Jane the Virgin, “Chapter Fourteen,” was written by Paul Sciarrotta and directed by Brad Silberling. Trust and honesty play big roles in all the storylines in this episode. Once again this is a tightly written episode that is both funny and touching. The magical realism in this episode is Jane (Gina Rodriguez) seeing her life turn into a telenovela – complete with fake sunset backdrops, wind machine, and lavender clothing… so much lavender clothing!
The episode begins with a flashback to five years ago that really highlights just how different Jane and Rafael (Justin Baldoni) were then. Jane is outlining her plans, for the coming fall and the coming decade! She tells Xo (Andrea Navedo) and Alba (Ivonne Coll) that she’s going to go to the University of Miami and get a teaching degree – with writing on the side – instead of Iowa, which has a great writing program. This way she can live at home and save more money. She plans on working through school and not having kids until she’s settled in her career. Rafael, meanwhile is being told off by Emilio (Carlo Rota) for being lazy and having no direction and no job. As Emilio tells Rafael what a disappointment he is, Xo tells Jane how proud she is of her!
Later in the episode, the Solano family dinner is nicely tied into Luisa’s (Yara Martinez) story about meeting Rose (Bridget Regan). They began their steamy relationship on the very night before this dinner. Luisa tells Michael (Brett Diaz) that they met in a bar. Rose told Luisa that she was just getting out of drugs – but Luisa thought she just meant in the same way that Luisa was getting sober. The night after they make passionate love in the pool – now the site of the reflecting pool over Emilio’s body – Luisa remembers the uncomfortable family dinner mentioned above and meeting Rose as her father’s fiancé. The narrator (Anthony Mendez) assures us that Rose was a lesbian and really was just after Emilio for access to the Mirabella to allow her to set up her plastic surgery ring.
It would seem that the truth of the matter is that Rose and Luisa really are in love. Rose calls Luisa to ask her to run away with her. Luisa tells her she’s still put out for Rose having put her in the mental hospital and killing her father. However, by the end of the episode, it appears that Luisa has run off with Rose – or maybe she really has just gone to her ashram? I loved the narrator drawing to our attention that we only see Rose from the back – has she changed her face? She’s certainly cut her hair, and we know she’s really a blond now too. I really hope they don't recast the part because I think Regan is terrific!
Jane and Rafael meanwhile begin to realize that they don’t know each other that well. As they start to register for baby items for Jane’s shower, they begin to wonder if they will have to order two of everything – one for Jane’s house and one for Rafael’s apartment. Lina (Diane Guerrero) is throwing Jane a shower, and both are happy to renew their friendship. Lina knows Jane doesn’t want games at the shower but gives Jane a questionnaire for the parents to fill out. Jane suddenly realizes that she doesn’t even know Rafael’s favorite song – it’s Living on a Prayer by Bon Jovi…
It’s this lack of familiarity that leads Jane to question what Rafael is up to. I loved the scene when Michael comes to tell Rafael that Rose is Sin Rostro. It’s hilarious to watch as Jane’s eyes just get bigger and bigger with disbelief as she thinks “This if friggin’ crazy! Act like this is completely normal. Even though this is so friggin’ crazy!!! Wait. You know what it’s like actually… My Favorite Telenovela” and the last is in the telenovela font. Rafael and Michael begin acting like they are in a telenovela as the backdrop appears and their shirts turn lavender. I loved them standing up and slapping each other! All of the actors really deserve extra praise for making the shifts in tone that the show demands. They all commit completely to it and that’s largely what makes the show work.
It’s only when Michael asks to interview Luisa that Rafael realizes that Luisa was telling the truth about Rose. I loved the look between Jane and Rafael when the penny drops and he realizes he needs to get his sister out. Of course, the narrator tells us “Poor Luisa. Always one crucial step behind.” Luisa has already put her escape in motion. It seems her roommate Betty (Tammy Caplan) really liked her because she breaks a 12 year silence to scream as a diversion for Luisa. It’s just dumb luck that Luisa stumbles out of the back entrance just as Rafael shows up to collect her.
Rafael continues to have real problems with all the women in his life. Petra (Yael Grobglas) makes a triumphant return to the Mirabella as a co-owner. She plans to make Rafael a silent partner. After Emilio’s body has been found – I’m still sad we won’t have any more Carlo Rota – except in flashbacks! – Petra calls a board meeting within the hour. Rafael manages to convince Luisa to give her third of the shared to him even though she is still angry that he didn’t believe in her and have faith in her. Luisa still insists that money is the root of all their problems.
This opens the door for Petra who’s been listening to sway Luisa to give her the voting rights. Petra masterfully manipulates her by using a fictitious ashram and telling Luisa everything she wants to hear. Is anybody else besides me a little sad to see Petra return to her villain status? I’d just gotten used to pulling for her – at least a little.
Meanwhile, Jane overhears a mysterious conversation Rafael is having. She’s just talked to Xo about the possibility that Rafael could be hiding his father. Xo and Jane have a hilarious conversation about whether the one would cover for the other if the police came after them. Xo says she’d hide Jane, but Jane says she wouldn’t risk hiding Xo! Jane also points out that it’s highly unlikely she’s do anything that she’d need to be hidden while Xo clearly has a temper!
She overhears Rafael saying “as long as he got the money. I want out of this mess. Use discretion. I’m wiring the last of the money so nothing can be traced.” To make her more suspicious, Rafael lies about the call, and then Jane catches him lying about what the call was about. When Jane sees Rafael mysteriously tucking someone into the room across from his penthouse, she can’t help herself and knocks on the door to find Roman Zazo (Alano Miller)! Of course he isn’t Roman he’s Roman’s twin brother Aaron. Rafael tracked Aaron down using a private detective after Roman died. Aaron had been volunteering at an orphanage in Mexico when he was kidnapped and held for ransom by a drug cartel – cue telenovela treatment!
Aaron tells them he’s a JAIN (the narrator points out not a J-A-N-E and that it’s an Indian religion founded on the principle of non-violence). He also promises to help in any way he can. Of course, Rafael has told us that Roman and his brother hadn’t spoken in years, but when Aaron runs into Petra on the elevator, he tells her that his brother told him all about her – how is that possible?! Is this really Aaron? Another mystery and another hidden truth.
Rafael is really hurt that Jane apparently doesn’t trust him. She tries to tell him that trust takes time. She points out that while she realizes he had to be discreet about Aaron while the drug cartel had him, he could have told her and he didn’t. When Rafael finds out that Emilio really is dead, Jane feels badly that she doesn’t know how to comfort him or what he needs. Again, they just don’t know each other that well. As always it’s Alba who gives Jane the best advice. She tells Jane that “to be vulnerable in front of someone, you have to feel safe.” She suggest that Rafael is having trouble trusting Jane with his feelings.
Jane goes to Rafael with Chinese food – her go to comfort food. She tells him he doesn’t have to tell her what he’s feeling but that he can trust her because she loves him. Baldoni and Rodriguez are both excellent in this scene. He tells her that he loves her too. He then brings the episode full circle by admitting that he had always been a disappointment to his father. Jane comforts him and stays the night. Rafael demonstrates that he’s learning about Jane but is still far from really knowing her. He’s filled out the questionnaire so that they can “ace the test” – something that will totally satisfy the scholar in Jane, but then he asks her to move in with him, and that’s definitely not what Jane was hoping for.
Xo and Rogelio (Jaime Camil) also have to learn to trust each other with their feelings. I loved Jane staging an intervention to make them finally admit what they were really feeling and what they really wanted. I also loved how adorably Rogelio corrected Jane every time she didn’t call him Dad. The two parents once again come across as the petulant children to Jane’s patient parenting.
It was also adorable that Rogelio tried to describe his feelings by using Santos to do it initially. But Rogelio gets full points for being the first to really admit that he would miss Xo too much if he went to Mexico. Xo of course is thrilled. So thrilled, in fact, that she considers him staying in town as enough of a commitment to sleep with him finally! We learn how big a sacrifice he’s making when we find out that not only will he be playing second lead to his arch rival Estaban, the show is called Pasion Intergalactica and is a space telenovela!
Once again, the show combines lots of intrigue and mystery while giving us lots of answers to move along at a really satisfying pace. It also features some terrific performances and themes which are woven though out the episode. What did you think of the episode? Is Aaron up to no good? Is Luisa really with Rose? Will Jane agree to move in with Rafael? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
About the Author - Lisa Macklem
I do interviews and write articles for the site in addition to reviewing a number of shows, including Supernatural, Arrow, Agents of Shield, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Forever, Defiance, Bitten, Glee, and a few others! Highlights of this past year include covering San Diego Comic Con as press and a set visit to Bitten. When I'm not writing about television shows, I'm often writing about entertainment and media law in my capacity as a legal scholar. I also work in theatre when the opportunity arises. I'm an avid runner and rider, currently training in dressage.
