What I’m Watching: Jane the Virgin

Jane the Virgin: Season 1, Episode 6 “Chapter Six” (B+)

This episode felt different from the previous five hours, maybe because the narrator is talking less or maybe because the show isn’t headed in a fully expected direction, which is great. I’m most relieved that Petra didn’t end up immediately intimidating Rafael into giving in to her demands, and instead Michael got to be there to smugly help with the arrest, with nothing much coming of it. Jane’s career got to advance in an unfortunate way, as she first ended up as a high school teacher at a catholic school, and then had to have Rogelio’s monster stepdaughters as her students. Jane didn’t waste much time in getting her revenge, and it’s sweet that Rafael was eager to help her by distracting them with his shirtless body. Jane breaking things off with Michael was a surprise, even if it makes sense, and I’m nervous about what he’s going to do when he finds out about that kiss that Jane and Rafael shared at the end of the episode. Xiomara prioritizing her relationship with her daughter and Rogelio’s budding relationship with her over their own romance is thoughtful, and Jane could use a few odds stacked in her favor. Things have changed considerably since Jane first got inseminated, and now we’re looking at Petra being in much more serious trouble than she was before and a dangerous villain who might even transcend the soapy nature of this show in a way that could be very devastating for Rafael and everyone connected to him.