Jane the Virgin Review: Chapter Ninety (Season 5 Episode 9)

As Jane the Virgin reaches the halfway mark of its final season, the show looks to get sentimental.

Jane the Virgin Season 5 Episode 9, “Chapter Ninety,” believes there’s no better time to showcase Jane and Rogelio’s close bond as a family than right in the middle of a life crisis– and we couldn’t agree more.

The introduction of Jane’s father was such a pivotal part of the series and while that is still true in the show’s final season, Jane and Rogelio hardly get enough quality father-daughter bonding time when husbands are coming back from the dead.

Thankfully, this newest installment ditches the power couples in favour of a power father-daughter duo!

This episode certainly feels like an ode to Rogelio and Jane long before Jane the Virgin confirms as much with a touching flashback montage.

And that’s what makes this newest development in their relationship feel even more endearing. We aren’t forced old memories but given new ones good and bad to see just how much these two have grown.

Everything from the choreographed dance steps they practice for the big telenovela announcement to Rogelio mimicking Jane’s hand gestures during her proposal to River for emphasis is adorable.

Rogelio brings out a side in Jane that she so regularly suppresses and it is good to see her embrace her confidence around her father, while spontaneously helping Rogelio keep on task with the project.

In a shocking and intriguing twist for this telenovela, Jane finds out she only got published because Rogelio threw money at her publisher.

This gives Jane and Rogelio just enough justifiable conflict without doing too much-prolonged damage.

More importantly, this reveal threatens to shake the foundation Jane has been building for herself as a writer and while that sucks for her, it’s great for us.

Jane has been operating under the assumption that she’s a published freaking author for several seasons now, maybe not a successful author but a self-made one nonetheless.

Now that Jane’s entire dream has come into question again it puts our protagonist in an interesting position moving forward that may just bring about some riveting new directions for the end to Jane’s story.

I personally love the development of Jane’s writing career this season from published author to budding screenwriter.

It feels like we are building to a promising conclusion where we finally find out how this telenovela of her life is told.

Which is why it feels redundant to focus on pining over Rafael with so much else going on in Jane’s life.

It’s understandable that Jane is hurt because for once she can’t have the man that she wants, but this need to be with Rafael hasn’t exactly put her in a flattering light. Again, she’s reduced to the stench of desperation and CGI glowing hearts.

The romantic aspects of this telenovela have suffered in the final season and it’s unfortunate that Jane’s own growth as a character has to suffer as well.

When Rafael and Jane find each other again, because that’s the most tedious aspects of this — they will get back together, I hope it comes at a time where both deserved to earn back each other’s love.

Jane’s pining is the most disappointing aspect of this newest chapter. How are we supposed to enjoy her desperation to be loved by a man when this episode demonstrates Jane’s career is where this show’s emphasis should be on right now.

Jane’s love life may be suffering but Alba’s certainly isn’t —that woman’s is killing the relationship game.

If you had told me at the beginning of the series that the grandmother clutching a flower and preaching virginity metaphors to her granddaughter would have such a sex-driven character arc I would have laughed in disbelief. But in an ironic turn of events, Alba does find love and indulges in her sexual desires without guilt.

She rushes her marriage ceremony with Jorge so they can have sex and still respect her religion. She even fantasizes of her wedding party belting out a gospel song about how much of a religious experience her sex with Jorge will be — a little much but okay.

To see this woman stricken by religious guilt and cut off from bonding with her daughter over the prejudice of sex, finally embrace life without restrictions or judgement is the best possible character arc we could ask of Alba.

If all else comes crashing down this season, at least this episode gives Alba a proper end to her journey and growth that not only enhanced her own character but strengthens her relationship with her family.

“Chapter Ninety,” is another solid step in the direction of the finale.

Developments are happening that need to happen and characters are proving how much they have risen to the occasion for this final season now more than ever.

Jane continues to excel on her own, while Petra and J.R. continue to excel in the couple’s department as they take on parenting with humour and humility that is just so darn loveable.

With a mysterious Rose plot on the horizon that may or may not involve kidnapping more children, it will be interesting to see if Jane the Virgin can keep things from spiralling out of control once again.

Other Thoughts on “Chapter Ninety”:

• Alba’s the one with the creepy virginity flower artwork now — oh how the tables have turned.
• J.R. is used to babysitting broken and battered superheroes. She doesn’t do privileged children, just stubborn blind lawyers.
• We are definitely building to another big baby kidnapping episode here.
• It’s likely with Jane writing her telenovela again that we are moving closer to a narrator reveal in the finale, but what if the twist actually involves Jane finding out she’s pregnant again?
• Alba would do really amazing on The Bachelorette.

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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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