The Cleaning Lady Review – Full on Gangsta (1×08)

I cannot say enough good things about The Cleaning Lady. 

I’m hooked. It is — hands down — the best new show of the season. 

The characters are incredible, the drama is next-level, the stakes are so high which puts everything at risk, the romance is hot and heavy, and things change by the minute so you can’t ever get too comfortable because ever happy moment is fleeting and followed by a twist that only puts Thony and Arman in more danger. 

But most importantly, the writing is solid, which makes for realistic and suspenseful dialogue between characters. 

The writing matters. It can make or break a series, but for The Cleaning Lady, it makes the series stand out as one that deserves all the praise and attention it’s getting. 

The latest episodes delves much deeper into the complex world of crime in Las Vegas while managing to deliver a silver lining with Thony’s unwavering bravery and dedication to her son. She goes where no mother has gone before out of love and without much of a choice… which makes her, as the title episode notes, a “full on gangsta.”

And Arman is quick to follow, even if it doesn’t necessarily make too much sense and puts him directly in the line of Hayak’s wrath. 

I’ll start by saying that while I’m still very much annoyed with Marco and his ego, I am glad that he was sensible in his gambling and managed to save the $20,000 and add $5,000 on top of it. 

He cares about Luca, it’s obvious, but his actions were careless and almost put everything that Thony has worked so hard for (SO HARD FOR) in jeopardy. He has an addiction, and while some might turn a blind eye to a gambling addiction, it’s just as bad as any other addiction with the means to ruin a family. 

If he really wants to help Thony and Luca, he needs to seek out help and truly stay committed to his recovery. 

It has to be a terrible feeling to not have the means to help your son, but it’s also unfair to shame Thony and guilt her into seeking out help from another man that can help. 

Shouldn’t getting Luca a new liver be the number on priority? Once he’s better, they can deal with their marital issues! 

Of course, Marco isn’t completely wrong in thinking that Arman is only helping Thony because he has feelings for her. It’s absolutely true. 

As he confirmed to Nadia, he loves that Thony needs him and sees him as her hero. 

Thony doesn’t seem to mind either because Luca’s health and safety is top of mind. 

When Thony revealed that she needs to make her way to Mexico for the procedure, Arman couldn’t even fathom the idea of Thony making the trip with a coyote. 

And when she made it clear that if she left to Mexico, she’d never get back, he was vehemently against the idea. 

With Garrett, the FBI agent, clued into the gun sale, Arman and Thony saw Mexico as an opportunity for the both of them. She would get Luca his transplant, while Arman could finalize the gun sale away from prying eyes. It was a win-win. 

However, Arman shouldn’t have led with his heart here. He wanted to go to Mexico because he wanted to be there for Thony and Luca. That’s sweet, but it’s not a practical decision. 

He could’ve made the gun sale away from Garrett and the FBI, but he tipped off Hayak. He left Nadia in charge, and while she had his back, she couldn’t necessarily fend off Hayak when he came to the house and informed her that he called Arman’s father who revealed that his aunt wasn’t dead. 

If Arman wanted to make that lie work, he needed to have his father on-board. He sorely underestimated Hayak, and his naivety cost him Hayak’s loyalty and exposed his whole plan. 

Why couldn’t he stay back and send Nadia in his place? Yes, the trip would’ve been awkward considering she’d be curious as to why Thony was there in the first place, but it would’ve still been better for them overall. 

Arman trusted Nadia enough to loop her into the plan, and she proved that she can get the job done, so she would’ve been just fine finalizing the deal in Mexico. 

If she questioned why Thony was with them, Arman could’ve simply told the truth, and she likely would’ve appreciated that much more than finding out that Arman was in Mexico with “the cleaning lady” from the FBI agent. 

And, of course, there wouldn’t be a target on their back when it came to Hayak. That is not one enemy you want to make. 

Now, Thony is essentially stuck in Mexico since Arman flew back with the private jet. 

Hayak clearly found out about Arman’s betrayal — and didn’t take lightly to it as he killed his lackey and blew up Arman’s car, which means that Arman has been cut off and likely doesn’t have access to the jet anymore. 

I love Arman, but it’s unattractive when people can’t keep their promise. And while some might argue that this was beyond his control, he had to know that this was a possible worst-case scenario. He had to consider that Hayak would figure it out and retaliate. All of his moves on the chess board are not without repercussions. 

The blast that rocked the final moments of the episode was intense, and admittedly, I found myself shouting “Arman, watch out!”

Physically, I think he’ll be fine except for a few cuts and bruises, but emotionally, it’ll take a much bigger toll on him as he looses the only stability he had in his life, his power, and the means to do whatever he wants without zero regard for others. 

We’re going to see a new side of Arman that we’ve never seen before. 

Of course, we’ll also see Arman fight for Thony in a way he never has, so honestly, I’m just really excited for more episodes. That’s my way of saying FOX, please renew this show immediately… what are you waiting for?!

Back in Mexico, Thony was being the usual badass that she is. When she found out that Luca’s surgery was bumped because of some “exclusive client” who paid way more than she could ever afford, she was furious. 

Some people would just take the punches as they came, but Thony is done being the punching bag. She’s tired of the system and of being on the losing end. She’s tired of the rules that are set up to fail people like her and Luca. 

Is what Thony did unethical? Maybe. But is there a place for ethics when an innocent child’s life is on the line? Absolutely not. 

Thony finally took control and ensured that her son was given the treatment that she paid for. 

And when they tried to tell her there weren’t enough doctors to perform the surgery, Thony did it herself like the boss lady that she is. 

Again, there’s a reason why family members aren’t allowed to operate on loved ones, but in this case, Thony was able to put her emotions aside until the surgery was done. 

Luca was dying, and she was his only chance at survival. How could she not pull herself together long enough to complete the surgery? There’s plenty of time to break down later. 

Thony is the strongest person ever, and Luca is beyond lucky to have her in his corner. Children never fully understand how much their parents do for them, but man, it’s a lot. They’d move mountains if they could.

For now, it seems that Luca is in the clear. It’s possible that his health could deteriorate over time or his body could refuse the liver, but for now, Thony bought him some time. We have the celebrate the wins as they come! 

Thony won’t be celebrating for long once she realizes she’s stranded in Mexico, but that’s a concern for a different day. 

It’s unfortunate that Arman couldn’t be there for her in this joyous moment, but it just speaks to Thony’s journey overall — she’s always had to rely on herself first and foremost. 

Despite everything that transpired throughout the episode, there were some key Arman and Thony moments that could make even the coldest heart melt. 

The first moment was Arman encouraging Luca to travel on his own spaceship when he was feeling uncertain about the trip. Not to mention that Thony trusted Arman enough to have him hold Luca as they boarded. If anything was going to upset Marco, it definitely would’ve been that moment!

And there is, of course, the kiss! The first kiss was hot and passionate, but in the heat of the moment when Thony was at her lowest. 

The second kiss was much different. It was sweet, soft, and romantic. It was between two people who were totally aware of what they were doing and wanted to do it in that moment. There was full control. The lust, oh, the lust. 

This was the kiss that mattered. And the way he looks at her… someone fan me. 

They both realize that there are genuine feelings there — they care about each other and fill a void. 

What does it mean for their future now that Arman has been ousted from his mafia life? Will he willingly cooperate with Garrett in exchange for protection?

What are your thoughts coming off of the episode? Share them with us in the comments below!