Original Show vs Remake: Compare and Contrast

[Raja]

Amazon Prime moved the original series up and its available in the states status . In the first episode you had a boxing match instead of a woman's MMA. When confronted with being killed or work there was no fear shown until she was out of sight of the gangster.

Their "Thony" doesn't get a strip  and show off her body shot from above, but a shower behind a frosted shower door. The "Arman" doesn't come off as pretty to me. However the cleaning scenes  with the music background reminds me of the CSIs when that series first premiered.

[Raja]

In the second episode we learn that instead of Thony's medical training making her such an effective counter CSI Grissom that Rosa/Argentine Thony has a chemist friend working on improving cleaning products. The homicide detectives, who are also working a series of young women disappearing case seem clean unlike their American FBI counterpart.

Instead of a sister in law, Rosa lives with her mom.

[Raja]

Rosa's second job is in a brothel instead of a party. But things are more sinister as a body is later discovered. She gets her cleaning materials supplier friend to go in undercover and ask questions so will probably soon know for sure she just cleaned an abduction and fight scene

In the meantime Rosa has a hospital cleaning job with a friend getting laid off, but she doesn't trust the local medical system and wants to get her son to the US somehow for the bone marrow and later transplant.

[Raja]

By episode 6 beyond her cleaning products supplier it seems that from taking care of her son Rosa just does a much better  job than anybody doing janitorial work. She does indeed take the scene like they do on CSI before opening a trash bag. Even when not on the clock she does things like wipe away hand prints on elevator doors.

There is no Rosa showing up at the funeral to be identified by the cops but they are staring to encounter super clean crime scenes and suspect that the mob has some new asset. The cops are more like the "Good Police" of The Wire, where they get in trouble is by trying to investigate instead of writing murders off as the staged suicides. The mob is more into human trafficking for sex and drug mules rather than the weapons of the Armenians. I guess guns instead of sex slaves keeps Arman cleaner.

[Raja]

It is more we have Rosa's mom instead of a sister in law. It turns out that Fiona is more of a composite between mom and the friend from work.

Possible spoilers for the American show if they follow suit, however with guns in America versus human trafficking in Argentina is probably safe.

Spoiler

It was Rosa finding out that she unknowingly cleaned the rape murder scene of her Fiona equivalent along with her cleaning supplies source getting arrested because the crime scenes were too clean that had her go to the police with evidence collected from every site she cleaned.

Once the mob who kept Rosa under surveillance. knew the police were on to Rosa the show went straight to end game for the last two episodes without Rosa being recruited to plant spy recorders or the double agent laptop drop.

There was never any hint of flirtation with her Arman or his wife and loves. Her driver/spy charged with watching and paying Rosa was just a guy old school mob style rather looking like an ex Marine mob soldier and friendly enough. However we do get glimpses of the cops family life

[Bort]

19 minutes ago, Raja said:

Possible spoilers for the American show

I tagged the topic as a “spoiler” topic, so you don’t need tags.

[Trini]

I'm up to episode 4, and there are so many differences, I'm not sure that's it's fair to compare it to the U.S. version. The lead character is a cleaning lady with an immunocompromised son who cleans up crime scenes for a criminal gang (under duress), but other than that, it's pretty different.

I do like that they make time for atmosphere, unlike most American shows where something has to be happening all the time.

[Trini]

The law enforcement part of La Chica que Limpia is way more sympathetic than the American version; they're just trying to solve some murders, and aren't scummy. (So far; I'm about halfway through.)

There are gang characters, but I wouldn't really say there's anyone equivalent to Arman. Arman is like a secondary lead (and love interest), but there's not anyone who has those roles in the original show. Rosa is really the central character.

Edited March 13, 2022 by Trini

[Trini]

I'm up to episode 10;

Another big difference between this and the American version is that La Chica Que Limpia really shows how (lead character) Rosa being a cleaning lady - who is very good at what she does - is integral to the plot. She needs to be fastidious to keep germs away from her son, and her skills are keeping the criminals one step ahead of the police, so they have reason to keep her around.

Having Thony be a doctor also gives the show some other story options, I suppose; but I don't think her jobs/skills are as crucial to the overall plot. At least past the pilot episode.

[Trini]

Finished the series; even though things turned out mostly fine, the ending felt kinda rushed. Thought it was unnecessary for Rosa to get captured, then escape, then get recaptured. Some conclusions happened off-screen, but yet they had time to do a whole shootout sequence.

Didn't really like that it ends with Rosa is probably again working for some shady people.

[Raja]

17 hours ago, Trini said:

Finished the series; even though things turned out mostly fine, the ending felt kinda rushed. Thought it was unnecessary for Rosa to get captured, then escape, then get recaptured. Some conclusions happened off-screen, but yet they had time to do a whole shootout sequence.

Didn't really like that it ends with Rosa is probably again working for some shady people.

I haven't made up my mind is Rosa going to work for Argentine Intelligence, maybe with someone like FBI Agent Garrett, or a bent judge or prosecutor is in need of a cleaner.

With Rosa being on work release from prison it does seem  more likely to sustain a follow up season opportunity than Thony laundering old gun sale profits for a legal Vegas club. All while in illegal immigration status and known by the authorities.