TV Review: Jane the Virgin Season 2 Premiere

Welcome to The Young Folks’ Jane the Virgin Season 2 coverage! Click here to read our previous coverage of the series.

Jane is one fierce mama. Last season’s Jane the Virgin finale left us in complete shock; Sin Rostro kidnapping Mateo just hours after his birth was so incredibly hard to take. There was no idea how long or difficult it would be for Jane to get Mateo back.

Luckily, a tense, emotional opening scene takes us through all of the events that eventually reunite Jane with her son. It includes Michael giving up a key part of evidence in the Sin Rostro investigation as ransom for Mateo. Nadine is there to do the switch, trying to tempt Michael with all the power he has in his hands to take down Sin Rostro for good. Yet, not for one second does he hesitate giving it up. (If you weren’t on Team Michael yet, you sure are now.) Jane is with Rafael and Michael each step of the way, wobbling as fast as she can get her boy back. When Michael returns with Mateo, Jane, despite her condition, runs to him, and as the narrator tells us, it’s happily ever after… but not for long.

That kind of opening is truly indicative of how great Jane the Virgin is. It can be dramatic, a little silly (the bit with Rafael’s sister breaking down over a fight with her girlfriend, Juicy), thrilling, and packed with emotion. We care about these characters, especially Jane–which is why our response was so strong when Mateo was kidnapped. We’re reminded that like any great telenovela, there are ups and downs but eventually we get a happy ending. Jane isn’t dark enough to ever imply anything hopeless, but it does get dark and tackles those heavy moments with its signature quirkiness and magical realism.

Now, season 2 takes us on a new journey with Jane: motherhood. Boy, isn’t that filled with ups and downs? I’m not a mother, so I can’t fully relate to Jane’s breastfeeding problems or neuroticism over Mateo’s well-being. However, I still feel for her, and that is much in thanks to Gina Rodriguez’s impeccable performance. She’s still the same Jane, just a little more keyed up, and Rodriguez makes it believable. You really feel for this girl who is now overwhelmed by her new life, on top of dealing with all the other drama, like the fact that the media is hunted outside her door thinking Mateo is the second coming.

One really great thing is that the Rafael vs. Michael rivalry is put on hold. Both make sincere efforts to support Jane, and, believe it or not, each other. Mateo seems to have done a lot for these characters, grounding them in a way for us to see their best selves. I’m curious to see how they proceed to act for the rest of the season with all the twists and turns that inevitably will come their way.

“Oh if they could turn back time,” the cheeky narrator says as Xiomara reveals that she and Rogelio got married by a Cher impersonator in Vegas. Alba is shocked as Jane is clearly more amused by the situation. We didn’t really get to touch on Rogelio and Xio’s new marital awkwardness in the episode though.

Remember when Petra discovered and stole the last specimen of Rafael’s sperm? Well, after much debate and a turkey baster ordered from room service, Petra “decided to go for it.” Whether she’s successful or not remains to be seen, but if she is, this situation just got way too complicated for Rafael.

The episode closes on a mysterious individual seeing Jane in the headline news and stating that it’s time to go after her. What could that mean? And is that Sin Rostro or someone new to the show? So many questions! Looks like we’re in for another crazy (but wonderful) season of Jane the Virgin.

Gaby’s Crazy (But it COULD happen!) Jane the Virgin Theory of the Week:

The new mysterious person going after Jane is somehow connected to Alba’s past. 

Rating: 10/10

“It should be noted that…”Jane the Virgin airs Mondays at 9/8c on The CW.