Things went from bad to worse for Thony tonight, as she tried to distance herself from the cartel but was only drawn deeper into its web. With the FBI closing in on her, she took a bold step that will either free her from the violence or cost Thony her life.
After discovering Jeremy’s deception with the cameras, Thony found a hidden microphone in the smoke alarm as well. She cranked up the music to fill Fiona in privately on what was going on. They concocted a plan to test Jeremy by setting a trap at a specific location. When Jeremy appeared there as expected, they realized that he was working for the FBI. While Fiona wanted to remove the cameras, Thony opted to leverage their upper hand for strategic advantage.
"From the Ashes” – THE CLEANING LADY, Pictured: Brandon Jay McLaren as Jeremy. Photo: Lewis Jacobs/FOX ©2024 Fox Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Ramona, recuperating from surgery and impressed by Thony, attempted to entice her to take on more responsibility in the organization. Despite Thony's request to leave the business for her son's sake, Ramona sees Thony's ambition as an asset she isn't willing to release. Ramona tells Thony that they are very similar, explaining how she too began with intentions solely for her family's benefit but realized that power was the best weapon for keeping her family safe. She has observed Thony's instinctive grasp for power in every scenario, asserting that Thony craves control, despite trying to appear innocent. Ramona is right. Although Thony initially entered this dangerous world to protect her son, she has had plenty of opportunities to leave but chose to stay. Clearly, she also harbors a desire for power and control.
On another front, Jorge courted Nadia with a promising venture as the face of a new Las Vegas hotel and casino, intended as a front for money laundering. The allure of cashing in big and returning to power tempted Nadia into agreeing to partner with Jorge.
The episode intensified when FBI Agent Russo confronted Ramona at her gallery, which she knows serves as a laundering operation. As their respective homes and businesses were raided, Ramona and Jorge grappled with who was behind the betrayal. Things took a turn when Ramona received paperwork revealing that Nadia had cut a deal with the Feds. Thony tried to take matters into her own hands. She proposed to Ramona that she will speak with Nadia to verify if she has indeed cooperated with the Feds, and assured Ramona that she will handle the situation if necessary. She even suggested that she would stage Nadia’s death as a drug overdose. Ramona insisted that if Nadia had betrayed them, she must be dealt with immediately. She warned Thony that failure to act would be seen as her own betrayal.
"From the Ashes” – THE CLEANING LADY, Pictured: Santiago Cabrera as Jorge Sanchez and Kate Del Castillo as Ramona Sanchez. Photo: Lewis Jacobs/FOX ©2024 Fox Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
At this stage, it was unclear whether Thony was trying to intervene to protect Nadia, or if she was trying to prove herself to Ramona.
Thony updated Fiona on the situation, and Fiona pleaded with her not to intervene. However, as Thony left for Nadia's house to carry out her plan, Fiona inadvertently disclosed details of the situation involving Nadia and Thony to Jeremy, seemingly forgetting about the hidden microphone. Upon hearing this, Jeremy alerted Russo and made his way to Nadia’s house.
The situation spiraled when Thony, under Ramona's orders, appeared to inject Nadia with a lethal drug. Yes, Thony has definitely embraced the dark side, but it was stunning to think that she had now become a murderer.
However, in a dramatic twist, Nadia awakened in Thony’s cleaning warehouse. Through a flashback, it was revealed that Jeremy assisted in staging Nadia’s death as an accident after Thony exposed him as an FBI agent and agreed to work with him to bring down Sin Cara. While Thony told Nadia that she is now free, Nadia countered that Thony had essentially stripped her of her entire life. Thony's decision will have consequences for both herself and Nadia. Nadia will be unable to resume her previous life as it was, to the extent that she might have preferred to have died. Meanwhile, Thony's collaboration with the FBI could potentially free her from the cartel. However, should Ramona learn of this betrayal, she would not hesitate to kill Thony and her family. Given Ramona's proven capabilities, Thony has every reason to be concerned.
"Smoke and Mirrors” – THE CLEANING LADY, Pictured: Elodie Yung as Thony De La Rosa and Brandon Jay McLaren as Jeremy. Photo: Lewis Jacobs/FOX ©2024 Fox Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Elsewhere in the episode, Fiona enlisted JD’s help to find Camilla when he showed up at her house enquiring about what happened. They headed to Camilla's last known location, only to discover the place completely deserted. Fiona blamed herself, suspecting that her previous visit may have alarmed them, prompting them to move whatever business they had going on there. Thony put her mind at ease by informing her that the cartel had their businesses raided, and were forced to move for this reason. It had nothing to do with Fiona. Fiona is desperate to find Camilla but she lacks the cunning nature that Thony has to get the job done. Now that Thony is working with the Feds, Fiona snooping in the cartel’s business to find Camilla could land her in the crosshairs of Ramona’s wrath.
Things have started to come to a head as we near the two-hour season finale next week. Thankfully, the show has been renewed for a fourth season, allowing for the story to continue. With a new showrunner stepping in next season, it will be intriguing to see how they steer the narrative and it will be interesting to see what lies in store for the De La Rosa family. Your turn, Cleaning Lady fans! What did you think of tonight’s episode? Did Thony make the right choice by partnering with the FBI? What are your predictions for the finale? Share your thoughts below and engage with me on X at @middleofcanada.
