The Cleaning Lady Season 2 had its strong points.
Killing off Marco early allowed for storylines for the entire family, including letting Fiona see Thony’s criminal activities. Thony embraced her criminal side to protect her family, and Arman did the same to keep Nadia safe.
Most of the storylines featured action and drama, but we missed the romance between Arman and Thony. TV Fanatics Jasmine Peterson and Laura Nowak discuss the highs and lows of The Cleaning Lady Season 2.
Best Storyline
Jasmine: It’s hard to choose a storyline I enjoyed most this season. It was interesting to see what Arman would do after he killed Hayak. Arman being forced to work for Kamdar placed him in a unique position and stalled his attempts to forge his own path.
Seeing him, Nadia and Thony caught up in Robert’s web as that carried out the whole season was fascinating.
Laura: There were so many wonderful storylines this season. I enjoyed how Marco’s death gave the entire family much more material to work with, and it made Fiona realize what Thony did as a cleaning lady. Sean Lew shined playing Chris’s torment after he accidentally killed his uncle to protect his family.
Best Relationship
Jasmine: This may come out of left field, but I’m going to say Fiona and JD. I was curious about the state of their relationship when they introduced him, and I loved how they grew closer as the season progressed. I loved all of their scenes together.
Laura: Romantically, I agree with JD and Fiona. They were a pleasant surprise, and I can’t wait to learn even more about the early years of their relationship. For a family relationship, I was all-in on Fiona and Chris and how protective they’d become of each other. Martha Millan was fierce this season.
Best plot twist
Jasmine: I hate advocating for the death of a character, but I think Marco’s death was a good plot twist. It resolved the Marco issue and kept Luca in the States, opening the door for a story arc with Chris and the family that Fi and Thony have with their kids.
It was interesting to follow Chris’ struggles, and I appreciated how it was high stakes and also how Garrett helped him through it.
Laura: I loved the twist when Kamdar had Arman shoot Maya. It happened at midseason and changed all the stakes. Arman had strived to become a better man, but he was in an impossible position since if he didn’t prove his loyalty, Kamdar would’ve shot Thony. That night bonded Thony and Arman in a new way.
At the same time, that act drove a wedge between Thony and Garrett, and it was interesting to see the relationships shift after that.
The arc that lasted too long
Jasmine: Kamdar was a great villain, but the quest to get one over on him lasted a long time. Parts of this arc in the middle of the season felt like things were dragging too much to the point that it felt slow.
Laura: I agree with you, Jasmine, that it became tiresome waiting to see if Arman, Thony, and Garrett would catch Kamdar. He was a great villain, but we needed a resolution quicker.
Best New Character
Jasmine: I really love JD! I didn’t know what to expect when they introduced him. But we got a great man and father who has been such an asset and support system to the De La Rosa family. I love that JD is the voice of reason. His position about Thony and the dangers she has exposed their family to is valid.
He doesn’t come across as bad for saying what needs to be told and wanting to put the well-being of Jaz, Fi, and Chris above everything. I hope we get more of JD next season, and I hope the romance between him and Fiona blossoms.
Laura: I also loved JD. I was so excited when they introduced Jaz’s dad and a potential love interest for Fiona, but I wasn’t sure what to expect. He fit in well with the De La Rosa family and cared about Chris and Luca too, who hadn’t had a male figure in their lives in a while.
While some people may have wanted JD to butt out, he made valid points about Thony’s activities and wanting to keep Fiona and the kids safe. Hopefully, we’ll see more of his and Fiona’s relationship and his impact on the family.
Most Evolved Character Arc
Jasmine: It has been an excellent season for Nadia. She’s emerged as more than just Arman’s wife or this obstacle. I love Armony to pieces, but Nadia didn’t deserve to be stuck in this love triangle, and I loved that she expressed that often, stood up for herself, stayed true to herself, and knew her worth.
Nadia is such a loyal woman; she loves and cares about Arman. She was putting her neck on the line for him and them. I loved that we got to see just how savvy she was and what she had to offer, even if it seemed like Robert was the only one who appreciated it.
I even loved that she emphasized that she has everything Kamdar left behind now. They set it up nicely for Nadia to oppose Thony and Arman, and it’s earned. You even root for her in a way.
Laura: Nadia was the queen this season. She showed that she was a strong woman in her own right. Like you, Jasmine, I love Arman and Thony, but I cheered Nadia on when she threw Arman out and refused to be his second choice. She deserved better than that.
While I hated Kamdar, I understood that Nadia needed someone who doted on her for a while. Ultimately, she was loyal to Arman and played dangerous games with Kamdar. I appreciated that Nadia spoke her mind with Thony to protect Arman, and I am looking forward to them vying for mob queen if we get a Season 3.
Nadia worked hard to reclaim La Habana from Kamdar, and it’ll be fun to see her running it.
Best Badass Character
Jasmine: Thony wasn’t precisely likable this season, and she got on my nerves frequently. However, she is, without a doubt, badass as hell! We’ve seen her slip deeper into nefarious things and grow darker as the season progressed.
Her torment of the motel guy was deliciously terrifying and intimidating, and it made Arman proud, me too. Nothing fazes Thony anymore.
She’s already thinking like a queen pin all the time. She’s quick on her feet, borderline ruthless, and handles business.
Thony may not be shooting people every five seconds, but she’s very cunning and intelligent, and she knows how to stay ahead and learned how to be intimidating and bend things and people to her will.
Laura: I agree with you, Jasmine, on Thony for all the reasons you listed. I also think Arman was pretty badass, especially in the last two episodes. I lost track of how many men he shot down by that warehouse so Thony could steal Luca’s meds.
He had some badass moments earlier in the season, too, when he killed Hayak, and then he walked out of prison to meet Nadia in his leather jacket, looking hot. He also was badass when he finished what Thony started with the motel clerk. What a pair!
Worst decision of Season 2
Jasmine: Definitely the lack of Armony. Pulling back on that dynamic was puzzling because that was such a massive draw of the series, and the chemistry between Canto and Yung is just too good not to take advantage of it. For most of the season, things felt off between the two.
I’ve already mentioned that they played up Arman’s undying devotion to Thony, which is fine, but he lost some of his edge, and it kept coming across as him being a doormat to her. And Thony took him for granted or felt she was entitled to things from him, but there was very little reciprocity most of the season.
I missed the spark and magic of those two as a unit, whether it was the romantic aspect or their partnership.
Laura: I agree on the lack of Armony. They were the strongest part of The Cleaning Lady Season 1 and were more at odds than on the same side, except for a few episodes in Season 2. Arman seemed to come through always, but Thony acted differently in Season 2.
I also wish they hadn’t brought back Luca’s medical issues. We discussed this before, but it became tiresome watching him fight for his life and having Thony blame all her choices on saving her son.
Grade
Jasmine: I would give the season a B-. It wasn’t as strong as the first season, but it was still good. I loved having more time with Fiona and the kids, especially Chris. Nadia emerged as one of the strongest characters of the season. Things felt slow in the middle of the season, which bogged things down.
The Garrett death was surprising but probably necessary. They set things up for a promising third season, and I cannot wait for the series to return.
Laura: I’d give the season a B. As mentioned, it wasn’t as strong as the first, but I also appreciated that Fiona and her family received their own storylines. Chris emerged as a stronger character. Nadia became the most evolved character of the season, and I’m thrilled they made her a series regular.
After the climax in the middle of the season, when Arman shot Maya, things slowed since no one could catch Kamdar, which became tiresome. Sadly, Garrett died, but it was necessary plot-wise. Hopefully, the series becomes renewed since it’s set up for an exciting third season.
Over to you, Cleaning Lady Fanatics. What were your thoughts on The Cleaning Lady Season 2?
During the hiatus, you can relive all of Thony and Arman’s adventures and watch the Cleaning Lady online via TV Fanatic.
Laura Nowak is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.