The Icebox – The show begins with Thony (Elodie Yung), Fiona (Martha Millan), and other cleaning ladies climbing aboard the Party Bus. Blow-up dolls and other sex toys are strewn all over the bus. The women celebrate Luca’s recovery when Thony notices a raid is getting ready to go down. As they exit the bus, they are met by armed officers who cuff their hands with zip ties.

The women are transported to an ICE holding facility, where they are searched by officers. They are ordered to remove their shoelaces and belts after their zip ties are removed. Thony tries to convince Officer Ruiz (Ramona DuBarry) to let them check on their children. Fiona is upset because Jaz (Faith Bryant) thinks she will take her to a basketball game. Gabby (Cosima Cabrera) is expected to pick her children up at a babysitter’s. The women call the cage an “ice box” because it is freezing. Gabby has a dislocated finger. Officer Olea (Tasos Hernandez) responds to Thony’s request to get Gabby some help when Ruiz orders him to get away from the cage.

Fiona and Thony work on calming Gabby down to prevent her from vomiting. Thony tells Fiona to stay with Gabby while she searches for something to split her fractured finger. Fiona tells her about dislocating her shoulder from a fall. She assures her that everything will be okay. Thony returns with what looks like a napkin and plastic fork. She tells her to bite down on the napkin. Gabby screams in pain when Thony pops her finger back in place. Everyone turns to stare. She splints the finger.

Jaz tells Chris (Sean Lew) something is wrong because Fiona and Thony didn’t return home. Angry, he yells at her to get out of his room. She tells Fiona promised to take her to the basketball game. He suggests she may be partying.

The women are provided with inedible food. They make a pact to get through it together. An Old Lady (Dolores Deluce) approaches to give Thony a red bracelet. Thony looks around to see other women handing out bracelets. The lady escorts her over to Esther (Karimah Campbell) who is having pregnancy complications. Esther claims ICE got her as she was going to her doctor’s appointment. Thony is concerned Esther’s unborn child may have an umbilical cord around its neck. She yells for assistance when Ruiz calls her number. Fiona breaks down when they take Thony. Ruiz

Thony meets with CIA agent Garrett (Oliver Hudson) who denies being responsible for the raid. He blames it on her, tossing her necklace on the table. He knows Arman sent Thony to get Councilman Eric Knight’s (Jay Mohr) laptop to keep it out of the CIA’s hands. He alerts her of Knight’s death, which she claims to know nothing about. He accuses Arman Morales (Adan Canto) of ordering a hit of Knight. She reminds him that he made her record Knight’s conversation. He promises to get her released if she tells him the truth about the hotel room. She says I was ordered to go in and get the laptop. He threatens her with obstruction of justice and deportation. She promises to tell him but only if Gabby and Fiona are released. He hands her a necklace integrated with a microphone. She says, “I can’t.” As he starts to leave, she promises to do it under one condition, Esther must be taken to the hospital. He promises to send Esther to the hospital. Fiona will not be released until she brings him something.

Esther is taken out of the facility on a stretcher. Garrett speaks with Owen Davis (Ted Taskey) about Fiona and Gabby. He reminds Garrett of his status, calling himself the judge, enforcer, and police of the facility. Garrett doesn’t want them to be reported. Thony tells him she needs to stop at Fiona’s to check on the children.

Arman and Nadia Morales (Eva De Dominici) are having a drink with Hayak Barsamian (Navid Negahban), Isabel Barsamian (Shiva Negar), and Ben Tashjian (Daniel Peera). Hayak toasts to their success in closing the acquisition deal on the casino and hotel. He thanks Arman for helping him build the Barsamian legacy. Arman is not happy when Ben says he and Isabel are thrilled to be their partner. Isabel asks if he told Arman and Nadia about the deal. Turning to Nadia and Arman, he says the casino and hotel are a gift to Ben and Isabel for their wedding.

Jaz tells Chris she secured the doors. He believes she is overreacting. She asks how they are supposed to attend school, care for Luca (Sebastien LaSalle), and pay bills. He promises to call the immigration attorney when Thony arrives home. She tells them about the raid. Jaz demands to know where Fiona is at. Thony promises to get Fiona out. She visits Luca who is claims to feel like a tyrannosaurus rex. She tells him the stem cell therapy is working before leaving for her so-called extra shift.

Thony is cleaning in the casino when she hears Arman and Nadia arguing. She tries to get a closer look at what is going on. They are discussing Hayak’s decision to hand the hotel and casino over to Isabel. Nadia believes Arman could have done more to convince Hayak to give it to him. Thony peeps through the window to see what they are up to. Arman and Nadia walk into the office as Isabel is going through their books. She asks who’s your bookkeeper. Nadia says they do their own bookkeeping. Isabel points out that there is less inventory than the sales. She says the IRS may have the impression you are trying to cook the books. Arman smirks, saying we sell Cuban cigars. She tells them the inventory will change because they are illegal. Arman says they can meet up later to discuss everything.

Irate, Nadia smashes a bottle of alcohol against the wall. Hearing the commotion, Thony walks in to clean up the mess. Nadia feels betrayed after working so hard to take care of the place. She immediately apologizes and offers to clean. Thony refuses the offer. Calling Isabel “Hyak’s little princess,” she is worried they will get rid of her. Thony removes the necklace from her pocket and puts it around her neck.

Arman is at the bar when Thony walks in to clean. He offers her a drink and a seat. She accepts his offer. She informs him about overhearing their conversation. He starts to complain about not having a future at the casino when he realizes Thony’s situation, with Luca. He asks about Luca’s condition. She smiles before telling him therapy is working. He asks about his mental state. She explains how Luca doesn’t understand his condition, just dinosaurs. He says Luca is special. She thanks him for all he has done for Luca. He asks, what are you really doing here. She places the CIA’s necklace in hot wax before informing him about the FBI. She tells him about her deal with the CIA to save Fiona from deportation. He demands to know how she could do this to him. He breaks the candle and orders her out of the casino. She frantically runs out to the car, where Garrett is waiting.

When he tries to comfort her, she shoves his hand away. She pleads with him to release Gabby and Fiona. He says they are the only hope of stopping Hayak and Arman from hurting other people. She angrily asks who is stopping him from harming her family.

Gabby and Fiona are lying on mats. Fiona takes them to a different place. Gabby wants to go to Italy. Fiona makes up a story about Italy. An officer at the facility orders the detainees to wait for their numbers to be called. The deportation buses have arrived.

Arman exits the casino to speak with Hayak who is working on a piece of machinery. He warns Hayak about Isabel going through their books. Hayak brushes off his concerns. Arman warns him about how difficult it will be to keep Isabel out of trouble if she continues with the bookkeeping. Hayak reminds him about his decision, which he refuses to change. Arman asks if Isabel knows about their money-laundering scheme. When Arman offers his savings to invest in another business for Isabel, Hayak are you talking about the money I gave you. He corrects him by saying the money I earned. Hayak says you would be working like your father if it weren’t for me. He reminds him everything he owns came from him. Arman admits to only wanting to warn him about Isabel, not offend him.

Thony joins Arman in his office. He asks about her conversations with the CIA. She immediately denies telling them anything because he helped Luca. He informs her about Hayak’s gun-running operation through his shipping company. He explains how he did terrible things to help build the Barsamian empire. Everything is going to change soon. She is shocked when he hands her Knight’s laptop, which has been partially scrubbed. He believes there is enough information on it to get Gabby and Fiona released. They will team up to take Hayak down.

Thony meets with Garrett to inform him about Knight’s laptop that she claims to find in the trash bin. She refuses to give it to him until Fiona and Gabby are released. When he denies being the bag guy, she asks are you sure. He agrees to let her see them, but they will not be released until the information on the laptop is verified.

Gabby and Fiona talk about deportation. They are both worried about their children’s welfare if deported. Officer Olea takes Fiona away, telling Gabby she is next.

Chris gives Luca his medicine. Chris receives a call from Fiona at the immigration center. She recommends Chris call his dad and the immigration attorney. Jaz tells her that Thony is doing what she can to get her released. Fiona asks to speak with Thony. Ruiz disconnects the phone call when she finds Fiona talking to her children.

Garrett and Thony arrive at the immigration center. He orders Thony to remain outside until he returns. Garrett approaches an officer to ask about Owen who went home early. When the officer can’t tell them Gabby and Fiona’s location, Garrett walks out to call Owen who doesn’t answer. He returns to Thony to give her the news. A CIA agent (Rodney Williams) tells them they have been moved for deportation. Thony orders Garrett to right his error.

Garrett alerts ASAC Katherine Russo about what happened. He assures her Owen promised to watch Fiona and Gabby. She says Owen couldn’t become an FBI agent because he was “too dumb.” Garrett admits he messed up. He alerts her about the laptop that Thony refuses to give them without Gabby and Fiona. Russo promises to call a Homeland Security contact. She threatens to report him before walking away.

The detainees are lined up to get on a bus. An officer approaches Fiona to tell her she is in the wrong line. She promises Gabby to see her in Italy before Gabby is put on the deportation bus.

Thony and Garrett are in the conference room when Russo approaches. She informs them only one of the women was found, the other was deported. The woman hasn’t been identified.

Arman tries to talk to Nadia, but she isn’t having it. She is angry at him because he is doing nothing to stop Hayak from giving the casino to Isabel. His attempt to convince her of his plan fails.

Garrett and Thony catch up with the deportation bus. He turns on the siren to get the bus to stop. Thony orders him to stop the bus because Fiona is onboard. Garrett does a U-turn in the middle of the road to stop the bus. He shows the driver his identification card. Fiona is escorted off the bus, where Thony is waiting on her. They hug as the episode comes to an end.

 

The Cleaning Lady Review

Here we are at the halfway point, the episode didn’t add anything to the show. It is obvious what the writers are trying to say through this episode. The same thing they have been saying since the first episode. They are condemning the deportation of undocumented immigrants. The subtle approach would have been more preferred. The show’s title and description should have changed to fit the narrative.

The final scene was uncompelling, as it seems unlikely a CIA agent and an undocumented person could hold up a deportation bus in the middle of the highway. No paperwork, just a CIA identification card wouldn’t be enough to convince officers to release an ICE detainee.

I like the organized crime premise, which would have been the safer alternative. It is obvious, they weren’t going for safe. The show is a collage of numerous genres that don’t know what it wants to be. The episode deserves a 5.5. Get more The Cleaning Lady recaps here. Support ReelMockery by clicking here.