It’s time to talk TV

Specifically, Still Star-Crossed, Jane the Virgin, and The Good Place.

So, the thing about Still Star-Crossed is that it’s kind of dumb, but the characters are pretty. Which…TV, am I right? Anyway, the biggest thing that makes it dumb is that it is still taking itself a little too seriously. And there is so much murdering. (And, yes, I know Romeo & Juliet is at its core about petty street gangs, but still.) Also, and I hate to be a purist, but are we really just going to ignore the fact that Rosaline and Romeo totally had a thing in the play? She dumped him because he kept pressuring her to put out, and in the show, she’s all, “I HATE MONTAGUES FOREVER.” I mean, sure, that’s valid (they killed her dad on the show, and then Romeo did turn around and marry her cousin), but, you know: canon.

(Yes, I am that person.)

I also find Rosaline a touch insufferable. I need her to look at the big picture a bit more here: sisters before pride, country before heartbreak, etc. Her attitude is a little too 21st century American woman and less, well, see previous list.

Anyway, I think the show will be infinitely better once Rosaline and Benvolio lean into the fake dating and just accept it as a thing, so I can enjoy what should be the best part about the show (the actual best part of the show is Princess Isabella who really should be running things–and I appreciate that the show makes that fact clear).

Let’s hope the show doesn’t get canceled before I can get some fake dating fun. (Unfortunately, it’s pretty much on its way out. Maybe it’ll get punted to Freeform?)

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Okay, so I have finally gotten out of my weird Jane the Virgin slump and finished S1 and also blazed through the first seven episodes of season 2. I am officially on episode 8 of season 2, so spoilers up through the episodes I have seen are in this post. Also, please DO NOT SPOIL ME for anything that may come up.

First of all, let me say that this show has one of the BEST love triangles EVER. I genuinely like both Michael and Rafael. That never happens! And I can support her being with either one of them. Unlike most shows where I have bitter rage when my person doesn’t get picked, I would be fine if Jane didn’t pick my person (#TeamMichael) because the other guy is pretty swoon worthy, too. So. Good job there, show!

Speaking of #TeamMichael (and getting into spoilers now): I am glad to know the firing was a front and he was undercover because him attacking Rafael did seem out of character for him. My heart is still broken for him and Jane, obviously, but at least I know that Michael is still the Michael of my heart and not some rage monster who goes around not caring about Jane’s feelings and injuring Mateo (which I know he didn’t intend at all, whew).

Some other observations:

• Rogelio is the best. Obviously. #RogelioMyBrogelio (Also, how much do I love that he insists on calling Mateo “Matelio”?)
• There is not enough Lina. She is great. Female friendships are great. More Lina and Jane time, please.
• Petra is pregnant with twins, and I’m the only one who has figured out that Roman is the father. I need her to get it together.
• There is a lot of murdering on this show, but I am still upset that they managed to kill the one black dude (twice!) and one of the two black women on the show.
• Magda’s caftan game is on point.
• Can Jane please get some writer friends who are not creepy stalking backstabbers?
• Also, I am not pleased that the female writing professor managed to somehow be an airhead (“sparkles”? “gasp”?) but the male professor is tough but good. Sigh.
• Luisa is a hot mess, and I kind of love her for it.
• Michael pronounces Nadine “Nah-dine” instead of “Nay-deen.” (Okay, the actor is from Canada. Maybe that explains it.)
• I really do feel sorry for Petra most of the time. Her mother is a real piece of work. (That is an understatement.)
• The casting of young Jane, Xo, and Alba is A+++
• How great is it to watch a drama about decent people trying to do the right thing most of the time? I love that Jane and most of the people in her life have so much integrity. THIS IS A GOOD THING. More of this in TV dramas, please.

So, yeah, Jane the Virgin is great. I’m super into it.

(Full disclosure: I may have watched two more episodes between writing this section of the post and finishing the next section. Michael has a girlfriend now??? And how upsetting was his breakup talk with Rogelio? Ugh, these two are killing me. Also, Rafael’s family sucks. Poor dude.)

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I rewatched The Good Place. AND COULD REWATCH IT AGAIN. So, basically, I still love it. (Spoilers below, obviously.)

I have decided that even though Michael is working from the premise that hell is other people, he is missing the whole part of how creating community also changes a person/persons for the better. I mean, he gets in the end because Eleanor points it out, but that is the fundamental flaw in his plan.

My only qualm with the show is the reason for Chidi (I LOVE YOU, CHIDI) being in the bad place. Michael chalks it up to Chidi’s indecisiveness torturing everyone around him. But I find it troubling that Chidi’s crippling anxiety is treated as a defect of character rather than what is possibly a mental illness. As a mother of someone with anxiety, it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. So I am hoping there is more to his backstory than that.

Oh! And I have also decided that Michael as architect is just a metaphor for writing. He’s an author of chaos who keeps putting his characters into new situations and the fun is seeing what happens. It’s all very, “What wacky thing can I throw at them next?” or “What would the audience least expect to happen right now?”

P.S. Janet and Jason are the best. I can’t wait to see how her ride or die protocol gets activated next season. This is a thing I will be watching and waiting for. Oh, and the use of “Digital Get Down” by *NSYNC during their wedding? PERFECTION.

Jason is so dumb, and I love him. Because he is SO DUMB. I mean, the way he died! Also, how Florida Man was that? Love, love, love, love, love. LOVE.

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I am, of course, also watching the season of The Great British Bake Off that’s airing on PBS right now. And I have a list of shows to get to this summer. I STILL NEED TO PACK. And do course prep. But I am happy to be getting some of my TV watching mojo back.

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