laughing the most at Murphy’s portrayal of Opal, a character who is cheerful yet neurotic.

Due to its persistent friendliness, the show Clean Slate seldom presents significant conflicts, whether short-term or seasonal. Storylines often revolve around briefly mentioned health issues, Harry’s fluctuating rivalry with his neighbor Miguel (Phillip Garcia), or Louis’ personal battles with self-expression and acceptance.

The final episode leaves a strong impression that more is at stake across various aspects, however, considering Amazon’s usual indifference towards shows initially produced for Freevee, it’s challenging to hold much optimism that even an appealing and peaceably benevolent series like this one will be renewed. It’s unfortunate. Instead of being the cornerstone for TV’s most unique half-hour genre, _Clean Slate_, _Sprung_, _Primo_, _The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh_, and _High School_ should serve as the foundation, rather than secondary considerations within the Amazon (Bezos) empire.

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2025-02-05 17:55