‘Claws’ Recap: Desna is Frustrated Over A Broken Promise + Virginia Earns Her Keep

Desna has to make a run.

The show opens with Desna, Jenn and Quiet Ann pulling up to the nail salon to prep for opening hours. After strutting down an imaginary runway in the parking lot as they get excited over their New Year’s Eve plans, the ladies clean their supplies and get ready for another busy day at the shop.

Shortly after open, a woman named Polly arrives. When she walks in, the other ladies surprise her. They all hug and embrace. It’s apparent by their excitement that Polly has been gone for an extended period of time.

As they embrace, shop newbie Virginia walks in, surprised to see the celebration. Unmoved by it, Virginia says, “Looks like I missed the party.”

Desna introduces Polly to Virginia, who was hired to fill in for Polly while in she was in jail. Virginia is said to have been a dancer in Mississippi who stabbed a customer for getting too close.

Later in the store, Desna’s customer is telling her a story of how her client (she’s an escort) wanted her to dance on a pizza. As the client is telling the story, Virginia jumps into the conversation, and guesses correctly that the story ends with the client requesting that she rolls around in pizza.

A man named Roller then walks in and pulls Desna into the office. Quiet Ann walks to door to act as a guard.

Desna is told by Roller that she needs to make another run. As he asks, the two have a freaky moment and get so loud the whole shop can hear.

Desna asks for $20,000 to help her start her nail business. Roller agrees since Desna has been a major reason behind the success of his drug business.  He asks Desna to choke him out while he climaxes.

Once he reaches it, he passes out and falls to the floor.

As they clean up, Desna insists on making the run after New Years but Roller says the doctor is insistent on making it ASAP.

Desna and crew reluctantly head out for their run.

Desna rounds up Ann and Jenn to make the run. As they set up to leave, Virginia questions them and asks to go. Desna then pulls Virginia to the side and tells her, “I will let you know if I need any extra help. You got it?”

Virginia scoffs at this but seems to follow her advice. “Okay. I mean, I know what’s going on around here.”

Desna, Jenn and Ann head out to make the runs. They first stop at the clinic to speak to the doctor. The doctor is acting quite nervously as he tells Desna that two Russian men are constantly scoping out the place. “They sit here until 5 o’clock every day.” Desna brushes it off and the ladies grab the money to launder it at various banks.

Desna then arrives home, where she is greeted by her brother, who is autistic. He is a skilled artist and he shows Desna multiple drawings of homes and the two of them together. Desna praises his drawing skills and the two share an embrace. The siblings dream of moving into their dream home on the beach.

Uncle Daddy plays Desna out of her money.

As time nears for the NYE party, the ladies meet at the salon. They ask if Polly is going but she declines. As the ladies leave in Ann’s van,  Polly walks to her destination; a very seedy motel. When she gets inside, she turns on the beat up TV and watches a boxing match while placing her “vibrating toy” on its charger. She has a drink and seemingly prepares to spend the night alone.

Meanwhile, the ladies arrive at a strip club. Desna asks for Roller immediately and is told he’s with his boss and relative, Uncle Daddy. Uncle Daddy is angry with his caterer for rancid oysters. He has a young guy dressed in S&M gear get the caterer. Once the caterer arrives, he forces the man to eat the oysters and proceeds to smash him in the head with a glass bottle.

However, Uncle Daddy, spirits go back up as he takes another bump of coke. He gives Roller a bit of the powder to sniff as he is really happy with the success of their medical office. They apparently made 3.5 million dollars from the operation. As a token of appreciation, Uncle Daddy gifts him a key to a really nice house.

Polly surprisingly arrives to the party in a gown she last wore to President Reagan’s Presidential ball. Virginia shows up  and gives a dirty look to Desna. Ann gets a message to spend personal time with a woman she met at the salon. Everyone brings in the new year happily in the club, except Ann whose between the legs of her lover in her truck.

Later on, Uncle Daddy gives Desna an envelope full of money. She hopes it’s the amount she requested.

Polly brings it to Desna’s attention that Virginia is getting really close to Roller on the club stage. Desna sees them grinding on each at the club and she tells her girls that she feels it’s disrespectful.

After the party, Desna tries to express her displeasure to just getting $3,000 of the $20,000 Roller promised. “I can go to the feds for cleaning your money.” Roller dismisses it and tries to engage in another love-making session but Desna blows it off and heads to her car.

Virginia betrays Desna.

In a grocery store the next day, Jenn sees Polly breaking down in the beer case wearing the same dress she had on at the party. Polly tells Jenn she’s at her wit’s end because she has to pay the court restitution for her crime of I.D. theft.

Meanwhile, at Jenn’s house, She tells Desna Polly’s situation. Then she gets a text of Roller’s new address. Desna angrily heads to the new digs. The home is mostly white on the inside and has an infinity pool in the back, next to the bay.

Desna interrupts Roller’s workout to get his attention. In a quick shot, you see curtains quickly closed, inferring that someone else is in the house.

When Desna brings up the $20,000, Roller quickly puts her in check. “If it wasn’t for me, you’d be still cutting off bunions for the rest of your life. You should be thankful.”

When Desna returns back to the house after hanging out with her brother on the beach, she sees Roller having an intense session with Virginia on the piano.

Virginia gets handled at the shop.

The next day, Roller tells Desna to fire Polly since she’s on house arrest and to make peace with Virginia. Apparently, Virgina told Roller Polly is wearing an ankle bracelet. “You need to make peace with Virginia. She’s going to be here for a while.” Desna responds, “The poor girl deserves a chance.”

When Virginia heads to salon, Polly comments on her new purse, saying it’s a $1700 bag. Things seem calm as Virginia sets up for her day but when she least expects it, Desna jabs her in the face. “Out now, private dancer! You’re done here.”

Next, Jenn grabs her by her wig, slams her into the wall and throws her out onto the parking lot ground.

Desna then stands over her and says, “You thought you was gonna skip a couple steps, huh, b****?”

Look at you. You are nothing more but a tossed-out, pimp-less, junior Okeechobee c**ksucker of the month with your stank-rood a** hanging out your clothes.” Desna adds, “You tried to take too many steps b****. I gave you a chance, b****, out of the kindness of my heart. I taught you a trade b**** and this how you thank me?”

A bloodied and bruised up Virginia tries to plead with Desna. “I can help y’all, Desna.”

Before Desna and crew can continue to beat up Virginia, Polly lets Desna know of the growing crowd. Desna then lets Virginia go.

Desna lastly tells Virginia, “I don’t need your help! You’re done B****. You were never gonna be in my crew. Now take your stupid ‘love me long time’ c*m face out of here, far away from here as you can.”

Despite being battered, Virginia still claims she will be with Roller, telling Desna, “ Forget all y’all old a** b****es! Out here wasting my God-given talent.”

“Talent? What talent? Foreskin management?” Jenn retorts.

Polly then trashes her purse and dumps its contents on the ground. Virginia tells the girls that Roller loves her and they all laugh. After feeling embarrassed by the laughter, she proudly says, ” I live at the beach now.” Then she drives off in her two-door coupe.

As Desna, Jenn and Poly clean up, Desna’s realtor calls her and reminds her that she needs to give the deposit for the new salon she wants by Monday or else, she will lose out on it. In a sign of desperation, Desna then heads over to Uncle Daddy’s club to ask for the $20,000. Uncle laughs this request off and says, “You will earn more when we open more clinics, not before.”

Meanwhile, back at the clinic, the Doctor is trying to relax and meditate, watching meditation videos on the computer. However, he sees those Russians from the other day, counting his clients. He then calls Desna to deal with it. She reluctantly agrees and heads over. You then see Ana chasing a deranged client without clothes with her bat and other chaotic scenes. This chaotic montage climaxes with Desna throwing a ceramic cat at the wall above the two guys, demanding them to leave.

The two stare at her as they leave. A woman with a black coat, blond hair and sun glasses suddenly appears as they walk out and they all get into a black SUV without saying a word.

Later that night, Desna is in her bathroom breaking down on the toilet. Her brother brings to her attention that he hung up the gift from Polly (a Versace towel) and tells her, “you should use it. You deserve expensive merchandise.” His mood suddenly changes, becoming unhinged as the ceiling begins to lea, yelling at Desna. He demands to know why they haven’t moved yet. This breaks Desna down even further. However, Desna seem to be at her breaking point, ready to do something.

Virginia finally earns her keep, but at a cost.

The next day, Desna shows up at the salon, passing out the $3,000 to Silent Ana, Jenn and Polly. They all then embrace one another. While still angry about not getting her bonus from Uncle Daddy and Roller’s constant lying. Desna seems determined to figure something out. Before heading out, Desna pulls Polly to the side and tells her that it’s okay to ask for help. “If you need any money, come to me. If you need to pick up extra shifts, come to me. This is our crew. This is our salon. We are a family. I’m going to care of y’all.” The two hug and she heads out.

Desna heads over to Roller’s new house. Once there, she sees a clear duffel bag with money and other items. She opens the bag and takes some of the money, which may add up to the $20,000 she’s owed. She then hears Virginia screaming out, trying to stop Roller from choking her during their aggressive “love-making” session near the pool.

Luckily for Virginia, Desna gets Roller’s attention and he gets up. However, she tells Virginia to get out and she grabs her pink fur coat and runs into the house. “Move it dumb-dumb. For good this time. We have enough herpes around here.”

Roller then gets Desna by the pool to thread his eyebrows. After a brief conversation where Roller tells Desna to stay in her place, Desna gets fed up.

Roller tries to change the conversation by asking Desna, “Can you finish me off?”

Desna replies, I’ll finish you off, baby.”

She then cuts Roller with the thread, smacks him in the head with an metal-like ashtray which knocks him the pool, and proceeds to choke him under water. He seems to pass out and she stops. As she regains her composure and walks away from the pool, Roller jumps out and knocks her to the ground.

As he proceeds to punch her in the face repeatedly, Virginia shoots Roller in chest, killing him. In a bit of poetic justice, Roller floats on his back the same way as he was earlier after he and Desna had their moment in the nail salon office.

As the show ends, a heavily breathing Virginia asks Desna, “Does this mean I am in your crew now?” Desna smirks signaling the two are in it together deeply.

What are your thoughts on the episode? Will “Claws” become a new favorite for you?