Sirens: The real meaning behind Jose’s "Mi Amor"

Sirens is the kind of show that tricks you in the best way possible. It gives you one thing in the beginning, but by the end, you’re left with something else. It wears a mask, and as we watch, it becomes our mission to dig into its layers and understand what the show is really about.

At the heart of Sirens is the Kell household. Peter Kell doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who wants control. But the more we see, the more it becomes clear that Peter is the power. And Mrs. Kell keeps changing around Peter’s needs. So it may look like the woman runs the show, but that's only a facade.

Now, there’s also the staff. At first, you think that Jose is just another background player. He is friendly and efficient. But as the show progresses, you realize that he’s much more embedded in the power structure. Jose doesn’t answer to Mrs. Kell. He answers directly to Peter. And more importantly, Peter trusts him with hiding things when necessary.

Jose uses the phrase "mi amor" in Sirens when talking to Michaela while she’s Mrs. Kell. But the moment Simone steps into that role, he transfers it to her. And that speaks volumes. It tells us it's about hierarchy and power.

Let's get into it a bit more.

Sirens: "Mi Amor" is strategic

"Mi amor" sounds like a sweet little phrase. It literally means "my love" in Spanish. So, you’d think it’s a warm and tender expression. But when Jose says it in Sirens, that softness is only surface-level. It’s not used as a term of endearment.

He calls Michaela “mi amor” throughout most of the series while she holds the title of Mrs. Kell. Then, he transfers that exact same phrase to Simone once Peter replaces Michaela. And that’s the clue. This is about status.

Jose is no ordinary staff member in Sirens. The show starts off making him seem like a background character. But over time, we realize he runs half of the house, maybe more. He’s Peter Kell’s right hand. He knows where Peter is, what he’s planning, and probably what he’s hiding. And Peter trusts him in a way he doesn’t trust anyone else. Not even the Mrs. Kells.

That’s why when Michaela tries to threaten Jose, he reminds her that she can’t fire him. Because he doesn’t work for her. He works for Peter.

So when Jose uses “mi amor,” it’s a way of maintaining the illusion of closeness without ever actually being close. It’s his method of creating just enough familiarity to disarm the current Mrs. Kell while still staying in control.

And the creators knew exactly what they were doing with that. In an interview with Variety, the Sirens creator shared:

"There are very few things that are verbatim in the play that make it to the series, but Jose calling Michaela “Mi Amor,” and then later transferring that to someone else, that’s always been in there. I love Jose. I wanted to keep it because it’s a good reminder that Jose has a lot of power in this house. He sees and knows everything, and says nothing. He knows where all the bodies are buried. He’s higher up on the food chain than Michaela, even though it doesn’t seem like that when you meet them. There’s a tinge of condescension to “Mi Amor” as well."

So, this means Jose might actually be mocking them a little. He might be humoring them in their power, that's actually borrowed. “Mi amor” then becomes a subtle insult.

So in the end, that phrase tells us everything we need to know about Jose in Sirens. He plays the game better than anyone else in the Kell household. He sees everything, says nothing, and survives everyone.

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