Jane the Virgin Season 3 Episode 11 Review: Chapter Fifty-Five
Amanda Steinmetz
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When a show does a time jump, it can be hard to catch your breath while also catching up.
After the heartbreaking death of Michael, Jane the Virgin Season 3 Episode 11 jumped ahead three years. Jane's life has changed in many ways, and yet in other ways remains stuck in time.
Elsewhere in the episode, Jane and Rafael tried to get a grip on Mateo's behavioral issues, Petra prepared for the reopening of The Marbella, Rogelio and Darci's relationship became a sham, and a dead body showed up!
Like I said... a lot to catch up on!
I've definitely spent the last week grieving over the death of Michael on Jane the Virgin Season 3 Episode 10 (#RIPTeamMichael). I went into this episode with a lot of hesitation. How would this devastating turn of events affect and inform the series going forward?
The results are definitely mixed. It's not that I didn't enjoy the episode. Under any normal circumstance, I would have thought the events that took place were engaging and fun.
However, that's not what I wanted to feel. That's not how I wanted to watch Jane in the aftermath of her husband's death.
Since three years ahead is now the present, the episode opened up with a flashback to two weeks after Michael's death. Jane was still in the midst of her depression when Alba tried to remind Jane that she still had a life ahead of her and someone to get out of bed for... Mateo.
This was by far my favorite moment in the installment. Alba was the perfect person to comfort Jane. After all, Alba knows what it's like to be a widow.
It will always feel different. You'll always feel different, but you will be okay. And your life will be beautiful again. Just in different ways.
Alba
This display of grief isn't exactly uplifting or fun. I understand the need for the show to move forward, but while three years have passed for Jane, it's only been a week for us.
I truly hope we get more glimpses into how Jane grieved Michael and ultimately found a way to move forward. The writers shouldn't shy away from showing us how devastating events shape us in ways we never could have imagined.
Let us see Jane during that transformative time. There were signs we will see those moments, which gave me some relief.
Jane still imagines Michael talking to her when she looks at his photos. She was almost unable to read from her novel, which she wrote about their love story, but with a happy ending. Jane also still listens to a voicemail Michael left on her phone.
It's those moments that show us that Michael will always be a part of Jane. With so much changing, it was nice to see Michael's face. I hope he is still used going forward in these day dreams and hopefully some flashbacks.
Like I said, a lot has changed. After all, the series did jump three years into the future. Luckily, we have a Narrator who managed to cover a lot of exposition in a way that didn't feel forced.
Mateo is now older and talking and is even more adorable! I honestly didn't think that was possible. Unfortunately, Mateo's behavioral issues were causing problems for Jane and Rafael.
The scenes between Jane, Mateo, and Rafael were the prefect example of how it's possible to work as a team when you are not a couple. Rafael convinced Jane they should put Mateo in martial arts. Mateo took to the class, but he ended up using some of his karate moves around other kids.
I'm loving Jane and Rafael's dynamic, and I am begging the writers not to push these two back together as a romantic couple. I like seeing them as best friends.
Also, putting them together would make it seem like Michael was just an obstacle standing in their way, and his character deserves more than that.
I am digging Rafael's new beard. I don't know why all the characters are hating on it so much. Zen Rafael was a whole different entity.
Who the hell goes to prison and comes out softer?
Petra
We didn't get to learn much about Rafael's time away in the slammer. I'm curious if anything noteworthy happened.
At the very least, his being gone provided time for Jane and Petra to lean on one another. Well, as much as Petra can lean on anyone.
I love the fact that Jane and Petra have done brunch every Saturday bringing their children together. I'm even more glad they've continued to do so with Rafael out of prison.
Petra seems to have flourished during these three years, except for her love life of course. She has rebranded and reopened The Marbella, and become queen of the moms.
Side note: I would like to thank the writers for having Petra change her daughter's name from Elsa to Ellie. Elsa and Anna was too much Frozen to handle. End side note.
With so much going for her, why is Petra fooling around with the douche-bag hotel owner next door? Come on, Petra! You are better than Chuck.
Considering Petra and Rafael both seemed in relatively good places after the time jump, I'm sure the corpse of Scott, aka Vests turning up will throw a wrench into their bliss.
Say goodbye to Zen Rafael because he and Petra are about to be inundated with a lot of questions. Speaking of which, is that really Vests, or someone who was wearing his name tag?
If that is indeed Vests, where is Anezka, and did she have something to do with his death? Petra was acting a little shady about Vests and Anezka's whereabouts, but I'm not ready to begin accusing Petra of murder.
With so much going on, let's do a quick rundown of the other notable plot points:
- Rogelio and Darci's relationship fell apart during their reality show, but the public doesn't know that. Hence the sham TV wedding.
- Xo was painted as the awful ex-girlfriend on the reality show, but in actual reality she has been living happily with Bruce.
Free publicity is not worth being named one of Buzzfeed's "Ten Most Notorious Reality Show Villains".
Xo
- With Xo's blessing, Rogelio has agreed to do one more year of the reality show in exchange for The Passions of Steve getting the go ahead. Sorry, but Steve just doesn't sound as sexy as Santos.
- Jane's boss is now a nightmare, but she still chose Jane to read at the showcase. Now a publisher is interested!
- Rafael has a new girlfriend. Hello, Minka Kelly!
So what did you think of the time jump? Do you like where everyone is at in their lives? What are your predictions for Jane the Virgin Season 3 Episode 12?
Sounds off below, and don't forget you can catch up on any missed episodes when you watch Jane the Virgin online via TV Fanatic!
Amanda Steinmetz was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She went into retirement in June of 2027. Follow her on Twitter.
