Welcome back, friends. It is with a heavy heart that I accept the fact that one of my all-time favourite shows has drawn to a close. CW’s Jane The Virgin concluded this month, ending 5 amazing seasons with their 100th episode. They’ve given us 5 years of romance, comedy, heartbreak and many, many plot twists. Are some of them obvious and cheesy? Yes. Does that make me any less invested in them? Hell no.
As much as I found some of the twists and turns of the show ridiculous, it’s truly a series that has captivated me for a number of different reasons; the characters, the twist, the drama. I’ve been hooked since Season 1 and I’ve probably recommended it to everyone I know. I’ve done my best to sum up the top 6 reasons I recommend Jane The Virgin, tippy-toeing around as to not spoil anything.
- The Plot
-
Jane The Virgin is a combination of a rom-com and a satirical telenovela (A Latin-American style soap opera, but you’ll become very familiar with the concept within the first few episodes). The series is based around Jane Gloriana Villanueva (Gina Rodriguez) a 23 year old Latina womxn, devout Catholic, and as the title reveals, a virgin. Jane juggles being a part-time waitress, a writer, and trying to get into grad school, until one fateful day (as the romantics would say)when she gets artificially inseminated during a routine trip to the gynaecologist. What makes it worse is that now she has to explain to her long-term boyfriend, Micheal, that she’s pregnant – and let’s not get started on Jane’s history with Raphael, the biological father of her child. The series is filled with dramatic twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
- The Leading Womxn
-
The series often features flashbacks showing snippets of Janes youth and how the events displayed morphed her into the womxn she is today. Frequently featured characters in both the flashbacks and present-day scenes are Jane’s mother, Xiomara (Andrea Navedo) and her Grandmother, Alba (Ivonne Coll). Alba is very religious, traditional and cautious nature whilst Xiomara is more reckless and care-free. Jane is cautious yet confident, and meticulously plans every aspect of her life where possible. All living under the same roof, we see the family’s ups and downs – and how Xiomara and Alba take in the news about Jane’s pregnancy. Although different and frequently encountering disagreements amongst themselves, these womxn are all confident, strong, and unconditionally loving and supportive of each other. The Villanueva womxn each have their own stories and battles and are always able to lean on each other when needed.
- The Magical Realism
-
Magical realism can be explained as adding magical elements into modern settings. Jane The Virgin frequently makes use of magical realism through Animated displays of emotion, or incorporating characters that Jane writes about into certain scenes to physically convey her train of thought and discussing topics of contemplation, sometimes, inanimate objects breaking out into song. Or a romantic scene just becoming extra romantic with the sudden fall of snow, or flowers. The aspect of magical realism is the cherry on top.
- The Narrator
-
The Narrator (Anthony Mendes) is possibly my favourite ‘character’ in the show, even though he has no interaction with the other characters. His style of narration reads as if he is a viewer of the show himself, simultaneously all-knowing, yet still surprised and shocked by the unexpected plot twists. His narration emphasises the classic tropes of a telenovela. He’s incredibly dramatic, yet so genuine, and is always offering helpful explanations and recaps, or his unsolicited 2c.
- The Conflict of Head vs Heart
-
Throughout the series Jane The Virgin displays many conflicts of logic versus passion. Jane comes from a working-class background and has dreams about writing and going to grad school, but also contemplates how realistic of a career choice it would be. I find her tendency to research and plan in order to come out with the best possible solution painstakingly relatable. This theme continues in different scenarios including her choice to keep her child, who was not part of her plan, and in the later love triangle she comes to face between her long-term boyfriend and the father of her child.
- The Political Commentary
-
Aside from the amazing diversity and representation amongst the cast, the show also tackles deeply political issues that everyday families deal with in America. Jane and other characters encounter issues of racial prejudice, gender roles and expectations, socio-economic issues surrounding education and childcare, representation in media as well as immigration laws in the US. As the show has run 5 seasons over the past 5 years, they never fail to include their own personal commentary on socio-political issues that are prevalent at the time.
The trickiest thing about recommending this show to people is the fact that I can’t reveal the abundance of plot twists that makes the show so addictive. Each episode is roughly 45 minutes long – and trust me, it’s worth the investment. Thank you to the cast and writers for producing an amazing 5 Seasons. Go forth and watch Jane The Virgin on Netflix!