Jane the Virgin: Chapter Twenty-Six
November 4, 2015 9:20 AM - Season 2, Episode 4 - Subscribe
Jane has forgotten to plan her best friend Lina's birthday party, slipping into the all-mom-all-the-time territory she swore she would never enter. New clues emerge in the Sin Rostro case, Xo and Ro cope with Ro's ex blackmailing him, and Jane deals with the fallout after kissing Rafael.
After the amazing baby shower Lina threw Jane, Jane promised to throw Lina an awesome 25th birthday party...which Jane has forgotten about until just a few days before Lina's birthday. Jane discovers that despite her best multitasking, she can't pull together the party on such short notice, and Lina is hurt not just because of the failed party, but also because her fears about Jane pulling away from her after becoming a mom seem to be justified. Admittedly, Jane is busy with Mateo, and taking a class, and worrying about Rafael babysitting Mateo alone. Instead of writing the paper she has due, Jane composes a long list of things Rafael should know to babysit Mateo, which Rafael finds offensive. Somehow, that list ends up crumpled on the floor in Rafael's office, and when Jane calls Rafael to confront him about it while also walking up to Rafael's penthouse, she ducks into a closet to avoid Rafael catching her checking up on him...which is how she finds herself trapped in a locked closet.
Meanwhile, it's still La Semana de Hacer Amor, and even though Rogelio promised Xiomara he wouldn't work with his ex-wife Luciana even for dynamite ratings, Luciana forces herself back on the show by blackmailing Rogelio with his taped audits from his days as a Scientologist. When it seems like Rogelio may take the high road and just work as peacefully with Luciana as he can, in reality, Ro distracted her while Xo stole Luciana's trailer containing her beloved fluffy bunnies. Rogelio and Luciana negotiate a trade—the bunnies for the tapes—and Luciana whispers to Xo to enjoy watching disc 142 part C.
Petra's desperation this week seems to stem not just from her grasp slipping on the power she's seized at the hotel, but also because the idea of raising a baby alone without Rafael is terrifying to her. She suggests to Michael that the two of them team up, given that they both want Jane and Rafael not to be together, but even her ploy of showing Michael the photo she snapped of Jane and Rafael kissing doesn't seem to inspire Michael's cooperation. But maybe all of Petra's problems are solved when Milos shows up, drops to one knee, and says, "You will marry me," which is not a mistake in his English, but a demand that Petra marry him for tax purposes, as she has been an acting partner at the Marbella due only to Milos purchasing shares.
Michael tells Jane that he knows that she kissed Rafael at the very moment that Jane discovers she has locked herself in a closet. Michael frees Jane and they immediately run into Rafael, who wonders why Jane was in the closet on his floor of the hotel. Jane and Rafael bicker about the crumpled list and not trusting each other, and Michael basks in the moment just briefly before telling them both that Petra was probably the one who did it, as she is still in love with Rafael, and Rafael should probably clear that up with Petra. But Michael is looking at Jane the whole time, also hoping for closure. To his credit, Rafael does try to have this conversation with Petra, but who knows what Petra actually heard.
In the middle of his Jane drama, Michael has gotten a new partner named Susanna Barnett and a new lead on the Sin Rostro case: a yodeler named Heidi Von Ocher who knew Sin Rostro/Rose Solano/Denise X years ago. Michael is able to convince Rafael to book Heidi at the Marbella to bring her stateside so Michael can question her. Heidi mentions Denise's "mutter" (mother) being involved, but claims to have never seen or met her. Michael initially doubts new-partner Susanna, but Susanna proves to be a smart investigator and interrogator, as she figures out while they are questioning Luisa (who, by the way, is back in Miami after her mysterious kidnapping) about her captivity that the 80s Miami crime boss "Mutter" may be involved. Unfortunately for Michael, Susanna has been hired by his boss to get to the bottom of what happened with Michael's last partner Nadine, whom we last saw trading the kidnapped Mateo for police evidence of Sin Rostro. Michael confesses to Jane that the stunt to get Mateo back to Jane as quickly as possible could get him fired, and Jane is sympathetic but immediately panicked, as the baby monitor in her room could have transmitted Michael's confession to the living room where Rafael is, but checking the living room monitor reveals Rafael on the phone and the monitor off. Also, Luisa sleeps with Heidi.
Despite Lina's birthday party being a bust, Jane heads out without Mateo (leaving him with Rafael, after they have gone back and worth about whether to legalize joint custody or not) to a club to apologize to Lina. They quickly make amends, dust off their old talent show dance routine to "Hot in Herre," and have a heart-to-heart on the bathroom floor, where Jane realizes she has missed a bunch of update texts from Rafael, who is trying to prove he is a responsible parent.
Jane heads to the Marbella to pick up Mateo, but Rafael has already brought Mateo to her house, and Drunk Jane missed his text telling her that. Michael is coincidentally leaving the Marbella at the same moment, and the two of them kiss in a way that is more passionate, less rushed, but also much more drunk than Jane's kiss with Rafael. Back at home, as Jane relays the tale of the kiss to her mom, she realizes the baby monitor might be transmitting what she said to the living room where Rafael is sleeping. Jane's fears are allayed when she sees the living room monitor is off and Rafael is sleeping on the couch, but Rafael's eyes open after Jane leaves the room, suggesting he definitely heard Jane when she said that Michael might be "the one."
After the amazing baby shower Lina threw Jane, Jane promised to throw Lina an awesome 25th birthday party...which Jane has forgotten about until just a few days before Lina's birthday. Jane discovers that despite her best multitasking, she can't pull together the party on such short notice, and Lina is hurt not just because of the failed party, but also because her fears about Jane pulling away from her after becoming a mom seem to be justified. Admittedly, Jane is busy with Mateo, and taking a class, and worrying about Rafael babysitting Mateo alone. Instead of writing the paper she has due, Jane composes a long list of things Rafael should know to babysit Mateo, which Rafael finds offensive. Somehow, that list ends up crumpled on the floor in Rafael's office, and when Jane calls Rafael to confront him about it while also walking up to Rafael's penthouse, she ducks into a closet to avoid Rafael catching her checking up on him...which is how she finds herself trapped in a locked closet.
Meanwhile, it's still La Semana de Hacer Amor, and even though Rogelio promised Xiomara he wouldn't work with his ex-wife Luciana even for dynamite ratings, Luciana forces herself back on the show by blackmailing Rogelio with his taped audits from his days as a Scientologist. When it seems like Rogelio may take the high road and just work as peacefully with Luciana as he can, in reality, Ro distracted her while Xo stole Luciana's trailer containing her beloved fluffy bunnies. Rogelio and Luciana negotiate a trade—the bunnies for the tapes—and Luciana whispers to Xo to enjoy watching disc 142 part C.
Petra's desperation this week seems to stem not just from her grasp slipping on the power she's seized at the hotel, but also because the idea of raising a baby alone without Rafael is terrifying to her. She suggests to Michael that the two of them team up, given that they both want Jane and Rafael not to be together, but even her ploy of showing Michael the photo she snapped of Jane and Rafael kissing doesn't seem to inspire Michael's cooperation. But maybe all of Petra's problems are solved when Milos shows up, drops to one knee, and says, "You will marry me," which is not a mistake in his English, but a demand that Petra marry him for tax purposes, as she has been an acting partner at the Marbella due only to Milos purchasing shares.
Michael tells Jane that he knows that she kissed Rafael at the very moment that Jane discovers she has locked herself in a closet. Michael frees Jane and they immediately run into Rafael, who wonders why Jane was in the closet on his floor of the hotel. Jane and Rafael bicker about the crumpled list and not trusting each other, and Michael basks in the moment just briefly before telling them both that Petra was probably the one who did it, as she is still in love with Rafael, and Rafael should probably clear that up with Petra. But Michael is looking at Jane the whole time, also hoping for closure. To his credit, Rafael does try to have this conversation with Petra, but who knows what Petra actually heard.
In the middle of his Jane drama, Michael has gotten a new partner named Susanna Barnett and a new lead on the Sin Rostro case: a yodeler named Heidi Von Ocher who knew Sin Rostro/Rose Solano/Denise X years ago. Michael is able to convince Rafael to book Heidi at the Marbella to bring her stateside so Michael can question her. Heidi mentions Denise's "mutter" (mother) being involved, but claims to have never seen or met her. Michael initially doubts new-partner Susanna, but Susanna proves to be a smart investigator and interrogator, as she figures out while they are questioning Luisa (who, by the way, is back in Miami after her mysterious kidnapping) about her captivity that the 80s Miami crime boss "Mutter" may be involved. Unfortunately for Michael, Susanna has been hired by his boss to get to the bottom of what happened with Michael's last partner Nadine, whom we last saw trading the kidnapped Mateo for police evidence of Sin Rostro. Michael confesses to Jane that the stunt to get Mateo back to Jane as quickly as possible could get him fired, and Jane is sympathetic but immediately panicked, as the baby monitor in her room could have transmitted Michael's confession to the living room where Rafael is, but checking the living room monitor reveals Rafael on the phone and the monitor off. Also, Luisa sleeps with Heidi.
Despite Lina's birthday party being a bust, Jane heads out without Mateo (leaving him with Rafael, after they have gone back and worth about whether to legalize joint custody or not) to a club to apologize to Lina. They quickly make amends, dust off their old talent show dance routine to "Hot in Herre," and have a heart-to-heart on the bathroom floor, where Jane realizes she has missed a bunch of update texts from Rafael, who is trying to prove he is a responsible parent.
Jane heads to the Marbella to pick up Mateo, but Rafael has already brought Mateo to her house, and Drunk Jane missed his text telling her that. Michael is coincidentally leaving the Marbella at the same moment, and the two of them kiss in a way that is more passionate, less rushed, but also much more drunk than Jane's kiss with Rafael. Back at home, as Jane relays the tale of the kiss to her mom, she realizes the baby monitor might be transmitting what she said to the living room where Rafael is sleeping. Jane's fears are allayed when she sees the living room monitor is off and Rafael is sleeping on the couch, but Rafael's eyes open after Jane leaves the room, suggesting he definitely heard Jane when she said that Michael might be "the one."
Ours is a house divided (I'm #TeamMichael, he's #TeamRafael), so this episode felt like a win for me, although I'm sure it will go back and forth many more times. For me, Michael not only seems to know Jane's life history, but he seems interested in learning about Jane's life, past and present. I can't imagine Rafael ever asking Jane if she broke out dancing "full talent-show style." Also, there was never any question in my mind that Michael would accept the fact that Jane kissed Rafael, even if he wasn't happy about it. Rafael, on the other hand, seems like he might actually take out his frustrations on Michael and/or Jane, which (IMHO) is as good an example as any for why Rafael doesn't seem right for Jane.
I'm still not sure who crumpled up Jane's list. This show is careful enough that it bothered me, but it might just have been a scene that got cut.
posted by joan cusack the second at 11:41 AM on November 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm still not sure who crumpled up Jane's list. This show is careful enough that it bothered me, but it might just have been a scene that got cut.
posted by joan cusack the second at 11:41 AM on November 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm Team Threesome, because ain't no way I can pick only one of those dudes. They're all adorable. And Jane just has to have snow going on when she kisses, apparently. (In Miami.)
The narrator said it was Petra, and maybe they just cut the scene of it.
Luisa, damn, getting it on with everyone.
I feel sorry for Lina, most shows don't have the best friend getting this much short shrift and I would have enjoyed seeing a Roaring 20's party. But yeah, that's what happens when your friends have babies. Did enjoy "Hot In Herre" though.
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:33 PM on November 4, 2015
The narrator said it was Petra, and maybe they just cut the scene of it.
Luisa, damn, getting it on with everyone.
I feel sorry for Lina, most shows don't have the best friend getting this much short shrift and I would have enjoyed seeing a Roaring 20's party. But yeah, that's what happens when your friends have babies. Did enjoy "Hot In Herre" though.
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:33 PM on November 4, 2015
I'm surprised so far that this show is maintaining a pretty high level, expected a second-season slump. The casting is just so good here that they've been able to keep the characters interesting beyond just servicing the main story. If Rogelio and Xiaomara weren't so good their whole storyline would be ridiculously boring, instead of ridiculously fun and silly.
posted by skewed at 4:05 PM on November 14, 2015
posted by skewed at 4:05 PM on November 14, 2015
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I completely agree that Jane's kiss with Michael was more passionate, less rushed (and more snowy)... but also much more drunk than Jane's kiss with Rafael, but I'm rooting for Rafael. I'm not sure that her final choice will be anytime too soon though.
posted by Laura in Canada at 11:28 AM on November 4, 2015