What I’m Watching: Jane the Virgin (Penultimate Episode)

Jane the Virgin: Season 5, Episode 17 “Chapter Ninety-Eight” (B+)

We’ve reached the end of the road here with apparently just one scripted hour to go, as the ninety-ninth chapter will be a retrospective special with interviews before the hundredth and final hour airs this Wednesday. I liked that this episode covered pretty much all the bases, setting us up for the wedding we’ve all been waiting for in what should be a heartwarming finish to the show. I got worried for a minute when Michael was brought back into the picture, but I think it was actually really fitting that he returned so that Jane could give everyone some closure and note that everything had to happen way so that Michael and Charlie could find each other. Despite my affinity for actress Haley Lu Richardson, who is apparently dating Brett Dier, who plays Michael, in real life, I’m glad that Charlie did not become a regular character. Rose showing up to terrorize Jane was rather intense, and I’m glad that it all ended up okay after Luisa dealt the fatal blow so that she would be out of their lives forever. It was funny to see Darcy and Esteban celebrating the fact that they had tricked Rogelio into giving Esteban a major part in the show, something he thought was solving his problem. With Jane’s book sold for a crazy amount of money, Xiomara’s hesitation to leave Miami seems to be the only hurdle to deal with in the finale, though I hope we’ll also get to see familiar faces like JR before this show signs off for good.