I echo the apparent consensus that Petra's reunion with JR was the only uplifting part of the episode. Looks like I'll get my Jane/Petra endgame after all. 😉
To my own surprise, I was underwhelmed by Michael's reintegration into the plot, which felt somewhat bumpy and forced. I found it downright offputting that he immediately launched into wanting Jane back and pressuring her via text message. Reading her book specifically as a pretext to emotionally manipulate her into choosing him felt very self-serving. There was a bunch of reminders of pushy S1 Michael in this episode that I did not like at all. Also, it's not like he forgot all his Jason memories when he remembered Michael – did he never date anyone as Jason? He had four years to fuck around and settle down too. It's a little weird, even when it's your true love, to say "I know we've had four years of building totally separate lives but now that I remember you, please upend your entire life and get back together with me immediately."
The whole Rafael thing is just painful because Justin cannot act his way out of a paper bag when it comes to the big emotional beats. He can cry on cue, but that's about it. I also profoundly disliked that they gave Rafael a similar montage with Jane in service of the dumbass love triangle. "I got my memories back too Jane!!!!" Fuck you, no you didn't! I get that the writers were trying to say that the Michael situation has triggered his inferiority complex from the love triangle days with respect to being Jane's second choice, but the cringe worthy attempt to draw a parallel between that and actual amnesia with a repeat cutaway montage was beyond painful and totally cheapens the emotional impact of Michael's revelation last episode. Rafael kicking Jane out was overdramatic as hell, but it did kind of make me laugh that she's finally having some consequences for being stupid enough to constantly give both of her love interests the play-by-play of where her feelings are that day and how she can't guarantee that she won't leave them for the other one. Jane and Raf are also allowing their juvenile bullshit to negatively impact Matteo – when he woke up and overheard them they should have reassured him and de-escalated the situation, not continue to weep as Mommy walks into the cold dark night with no explanation. Talk about childhood trauma fuel. Just idiotic.
tl;dr I'm really not looking forward to this season devolving into a pissing contest between Michael and Rafael because it's embarrassing and a major character regression for everyone involved, including Jane. I agree with @Nanrad - polyamory or bust! If they can't both have her, neither one should!
I'm really, desperately hoping that tonight's health scare wasn't the foreshadowing nail in the coffin for Xo, because killing her off just for the sake of book ending the series with an impactful death or whatever would be incredibly cheap, especially in a series that revolves around maternal love and bonds between women. I can't even think about it.
And the Alba plot...meh? I'm glad that she's getting her own time to shine and that the writers clearly aren't afraid to showcase older women having feelings and romantic plots, but every episode feels like a reiteration of the same thing. How long has she been pining over Jorje? At this point, he is either oblivious or a douche. Or both!
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