{"id":7708,"date":"2020-12-11T08:00:37","date_gmt":"2020-12-11T16:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/markwatches.net\/reviews\/?p=7708"},"modified":"2020-11-30T17:34:10","modified_gmt":"2020-12-01T01:34:10","slug":"mark-watches-jane-the-virgin-s05e12-chapter-ninety-three","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/markwatches.net\/reviews\/2020\/12\/mark-watches-jane-the-virgin-s05e12-chapter-ninety-three\/","title":{"rendered":"Mark Watches ‘Jane the Virgin’: S05E12 – Chapter Ninety-Three"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the twelfth episode of the fifth season of Jane the Virgin<\/i>, some weird shit happens, but mostly I just wanna yell about THE THING. Intrigued? Then it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s time for Mark to watch Jane the Virgin<\/i>.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Trigger Warning: For talk of medication, trauma, brief mentions of cancer<\/b>.<\/p>\n

This is one of those episode where I have to promise myself I won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t just yell about THE THING because there are actually other important parts of this episode. BUT I WANT TO YELL ABOUT THE THING.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Mateo\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Musical<\/b><\/p>\n

OH, SCHOOL MUSICALS. I had a moment where I flashed back to elementary school in Idaho, and we had to perform Bette Midler\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Wind Beneath My Wings\u00e2\u20ac\u009d during a big school assembly. I was stuck on a riser in the back row, which made no sense, since I was dramatically taller than most of the other kids in my class. So I stuck out even more, which gave me anxiety, and then I was convinced everyone could like\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 extra hear my singing? I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know, I was seven! It made sense at the time! I HAVE HAD ANXIETY SINCE I WAS VERY LITTLE, OKAY?<\/p>\n

Anyway, that has virtually nothing to do with the plot of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Chapter Ninety-Three\u00e2\u20ac\u009d aside from the obvious. This was more about Jane and Rafael\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s attempts at utilizing strategies to help Mateo, all while grappling with an inevitable situation: behavioral adjustment isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t working. Sometimes, it helps, and for what it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s worth, I think it was good that Mateo\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s parents tried as hard as they could. But what we see here with Mateo is something else: awareness. Initially, that was awareness that Mateo was being treated differently than his fellow students, which was heartbreaking to watch. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a whole discussion to be had about how much this world refuses to cater to neuroatypical people, and I admit that this episode doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t touch that at all. Rather, it is<\/i> about centering normalcy and how best Mateo can fit in. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s no infrastructure or support for kids like Mateo, is there?\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At the same time, I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t ignore Mateo\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s awareness. He knows he doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t fit in, and by the end of the episode, when a crying baby derails his focus during the musical itself, he believes that there is something wrong with him. WHICH IS A MILLION TIMES MORE HEARTBREAKING, Y\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ALL. He literally says he doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to be \u00e2\u20ac\u0153this way\u00e2\u20ac\u009d anymore!!!! CHRIST. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s such a painful moment, and while I once more can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t claim any sort of authenticity with this experience, I did appreciate that the writers approached all of this without the usual stigma that I see attached to taking medication. They established this earlier this season by revealing that Rafael is on an antidepressant, and it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s reinforced again here. This is such a huge thing for a mainstream television show, y\u00e2\u20ac\u2122all, since I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m so used to medication being used in mostly negative contexts. Will this help Mateo? I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know yet. No one does. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s why this is so stressful for the characters involved. But now that Mateo has spoken out about how distressed he<\/i> is, it seems like the right time to try something else.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I will also say that I know people who struggle with executive dysfunction, who are often just as frustrated as Mateo is here. Like I said, it doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t help that this world is frequently unkind to people who are dealing with executive dysfunction, either. They get called lazy or selfish or a ton of other, much more cruel things than that, when it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s actually something that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s often painful to deal with, both emotionally and<\/i> literally. So, at the very least, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m glad that Jane and Rafael made sure Mateo knew that they weren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t angry with him. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s important, y\u00e2\u20ac\u2122all.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Single Ladies<\/b><\/p>\n

In a purely positive subplot, JANE AND PETRA CONTINUE BEING BEST FRIENDS. I honestly have moments where I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t believe that their friendship is at the level it is, but here we are. It happened. And the show earned it! I think that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s important to note here. This was such a gradual, slow-burn of a friendship, and I am certain that when I get to the finale, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll still be one of the very best things about this show.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Chapter Ninety-Three,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d both Petra and Jane are able to be there for one another as they navigate the post-breakup world of singledom. That manifests in two ways: First, both women do what they can to encourage the other not<\/i> to fall into familiar patterns of checking up on their exes. If they are to truly move on, then they have to ACTUALLY move on. That means no Instagram stalking; no waiting around for things to change; no obsessing over what could have been or what might be. And so, the two of them dip their toes in the pool of single ladies! I LOVED THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF PETRA\u00e2\u20ac\u2122S BISEXUALITY HERE, TOO. Plus, that scene at the bar was just fun<\/i>. A lot of this show has been pretty stressful ever since the return of Michael in the season four finale, so it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s nice to have moments like this. I am so happy about this! And the other thing. But we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve more to get to before that.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Krishna<\/b><\/p>\n

Well, this is\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 weird. Immediately, this episode fulfilled exactly what I wanted it to! Krishna was justifiably forceful about calling out Petra and making sure she stuck to treating her better than she ever did. That was an interesting story to me! How would Krishna change Petra? We already saw how Petra changed because of JR in regards to Milos\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s bullying. Petra now wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t dream of doing anything unethical to get her way, whereas the Petra of years ago absolutely would.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, now it seems as if Krishna took the job just to get revenge? I mean, I get it. I understand the basic motivation behind it. I just don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know how compelling of a story that is? Krishna is still a background character, and I was looking forward to her getting a meatier storyline. I mean, maybe it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s still on its way? It just feels a little strange that she would work with Milos, who tormented her through blackmail, so that she could\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6. work with someone else who tormented her. Surely there are other choices Krishna could have made? I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll give this a chance, though. UGH, EVEN THOUGH I HATE MILOS.<\/p>\n

Purpose<\/b><\/p>\n

I also don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know where this story is going, but I do have an idea where I want<\/i> it to go: I think Xiomara should get back into singing and dancing for herself. I really miss that part of her, and it was a delight seeing her do that again with Mateo and<\/i> during the musical number at the end of the episode. But that is my<\/i> dream. The whole point here? Xiomara wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t granted the answer to the existential search she was on prior to being diagnosed with breast cancer. She doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know what her passion is, and she doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know what she wants to do with the rest of her life. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m glad that she has the space to be able to continue to pursue this, but I still don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have a guess as to what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s going to make her feel happy. And I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m gonna hypothesize that we won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t find out until closer to the finale.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Revenge<\/b><\/p>\n

What a\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 weird plot??? Like, is that it? Was this all some really bizarre revenge plot orchestrated by River because she got rejected? I get why Rogelio feels relieved, but I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not. This was such a creepy, self-centered response to being rejected??? Rogelio was not in the wrong here! There was nothing for River to get revenge for!!! I suppose it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s possible that her claim that she let Rogelio sink into his paranoia is actually a lie, and she IS dealing with an unhealthy obsession with him. Still, this episode makes it seem like everything was resolved BUT IT\u00e2\u20ac\u2122S NOT??? River just did this awful thing to Rogelio??? Y\u00e2\u20ac\u2122all, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m LOST.<\/p>\n

Being the Bigger Person<\/b><\/p>\n

IT REALLY SUCKS SOMETIMES. But hey, I thought that it was a good exercise for Jane to do this. Jane is a deeply flawed protagonist, and her problems with boundaries, her judgmental attitude, and her obsessive nature are well-documented across the show. That made the situation with Rafael dating again even more complicated because all of these things came out in full-force at some point. Though thankfully not<\/i> around Rafael! It was Petra who helped Jane temper down some of her more destructive and harmful impulses, even though it clearly hurt for her to give Rafael advice that would push him to be closer with Julia. So I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t see this as a bad thing in the long run. Rather, it was good practice, a chance for her to maintain respectful boundaries with Rafael and not punishing him for moving on. It is also deeply weird to write about this plot in hindsight because I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not sure it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll necessarily matter in the long run. Why?<\/p>\n

Love, Love, Love<\/b><\/p>\n

BECAUSE IT HAPPENED. OH MY GOD. Oh my god, I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t see it until it was right there in front of my face. I had resigned myself to a new reality by this point. Rafael was dating again, y\u00e2\u20ac\u2122all. It was over, there was NOTHING onscreen to even give me a shred of hope. This was a fully platonic relationship at this point. I do want to say that even knowing the end, I actually still think that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the case. I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t think Rafael was entertaining a relationship with Jane again until he picked up that list he made of his desired qualities. So this really was<\/i> what we thought it was.<\/p>\n

UNTIL IT WASN\u00e2\u20ac\u2122T. Oh god. The musical number! The relief! THE SHEER JOY I FELT. It was all such a telenovela trope, but I gotta say, the show nailed it. At least to me, this moment was also<\/i> earned. Holy shit, it happened. THEY\u00e2\u20ac\u2122RE BACK TOGETHER. Oh my god, how will the others react? HOW WILL MATEO REACT??? He always wanted this, too! UGH, I NEED THE NEXT EPISODE NOW.<\/p>\n

The video for \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Chapter Ninety-Three\u00e2\u20ac\u009d can be downloaded here for $0.99<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Mark Links Stuff<\/b><\/p>\n

– My second novel, EACH OF US A DESERT, is now out in the world!<\/a>
\n<\/strong>– If you’d like to stay up-to-date on all announcements regarding my books, sign up for my newsletter<\/a>! DO IT.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"