The Cleaning Lady Review: The Icebox (Season 1 Episode 5)

The stakes have never been higher on The Cleaning Lady Season 1 Episode 5, “The Icebox.” This episode is heavy and upsetting, which is the point. 

Arman and Thony have life-changing surprises, and both of them take these changes as an opportunity to grow and show themselves. 

“The Icebox” explicitly clarifies that Arman and Thony are here to stay, whereas Garrett is slowly but surely losing traction with his boss. 

Abolish ICE

When Garrett calls in a raid to round up Thony, some of Thony and Fiona’s coworkers are taken as well. “The Icebox” highlights how damaging the circumstances at deportation centers are, and although fictionalized, it’s not entirely inaccurate. 

Guards don’t answer questions, they don’t offer phone calls, and they certainly don’t help pregnant women when they need it. So, Thony does. 

In doing so, Thony receives a Red String bracelet — that she wears throughout the whole episode — from another woman at the compound. 

Garrett, forever evil and possibly unhinged, shows up and intimidates Thony until she agrees to spy on Arman again. However, this time, it goes differently. 

By the end of “The Icebox,” we have learned more about Fiona and grown to love Gabby, another person from Thony’s work. But unfortunately, Gabby is then deported. 

There’s no race and rescue or car tricks to save her. There’s no follow-up on how she’s doing or her kids (yet). The reality is, innocent people are deported every single day for simply existing, and their stories often go unfinished in the USA. 

While it seems that this may be happening too quickly, with Garrett constantly upping the stakes, it’s a harsh reminder that there’s no double jeopardy or limit on ICE. 

They’ll keep coming if someone tells them to. 

Let’s Be Frenemies 

Thony makes a brave and bold decision on “The Icebox” when she decides to tell Arman that the FBI is onto him and is trying to get information through her. 

Honestly? Finally. Despite his first reaction of rage, Arman comes to terms with Thony being cornered so long as he can get in the corner on the other side. 

The fact that Arman doesn’t just let Thony and Fiona be deported, that he genuinely asks about Luca instead of feeling obligated, shows that he’s a good man who’s done bad things. 

Even though Arman has had this huge setback in Hayak gifting the hotel to his daughter, Arman still asks about Luca and makes sure he is okay. Be still, my beating heart. 

He doesn’t want to hurt Thony, and she doesn’t want to hurt him. Whew! I love a good slow burn. 

Liza Weil Save Us From Garrett Miller

Rightfully so, Garrett’s boss, ASAC Katherine Russo, is angry that he’s decided to do this off the book, resulting in Gabby being deported. 

The scene between Garrett and that little boy in a detention center is not called for. He stares at this child in a way that suggests he regrets it, but there are some things you can never go back on — calling ICE is one of them. 

If the show tries to make Garrett less flawed and more vulnerable, it fails. Especially when he looks at Thony and says, “I’m not the bad guy here.” 

To which I laugh out loud. Dude, you are the evilest person on television right now. You are Disney-villain levels of the bad guy. 

Overall, The Cleaning Lady got it right this time!

Using Elodie Yung’s incredible acting to its advantage, the show once again centres the episode around the De La Rosa family and sort of adds Arman to that family. 

Stray Thoughts

• Sean Lew (Chris) and Faith Bryant (Jaz) stepped up this week and delivered their best performances to date. 
• I have seen many things on FOX shows before, but I cannot say I’ve seen several dildos attached to a party bus window. The Cleaning Lady is always pushing the boundaries.  
• Thony delivers the very best line of the show so far, directed at Garrett: “Who’s gonna stop you from hurting me and my family?” 

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What did you think of this episode of The Cleaning Lady? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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The Cleaning Lady airs Monday at 9/8c on FOX.

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