Jane the Virgin - Chapter Forty-Three & Chapter Forty-Four - Review: "Recap and Ready for Season Three!"

Jane the Virgin finished out its sophomore season with Jane’s virginity still intact and left us with a couple of main characters in peril – as every good telenovela should! I enjoyed this season as much as the first which is a real testament to the creative team behind the show and the actors in front of the camera. The stories remained fresh and engaging – even the tired tropes of the telenovela are given that “Jane-spin” that makes them all shiny and bright! And I can’t say enough about the entire cast on this show. I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating, if you haven’t watched the show, you should give it a try – I’m betting it won’t be what you expect! And you can still jump in because each episode begins with a terrific recap, but here’s one to get you ready for season three! And as our narrator (Anthony Mendez) would say, let’s dive in! – to the final two episodes of the season….

“Chapter Forty-Three” was written by the team of Jessica O’Toole, Amy Rardin, and Paul Sciarrotta and was directed by Melanie Mayron. This episode keeps us building toward the finale cliffhangers but focuses on the competition between Jane (Gina Rodriguez) and Petra (Yael Grobglas). We also see both Jane and Rogelio (Jamie Camil) grow in different ways.

This episode’s flashback wasn’t what we are used to as it wasn’t back to Jane’s childhood but just to the first time she saw children’s entertainer Bobby (Matthew Patrick Davis). She’s determined to get him for Mateo’s first birthday party, which she’s also very determined is to be the best party ever. But Jane is busy planning two parties, not just one because the wedding is also just days away! When crossed messages result in Jane losing Bobby, Alba (Ivonne Coll) tries to tell Jane to just cancel the party – it’s really for the parents as a one year old won’t even remember it! Xo (Andrea Navedo) is able to get the Dynomites as a replacement and the party is on – until Mateo gets sick and ends up spending the night in the hospital!

Meanwhile, Alba has also found “someone in publishing” who will look at Jane’s novella. I loved the flashbacks to the other people “in publishing” that Alba had hooked Jane up with! But this time, it’s actually a VP from Simon and Schuster. Donaldson (Melanie Mayron – doing double duty again!) tells Jane her novella is in great shape for her graduate thesis, but is honest enough to also tell her that it’s not ready for a publisher. Jane actually accepts her advice and doesn’t take it personally.

Jane ends up running into the VP – Beverly Flores (Debbie Allen – stepping out from behind the camera for this cameo!). She tells Jane she’s really excited to read her manuscript – but ultimately, Jane tells Flores it’s not ready for her. Jane also turns to Michael (Brett Dier) for an honest opinion on the novella, which helps her decision. He falls asleep reading it and tries to excuse it by saying romance isn’t his thing. Jane calls him on staying up all night to read the last Angelique Harper, and Michael is honest and admits that it may not be Harper level, but Jane should realize it’s only her first try.

Jane goes to Petra to find out why she hasn’t RSVP’d to the wedding. Once again, Petra’s social skills are a bit lacking! She tells Jane that they are in a fight. Jane still wants an apology for Petra lying and wants to know why she lied. Petra admits that she felt inadequate and that she feels like they are in competition – and of course, Petra doesn’t like to lose! And of course, the competition just escalates from there.

The two are really competing for Rafael’s (Justin Baldoni) favor. The two try to influence what Rafael does about Derek’s (Mat Vairo) threat. Jane offers Michael’s help and also wants Rafael to get a lawyer and just confess. Petra, of course, has a plan. It looks like Jane has won again when Rafael goes to the lawyer, but when the lawyer tells Rafael it could go either way, Rafael decides to go with Petra’s plan.

Petra is thrilled – and says it feels good to win one for once – but Jane thinks the plan is insane. Rafael and Petra stage an FBI raid on Rafael’s office. The plan is for Rafael to record Derek confessing, but of course, when Derek does, the noise in the hotel means that Rafael has to try to get him to repeat it and that tips Derek off. Rafael is forced to sign the Fairwick over to Derek.

Meanwhile, just as things are going badly for the birthday party, the wedding plans are also suddenly in danger. I loved Rogelio trying to run the production meeting! Jerry (Lex Medlin) tells Rogelio that the days are too long and the pay is too low and the crew are going to strike – right before the wedding! Rogelio is stunned and can’t imagine where they got such an idea – and of course it was a storyline on Tiago a month ago! I love that the crew obviously pays more attention to the show than Rogelio does.

Jane shows up and initially tells Rogelio that he should definitely be supporting the crew – fair is fair! And then she finds out the picket lines will go up on Friday – the day before the wedding. Naturally, Jane won’t cross a picket line! Jane goes into contingency mode. Rogelio wants to plant drugs! Jane’s plan is much more sensible – try to address their concerns so they don’t strike or move the wedding up to Thursday.

Rogelio does what Rogelio always does – he tries to solve the problem with a gift basket. Jerry is utterly offended. Rogelio all but begs Jerry not to strike, but Jerry tells him that he has no idea what the crew goes through every day. They make a bet that Rogelio has to work on the crew for a week but if he can’t do it, he has to become the public face of the strike.

I loved Camil in this entire sequence. He’s clearly willing to do anything to ensure that Jane gets the wedding he wants! And of course, initially, he’s just really excited about his new outfit – gotta love lavender shorts! Rogelio is clearly having a rough day but is putting a brave face on it. The crew are all impressed and decide that they have to kick it up a notch – they make Rogelio re-do all his work. To add insult to injury, Esteban (Keller Wortham) shows up and takes a picture – they are competing for the sexiest man title – and all is far in competition! Nicely played show to give us another competition here! Ultimately, like Jane, Rogelio wins.

Rogelio certainly gets a new appreciation for what his crew does, but I think it’s important to remember that Rogelio wasn’t always a star either and maybe it’s not so surprising that when pushed, he can put in a real day’s work. However, when Jerry tasks him with replacing a lightbulb that is only reachable by climbing into the ceiling, Rogelio ends up paralyzed by his fear of heights. Jerry and the crew feel terrible, and after Rogelio hasn’t moved for two hours, they call Jane.

I loved that rather than just help him down or change the lightbulb for him, Jane makes him face his fear and actually change the bulb. The entire crew claps. Jerry is so impressed that he tells Rogelio that he’ll hold off on the strike because of what Rogelio was willing to do for Jane.

However, Rogelio gets a visit from the Senior Network Executive (Cate Cohen), and she tells him that the network is going to fire the entire crew on Friday, before they can strike. The strike has to happen on Friday! Rogelio decides that he has to join the picket line too, so he arranges to have Michael’s mother flown in to the wedding so that they can move it back to Thursday. Who saw all that coming?!?!

When Jane comes back down, she realizes that Mateo is sicker than she thought and the doctor has her bring him to the ER. Rafael meets Jane there, and when someone has to hold Mateo while they draw blood, he volunteers to do it and spare Jane. Ultimately, Mateo doesn’t have either a bacterial infection or pneumonia but has to stay overnight in the hospital, so both Jane and Rafael stay with him. They are together at midnight when Mateo officially turns one.

Jane admits the party was for them and cancels it. Rafael says they deserve a party for having gotten Mateo through his first year – and we get a wonderful flashback of all the first year memories – a really nicely integrated re-cap of the season! They muse that a lot changes in a year – but Rafael still loves Jane…

Xo, Alba, Michael, and Rogelio surprise the two the next morning by bringing the party to them. Rogelio has solved the entire problem by having the art department photoshop a First Birthday photo album! Rogelio has learned to appreciate those working with him though and assured Jane that he paid them to do it.

Jane tells Michael that she’s decided not to give her manuscript to the publisher, but is going to dig deeper into her writing – which gets Michael thinking about digging deeper – and suddenly he realizes there must be tunnels under the Fairwick! Michael had been to see Susanna (Megan Ketch) earlier, but she’d been taking a leave of absence because the entire ordeal with Sin Rostro had really taken a toll on her. Ultimately, she tells Michael she’s on board to help get Mutter.

Susanna and Michael head to the Fairwick and find Mutter chained up in a hole in the floor! Meanwhile, Derek is on a private jet with the money – and talking on the phone to a mystery person!

Anezka seems to be trying to convince Petra that Rafael is falling back in love with her. Petra wants it to be true. Groblas is really terrific in both these roles and must be having a blast doing it. In the final scene we see what seems to be Petra going to visit Magda (Priscilla Barnes) – but in reality it’s Anezka! Magda and Anezka are clearly in on some terrible plot together….

“Chapter Forty-Four” was written by the team of Paul Sciarrotta and Jennie Snyder Urman and was directed by Jann Turner. It’s Jane and Michael’s wedding day, and it seems everything that can go wrong does. But a terrible rehearsal always means a perfect wedding. For someone who has always been #TeamMichael this was a wonderful episode – right up until the last scene…

In the flashback, Alba is telling young Jane (Jenna Ortega) about her beautiful, romantic wedding and the special veil that she wore. And of course, this story instilled a romantic ideal in Jane’s head. When things start to go wrong, Alba comes clean and tells Jane and Xo the truth: her wedding was a disaster that ended up in a brawl and Alba (Rosie Garcia) and Mateo (Dennis Mencia) running away! Naturally, the three Villanueva women end up laughing about it!

It’s the day before the wedding, and Jane and Michael are making out, but once again manage to control themselves, especially now that it’s just one more day. In a series of super-romantic, perfect lines, Michael says, “I can’t wait.” Jane replies, “For all the sex!” But Michael corrects her: “To marry you.” AW!

But Jane has to get through the remaining time, and Rogelio is in complete overdrive making sure everything is perfect. Michael realizes that he forgot to change the date on their wedding night and they have nowhere to stay! He promises to fix it, but the place he gets ends up being $1700 for one night, which naturally leads to a fight with budget-conscious Jane – at the rehearsal, of course!

Petra is consoling Rafael, who is having a hard time dealing with losing Jane. In the middle of her comforting him, Jane calls, and Rafael immediately runs off to her. She’s calling because Mateus is walking!

Michael has be reinstated on the force. Luisa is back, and Susanna asks if Luisa can be her plus-one for the wedding. Michael says ok.

Xo receives a gift basket from Estefan – just like Rogelio’s only green instead of lavender! When Rogelio sees it, he knows immediately that it’s a sex basket. Xo insists it was just the once and meant nothing. However, it means that the two of them are late to the rehearsal – and it goes downhill from there, ending with the Priest getting knocked out.

Rafael talks to Luisa about Jane. Luisa actually tells Rafael to let Jane go. She tells him, she understands because she thought she’d never love anyone the way she loved Rose, but she feels the exact same way about Susanna…. And we learn at the end of the episode that that’s because Susanna has been Rose all along!!!!

Michael sends Jane an email with a list of all the topics they should have talked about before they got married – like how much money they can spend before they have to consult with each other! The two end up talking and “negotiating” on the phone. The two are adorable. Michael’s last item is how long they should wait before having another baby. I loved that the show went back to one of their magic realism effects that they’ve used so often in the past. The narrator tells us that Jane and Michael were “having all the feels” and we see their hearts glowing. But Rafael’s heart is also glowing because he’s still having all the feels for Jane.

And then, finally, it’s Jane and Michael’s wedding day! I loved the shot of Jane and Alba looking at her in the mirror – so much love in one shot!

And of course, that’s when Jane comes up with her new thesis idea – she’ll write about Alba’s life! She calls Donaldson, but it’s too late. The committee are already meeting… unless Jane wants to come and pitch her idea in person! Jane calls Michael, but she’s already on her way – and of course, he supports her anyway. With 34 minutes to the wedding, the committee has said yes and Jane is changing back into her wedding dress in the washroom. Donnell comes in and is shocked, but helps Jane with her buttons and then congratulates her…. On having her thesis approved!

Rogelio is waiting for Jane and has kept the air conditioning running in the 60 year old Rolls…. Which then proceeds to explode! The two run for the bus to get to the wedding. Having some time along the way, they discuss Rogelio and Xo’s situation. Jane tells him that of course Xo was trying to hurt him because she was hurt that Rogelio had moved on so quickly with Dina.

They finally get to the church and Rogelio runs in to tell Michael they are there. Rafael is also there with Mateus. There’s a nice re-direct as Rafael tells Jane that he still loves her and doesn’t think she should marry Michael and asks her not to --- but he doesn’t actually say it! He sees how happy she is and because he does lover her, he just congratulates her.

Xo and Alba walk Jane down the aisle and Rogelio takes over for the last few feet. Hilariously, he delivers Jane and hugs Michael – until Jane tells him to let go and sit down.

The ceremony is beautiful and it’s that mix that the show does so well. Jane and Michael’s wedding vows are wonderful and Rodriguez is terrific in this scene. And of course, Michael once again proves what a great guy he is by delivering his vows in Spanish! It’s heartwarming and touching, but before it can get to be too much, we switch to comedy as Jane lays her flowers at the statue of Mary’s feet, Mary tells her she’s a rockstar for waiting, but to go and have sex now! Mary is joined by the choir and the wedding guests as they all sing for Jane to go and have sex!

The wedding reception is fabulous to say the least. Rogelio has gotten Bruno Mars to sing! We get a taste for Brett Dier’s breakdancing talent – including the worm! He actually showed off this talent on Whose Line is it Anyway when he guest starred this summer. Jane and Rogelio have the father/daughter dance and it is EPIC! It starts out tender as Jane tells Rogelio that she never expected to be having the father/daughter dance because she never thought she’d have a father – there are a few tears… and then…. WOW! Jane and Rogelio deliver a terrific routing – Rodriguez and Camil outdo themselves!

Michael and Rogelio chat with Jerry, who is from Tuscaloosa like Susanna. Jerry says “Roll tide” and we learn the proper response is “Roll.” Jerry tells Michael to say it to Susanna – and it’s the thing that tips him off that she isn’t who she says she is… but that’s at the end of the episode.

Meanwhile, at the party Xo and Rogelio both end up going for fresh air at the same time. Xo apologizes for Estefan, but Rogelio tells her she doesn’t need to. Rogelio is fine with it if Estefan makes Xo happy… but he’s thrilled when she says he doesn’t and that there’s nothing between them. Xo confesses she still loves Rogelio, but still doesn’t want kids, and Rogelio says he still does. Of course, is this something he is pursuing with Dina?

Meanwhile, Petra goes home and is quite emotional about the wedding. She was touched by it but also despairs it’s something she will never have. One of the twins finds Petra’s tears hilarious and Anezka points out that the baby has Petra’s sense of humor! Anezka once again seems sympathetic, but she injects Petra with something that leaves her in a Locked In Syndrome, unable to talk or move! She also dyes their hair so that she can assume Petra’s identity! Grobglas is amazing as she slips back and forth between the two characters!

Michael and Jane are back at the hotel getting ready to go to the Motel 6 he booked to replace the super expensive one. He got Jane a snowglobe with a tiny bride and groom – them – in it! This way, he tells her it will always be snowing on them. He remembered from their very first meeting that Jane said it’s always more romantic when it’s snowing – and then it “snowed” on them when they first kissed! The two can’t wait to get to the Motel 6 and decide to have sex there – Jane has a special negligee and while she changes Michael goes for ice.

Meanwhile, Rafael tries to comfort a distraught Petra – who is Anezka. She kisses Rafael, who is confused because the real Petra said she didn’t want him until he was over Jane – which he clearly isn’t. Anezka, however, doesn’t care, and they sleep together.

Xo, meanwhile, discovers that she’s pregnant!

Michael runs into Susanne and when she doesn’t get the “Roll tide” reference the penny drops – she’s the department’s leak! There’s a nice cut back to Jane knocking over and breaking the snowglobe and then Susanna shoots Michael!

        In the final scene, Rose reveals herself to Luisa and insists that they have to leave!

What a cliffhanger! These final two episodes were terrific and delivered on every level – romance, comedy, great dancing and terrific acting! What did you think of the episodes? Do you think Michael will be ok? Is he dead? Could he simply come back as a ghost? Will he be permanently injured in some way? Is Xo really pregnant? How long will Petra be paralyzed? Where are Rose and Luisa going? Let me know your thoughts and theories in the comments below!

About the Author - Lisa Macklem

I do interviews and write articles for the site in addition to reviewing a number of shows, including Supernatural, Arrow, Agents of Shield, Agent Carter, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, The X-Files, Defiance, Bitten, Killjoys, and a few others! I'm active on the Con scene when I have the time. When I'm not writing about television shows, I'm often writing about entertainment and media law in my capacity as a legal scholar. I also work in theatre when the opportunity arises. I'm an avid runner and rider, currently training in dressage.

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