The Cleaning Lady season 4 episode 1 recap: a deadly return

After nearly a full year away, The Cleaning Lady season 4 returns to pick up with Thony (Elodie Yung) as she, Luca (Khalen Roman Sanchez), Chris (Sean Lew) and Fiona (Martha Milan) are all being interviewed by US immigration for visas.

Chris says he’s moving to Los Angeles to be closer to his girlfriend, Camilla. Thony wants to be a doctor again. Fiona says she’s just very grateful to America. Thony is asked if she’s ever been involved in any criminal activities. She thinks, as the story flashes back to two days earlier.

Here’s what happens in The Cleaning Lady season 4 episode 1, “My Way.”

The De La Rosa’s interview for visas

After helping to arrest Ramona the month before, Katherine Russo (Liza Weil) tells Thony and Fiona she will sponsor the entire De La Rosa family for their visas. She promises they will make the family’s American dream happen.

While being interviewed by immigration, Thony is told she’s lucky to have Russo as a friend. Without her, she wouldn’t be sitting there.

After the interviews, Russo comes to meet Thony. But she’s followed by two cars. An assassin wearing a cowboy hat (Brian Norris) throws a petrol bomb inside Russo’s car. It explodes and kills Russo.

Thony packs a bag for her and Luca, wanting to leave the country. She blames Ramona for Russo’s murder and worries she’s next. Fiona reminds her if Thony leaves the country she won’t be allowed back in. Still Thony and Luca say an emotional goodbye to Fiona, Jaz (Faith Bryant), Chris and JD (Ryan Sands).

At the airport, Thony tries to buy two tickets to Cambodia. But Luca wants to stay in America. He asks if Thony is being bullied. If so, she needs to fight back, otherwise they won’t stop bullying her. This convinces Thony to change her mind, as she’s tired of running from Ramona.

Thony stands up to Ramona

Thony visits Ramona (Kate Del Castillo) in prison, who has already established her dominance in prison by killing a fellow inmate. Thony guesses there’s a reason Ramona didn’t kill her. Whatever Ramona wants from her, Thony wants visas in exchange. Ramona denies she wants anything from her, however, when Thony walks away, Ramona calls her back.

Ramona knows Jorge (Santiago Cabrera) has a soft spot for Thony. Jorge hasn’t come to visit Ramona in prison, even though Ramona says she did everything for Jorge because he isn’t strong enough to lead and needs to toughen up. Claiming Jorge’s life is in danger, Ramona asks Thony to convince Jorge to come and see Ramona, then Thony will get the visas.

Chris needs money

While Fiona was mourning Thony’s departure, Chris took the opportunity to steal Fiona’s expensive jewelry. He takes them to a jeweler, who says he’ll buy them for a fair market price. The jeweler tells Chris to put his name and number down.

Later the police arrive at Fiona’s home to question Chris. The officer says the jewelry is worth $250,000 and it is connected to the MGM grand hit and robbery three years earlier. Fiona tells the officer Nadia (Eva De Dominici) gave the jewelry to her.

Chris explains to Fiona he just wanted to see how much the jewelry was worth, believing they could all benefit from the money. But now the police have confiscated the jewelry.

Fiona tells Chris he needs to find passion in his life; he clearly loves music and should focus on that. But Chris reminds Fiona he’s undocumented and doesn’t even have a car. Fiona says he can start getting money by working for the Cleaning Ladies.

Jorge struggles to make an impact

Jorge tells a number of criminal/business partners about his ambitious plan to eliminate their risks and increase their profits tenfold. He has been acquiring cheap land in the Nevada desert for decades. The land contains a deep deposit of rare Earth metals, which has an estimated worth of $13 billion. He wants to divert a portion of their profits into open-pit mining operations, which will give all of them generational wealth. He says they can ultimately own Vegas.

But after his speech, the cowboy assassin’s only concern is that Jorge is asking for more money. El Don (Danny Pardo) then asks Jorge what Ramona thinks of the plan? Jorge reminds them he’s the head of the Sin Cara cartel now. They want Jorge to speak to Ramona and get her thoughts before agreeing to his vision. Feng (Alain Uy) does seem interested, though.

Shootout

Thony goes to Jorge’s office to ask him how Ramona is still running things from behind bars? Jorge promises Thony he’ll get Ramona under control and protect Thony’s family.

As they talk, a sniper shoots through the window at Jorge and Thony. They duck for cover then escape. Jorge’s bodyguards search for the wannabe assassin. A shoot-out unfolds.

Jorge is able to shoot the assassin just before he can shoot him. Jorge then questions the assassin, asking who sent him? Before he can answer, another assassin shoots the original sniper. The second assassin then shoots Jorge, before being killed himself.

Jorge’s main artery was hit by the bullet, so Thony puts her thumb in the wound to keep him alive as they wait for the cartel doctor to arrive. Thony tells Jorge that Ramona doesn’t think he can run the cartel and she promised to get her family visas. Jorge warns Thony not to take the visas or any gifts from Ramona, otherwise they will all permanently be in her debt.

When the cartel doctor arrives, Thony realizes he doesn’t know what he’s doing. She takes control. Thony performs the surgery and saves Jorge.

Thony’s new job

Thony tells Jorge she wants to replace the cartel doctor. Even though she previously insisted she didn’t want to work with the cartel, Thony says they’ve taken so much from her, it’s time the cartel gave back.

Thony explains to Fiona that by becoming the cartel doctor, Jorge will use his connections to get her work in a hospital and get her a medical license. Fiona tells Thony the rest of the family can’t find out. Fiona now has to run the Cleaning Ladies by herself.

Later, while going to get snacks for Luca’s field-trip, Thony is cornered by several cars. The cowboy assassin gets out of the car and hands Thony a phone. It’s Ramona, who from prison congratulates Thony on her new position. When Ramona asks Thony if she convinced Jorge to come visit her, Thony says she doesn’t want anything from Ramona and hangs up. She drives away from the cars defiantly.

New episodes of The Cleaning Lady premiere Tuesdays on Fox, with episodes available on-demand on Hulu every Wednesday.