Promised Land Season 1 Episode 3 Review: La Lucha (The Struggle)

Daniela has the most poignant line of the hour about la lucha, the struggle, which also happens to be the name of the installment. 

And as we saw during Promised Land Season 1 Episode 3, las luchas come in many different forms with the push/pull nature of many relationships among family, lovers, adversaries, and more in both the past and the present.

We got highly-anticipated reunions and unexpected ones, and as the pieces fall into place, the alliances among the Sandovals and others seem to shift again.

It was a strong hour for Carmen, who may be the underrated Sandoval in the family but certainly isn’t in the series.

She’s been long overdue for someone to acknowledge her greatness and put some respect on her name, and an estranged Margaret was the person to do that. Via their scenes together, we got a better insight into how Margaret became a stranger to her children.

Margaret: This job pays very well.
Carmen: I don’t care about the money. I just want respect.
Margaret: I get that. My father didn’t think a woman could run a vineyard. I was proud to prove him wrong.
Carmen: But then you lost the vineyard to my father.
Margaret: And then I lost your father to my best friend.
Carmen: Lettie.
Margaret: Joe always loved Lettie. Even when she was married to your uncle Billy. When I realized that was never going to change, I told him to buy me out of the vineyard.

The series succeeds in making their characters wonderfully complex, not sticking them in strict binary roles such as good and evil or hero and villain. It understands that humans are very gray, and we see that as we get to know these characters more over time.

Margaret isn’t a woman without her faults, and it’s such a refreshingly honest take on a woman and mother that she’s driven enough to succeed in business but couldn’t quite manage that with motherhood.

She’s always had something to prove, years she spent showing her father that a woman could operate and maintain a vineyard. As we see throughout the hour, the casual sexism she still endures decades later proves it’s still a predominantly white male’s club and everything is a fight.

Carmen may not have understood that as a baby when Margaret forfeited or lost her ability to hold the title as a mother. She probably didn’t get it when she was 16, which was the last time Margaret saw Carmen. As an adult woman now, Carmen understands.

Billy: Lettie, it won’t be easy, but you need to tell Joe I’m back.
Lettie: When the time is right.
Billy: When is that? What are you waiting for?
Lettie: What are you waiting for?

She and Margaret have more in common than meets the eyes, and with that alone, it makes their new bond something rooted in understanding and poses a threat to Joe and maybe even Lettie, too.

Carmen herself told her father that, perhaps with the benefit of her status as the youngest of Joe and Margaret’s children, she has the luxury of not viewing her father and mother as one way or the other. She doesn’t care about that history and bad blood.

Carmen wants respect, opportunities, and maybe even a shot at getting to know her birth mother. And right now, Margaret seems genuine, and Joe is still only treating Carmen as if she’s a prized belonging of his alone and something to keep from Margaret.

Lettie: So who else wants to share something about their day? Carmen, how about you?
Carmen: Not much; saw mom.
Veronica: Who’d you see?
Joe: Your mother is sitting right next to you.
Carmen: Not like that, I meant Margaret.
Lettie: It’s ok, Carmen, I know what you meant.

Michael confirmed something for Carmen that she’s felt for some time. Her family doesn’t view her as the asset that she is or respect her creative and professional endeavors, and he didn’t appear to be blowing smoke up her behind when he complimented her on the bottle label and how well it could do.

Although, there’s still some groundwork there for those two to become something else as Michael is assessing his wife’s sister in a way far unbefitting for family.

Carmen is more apt to cut through the bullcrap without all the history, and I don’t get the impression she’s the delicate flower that Lettie believes her to be, though it’s understandable that she’d be protective of her daughter.

Interestingly, Carmen was the kid most inclined to walk the line between both of her biological parents without a preference for choosing a side.

Still, now she can appreciate Margaret’s honesty amid her admission of her shortcomings — showing Carmen the respect as one woman to the other as equals rather than that of a parent and child.

Whereas Joe’s interest in holding tightly to Carmen and keeping her away from Margaret the moment he feels it could be a direct attack against him. His inability to show any passing interest in Carmen’s talent and passion ironically is pushing her further away from him.

Veronica, you’re the new CEO. Stand up for yourself more than I’m standing up for you right now.

Antonio

Margaret doesn’t have to “steal” Carmen away; he’s doing all the work of driving his child off on his own, a repeat pattern for him.

You get the impression often that Lettie is the backbone of the current Sandoval family and the one who keeps everything together. She seems to be the one that comes between Joe and the world, softening things between him and others.

Fascinatingly, she didn’t immediately react to Carmen spending time with Margaret or calling her “mom,” even if it felt like some slight. But isn’t that a messy situation?

When it comes to Margaret and Joe, it’s two sides of the story and the truth somewhere in the middle. She may very well have chosen her business aspirations ahead of her children, but it’s also believable that he would push her out of their lives.

Margaret: Tell me, if you care so much about Carmen, why is it that her only real creative opportunity hs come from me not you and Joe?
Lettie: You really think that one job will make her forget the fact that you left?
Margaret: I was pushed out.
Lettie: You abandoned your family.
Marget: You stole it, and I was left to rebuild my life from nothing, so don’t act so innocent in this, old friend.

He seemed the most personally affronted about any of the kids calling the woman who birthed them and was part of their lives at least until Carmen was two, their mother over Lettie.

It should be space for both of these women in their lives without anyone trying to poison the wells, but even Lettie seemed to acknowledge that they shut Margaret out. It made you wonder how this situation happened and succeeded that way.

Margaret shared that Joe was always in love with Lettie, even when she was married to him, so at some point, she gave up, signed away her rights to the vineyard, and went off. But part of that story would give the impression that she thought there was no place for her in the family and business.

But Lettie wanted to give Margaret the benefit of the doubt, suggesting that she may have changed, and it leaves you wondering how bad was Margaret that change was essential?

The conversation between the two was a highlight of the hour, giving off a bit of classic Dynasty as these two regal, powerful women went from a seemingly pleasant exchange to snide remarks and digs. And Cecilia Suárez and Bellamy Young were divine together and everything one would imagine.

It’s so much hurt between these two women, and you could feel it. The sad thing about it is they’re both seemingly such fabulous women that you hate that Joe is who got between them.

What’s interesting about Lettie is that she knows who her husband is. When she and Margaret exchanged words, she held him just as accountable. She showed that her biggest interest is protecting her children and anyone she cares about who can be collateral damage in Margaret and Joe’s war.

Lettie: I don’t know what game you’re playing, Margaret, but when you and Joe go to war, it’s usually other people who get hurt. That’s not going to be Carmen.
Margaret: She’s my daughter, Lettie.
Lettie: When it’s convenient.

Fascinatingly, Joe and Margaret both have their crosses to bear in this industry that isn’t kind to either of them for different reasons, and they both tend to be ignorant or naive to each other’s plight in favor of their self-interest.

Margaret has been struggling with the sexism she endures because of her interest since she was a teenager. Honeycroft never took her seriously as an heir to his empire or respected her ideas and plans for the future.

It’s all she ever wanted, and at every turn, there’s someone there to condescend to her and make her feel inadequate. You can tell that she feels Joe, himself, is guilty of this, too.

She wants her hotel franchise to be a success, and she’s chasing after putting the Honeycroft name back on the map, but her way. It’s a genuine dream of hers, which we see predates any beef she has with Joe.

But it’s also why she’d feel as if Joe stands in her way, not unlike the other rich white guys who are quick to call her too emotional and bitchy when she doesn’t take them screwing her over.

Margaret has something to prove as a woman, even one of means and wealth. And that juxtaposed with how Joe and others quietly shame and vilify her for her ambitions and not rising to what’s acceptable as a mother is real.

But Margaret also has some naivete about how things are for Joe.

She’s aware enough to recognize that her father was a casual racist, and she didn’t want to be like that. She even subtly suggested that maybe one of the reasons Lettie was suited to take care of the kids was that in addition to Lettie’s natural maternal and nurturing quality and willingness to set aside her career for family, she’s Latine too.

But Margaret has her blind spots as well. She didn’t consider how things were for Joe navigating this same industry. He didn’t get to convince Wayne to screw her over with some male bonding. Joe had to lay down some threats and deal with the racial microaggressions that come with taking up space where it’s unexpected.

Wayne: Hey, I think I told you boys, English when on the job. Joe! I’m so sorry, I, uh, you surprised me.
Joe: That’s okay, Wayne. Your people never surprise me.

Wayne was willing to keep at it with Margaret because of her old money and the Honeycroft name. He treated Joe as if he was privileged to have a seat at the table provided for him through his connection to Margaret and Honeycroft rather than his hard work.

Even while rubbing elbows with the country club crew, the message was clear that Joe was always an outsider. To Joe, Margeret’s wealth and whiteness got her ahead, and to Margaret, Joe’s gender did.

Joe having to lay down a casual threat to get his way with a man who mistook him for the help for speaking his mother tongue with an employee showed that no amount of success or money means he’s exempt from navigating the same crap because of his skin and name.

Joe and Margaret would be such a formidable team, but how freaking realistic is it that the two disenfranchised individuals in the industry they’re in manage to spend more time at odds with each other? It’s true to life, isn’t it? The Waynes always win.

Margaret: Just curious, does Joe keep your balls in his pocket or the humidor next to his cigars?
Wayne: No need to get hysterical or bitchy about this.
Margaret: Oh, I never get hysterical when it comes to business. Bitchy’s another story.

The hour translated a similar concept with the different but same experiences of Antonio and Javier.

Joe is still testing his son, and he’s pulling out all the punches to do it. He could’ve hired anyone as General Manager, but he chose Antonio’s first love, and they had some serious history.

You sympathized with both Antonio and Javier when they cut through all that tension and actually cleared the air between them, and they were not fair to each other, but it seems they’re on the same page now.

It must’ve been terrifying for Antonio. He worked up the nerve to come out to Joe and his family, and part of that bravery came with knowing he wouldn’t be alone — Javier would do the same, and even if it meant they lost their families, they’d have one another.

Antonio: I held up my end. I told Joe. You know how he reacted?
Javier: I’m sure it was unpleasant.
Antonio: Unpleasant?
Javier: Yes, unpleasant, Antonio. He probably yelled at you, called you mariposa, then he sent you off to Harvard, then he flew you home for Christmas, which I’m sure made for very unpleasant —
Antonio: Oh, please-
Javier: You know what my father would have done? How badly he would’ve beaten me? I had to wait years to come out to my family. I had to wait until I could kick my father’s ass. On the day I told him, I did, my father, who I love. Look, I’m sorry that I broke our deal and that I got scared.

But Javier left him hanging, and Antonio felt like he lost his family, his dream of running the vineyard, and the man he loved in one fell swoop. From his perspective, his hurt and anger toward Javier made all the sense in the world.

Yet Javier’s position in this made sense, too. Antonio’s socioeconomic status as a rich kid didn’t preclude him from being hurt or rejected by his family. It sure as heck didn’t mean he had nothing to lose. However, Javier’s experience as a poor kid who grew up on the vineyard with an abusive father is drastically different.

It was a powerful moment when Javier stated that he had to hold off on telling his father he liked men until he could fight back.

Javier had to fight his father after sharing his truth. Antonio lost his place as first in line to a business he loves and got outcasted from his family because of his truth. When it pertains to coming out, everyone’s journey is personal and challenging.

I appreciated the realism in both men still having this love for their fathers regardless. Shockingly, Javier went to Gonzo, his father, and the former foreman, to learn about the truck and what it meant. Now that Antonio is piecing things together and fearing that his father killed a man, he loves him enough to keep that secret under wraps.

There are so many secrets within this series.

Antonio will soon learn how much his father and Lettie endured to get to where they are now. It’s a story that gets richer with time.

The flashbacks are such a lovely addition to this series because they provide great context and never detract from anything in the least.

Joe: Where are you from?
Daniela: El Salvador.
Joe: Oh, I have always wanted to go there. Most Americans think that we are all one culture. “your people.”
Daniela: I know what you mean. Still, there is one thing that unites us.
Joe: The language.
Daniela: The struggle, Sir.

Joe is always a hustler, and I both chuckled and cringed when his younger version approached Honeycroft about money. It was a hell of a way to call the man’s bluff. Family doesn’t call each other racial slurs, underpay them, refuse to learn their language to communicate with them, or anything else.

Honeycroft would never fork over five grand for any of his employees, even if it were pocket change for him. And Margaret showed again her naivete when she stole her father’s watch to give to Joe and didn’t think about the consequences on the workers.

Anyone could’ve told her that he’d assume one of them stole it and punish them because of it. It was already common knowledge that Lettie needed the money to save her sister, and both Joe and Billy would do anything for her.

It’s crazy how much Margaret loved Joe back then when he always cared about Lettie. And ironically, Billy showed some interest in Margaret every time she came around.

It’s a fascinating love quadrangle that still has legs in the present.

Billy and Lettie have way too much damn chemistry for this man to be a priest! I kept waiting for them to kiss at some point. It’s thrilling that the brothers are finally facing off with one another. However, you can’t help feeling bad for Junior.

Thanks to Billy, he’s doing better, found some purpose, and feels productive. All of that can be shot to hell when he realizes that his mentor is his uncle, and Joe will get in his feelings about that and probably forbid the kid from seeing him.

Más Notas:

• 
  Mateo didn’t have much to do, but I was here for him cosigning how terrible Joe is to Carmen. He’s going to show up at the family dinners, but he’ll be messy as hell. I love that for him.

• 
  Mateo and Daniela exuding Ghost pottery scene energy with their winemaking by hand –it was hot. We need more of this romance.

• 
  Daniela casually preaching words and giving Joe things to think about will never get old. Please, stay on Joe’s NECK about solidarity and the struggle.

• 
  When we spoke to Julio Macias about On My Block, he mentioned that he wants to be a chameleon and tell diverse Latin stories, and it delights me that he continues to put actions to his words. You will not typecast this versatile king. I love that for him and us.

• 
  Are we getting a Javier and Antonio reunion? I was digging the sparks. We’ll just toss that ship in a pile with the others; let’s go!

• 
  FINALLY, Veronica realized she had all the leverage over Delgado and used that accordingly. Keeping Delgado under her thumb is intriguing. She’s wise to be suspicious of Michael, but we still don’t know him well enough to care what he’s up to or even how it affects her. He’s so far removed from the others.

• 
  Isn’t it interesting how Joe and Lettie appeared more religious in the past than Billy, but he’s the one who became a priest?

• 
  It feels like something bad will still happen with Rosa. They have the money, but those are evil men who may not take it and let her go. One of the brothers took a gun with them, and why does it feel as if whatever secret Margaret and Lettie share that can ruin both of them may be connected to that?

Veronica: Were you planning on telling me?
Michael: I’d like to t think that I don’t have to. I’d like to think that my wife trusts me. Since we’re on the topic what did you need the money for?
Veronica: It’s my business.
Michael: And why is that?
Veronica: Simple, Michael. It’s my money.

• 
  Veronica must be a daddy’s girl. She sounds as if she hates Margaret, but in many ways, she also seems just like her. She’s driven, determined to run this vineyard and carry the family legacy to new heights, and she doesn’t scream “family woman.”

Over to you, Promised Land Fanatics. Are you tuning into the show? What are your thoughts so far? Hit the comments.

You can watch Promised Land online here via TV Fanatic.

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Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.

You can view the original article HERE.