What I’m Watching: Jane the Virgin

Jane the Virgin: Season 5, Episode 2 “Chapter Eighty-Three” (B)

When I’m watching a show, I try not to link the decline of a particular character with the overall quality of the show, though bringing back Michael in this way is definitely a purposeful decision on the part of the writers, and one that has yet to win me over. Sure, it’s “straight out of a telenovela,” as the narrator gleefully proclaims each episode, but there was already more than enough fodder for great television before this totally game-changing twist. Unlike the almost saintly Michael, Jason is proving himself to be despicable at every turn, ruining every good thing he seems to do by following it up with a negative move. Kissing Jane during their square dancing was a real misstep, especially after he couldn’t take his eyes off Petra earlier, and then pretending that his dog ate the divorce paperwork seemed deliberately manipulative. I did like the reintroduction of episode themes, with this one being Catholic guilt and eternal damnation, and Alba’s embrace of Jane’s divorce while dealing with her own misplaced feelings in her marriage was the strongest subplot. Xiomara continually invoking her cancer does a disservice to her as a character and those around her, and I hope that she’ll get more worthwhile storylines of her own soon. Rogelio’s feud with River is getting excessive, though I did like that bringing Jason in as an amnesia consultant completely backfired. Luisa was good at resisting Rose’s charm in person, but falling for the allure of her neighbor’s homemade pie is just the latest unfortunate decision on her part that’s going to put him in a lot of trouble.