How 'Jane the Virgin' Has Taken over My Life

I would consider myself the type of person that gets bored by seeing the same thing again and again. If I dare say this to any of my friends, they would glare at me and remind me of the five times I’ve watched all five seasons of Jane the Virgin. Yes. Five times. Five seasons of around 20 episodes with 40 minutes of content. You might be wondering if I have a life outside of Netflix… Thankfully, that’s not the topic in question here. But there is something about this show that will make me drop whatever I’m doing, grab a blanket and a snack, and delve deep into this intricate plot. Here are two reasons why I don’t think I’ll EVER stop re-watching this show.

To begin with, Jane the Virgin is a perfect blend of a range of genres, with a focus on the Spanish telenovela-esque style of narration. It is filled to the brim with drama, romance, and classic tropes, and the best part is that they know how tacky and redundant these tropes are, so they’re used with utter sophistication when you least expect it. Regardless of how many times you’ve heard of the cliché, your jaw will certainly drop, and just when you think you saw it coming… Fasten your seat belt! It’s funny to say, but that "awareness" is what makes this show so charming. Like, they know this dramatic scene or cliché attempt at suspense is stupid, they’ve probably even mocked it, yet you find yourself surprised and gripped, wanting to know more. Overall, the show is just a masterpiece when it comes to its writing. Every scene feels purposeful, and when a big shocker is revealed, it feels like everything is starting to fall into place. Going back and watching it, you will find little nuggets, hinting at the big reveal. That's when you think to yourself... Damn. It was RIGHT THERE! To make everything even better, the "Latin lover narrator" knows exactly how to induce any emotion he wants into your mind. His playful chatter will drive you insane, but at the same time make you laugh and cry too; he pops up at all the right times to stray you away, or closer and closer to the truth. They know exactly when to slow down, and when to speed up.

Intense scenes bring out all those ugly emotions just because of the characters that make up the scene. Over the course of these five seasons, you understand more and more about each character and all of their quirks. Moreover, everyone has learned, grown, and changed because of the events that take place. The Villanueva family feels like my own family because of all the intimate details I know. In fact, this whole show is weaved around the concept of family, and the strains and bonds that form throughout. Just thinking about them makes my heart glow. Speaking of the heart... Romance. Oh, the romance. If you are a hopeless romantic as I am, no questions asked, this is the show for you. The love triangle is incomparable. Even though the internet is split into two distinct teams, either of the two of Jane's admirers would be perfect, just because their characters are equally dense. The back and forth between the two can get awkward at times, but at the end of the day, it just adds to the charm. Trust me, watching those actors express their (character's) deepest sentiments, even the ugly ones, you will never forget them. Lastly, the cast and characters bring so much representation to the table. A big chunk of the cast is Latinx, there is LGBTQ+ representation, and so much more. This is one of the few popular shows that really focus on the Latinx experience. Although Gina Rodriguez has been at the center of some controversy recently, many of the actors are advocates for remarkable causes, like Justin Baldoni.

There are definitely flaws to it, but they are what make this show feel authentic. An experience like no other, really. So, maybe I'll watch this show one last time... or two more times? three? Oh well. This is a never ending cycle!