Wave goodbye: Nail Artisans close shop in ‘Claws’
The women of Nail Artisans of Manatee County returned to our screens this year, but this time it was to close up shop. The South Florida-set dark comedy “Claws” airs its series finale Sunday, Feb. 6, on TNT, bringing to an end the fourth and final season of the show.
Having debuted in 2017, “Claws” brought Desna Simms to life, a nail salon owner doing business for the mafia on the side. Portrayed by Niecy Nash — whom fans might recognize from her pitch-perfect performance in the thrilling comedy “Scream Queens,” her starring role in the mockumentary comedy series “Reno 911!” or her dramatic turn in the emotional miniseries “When They See Us” — Desna has spent four seasons on a journey to obtain her American Dream.
Desna’s dream is supported by the women she works with at her salon (they also fold into her work with the Husser crime family), her three best friends: Jennifer, Polly and Quiet Ann.
Jennifer Husser, played by
Jenn Lyon (“Justified”), obviously has her own ties to the mafia through marriage, while Desna’s real partner in organized crime is seasoned conwoman Polly Marks, portrayed by Carrie Preston of “The Good Wife” fame.
Desna’s muscle, meanwhile, comes in the form of Quiet Ann, played by “Scrubs’” Judy Reyes, the woman responsible for keeping watch and making sure everyone toes the line. Despite staying loyal to Desna for years, Ann has spent Season 4 opposing her former boss as part of a rival crew, complicating Desna’s crime-world domination.
Desna’s crew also added one more member early in “Claws’” run when a murder cover-up necessitated that she keep her boyfriend’s girlfriend close. Karrueche
Tran, the first Asian Pacific American to win an Emmy (for her role in streaming soap opera “The Bay” in 2021), portrays Virginia Loc, who proved herself in Season 3 by quite literally taking a bullet for Desna. While they may have started out on questionable terms, Virginia is integral to both Desna’s salon and her criminal enterprise.