The ninth episode of Promised Land is now streaming on Hulu, titled “La Cosecha (The Harvest).” It’s the penultimate episode of the show’s original order and it’s been a fun ride thus far. Here’s a recap of everything that happened in the penultimate episode.
Margaret Honeycroft (Bellamy Young) talks with her daughter Veronica Sandoval (Christina Ochoa) in her San Francisco office, right where we left them in the previous episode. Veronica has 5% of Heritage House and with her help, Margaret could take over the company. Veronica would keep her title of CEO and would instantly get 20% of the company plus stock options, becoming 50% owner by her fifth year. Veronica decides she needs time to think it over.
(ABC/Paul Sarkis)
It’s nighttime at Heritage House where workers are discussing organizing a strike as they pick grapes. They no longer trust Gonzo, who seems to always take Joe’s side when it comes to these matters. The workers talking turn to the picker next to them and ask what he thinks. It’s Joe Sandoval (John Ortiz), seemingly undercover, who responds “These grapes aren’t going to pick themselves.”
(ABC/Paul Sarkis)
Lettie Sandoval (Cecilia Suárez) is helping to pick grapes at Mateo’s vineyard, with Mateo (Augusto Aguilera) arriving to tell her to wrap up for the day. He has brought Lettie’s sister Rosa (Jacqueline Obradors) with him. Taking a break by a fire barrel, Rosa suggests that Lettie make a pros and cons list to help her decide whether or not to leave Joe. Lettie believes Joe is justified in his anger at her for not telling him about his father’s death. Changing the subject, Rosa brings up Billy, having been told that he became a priest and returned to Sonoma, only to disappear again. She asks Lettie if either of them broke their vows. “We came close, but no. I think I know where he went.” Lettie isn’t sure if she loves Billy or just loves who she was when she was with him. Rosa tells her all that matters is that she’s happy.
Antonio Sandoval (Tonatiuh) flirts with Javier (Julio Macias) as he works to keep the workers on track for the harvest. When it’s over, Antonio wants to take Javier on a celebration vacation and Javier says he wants to go to Disneyland. “Oh, I forgot about your Goofy thing,” Antonio laughs, adding that if there’s a strike, they could go tonight.
Union negotiator Tomas Gutierrez (Matt Cedeno) meets with Joe, who is angry that he has rescinded all of the agreements Veronica made with him. They go back and forth and Tomas ultimately throws in the towel, saying “One of us is willing to negotiate in good faith, the other one isn’t.” Antonio enters as Tomas leaves, having eavesdropped on the conversation, asking his father why he would risk the employees walking out during the harvest. “Trust me, no one is walking out,” Joe confidently says.
(ABC/Carlos Lopez-Calleja)
In 1987, Lettie (Katya Martín) helps Billy (Rolando Chusan) and Joe (Andres Velez) hijack a Honeycroft Vineyard truck from a gas station at night. The next day, the workers surround the truck at the vineyard, protesting with signs that warn “Scabs” to stay away (a term for temporary workers who cross a picket line). Margaret Honeycroft (Kerri Medders) pulls up in a red Jeep to talk to Joe, telling him that her father is furious and done talking. She kisses him as she leaves. Lettie leans in to tell Billy that she thinks things are about to get ugly.
Veronica finds Tomas as he gathers the workers to strike, telling her that Joe gave them no choice. She tells him that there may be a change in leadership, informing him of her conversation with Margaret. However, she adds that Margaret’s business dealings are similar to Joe’s, and to truly run Heritage House her way, she would need to buy it herself, something she would need help to do.
(ABC/Paul Sarkis)
Mateo and a small group of workers pick grapes in his vineyard when a fancy Porsche pulls up and his half-sister Carmen Sandoval (Mariel Molino) gets out. She asks him if the grapes for her sangria will be picked in time too and he tells her that he doesn’t have a big enough crew, accusing her of being afraid to get her hands dirty and suggesting that she think outside the box.
Antonio watches a news report about the workers strike at Heritage House, with replacement workers having been brought in. Veronica enters and he tells her that Heritage House stock is down 4% because of the strike. Veronica confides in Antonio about Margaret's offer (unaware that he has been working with Margaret to overthrow Joe this whole time). “What if we took over Heritage House?”, she proposes, saying that if the siblings got together and got Lettie on board, they would have enough shares to overthrow Joe. Antonio says he needs time to think about it and Veronica plans to talk to the other siblings. As soon as she leaves, Antonio makes a phone call… to Joe! “Margaret’s been talking to Veronica about taking over the company,” Antonio tells his father. “I won’t forget this, Antonio,” Joe cooly responds. “Don’t worry, I won’t let you,” Antonio promises.
Lettie and Rosa gossip and drink wine. When Lettie gets up to refill their glasses, Rosa answers a knock at the door and finds Joe standing on the porch. They clearly don’t like each other as Joe enters and moves to the kitchen to talk to Lettie, who is surprised to see him. “I want you back in the house,” he says, adding that he has come to appreciate that she let him believe his father was a better man than he was. He tells her that he should have given her more credit for the role she played in creating Heritage House, saying the company is half hers but she really only has 5% of stock. “I want to fix that,” he says, offering to increase her percentage. That’s all Lettie needed to hear to understand the real reason Joe came to her, asking him to leave.
(ABC/Paul Sarkis)
In 1987, Hector (Octavio Solorio) unloads a truck full of fliers for the strike and Joe runs to help him. A truck pulls up with temporary workers and Joe approaches them with a flier, asking them to read it before they cross the picket line. One of the guys throws it on the ground and they gang up on Joe, beating him up. Hector calls Billy for help, but by the time he arrives, the men have jumped back in their truck and are driving away. Joe is bruised and bloody, refusing hospital care and trying to recover in the trailer with his arm in a sling. Margaret arrives to see him and can’t believe her father sent goons to beat Joe up. Joe asks Lettie and Billy to go do a shift on the picket line, introducing Margaret to Hector, who has been working there for over twenty years and has a son who needs medication he can’t afford. Joe finds the strength to return to the picket line, which motivates the workers who tired of the strike, which is now in its third week.
(ABC/Paul Sarkis)
Javier talks with Tomas on the Heritage House side of the gate, workers striking on the other side. When temporary workers arrive, a fight breaks out and Javier dives in to try and break it up. In the altercation, he takes a golf club to the back of his head and collapses on the gravel. Shortly after, Margaret arrives at the emergency room to find Antonio in the waiting room, accompanied by Lettie and Rosa. Margaret goes to Javier’s parents, Gonzo (Daniel Edward Mora) and Clara (Karina Noelle Castillo) to console them, revealing that Javier is her godson. The Doctor (Raji Ahsan) comes out with an update, saying that Javier has a brain bleed and may need surgery if he doesn’t respond to the medication. Only family members will be permitted to see him and Antonio looks crushed, but Clara takes his arm and brings him with her. Shortly after, Joe arrives and Lettie fills him in. She blames him and his war with the workers for putting Javier in the hospital.
Carmen asks her youngest brother Junior (Miguel Angel Garcia) to call some of his friends to help her pick grapes. He is reluctant, but she begs and he eventually agrees. While working on Mateo’s vineyard, Veronica shows up and pulls them into a meeting. She learns that Carmen sold half of her shares to buy the sangria business from Mateo. Veronica says that if the kids take over Heritage House, they could use their label to get the sangria into an international market, which it will need to have guaranteed longevity. She can also fast-track Mateo’s plans for his own prestigious wine label. Veronica proposes that they have a siblings-only meeting tomorrow to discuss things further.
(ABC/Paul Sarkis)
Later, Margaret and Antonio end up alone in a corner of the hospital waiting room and Antonio whispers “She was always your favorite,” referring to Veronica. Margaret sighs before explaining that the only reason she offered Veronica the CEO position is because she needs her 5% of the company. Antonio announces that all she really needs to destroy Joe is the name Carlos Rincón. Margaret asks if Joe has learned who that is. “An undocumented worker who came here thirty years ago and took the name Joe Sandoval. My father’s an invention, a fraud.” Margaret is shocked. “Because of him, Javie may not make it,” Antonio continues. “You want a loaded gun? I just gave you one, but you’re not going to use it. You still love him. To hell with both of you.” Antonio gets up and walks away and Margaret begins to follow but stops when she sees Joe, approaching him instead. “There’s a bar across the street. Buy you a drink?” Joe agrees to go.
(ABC/Paul Sarkis)
When Carmen gets back to her section of the vineyard, she is surprised to find Junior working alone. His friends gave up and went home, but he is determined to stay and help his sister finish picking her grapes. She is touched as she joins him. Later, Mateo and his crew finish picking their grapes and stop by to help Carmen and Junior finish.
Margaret and Joe clink their wine glasses before drinking. She asks Joe if he ever thought about teaming up, saying they’d be an unstoppable force as business partners. Joe accuses Margaret of being drunk, but she says that what he’s doing with the labor negotiations is exactly what her father would’ve done, which makes Joe angry. “I hired replacement workers, he hired goons to take down anyone who opposed him.” Enraged, Joe also tears down a comment Margaret made about inspiring him to become who he is today, saying Lettie is the only woman who ever has or ever will inspire him. “I own 29% of Heritage House with another 10 pledged,” Margaret says. “That means I only need 12% to come my way during a shareholders meeting and you best believe I will not pull punches. I will blow you sky high.” Joe scoffs as he gets up, saying “Like you ever could.” Margaret promises to destroy him. “Bring it on,” Joe says as he leaves.
In 1987, Margaret visited Joe’s trailer with an offer from her father that would give the workers the extra water break they were asking for plus a 15-cent raise per hour. She is shocked when Joe says it’s a good start, but not a fair deal. Billy thinks Joe should accept the offer, but Lettie tells him not to take the deal. Joe further scolds Margaret by bringing up her privileged lifestyle and saying she has no right to tell them what’s best for them. Margaret runs away in tears and Billy takes off to see if she’s okay. Alone, Lettie and Joe get closer, eventually starting to make out, cheating on the two people who just left them alone.
(ABC/Paul Sarkis)
The next day, Joe meets with Tomas and has come to an agreement. He will offer a 5% wage increase, 1% lower than what Tomas was asking for, but 2% higher than the number Joe previously refused to budge on. He has also now been swayed to increase the company’s healthcare contributions from 50% to 70% and will reinstate Lettie’s ESL classes for free to any worker who wants it. They shake hands on the deal.
(ABC/Paul Sarkis)
Antonio is at Javier’s bedside when his eyes finally open. Antonio is in tears, knowing that this means Javier can avoid a surgery that would likely impact his ability to function for the rest of his life. Antonio cries as he holds Javier’s hand, kissing it.
Rosa drinks coffee on Mateo’s couch when he comes in from a night of working in his vineyard. “You’re your father’s son,” she says, admiring Mateo’s drive and determination. “Where do you think he went?”, he asks. “I was talking about Joe, the man who raised you,” she says. It’s time for Rosa to head back to Fresno for work and she’s sorry she couldn’t meet Daniela, who is returning next week. “Don’t let another 6 years go by before your next visit,” Mateo asks.
(ABC/Paul Sarkis)
Joe tells Marta (Susan Ortiz) that the lockout is over and asks her to prepare a celebratory lunch for the whole family. Later, Lettie enters the patio and walks past the feast on the empty table to talk to Joe, who is staring out at his vineyard. He is excited to tell her about the deal, but she cuts him off, saying she’s giving him her shares and won’t be needing them. “I’m leaving you, Joe,” she says, adding that although they came over the wall together, the one they’ve built between them is too big to climb. Joe begs Lettie to stay, saying they love each other. “No. I loved Carlos, Carlos Rincón, but he died years ago.” Joe tells Lettie that this is nonsense, but she tells him goodbye and walks back toward the house. His cries for her to stop do nothing, so he says “Fine, but don’t bother coming back. You hear me? Juana?” Lettie doesn’t stop, the door closing behind her. “I DON’T WANT YOU!”, Joe screams, crying.
Carmen and Junior are the first to arrive for Veronica’s siblings-only meeting, followed soon after by Mateo. Antonio seems like he is holding out, but at last he shows up. “Let’s talk about how to take back Heritage House,” Veronica begins.
Joe stands alone in the backyard looking out at his empire.
There’s just one episode left of ABC’s ten-episode order of Promised Land. The network hasn’t yet shared a description, but we do know the title and it’s a fitting one: “La Tierra Prometida (The Promised Land).” We’ll be back with a recap on March 29th.