Clean Slate Review: Hilarious and Comfy Watch

In this Prime Video series, no-nonsense and old-school Alabama car wash owner Harry Slate gets the shock of his life when his estranged child, now a trans woman, Desiree, returns home to reconnect and repair her relationship with her old man. With a ton of soul-searching on both sides, the Slate family came together one day at a time while making connections and putting down new roots in their old town in Mobile, Alabama.

The comedy series has 8 episodes, each with a runtime of around 25 minutes.

Clean Slate Review

Prime Video’s Clean Slate is a warm and humorous look into the lives of a bunch of people in the small town of Mobile, Alabama. The series is fast-paced and exciting, with a ton of insane but relatable things happening one after another in order to drive the point home that regardless of where you are, a relationship can be forged between the two most unlikely individuals if both of them are willing to embrace change.

Following Desiree and her father Harry, the series takes a warm look at not only their evolving relationship that faces its own speedbumps along the way, but also her relationship with the others in Harry’s small community who embrace Desiree as their own. The series brings forth how Desiree’s impact comes as a shock to some in Mobile, Alabama, but everyone has an open mind and heart, making it possible to accept her in beautiful ways. In a way, Clean Slate reminded me of Schitt’s Creek, but set in Alabama, and made me chuckle multiple times throughout its runtime thanks to the quirky personalities of its characters and the odd but relatable situations that they find themselves in.

We understand the simplicity of the residents’ lives in Mobile as well as where Desiree is coming from, hoping for everyone around her to accept her for who she is. These are the people who knew her before her transition, but it’s really nice how, after the initial confusion, everyone is right there beside her supporting her against any injustices. The sweetest relationship that she shares is with her father, Harry, who, in spite of being orthodox, finds it within himself to understand how important Desiree is in her life and, in the end, her gender identity is her own and none of his business to fuss over. After that, Harry, in spite of his egocentricities, is lovely to watch, especially how fiercely protective he is over his daughter.

However, that’s not the only relationship that the series gives us. Another major plot is the budding relationship between Desiree and Mack which makes for some great tension of “will they, won’t they” throughout the runtime. I found myself cheering for their relationship subconsciously throughout the series as they had a fun and flirty yet mature vibe to them. Another interesting storyline is Louis, whose personal struggles about his sexuality will be relatable for many. The series does a fantastic job of highlighting how much people who are not cit-het in this world have to struggle and the microaggression that they are privy to that “normal” people can’t even figure out. It’s very interesting.

Clean Slate is for everyone who likes watching warm and funny shows. It’s short and to the point, going rapidly from one plot to another but never feeling rushed. Although there are moments when you’d wish for the show to give us a little more, I think I am more than okay to wait for the inevitable second season. The chemistry between all the characters is charming and makes you smile more often than you’d expect. I think the humour couples well with the residents’ drama and makes for a really tight and engaging watch.

The series is further made better thanks to the fantastic performances of the entire cast. Laverne Cox as Desiree feels like a real person whose life I am witnessing on-screen. She’s fun, relatable and so vulnerable in every scene. Her chemistry with George Wallace’s Harry is fantastic and makes us root for the father-daughter duo. Wallace himself is fantastic in every frame and was one of my favourite characters in the show. He’s hilarious. Other than them, the supporting cast is really watchable as well and gives us a lot to root for in the show.

Final Thoughts

Clean Slate is a hilarious and comfy show that will make you laugh more often than not. The performances are fantastic and the situations are far too relatable to not make an impact. This one’s definitely worth the watch.

Also Read: The Queen Who Crowns Episode 5 Review: The Queen Plots an Evil Act; Good For Her Though