The Cleaning Lady

This season fails to deliver, leaving viewers questioning where it all went astray. Despite the opportunity to start anew with a complete overhaul, the show misses its chance for redemption. The shift in showrunners, writers, and casting is especially disappointing-while the first three seasons showcased talented actors who brought authenticity and depth to their performances, this season relies on social media influencers who simply lack the same credibility and presence.

In the first three seasons, Chris wasn't depicted as a dancer, so it feels out of place for him to suddenly adopt this role. Likewise, Thony's proficiency in French was never previously established, yet she is now engaging in fluent conversations with a doctor presented as French, despite his rather unconvincing accent. To make matters more perplexing, the actor playing the doctor is South African and seemingly cast solely because his last name is "Bonjour." Wouldn't it have made more sense to hire an actual French actor-or perhaps avoid the French angle entirely?

The overuse of dancing sequences only adds to the frustration. Sure, a short dance scene here and there could have been a fun touch, but in every episode feels repetitive and unnecessary. It's like a bad soap opera. To make matters worse, the editing leaves much to be desired, making the season feel disjointed and chaotic.

However, what truly stings is the DISRESPECT shown towards Southeast Asian communities and immigrant doctors. Suggesting that trading a machine is equivalent to earning a medical license is both absurd and insulting. Many immigrant doctors come to this country with little more than hope, facing enormous challenges to support their families. They master a new language, rigorously study, and pass demanding exams to requalify-showing incredible resilience and determination. To trivialize their struggles in this way is an insult not only to them but to the entire medical profession.

In summary, this season is a disappointment that fails to honor its audience, its legacy, and the communities it portrays. A show that once held promise has sadly lost its way.

The show has taken a disappointing turn, reducing Southeast Asian representation to a distorted portrayal . By trivializing serious issues like fake IDs and portraying Southeast Asian doctors as unethical, it perpetuates harmful stereotypes. The narrative has also become implausible, with Thony being unrealistically portrayed as more powerful than a cartel-something that defies logic and credibility.

The departure of the original Asian creator and showrunner this season, replaced by a white male, raises concerns about the authenticity of the storytelling. Additionally, the executive producer, also a white male, has faced multiple accusations of misconduct, which further undermines trust in the production. It's disheartening to see a show that once celebrated Southeast Asian culture and identity lose its way, leaving viewers questioning its direction and integrity.

Watched to it all, the story works but the relationships are hard to swallow. It is difficult to accept how most characters can still talk to each other and worse, collaborate to each other, after so much egoism, lies, betrayal etc. It is so far from what real life would be that got me hating most characters by the end.

There are several scenes when two characters argue badly over something really serious (and hard to forgive) and after one lame excuse they keep going like nothing has ever happened.

Again, liked the overall storyline and the acting, but think such flawed connection to reality made it artificial and hard to swallow.

This season pales in comparison to the brilliance of seasons 1 and 2. Frankly, the show should have concluded with season 3, following Arman's passing.

The absence of the original creator this season is deeply felt. With a new showrunner and new writing team at the helm, it feels like they should have launched their own series rather than capitalizing on the success of this one.

The decision to kill off Nadia and recast Luca, it feels like the very essence of the show has been dismantled. These characters were the final connections to Arman, and their loss dismantles the essence of what made the series compelling. Perhaps, in a bittersweet way, this might be a blessing in disguise, saved the from disgrace.

Season 4. You're preaching to the choir. We're already reeling from Adan's passing. The Luca recast felt like swapping espresso for instant coffee-technically the same category, but all the richness was gone. It just didn't capture the quiet intensity or emotional depth he brought to the role. Instead of a seamless transition, it felt like a jarring rewrite of the character's soul.

It's no wonder the show lost momentum. When your emotional anchor gets replaced with a paperweight, the whole ship starts to drift.