"The Cleaning Lady" had potential with its unique premise of an undocumented Cambodian doctor forced to work for a criminal syndicate to save her son, but ultimately fails to deliver due to its repetitive storytelling, unbelievable plot developments, and inconsistent (read bad) acting.
The show quickly falls into a pattern of Thony (Élodie Yung) cleaning up crime scenes for mob lieutenant Arman (Adan Canto) while also cooperating with the FBI, leading to contrived cliffhangers and twists each episode.
The writers stretch plausibility with the sheer number of messes Thony must clean and the ease with which she navigates the criminal underworld as a civilian. Canto also has moments as the conflicted Arman, but their chemistry is undercut by the show's insistence on forcing an unlikely romance. The supporting cast is more of a mixed bag, with some one-note characterizations and wooden line deliveries.
"The Cleaning Lady" does shine a light on important issues of immigration and healthcare, but only superficially. More nuanced writing could have thoughtfully explored these topics alongside a propulsive crime thriller. As is, the show is just barely watchable but unremarkable, failing to clean up the mess of its own making.
In the end, I give "The Cleaning Lady" a 5 out of 10.
The show quickly falls into a pattern of Thony (Élodie Yung) cleaning up crime scenes for mob lieutenant Arman (Adan Canto) while also cooperating with the FBI, leading to contrived cliffhangers and twists each episode.
The writers stretch plausibility with the sheer number of messes Thony must clean and the ease with which she navigates the criminal underworld as a civilian. Canto also has moments as the conflicted Arman, but their chemistry is undercut by the show's insistence on forcing an unlikely romance. The supporting cast is more of a mixed bag, with some one-note characterizations and wooden line deliveries.
"The Cleaning Lady" does shine a light on important issues of immigration and healthcare, but only superficially. More nuanced writing could have thoughtfully explored these topics alongside a propulsive crime thriller. As is, the show is just barely watchable but unremarkable, failing to clean up the mess of its own making.
In the end, I give "The Cleaning Lady" a 5 out of 10.