By: Angela Russo (@Amaruki99)
This Week on Jane the Virgin:
Jane begins what she hopes will be a passionate relationship with Rogelio’s co-star Fabian, and introduces her finished book to readers for the first time. Meanwhile, Rafael and Elvis secretly investigate Rose as she lives in disguise with Luisa; this causes friction in their hidden relationship. After pressure from the police, Petra persuades Anezka to return to Miami.
Initial Reception:
One of the best things about the series is its ability to constantly poke fun at itself. Returning after a three-week hiatus, Jane is back to its classic telenovela parody hilarity complete with shocking twists, ridiculous soap-opera hijinks, and moving personal moments. I laughed, gasped, and sighed all in the span of an hour. There certainly was a lot packed into the storyline, but unlike the episodes that followed Michael’s passing, they felt extremely cohesive and compelling. Amidst notes of lingering grief and personal conflict, the running romance novel sexy waterfall gag recurred at just the right time to lift the mood.
Jane and Fabian::
Watching the relationship between Jane and Fabian unfold was thoroughly enjoyable, but I’m not getting invested in it. While Jane had an awkward ice-breaker with Dennis in Chapter Fifty-Nine, this relationship feels like the experimental phase of dating that Jane will go through as she enters the scene as a widowed single mother rediscovering herself. On that note, Jane brings up a question that has been hovering in the minds of viewers everywhere: will she wait till marriage again? In her current mindset, it appears that she’s ready to try a fling, but considering her past feelings about sex and her loving experience with Michael, I wonder how she will really feel when the opportunity arises in more than just a hypothetical context.
The Evolution of Grief::
Speaking of Michael, the evolution of grief is still being handled quite masterfully. Rogelio’s apparent feud and reluctance to get close to his new co-star is a mask to cover his grief at seeing Jane move on from Michael; it’s truly a touching admission. Although Jane is in a place where she feels comfortable and ready to date, this ease of life in itself causes her distress. She is further upset by the idea of leveraging the inspiration story of her romance novel as marketing fuel for the book. Her scenes with Alba were very powerful, from being encouraged to value love over lust, to the genuine comfort and wisdom that her grandmother brings from her own experiences. As Alba says, her grief is long term but it has also evolved. In being honest about her real life with Michael, Jane honors him more than if she kept it swept under the rug out of the public eye.
One of my favorite moments this week was Jane’s interview at the book fair. Her willingness to be so open about the experiences that serve as the basis of her book is certainly the best way to market. I believe that people remember and enjoy how they feel when reading a book more than anything else. A personal connection to the author can only strengthen that for a reader. Jane’s commentary on writing strikes a personal chord. To write well requires vulnerability and a willingness to share your ideas and talents to the scrutiny of the world. In an interesting way, Jane’s hesitance to be vulnerable in her writing plays a parallel to her desire to maintain a superficial relationship with Fabian. Jane may be ready to date, but is she ready to be vulnerable in a relationship again?
Rafael’s Big Twist:
Recent episodes have woefully neglected Rafael’s character, keeping him stuck moping around repeating tired-out patterns of pining for Petra that just make you want to yell “Next!” Fans have been on the edge of their seats waiting to find out the truth of what Rafael has been up to all this time…and the answer is finally here, dropped into the narrative like a casually thrown bomb! In a sudden and unexpected twist, he is hot on Rose’s trail! This revelation has me burning to know more about his life in the past three years, something notably absent from the array of flashbacks we’ve been given for the majority of the cast. How and when did he find out that Rose is alive? Where did he meet his investigator Elvis? Here’s hoping that these details will be given greater attention now that his secret agenda is revealed to viewers.
Anezka Returns:
Over the past few months I’ve been asking one thing over and over again: where is Anezka? As the wife of the now-deceased Scott, her disappearance is understandably suspicious. Unfortunately, the irritating nature of this particular character doesn’t exactly have me jumping for joy at her return. Anezka is quickly becoming the new Magda – the character you just wish they’d write out and be done with. That point aside, I do have some questions about the twin sisters. Last time they were together Anezka and Scott were blackmailing Petra…but was that the last time Petra saw them? What about the three-year time jump? When did Petra start paying her sister to stay away? Was it before or after Scott’s death? Anezka is threatening to reveal Petra’s secrets if she doesn’t bail her out of jail, but it begs the question: what secrets? A lot can happen in three years. I may not be thrilled to see Anezka back, but I’m genuinely excited to see what happens next.
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via The Nerd Machine
http://www.nerdhq.com/jane-the-virgin-chapter-60-review/
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