“Jane the Virgin” and Satire

Jane the Virgin is easily one of the most intriguing, multifaceted shows out there right now. Advertised as a “satirical romantic comedy-drama telenovela” (say that five times fast), Jane the Virgin heaps a lot onto its plate, and manages to succeed every moment of the way. Without spoiling too many of the key plot points, the show’s premise is about satirizing the dramatic, unrealistic elements of soap operas (in this case, specifically Spanish telenovelas) and transferring it to the real world. In Jane the Virgin, Jane Villanueva (played by the inimitable Gina Rodriguez), her mother, and her grandmother avidly watch…