Having missed all the fun of Jane the Virgin season one, there was no clear clue what season two would bring. This CW comedy offering, a faux telenovela that has been adapted from a real Venezuelan telenovela Juana la Virgen, was a question mark, but not for long. After watching for eight minutes, which takes the viewer up to Jane (Gina Rodriguez) climbing out of a hospital bed after just having the baby, barking orders and then waddling out of the room after her kidnapped child. This scene alone made it obvious that Jane the Virgin is comedy with a capital C.
Anyone who has not lived in either Mexico or America for the last 32 years may not be overly familiar with telenovelas. Unless, of course, the viewer has watched the Warehouse 13 episode Savage Seduction which was a satirical homage of sorts to the genre. That telenovelas are popular on both sides of the border is apparent, in 2014 when a popular telenovela actress passed away, she was mourned by millions of fans.
Which brings us back to Jane the Virgin and the fact that one does not need to watch the first season to enjoy the beginning of season two. There is a more than adequate opening montage and voice over to bring the new viewer “up to snuff” on events.
*Sidenote*Narrator Anthony Mendez is a crucial part of the show, his pronouncements and attitude make the series even funnier. Lines, like: “Even though she should not have been able to, Jane ran too…Well we’ll call it running that thing she is doing.” If that does not strike you as funny, wait for the narrative over the Cher lookalike wedding scene…
The recap, at the beginning of the first episode of season two reveals why the show is called Jane the Virgin, the lead character “protected her flower” and was accidentally artificially inseminated in season one. Rodriquez is hysterical as Jane and her comic timing is exquisite.
There is at least one familiar face in the cast, Priscilla Barnes plays Magda, mother of Petra (Yael Grobglas) and even though Barnes is only on for a moment, she rocks it.
In season two, Jane has had the baby, Mateo, and the boy is kidnapped. The episode follows his retrieval and Jane’s determination to breast feed. This series is a fast paced and very funny offering from CW. The jokes are well-timed and each performer executes their parts with precision and comedic timing that impresses.
Narrator Mendez holds it all together and the plot, like the characters, is delightfully humorous and multifaceted. One does not have to be familiar with telenovelas to enjoy this show and if the viewer is curious, Jane the Virgin features a telenovela called The Miracles of Mariana (A show within a show…sort of.) that the young Jane watched with her grandmother and we see scenes from this telenovela in flashback. This may, or may not help the novice become familiar with the premise of telenovelas.
CW may specialize in all things paranormal, The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, as well as DC; Arrow, The Flash, but it seems that they have mastered comedy as well with Jane the Virgin. Watching the second season of this hysterically funny series one expects a third season will be certainly be approved, if not more…
Jane the Virgin airs Mondays on CW, tune in and prepare to laugh till it hurts.
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