Tirana

**Tirana** is the first episode of Season One and the first overall episode of the series *Claws*. It aired on June 11, 2017 on TNT and became available on Hulu on May 11, 2018.

## Synopsis

Desna gets entangled in a money-laundering scheme in the series premiere of this dark comedy centering on five hardworking yet trecherous manicurists at a Florida nail salon.

## Plot

A shiny morning in Palmetto, Desna, Ann, and Jenn drive to the Plaza and park their cars in the parking lot outside the nail salon. They converse over their upcoming New Years celebration, discussing outfits and struts. Everyone prepares for their day of work: Desna and Jenn getting tools and products ready for use, while Ann waits outside with a baseball bat and a cigarrette. A glance over, she signals the others inside to hide.

Arriving inside the salon is their friend Polly. Though she was not greeted immediately, she is surprised by the girls wearing party hats as they cheered and greeted her with hugs.

[...]

Ken tries to relax to a video and a cup of tea. When he glances through the blinds into the waiting room, he sees the two Russians from days ago, counting the number of costumers in the room. Panicking, he calls Desna; when she tells him to refer to Roller, Ken persists that he was would not and that he has no idea how to handle the situation. Accompanied by Ann, Desna walks over to the clinic. As they are about to enter, a naked costumer rushes outside and is immediately chased by Ann. Desna asks which ones were the problem, to which Ken replies to the gentlemen conversing to one another in their native tongue. Though she pleads with them to leave, she becomes overwhelmingly frustrated as the scene around her grows more chaotic and the two men continue to ignore her presence. Boiled over anger, she breaks a cat figure over their heads and demands once more that the men leave, staring them off as the walk past.

[...]

While Roller is sitting poolside as Desna thread his eyebrows, he tells her not to go to Uncle Daddy about her money dispute. Desna turns her attention to the house, asking he enjoyed living here. When Roller makes a sexual advance, Desna snarls, threading his skin before knocking him into the pool and attempting to choke and drown Roller deep in his pool. She, then, feels remorseful, assuming his body was brain dead. Without warning, he emerges, knocking Desna to the ground as he climbs on top of her to punch her two more times. A gunshot rings out; Roller is projected into the pool, where his body bleeds out.

Desna stands and recollects herself, turning to find Virginia holding a gold-plated pistol. Virginia asks, "Now, am I in your little crew?"

## Cast

**Main Cast**

* Niecy Nash as Desna Simms
* Carrie Preston as Polly Marks
* Judy Reyes as Quiet Ann
* Karrueche Tran as Virginia Loc
* Jenn Lyon as Jennifer Husser
* Jack Kesy as Roller Husser
* Kevin Rankin as Bryce Husser
* Jason Antoon as Kenneth Brickman
* Harold Perrineau as Dean Simms
* Dean Norris as Clay Husser

**Guest Cast**

* Christina Moore as Mandy Heiser
* Andrea Sooch as Riva
* Yvonne Landry as Brenique
* Aadyn Encalarde as Brienne
* Rachel Whitman Groves as Beth
* Evan Daigle as Toby
* Phyllis Montana LeBlanc as Nurse Confetta Brinks
* Sharon E. Smith as Fireworks Woman
* Paul Mann as Boris
* Zdenko Martin as Yuri
* Dodie Brown as Pale Woman
* Michael Hodson as Caterer
* Jency Griffin Hogan as Verla Minder
* Brandon Breaux as Sandwich Board Guy
* Xena Zeit-Geist as White-Haired Stripper
* Brandon Scot Adams as Dixie Mafia (uncredited)
* Charles Adams as New Year's Eve Party Goer (uncredited)
* Chris Angerdina as Dixie Mafia (uncredited)
* Anthony Barbier as Bodyguard (uncredited)
* Rebecca Chulew as Pregnant Woman at Nail Salon (uncredited)
* Juan Gaspard as Dixie Mafia (uncredited)
* Apollo GT as Hot Asian Businessman (uncredited)
* Victoria Hardway as New Year's Eve Party Goer (uncredited)
* Kevin Lapham as Upscale Shopper (uncredited)
* Lamar Lott as She She's Party Goer (uncredited)
* Matthew McClain as Uncle Daddy's Goon (uncredited)
* Erin McCluskey as Tami (uncredited)
* Jeffery Bryant Moss as Seafood Patron (uncredited)
* Edward Parker as Strip Club Patron (uncredited)
* Brandon Pettis as Night Club Patron (uncredited)

## Quotes

“*Faggot.*”
—Annalisa Zayas to Virginia Loc

“*Baby, baby, squeeze my neckt.*”
—Desna Simms

“*Now, am I in your little crew?*”
—Virginia Loc to Desna Simms

## Videos

Claws Strip Club Fun - Season 1, Ep. 1 CLIP TNTClaws No Help Needed - Season 1, Ep. 1 CLIP TNTClaws Doctor's Office - Season 1, Ep. 1 CLIP TNTClaws Poolside Fun - Season 1, Ep.1 CLIP TNT
## Trivia

* The title of the episode is from the song that plays during Ann's cleaning in the salon; *La Tirana*.
* The original script for the episode can be found her.