Laverne Cox stars in 'Clean Slate', a heartwarming Prime Video sitcom that explores themes of family and acceptance. While Cox's charisma and the strong supporting cast elevate the show, pacing and writing issues hold it back. 'Clean Slate', though well-intentioned, could benefit from exploring more complex conflicts to fully engage its audience.
Laverne Cox is an amazing performer. Though this should go without saying considering the great work she delivered over her seven years as Sophia Burset in Netflix's critically acclaimed series Orange Is the New Black, as a Black trans woman, Cox has not gotten the recognition she deserves ever since that show ended, instead being relegated to small roles in projects such as Promising Young Woman and Uglies.
It was a relief when the news broke that Cox would be starring in her own Prime Video series, Clean Slate, appearing in the credits not just as the lead but also as a co-creator alongside Dan Ewen and George Wallace. However, now that all eight episodes are poised to drop, are Cox's talent and charm enough to carry an entire series? The answer is both yes and no, as Clean Slate largely benefits from Cox's charisma. The actress also has incredible chemistry with her co-stars, particularly with the father-daughter duo played by Jay Wilkison and Norah Murphy. The sexual tension between Cox's Desiree Slate and Wilkison's Mack is palpable, and the big sister dynamic Desiree has going on with Murphy's Opal is also great. Similar compliments can be extended to the rest of the cast, all of whom have their own talents elevated by Cox's presence on-screen. However, there are other aspects where the show falters more visibly, including its pacing and writing. Those shortcomings aren't enough to doom Clean Slate to oblivion, but they sure should be taken into consideration — or possibly even fixed ahead of a potential second season. 'Clean Slate' Is a Wholesome Sitcom on Streaming Before discussing where, exactly, Clean Slate stumbles, it is important to understand what the show succeeds in. Cox, Ewen, and Wallace are not in the business of complex humor or edgy jokes; Clean Slate is a wholesome sitcom through and through, one that would feel right at home among the TGIF shows of the '90s. The story of a trans woman who decides to return to her father's home in Alabama after spending 23 years in New York without speaking to him is one rooted in a community built around love and acceptance. Though at least one bad agent tries to make Desiree feel out of place in her hometown of Mobile, her story is one of finding family exactly in the place she least expected it: in the arms of the one she walked out on. Desiree's father, Harry (played by Wallace), is nothing if not loving, and the same can be said for the rest of the locals, from Desiree's best friend Louis (D. K. Uzoukwu) to the aforementioned Opal and Mack, workers at Harry's car wash who soon evolve into part of the family. With all that in mind, Clean Slate is a show that, in our current landscape of constant attacks against transgender people, feels both unfortunately outdated and perfectly timed. Apart from a bigoted pastor who cannot accept Desiree for who she is, there is not a single soul denying her right to be seen as a woman. On the other hand, perhaps something like Clean Slate is necessary right now in order to provide some comfort to the men, women, and non-binary folks whose very existences are under threat. Considering that the show was in production before the 2024 election, it is prescient in how it offers its audience the gentle reminder that there are still people out there who love them for who they are. In all of that, Clean Slate undoubtedly succeeds. Sure, there are some vices in these so-called wholesome sitcoms, such as often too-soft jokes being met with kind eye-rolls or an'oh, you'-like expression, which some might find annoying. But if you go into the show with the correct mindset, you're sure to find yourself embraced by the love that surrounds Desiree. And if you fail in doing so, all it takes is a few episodes to get into the mood. By the final chapters of the story, you will most certainly be moved by the series' more heartwarming moments.All that adorableness isn't enough to erase the series' bigger issues, including the lack of conflict that permeates the vast majority of Clean Slate's episodes. For the most part, we are told that things should be happening instead of those events being depicted. In'Desiree. And Whatnot,' the series' big opener, Desiree divulges that she had to move away from her father because he was toxic, never fought for her, and was not accepting of her identity. All of that would be fine and dandy if we actually saw Harry being any of those things. Instead, Wallace's character is a father merely surprised by the arrival of a daughter he didn't know he had, someone who is a bit emotionally unavailable but still makes an effort to respect her for who she is.
Laverne Cox Clean Slate Prime Video Sitcom Transgender Representation Wholesome Entertainment Television Review
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