Jane the Virgin “Chapter Fifty-Eight” – sub-titled “Hot Mess Mama” was written by Merigan Mulhern and was directed by Melanie Mayron. This is Mulhern’s first writing credit, though she’s been a writer’s assistant for the entire run of the show. There were lots of relationship changes in this episode – a new couple breaks up, an old couple gets together, a new couple get together, and Jane starts to get over Michael. I think my new favorite pairing has to be Rogelio (Jaime Camil) and Mateo (Joseph Sanders)! This week’s performance has to go to Justin Baldoni (Rafael) for his reaction during the post-first-week interview with Alex.
The episode opens with its traditional re-cap but in a new, and wonderful, way! This week we review the family tree! I love the way the show can continually find little ways to imaginatively re-invent itself. We are reminded that Jane (Gina Rodriguez) and Rafael had Mateo – a handful! – and Petra (Yael Grobglas) and Rafael had the twins – angels! – and Petra is currently the Queen of the pre-school!
The flashback then goes on to show us Petra and Jane sending Rafael off to prison. Petra is worried that she’s going to totally screw her kids up, so Jane and Petra bond while Rafael is in prison. Now, however, Mateo has turned into a terror – and Jane is no longer the “superior” parent – but a hot mess!
In the present, Mateo’s new aide, Alex (Deniz Akdeniz) – is starting. He tells Jane and Rafael that he doesn’t want a run down on Mateo before working with him for a week because he doesn’t want any pre-conceived ideas about him. Alex will observe for a week and then meet with them. Jane, of course, believes that knowledge is good, but Rafael is still working the zen and reassures her that Alex is a professional, so they should let him do his thing.
Mateo lays a guilt trip on Jane, telling her that she’s not in class as much as Petra. In order to get more involved, Jane wants to act as “Room Mom” – a position that Petra has been fulfilling. Gwen (Stephanie Nash) suggests that the two of them do it together – which proves to be a short-lived disaster. Petra tries to assign all the grunt work to Jane and keep all the glory for herself. They go to Gwen and suggest a run-off. The kids can see democracy in action – this time without Russian intervention!
As always the Narrator (Anthony Mendez) is hilarious – and the mere mention of an election has him retreating to his happy place – a cat video! He just can’t take the stress of another close election! I actually loved both Rodriguez and Grobglas in their politician personas. Rodriguez gets to play a lot farther from Jane’s persona, so perhaps shines a little brighter.
Rafael tells them he’s simply abstaining from the election – good choice! I loved the debate with its #alternativefacts. The two debate the merits of rubber vs sand for the playground surface, with Jane declaring Petra is in the pocket of big rubber! The discussion degenerates as the two argue over more versus less discipline. There’s been a lice alert at the school, and in order for Jane to get Mateo to allow her to look at his hair, she has to agree for him to look through hers – and he decides to cut it! Actually, Rodriguez’s head was shaved there for a role she did during the hiatus between seasons last summer – it’s also when she cut her hair. Petra points out that with more discipline, Jane wouldn’t have to be embarrassed about her hair!
Meanwhile, the twins have presented Petra with a picture depicting her as a dragon! Jane suggests that they might not think of her that way with a little less discipline. Rafael, however, puts a different spin on the drawing when he realizes how bothered Petra is by it. He explains that he told the girls that Petra was the fiercest woman he knows and that she’d always protect them – the dragon is actually protecting the girls. Rafael also tells her how extraordinary she is for handling everything while he was in prison – from the girls to the business.
In the end, when it gets to election day, both Jane and Petra have decided that neither of them really wants the job! Jane gets valuable insight from Rogelio – of all people! – who points out that she has a classic “telenovela rivalry” with Petra. He tells her that the best rivalries aren’t about the rivalries at all but about the insecurities in the rivals – Jane feels guilty about not being around enough, and Petra still feels like an inadequate mother. Jane just wants an end to their rivalry. So… they nominate Rafael for the position!
Alex gives some advice as the week progresses. He tells Jane to reward good behavior – letting her look for lice – and ignore bad behavior – cutting her hair. He also tells her not to discuss issues in front of Mateo as he’ll internalize those. Naturally, Jane thinks that her grief over Michael has resulted in Mateo’s behavior while Rafael is sure it was his going to prison, causing abandonment issues.
Alex also tells Jane that the picture Mateo has drawn of her shows that he thinks she rocks the new hair. When Jane actually embraces it, the coffee shop barista flirts with her – and she’s pretty sure that Alex is too!
When Rafael and Jane sit down with Alex for their one week meeting, they are both full of doubt about themselves. Alex tells them that Mateo is awesome, hyperactive, and has some impulse control issues – sounds a lot like Rogelio, right?? Alex then asks them if there’s anything he should know about Mateo – the question he wouldn’t let them answer at the beginning of the week.
I loved this scene. As I’ve already alluded to, both Rodriguez and Baldoni are excellent, but Baldoni really impressed me in this scene. He watches as Jane tells the story of Michael – not crying for the first time ever! It’s a milestone that they’ve both been waiting for. Jane is relieved to hear Alex’s response. He tells her how sorry he is, but Mateo shows no sign of trauma at all. Everything he’s seen is just normal kids’ stuff. Rafael then asks – clearly fearing the answer – if Mateo is acting out because he went to prison. Does he have abandonment issues? Again, Alex is stunned. Mateo has no abandonment issues. Alex tells Rafael that Rafael is Mateo’s hero! Both Rafael and Jane are crying by this time – but it’s a happy result, and Alex is a terrific aide.
Alba’s (Ivonne Coll) budding romance with Jorge (Alfonso DiLuca) in the gift shop never went anywhere because he was in a relationship with someone, but when Jane finds out he’s broken up with her, Alba still doesn’t want to make her move. Xo (Andrea Navedo) and Jane convince her to do something, and when a brief touch of his hand doesn’t get the desired response, Alba declares she is humiliated!
Xo tells Alba she is way too subtle – she needs a sexy dress and some make-up… Xo gives Alba a make over, and it was a nice excuse for the writers to show off just how gorgeous Coll really is! This time Jorge really notices – but then Alba has an eyelash malfunction and wipes out in her high heels! However, none of it can undo that first impression, and Jorge asks her out.
Xo distracts herself with Alba’s makeover to avoid having to do any work on her own wedding. Bruce (Ricardo Chavira) begins to suspect she is having second thoughts. Jane also notices something is up when Xo snaps at Rogelio when he asks her if she’s looking at wedding dresses. Xo admits to Jane that her relationship with Bruce isn’t as passionate as it was in the beginning. She acknowledges that she self-sabotages too. Jane tells her to shake things up and see if she can get that spark back.
Rogelio and Mateo have developed a very close relationship, and I just love Camil with Sanders – Mateo is the perfect mini-me! Or maybe, given Rogelio’s child-like qualities, he’s the perfect MAXI-me! Regardless, seeing the two of them go for bespoke suits is adorable. Rogelio uses the opportunity to ask Mateo if Xo is happy, and Mateo isn’t sure.
Xo suggests to Bruce that they get drunk and go out to play pool. They get drunk but Bruce wants to stay in. The next day Xo tells Jane that they had an amazing night, but she’s still unsure about the marriage. Mateo tells them Rogelio was asking if she was happy, and Xo calls Rogelio to bawl him out for talking to Mateo. Unfortunately, she calls and freaks out on him while Bruce is coaching Rogelio for the trial.
Rogelio confides in Jane that he has a special bond with Mateo and it’s what he was looking for all along. It’s filled the void he was feeling from having missed Jane growing up. In fact, kids were no longer a deal breaker for him… Jane tells Xo, and also suggests that Rogelio still has feelings for her.
While Bruce is coaching Xo through her testimony, she becomes very emotional when discussing not having talked to Rogelio for two years. Bruce is more than a little suspicious at the depth of her emotion, but Rogelio tries to help by clapping and congratulating Xo on her wonderful “performance.”
But Bruce isn’t buying it and asks Xo point blank if she’s still having feelings for Rogelio. Xo says she doesn’t know, but she gives the ring back. And of course, Rogelio bursts in right at that moment and asks Bruce if he’s ready to make everyone fall in love with him – and it’s pretty doubtful that Bruce is!
Finally, Dennis (Christopher Allen) asks Petra about Scott’s Burn Book. She claims that she found it in his locker after he disappeared and kept it. She denies any knowledge of who JP might be or where her sister can be found. There is a mysterious ripped out page, but Petra says she doesn’t know anything about that.
Later, Chuck (Johnny Messner) wants to know about the missing page. He’s furious with Petra and is sure she’s lying about not having the missing page. Rafael comes to Petra’s rescue and tells him to leave. But Rafael also believes that Petra has the missing page… and of course, she does, but she’s keeping it a secret to protect Rafael – the page was all about Rafael’s father. The episode ends with Rafael and Petra making love!
Will Petra and Rafael get together? Will Xo go back to Rogelio or stay with Bruce? Will Alba and Jorge find love? Will Mateo finally become well behaved? Is Jane ready to start dating again? With Alex?? And where IS Anezka? What did you think of the episode? Which pairing are you pulling for? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
