S02.E07: Chapter Twenty-Nine

[Tara Ariano]

Babysitters are interviewed by Jane and Rafael, but Jane's high expectations are hard to meet. Meanwhile, Rogelio comes to a crossroads in his life; Jane searches for a writing adviser at a Christmas party; and Petra's plan to befriend Jane backfires.

[natyxg]

This episode was boring.

 

Poor Petra, can't even make a friend because of her crazy life and her mother. I wanted her and Jane to bond *cries*

 

I'm a bit surprised that they sank Jane and Raphael, too, though not really because I so called Jane hooking up with the professor next. That is so happening.

 

I'm glad that the exposé storyline was resolved fast.

 

Poor Nadine, I didn't see that coming.

 

So Mutter is Luisa's mom... ok, whatever. Wait... did she order her own kid to be kidnapped? Cold.

 

Jane's grad school and fiction writing chronicles are boring.

 

How come there was no pay off to the Young Jane flashbacks? There usually are.

[XtremeOne1]

Well that was a twist I didn't see coming. That was massively eff-ed up on Raf's part. Not that it made Michael attacking him in front of Mateo anymore justified. But like Michael doing that, I wish the show didn't have to make them doing so WRONG. 

 

I can't believe we have no show for so long and than a mid-season finale :(.

 

I love this show but I'm not sure about where some of the storylines are headed....

 

1. The Petra storyline....This body stuff was pretty bad and it leading to the quick "Let's not be friends" was disappointing.

2. Michael's storyline...I was expecting more excitement from his big six months away. Instead Nadine gets killed, he has some vide of blue ties, and his partner is the one who has the "ah-ha!" moment. To quote Doctor Bolton "More sparkle! More gasp!"

3. Raf's storyline - Again why? She just had this with Michael, why again? I get he did it because of what happened with Nadine but the fact that he 1) Paid someone to do it and 2) Lied to Jane is just cowardly. And I got to say, this is why I'm "Team Michael"(or team Brett I guess)...This relationship lacked any sort of emotional heart ache because Justin just isn't as strong of an actor as Brett. I mean that scene was devastating thanks to Gina and Brett.

4. Jane and the Professor - If Jane hooks up with her Professor I'll be sooooooooo disappointed. It's a cliche.

[blugirlami21]

I think I may finally be at the end of my rope with this triangle. All this back and forth and both Michael and Rafael being thrown under the character asassination bus week after week and it ending with Jane getting mad and storming away before a proper discussion can be had. I'm so over it. I know it's a telenovella but if they don't stop it I'm not going to be invested in either couple.

Loved Rogelio being the bigger person and sacrificing his dignity for Xo. Loved the black Friday scenes. I also loved how quick Michael was to cut Jane off. I hate how she acts around him when she is the one who does all the breaking up. I felt bad for Petra when she rebuffed Jane. I really wish her mother would go away, she only brings trouble and crime to Petra's life.

Michael's storyline was anticlimatic. Nadine dying was given no importance unfortunately. I dont really think Brett is a better actor than Justin, I think that Michael's actions are usually written more sympathetically. Wgat Michael did was an accident while Rafael gets the sneaky, conniving storyline. Luisa is annoying. What is her purpose?

Edited November 24, 2015 by blugirlami21

[tennisgurl]

Meanwhile, at the police station...

 

Poor Petra. I want her and Jane to be friends. Now that she knows about her "friend" from grad school, and she`s on the outs with Rafael AND Michael, she needs some more people in her life. 

 

Continue to be Team Michael, but I would be ok with taking a romance break. 

 

I cannot believe we wont have any more show for so long!

[LaughingOne]

Yeah, that was really boring. The main stories of Jane choosing an advisor and being freaked out by hiring a nanny were just plain lame. And the rest was so ho hum that by the time they got to the gasp-worthy moment of Rafael ratting out Michael, I was already halfway zoned out and the moment totally lost its punch. So now Raf's a big sleazy liar and Michael needs an anger mgmt class, and nobody is good enough for perfect Jane. Sigh. Well, at least we were right that the professor's next man up!

Edited November 24, 2015 by LaughingOne

[Bouffe]

I will need to rewatch the episode. There was a lot thrown at us and I didn't pay as much attention as I should have. But:

- I was very disappointed about what Rafael did. I remember when Jane though he had heard Michaels confession on the baby monitor, I remember hoping Rafael wouldn't be back to his gangster-ish ways. But I guess he has. And Michael gave into his anger a few episodes back. Seems like there was a lot of character growing over last season. Feels like they are going backwards this season. I felt doubly disappointed because I really liked the beginning of the episode, with Rafael at Jane's, being part of the family.

-Poor Petra. I felt terrible that she told Jane she didn't want to be friends. All because of her crazy mother. Petra's character had also done a lot of growing up and is also now going backwards. The weekend at Bernies references in regards to Ivan were however hilarious.

-I did understand Jane freaking out about the babysitter. Those first steps are not easy. It didn't make for a very compelling story but I felt it was a very real thing to go through for a new mom.

-I'm glad the Wesley writing The Curse of the Solanos storyline was reviewed quickly. I hated that storyline. Interesting reveal about Luisa's mother, however.

-Rogelio coundln't have been any cuter (with Xo) or any funnier (gesturing like crazy!).

-Good call to those who said Michael was not really fired. Have to say I was on the fence about his storyline.

-Shallow alert - baby Mateo being carried by Rafael in the baby bjorn, while Rafael holds his little hands? Holy freaking hotness, batman. *fans self*

Edited November 24, 2015 by Bouffe

[LaJefaza]

Ok I have to ask.. I readily admit I haven't seen this show in months...the last I saw was when Petra stole Rafael's (who was Jane's boyfriend at the time) sperm and impregnated herself in order to force herself into their lives, and who I gather is now demanding child support from Rafael for the babies she alone had a say in creating. Pretty scummy. (Petra should actually get together with Sophia Vergara's ex, they're of the same mind) These babies were created to facilitate Petra's spite and greed. Why exactly would Jane want to be friends with her? Have I missed something? Is the audience expected to forget/approve/laugh off what Petra did as 'shenanigans'? And how are said 'shenanigans' not being frowned upon by lawyers/police? Genuinely asking.

 

As for the love triangle, I don't doubt for one second that it will be fired right back up next year. Jane has forgiven Michael for things she considered 'unforgivable' before, and Rafael, the father of her child, isn't going anywhere. We may get a brief respite, but I have no doubt we'll be enduring this whole 'who will Jane choose' merry-go-round again.

Edited November 24, 2015 by LaJefaza

[rallymantis]

Yeah, I'm in the "Well that ending SUCKED" camp.  Too much of Jane stomping off this season, and I don't like the professor love thing that appears to be pending, either.

 

Sigh.

[elle]

How come there was no pay off to the Young Jane flashbacks? There usually are.

There was a young Jane flashback at the very beginning showing her babysitting to typical hyper-obnoxious kid.  And, I just realized in the house with the white picket fence that we later see her and Raf bonding over until...

 

 

-I did understand Jane freaking out about the babysitter. Those first steps are not easy. It didn't make for a very compelling story but I felt it was a very real thing to go through for a new mom.

-I'm glad the Wesley writing The Curse of the Solanos storyline was reviewed quickly. I hated that storyline. Interesting reveal about Luisa's mother, however.

-Shallow alert - baby Mateo being carried by Rafael in the baby bjorn, while Rafael holds his little hands? Holy freaking hotness, batman. *fans self*

I thought it was odd how calmly Jane took the news that Mateo had waved.  That is something that she would have been bemoaning how she "missed his first (fill in blank) last episode.

 

I'm glad the Wesley thing is over.  I actually laughed at the bullet points about him "thinks he is Turman Capote".

 

I know they often use more than one baby to play "the baby", it seemed to stand out to me this time.  The baby, sweetly yawning in the bjorn, at the Target was not the same baby that the babysitter was watching.

[Irlandesa]

3. Raf's storyline - Again why? She just had this with Michael, why again? I get he did it because of what happened with Nadine but the fact that he 1) Paid someone to do it and 2) Lied to Jane is just cowardly. And I got to say, this is why I'm "Team Michael"(or team Brett I guess)...This relationship lacked any sort of emotional heart ache because Justin just isn't as strong of an actor as Brett. I mean that scene was devastating thanks to Gina and Brett.

My disappointment is that he lied to Jane about it.  He shouldn't have done that.  It should have been a red flag that he felt he needed to. 

 

But that's it.  I'm not upset that he turned Michael in for something wrong that Michael did.  And turning him in that way doesn't make what Michael did more right.  (Although I sometimes think I'm supposed to feel that it is.)

 

As for devastation, well YMMV because I wasn't terribly devastated two weeks ago when Jane dumped Michael.  I was very sad last season when Rafael broke up with Jane and she doubled over in agony.  That was back when the show actually built up Jane and Rafael.  The reason this break up lacked impact was because they didn't build them up this time. 

 

I also loved how quick Michael was to cut Jane off.

 

I liked that he did but I'm surprised he didn't ask about Mateo.

 

Is the audience expected to forget/approve/laugh off what Petra did as 'shenanigans'? And how are said 'shenanigans' not being frowned upon by lawyers/police? Genuinely asking.

Pretty much.  It's just Petra being Petra or something like that.  Everyone, including Rafael, just sort of took the "what's done is done" approach. This, along with the quick "breakups" of Raf/Jane and Jane/Michael is where I think the commitment to fast storytelling hurts this show.

 

I think I may finally be at the end of my rope with this triangle. All this back and forth and both Michael and Rafael being thrown under the character asassination bus week after week and it ending with Jane getting mad and storming away before a proper discussion can be had. I'm so over it. I know it's a telenovella but if they don't stop it I'm not going to be invested in either couple.

Yep.  I can see why the fast paced storytelling is attractive to the showrunner but it's still less than a month for us viewers. 

 

Warning:  Major rant ahead (well not full of vitriol but things I definitely am not happy about)

 

The show is starting to do that thing I hate with leads or centers of the triangle--they're making her the perpetual victim.  She gets accidentally inseminated.  Michael lies to her so she's the injured party.  Rafael breaks up with her, she's the victim.  Michael punches Rafael, she's disappointed.  Rafael lies to her. She's the victim.  She gossips and shares all of Rafael's story with her friend and she's the victim because she trusted the guy in her class.  Her origin story with Rafael is that she kissed him and he never called her.  Now her professor  "hates" her.

 

Heck, other people are even victimized so they victimize Jane but don't get to live with their hurt.  Like Rafael finds out his mother sold him which only existed so he'd break up with Jane and once that happened, it just went away.  Luisa was cheated on just so she could inseminate Jane but then she moved on to Rose.   

 

#JaneTheVirgin?  More like #JaneTheVictim

 

But she won't really suffer major consequences because she's the protagonist.  She'll have two guys continue to love her even after she has chosen the other one.  The prof who "hates" her may become her next love interest before she goes back to one of her erstwhile suitors. 

 

This show does it slightly better than other shows but they're careful to never put her in the MAJORLY wrong category.  At most, she's mildly wrong. And I'm really starting not to care.  There's only so many times you can put the protagonist in the victim role before I start running out of damns to give.  

Edited November 24, 2015 by Irlandesa

[Artsda]

I liked the Target Black Friday shopping/product placement.

 

Not surprised Raphael heard Michael on the monitor and paid someone to confess, Raphael not wanting to get his hands dirty doesn't surprise me. Michael was right all along.

 

I love Petra wanting a friend boo at her mother for ruining it. Petra's "This isn't a plan, this is Weekend at Bernies!" had me laughing out loud. 

Edited November 24, 2015 by Artsda

[Lady Calypso]

Honestly, this episode was just a huge waste of time. I'll start with the love triangle. Imagine if last episode, Jane had still ended up single. There was no purpose in getting her and Rafael back together because they literally broke them up by the end of this episode. They could have created the nanny storyline out of anything; maybe Jane is too busy with her writing and Raf is getting swamped with work. Maybe Xo suggests a babysitter because of both of their growing careers. Basically, anything had to happen that wasn't 'Jane and Raf need date night that legit lasts all of 10 minutes'. We could have seen Jane maybe trying to meet up with a blind date, or her going out for drinks with Truman Capote wannabe. 

 

Instead, they waste Jane being single for a random episode of Jane/Rafael drama. Literally, it had no character progression and the tiny bit that it did have, Jane could have done that whilst single.

 

Also, Rafael actually tipping Nadine's friend off and having him turn Michael in. Stupid, stupid, stupid, and pointless once more. We have Rafael regressing through lies, all to cause another 'twist'. I was fine with Rafael having nothing to do with Michael being 'fired'. I don't love Rafael, but I was pleased (and was hoping he'd get mad at Jane for automatically thinking that he was that guy) that he didn't have a part in it. Except...oh wait, he did because look, nanny cam shenanigans! Yet, we probably won't have an episode of Jane avoiding Rafael because the show can't seem to quit them, even for a few episodes. And since the next episode is the mid season finale, you better bet they'll be some love triangle drama. I just want a break of Jane/Rafael romantic stuff. It's possible to write Rafael as Mateo's father and not as Jane's love interest, you know.

 

The Petra stuff? Also equally pointless. I loved seeing Petra's sad eyes at Jane whenever she had to lie about their friendship, but the whole story was just boring. I just didn't care that her mother is so messed up that she needed Petra to help her bury the body. Also, Petra's pregnant! While the hell would her mother ask her to do such a thing??? Jesus woman, are you trying to not have any grandchildren? There may have been moments that I liked (the narrator's confusion over her 'plan' for one), but overall, I did not enjoy.

 

Wesley's story? I doubt it's totally over. He'll be back to deal with the consequences. Also Jane's teacher? Either they're going to become romantically involved, or he's going to turn out to be evil.

 

Rogelio's story? I don't know. I liked it enough, and I guess I really liked his scenes with Xo, but the episode just brought it down a bit. 

 

Also, the Luisa's mother is alive and is Mutter? Ok twist, I guess. At least Luisa gets her own storyline. Now, to find any clues with Mutter that'll lead to any characters that we've met already. But she may be a new character...hmm...

Edited November 24, 2015 by Lady Calypso

[teamraphaelforever]

This episode lacked so much of what I love about Jane the Virgin.

 

First, I am done with the love triangle. It's being dragged for such a long time and makes me loose a lot of my interest. It's too back and forth that none of the Jane and Michael/Raphael scenes are satisfying because they never last.

 

I was so confused with the whole Mutter is Luisa's mother thing. How was that conclusion drawn? I'm sure it's stated but not in an obvious enough way for me to not be confused. 

 

Also what was with the lack of excitement in the whole thing? Especially in Michaels story line. 

 

I did like the black Friday scene, it made things more relatable and shows us that Jane will always stick to her roots.

 

Hope the mid-season finale brings some bigger twists!

[calliope1975]

I'm barely on Team Michael, but I think I'm joining Team No One. The love triangle stuff is really dragging the show down for me. Bouncing back and forth is annoying. I doubt any romance with the professor will last too long, and then we're back to more Rafael versus Michael. No thanks. 

 

I appreciate the fast moving nature and telenovela over the topness of JTV, but I am getting plot twist fatigue.

[omgsowicked]

I was more moved by Jane and Petra's date/break up than the Raf/Jane/Michael stuff, haha. Seriously, I'm so into the Jane/Petra friendship and I love that they joked about it being romantic. The love triangle stuff, however... I'm losing the desire to invest in either pairing because once they pick a path, they immediately retract it (first, she picks Michael, then calls things off when he screws up; next, she agrees to date Rafael, then leaves angrily when he screws up... both within two episodes [yes, six months have passed in-series, but you get what I'm saying, lol]). I agree with Lady Calypso, they should have kept her single for all that was accomplished here.

 

Jane being neurotic over leaving Mateo with a babysitter and the adviser stuff... I've said it before: I get that it's her personality but it's wearing thin now and I don't know why. If she doesn't hook up with the professor, I'll be shocked... but at least it'll be something different than this love triangle?

 

Surprised that Michael was undercover, was fed up with Nadine but didn't necessarily want her killed off, still unsure about Michael's new partner. And now Luisa's mother is a criminal as well? Their dad knows how to choose 'em, huh? Well, I found that reveal interesting but otherwise, this wasn't the greatest episode. Since the promo didn't show anything from next week's episode, I'm hoping that means there will be lots of wild stuff.

[mrsbagnet]

 

Jane being neurotic over leaving Mateo with a babysitter and the adviser stuff... I've said it before: I get that it's her personality but it's wearing thin now and I don't know why.

 

That aspect of her personality is making her seriously unlikeable. I cheered when Chepa walked out. This woman has been taking care of people, for what, 40 years, and you think she doesn't know how to handle your 6-month-old? That was insulting to Chepa. I know it was hard, but that wasn't the first time she'd ever left Mateo with someone. I'd trust him more at 6 months with Chepa for a couple of hours than alone with Rafael all day as a newborn, which Jane managed to do.

 

I was hoping they'd pair the professor with Xo. Rogelio grates on my nerves - he's way too self-centered. He did redeem himself finally at the end of this episode.

 

The reveal about Mutter being Louisa's mother made no sense AT ALL. Either the full explanation was edited out, or the writers were hoping we wouldn't care enough to notice.

 

I'm sensitive to this right now because I'm watching another show with a similar storyline, but what is up with the idea that it's perfectly okay to lie to get a woman to be or stay in a relationship with you. As if manipulating someone is totally cool is you really want to be with them. Rafael actually acted wounded when Jane accused him of reporting Michael. Now it turns out to be true. Mind games are not love, asshole. If he thought he was doing the right thing by reporting Michael, than he should have admitted it straight away, with no shame.

Edited November 24, 2015 by mrsbagnet

[someone]

One thing I was genuinely confused about: Why couldn't Jane's grandmother watch the baby?

[Mystical chick]

With all of you who are over the Raf/Michael triangle. Pick one, pick none but just move on already, show. It is annoying. And a shame because what was so cute and magical about it in S1 has all but vanished in S2.

 

Magda has come to the end of her usefulness to the show, I think. It's too predictable (yes, I know telenovela, etc) but let Petra be her own person for once. She's been attached to Zaz, Raf, Mother and the guy she is now married to (can't think of his name). Let her be just Petra and see what happens from that.

 

Still watching but not as enthusiastically. :(

[Luciano]

The major triangle/Mutter/Magda (Petra wanting a friendship aside) stuff is whatever, but I did giggle at Rogelio and his horse just randomly walking out of the studio and into the real sunset.

[nilyank]

Rafael said he had reported Michael because Nadine was part of the people who kidnapped Mateo. However, the only reason Michael was able to get Mateo back was because he was able to reach Nadine to make the exchange. Rafael was so grateful that he asked Michael to be the godfather.

The biggest problem for me was why Michael got so angry he started that fight that got Mateo hurt. Michael wasn't really fired and his boss knew and even sanctioned everything Michael did in connection to Nadine and letting her get away.

[Irlandesa]

Rafael was grateful that Michael got Mateo but I don't see why that would make him not care that Nadine was involved in the kidnapping. Perhaps had Michael not let Nadine go, they could have captured Sin Rostro with info she provided before Mateo was kidnapped. And it's likely the exchange would have happened anyway since Sin Rostro had a very specific thing she wanted which is why she took the baby in the first place.

As for Michael, the timing is unclear but he was initially reprimanded for the Nadine stuff. He wasn't fired contrary to Jane's assertion. The 'firing' happened after his partner saw him break into his boss's office...but she saved him by suggesting he go undercover.

[Enginerd]

I wonder if Nadine is really dead, or if they faked her death to free her from Sin Rostro.

Maybe Michael's fight with Rafael was an excessive reaction because it was a combination of being peeved at snitchiness (even though it didn actually get him fired), a long-festering dislike of Rafael, and a little overacting and melodrama in his effort to make sure word got around that he'd been fired.

I really liked this episode. I thought it was very funny, aside from the tedium of yet another breakup for Jane. I wish she would actually stick with being single for awhile. Clearly she doesn't and shouldn't trust either of these guys.

My favorite parts were Rogelio pitching Hombres Locos to the bigwig, and Rogelio's lifeless reading of the Ranchero part and explaining he'd made the acting choice to play the character with Lyme disease. I have chronic lyme disease, and that cracked me up. I wish my listlessness were half as funny as his.

[Bouffe]

I appreciate the fast moving nature and telenovela over the topness of JTV, but I am getting plot twist fatigue.

 

I think that's why I don't mind the twists, the love triangle, the crazy stuff happening in this series. It's suppose to be that way, at least in my mind.  I appreciate the moments of realness, the campiness and the over the top Rogelio acting... But also the plot back and forth. I do hope they are not going to get Jane romantically involved with her professor. He's handsome, but....no.

I was more moved by Jane and Petra's date/break up than the Raf/Jane/Michael stuff, haha. Seriously, I'm so into the Jane/Petra friendship and I love that they joked about it being romantic. 

 

I was extremely disappointed that Rafael turned to his "gangster-like ways" again in regards to how he dealt with Michael. But Petra "breaking it off" with Jane made me genuinely sad. Kudos to the Petra actress (I'm horrible with names) - she succeeded in making me hate her in the first season and making me care about her in this season.

That aspect of her personality is making her seriously unlikeable. I cheered when Chepa walked out. This woman has been taking care of people, for what, 40 years, and you think she doesn't know how to handle your 6-month-old? That was insulting to Chepa. I know it was hard, but that wasn't the first time she'd ever left Mateo with someone. I'd trust him more at 6 months with Chepa for a couple of hours than alone with Rafael all day as a newborn, which Jane managed to do.

 

Yes, Jane is over the top neurotic about Mateo's care. However, we need to remember that Mateo was kidnapped - I too would be very worried about a stranger taking care of my baby for that reason alone. Plus Jane has a hard time relinquishing control, so that makes it even harder to let someone else take care of Mateo. 

The biggest problem for me was why Michael got so angry he started that fight that got Mateo hurt. Michael wasn't really fired and his boss knew and even sanctioned everything Michael did in connection to Nadine and letting her get away.

 

Thank you for putting into words what has been vaguely going through my mind. I sorta understood why Michael was so angry at Rafael when he thought he had turned him in. But now the fact that Michael was not really fired and that Rafael was all "This is not what it looks like" after Jane saw the security camera video... Rafael has also been very detached from the whole kidnapping of Mateo, kidnapping of Luisa and the bigger Sin Rostro plot...

 

Do you think that Michael and Rafael are working together on this Sin Rostro thing? Now I do!!!!!

[Primetimer]

Surely at some point she's going to be near a flight of stairs...?

Read the story

[Bouffe]

My favorite parts were Rogelio pitching Hombres Locos to the bigwig, and Rogelio's lifeless reading of the Ranchero part and explaining he'd made the acting choice to play the character with Lyme disease. I have chronic lyme disease, and that cracked me up. I wish my listlessness were half as funny as his.

 

This was so funny! Even my husband, who's a very casual JtV watcher, laughed out loud at this :) And sorry to hear about your troubles :(

[Irlandesa]

Do you think that Michael and Rafael are working together on this Sin Rostro thing? Now I do!!!!!

While that would be an interesting twist, and Rafael has done things to help Michael with the investigation, I think it'd be too convoluted.  The time line, as far as I remember, is this:

 

1.  Rafael overhears the confessions on the baby monitor.
2. Michael is confronted and put on desk duty.
3.  Michael suspects it's Rafael and punches him at Petra's wedding
4. Michael breaks into his boss's office to find the video of the guy sharing the Nadine information and is caught by his partner.
5. Jane breaks up with Michael
6. Michael gets "fired" in front of everyone (which I suspected was a set up because of how public it was.)

 

I think the "plan" was developed either after #4 or after #5 so I am confused how it'd work.

[Bouffe]

While that would be an interesting twist, and Rafael has done things to help Michael with the investigation, I think it'd be too convoluted.  The time line, as far as I remember, is this:

 

1.  Rafael overhears the confessions on the baby monitor.
2. Michael is confronted and put on desk duty.
3.  Michael suspects it's Rafael and punches him at Petra's wedding
4. Michael breaks into his boss's office to find the video of the guy sharing the Nadine information and is caught by his partner.
5. Jane breaks up with Michael
6. Michael gets "fired" in front of everyone (which I suspected was a set up because of how public it was.)

 

I think the "plan" was developed either after #4 or after #5 so I am confused how it'd work.

Great points. Too bad, that'd be quite the twist!

 

If not with Michael, maybe Rafael is in with the police? Maybe he didn't hire the guy to snitch on Michael, maybe the police did? 

 

I don't really believe that, I'm trying to find an explanation in which both Michael and Rafael do not revert to their "bad ways". I feel like there was a lot of character development for both and that they are going backwards now, which makes me sad.

[molshoop]

 

Jane's grad school and fiction writing chronicles are boring.

 

         Do people really go to Grad school to write romance novels?  Harlequin will take samples

         or complete novels from pretty much anyone, regardless of credentials.

 

         About 30 years ago they were so desperate for writers, they had ads everywhere.

 

        

 

         

[dargosmydaddy]

 

I dont really think Brett is a better actor than Justin

Normally I would argue this statement vehemently, but the scene where Nadine got killed was really strangely acted. BD made Michael look like a civilian who had never been around guns before, not a trained detective. I thought Nadine's death was going to be faked (and I guess it still could be, on this show...), but if so than Michael would have been in on it, so why show that scene (her getting killed) at all?

[Lebanna]

Do people really go to Grad school to write romance novels?  Harlequin will take samples

         or complete novels from pretty much anyone, regardless of credentials.

 

         About 30 years ago they were so desperate for writers, they had ads everywhere.

I've been wondering this too. It would make more sense if she were writing literary fiction or something. I mean, romance is a fantastic genre and takes a huge amount of skill to do well, but having a qualification isn't a prerequisite at all for breaking into that area, and it's not even what would get you past the competition. You might not even make that many useful connections, considering that romance publishing is kind of a different world. Plus, what are the odds that an academic course like this would take the ambition to write what people still actually refer to as 'lady porn' seriously?

Although, it doesn't matter. Logic dictates that Jane's (actually probably her second or third) book is eventually going to be a huge blockbuster - she lives in a telenovela after all.

[kieyra]

For those asking about Luisa's mother = Mutta, Michael and the awesome blonde detective whose name I don't know did some quick hand waving about how some shell company was set up the same year Luisa's mother "died".

That said, why are they specifically referring to her as Luisa's mother, don't she and Rafael have the same mother? Only Rafael already knows she's not dead?

[Kummerspeck]

For those asking about Luisa's mother = Mutta, Michael and the awesome blonde detective whose name I don't know did some quick hand waving about how some shell company was set up the same year Luisa's mother "died".

That said, why are they specifically referring to her as Luisa's mother, don't she and Rafael have the same mother? Only Rafael already knows she's not dead?

Rafael and Luisa are half siblings. Rafael's mom took a payout to disappear after she cheated on their Dad, and everyone was told Luisa's mom killed herself, though she apparently faked her own death and was actually a drug lord.

[Enginerd]

 

That said, why are they specifically referring to her as Luisa's mother, don't she and Rafael have the same mother?

No, they have different mothers. Rafael's mother was paid to abandon him when he was little; he reconnected with her in season 1 but didn't much care for her, mostly due to her willingness to walk away from her child. Luisa's mother was thought to have died. They have mentioned having an unspecified number of stepmothers, so there may have been more before Rose.

[kieyra]

Thanks, I guess I missed that!

[SeanC]

On a minor note, Rogelio's pitch for a new storyline on his show, culminating in the line "I'd like to sell the world some coke." was hilarious. There's an example of a punchline that only people actually familiar with Mad Men would get.

[itainttippithebird]

Completely agree that Magda is the total Pierce of this show. On top of everything else, that horrrrrible attempt at an accent totally sets my jaw in a clinch, especially compared to Petra who obviously speaks the language fluently.

[RachelKM]

My disappointment is that he lied to Jane about it.  He shouldn't have done that.  It should have been a red flag that he felt he needed to. 

 

But that's it.  I'm not upset that he turned Michael in for something wrong that Michael did.  And turning him in that way doesn't make what Michael did more right.  (Although I sometimes think I'm supposed to feel that it is.)

 

As for devastation, well YMMV because I wasn't terribly devastated two weeks ago when Jane dumped Michael.  I was very sad last season when Rafael broke up with Jane and she doubled over in agony.  That was back when the show actually built up Jane and Rafael.  The reason this break up lacked impact was because they didn't build them up this time. 

 

 

I liked that he did but I'm surprised he didn't ask about Mateo.

 

Pretty much.  It's just Petra being Petra or something like that.  Everyone, including Rafael, just sort of took the "what's done is done" approach. This, along with the quick "breakups" of Raf/Jane and Jane/Michael is where I think the commitment to fast storytelling hurts this show.

 

Yep.  I can see why the fast paced storytelling is attractive to the showrunner but it's still less than a month for us viewers. 

 

Warning:  Major rant ahead (well not full of vitriol but things I definitely am not happy about)

 

The show is starting to do that thing I hate with leads or centers of the triangle--they're making her the perpetual victim.  She gets accidentally inseminated.  Michael lies to her so she's the injured party.  Rafael breaks up with her, she's the victim.  Michael punches Rafael, she's disappointed.  Rafael lies to her. She's the victim.  She gossips and shares all of Rafael's story with her friend and she's the victim because she trusted the guy in her class.  Her origin story with Rafael is that she kissed him and he never called her.  Now her professor  "hates" her.

 

Heck, other people are even victimized so they victimize Jane but don't get to live with their hurt.  Like Rafael finds out his mother sold him which only existed so he'd break up with Jane and once that happened, it just went away.  Luisa was cheated on just so she could inseminate Jane but then she moved on to Rose.   

 

#JaneTheVirgin?  More like #JaneTheVictim

 

But she won't really suffer major consequences because she's the protagonist.  She'll have two guys continue to love her even after she has chosen the other one.  The prof who "hates" her may become her next love interest before she goes back to one of her erstwhile suitors. 

 

This show does it slightly better than other shows but they're careful to never put her in the MAJORLY wrong category.  At most, she's mildly wrong. And I'm really starting not to care.  There's only so many times you can put the protagonist in the victim role before I start running out of damns to give.  

All of this.  I'm not necessarily TeamAnyone... but I'm verging on TeamNoOne.  I really felt for Rafael last year when his world fell apart and he pushed Jane away.  And I felt like that wasn't really explored other than how it made Jane feel.  

 

But this one was particularly irritating, because 1) I agree that other than the trying to cover it being him part (which was legit shady of him - also, I stand corrected about him hearing Michael's confession) I can't really be all that bothered that Rafael outed Micheal's actual crime and 2) it was wholly unnecessary to break them up.  How about the fact that Jane's friend just published a tell all about his family because she literally told everything about his family to a guy in her class she'd spoken to approximately 4 times prior?  Sure, it would have taken another episode to reveal that part and have that fight, but it would have been a legitimate reason for Rafael to be hurt and his pulling away would actually be consistent with his tendencies shown last year, when in crisis he pulls away.  But no, that would be a thing JANE did to hurt him.  He has to be at fault... and it has to be super shady. (Still doesn't quite match Micheal's mistakes for me, but I hate that they keep having him do near unforgivable things too.)

 

As for the rest, love Rogelio as always.  Hate that Petra cannot have a friend. (Side note, why wasn't her excuse getting sick?  Better than "I don't want to be friends after all.")

 

ETA: What's up with Rafael and speaking/understanding Spanish?  Or at least people's reaction to him re: speaking and understanding Spanish?  He grew up in Miami and his last name is Solano.  That isn't a guarantee of Spanish speaking, but it shouldn't be a surprise either.  And we've already seen that he understands Spanish when Xo (rudely, you never do this to a guest) tried to exclude him and talk about him at the dinner table on his first visit with them last season.  He understood.  So why was Jane about to translate for Alba for him?  He understood, which is at least consistent, but she seemed not to know he knows Spanish. At this point, Jane should be well aware he at least understands Spanish.

Edited November 25, 2015 by RachelKM

[Bouffe]

But this one was particularly irritating, but 1) I agree that other than the trying to cover it being him part (which was legit shady of him - also, I stand corrected about him hearing Michael's confession) I can't really be all that bothered that Rafael outed Micheal's actual crime and 2) it was wholly unnecessary to break them up.  How about the fact that Jane's friend just published a tell all about his family because she literally told everything about his family to a guy in her class she'd spoken to approximately 4 times prior?  Sure, it would have taken another episode to reveal that part and have that fight, but it would have been a legitimate reason for Rafael to be hurt and his pulling away would actually be consistent with his tendencies shown last year, when in crisis he pulls away.  But no, that would be a thing JANE did to hurt him.  He has to be a fault... and it has to be super shady. (Still doesn't quite match Micheal's mistakes for me, but I hate that they keep having him do near unforgivable things too.)

 

ETA: What's up with Rafael and speaking/understanding Spanish?  Or at least people's reaction to him re: speaking and understanding Spanish?  He grew up in Miami and his last is Solano.  That isn't a guarantee of Spanish speaking, but it shouldn't be a surprise either.  And we've already seen that he understands Spanish when Xo (rudely, you never do this to a guest) tried to exclude him and talk about him at the dinner table on his first visit with them last season.  He understood.  So why was Jane about to translate Alba for him?  He understood, which is at least consistent, but she seemed not to know he knows Spanish. At this point, Jane should be well aware he at least understands Spanish.

 

I didn't quite understand why Jane was about to translate what Alba said in spanish to Rafael. This was a bit weird and maybe a mistake ont he writers part?

 

As for what you said about Jane hurting Rafael with the "Curse of the Solanos" story...  I am 100% in agreement with you. While I don't begrudge the fact that everything revolves around Jane (she is the main character, after all), letting Jane hurt Rafael would have been an interesting plot line. Perhaps it'll resurface soon.

[XtremeOne1]

Normally I would argue this statement vehemently, but the scene where Nadine got killed was really strangely acted. BD made Michael look like a civilian who had never been around guns before, not a trained detective. I thought Nadine's death was going to be faked (and I guess it still could be, on this show...), but if so than Michael would have been in on it, so why show that scene (her getting killed) at all?

 

 

That was such a weird scene. Like, it would have to be a faked death scene because it's the only way to explain how badly written it was. Still I don't blame BD for that one. And yeah, he's infinitely better than JB...but he also has a more well rounded character. I hope this Jane break gives Raf more to do.

 

Also for the discussion about how Jane pays for school....Well, as most people do it now a days, Jane mostly likely took out loans. That's what I guessed and I'm pretty sure Jane's tales about her debt/loans before.  

[Eucrid]

Well that was a twist I didn't see coming. That was massively eff-ed up on Raf's part. Not that it made Michael attacking him in front of Mateo anymore justified.

 

It sooooo did.

Well that was a twist I didn't see coming. That was massively eff-ed up on Raf's part. Not that it made Michael attacking him in front of Mateo anymore justified.

 

It sooooo did.

[kia112]

This show...I don't know.  It's getting boring and when I can guess twists, something needs to change.

 

The reveal two weeks ago that Raf didn't snitch on Michael?  When I saw Michael watching that video, I thought, "Raf probably paid him to do it."  Lo and behold, here we are.  Which still doesn't make Michael wronged, IMO, but whatever.  Last week was super boring and the first episode where I saw I'd only been watching for 20 minutes and I sighed and rolled my eyes.  When Wesley was an complete asshole and said that Jane wasn't one of them because she didn't share all of her personal business with her classmates and then she just spilled her whole story?  I figured it wouldn't end well because that's not a thing you say to people in order to get them to trust you; trust is earned and he did nothing to earn hers.  This episode when Jane forwarded the email to Wesley, again, I thought, "Yeah, she somehow sent that to Adam Rodriguez instead."  This week was also super boring and I'm so sick and tired of seeing Jane's quivering mouth, even though it's played to perfection by bae.  They need a midseason break and so do I.

[dargosmydaddy]

 

That was such a weird scene. Like, it would have to be a faked death scene because it's the only way to explain how badly written it was.

Yeah, I'm becoming more convinced that Michael was imagining the fake death scenario... or that the fake death was actually faked with Michael there (to fool someone who was watching it unseen?) and Michael (the character, not Diers) is just not a good actor.

[natyxg]

Yeah, I'm becoming more convinced that Michael was imagining the fake death scenario... or that the fake death was actually faked with Michael there (to fool someone who was watching it unseen?) and Michael (the character, not Diers) is just not a good actor.

 

I can see this happening. It was just so weird and anticlimantic, the whole thing not just her death scene.

[stormborn]

I know i'm in the minority here but I am so on-board with Jane and the hot professor. Single!Jane trying to juggle being a new mom and whilst still trying to be a normal 25 year old has always been my real OTP and a cute flirtation with a hot guy who really understands her passion for writing and who challenges her might be a lot of fun to watch. Plus he doesn't react to Jane in the way that most people on the show do. Its a fresh dynamic and I'd like to see it explored more.  

 

But then again I've never really been on #TeamMicheal or #TeamRafeal and tbh, I feel like the show has exhausted that triangle to the point where neither relationship seems authentic to me. Rafael is too trying to get Jane to fit in a box of perfect wife and mother because he didn't have that familial stability himself growing up and Michael is still having trouble accepting that the life that he had planned for him and Jane will never be. His resentment towards Rafael doesn't seem to be going anywhere any time soon. Especially when he finds out that Rafael REALLY did sell him out. 

 

For me, both men often project their own personal wants and desires onto Jane but are never really realistic about where Jane is in her life right now. 

 

Rogelio is always a delight. He and Xo are my otp on this show for sure. 

 

And yes, Petra as a character has DEFINITELY outgrown Magda and their shenanigans. She's so much more now than the scheming femme fatale with a checkered past and I think the show needs to bank on her being enough as she is and let's see her operate in some new dynamics as well. She can still be a schemer but we've come a long way with Petra and I hate when the show uses Magda to bring her back to where she was in season one. 

 

And put me in the camp who doesn't believe that Nadine is dead either. This show loves its twists and its turns and I love it for that. 

Edited November 27, 2015 by stormborn

[elle]

All the Black Friday ads reminded of something I meant to ask about Black Friday on the show, which was, when - what time of day - did they go?  Did the family go late on Thanksgiving day, when Tar-get was open after 6pm, or did Rafael arrive really, really, really early at the Villanueva home or could he have spent the night?  I've seen that particular store busier on a weekday afternoon than what they show here.  And why would Jane need to translate what Alba had said to Rafael, I thought he spoke Spanish?

 

I also wanted to mention one of the "blink and you'll miss it" moments that I love on this show.  When Rogelio goes to confront Esteban, Esteban is in full 'KIng Ferdinand' regalia and persona.  He points dramatically at Rogelio and yells to his guards "take him away!"   guard - rear left - checks script.

Edited November 28, 2015 by elle

[bilgistic]

This is bothersome and stretches credularity on an already goofy show: the only people who seem to have jobs are Rafael and Michael (and occasionally Rogelio)--all men. Theoretically, Abeula is retired, I guess. Xiomara does what, exactly? Jane takes one class in grad school? Who's paying their bills?

[Kummerspeck]

This is bothersome and stretches credularity on an already goofy show: the only people who seem to have jobs are Rafael and Michael (and occasionally Rogelio)--all men. Theoretically, Abeula is retired, I guess. Xiomara does what, exactly? Jane takes one class in grad school? Who's paying their bills?

Jane is currently unemployed but was working 3 jobs (waitressing, teaching, and writing), Abuela does work but we don't know doing what (I think in 1x04 she mentions she called out sick to go dress shopping with Jane and Xo), and Xo does gigs at lounges/clubs/etc and does children/teens dance lessons.

[bilgistic]

I think Jane was student teaching as part of getting her undergrad degree. I know she was working at the hotel, but hasn't since she had the baby. Her writing isn't a job now, but part of her graduate school work, as her professor and advisor review it. I guess I can handwave Xiomara working, but that hasn't been shown in a long time.

[AudienceofOne]

#teamsingle

 

Also, I did say if the show tried to make me believe Raf turned in Michael then I would be done. Well... I don't (believe it). And... I'm not sure. The narrator is still killing it. The show is structurally still good. But the plot choices this season. Ergh. I really enjoyed this show without the love triangle. And I really liked her friendship with Rafael. Couldn't we have had that for a few more episodes,

 

Also, this "Michael let Nadine go" thing is really annoying me. Because, yes, Michael gave Nadine a head start. But when she came back he arrested her and put a tracker on her. And then the only reason he let her go the third time was because he didn't want the police to know he was handing over evidence -  To rescue Rafael and Jane's baby. The idea that Rafael was more angry at him coming between him and Jane than him saving their baby's life is crap. I don't buy it.

 

Anyway, I'm like five months behind. But I'm fast catching up! And I just hope this season gets better.