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The Cleaner

The Cleaner

2021–Ongoing3 seasons19 episodes~30 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

After CSI have done their stuff, the cleaner mops up the grisly remains. For Wicky, a bloodbath and the pub is all in a day's work.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Cleaner?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Cleaner streaming on BritBox.

Subscription

Highlights

What stands out about The Cleaner?

The Cleaner earns 2 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Preferred by US Viewers.

Reception

Is The Cleaner worth watching?

The Cleaner's Midcredits score is the 57th percentile of all shows, from 8.6K ratings across 2 sources. 77% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

57th percentile

Better received than 57% of shows

54th percentile among Comedy62nd percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)48th
Approval (how many liked it)65th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

70 /100

48th percentile of all shows

48th percentile among Comedy53rd percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.4 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

77% liked it

65th percentile of all shows

59th percentile among Comedy70th percentile among 2020s
77% rated it 7–1023% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

90th percentile

8.5K ratings across platforms

84th percentile among Comedy91st percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 22% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

It is a dark comedy about a crime scene cleaner with a quirky, episodic format.

Fans praised

  • Greg Davies' performance and comedic timing
  • Clever, witty writing with surprising depth
  • Strong guest cast and character interactions

Detractors panned

  • Unfunny, forced humor
  • Derivative of the German original
  • Wasted premise on clichéd stereotypes

What stands out

ActingDivisive75

Greg Davies' performance praised by fans; detractors find it wooden

DialogueDivisive70

Witty one-liners praised by fans; detractors find strained

HumorDivisive65

Laugh-out-loud moments for fans; detractors call it unfunny

CharactersDivisive65

Well-drawn guest characters; detractors call them clichéd

PacingDivisive60

Generally brisk but some episodes meander

Emotional impactDivisive60

Surprising heartfelt moments

AtmosphereDivisive60

Quirky, dark tone well-established

OriginalityDivisive45

Fresh premise but derivative of German original

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 18 points higher than non-US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 2 points apart

Episodes

3 seasons

Series 3 · 2024 · 6 episodes

  • S3E1

    The Reunion

    Oct 4, 202428 min
  • S3E2

    The Baby

    Oct 11, 202429 min
  • S3E3

    The Committee

    Oct 18, 202429 min
  • S3E4

    The Lighthouse

    Oct 25, 202429 min
  • S3E5

    The Housekeeper

    Nov 1, 202429 min
  • S3E6

    The Wedding

    Nov 8, 202428 minFinale

Watch experience

What is The Cleaner like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Wry, light and gentle — a slow-burn watch that leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
AbsurdContemplative
Heaviest: throughout
Dry humor
Register
Wry · 7% of shows: Amused and slightly dry about it.Absurdist · 6% of shows: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.Deadpan · 1% of shows: Delivered flat and unsmiling, which is the joke.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Procedural · 7% of showsStatus quo each season
ToneThe show plays its grim premise deadpan—Wicky treats corpse-cleaning as a mundane day job while the people and situations around him turn increasingly absurd.
The rideThe mood remains consistently light and whimsical despite the grim subject matter, with brief moments of reflection.
StructureThe show is a conventional episode comedy told in order, with no recurring storytelling devices across the run.
Episode formatEach episode presents a new cleaning job, a self-contained case that is resolved by the end.
Season formatThe show's format and protagonist remain consistent across seasons; any episode is an entry point.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayIt leaves you light and entertained—amused by the absurd situations Wicky gets tangled in without carrying any weight out of the episode.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).ComedyFarce
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12% (this title): Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% (this title) · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Farce: Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).

12% of shows fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeEach typical episode is a self-contained comedy: Wicky arrives at a crime scene, meets a stranger, and an absurd, often farcical situation unfolds during the cleanup as he calmly does his job.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfMortalitySurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9% (this title): Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% (this title) · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% (this title) · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Survival

Mortality · 2% of showsIsolation · 3% of shows
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe series confronts the reality of death as a routine part of life, seen through the eyes of a man who works with its physical traces, often alone.
StanceThe show observes mortality as a mundane fact of life, neither celebrating nor mourning it, but finding dry humor in its routine presence.

The world

ContemporaryDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
AmbientJazzBackground music · original score
SettingCrime scene cleanup in and around London

Content guide

Is The Cleaner okay for kids?

TV-14

The Cleaner is rated TV-14. As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (63/100), sexual content at moderate (43/100), language at intense (72/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (50/100) and frightening material at mild (33/100). Its drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank. Overall it is heavier than 74% of TV-14 shows.

Ratings in 3 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaM
  • Ireland15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 58% of all showsHeavier than 74% of TV-14 shows
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for a TV-14 show
heavier than 68%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
typical for a TV-14 show
heavier than 62%
Profanity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a TV-14 show
heavier than 93%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (5 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language and violence. Everything else sits at or below what TV-14 shows usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does The Cleaner have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Cleaner?

Cast

Greg Davies
as Paul Wickstead
Zita Sattar
as Ruth
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Barry Castagnola
as Jack
Jane Lewis
as Barbara Chant
Sam Ward
as Gareth
Helena Bonham Carter
as Sheila
Jo Hartley
as Maggie
David Mitchell
as Terence Redford
Ruth Madeley
as Helena
Stephanie Cole
as Vivien Hozier

Crew

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TMDB's suggestions for shows like The Cleaner include Barney Miller (1975), Shifting Gears (2025) and Less Than Perfect (2002).

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474 other shows share the rarest tag below, kind of show: dark comedy. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.