The CW’s freshman drama Jane the Virgin may have caught your eye after Gina Rodriguez took home the Golden Globe for Best Actress earlier this January. Many were surprised when her name was called—not only is this the show’s first season, but this was the CW’s first Golden Globe, ever. In fact, the network full of lower-budget soap operas has never even had a show nominated. So when Rodriguez bounded onto the stage and tearfully thanked her father for always believing in her dreams, most found it hard not to be intrigued.
When I first saw an advertisement for Jane in Entertainment Weekly, I was immediately hesitant. All I really knew about the show was its title, which sounded questionable. A show whose title reduces its main character to her virginity? No, thank you. Sounded like something I would be actively avoiding—as much as I love shows starring female characters, I’d rather be spending my time watching ones celebrating the female spirit instead of narrowing that spirit down to a woman’s sexuality. Still, after the shiny Golden Globe win, I was curious enough to check it out. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I couldn’t have misjudged it more.
Set in Miami, Gina Rodriguez plays Jane Villanueva, a 23-year-old religious Latina college student studying to become a teacher while dating her boyfriend, Michael. Jane was raised by both her mother and her grandmother, who instilled in her the idea that her virginity is something sacred and should be preserved until marriage. Meanwhile, playboy Rafael Solano is juggling managing his father’s hotel and his failing marriage to his scheming wife, Petra, who desperately wants a child. When Rafael’s OBGYN-sister accidentally inseminates Jane with Rafael’s sample meant for Petra, Jane becomes the Pregnant Virgin. But here’s the kicker—Jane has met Rafael before, when she kissed him five years ago. If this sounds like a cheesy soap to you, it’s because it is. Loosely based off of the Venezuelan telenovela Juana la Virgen, the show loves to play off of its own melodrama, and does so with precision. The show is boisterous and clever and charismatic. Never missing a beat, the trombone-voiced narrator takes us through the whirlwind that is Jane’s story with empathy and melody.
It seems like I’m not the only one who just hopped on board with Jane. After the Golden Globes win, the series has almost doubled its ratings. I’m sure others are just as pleased with I am about its celebration of Latino culture and feminist undertones. Instead of tantalizing Jane about her virginity, the show artfully and playfully celebrates her personal sexual choices without overdoing it. The show emphasizes that being a 23-year-old virgin is nothing to be ashamed of—it’s not self-defining for Jane, it’s just a characteristic.
To those who have qualms about beginning this series: I used to be you. I too looked down on kitschy-sounding soap operas. And then I watched this show, and now I’m completely infatuated with a pregnant virgin. Give it a chance, and you won’t regret it.