Jane the Virgin - S3E15 - Chapter Fifty-Nine

Previously on Jane the Virgin, “Chapter Fifty-Eight” 

The show came back reinvigorated last episode, and this one upped the sexy, the funny, and the fresh. Romantic clichés litter the TV landscape. It’s hard for shows not to trip over them time and again. Jane isn’t exempt from tropes, but the writers have a good deal of self-awareness and good instincts.

I’m a Flirt

Jane is ready to date. She looks the part, she feels the part, but she doesn’t play the part well. At all.  Gina Rodriguez effortlessly switches from sexy to awkward so well, we should thank the writers for giving Jane the chance to flirt and to fail. While we’re at it, let’s thank them for avoiding a problematic relationship with her son’s aide, for acknowledging dating as a widow is tough on multiple levels, and for showing the loss of a mutual loved one is not the basis for a relationship.

Jane’s heart has never been this free to date, before. Her loss of Michael still remains (as it should) but there is thankfully no Rusty Triangle of Doom hanging over us. This is a good thing and a rare thing. Especially, for this network. Raphael makes for a great best friend and dating coach. There is obvious love and affection which will no doubt re-ignite one day, but the show is doing a great job of making Jane and Raphael’s current relationship meaningful and rewarding.

Just a Friend

The morning after awkwardness. The mutual agreement it was just a fling. He senses she may still have feelings. But she doesn’t. Thank goodness. Finally, we have Petra swooning over someone else and that someone else completely into her. Petra and Rafael have great chemistry, but it’s nice to see a new dynamic between them. Whether it be actual feelings or just a bruised ego, Rafael is caught up in a dynamic that is Not Jane and Petra is caught up in one that is Not Rafael. The writers are playing the sexiness angle to the hilt with this one could-be triangle that’s far from stale.

Sexy (Grand) Mama

Alba is this show’s secret sauce and this episode gave us more of the granny greatness. A new love interest gives us a spicy side of Alba, colored with the show’s usual comedic charm. Her Jorge mention-itis and heart eyes are sweet and refreshing, but let’s not forget this woman has been involved in some tangled liaisons. She is not above getting caught necking in a mini-golf course with her would-be lover.

Too often do we see female characters, especially secondary ones, squashed into two-dimensional roles. Mother. Grandmother. Jane’s very premise is showing nuance and depth to women and here we see not only a widowed mother, but a widowed grandmother embrace her sexuality in a way that’s keeping to her character and beliefs.

Reunited

We had to deal with Xiomara and Bruce’s clichéd break up last episode and the triangle and/or miscommunication could have gone plodding along for the rest of the season. Happily not the case. Xiomara came clean to Rogelio about her feelings and he confessed his feelings for her and they are all Happy Happy in Happyland. Good. Let’s keep them this way and give the characters more to do with their lives.

Little Things

• Fabian – It’s not Jane’s heart that’s glowing.. A little unfortunate color and placement

• Petraphael – 3x.
• Bruce – Just when he was growing on us
• Mateo – This look: