S01.E16: Chapter Sixteen

[Tara Ariano]

Jane considers attending a romance-writing workshop to get over a case of writer's block. Meanwhile, Rogelio asks to shadow Michael to gain greater insight into portraying a cop; Rafael must ask Rogelio for a favor; and a rift occurs between Xo and Alba.

[kirinan]

Okay, I have to watch Castle now so more later, but I have to just say this: Favorite moment of the episode? Rogelio and Michael salsa dancing in Jane's fantasy. It might have been my favorite moment in the entire series so far, in fact.

[AnnaRose]

Yeah, Rogelio dipping Michael was the best!!

[SeanC]

I enjoy getting less conventional character pairings, like Rogelio and Michael (and, for that matter, Rafael and Petra collaborating relatively peaceably).

 

I liked the handling of Rafael and Jane's relationship here, for people who thought a lot of their prior disagreements were a bit papered-over.  And it added a bit of depth to Rafael as well -- the idea of searching for his mother is promising, as well.

 

I'm guessing Alma is really mainly upset about the idea of Xiomara leaving the house, considering they've lived together for, what, 40 years now?  And I imagine this reminds her that Jane isn't likely to be around that much longer either.

Edited March 17, 2015 by SeanC

[mrsbagnet]

I applauded after Jane's speech to Rafael. He should never have expected her to agree to his rushed timetable. He should know by now that she's a planner. If he doesn't know that, then he certainly doesn't know her well enough to marry her.

[calliope1975]

Rogelio and Michael were the best! I would watch that buddy cop comedy.

[allonsyalice]

If there was a spin off of a Rogelio and Michael buddy cop comedy, I am quite sure it would do as well as JtV. Make it happen, TPTB.

Also, I'm in love with Justin Baldoni. That is old news.

I feel like these past two episodes have just tried to distract me from Rose, but I haven't forgot. Where is she? What is she doing?

[Primetimer]

Rogelio, the victim of a super-mean gif? UNACCEPTABLE. #JusticeForRogelio!

Read the story

[Eegah]

For a while there I had Michael's ex pegged as Rose's new face, but I guess that's out now. I still suspect it's one of the other women though.

[Minneapple]

Rogelio and Michael were the best! I would watch that buddy cop comedy.

I would watch the hell out of a Rogelio-Michael buddy cop comedy. That's the most likeable I've found Michael in ages. I busted out laughing when Rogelio dipped Michael.

April 6? Seriously CW, what are you doing to me?

[MoreCoffeePlease]

The dancing was awesome all-around.  I said to myself, "There is no other show like this on TV, and it is so good!"  Loved Jane doing her little dance in the suite while waiting for Rafael as well.  I liked watching her trying to write too.  "And then she saw ...    And then appeared ..."

 

Subtitles for the dog were cute.

 

Who is the actress playing Michael's ex?

 

Alma is an immature PITA.  Her obsession with sex outside of marriage bugs, and now stomping around like a toddler instead of just telling her daughter that she is going to miss her.  Grow up.

[OrientalAmish]

Awww, I miss Rogelio's photoshop masterpieces on the show.... Why can't they use them in every episode? ;-x

Edited March 17, 2015 by OrientalAmish

[LADreamr]

Subtitles for the dog were cute.

That whole sequence, I was thinking, there has to be a way to add this dog to the cast.

Alma is an immature PITA. Her obsession with sex outside of marriage bugs, and now stomping around like a toddler instead of just telling her daughter that she is going to miss her. Grow up.

So done with her crap. I hate that sexist BS. You can be in a physical relationship and still take care of yourself emotionally. Yes, sex can compromise your thinking, but part of being an adult is learning to deal with these situations. I think it's all about control with her. Edited March 17, 2015 by LADreamr

[possibilities]

The dog made me wonder: do we know the narrator isn't a dog? I'm not saying that to be snarky, it's just that his presence implies he's watching all the time, and when I saw the dog's inner monologue, I realized if the dog was on the show regularly, the dog would be in a similar position to the narrator. And then I suddenly imagined a dog roaming the town, narrating the human lives as though we were characters in a telenovela and the local canines getting together to comment on our foibles. Works with cats, too.

 

I love how the narrator doesn't know everything. Sometimes he knows more than we do, but other times he's surprised.

[Bouffe]

I enjoyed this episode, even if it was a tad sad. While I am firmly Team! Rafael!, I enjoy seeing Jane and Michael be friendly and enjoying each other's presence, even if it is still awkward. I like that of Petra and Rafael, too.

 

Michael and Rogelio FTW! Oh my goodness was that funny.

 

I feel bad for Alba, knowing where her attitude is coming from. At the same time, it's pretty rotten how she's spoiling her daughter's happiness.

 

New caracter? Wonder where that's going. Will this ex make Jane jealous? 

 

Excited to see where Rafael's search for his mother will lead.

 

Where is Sin Rostro?

 

And why do we get episodes weeks apart? Come on!

[allonsyalice]

For a while there I had Michael's ex pegged as Rose's new face, but I guess that's out now. I still suspect it's one of the other women though.

So glad I'm not the only one!! but in that scene where we didn't see her face, I believe her hair was sleeker, shorter and lighter. I'd have to rewatch. I mean, she could have been wearing a wig, but I think Rose has bigger plans. 

[Dagny]

Dog subtitles are the best.

[lucindabelle]

Craft

Hee

He delivers those little jokes so brilliantly.

I've never seen a character like him on TV befoe... Or anywhere. Full of himself, inflated ego, but kind and nice and decent and vulnerable. Whoa. And hilarious.

Come to think of it I don't know that I've ever met anyone like that either, but one or two actors I know are pretty egotistical... Not to that degree... But sincerely do mean well. )once annoyed an actress friend by saying can we talk about me now,l, I'd just broken up with someone.ll she was so hurt I said that we had to talk about my saying it for another half hour, we never did get to talk about me.)

[Eolivet]

A pretty good episode, though it did feel a little like filler. The appearance of Michael's ex is particularly interesting, especially as the timeline seems to indicate he met Jane a year after he and Andie split up. It also begs the question, to me, of if he never paid attention to Andie's love of romance novels (because of his reaction to Jane reading them in last episode's flashback) or he pretended not to know what they were, because his ex also loved romance novels. Given Andie and Jane share a fair number of "surface" things in common (love/write? romance novels, love churros and Calle Ocho), I wonder if Michael has a "type."

 

Aaron Zazo is such an odd character. Why do I get the feeling his "Jain-ism" means something else entirely? They keep mentioning it so often, it's starting to become a running gag.

[tennisgurl]

I love how surprised the narrator was that Aaron Zazo was apparently still on the up and up. I read that situation wrong too, Latin Lover Narrator. 

 

I loved seeing Petra and Rafael working together. They're surprisingly funny. And it gave us puppy subtitles! 

 

Sign me up for the Michael and Rogelio buddy cop show. 

 

Great episode as always. WHY do we have to wait so long for a new one? 

[Lokiberry]

So. . . .Jane Seymour is Rafael's mom? I mean, her character's  name is Amanda Elaine, and his mother's name is Elaine Di Nola. Coincidence? I think not!

[BoogieBurns]

once annoyed an actress friend by saying can we talk about me now,l, I'd just broken up with someone.ll she was so hurt I said that we had to talk about my saying it for another half hour, we never did get to talk about me.

 

This is my sister. A bit off-topic, but I am right there with you!

[twoods]

So. . . .Jane Seymour is Rafael's mom? I mean, her character's name is Amanda Elaine, and his mother's name is Elaine Di Nola. Coincidence? I think not!

This would be awesome. I was wondering why they casted such a big name for a small part.

[Lady Calypso]

I was dying at the Michael/Rogelio buddy cop stuff. That was freaking hilarious. Sadly, another thing about Michael that he has Rafael beat on: the ability to get along with Jane's family.

 

I LOVED the Petra/Rafael/dog subplot as well. Imagine them as parents, if things turned out differently.

 

Thank you, Jane, for standing up to Rafael. I think he really needed to hear that. I'm glad they're getting back on track.

 

Alba's attitude toward Xo is ridiculous. I'm sorry, but Xo is a grown woman. She doesn't need her mother's permission to move out and be happy. Alba has always been self righteous, but I put it aside because she loves her daughter and granddaughter. But now, she's just being selfish and if she can't talk to Xo like a mature adult, then Xo should absolutely move away with Rogelio. God, abuela, you suck.

 

The appearance of Andie does put an interesting spin on things. I'm wondering why they decided to bring her in now, though. Is it to make Jane jealous? Probably. I think they didn't need her, though. I hope she doesn't have some sort of kid with Michael. But it seems like Andie's been obsessing over Michael since they broke up....I hope Michael hasn't been obsessing over her, because I'd actually love a twist of Andie being a kind of stalker for Michael. Now that, though I guess cliche, would be more fun than 'Jane gets jealous and it distances her and Rafael'. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Or maybe Andie is such a super stalker that she knows that Jane wants to be a romance writer and she joined the group to befriend Jane. If that's the case, Andie has some next level stalking skills that I both admire and am afraid of.

 

Rogelio and Michael dancing was THE BEST. I could watch a Michael/Rogelio spin off where they go on stakeouts and then dance every week.

 

I was so glad that Jane told Rafael that she was mad about his proposal too. I think that this is one of those situations where the girl has been made to feel like the bad guy because she didn't give the guy what she wanted. Not to get all "men are entitled babies" about the proposal (and because in general, Rafael has been very kind, supporting, and non-demanding of Jane), but why should Jane be the one at fault here because she isn't ready to marry Rafael? She is allowed to love him AND not feel ready to commit to having a lifelong monogamous relationship with him. Just because she rejected his marriage proposal after dating him for all of, what? Three months? That doesn't make her the bad guy. But because he was the one who got rejected, he is the victim and she is the perpetrator. One of the things I love about this show is that aside from it being silly and funny and amusing, Jane isn't afraid to say how she feels and she isn't some weak simpering cardboard cutout.

 

But what annoys me is that Jane is the most mature person in her family. I have already mentioned Xiomara's issues in a previous episode thread and obviously Rogelio is well intentioned but not the most emotionally mature. Alba has bothered me from the beginning because of her obsession with Jane being a pure virgin and I tried to cut her some slack since she is from a different generation, but she is one of those people who thinks that her rules and her morals are the only way and everyone else is a stupid whore. I know that Xo and Jane will always be her babies, but that doesn't give her the right to dictate their choices and then criticize them every time they disagree with her. Xiomara and Jane are adults and they are allowed to make their own choices without her judging them, guilt tripping them, callling them stupid, or saying how disappointed she is in them.

 

And guess what, Alba? Lots of women have premarital sex and live with their boyfriends who then propose to them and get married, despite the free milk. I would never consider marrying someone before I lived with them first. I know I've had friends who I love and spent lots of time with (at their house) but I could never live with them. A spouse is a lifelong roommate so you'd better make sure you can live with all of their habits before you commit to sharing a house together forever!