Laverne Cox is back on the small screen with Prime Video’s Clean Slate
, a traditional family sitcom that revels in its contemporary messages of joy and acceptance. Cox plays Desiree, the estranged daughter of Harry (George Wallace) who returns home suddenly after 23 years. In that time, she’s come out as trans and blossomed in New York City, but setbacks have sent her packing to Alabama where things appear to be just as she left them. However, Desiree soon discovers that her small hometown and her father are capable of more change than she thinks.
On paper, Clean Slate is exactly the kind of sitcom that’s cropping up on network television every day. While the plots unfold traditionally and the jokes might seem boilerplate, the series retains its self-awareness. Similarly to how Desiree feels about her home, Clean Slate knows that this genre hasn’t been kind to the LGBTQ+ community, as older sitcoms are notorious for playing transness for laughs. This juxtaposition and the unabashed sentimentality that Clean Slate leans into is what propels the show forward. Even if things don’t appear to fit together on paper, they blend better than you would think.
Clean Slate Starts To Dig Into Desiree’s Past But Doesn’t Delve Deep Enough
The Series Pushes Its Characters To Open Up, But There’s Still Healing To Do
Cox has been an underused talent in Hollywood for many years. Following her breakout role in Orange is the New Black, Cox hasn’t been in the spotlight nearly enough. Hopefully, Clean Slate will help remind audiences of her talent. Of course, the other characters in the series get plenty of time to shine. Jay Wilkison plays Mack, her well-meaning love interest, and D.K. Uzoukwu is Louis, the one friend Desiree’s kept in touch with since she left home. However, Cox’s Desiree is the heart of the story, but I still wish I got to know her a little better.
It’s a breath of fresh air to see a story about a trans woman centered on connection and acceptance instead of violence and isolation, though Clean Slate doesn’t deny these realities. When I say I want more depth from the characters or to learn more about Desiree’s past, I don’t mean I want Clean Slate to capitalize on its characters’ trauma. I simply want to understand what happened to her in New York and what made this strong, confident woman start to question the spark that made her such a lifelong success and pushed her through years of struggle.
Clean Slate can be criticized for leaning into somewhat cheesy territory, but no one could accuse the show of being disingenuous.
However, it’s understandable that Clean Slate lets Desiree leave her past behind her, as plenty of energy is expended fleshing out the world of her hometown and the specific, intimate idiosyncrasies of small-town America. The Prime Video series hits all the beats of a sitcom season with a carnival, a car wash, a parade, and even a local election. The topical and national issues of America are put under a microscope. Though the show puts a predominantly positive spin on the fight against discrimination, it doesn’t shy away from the fact that the pain of being misunderstood is indescribable.
The content and heart of the story are better than the execution when it comes to Clean Slate, but there’s never been a better time for a series that prioritizes community, love, and understanding. I don’t think it breaks any cinematic boundaries, but it shouldn’t have to in order to earn the right to exist and be part of the television landscape. Clean Slate can be criticized for leaning into somewhat cheesy territory, but no one could accuse the show of being disingenuous.
Clean Slate Reminds The Audience That Sometimes Love Requires Some Growing Pains
Desiree & Her Father Make Mistakes In Their Attempts To Reconnect, But They Always Forgive Each Other
Harry isn’t a perfect father and the first episode has to grapple with the fact that he didn’t create an environment where Desiree felt safe being herself. However, Clean Slate doesn’t make him into a cartoon villain who purposefully misgenders his daughter. The series pokes fun at his mistakes and gives Desiree plenty of missteps of her own that they have to weather together. It’s clear that the message behind the re-establishment of their relationship is that these fences can be mended, and people can change if they’re willing to.
Clean Slate definitively sets itself up for a second season, ending with a couple of twists and a good old-fashioned cliffhanger that leave us wanting more. While I would like to see the story go further in season 2, I would characterize myself as wanting more and ready to be comforted by the familiarity and warmth of Clean Slate. What I hope is that the show will be the first of many that touch upon any genre and every story type, using voices that deserve to be heard and consistently have something fun and interesting to say.
Clean Slate consists of eight episodes that are all available to binge at once on Prime Video.
