Jane the Virgin Review: Chapter Twenty-Eight (Season 2 Episode 6)

It’s a celebration of milestones on Jane the Virgin.

As Jane works to fill in Mateo’s baby book with each of his milestones, the show itself experiences a milestone of its own; they successfully perform a five-month time jump in one episode that feels natural, moves the plot along, and still provides us with a great look at how each character is growing.

Smile! This one’s going in our TV baby book!

Another big milestone of “Chapter Twenty-Eight?” We get a great look at Jane, plain neurotic Jane, the girl who we fell in love with back in Season 1. It’s felt like Jane’s plot lines involving Mateo and the love triangle have been strangling up our leading lady and we haven’t seen Jane being, well, just Jane.

I love seeing Jane try to make it work; being a mom, going to school, having to give over her control, and making friends. This is a side of Jane that I didn’t realize I missed until she was there in front of me. Her plucky, “I can!” attitude is the exact reason I root for her; she believes that she can do it all and she makes me believe that she can too.

I feel repetitive in saying this, but Gina Rodriguez and the writers capture new motherhood so perfectly, and in an episode such as this one, where time is moving quickly, they still manage to hit every aspect of the feelings a new mom feels when their baby begins to gain independence.

The major plot that runs over the months involves Jane and Rafael creating a will, essentially. They want to make sure that Mateo is well taken care of in the event that one, or both, of them passes away. (Preparation! That’s Jane’s favorite thing!)

The problem? Mateo is going to be a filthy-rich kid. Jane wants to instill a hard-working spirit in him and isn’t comfortable with raising a “rich kid.” Rafael needs to convince her that although Mateo is rich kid, he and Jane will instill hardworking and compassion in him.

Every episode in Season 2 has heavily leaned on Michael, almost like a neon sign blinking over the television that says, “MICHAEL IS THE RIGHT GUY FOR JANE!” Michael is the hero, the nice guy, the reliable man who just gets Jane better than anyone else.

“Chapter Twenty-Eight” feels like a win for Rafael. Just as we see Mateo growing over the months, we also see how fatherhood is changing Rafael, and how its changing his relationship with Jane. Raf is going to the baby classes, he’s prepared with backup loveys, (a parenting MUST,) he’s there for doctor’s appointments, to make sure Jane is well, even at her worst.

I’m happy that it’s taken five months for Jane to move on from Michael, and that the writers don’t just gloss over her lingering feelings for him in favor of Rafael. Yes, by the episode’s end, she is going on a date with her baby-daddy, but because of the success in time-jumping, we feel all five months go by.

Is it possible that Team Michael is wrong? Is Rafael actually the right guy for Jane? Is he naturally growing into the man we root for?

Speaking of growing into someone we root for, Petra is growing, both in the literal and figurative sense. As her belly gets larger, her friendship with Jane is growing as well. I love that Petra is looking to Jane for advice and sharing her fears with her. These two are such unlikely friends, and yet, friendship seems to come naturally for them.

Petra is, after all, carrying Mateo’s siblings.

Yes, that’s an “S.” Petra’s turkey baster experiment has left her with not one, but two babies. So, that’s three kids for Rafael, the guy who saved his sperm after cancer in hopes that he might be able to have just one. Right on, Rafael. Right. On.

We don’t get a heaping hunk of Michael with our Thanksgiving dinner in “Chapter Twenty-Eight,” but here’s what we know: he’s in bed with Nadine, working to take down Sin Rostro once and for all. In bed, in the figurative sense. Let’s hope that this time he stays out of her literal bed.

Oh, and Jane’s new BFF from school? He’s totally trying to get information on Rafael. And Petra’s mom? She killed a man with her brand new hook-hand. You know, the usual stuff that happens on Jane the Virgin. 

What did you think of “Chapter Twenty-Eight?” Did the time jump leave you in a happy place? Are you starting to lean toward Team Rafael? Let us know in the comments below!

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Jane the Virgin airs Mondays at 9/8c on The CW.