S01.E06: Chapter Six

[Tara Ariano]

Jane bonds with Rogelio until she meets his stepdaughters, who aren't very nice to her. Meanwhile, Rogelio persuades Xo to hire his band; Petra gets her husband arrested; and Jane wrestles with how to proceed in her relationship with Michael.

[Primetimer]

But where do Victoria and Valeria land on our countdown of Jane's antagonists this week?

Read the story

[jjjmoss]

I had a big issue with Jane this week. Her streak of righteousness makes her making out with a guy like an hour after breaking up with her fiance for being a liar...sit really badly with me. Michael does call her out on it, and Xo, next week so I suppose it could be a good thing that Jane stops demanding everyone to be perfect to live up to her lofty standards. 

 

I found the ex-stepsisters' acting quite bad in the crying scene such that I thought maybe they were supposed to be faking. They were perfectly convincing as mean girls though. 

 

I wonder how much time will be devoted to the hotel stuff, and how much to the student teaching stuff, now that Jane's juggling both. 

[blugirlami21]

I don't know. I didn't have a problem with her this week like I did last week. Michael really hurt her. I think she explained very well why she felt differently about him and while she was ready to somewhat forgive, she couldn't necessarily forget enough to marry him right now. Do I think it's over for good? Probably not. But i think some time apart is needed right now.

I still find it very interesting that Jane met Rafael first. I really do think that if he had called her then they would be together now. They have a very easy chemistry and I love that he is always encouraging her to be true to herself with her writing. It seems like she's moving fast with Rafe but I kind if feel like they are picking up where they left off five years ago.

The scenes with Petra and her mother made for some nice comic relief. I'm glad that the domestic abuse storyline seems to be over.

I love Rogelio. I like that he was able to defend his extravagant car gift and show Jane that he is not as shallow as she seems to think he is.

I do love Jane with Rafael but I thought Jane and Michael had killer chemistry in that flashback, which was hilarious btw.

Edited November 18, 2014 by blugirlami21

[jjjmoss]

No, I think she's right in that Michael did something bad to her (even if I think telling her would indeed have led to her blabbing it all over the place as many said last week), and she shouldn't immediately forgive him.

 

But her being so judge-y and then making out with someone right after dumping her fiance is also a mode of behavior that I frown upon. "2 wrongs don't make a right" and all that.

 

I don't really "ship" her with one of them particularly more than the other.

Edited November 18, 2014 by jjjmoss

[Irlandesa]

I don't know. I didn't have a problem with her this week like I did last week. Michael really hurt her. I think she explained very well why she felt differently about him and while she was ready to somewhat forgive, she couldn't necessarily forget enough to marry him right now. Do I think it's over for good? Probably not. But i think some time apart is needed right now.

 

Last week I had issues with her being mad at him for not telling her something he learned during the course of an investigation (although I suppose he could have hinted at something not being right in the marriage without saying exactly what he knew) and I didn't think it was worth breaking up over.  But this week, I've changed my mind because I think the show did a much better job of explaining her POV in regards to what Michael did.  He not only didn't tell her about Petra/Zas but he pulled some soft-gaslighting when she suspected that there was something strange going on.  That wasn't done out of protecting his investigation. 

 

But her being so judge-y and then making out with someone right after dumping her fiance is also a mode of behavior that I frown upon. "2 wrongs don't make a right" and all that.

But making out with someone after you've broken up with someone else isn't "wrong."  It's probably not the smartest move with so much turmoil going on in both of their lives, which is why I bet Xo takes issue with it, but it's not wrong.  If she's calling an end to her relationship with Michael, as it seems she is, then she's free to do what she'd like. 

[nilyank]

The narrator told us that Jane could not Michael that one of the reasons she could not marry him was because of her feelings for Rafeal who just told that he likes her.

I also noticed that when Rafael was confessing his feelings to Jane, that we saw her heart was lit up like a flame.

I don't believe despite what he says that Rafael would have noticed Jane in high school.

I also enjoyed Jane's and michael's first meeting and first kiss was better than Jane and Rafael first meeting.

Edited November 18, 2014 by nilyank

[RachelKM]

Rogelio is so sweet.  I loved his explanation for the car.  Also his "Yeah well, that makes sense.  But I wish it didn't," to Xo was super cute.

 

Last week I had issues with her being mad at him for not telling her something he learned during the course of an investigation (although I suppose he could have hinted at something not being right in the marriage without saying exactly what he knew) and I didn't think it was worth breaking up over.  But this week, I've changed my mind because I think the show did a much better job of explaining her POV in regards to what Michael did.  He not only didn't tell her about Petra/Zas but he pulled some soft-gaslighting when she suspected that there was something strange going on.  That wasn't done out of protecting his investigation. 

 

But making out with someone after you've broken up with someone else isn't "wrong."  It's probably not the smartest move with so much turmoil going on in both of their lives, which is why I bet Xo takes issue with it, but it's not wrong.  If she's calling an end to her relationship with Michael, as it seems she is, then she's free to do what she'd like. 

This.  I really feel the Michael could have clued Jane in without telling her about the investigation.   And it made total sense to me in the first place that she was upset at least about that.  And I don't think it was wrong to kiss Rafael after actually breaking it off with Michael.  It would have be wrong to kiss him when he first told her he had feelings as she had not officially ended her engagement.

 

The narrator told us that Jane could not Michael that one of the reasons she could not marry him was because of her feelings for Rafeal who just told that he likes her.

I also noticed that when Rafael was confessing his feelings to Jane, that we saw her heart was lit up like a flame.

I don't believe despite what he says that Rafael would have noticed Jane in high school.

I also enjoyed Jane's and michael's first meeting and first kiss was better than Jane and Rafael first meeting.

Rafe acknowledged that he wouldn't have noticed her when she called him on it.  His response is that he would have been missing out.  I don't think that he was a jackass in high school means he isn't right for her now.  And he certainly noticed her 5 years ago even if he apparently wasn't mature enough or changed for the better enough or whatever to follow through.

 

I liked Jane and Michael's meet cute too. But this is a telenovela, she and Rafael met first and her heart lights for him.   And as noted above, I really like that he remembered their first conversation and remembers her dreams.  It was different than Jane and Michael's meeting, but also very sweet if less fun.  So, I am going to play along.

[twoods]

It's rare that there are two pretty great ships with nice guys, but the Jane/Michael first meeting really won me over. I was sick of Jane being so self righteous. There are bigger things to be mad at than this, and Michael seems like a great and supportive guy. Maybe she needs to be with Raf to realize that Michael really is the one. That kiss did leave me with a bad taste in my mouth- I would have liked to see it a few weeks after the break up.

[Dejana]

This show is just burning through story...do the writers know the show's only going to last one season?

 

I don't think Michael is the worst guy ever and if not for the pregnancy, he and Jane probably would've lived happily ever after, but...things happen and change the entire course of your life.

 

It'll be interesting to see Rafael's reaction to Jane being a virgin. Though at the rate she's moving with him, perhaps she won't be one for much longer. Maybe we're in for Jane the Virgin? or Jane the "Virgin", if she goes through with the act in the heat of the moment, regrets it and decides to reclaim her virginity later on. Though that might be too much, even for this show.

 

Luisa had better show up next week, or at least they could explain what happened to the pivotal hearing related to the lawsuit that she just had to attend, or else Rafael would lose his hotel.

Edited November 18, 2014 by Dejana

[Enginerd]

Does Rafael already know that Jane is a virgin? It seems like everyone's been shouting around about that so much that it would almost be weird if he hadn't heard. For one thing, no one has been questioning whether the baby might be Michael's.

I think the only person Jane gives more of a hard time than he deserves is Rogelio. Michael lied to her and tried to gaslight her. The creepy twins were straight-up monsters. She teases and chides her mother a bit about her unhealthy man habits, but I don't think she's mean about it, and Xo does make some very questionable choices. I don't think Jane actually expects Xiomara to change her ways. But Rogelio hasn't done anything wrong to Jane. She's uncomfortable, but that isn't his fault, and he's her dad, not some rando guy, so I don't see how it's inappropriate for him to buy her things. I loved his explanation of why the car wasn't meaningless to him. And it isn't like he bought her a Ferrari; it's a practical car that will make her life easier.

[JellyFishQueen]

Okay-- I am calling it. It is the lady cop who is doing all these hotel murders.

 

Also enough with these Target message. We get it! You sponsored this show! I will buy from you.

Edited November 18, 2014 by JellyFishQueen

[Enginerd]

When, as shown in the previews for next week, Michael tells Jane that she isn't who he thought she was, I hope she remembers that she broke up with him and she doesn't have to care what he thinks anymore.

I don't dislike Michael, but I think Rafael is a better match for her. She has great chemistry with both of them. I loved the flashback to when she met Michael. But she and Rafael have such great rapport. I'm not so convinced he wouldn't have noticed her in high school. He noticed and liked her when they met five years ago, and that wasn't very much post-high-school. Jane must have either still been in high school or had just graduated.

Plus, they're clearly meant to be! Michael couldn't come up with snow, but when Jane and Rafael kissed, there was spontaneous "snow" with the petals falling off the tree!

I was pretty sure the twins were faking their crying, but that doesn't mean that the things they said weren't true. Maybe they'll appreciate Jane as a loving older sister in time. Maybe their absent father will turn out to be Rafael's womanizing dad.

[nilyank]

Plus, they're clearly meant to be! Michael couldn't come up with snow, but when Jane and Rafael kissed, there was spontaneous "snow" with the petals falling off the tree! 

When Michael and Jane kissed for the first time, they also had spontaneous snow from the plaster in the ceiling where Jane had earlier shot off Michael's gun into the air.

[Enginerd]

There were so many things I loved about this episode, I keep remembering more:
 

-Every bit involving the urn full of Zaz's ashes.

-Rafael helping with Jane's scheme to get dirt on the girls. Good thing they're not bright enough to realize how skeeved they should be by an older man seemingly hitting on teen girls.

-Petra's mothers addiction to the telenovela.

-Rafael having the water and electricity shut off to drive Petra out of his suite.

-Jane's red, white, and gray dress.

-Michael realizing the "phone number" in Disgusting Tom's locker was a code for a shipping container.

 

Also, have you all seen Rogelio's twitter? https://twitter.com/RogelioDeLaVega

It's the best way to reach him!

[Enginerd]

The Rafael snow was better than the Michael snow.

[natyxg]

I think Jane's anger with Michael and even breaking up with him was pretty justified. I could forgive him for lying to her about something, but he was willing to let an innocent baby fall into the hands of a horrible couple (he had to see that Petra wouldn't have been a good mother and he hated Rafael almost from the start) just because he didn't want to care for someone else's baby. At least he did come to his senses eventually, and I do think he is fundamentally a good guy, but I thought that was messed up.

 

I'm not too into Michael/Jane or Jane/Rafael, frankly. The first because Michael messed up bad and the second... I don't even know why. Rafael hasn't done anything to Jane and they do have their chemistry, but for some reason I just reject them. I'm not sure why. Maybe because it was so obvious from the start that they would go there?

 

Anyway, my favorite part of the show is Rogelio, week after week. He's so much fun. I loved when he was annoyed with Xiomara and his ex because they interruped a beautiful moment that he was having with his daughter. jeje.

[doesntworkonwood]

I really liked that episode, and I really love the series so far.

 

I didn't feel sorry for Micheal last week and I still don't feel sorry for him now. Whilst I do know that he couldn't have told Jane the whole truth, he was actively encouraging her to give them the child, despite knowing how important it was to Jane that they be a stable family. I also don't think that it was a small thing, this a childs life were talking about. 

 

Whilst I am a bit iffy about Jane kissing Rafael so soon after she broke up with Micheal, I don't think it makes her a bad person. She's completely unattached, and she knew that Rafael was one of the reasons why she broke up with Micheal. I really enjoyed their scenes together, they were really sweet and charming, and I wish we could have had a few more of those before they moved forward with their relationship. 

 

There was a very obvious parallel made with both of the first kisses. I'm not sure why they did that, usually telenovellas (and other shows) make it pretty obvious what the endgame is, but they seem to want a bit of mystery here.

 

As always, I loved Rogelio. He's incredibally sweet with Jane and I do love when he's on screen. 

[natyxg]

I didn't mind that Jane and Rafael kissed so soon after she broke up with Michael, but I did find the kiss suuuper awkward. I don't know if it was the actors not working out right or if that was intentional, but I thought it was terrible.

[Enginerd]

I think what made the kiss awkward was the positioning. She was sitting, he was standing, then he kind of leaned in and down and sort of pulled her up but without actually pulling her and she seemed a tad off balance...I think that got it off to a slightly awkward start that it never quite recovered from (although I did still find it passionate). It would have been smoother if, say, he'd sat down to talk a bit first, and then leaned in for a kiss. But I also thought the awkwardness seemed intentional, after the narrator kept pointing out Rafael's openings the whole episode...and then he took one. And not sitting down sooner showed that he was trying to keep a little distance and respecting the space of Jane's relationship choices with Michael, but the passion was there so as soon as he felt like he could, he went for it.

[Gin and Tonic]

Yeah, not feeling this episode and it might be a turning point for me souring on the show.  The cast is charming and there's obviously a lot to recommend it, but I'm not sure I'm interested in the story they're telling.

 

I feel like Rafael is by far the shallowest character so far - thinly written, not that the character is superficial.  We know he wants to be a bio dad, he wants to be successful at his job, and he is a former "bad boy," but that checklist of traits isn't adding up to a coherent character for me. 

 

I was totally sold on the show when Xo and Jane had a serious conversation about whether or not Jane should sue the doctor, and Xo pointed out to Jane that her life was going to be irrevocably changed because the doctor was sloppy and unprofessional.  It wasn't about getting rich or seeking revenge, but acknowledging that Jane's life was all messed up now and that needed to be addressed.  And that the situation sucked.  It seemed like the bonkers premise and fantasy elements of the show were going to be grounded in realism and I was down for that.

 

Jane/Rafael just strikes me as fantasy escapism.  Really clever, enjoyable, delightfully acted fantasy escapism, but fantasy nonetheless.

 

Rafael isn't just totally hot, he's a missed opportunity from Jane's past!  He's the bio dad! He's a reformed bad boy! He's really rich! He knows Jane's secret professional passion!  All his mistakes are behind him!

 

There's nothing wrong with fantasy escapism, especially some that's as handled as deftly as this, but that's not the element that drew me into the show. I enjoy when the telenovela tropes are tweaked and played with, not when they're recreated.

 

I also loathed the fake domestic abuse storyline.  I'm glad it was over quickly, but really writers?  You couldn't think of any other way to get Petra out of the suite?

Edited November 18, 2014 by Gin and Tonic

[AnnaRose]

When Michael and Jane kissed for the first time, they also had spontaneous snow from the plaster in the ceiling where Jane had earlier shot off Michael's gun into the air.

 

All I could think watching that scene was, "I hope that isn't asbestos."

[natyxg]

I think what made the kiss awkward was the positioning. She was sitting, he was standing, then he kind of leaned in and down and sort of pulled her up but without actually pulling her and she seemed a tad off balance...I think that got it off to a slightly awkward start that it never quite recovered from (although I did still find it passionate). It would have been smoother if, say, he'd sat down to talk a bit first, and then leaned in for a kiss. But I also thought the awkwardness seemed intentional, after the narrator kept pointing out Rafael's openings the whole episode...and then he took one. And not sitting down sooner showed that he was trying to keep a little distance and respecting the space of Jane's relationship choices with Michael, but the passion was there so as soon as he felt like he could, he went for it.

 

Yeah, exactly. I thought at first that it was awkward because of this, but I thought it would improve once they were both standing up, and it didnt, to me. In fact, IIRC when the petals were falling on them it seemed to me like it was another shot, that it wasnt a direct continuation to when the kiss started, but they were still awkward.

[MarcusBrody]

I cannot get enough of @rogeliodelavega. Thank you for pointing me towards his Twitter! "My hands look amazing today!". HAH!

[zxy556575]

Also, have you all seen Rogelio's twitter? https://twitter.com/RogelioDeLaVega

It's the best way to reach him!

 

Ha! That is fantastic. Does anyone know if Jaime Camil was known as a comedic actor before this?

 

I hadn't warmed much to Michael but I did start feeling sad for him this episode. After his initial panic about the baby, he had sweetly come around to supporting and accepting whatever Jane wanted do do and I thought she should have cut him a little slack. She would likely have been hesitant herself if an ex of Michael's had suddenly shown up and dropped a baby off on him. (Well, Jane and Michael have been dating too long for that to happen, but just saying.)

[Enginerd]

 

Ha! That is fantastic. Does anyone know if Jaime Camil was known as a comedic actor before this?

Yes; he is well known as a comedic actor in the Mexican telenovela world. We haven't seen a lot of it here (yet?), but he's really good at physical comedy in addition to comedic dialogue. And he can dance!

[natyxg]

Yes; he is well known as a comedic actor in the Mexican telenovela world. We haven't seen a lot of it here (yet?), but he's really good at physical comedy in addition to comedic dialogue. And he can dance!

 

Yeah. I haven't actually seen one of this telenovelas properly, but from the commercials they seem to be comedic telenovelas. In the last one I saw him in he was in drag and it looked like it was played for laughs. I'm guessing they were ripping off Tootsie or something. I don't remember what it was called.

Edited November 19, 2014 by natyxg

[RachelKM]

Yes; he is well known as a comedic actor in the Mexican telenovela world. We haven't seen a lot of it here (yet?), but he's really good at physical comedy in addition to comedic dialogue. And he can dance!

I totally want to look him up now.  We did get a hint at his timing and physical comedy chops with his entrance down the thousand yard stairs.

 

And OMG Rogelio's twitter is fantastic.  It almost made me want a twitter account. Still don't, but that's about as close as I've come to it. 

[Enginerd]

 

In the last one I saw him in he was in drag and it looked like it was played for laughs. I'm guessing they were ripping off Tootsie or something. I don't remember what it was called.

That was Por Ella Soy Eva. I didn't watch the whole thing, just an episode here and there. He played a guy who was framed for embezzlement. In order to both hide from the police and investigate, he disguised himself as a woman and got a job at his old company as an administrative assistant. In the process of working there as a woman, he discovered feminism and campaigned for women's rights. There were a lot of funny scenes, but the "feminine" voice he used as Eva irritated me. I thought it sounded like Miss Piggy.

[Irlandesa]

Ha! That is fantastic. Does anyone know if Jaime Camil was known as a comedic actor before this?

Yes, he has been in comedic telenovelas.  Strangely enough,  I never thought much of him before even though he was very popular.  Maybe it's because he played characters that I thought Jorge Enrique Abello did much better in their original version but whatever...bygones.  I'm loving him here.

 

 

After his initial panic about the baby, he had sweetly come around to supporting and accepting whatever Jane wanted do do and I thought she should have cut him a little slack. She would likely have been hesitant herself if an ex of Michael's had suddenly shown up and dropped a baby off on him. (Well, Jane and Michael have been dating too long for that to happen, but just saying.)

I think she could understand him being hesitant about not wanting the baby.  Where he took it too far was when he told her things like she was just "hormonal" when she could tell that something was going down between he and Petra.  But she did forgive him for that.  It's just that the relationship she had with him wasn't what it once was.  She was pregnant with another man's baby and she thinks she's developing feelings for that man.  It's one thing to cut her current fiance some slack because she did do that.  It's quite another to move forward with the relationship when she's having so many doubts. 

 

I think what made the kiss awkward was the positioning.

 

Yep.  I think sitting down would have made for a better transition.  I thought it got better when he picked her up but they are going to have to contend with quite a huge height difference.  It's almost like he has to crouch down to kiss her even when they're standing. 

 

I too would have preferred they wait a bit for the kiss but it's not the first time I've felt them moving through story too quickly.  No one will accuse this show of dragging their feet.  That said, I do like what the previews hint at when it comes to a post-kiss direction.

[herbaltease]

I'm glad I gave this show a chance; my prejudices against the CW nearly convinced me to avoid it.  I tip my hat to the casting director.  Everyone is just right in their roles, particularly Jaime Camil as Rogelio.  He's become my top reason to tune in every week.  I started questioning weeks ago why, with a rich, trust fund kid for a baby-daddy and an international telenovela star for a father, Jane was still riding the bus, so I'm glad that was addressed this week.  Xiomara, my second favorite character, exhibited true self-awareness when she chose to put Jane and Rogelio's relationship before her own dalliance.  I think she needs to leave Ro in the past, anyway.  Sharing a kid doesn't mean you're fated to be together.  Which is only part of the reason why I don't picture Jane and Rafael working out.   I also think he's too morally gray for her - at least presently - not to mention the unluckiest businessman in all of South Florida, with no less than 3 murders on his property, now.  I don't exactly believe Jane is over Michael, either.  Under the circumstances, Detective Mike no longer has anything to keep him from focusing all of his energy on Sin Rostro and, just maybe, his partner.  Was it just my imagination the writers were attempting to foreshadow a closer relationship between them in an earlier scene?  

 

As if all of the usual drama isn't enough, I am eager to see if they'll follow-up on the lawsuit storyline.  Hopefully, Jane's newfound "feelings" won't influence her decision about the suit.  Though we haven't seen Luisa in so long I'm nearly convinced she's in one of those shipping crates on Sin Rostro's freighter.  

Edited November 19, 2014 by 80srockher

[penelope79]

We all know that Jane also developed feelings for Rafael too and that that it was partially the reason why she found the courage to break-up with Michael. That said, what Michael did was huge, imho. Jane told him several times that it was very important for her that Rafael and Petra were a strong couple, yet he knew Petra was cheating on Raf and he also gaslighted Jane by suggesting her hormones were playing with her. He's been selfish, not thinking that what really mattered was the life of a child. And the fact that he changed his mind later doesn't magically erase what he did.

 

I agree that Jane has great chemistry with both Michael and Rafael, but they sold me on the latter. Yes, the kiss was awkwardly filmed but I loved it! I know this show is pure fantasy, but to be fair, how many of us can honestly say that our first kiss with our significant other was perfectly choreographed? In the end, what really matters are the feelings involved and the writers here conviced me that Raf simply couldn't wait and kissed her.

 

And yes, maybe Jane could've waited a little bit more, but she obviously did not expect it to happen that night and she did already call things off with Michael, therefore she was technically free to do whatever she wanted.

 

Finally, as much as they're trying to not completely remove Michael from the equation, for me it's clear that Jane/Rafael is thought to be endgame. I mean, it was clear since day #1 with that "hint" that Jane met Rafael first, it's not like they've been subtle with this. :)

That said, I thought the flashback with Michael was really cute.

 

And I am also glad that Michael is a character who can have a storyline on his own that doesn't necessary involve the pregnancy: I'm really curious to find out more about Sin Rostro now!

 

Overall, I really love this show and the cast, and Rogelio is the cherry on top!

 

Edit: isn't it episode n. 6? I see S01E10 instead of S01E06, did I miss something?

Edited November 19, 2014 by penelope79

[wonderwoman]

I've never watched telenovelas, but from the little I've seen, they always struck me as over-the-top melodramatic. Of course, since I don't speak Spanish, something may have gotten lost in translation (or the subtitles:). That said, I did love ABC's version of Ugly Betty.

So I don't know if this is the norm for Spanish language telenovelas, but one of the things I love most about this show is how it connects the past to the present in subtle ways that illuminate important aspects of characters, but don't necessarily move the plot.

For example, Jane's mother, Xiomara, allowed her to believe that she considered terminating the pregnancy, but her very Catholic mother, Alba, disapproved. However, it turns out that Xo wanted to keep the baby all along, and it was Alba who pushed for an abortion. When Jane finds out, nothing really happened. But, the revelation adds multiple layers of complexity to characters we (and Jane) thought already we knew well.

Same with Jane's father and the car. Rogelio's admission that he hadn't been able to own a car until he was in his 30s provided a rich context for his seemingly extravagant gesture --although, to be fair, it was a Mini Cooper, not an Escalade. While it might seem as though giving cars to his former step-daughters was simply in response to their selfish complaining, there's also an innate fairness in his generosity.

[natyxg]

So I don't know if this is the norm for Spanish language telenovelas, but one of the things I love most about this show is how it connects the past to the present in subtle ways that illuminate important aspects of characters, but don't necessarily move the plot.

 

Telenovelas are NOT subtle. lol.

[wonderwoman]

"Telenovelas are NOT subtle. lol."

They never seemed subtle, but there've been moments both in Jane the Virgin and Ugly Betty, where the emotionl response to a reveal was layered -- not at all over the top. Are these changes that have been made for American audiences, or, was I missing something because I lack Spanish?

[Irlandesa]

Honestly, it really depends on where the telenovela originated. 
 
Most of the telenovelas shown in the US come from Mexico.  The Mexican telenovelas I've seen, coincidentally, tend to go BIG.  Big emotion.  Big drama.  Big comedy.
 
But the Colombian and Spanish (from Spain) telenovelas I've seen are nowhere as BIG as Mexican telenovelas.  In fact, I often used to say that the American version of Ugly Betty was far soapier than the original.  In many ways the "uglification" was bigger on the original but it also had some very heartfelt, human and wrenching emotions.  Ugly Betty had those moments too but they also had aback-from-the-dead-transgender-brother.   The original was not that over-the-top.

[PiggyRod]

I cannot get enough of @rogeliodelavega. Thank you for pointing me towards his Twitter! "My hands look amazing today!". HAH!

My productivity has gone to zero after I found this. I am declaring myself a Rogelio lover.

[Lady Calypso]

I wasn't really feeling this episode at all. I don't feel like I like it as much as the previous episodes. I will start off by saying that this show actually is on the right track when it comes to a love triangle. Love triangles suck hard and always will, but the show has been doing a pretty good, if not excellent, job at showing why Jane could be with Rafael and also with Michael. She has at least some chemistry with both and both guys have their good and bad parts to them. I thought at first that the show was just trying to pair Jane with Michael first so she and Rafael can eventually end up together, but now I'm thinking that there's ambiguity with which guy she'll ultimately end up with. Michael and Jane obviously are going through a very difficult time, so I don't blame Jane for breaking up with him. He did lie to her in a big way, and she has made it clear that she wants her baby growing up in a stable home, and she appreciates honesty more than anything; that's two things that Michael broke, so Jane breaking it off is understandable. I do appreciate Michael trying hard to earn her forgiveness, but I also get that they need their space so Jane can figure out her own personal stuff and so she can remember why she loves Michael.

 

However, no matter what type of feelings Jane has for Rafael that also helped initiate the break up (I truly think she would have tried to work things out if Rafael was not in the picture), I do think them kissing so soon after breaking it off wasn't entirely noble. I think it was bound to happen, but Jane's still hurting and I feel like it could be misinterpreted as more of a rebound situation, working off the hurt and the emotional time she's going through, so I don't feel it was entirely genuine. I think that it's in Jane's right to be kissing whoever she wants, sure, but I think it would have been better if she had actually waited to let her breakup sink in before allowing any making out with anyone to happen. I just think her and Michael have had their problems, but she clearly still loves him, they've been together for over two years, and her feelings for Rafael have flourished very recently. I think maybe part of it was to explore her feelings for Rafael, but maybe also part of her wants to hurt Michael the way he hurt her. She may not even realize this herself.

 

But yeah, she can't really pretend to be this innocent 23 year old who is supposedly perfect and she needs to lower her expectations for people. I like Michael, I like Rafael and I guess I like Jane. But they need to figure this love triangle shit out and fast. But the good thing about both guys is that they have both encouraged and supported her in different ways; Rafael with her writing, and Michael with her family. 

 

Thank god Petra and Rafael's abuse storyline is done. Though I loved the "don't forget your boyfriend" line while handing Petra Zaz's ashes.

 

The twins were super annoying, and I don't really know why they had to be in the episode? 

 

Rogelio is amazing and still my favourite character. I also really love Xo. I don't like Jane's abuela, though. She's too high and mighty most of the time, and I see where Jane gets it from. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I don't have a huge issue with Jane kissing Rafael after she broke up with Michael. Obviously it's better not to rush from one relationship immediately to another, especially since her relationship with Michael was really serious, but since she and Michael were broken up she can do whatever she wants as far as I'm concerned.

 

What I think is far more reckless is that fact that she knows Petra is crazy enough to falsely accuse Rafael of being physically abusive. She knows that Petra and Rafael are not divorced yet. For all she knows, Petra is having Rafael watched/followed/photographed. Rafael JUST filed the divorce paperwork and obviously it wouldn't go through in a day. How terrible would she feel if someone had a picture of her kissing Rafael and she got accused of breaking up his marriage with Petra? Even if it isn't true, it would look terrible and she would be so embarrassed.