Jane the Virgin Review: Chapter Ninety-One (Season 5 Episode 10)

This is why we can’t have nice things!

Jane the Virgin Season 5 Episode 10, “Chapter Ninety-One,” does the unspeakable and breaks J.R. and Petra up — with a ring ready in Petra’s pocket to propose.

This newest chapter ambitiously takes on the topic of work-life balance in such a mature fashion that it feels like we need some big shocker moment to make this episode feel more like the rebellious telenovela we know it to be. 

By big shocker moment, we did not mean a devastating Petramos break-up. Why do you got to do us dirty like that, Jane the Virgin?

Long distance may not work for J.R. and Petra, but their relationship sure does work for Jane the Virgin. Which is why it is so difficult to see them throw in the towel again.

Petra and J.R. have been one of the strongest parts of this telenovela’s final season run as they provide the intimacy and romance Jane has been lacking in her single life lately.

They have been the glue holding everything together through that whole Michael amnesia mess. Petra’s love life pushed her to open up more to Jane for advice, finally giving us the female friendship we deserved seasons ago. And J.R. has become a central part of making Petra’s domestic life more exciting without a murder investigation around to do so.

There’s still hope for J.R. and Petra, but the damage has already been done.

I do believe breaking these two up will negatively affect the show going forward, especially if we go through all this drama again just to see them rekindle their feelings for one another.

It’s not so much about seeing these two get back together again that is the problem. The problem is too many shows fall into these messy relationship patterns where couples break up and get back together over and over.

Having couples constantly at odds is not a smart way to add drama. It is an easy way to be nauseatingly repetitive though.

Jane the Virgin has been particularly messy this season when it comes to its core couples, throwing in relationship obstacles that ultimately restrict viewers from empathizing with couples who are in a constant state of flux. It is because of this that the idea of seeing Jane and Rafael together at the end of this feels less exciting than it did at the beginning of this season.

Petra and J.R. had an epic and explosive love that was at the best of times a thrilling rollercoaster ride of emotion.

Their break up is no less epic and hits on all the right notes to deliver a gut punch moment that hurts because it is executed so well. But this powerful moment, as sad as it may be, could be spoiled by Jane the Virgin’s need to backtrack on yet another breakup.

I want to see these two back together but not at the cost of diminishing their story further.

“Chapter Ninety- One,” needs to remember that a healthy dose of relationship drama is good for any show, but overuse this plot device and you end up with problems reconciliation can’t fix.

Not all breakups are necessarily bads ones for “Chapter Ninety-One”. 

As Jane struggles to find a balance between writing her telenovela novel and her father’s pilot script, she realizes she has to make a choice between writing a successful book or being a successful TV writer.

This decision carries far more weight and importance for the series than a love triangle ever could. I am genuinely invested in Jane’s budding career and the mystery surrounding her future.

The whole storyline is elevated by a sweet but stern push from Rogelio as he encourages Jane to pursue the novel she has dreamed of writing while blatantly telling his daughter this pilot is his dream and he can’t have someone on the project who isn’t as invested as him in that dream.

It is a very mature moment for the daughter and father duo that shows tough love is necessary sometimes to move the plot along.

Speaking of tough love, Jane and Rafael continue to struggle in the single parenting department.

But their struggle is our gain as we get to see the two take on the very real issue of dealing with that fact that their son may have undiagnosed learning disabilities.

Of course, things are handled with grace as Jane goes behind Rafael’s back to make an appoint against his request and Rafael threatens to get a lawyer involved — low blow Rafael.

After an entertaining high-speed chase and a brief career change for Jane into the realtor business, we come out on the other side having enjoyed these two’s co-parenting shenanigans once again.

They may have a long road ahead of them with Mateo but given all the trauma that kid has endured, it could be much worse. The same goes for this complicated relationship with Jane and Rafael — it could be worse.

This newest chapter of Jane the Virgin is grounded in its couple’s hardships and manages to showcase the best parts of our favourite pairings by focusing on the worst parts of their relationships.

However, “Chapter Ninety-One” only solidifies the struggles this season has faced with its couples. Jane’s career is bursting with new material but this show’s relationship drama is giving us the same old stuff.

Petra and Patty deserved better than this!

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

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

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