Jane the Virgin Review: Chapter Seventy-Seven (Season 4 Episode 13)

What would Jane the Virgin be like if Jane was just the side character in the story of her accidental artificial insemination?

That is the question asked and answered during Jane the Virgin Season 4 Episode 13, “Chapter Seventy-Seven,” as we explore Jane’s origin story through the perspective of Louisa’s written depositions.

Not only is this a nice trip down memory lane to take away from the looming cancer scare Xo is facing, but it is a unique way to showcase how well this show’s storytelling structure can work when there is very little to work with.

Jane’s story has slowed down considerably after the explosive start to the back-half of this season and that is unusual for a show that should burst onto the scene with loud and comedic performances.

The times of high profile police investigations and kidnappings seem like things of the past when you see what Jane the Virgin has become.

This show is much like a mother who spent her early years taking risks and going out for drinks every night. Now suddenly she is a parent and has to grow up for the sake of her child.

Rogelio taking a break from acting and Jane no longer having her connection with the authorities through Michael play a big part in this tone shift for the telenovela as well.

But that doesn’t necessarily make it a bad shift for the show.

Jane the Virgin has hardly been dull despite the lack of excitement in Jane’s life. Many CW shows go into their fourth season tired and struggling because they don’t understand how to properly grow. They strip their shows of what works and hold on to what doesn’t.

Jane the Virgin understands that at the root of this show are intriguing characters that can outshine even the worst of story arcs. No matter how small, each character matters when there are no more telenovela tricks to play.

“Chapter Seventy-Seven” may not seem like the most thrilling installment of this series at first glance, but its confidence that we will underestimate the side character is truly what makes this episode stand out in the end.

And there are several moments in this episode that really drive the point home.

The first is the unexpected ending to Anezka’s murder investigation, and the reveal that it is not any of Petra’s deranged family trying to take her down but her disgruntled assistant Krishna.

The whole ending to Petra’s newest murder allegations feels less than lackluster with a reveal involving minimal shouting or evil monologues. But the fact that the person blackmailing J.R. is Krishna is as brilliant as it is shocking. She is such a side character that the idea of her even being a suspect couldn’t be farther from anyone’s mind.

However, the signs have been staring us in the face this entire time.

I mean seriously no one thought to question why the girl is carrying around an extra burner phone… in 2018? Not to mention the fact that she has been involved in every step of Petra’s life, including the process of her investigation.

Here’s the best part: Krishna is not the typical villain you see on this show because she isn’t actually a bad person, nor is she really dramatic. From what we’ve seen she works hard and puts up with a lot of unnecessary badgering from Petra.

Being an assistant is hard, so being Petra’s assistant must be nothing short of working for the devil himself.

Who can blame her for wanting to frame her boss for their twin sister’s murder? We’ve all been there before.

This almost makes up for how quickly the arc between Petra and J.R. is wrapped up. Hopefully, Rosario Dawson’s character will stop by from time to time to remind Petra what real chemistry looks like and who knows, Petra could just as easily be framed for murder once again.

The second moment is the one spent with Luisa as she explains in her deposition what drove her to pursue a relationship with a killer like Rose.

Sure, we already know most of Luisa’s story, and this only confirms how unstable Rafael’s sister truly is. However, her tale of self-medication and pulling herself from the ledge is worth telling, if even for an episode.

It is a nice change from Jane’s usual writing techniques and allows for the show to shift from romance, something Jane has focused heavily on in the past, to the bond between mother and daughter.

After all, it is Luisa’s comment about mirroring her mother’s story that pushes Jane to write about her mother and allows for a natural digression into Xo’s newest arc.

Which is why the final moment that really showcases the effective use of a side character involves Xo and her cancer scare.

Jane’s mother has been such a prominent part of this show since the pilot. So to think of her as a side character is odd, but there are times when we take her presence for granted.

Despite the looming threat of breast cancer, her storyline this episode feels sluggish at times. She stays in the background as the rest of her family pretends to handle the impending call from the doctor with dignity.

Some great scenes come out of this. Rogelio’s scene with Jane stands out in particular. His character doesn’t always show such emotional range outside of his telenovelas, but his worry about losing Xo is raw and real.

The greatest performance, however, has to go to the side character that fools everyone better than Krishna ever could.

It would seem Jane the Virgin is determined to end any current arcs in this episode to make room for the build-up to the finale. So when Xo tells Rogelio her tumor is benign and that the cancer scare is just that, a scare, you have no reason to doubt her.

Petra’s storyline with J.R. has just wrapped up, so it’s likely Jane’s family will want to move on from the false alarm as well. But like with many of the side characters in “Chapter Seventy-Seven,” no one is what you assume them to be.

Xo revealing that she does, in fact, have cancer and lied so Rogelio could close the deal on his American telenovela is unexpected, to say the least.

And just like that Jane the Virgin becomes the mother that drops the baby off with the sitter to put a little excitement back in everyone’s lives.

“Chapter Seventy-Seven” is a brutal reminder that this show is a side character in itself, parading around as the feel-good family drama we assume it to be. Then the telenovela shows up with an evil twin or a cancer diagnosis to shake things up.

Yet, Jane the Virgin still finds ways to ground itself in its characters, and this episode pays tribute to all those that have helped this show succeed in something Rogelio dreams of doing throughout this chapter; bringing successful telenovelas to America.

From what we have seen these past 4 seasons, Jane’s story and its characters have certainly done that.

What did you think of this episode of Jane the Virgin? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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

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