TV Recap: “Promised Land” Episode 3 – “La Lucha (The Struggle)”

The Sandoval’s are back in the third episode of Promised Land, titled “La Lucha (The Struggle).” This week, we learn a lot more about the discord that has created rifts between family members. Here’s a detailed recap of the latest episode of the ABC drama.

Carmen (Mariel Molino) sits on the patio table working on a pink variation of her wine label design and Veronica’s husband Michael (Andrew J. West) doesn’t think the Heritage House board will like it. She gets up to leave for a meeting with a marketing recruiter, but before she goes, Michael compliments Carmen’s talent and tells her it’s a pity that nobody in her family appreciates it. “Not nobody,” she says, leaning in to kiss her brother-in-law on the cheek. Michael looks disappointed as she leaves.

Lettie (Cecilia Suárez) arrives at Junior’s school to teach an ESL class. Under Father Ramos’ guidance, Junior (Miguel Angel Garcia) has begun coaching underprivileged students and he excitedly hurries to show the team their new uniforms. Father Ramos (Yul Vazquez) encourages Lettie, reminding her that she was a great teacher when she taught him English, which triggers a flashback.

In 1987, Lettie (Katya Martín) teaches Billy (Rolando Chusan) English before a group lunch for all of the Heritage House workers. O.M. Honeycroft (Tom Amandes) gives a toast, thanking his general manager Gonzo (E. Ambriz DeColosio) for finding the best workers as he opens the first bottle of his new wine. Margaret (Kerri Medders) comments that it tastes lighter than usual and when O.M. asks his workers for their opinions, Billy stands up to declare t sweet and fruity. Joe (Andres Velez) gives him a look and O.M. asks for his opinion. He asks Lettie to translate for him as he describes the wine as a kiss that kisses back. O.M. is impressed and asks for Joe’s name. Later that night, Lettie overhears a man at a payphone telling the caller that there’s nobody named “Juana” there (her real name). She races over and tells the man that Juana isn’t there anymore but she can take the call. He hands her the phone and she hears her sister Rosa (Ariana Guerra) for the first time since they were separated, but she only hears her for a moment before a man named Victor (Rick Mancia) takes the phone from her and introduces himself as Pedro’s cousin. It was his truck that they stole and he tells Lettie that she has two days to deliver $5,000 if she wants to see Rosa again.

In the present, Joe (John Ortiz) brings Javier (Julio Macias) into the office, surprising Veronica (Christina Ochoa) and Antonio (Tonatiuh). Javier is the new general manager replacing Mateo and Antonio is angry because it should be Veronica’s job to hire a replacement as CEO. Javier excuses himself to supervise a delivery and with him absent, Antonio tells his father that he just sidestepped him. Veronica tries to calm Antonio down, but he says she should be more upset than he is.

Carmen arrives at a restaurant to meet with the marketing recruiter only to find that it’s her mother Margaret (Bellamy Young), whom she hasn’t seen since she was 16. “You did this just to tell lunch with me?”, she asks, but Margaret tells her she thinks she’s very talented. She showed her work to her marketing team and they want to see her portfolio to help promote the Taste of Sonoma event, which will be held at Honeycroft Hotel. Margaret tells her daughter that the job pays well, but Carmen says all she cares about is respect. Margaret empathizes, talking about how her father didn’t think a woman could run the vineyard and she proved him wrong before Joe took it from her. She admits that she always knew that Joe loved Lettie and that when she realized he would always feel that way, she chose to leave and let Joe buy her out of the vineyard. She took the money, went to Europe and started a luxury hotel business, but at the cost of being a mother to her kids. She doesn’t want forgiveness from Carmen, just understanding. “I can’t imagine how my leaving must’ve affected you kids, but I knew Lettie would raise you well and at the time I thought better than I would.” Carmen wears down and agrees to send her portfolio for the marketing job.

Antonio finds Javier in the fields and approaches him, saying “I’m wondering who else knows.” We learn that Javier is Antonio’s high school sweetheart and the two made a pact when they were 18 to come out of the closet to their parents on the same night. Antonio went through with it, Javier didn’t. He defends his decision back then, saying that his father would have beaten him up and he waited until he was strong enough to win the fight. “I’m sorry that I hurt you that night, I got scared.” Antonio looks teary-eyed as he asks Javier to come for a ride in his golf cart. As they ride, Antonio tells Javier that when he came out, Joe told him to keep it a secret and also told his son that he would never be head of Heritage House as a result. Antonio stops the golf cart by the old workers' camp and pulls the tarp off the blue truck, asking Javier to tell him everything he knows about it.

Back in 1987, Lettie tells Joe about the $5,000 that Victor wants for Rosa. When O.M. Honeycroft and Margaret walks by, Joe pulls Lettie with him and asks her to translate as he gives a sob story about his mother who needs surgery that will cost $5,000, promising to pay him back. O.M. applauds Joe’s courage but says if he gave him a loan, all of the workers would ask for one. Lettie thanks Joe for trying.

Veronica goes to the bank to withdraw $50,000, hush money for the man she hit and run. However, she discovers that the ancillary account she keeps with Michael has been emptied without her knowledge. Back at work, she makes a quiet call to Cruz Delgado (Carlos Javier Rivera) but is interrupted by Antonio, who asks her if Joe ever knew about him and Javier. He accuses her of this being what she meant when she apologized for not supporting him when he left. She swears she didn’t tell him and asks Antonio not to let Joe divide them again. “You know I’ll have your back even when pa doesn’t.”

Mateo (Augusto Aguilera) teaches Daniela (Natalia del Riego) how to crush grapes with her hands, inviting her to the family dinner tonight. Her first excuse is that his family won’t want her there, but when Mateo presses on, she says she has a planned phone call with her family. She agrees to go to the next family dinner.

Before dinner, Veronica quietly asks Michael about the account and he tells her he used the funds to buy video equipment, but she doesn’t feel like that’s all it could’ve been spent on. During dinner, Junior talks about Father Ramos and his coaching project, but Lettie tries to get someone else to talk. Carmen mentions that she had lunch with her mom and Joe is upset for two reasons: That she saw Margaret and that she referred to Margaret as her mother when Lettie raised her. Carmen tells her family about the offer to do marketing for Taste of Sonoma, but Joe tells her that Margaret just wants to turn her against him. “I want you to stay away from her,” he tells her. Carmen says no, saying her mother is giving her an opportunity that Heritage House wouldn’t. Veronica is offended by the statement, but Lettie comes to Carmen’s defense. “It’s been a long time since we’ve all known Margaret. Maybe she’s changed?” Joe looks pissed

Back in 1987, Foreman Gonzo calls the workers together to announce that O.M. Honerycroft’s watch has been stolen. The workers start to blame Joe, knowing that he’s trying to get money for his mother. Billy comes to Joe’s defense. Gonzo announces that everyone will work an extra hour without pay tonight to make up for the stolen watch. Alone, Billy asks Joe to let him sell the watch for him, but Joe promises he didn’t take it.

Joe goes to The Vines Golf & Country Club to meet with the Taste of Sonoma alliance members Wayne (Eric Sheffer Stevens) and Ron (Mark Totty). He tells them about Margaret’s hostile takeover attempt of Heritage House and asks them to move their event to The Ritz. Wayne mentions that the Honeycrofts elevated Sonoma and are more significant to the community than the Sandovals, but Joe gives them an ultimatum, burned by Wayne’s subtle racism. He tells them he will lower the price of his wine, which will force them to have to cut prices, and as the more successful vineyard, he is able to do it long enough to put them both out of business. Outside, Joe talks with the Latino valet about his engine in Spanish. Walt exits and doesn’t realize the valet is talking to Joe when he reminds his employee that he’s only to speak English when working.

Margaret pulls up to Heritage House and looks around with reflection. “Soon enough, girl,” she says as Marta (Susan Ortiz) gives her a hug and takes her around back to meet with Lettie. Over agua fresca, Lettie praises Margaret’s job offer to Carmen, but refers to her as a “Talented girl.” Margaret reminds Lettie that Carmen is a woman, but Lettie says that as the woman who raised her, she’s worried about the sensitive girl whose feelings could get hurt. Margaret throws an insult back, saying that if there’s so much love for Carmen at Heritage House, then she should have been given a creative opportunity by now. She also suggests that if Carmen’s feelings would be hurt so easily, then Lettie wasn’t as good of a mother as she thought she’d be. When Lettie brings up the fact that Margaret left, she tells her that she was pushed out of the family. Lettie calms down, telling Margaret that she will never forget what she did for her, but that she’s repaid her debt. If Margaret hurts her family, she will become Lettie’s enemy. “We share our own secret,” Margaret reminds her as she gets up to leave. “If you try to take me down, I won’t go down alone.”

Veronica meets with Cruz on the side of a road to tell him she needs another day to get him his money. He pulls out his phone and dials the Sonoma County Sheriffs Department on speakerphone, telling the operator that he has information about a hit-and-run. Veronica stops him and promises to get him the money.

In 1987, Margaret visits the worker's camp and asks to speak to Joe alone. By a barrel of fire, she pulls out her dad’s missing watch and gives it to him. Joe is hesitant to take it, but she tells him her dad has three others just like it. He confesses that his mother isn’t sick, but she says she know’s that whatever he needs the money for, it’s a noble cause. She gives him a peck on the cheek before she leaves.

Present day Margaret sits down for a toast with Wayne and Ron, but asks them why they haven’t signed the Taste of Sonoma contracts yet. They inform her that they’re moving the event to The Ritz and she realizes that Joe must have intervened. Wayne asks Margaret not to get “Hysterical or bitchy.” As she stands up, she says “Oh, I never get hysterical when it comes to business; Bitch is another story.” Margaret leaves them both stunned.

Marta sets the table for dinner while Mateo and Daniela look out at the vineyard and stars. When Mateo leaves Daniela alone, Joe approaches and talks about how much he loves this view, bragging that a billionaire made an offer to buy it last year. Daniela delivers an Isabel Allende quote about why land should never be sold, which impresses Joe. He asks where she came from and when she says El Salvador, he confesses that he’s always wanted to visit there. He talks about the diversity of Mexico and the American generalization of the entire country as being one culture. Daniela tells Joe that there’s something that unites them both. He asks if she’s referring to the fact that they both speak Spanish, but she says “La lucha,” which translates to “The Struggle” (the title of this episode).

The next day at work, Veronica approaches Joe and asks him if he knew about Antonio’s past with Javier when he hired him. Joe asks if she’s asking as a CEO or as Antonio’s sister, but she says that shouldn’t matter. Joe confesses that he knew about their relationship and when she asks how, he tells her he saw them kissing when they were 16. “And you still hired Javier knowing how hard that would be for Antonio,” she realizes out loud, asking her father why he would try to test his son so soon afer making amends. “If Antonio can’t put the company above his feelings, he’s not who I thought he was,” he justifies. He adds that there will be times where Veronica can’t be both Antonio’s sister and the CEO of Heritage House. “I’m sorry, that’s not the leader I’m going to be,” she says. Joe gets up to walk away and says “Good luck with that.” Left alone, Veronica’s phone buzzes with an alert from her bank that $50,000 is now available to withdraw.

Javier brings his father Gonzo (Daniel Edward Mora) to the blue truck Antonio showed up and asks what he knows of it. Gonzo shares that it’s the truck that Joe and Lettie arrived at Heritage House in. Antonio approaches and overhears Gonzo talking about the rumors. He asks Gonzo to share everything with him. Meanwhile, Lettie waits on the other side of the rusted camper where Father Ramos (aka Billy) drives up to meet her. “When I was at my worst, strung out in the gutter, I dreamt about this place,” he says. Lettie talks about how she tries to just focus on the good times now. Billy asks her when she’s going to tell Joe that  he’s back. “When the time is right,” she says. Lettie thanks Billy for the positive impact he’s had on Junior since her came back to town. “It was so much easier to hate you when you were gone,” she shares. Their conversation is interrupted when they hear voices. Peering around the camper, they see Antonio, Javier, and Gonzo examining the blue truck. Lettie and Billy sneak away quietly.

That same blue truck pulls up to the worker’s camp in 1987 and Joe climbs out. Lettie meets him at the door and he tells her that he was only able to get $4,000 for the watch. She starts to cry, thinking that Victor will kill her sister. Joe hugs her in consolation, but they are interrupted when Hector (Octavio Solorio) approaches with a hat full of money. “We want to help you,” he says, as more workers approach Lettie with money. She is overwhelmed with emotions. The last person to approach with a donation is Gonzo, who says “Be careful, OK?” Lettie’s eyes find Billy, who smiles and winks at her. Later, we see the three of them pray before getting in the truck to drive back to Bakersfield to save Rosa. Joe hides a gun under the carpet in the backseat.

Carmen finds Joe in the kitchen having just found out that Taste of Sonoma will no longer be at Honeycroft Hotel. She accuses him of sabotaging the event to hurt both Margaret and her. Joe promises to make it tup to her, asking her to design the label for a limited release wine. Carmen asks her father what he thought of the leopard design for the limited release and he tells her the leopard design is his favorite of hers. “I never did a leopard design,” she shares, catching her father in a lie as she walks away.

Veronica meets with Cruz again and gives him an envelope. He opens it and is angry to find $10,000 instead of $50k, but she tells him it’s a retainer. She adds that between her money, lawyers, contacts with the Sheriff’s department, and ICE, she could hurt his life much more than he can hurt hers. “Why don’t we help each other instead? Find a mutually beneficial arrangement.” He asks what she wants and she tells him she needs someone to follow her husband.

Antonio finds Javier and tells him he had a private investigator trace the VIN on the blue truck. He found out that it was last registered in 1987 at an address in Bakersfield and that a muder took place at the house that same year. He tells Javier that in spite of everything, he still loves his dad and wants to keep what they know quiet. Javier tells Antonio that he can trust him. As Antonio is left alone, he checks his phone and sees a text from Margaret asking if he found out anything about the truck. He types back a response: “PAY DIRT.”

Joe finds Junior looking sad outside Heritage House and discovers that his coaching duties had to be canceled today because his school only has one van and the volleyball team needed it. “This means a lot to you,” Joe beams. “This priest, he really helped you out.” Joe tells Junior to come with him. Shortly after, they pull up outside of Junior’s Catholic school with a luxury van. Joe tells Junior to go inside and share the good news with Father Ramos, but Junior says Joe should come inside to meet him.

Inside the church, Lettie sits with Billy in a pew. She brought him a container of polvorones, which she confesses were made by Marta, but using her family recipe. They enjoy the cookies and Billy wipes powdered sugar off Lettie’s cheek just as Joe and Junior walk down the aisle towards them. Joe stops when he notices who is sitting with the priest. “Lettie?” She stands up and turns around, shocked to see him. Then Father Ramos stands up and turns to face Joe. “Billy?” Father Ramos smiles. “Hello, brother.”

Promised Land returns with episode 4 on Monday, February 14th, with an episode titled “El Regalo (The Gift).” Here is a brief description of what comes next.

Father Ramos’ return to Sonoma makes waves throughout the Sandoval family, while Lettie and Joe hit a rough patch. Margaret is excited to be invited to Carmen’s 25th birthday party much to everyone else’s dismay. Young Lettie, Joe and Billy leave town on an important mission.