What I’m Watching: Jane the Virgin

Jane the Virgin: Season 1, Episode 12 “Chapter Twelve” (B+)

This episode changed a lot of what we know about our characters, making everything all the soapier, but I think it should be for the better. Santos didn’t live long after we found out about Rogelio’s assistant’s betrayal, and it was entertaining to see how he and Judy Reyes’ head writer plotted to oust him, and to have Jane write the scene that would serve as Santos’ final appearance. Even though it was just Lachlan trying to cozy up to Petra with yellow tulips last week, it was pretty easy for the real Milos to find her, but it turns out that, thanks to a staged throat slitting and some fake blood, we now know that Milos isn’t actually a bad guy, and it was Petra’s mother who was the evil one the whole time. Additionally, we got a big and clever surprise that may have been predictable but was still well executed – Sin Rosestro. Rafael’s father seemed too probable a suspect, and my only question with Rose is what the endgame with Luisa was, since I think that was a legitimate romance that may serve to be her undoing rather than a deliberate act of manipulation like the specific instance of Luisa being sent to a mental institution. Michael aggressive police work may have appeared to be pay off, but he’s going to find himself very disappointed soon. In this hour, Jane interacted quite a bit with the other women in Rafael’s life, and it’s clear that, more than anything, she’s just a genuinely nice person who always looks for the good in other people.