Jane the Virgin Review: Chapter Ninety-Seven (Season 5 Episode 16)
Jane is right that the scary parts of telenovelas are the worst parts. So it’s disappointing that Rose permeates Jane the Virgin Season 5 Episode 16, “Chapter Ninety-Seven,” even just in spirit — for the most part.
We’ve already established in our review of Jane the Virgin Season 5 Episode 15, “Chapter Ninety-Six” that in its final season, the show is obsessed with revisiting the past. These visits are definitely not for the better most of the time.
One place viewers definitely don’t need to go back to is that time after Mateo is born that Rose kidnaps him. Take a moment to facepalm, because just — no.
The suggestion Jane’s editor makes to intensify the crime climax of her book is totally unnecessary. The forced writing is showing so much on screen that the script pages are almost visible. Two minds together can think of so many other intense telenovela conflicts.
It’s insulting to viewers to go down a road in which the antagonist switches babies at birth in Jane’s novel and therefore Jane starts to wonder if Mateo is biologically her and Rafael’s son. The show really has matured so far past ridiculous crimes. Yet, here we are.
There definitely is no time left in the series to go down the rabbit hole in which Mateo is not biologically theirs and they go through stages of grief. That would understandably upend Jane’s world so much that the wedding would be canceled (again) and who knows what kind of ending we’d get.
What is understandable is the nature of Jane’s anxiety, even if the reason she’s anxious is annoying.
As soon as that seed of doubt creeps in, it grows until something kills it. So, once the subject of Mateo’s DNA comes up, the only thing that will kill it is test results. She’s a mother. And negative editor criticism tends to seep into the bloodstream. We can give her a pass there.
Once upon a time Jane the Virgin was a show that would make Jane realize she has an anxiety disorder and tell an authentic story about it. But there is no time left for that, and Alba doesn’t make life any easier for Jane on the episode.
Jorge to the rescue to help all viewers understand why Alba’s walls are up. It’s refreshing to like that man again.
Of course, an undocumented immigrant will have worked hard to craft the story of their life in the U.S. Legal citizenship or not, any book — even a fictional one — that threatens to expose mistakes is bound to feel threatening.
So, Alba deserves forgiveness for even suggesting that Jane re-write pretty much all of her novel and wasting a lot of our time.
Plus, in a more successful visit to the past Alba confronts Magda by a staircase and blackmails her into leaving town “because I’m American now, bitch,” which might just be the line of the season.
Alba’s moment inspires Jane to realize the strength of her story isn’t in a ridiculous crime build-up, but in the confrontations the heroine faces. If only the show would follow suit.
Jane should confront Rose and I’m glad Louisa is a “good guy” this time. But why oh why do the real Rose and her imposters successfully escape prison? It’s so tiring to think about.
This episode is exhausting, and it’s hard to grasp the point of a lot of Jane’s conflict in particular.
But enough supporting characters grow so much that it’s not a totally unsatisfying hour.
Kudos to River for winning the Emmy that is her daughter Pond’s heart. And to Rogelio for being a big huggable teddy bear and a daughter whisperer underneath that ego.
A character who has been very underserved this season is Xio. Her journey to nursing school and now actually in it has been pretty much all show and no tell so far.
She has earned her happiness, and I finally think Rogelio is mature enough not to take that away from her to make a TV show. He has already made so many.
It’s very hard to predict where Jane the Virgin will go next because viewers have already been to the past but the show is keen on going backward to wrap up the present.
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 Wednesday at 9/8c on The CW.
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Esme Mazzeo
Esme Mazzeo is a lifestyle and entertainment journalist from Long Island. When she's not writing for work, she's writing for fun, or searching for something to satisfy her sweet tooth. She thinks rainy days are the best kind of days. Certified night owl.