Thony, Arman, and Nadia are an unbeatable team.
During The Cleaning Lady Season 2 Episode 3, Thony, Arman, and Nadia teamed up to repay Arman’s debt fast when Arman and Nadia hit rock bottom.
TV Fanatics Jasmine Peterson, Whitney Evans, and Laura Nowak discuss how debt affected Arman and Nadia’s marriage, the fun team-up between the trio, and which character struggled most with their inner demons.
El Diablo Que Conoces means The Devil You Know. Which character struggled the most with their demons?
Jasmine: Hmm. That is a tough one to answer. I think, in a way, Arman is struggling with the reality of what making a name for himself outside of Hayak’s shadow entails.
He took for granted that the same contacts and relationships he fostered over the years would serve him well, but everyone dropped him quickly because of the Feds getting involved. And that is a huge challenge that he never anticipated.
Whitney: I would agree with Arman. We’re not used to seeing him so powerless, and I think it threw him for a loop. He’s been on top of the world for a while now, and having to start over essentially was difficult for him.
Laura: I’m in a tie between Arman and Fiona. Arman is definitely out of his element, feeling powerless and starting from the bottom again.
However, Fiona dealt with a predator blackmailing her, and she didn’t know what she was dealing with when she turned the tables on him. Now, she’s in an even bigger mess.
What did you think of Fiona and Thony quitting their jobs?
Jasmine: I was happy because their boss was a dick, but it’s better to have something lined up before you make that kind of move. Do they have the capital to start their own business now? It’s precarious.
Whitney: Their boss was horrible, and I was glad they protected their peace at that moment, but as Jasmine said, it wasn’t like they had a ready-made revenue stream lined up. It was an emotional move, but I can’t hate it because they were working for a genuinely terrible dude.
Laura: I loved it because their boss was a jerk, and it was fun to watch Fiona tell him off. I’m pretty sure they used Thony’s money from that thumb drive for start-up costs for her new business.
Did you enjoy the team-up of Thony, Arman, and Nadia?
Jasmine: I did! Nadia is someone who rarely gets the credit she deserves because everyone is so preoccupied with Thony and Arman as the power couple, but she’s incredibly savvy and scrappy.
I liked them working together because I think they all have skill sets that serve them well and could be helpful. They can be a force if they can get past all the tension! I’d love to see that.
Whitney: I have mixed emotions stemming from my shipper’s heart. I enjoy Nadia, but I AM preoccupied with the Thony Arman power couple and want to see more of it. I live for drama, but I hate love triangles.
Seeing them work together was fine, and while I understand why Nadia isn’t Thony’s biggest fan, I wasn’t here for some of the digs. Again, this is my shipper heart talking, and I can acknowledge I’m being ridiculous, but I have to stay true to myself!
Laura: I felt it was the team-up we’ve been waiting for. Nadia and Thony have different skill sets, and it was fun watching Arman play peacemaker among his women to get them to achieve the same goal. If they need more money, this could be an entertaining team.
We’re all Armony girls, but let’s discuss Arman and Nadia’s marriage. Where do you see that heading?
Jasmine: I’m Armony to the grave, but I find Arman and Nadia fascinating. There is a love there that isn’t to be ignored. They both have such rough backgrounds, and I always feel like they were partners and best friends before Thony arrived ahead of anything else. Maybe even trauma bonded.
I enjoyed their scenes together, that moment with the ring, and even their argument. I feel they’ve been through hell and back together; something is fascinating and familiar about them. I think they can withstand that even if their marriage and romantic love fade away.
Whitney: I think they love each other and have this long, complicated history that will keep them bonded. But I don’t think they’re in love with each other, nor do I think they are happy with each other. In many ways, they deserve better than the other because they deserve someone who is all in on them.
I do think they make good partners, but I think the romance has long since been gone.
Laura: I also want Armony to be endgame, but like Jasmine find Nadia and Arman fascinating. They both worked so hard to become a powerful couple, so I appreciate their loyalty to each other.
The ring scene got to me, and they need to start again from nothing. I believe they love each other but aren’t in love. However, I still think they’ll stand by each other. They’ve known each other for so long.
How will Fiona get out of this current mess?
Jasmine: Baby girl is a cleaning lady. She better clean up that crime scene and hide that body, assuming he’s dead. I have no idea how she even got into this one, let alone how she’ll get out of it. I was yelling at her the whole time! For all her distaste for Arman, she may need Thony to call in a favor on her behalf.
Whitney: Yes, Jasmine! I thought this was light work for Fiona and Thony! Oh, I like the idea of Thony having to call in a favor to Arman because I need some of these characters to start having intersecting storylines.
Laura: Yes, it’s time for Fiona to learn the meaning of being a cleaning lady from Thony. Hopefully, they’ll call Arman to help clean up the mess, and She’ll realize how useful he is.
What was your favorite part of Episode three, or do you have anything to add?
Jasmine: I loved the cleaning ladies having fun and listening to P!nk at the top of the hour. I also enjoyed Arman, Thony, and Nadia working with each other.
OK, I have to bring this up again, but they need to do something about Garrett. It’s ridiculous. I know he’s supposed to be an antagonist. Still, he’s so obnoxious and annoying, and I would appreciate him more if he was more by the book and genuinely was driven to do his job because of a moral code or something.
Instead, he’s a hot mess, a criminal in his own right hiding behind a badge, and I don’t even understand his motivations. At this point, I’m not entirely sure HE isn’t in love with Arman. Instead, I’d rather they somehow flip him to their side after he gets fired and introduce a legitimate authoritative threat with moral standing. There, I said it.
Whitney: This wasn’t my favorite episode, so I’m not sure I had a favorite scene. I am still really liking Robert as a villain, though.
I am enjoying this season, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not moving me as much as The Cleaning Lady Season 1.
I can’t put my finger on what’s missing. It still has everything I like, but I think the series was a bit more streamlined last season, and now it feels like we’re being pulled in different directions. I’m ready for all the stories to connect. Perhaps that will help.
Laura: I loved the cleaning ladies singing and supporting each other at the beginning of the other. I also enjoyed Thony and Fiona selling the meds and checking vitals. Hopefully, that foreshadowed what’s to come with the clinic.
This was my favorite episode so far, and I love how Fiona and her kids are more involved this season. However, I’m also hoping for more characters and stories to interconnect soon.
The Cleaning Lady airs on Mondays on Fox, and you can watch The Cleaning Lady online here on TV Fanatic.
Laura Nowak is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.