Jane the Virgin “Chapter Thirty-five” was written by Chantelle M Wells and was directed by Melanie Mayron. This is Wells second writing credit so it’s nice to see her paired with someone with as much experience as Mayron. I love how many women factor into the creation of this show! It seems that everyone’s love-life is in transition in this episode!
The flashback to open the episode is just to last night and Jane (Gina Rodriguez) and Michael’s (Brett Dier) reunion. The two catch up on everything, and Jane considers it the most romantic night of her life. We find out that that girl wasn’t his girlfriend – just someone he works with! In the present, the two are literally in a bubble of happiness, until the thought of Rafael’s (Justin Baldoni) reaction pops it.
Michael says all the right things in this episode and says the he was wrong and that he just wants to apologize to Rafael and move on. I loved Xo (Andrea Navedo) and Alba (Ivonne Coll) peeking out the window at the two of them! Naturally they want details, but Jane insists that she has to talk to Rafael first.
Meanwhile, Xo and Rogelio (Jaime Camil) are “uncoupling.” Jane is impressed by how mature they are being about the break up, but it becomes clear pretty quickly that they really aren’t broken up. I loved the scene in which Xo helps Rogelio to run lines for a very steamy scene and the two end up in bed! Even the Narrator (Anthony Mendez) cut in to tell them that they are off script! Navedo and Camil are just terrific together.
Jane catches the two when she sees Rogelio run out of the house. Xo tries to pretend she was having a nap, but then dismisses it as just ex-sex. Jane tells her it’s not a lecture but Rogelio is holding out hope that Xo will change her mind about having kids. Xo decides that she has to break Rogelio’s bubble, and she tells him that they have to take a step back from each other. She’s supposed to go with him to the Diego premiere, but suggests Jane goes with him instead.
Jane tells Rafael about Michael, and Rafael is livid. He tells her anyone but Michael! He’s convinced that Michael puts Mateo in danger, so Jane brings up Petra and Magda pushing Alba down the stairs – and Jane threw Petra a baby shower after all that! Rafael does agree to have lunch with Michael and Jane. We get another bubble moment as Jane preps Michael for the meeting.
Michael’s apology is humble and sincere… and written by Jane! Rafael tells Michael that he doesn’t like him or trust him, and Michael accuses Rafael of being jealous – and things go downhill from there.
Jane tells Rogelio about being back with Michael and it’s hilarious! Jane tells him that he has to promise to stay calm because she knows how much he likes Michael. We get two versions of Rogelio: the outside version is completely calm, but the inside version is going crazy with joy! Then Jane tells him that it’s not going to work out. Rogelio tells her that true love is rare and that’s what she has with Michael – the same as what Rogelio has with Xo.
Mateo is starting swim lessons – and there’s another pool connection as Petra and Rafael are using synchronized swimmers for a new commercial for the Mirabella – which is suffering from lost business due to all the drama! We get another bubble moment as Jane and Rafael put aside their differences as they are caught up with Mateo.
Petra is livid with Rafael when he’s late to audition the swimmers for the commercial because of Mateo’s swim lesson. She asks him if she and her daughters can expect to remain second-class citizens. She tells him that while he didn’t choose to have the babies with her, he did promise to be there for her.
Petra is somewhat manic in the episode as she is "nesting" now that her due date is fast approaching. I loved her declaring that the babies were about to "blast" out of her!
Jane tells Michael that Rafael is mostly hung up on how dangerous Michael’s job is. Michael doesn’t even hesitate when he says that he’ll quit his job. But Jane tells Xo that she can’t let him make that sacrifice. Xo tells her that it’s up to him if he wants to make the sacrifice. Which then makes Xo wonder if she should have taken the possibility of a sacrifice out of Rogelio’s hands.
Meanwhile, Jane has returned to waitressing at the Mirabella. Lina (Diane Grerrero) fills her in on everything that’s been going on. “Vests” is the new boss that everyone hates – it’s Scott (Wes Armstrong). He’s been accusing Lina of drinking the bar’s alcohol. In the end, he fires Ben (Michael Hyland) for it. It turns out, however, that it’s Luisa (Yara Martinez) who has fallen off the wagon.
Jane and Lina set a trap and catch Luisa. Jane agrees not to tell Rafael under the condition that Luisa do it herself. In the end she doesn’t, but Susanna (Megan Ketch) saves her. Luisa had looked after Susanna until she insisted on going back to work and that’s when Luisa fell off the wagon. Susanna tells Luisa that she needs to go to rehab, but when she gets out, Susanna will be there.
Susanna insists on going back to work because Rose and Mutter threatened her family. She confesses to Michael that she was sent from Internal Affairs to investigate him. Michael isn’t surprised as he’d figured that out a while ago.
Rogelio has a new assistant – Paola (Ana de la Reguera). She seems very efficient – if not terribly stylish. Rogelio is impressed with her because she used to work for JLo… or so she says… She is fixing his
Braveheart costume when they discover someone has folded his lucky briefs the wrong way – Rogelio has a stalker! Luckily, security seems to catch her quickly.
Jane is all set to go to the premiere and looks beautiful. However, when Jane has to come back to the house, she finds Xo crying in front of the television, unsure of whether she can continue to watch the “British Telenovela” she’d started to watch with Rogelio. Can she move ahead on the DVR without him? She clearly doesn’t want to.
While Rogelio waits for Jane, Paola wants to talk about the stalker. She wants to know if Rogelio has a deadbolt, mace, or a good password? We are clearly – and hilarious – told via arrows that Paola is the STALKER! When Jane calls to says she’s late because Xo is upset, Paola convinces Rogelio to walk the carpet by himself. She asks him if he’s always going to be a second class citizen.
When Jane arrives, Rogelio is angry at her for making him walk the carpet alone. He tells her that he’s hurt that she chose Xo over him, but thinks it will always be that way. He tells her that he needs his space right now and walks away from her – classic stalker technique to isolate the victim!
Jane calls Xo and tells her that she is going to own her choice. She goes to Rafael and tell him to accept it or not, she’s going to be with Michael and Rafael is only making it harder on Mateo. Rafael tells her that he just doesn’t want to be replaced – Baldoni is great in this scene.
Rafael then goes to Petra and promises to be there for everything – she won’t even have to get a night nurse. He wants to do everything he never had a chance to do with Mateo. Petra, however, stops him from kissing her. She’s too smart for that and asks him what happened. She knows that Jane has rejected him. She tells him that she’s not going to be a second class citizen – just like Rogelio! – and she’d also not going to be a second choice.
Rafael heads to the bar and picks up a girl. Will he be returning to his playboy ways?
Jane and Michael, on the other hand, meet at the pool – and there’s a terrific swim sequence that would do Esther Williams proud!
Finally, Rogelio arrives home to fine Paola waiting for him. It’s hilarious as he comes in and is startled, saying “I thought that was a crazy person sitting there in the dark!” And it is!!! Turns out that Paola has put in new locks, bars on the windows, and a security system…. All to keep Rogelio in! And of course, she turns out to be Lola!
What did you think of the episode? Should Xo and Rogelio get back together? Can Jane and Michael finally make it work? How long before someone realizes Rogelio is being held captive?! I loved them using this well worn trope of the jilted lover keeping the object of their desire a prisoner! 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, Agent Carter, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, The X-Files, Defiance, Bitten, Killjoys, and a few others! I'm active on the Con scene when I have the time. 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.
