The Cleaning Lady: Season 1/ Episode 3 “Legacy” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)

As Garrett gets aggressive with securing Thony as a CI, Armon gives her more and more reasons to commit to being a snitch.

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Aired	1/24/2022
Network	FOX
Directed By	Marisol Adler
Written By	Denise Hahn
Introduced This Episode
Tarik	Deniz Akdeniz
Sammy	Dean Allen Williams
Isabel	Shiva Negar
Colleen	Erinn Bartlett
ASAC Russo	Liza Weil

Recap

The Truth, Whole Truth – Fiona, Chris

So, in hopes that Chris could get DACA status, Fiona takes him to see a lawyer, and upon seeing the bill, that complicated things. However, the biggest issue here is Fiona’s series of lies that have grown to the point Chris has absolutely no trust in her. For on top of lying about who his father is, she reveals that the man isn’t dead and Chris was the product of a one-night stand. This compound of facts allows Chris to know the truth behind his origins but sadly doesn’t make things better.

In Need Of A Serious Win Here – Sammy, Colleen, Garrett, ASAC Russo, Thony, Luca, Arman, Eric

Unfortunately for both Thony and Luca, the liver damage from the adenovirus has made it so he needs a liver transplant, and thus he can’t be part of the stem cell therapy clinic. This news comes after Thony, gleeful about maybe catching a break, speaking to Arman about taking on more hours to pay him off. But, within those extra hours, she finds herself reminded of who she works for as one of Eric’s peers on the city council tries to extort him and gets beaten and nearly drowned for doing so.

Luckily, Thony brings him back to life with CPR, but now it seems their relationship has shifted. Heck, with Garrett pursuing Thony hard, since his boss, ASAC Russo, thinks he should be taken off the case, Arman might have delivered a reason for Thony to give him up. But, ultimately, she doesn’t. Why? That isn’t clear. However, to aid him in his quest for a gift for his son, she provides him with walkie talkies.

Now, why walkie talkies? Well, one of the reasons Garrett’s career and personal life is where it is comes from him sleeping with an informant. That is why he needs a win, for he already lost his wife, Colleen, and barely has his career after a year sitting at a desk. But, with a gift in hand, Garrett is able to charm his way into his 5-year-old son’s birthday party and sell that walkie-talkies are popular with 5-year-olds, and not just Luca. Thus allowing him to at least work on maintaining his relationship with Sammy and allowing his son to get his annual taste of Cookie Monster showing up when it is time to cut the cake.

The Help or Next In Line? – Tarik, Isabel, Hayak, Thony, Arman, Nadia

So, what was Thony’s original bit of evidence to potentially take down or hurt Arman? A list of names who donated at least $25,000 for the wedding of Hayak’s daughter Isabel. Someone whose wedding, as lavish as it was, seemingly was a slight ruse.

How? Well, for one, the only reason Isabel was marrying the man she is was because Arman wasn’t born Armenian and is considered “The Help.” Something Tarik also sees him, which is why he gets mad when Arman is asked to do so much for Isabel’s wedding while Tarik is tasked with going to Armenia to fight in a war. This idea frustrates him and makes Thony being in the money room seemingly a win, for if he can learn she is stealing from the family, it means potentially taking Arman down a notch. Alas, Thony gets a picture of the list of all the people Arman coerced into giving money by the time Tarik shows up, so he has nothing on her.

However, Thony technically has something on Arman. She knows, since she sees Arman and Isabel kiss, that something was and might still be there. Which is unfortunate for Nadia, who works so hard to support her husband, yet she thinks she gets what she wants because he ultimately loves her. But, the truth is, she perhaps is with Arman just so Hayak had no need to suspect that Arman and Isabel rekindled their romance.

Things To Note | Question(s) Left Unanswered

Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. What’s the chance of Arman having an affair with Isabel, or is she going to be written off?
2. Considering all the money Thony is getting from Arman, how is she still hiding this from Fiona?
3. Who is Jazz’s father, and where is he?
4. How did Fiona survive financially before Thony came around? Never mind, how does he have what looks like a gaming chair in his room, yet the nicest shoes he has are flip flops?

What Could Happen Next

1. Fiona eventually catching Thony in a lie about what work she is doing when not working for Alonzo
2. Can you imagine Luca dying on the show?!
3. Arman eventually catching onto Thony working with the FBI, or Nadia learning that through becoming jealous of Arman and Thony’s relationship

Review

Highlights

Understanding Arman and Nadia’s Relationship A Little Better

With it being clear Nadia is not Hayak’s daughter, so comes the question of how Arman and Nadia met then? Is she the daughter of someone else who worked at Hayak’s estate? That aside, what perhaps is most important about this episode is learning that Nadia and Arman’s relationship is likely more so about being business partners than lovers. Likely, her having a clean record makes her doing the books and things like that better for Arman and Hayak, in case anything goes down. Hence the utter lack of affection in their relationship, but a decent partnership.

But, as for whether Nadia sees them as something more than Arman lets on? That cannot be said just yet.

Wondering How Thony Is Going To Survive Considering She Will Go Off On Anybody

Here is the thing, we love that Thony doesn’t back down and will stand up to anyone and everyone, from an FBI agent to Arman. However, my question is, when and how will this bite her in the behind? Garrett talks about making a call to deport her, and she walks off in a way that disregards his threat. Arman is told off about who he is and how his parents feel about it, and yet nothing happens to Thony.

Now, I get she is our lead, so there is a certain level of protection to expect. However, she is also dealing with men whose egos I cannot imagine is going to let someone in a vulnerable position like her consistently talk to them this way. Yes, she can be an asset, but her mouth is becoming a liability that I can’t imagine either of the men putting up for an entire season, never mind series.

On The Fence

Garrett’s Relationship With His Ex-Wife and Son

It just feels cheap. Garrett is an ass whose white privilege allowed him to keep his job, and now he threatens an immigrant in the US to save her son’s life to keep his job. His Cookie Monster voice, having a cute kid Luca’s age, and showing his underbelly doesn’t redeem him or make him complex. He is still a white man handed a case he doesn’t deserve who only seems to get to keep working it because of his race and maybe a handful of past wins that now seem suspect.

Fiona and Thony’s Life Feeling Increasingly Separated

Fiona and Thony don’t really share many scenes anymore as Thony focuses on Luca and Arman’s life, and Fiona is all about Chris’ lineage. In a way, you get it, since Fiona’s family is unraveling a bit. However, as much as we appreciate Fiona’s story, I wouldn’t say it is strong enough to live on its own and act as a pseudo-independent entity. You know, the kind of storyline a network wouldn’t pick up, so it is attached to something they would?

Now, don’t get me wrong, I appreciate her talking about her experience with Chris’ father, Chris’ journey with dealing with being undocumented after living his life thinking he was a citizen, and more. However, unless they find a way to make this on par with what Thony is dealing with, they need to figure out a creative way to make this part of Thony’s problem.

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