What I’m Watching: Jane the Virgin

Jane the Virgin: Season 2, Episode 9 “Chapter Thirty-One” (B+)

As usual, every episode of this show covers some familiar territory - in this case, Jane trying to work on her educational aspirations while dealing with an inconsistently-sleeping baby at home - and drops a handful of plot-altering bombshells. The main reveal, of course, is that, while Luisa’s mother faked her death, she died and is not Mutter, but Rafael’s mother is! Stabbing him in the neck with a syringe was a fearsome way to end the episode, and now all bets are off, since only Michael, who may or may not be Rafael’s mortal enemy, knows Mutter’s true identity. It makes sense that it’s another spouse of Rafael’s father since they tend to go into crime, and I’m sure there will be plenty of drama now. Susanna kissing Luisa was a surprise since that was never her intention and Luisa even asked her if she was flirting just to get her to trust her, but I suppose other characters deserve some relationship drama too. Jane friending Michael’s new girlfriend by accident while trying to sleep-train Mateo was a low point for her, and Michael coming by to explain that he needs her out of his life was harsh. Failing the basketball star who plagiarized his paper was bold but right, and kudos to Jane for finding a creative way to compel him to actually do the assignment. Her lack of basketball skills came in just as handy as her incomparable persistence. It’s hard to find anyone flashier and more dramatic than Rogelio, but Glamma and his gay father certainly come close. It seems their relationship is much more complicated than anyone thought, and I’m sure that will continue to play itself out in the coming weeks.