The Cleaning Lady

Totally get that. It felt like such a step backward, right? As a longtime fan of The Cleaning Lady, I wanted to believe Season 4 could weather the storm of behind-the-scenes losses and still deliver. But from the very first episode, it was clear: this wasn't the show I once rooted for.

The recasting of Luca-arguably the emotional heartbeat of Thony's world-was a jarring misstep. Gone was the child we'd seen struggle, grow, and anchor his mother's every decision. Instead, we were introduced to a noticeably younger version, played with a far more infantile tone. It felt like hitting the rewind button on one of the most hard-earned relationships in the show.

Add to that the irreplaceable absence of Adan Canto, whose chemistry with Élodie Yung was electric. His character's departure left a void that no amount of plot-twisting could cover. Without Arman and with a less compelling dynamic between mother and son, the narrative lost both tension and tenderness.

Season 4 tried to carry on, but the soul of the series had already slipped away. And that's what stings the most-it wasn't just that things changed. It's that the very heart of the story stopped beating.

EDIT Nov 30/22: Had to up my rating again to a 9/10. Wow this second season is night and day compared to how this show started, especially from episode six and on. Whatever changes you guys have done with the writing, you finally got it right - near perfect episode after episode. Keep up the great work everyone.

EDIT Feb 28/22: My original review was after watching 3 episodes. Now after seeing episode 8, I have to say, I'm hooked. The plot thickens, and there's actual suspense and thrills. I still find the FBI agent's character phony and annoying - he's too aloof to be an FBI agent. I'm also getting bored of Elodie Yung's tough-girl demeanor and monotonic dialogue, and her accent is still unconvincing. But Adan Canto shines, and the main reason I want to keep watching. His performance for his character is spot-on. Also bringing Thony's husband performed by Ivan Shaw into the picture has added more conflict to the story, for the better, as his performance is also spot-on. I'm glad to see the writers have upped their game, as episode 8 imo was the best thus far, and was left at a shocking cliff-hanger. My new rating now jumps up to an 8/10.

ORIGINAL REVIEW: Jan 24/22 Title: Meh, cliched, uninteresting and forgettable.

Elodie Yung steals the show, and Adan Canto tries his best with the flimsy writing, but the rest of the cast's characters are written in like a Telemundo daytime soap opera. The FBI agent's character is cringeworthy - bringing his baby to an operation lol? Then the whole divorce/child issues being so easily discussed with someone he's investigating or trying to get to co-operate is beyond laughable. Three episodes in and I'm already losing interest. It's a great concept, but the writers ruined it with the wishy-washy writing. Typical Fox flop fare. It's a generous 6/10 from me all going to Yung and Canto.

I truly feel for the original cast members who are still tied to this season. For those fortunate enough to have been part of seasons 1-3, you should count your blessings for stepping away while the show maintained its integrity. Unfortunately, the show's quality has taken a stark nosedive.

What initially drew audiences in was its heartfelt focus on family, loyalty, and love-universal themes that resonated deeply. Now, it has strayed far from its roots, morphing into an exaggerated and shallow mix centered on drugs and cartel drama. This shift not only undermines its original charm but also feels like a disservice to the Southeast Asian community, as it presents a portrayal that is neither flattering nor representative. It's disheartening to see a show that started with so much potential reduced to such a caricature.

Its been 2 and 1/2 seasons. It started off above average and is not sinking to the telenovela meets the worst soap opera possible of impossible scenarios. While the actors and production overall are certainly top notch, the continued same story line regurgitated with no end in sight is making it unbearable to the point where if it was not for the rest of the family wanting to see where it goes, I would have stopped in the middle of the previous season. I don't see why a more realistic script is not provided however it simply could come down to pandering to the very low expectations of the mass audience or the writers simply are not that good.

OK, there are few programs much less TV about cleaners, much less cleaners who are cleaners. This one works. Good acting and an interesting plot. Can they keep it up? Who knows? But a good start.