The Cleaning Lady - Velorio - Review: The Consequences of Betrayal (2024)

The Cleaning lady is on a roll, delivering two emotionally charged episodes in a row. After leaving viewers reeling from last week’s tragic loss of Arman, tonight’s hour led viewers through Arman’s memorial service in an aptly titled episode, “Velorio,” which is Spanish for wake. The creators skillfully honored Arman’s memory yet again, with a touching sequence of flashbacks, capturing the tender moments he shared with Thony in seasons 1 and 2. The writer’s ability to blend a tribute to Arman with ongoing action and plot progression is truly commendable, striking a delicate balance between sentiment and driving the narrative forward.

Thony continued to struggle with the aftermath of Arman’s death in this episode, which opened with her tearfully seated in her dimly lit kitchen, fixating on a police report that revealed the poison used on Arman was found in Dante’s vehicle. Overwhelmed with grief and a sense of responsibility for Arman’s death, Thony remained determined to attend the memorial organized by Nadia, despite Ramona’s negative feelings towards her. True to her character, Thony’s headstrong and moral resilience shone through, mirroring the very traits that Arman cherished in her. The episode also explored the impact that Thony had on Nadia and Arman’s marriage, during a heartfelt exchange between the two women. Despite Thony’s apology, Nadia was unreceptive, cautioning Thony against staying at the memorial due to the ongoing tension with Ramona who suspects that Thony was involved in tipping off the Feds about the exchange for Arman.

"Velorio” – THE CLEANING LADY, Pictured: Eva De Dominici as Nadia Morales and Kate del Castillo as Ramona Sanchez. Photo: Jeff Neumann/FOX ©2024 Fox Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Ramona was determined to uncover who alerted the Feds to the exchange, believing that had they not interfered, Thony’s vehicle would not have ended up next to the one carrying Arman, potentially saving his life. Distrustful of everyone, Ramona immediately suspected Nadia, who quickly implicated Thony. Jorge intervened, trying to convince Ramona of Thony’s innocence by reminding her that Thony’s actions were driven by her love for Arman and her desire to have him back, arguing that she would never have wanted police to interfere.

Jorge advised Thony to leave Las Vegas, claiming that she is not safe with Ramona around. Thony, ever defiant, decided to stay. She confronted Ramona to share her suspicions about Dante being the informant. The situation escalated when Fiona called to say that she was coming to support Thony. During the call, Dante led Thony to an underground parking lot, unaware that Fiona was following them. As tensions peaked, it appeared that Ramona was about to shoot Thony but instead, Dante was the one at the other end of the bullet. Fiona, witnessing the scene, was beyond distraught. Ramona forced Thony to clean up the scene and despite Thony’s protests, Fiona refused to leave her side, adamant about helping Thony like Thony has always done for her. Fiona is a loyal sister-in-law, but she is ignorant to the lengths that Thony might go in a world that she knows very little about- a path that could endanger them all.

"Velorio” – THE CLEANING LADY, Pictured: Elodie Yung as Thony De La Rosa and Clayton Cardenas as Dante. Photo: Jeff Neumann/FOX ©2024 Fox Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

During the wake, Arman’s parents confronted Ramona, accusing her of being responsible for their son’s death and drawing Jorge into a criminal lifestyle. Arman’s father recounted their efforts to shield him from Ramona, whom he claimed seduced Jorge with promises of wealth and even threatened them to keep them at bay. A revealing moment occurred when Thony overheard Arman’s parents refer to Ramona as “Marina-” the name Arman etched on the table in the room where he was being held captive, the only name he knew his aunt by, linking her directly to his kidnapping. Resolute, Thony pledged to seek Justice for Arman.

The revelations from Arman’s parents deeply disturbed Jorge, driving him to a drastic response. He stormed the cartel trailer, executing everyone inside and setting it ablaze. With the family’s bonds fraying, and Jorge fueled by rage against Ramona, Thony may just have a potential ally in her quest to get back at Ramona. As tensions escalate, Jorge’s anger could be the key to dismantling Ramona’s empire and exposing her for who she really is.

"Velorio” – THE CLEANING LADY, Pictured: Santiago Cabrera as Jorge Sanchez and Kate del Castillo as Ramona Sanchez. Photo: Jeff Neumann/FOX ©2024 Fox Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Meanwhile, Jeremy showed up at the De La Rosa house with a pot of gumbo, expressing concern for their safety without prying into the details of what occurred on the dirt road last week. He offered to install security cameras around their home, conveniently having them ready in his vehicle. To Thony and Fiona, Jeremy comes across as a nice guy eager to lend a hand. However, there seems to be more to him than meets the eye, suggesting he might have ulterior motives. While his intentions remain unclear, it will certainly be intriguing to see how his character’s role evolves.

Following the tragic loss of Adan Canto, viewers may have questioned the future viability of the series without its leading character. However, the writing team is demonstrating week after week that the narrative remains a powerful one, even in Arman’s absence. The action consistently escalates with every episode, keeping audiences riveted episode after episode. Clearly, the show has established that it possesses the drive and depth to captivate viewers for many more seasons. Your turn, Cleaning Lady fans, how did you feel about the episode? Do you think Thony can take down Ramona, even with Jorge’s help? What do you think Jeremy’s endgame is? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Comment below or engage with me on X at @middleofcanada.