With the curtain closed on the series,The Cleaning Ladywill sadly never get to explore the full potential of one character only introduced in the final season.The Cleaning Lady’s cancellation by Foxleft several balls in the air, with a major villain buried alive and characters on all sides of the cartel prepping for one last war over control of Sin Cara. But whatever epic storylines might have been promised byThe Cleaning Ladyseason 4 finalewere snuffed out when the series failed to receive a green light on what could have been an incredible fifth season.
In a sense, this works to the benefit of creative fans who now get to visualize whatever ending they would have preferred for the characters they’ve grown to know and love.Thony was building toward the potential to either take Sin Cara for herself or dismantle it to gain her freedom, and fans no longer have to worry that the network might have taken the show in a direction other than their preference. However, it’s harder to guess the future of newer characters, one of whom could have had a remarkable character arc inThe Cleaning Ladyseason 5.
The Cleaning Lady Season 4 Introduces Benny As A Vital New Ally
He’s One Of The Only Reasons Fiona Still Has A House
Not long intoThe Cleaning Ladyseason 4, Thony takes over as cartel doctor for Sin Cara, which leads to her meeting Benny in episode 2 of the season,finding him employed to catfish trusting women out of money from Feng’s warehouse. Unfortunately, he’s not very good at the job, and Feng likes to torture people who fail him. Putting her morals over her cartel position, Thony helps Benny to escape, after which he begins a wonderfully entertaining relationship with Fiona.
All Benny seems to want out of their relationship is a friend who tolerates his constant stream of movie quotes, but Fiona has Benny use his tech skills to start making fake IDs so her undocumented cleaners can make extra money through ridesharing. While Chris helps his mother buy their house using the money from his viral dance videos,Fiona’s employees help chip in with the extra money they’ve made from Benny’s IDs. And that’s far from the only significant favor Benny performs to repay the De La Rosa family for saving his life.
Benny’s Tech Skills Rival Jialong’s In The Cleaning Lady Season 4 Finale
He Helps Track Down Ramona With Very Limited Resources
It’s somewhat ironic that Feng chooses to torture Benny for being an ineffective scam artist rather than utilizing Benny’s useful tech skills, butFeng doesn’t seem to trust anyone other than his beloved Jialong to meet his hacking needs. However, considering Benny’s using little more than a mid-tier laptop and a home internet connection, his ability to meet virtually any need presented to him suggests he can do just as much as Jialong with even fewer resources.
This becomes pivotal inThe Cleaning Ladyseason 4 finale when Fiona tasks Benny with tracking Ramona’s van at the same time Feng asks Jialong to do the same. Benny only knows he’s looking for a white van with likely fake plates, buthe manages to help Fiona track Ramona in time to save Thony’s life. Based on the timing of Fiona’s arrival compared to the timing of Feng directing Jorge to the airfield, Benny and Jialong appear to have completed their traces around the same time. With greater resources, there’s no telling how much more Benny could do.
How The Cleaning Lady Season 5 Could Have Made Benny Even Better
Benny’s Skills Could Have Served Thony’s War On Sin Cara
Hackers can often play major roles inshows likeThe Cleaning Lady. If Benny and Jialong are anywhere close to evenly matched, that could have been integral to the story ofThe Cleaning Ladyseason 5. Thony’s technically working under Feng now, but she’s secretly working against him. Knowing what Feng has Jialong doing at any given time would prove valuable, andBenny is Thony’s only independent ally with the hacking skills to keep track of Feng and Jialong’s activities. This could have made Benny a key figure in Thony’s plan to betray Feng and Heller to the DA’s office.
Thony also would have needed a plan to keep the DA off her back during the last stages of her Sin Cara takeover, which means that covering her tracks would be just as vital as unearthing Feng’s. Working against the people who once kept him holed up in a warehouse could have personalized Benny’s role in the story, allowing him to show a more serious side of what otherwise reads as a comic relief character. He was a welcome addition toThe Cleaning Ladywhile it lasted. It’s unfortunate that he never truly got to shine his brightest.
The Cleaning Lady
Cast
The Cleaning Lady is a drama series centered on Thony De La Rosa, a Cambodian doctor who becomes an undocumented immigrant in the United States. Forced to work as a cleaning lady, she navigates complicated situations while using her medical expertise. The series explores themes of survival, resilience, and the lengths one goes to protect their family. Starring Elodie Yung, the show delves into the hidden struggles of those living on the margins of society.
