Let It Ride : The Cleaner Episode Review

Jimmy Alvarez (“Jimmy A”) is a renowned jockey who has spent his career winning races, no matter what it takes. Even if it means swallowing pills like candy in order to make weight and manage his pain. But lately, his addiction has begun spiraling out of control – his behavior is unpredictable, and his wife approaches William Banks ;the Cleaner for help.

William agrees to take the case not only for her, but for Saul, a man William recognized at the stands and with whom he clearly has a past connection. William rallies his team with Akani and Swenton working in the stables, and Darnell working security (he’s reluctant to be near the racetrack, and William doesn’t push him, a former addict himself).

The plan is to swap out Jimmy A’s pills with lesser-potent diet pills manufactured by Swenton; the team will make “the grab” once Jimmy is more manageable. Once the plan is put into motion, and Jimmy is brought to one of William’s “safe houses”, it becomes apparent that this will not be a typical “grab”. Jimmy A’s kidneys are failing and William explains to Mrs. Alvarez that he may not be physically able to race again.

Mrs. Alvarez is unhappy faced with the possibility that she may be losing her glamorous lifestyle, and tells William that racing is Jimmy’s life and he’ll never stop riding no matter what the consequences. While Jimmy is detoxing, William tells him about his own experiences in rehab; “At some point, I looked up and all I saw was you,” he says, “…I’d never seen anything that graceful before…” Jimmy is then visited by Mr. O’Hurley, boss and owner of Dandelion Wine (the horse Jimmy is scheduled to ride in an upcoming race).

O’Hurley tells Jimmy that Dandelion Wine will be ridden by another jockey while Jimmy is in rehab, news that clearly upsets him. Jimmy A. manages to escape the rehab and makes it to the stables in time to take up his mount in time for the race, but not before visiting a veterinarian for an injection of some unknown substance. William confronts Mrs. Alvarez about Jimmy A’s escape, and she tells him that Jimmy A. is human, and if he wants to ride, that’s exactly what he’ll do.

A conversation between William and Mr. O’Hurley reveals that Dandelion Wine is being put out to stud after this race, and there’s lots of money riding on whether or not the horse wins. O’Hurley said exactly what he needed to say to Jimmy in order to motivate him to get on that horse. As Jimmy is exiting the stables on his way to the starting gate, William tells Jimmy that he was played, and that he doesn’t have to run the race if he doesn’t want to. Jimmy responds that he wasn’t played, that everyone is going to win in this equation.

The race begins, and Dandelion Wine is lagging at the beginning, but comes from behind for the big win. As Jimmy sits upon his mount in the Winner’s Circle, basking in his victory, he suddenly appears ill, and falls off the horse and dies. William realizes that Jimmy A. knew going in that this was to be his last race. He also struggles with the fact that not everyone can be saved. At the end of the episode, you find William speaking with Jorge, Jimmy A’s protégé, a junior rider.

William tells him that he learned from the best; Jorge hands William a bottle of pills, saying that perhaps he learned too much from Jimmy. Jorge asks William for help, and William agrees, an opportunity to prevent another senseless death.

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