The Cleaning Lady Season 1 Episode 5 Review: The Icebox
Laura Nowak
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The truth is often ice cold.
In The Cleaning Lady Season 1 Episode 5, Garrett played dirty and pushed Thony to decide where her loyalties lie, and Arman learned his worth to the Barsamian legacy.
Sometimes, when you hit rock bottom, you have no other option but to go back up.
"The Icebox" portrayed the horrifying and realistic aspects of immigration and deportation. These women have worked together for a long time and have become like a family. When they saw ICE, they were terrified.
It’s a raid! Run!
Fiona
There was chaos in the parking lot as the officers detained all the women. When they were brought to the detention center, no one cared enough to learn their names.
Everyone was just a number. The guards didn't care about their rights, like calling home to their families.
One of the guards was so rough that he broke Gabby's finger, yet no one cared about helping her. The guards acted like the immigrants weren't even human.
Thony needed to use her medical training again to repair Gabby's finger and help a pregnant woman in labor.
When a guard came for Thony, Fiona looked frightened to be left alone.
Thony became furious when Garrett was in the meeting room.
Thony: You did this?
Garrett: No, Thony, you did ( throws her necklace on the table.)
Garrett knew how to manipulate someone, going as far as to say that Arman ordered the hit on Councilman Knight. He tried to negotiate with Thony's life, saying he'd free her if she would turn on Arman.
Poor Thony was in a bind. She wanted to protect Fiona and Gabby, but she didn't want to turn on Arman. Even when she agreed, Thony must have had another plan.
With Thony gone, Fiona and Gabby had to fend for themselves. They're terrified about how the kids are doing. Finally, one guard showed compassion and allowed them to call their families.
The Cleaning Lady has shown Fiona's reactions to deportation the most. She's tried so far to provide a better life for Chis and Jaz but felt she failed since they needed to get a DACA lawyer for Chris too.
Thony and Gabby questioned the guards' treatment too, but it bothered Fiona the most to be thought of as just a number. She wanted to be recognized as a person.
After years of working for Hayak, Arman learned the cold hard truth that he wasn't more than hired help to Hayak.
Even after he helped close a massive deal with Hayak, Hayak chose Isabel and Ben as the partners of the hotel and casino.
Nadia felt like Hayak never appreciated Arman, and she was worried that she wouldn't even have a job once this merger was done. Did Nadia ever love Arman, or was she married to him to climb the social ladder?
Arman: Hayak, we talked about running this hotel together.
Hayak: No, you talked about it. I’ve made my decision. The hotel and casino are going to Isabel and Ben
Hayak made it sound like these ideas were in Arman's imagination. Hayak treated Arman like his righthand man when he wanted something but had no problem betraying him. Is it business, or is it because Arman dated his daughter?
Hayak refused to listen to any warnings Arman gave about Isabel. He thought he knew his daughter better than Arman.
Hayak made Arman feel like he should be grateful he worked for him. He even said he'd be worthless like his father if he didn't. Hopefully, Arman will quit soon and start his business. Maybe, he'll even make peace with his father.
Hayak implied that he built Arnan into what he wanted with cars and women and threatened to take it away.
Hayak made a dangerous enemy in Arman, which will come back to bite him.
Arman and Thony continue to be the best part of the show. Their chemistry sizzles, whether they're arguing or working together. Thony cared about Arman, so it pained her even to consider wearing a tracker inside her necklace and recording him.
Thony overheard that Hayak left the business to Isabel, and she found Arman drinking. He seemed happy to see her and poured her a drink too.
Those two talked about everything, from Arman and his business problems to how Luca was recovering from his bone marrow transplant.
As much as Arman enjoyed just chatting with her, he was suspicious since she didn't usually drop in to chat.
It was an emotional reveal when Thony took off her necklace and revealed her tracker. She confessed the FBI was on to him and wanted to use her to gather Intel.
She swore she hadn't told them anything, but she was in a bind since they wouldn't release Fiona unless she gave them something.
Arman was rightfully angry, but he later calmed down and agreed to work with her. It probably helped that he wanted to get revenge on Hayak. We saw the many personalties of Arman within minutes.
I’m going to work with you, but I get to decide what you give the FBI. Do you understand me?
Arman
Hopefully, these two can outsmart the FBI and stay a few steps ahead of them. Garrett gets on everyone's nerves with his manipulations.
Garrett screwed up again. Agent Russo doesn't have much patience for him, and he's been warned again.
They only found either Fiona or Gabby. That was nerve-wracking watching Garrett and Thony chase the ICE bus.
Thank goodness Fiona was all right, but this experience changed her, and she looked suspicious of Garrett.
What's going to change, and who will Fiona trust moving forward?
Over to you, Cleaning Lady Fanatics. Do you think that was the last we'll see of Gabby? How will Thony explain to Fiona how she got her released?
Will Thony and Arman be able to make this partnership work? Chime in below with your thoughts.
Remember, if you missed an episode, you can watch The Cleaning Lady online right here via TV Fanatic.
The Cleaning Lady airs at 9/8c on Mondays on FOX.
Laura Nowak is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on X.
