Saying Goodbye to Jane the Virgin’s Most Important Relationship

Source: the CW

Jane the Virgin, an under-watched gem of a series, ends its five-season run tonight with an appropriately tidy 100 episodes. There’s a lot to be said about Jane’s many strengths, and in a usual farewell article, I would talk about all of them. I would mention the scene stealing work Yael Grobglas put in year after year, the complicated but always loving relationship between women of three generations, what the show’s existence meant for the Latinx community, how it gave us one of the decade’s most dynamic characters in Rogelio de la Vega, and what a relief its candy-colored palette was in a time when even my favorite comedy takes place in hell. People don’t throw around the word “perfect” very often when it comes to TV shows, but Jane the Virgin was damn near close.

I could also talk extensively about what the show’s meant to me personally, that wannabe writer Jane popped up in my life when I was at that crossroads myself, stuck between my teaching degree and what I actually wanted. I cried when Jane got her massive $500,000 book deal in last week’s episode, not out of jealousy or sadness, but because I was genuinely happy for her, a character whose journey vibrates with aching realism. As a lifelong Catholic, I could also mention that Jane’s take on religion was respectful and nuanced, acknowledging the Church’s many flaws and wrestling with Jane’s existence as a sex-positive feminist who, yes, is also Catholic.

But instead of going long on any of those aspects of the show, I want to talk about its most important and most improbable pairing: Jane and Petra. Because, on a show with one of the most hotly debated love triangles in history, the relationship I found most affecting was completely platonic. In the last few seasons, Jane and Petra’s friendship has become a constant, to the point that it’s easy to forget just how antagonistic it was in the beginning. The two don’t actually meet until the series’ second episode, at Jane’s first ultrasound appointment. It’s actually a pleasant encounter, but only because Petra is trying to manipulate Jane into giving her and Rafael her unborn baby. They spend most of the first two seasons hating each other, until Petra gives birth to Anna and Elsa midway through season two. 

I love the birth episode, because it’s the first hint of what their relationship will become, with Jane softening Petra and Petra making Jane bold. There’s Jane, who can’t help but say yes when Petra asks her to come to her birthing class. There’s Petra, who realizes she’s pissed on Jane’s behalf when another author steals her idea. And of course, there’s Petra giving birth, with Jane treating her with a compassion unlike anything Petra’s experienced before. It’s not all sunshine and roses after the birth episode, but the two settle into an often frustrating, but exceedingly believable friendship, thanks in no small part to Petra’s evolution. When newly engaged Jane and Michael find a dream house that’s further away than Rafael would like, Petra tells him to suck it up. Then, when that house falls through, Petra buys a different one and insists that Jane and Michael never know she’s the owner. It’s Petra’s first purely unselfish move of the series, and she does it for Jane.

Another big turn in their friendship happens when Rafael is in jail and Michael has just passed away. A lot of work happens in the three-year time jump that follows, but the fact that there isn’t an abrupt change but rather a subtle one when the show picks back up again shows how well-earned their friendship is. Their weekly brunches during that time period are when their relationship becomes a given, which lessens the burden of it, allowing them to fight and be honest with each other in a way they weren’t before. In fact, the one time after this where it seems like Jane is really angry and maybe their relationship isn’t a given, Petra immediately panics, barging into Jane’s house with a traditional Czech breakfast after Jane cancels brunch. There’s a defiance to it, Petra’s way of saying “No, I will fight for this friendship.” Prior to her relationship with Jane, Petra had hardly ever seen people as worth fighting for, and that’s one of the biggest changes in her character throughout the series.

Still though, their friendship maintains a one-step-forward-two-steps-back rhythm for much of the show, sustained by a couple of things, one of which is Jane goading Petra into admitting how much she cares about her. One of my favorite instances of this is in “Chapter Seventy-Nine” when Jane tells Petra she loves her and insists she say it back. Petra, embarrassed that this whole exchange is happening in the lobby of the Marbella, begrudgingly says it before giving Jane a tiny kiss on the head and rushing away. It’s adorable and funny, an example of the writers and actors infusing the friendship with such heart that you can’t help but root for it.

Another hallmark of Jane and Petra’s friendship would start with Petra doing something selfish or casually cruel to the point where I would sometimes wonder why Jane was even bothering with her, that this was surely the thing that would do in their tenuous friendship. But then Petra would make some quietly devastating comment that didn’t excuse whatever she’d said or done but did explain it. What’s more, each time there was a sense that she didn’t mean to say whatever it was, but Jane somehow brought it out of her. 

One of my favorite examples of this happened this season, albeit when Jane and Petra’s friendship is in a much more stable place. Jane and Petra are arguing about Anna and Elsa leaving Mateo out, and Petra’s getting defensive when she suddenly yells, “That’s life! You don’t think I ever feel left out?” The scene happens after Michael has just come back from the dead, and Petra realizes that Jane told everyone in her life but her. And that’s what it comes down to: Petra upset that her friend didn’t confide in her. The ensuing conversation is a marvel, one of my favorites of theirs in the entire series. It’s also textbook Jane, taking a moment “straight out of a telenovela” and finding something breathtakingly human in it. 

Jane and Petra’s friendship changes a lot throughout the series, one of its many moving parts. But it’s also one of the most constant relationships on the show, present regardless of who they are dating, married to, or, at some points, both in love with. Because, yes, the fact that Jane and Petra have the relationship they do despite spending a decent chunk of the series in love with the same guy is pretty incredible, and evidence of how Jane eschews stereotypes at every turn. 

The series will partly be remembered for its romantic relationships, as it should be. Michael surprising Jane at their wedding by saying his vows in Spanish, Rafael proposing at her dining room table, whatever exceedingly romantic thing happens in the series finale tonight, are all great moments. But, when I think about Jane, I’ll also remember Petra making soup and dressing up like the tooth fairy to cheer Jane up after Xo’s cancer diagnosis. I’ll remember Jane taking care of Petra after she and J.R. broke up. And I’ll definitely remember the two of them hugging in a pop-up tent, calling each other sisters while their kids played together outside. Jane was billed as an over-the-top telenovela that was sneakily a quiet character study. So it feels right that, despite brimming with romance, Jane the Virgin’s most important relationship was a complicated, messy, ultimately beautiful friendship between two women.

The Crazy Genius of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Critically acclaimed, featuring a complex heroine, and chock-full of catchy and irreverent musical numbers, the CW’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, which finished its run last night, was both an anomaly and a gem. What’s more, it was one of the most consistently good, constantly evolving shows on TV, reinventing itself each season with distinct chapters that steadily built to its never forgone conclusion. It was a show with such a high degree of difficulty that I kept waiting for it to go off the rails, only to be surprised when even OK episodes were better than most of what was on. Consider the sheer number of things this show was: a romantic comedy, a meditation on mental health, an ode to musical theatre, a critique of gender stereotypes, a celebration of female friendship…I could go on and on, and that’s what makes Crazy Ex so impressive.

Almost from the start of the series, cocreators Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna said theirs was a four season story. However, even with a plan in mind, they also made slight or even major adjustments throughout the show’s run so smoothly that it became impossible to tell if they were part of the plan or not. Greg’s departure in season two for example, had the hallmarks of an actor leaving unexpectedly, forcing the writers to scrap what I assumed at the time was a relationship that would last the entire series. Instead, Greg and Rebecca were always destined to break up, leading to their reunion this season as newer versions of themselves—in Greg’s case, literally.

There were smaller shifts too, particularly between the first and second seasons, ones you could chalk up to that old TV standby of writers figuring out what works and building on it. The second season and beyond focused on the nuance of Paula and Rebecca’s friendship, their hilariously offbeat coworkers, and Vella Lovell’s scene-stealing turn as Heather. They tweaked Valencia into someone with more depth but suggested that it had been there along; Rebecca and, by extension, we as viewers just hadn’t noticed, keen as we were to cast her as the villain. They introduced Nathaniel, who fit in so well that I often forgot he wasn’t even in the pilot, let alone most of the first two seasons.

Those shifts are just one of the many, many things that Crazy Ex-Girlfriend did well. Another is its theme songs, which were different each season depending on Rebecca’s story. I loved dissecting those theme songs. They functioned as a thesis statement of sorts each year, offering clues about where Rebecca’s journey might take her. To go back to season one for a moment, that year’s theme featured a starry-eyed Rebecca headed to a new city, full of hope for romance, and taken aback by your critiques about doing something big for love. She was defensive and probably for good reason; it’s not every day a sun gleefully sings “She’s so broken inside!” at you. That line was the show’s first hint at something darker bubbling beneath the show’s candy-colored, song-filled world and its sunshiny heroine, but it was far from the last.

In contrast, the Rebecca in season two’s theme song was confident, coy. She bagged Josh Chan, after all. She proved her haters wrong while acknowledging that “oh, maybe they were a tiny bit right about the crazy part.” But it’s OK, because when you’re in love, acting crazy is no longer weird or unhealthy, it’s adorable. In that song, the hint that things are not quite as OK as Rebecca thinks comes with the hilariously disconcerting beat after Rebecca says “Blam!”

Season three’s theme isn’t hinting at anything. Rebecca’s turmoil is right on the surface (“You do (don’t) want to be crazy”). She’s made progress in that she recognizes something is wrong but still won’t take responsibility for it. Instead, she argues “This is what you’ve done to me” Both things, the turmoil and being unwilling to take responsibility for her actions, come to a head in season three, the first with her suicide attempt partway through the season—heart-wrenching because it’s simultaneously shocking and far too easy to see coming—and the second with her owning up to her mistakes in the finale.

In contrast to the other three themes, season four’s song is practically a celebration. It finds Rebecca embracing her nuance in a way we’ve never seen before. It’s also the first one that doesn’t reference love or relationships at all, similar to how the show quietly switched from boy to “I” statement episode titles this season. The person narrating the theme song may give up on her by the end (“Let’s go back to other Rebecca”), but our Rebecca is smiling and waving throughout. She has a look of “that’s a good point!” when the singer mentions her flaws instead of denying them as she did in season one, dismissing them like in season two, or blaming them on someone else like in season three.

In addition to the theme song, each season also features one big number sung by Rebecca that shows her mental state with devastating clarity. There may be disagreement among viewers about what those songs are for each season, but for me season one’s is undoubtedly “You Stupid Bitch.” It remains one of my favorites from the series, I’ll admit partially because, like a lot of aspects of this show, it makes me feel seen on an almost uncomfortable level.

However, I also love it because it neatly encapsulates the show and Rebecca. It’s quietly heartbreaking—or sometimes not so quietly heartbreaking; the way Rachel Bloom sings “simple, self-hating” gets me even when I’m just listening to the soundtrack—but it’s also funny. It embraces the hilarity of singing a self-indulgent song of self-loathing to a crowd who knows all the words. I bring that up because while breaking down the show as a moving portrait of one woman’s mental health, it’s easy to forget how rare that mix of soul-crushingly human drama and smart, silly comedy is.

Season two’s most defining song comes in its penultimate episode, when Rebecca is planning her last-minute wedding to Josh and begs Seth Green’s affable but confused delivery man to assure her she’s OK, in the aptly titled “(Tell Me I’m Okay) Patrick.” There’s a desperation in that song, a sense of just how close Rebecca is to the edge, that foreshadows that season’s finale, the end of which finds Rebecca literally on a ledge after Josh leaves her at the altar. In that moment, being crazy in love doesn’t seem so adorable any more. It’s funny that Josh wants to be a priest until Rebecca’s standing there telling Paula not to come any closer and suddenly it’s not so funny anymore.

That scene is the first time I realized something that had been building in the back of my mind throughout the first two seasons: that even as I was laughing at Rebecca’s hijinks, her crazed obsession, her hilariously specific songs, there was a nagging sense that something was wrong, that this escalation that was usually amusingly dangerous could quickly become actually dangerous. That was intentional; as I said, part of what made Rebecca’s eventual suicide attempt so awful was how easy it was to pinpoint what led her there.

After that unbearable low, though, season three’s big song, “A Diagnosis,” is thrillingly hopeful. It’s joyous and bright, and marks the biggest turning point for Rebecca. Despite her uncertainty, it’s the most clear-headed she’s ever been, because she finally believes she can be clear-headed. She’s pinning all of her hopes on this one thing in a way that’s very in-character, but it’s not a boy she’s pinning them on this time, and that’s why it feels like it might finally work. Throughout the rest of season three and into season four there are believable backslides, especially in her romantic relationships. However, she also puts in a hell of a lot of work, sending herself to jail to atone for her mistakes, exploring new careers and opportunities, and being there for her friends more than she’s ever been before.

You could make an argument that season four’s most important song is the medley from last night’s episode, which includes reprises from the show’s theme songs and some songs mentioned here. That medley is lovely to watch and brings everything full circle. With the costumes worn in those numbers swirling around Rebecca, she finally lets someone into the madcap musical theatre world she’s created for herself. Of course, that person is Paula, who, let’s be honest, was always her real soulmate.

However much as I loved that medley, for me, this season’s most important number is “The Darkness” back in episode twelve, sung after Rebecca lapsed in therapy and haphazardly threw herself at Josh, Nathaniel, and Greg all in one night. It’s one of those realistic backslides, but it’s what comes after that counts: Rebecca waiting outside her therapist’s office, finally putting a name to the thing that’s plagued her for her whole life. By treating it like a bad ex, she finally allows herself to consider that she may be able to get rid of it forever.

This song also comes a couple episodes after one of the most enlightening scenes in the whole series: an honest conversation between Rebecca and Greg about how her bipolar disorder manifests itself. Throughout the series, it was sometimes easy to think that Rebecca had made no progress at all; just as Rebecca’s brain tricked her into thinking that, the show could sometimes trick viewers too. But think about season one Rebecca who wouldn’t even admit that she needed help, let alone acknowledge that she had an illness, let alone name it, let alone talk about it with a romantic partner, let alone admit that she had messed up and explain why.

And yes, she had this conversation with Greg, not Nathaniel or Josh, and it’s easy to take that as a sign he’s the person she ends up with at some point in the future. You can take last week’s fun The Bachelor inspired outing as an indicator of that too; she had a great time on her dates with Josh and Nathaniel, but it was on her “date” with Greg, which found the two of them waiting for his car to get fixed and arguing over what food to order, that she seemed the most content. I got the sense from that episode that Josh is who she’d be with if she remained an idealistic teenager, Nathaniel would be the one for her in the dream version of herself (that one we all have), but Greg is the one for her as she is now. Not who she wishes she could be or who she was in the past. This version of her, the one she actually is, who’s messy and honest and makes mistakes and has finally stopped seeing herself as a problem to solve.

It doesn’t seem wrong to mention this; as much as Crazy Ex-Girlfriend made it clear that, as Rebecca said in the finale, “romantic love is just a part of your story,” it also showed that wanting that is perfectly OK. This show was a deconstruction and critique of rom-coms, but it was also a celebration of them. That’s why it’s great that the finale lets you have both things. As it should be, front and center is Rebecca finding peace with whom she is and what she wants—appropriately meta-ly, to write songs—but it also suggests that romantic love is in her future if she wants it, but not because she needs it.

The finale feels intentionally unfinished, because this character who was always striving for something is finally content just being. It isn’t clear if she eventually winds up with Greg, Nathaniel, or neither of them. We don’t even hear the song she wrote. What we do know is the episode’s title, which I’ve always understood to be written by Rebecca herself: “I’m in Love.” Going into the finale, I had no idea what it would be in reference to: a guy, a career, or something else entirely. Now we know: it’s herself.

Giving Thanks for Great TV

First off, Happy (early) Thanksgiving, fellow Americans! And Happy Wednesday to everyone else :). In what’s become a tradition here at Standing in Front of a TV, I like to kick off my holiday celebrating with a list of things I’m grateful for in the world of TV:

1. Strong starts for Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl. The Arrow-verse shows were a little inconsistent last season, but they’ve all had awesome starts this year. Supergirl‘s Lena/Kara-centric second episode was one of my favorites in the show’s run, The Flash has done a great job sharing the wealth among its new, slightly larger cast, and Arrow‘s delivered some of its best fight sequences yet with Oliver’s time in prison. Plus, the super fun Elseworlds teases have me stoked for the upcoming crossover.
2. The Bold Type‘s feminist dreamscape. I finally got around to watching this over the summer, and man was it the right call. Sutton, Kat, and Jane are the perfect model of female friendship in all its messy believability, and the show itself tackles privilege, representation, and sex in a thoughtful way. Plus, it’s just a fun show; the clothes are great, the boys are cute, and Jacqueline is every girl’s dream boss.
3. Winter returns of old favorites. This was a slightly quieter fall in that some of my favorite shows were held ’til mid-season (or just usually premiere then). Now, though, I get to reap the benefits with the upcoming returns of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Jane the Virgin, The Good Fight, and especially, my beloved Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
4. Legends‘ Sara and Ava. I fell in love with these two last season, but this season has deepened their relationship beautifully, from sweet domestic scenes to slowly delving into their respective traumatic pasts. Plus, seeing Ava in action at the Time Bureau has only further proven what a perfect match she is for Captain Lance.
5. The continued glory of The Good Place. This isn’t an original pick at all, but The Good Place continues to delight, this season through slight twists on our favorite characters, such as a slightly softer Eleanor and Tahani, a at one point hilariously carefree Chidi, and the most empathetic versions of Michael and Janet yet. Also, Michael’s various Earth aliases bring me so much joy (Zack Pizzazz remaining my personal favorite).
6. Jane the Virgin‘s spring run. It feels like a while ago in the era of peak TV, but the second half of Jane the Virgin‘s fourth season was spectacular enough that I’m still thinking about it. There was so much to love about that chunk of episodes, including Jane and Rafael in a healthy, fun relationship, Petra and J.R.’s blossoming love story, Xo’s heartbreaking cancer diagnosis, and of course, that crazy, crazy cliffhanger.
7. The Good Fight. Similar to Jane the Virgin, The Good Fight‘s second season aired awhile ago, but I’ve rarely been so enthralled by a show each week. Its “Kill All the Lawyers!” theme this season made it the perfect microcosm of the manic, and in many ways, terrifying time we live in. Plus, the acting continued to be sublime, especially regarding Diane and Kurt’s fractured relationship (all hail Christine Baranski).
8. This Is Us reclaiming its sweet center. I love this show, but there’s no doubt that the buildup and aftermath of Jack’s death made for a pretty sad second season. In contrast, this season has had a sweetness and joy and leaned into the show’s inherent earnestness. It’s also (partly) shelved relationship angst to show the softer sides of Rebecca and Jack, Kate and Toby, Beth and Randall, and new couple Kevin and Zoe.

What about you, TV watchers? Let me know what you’re thankful for in the comments, and have a lovely weekend!

The Confident Optimism of Once Upon a Time

When Once Upon a Time premiered way back in 2011, TV fans were intrigued. It was one of the more original concepts for a show: a mishmash of fairytale characters that would probably feel even more refreshing now, in the era of reboots and revivals. In the pilot, we were introduced to twists on well-known characters: a sword-wielding, awesomely feminist Snow White who had snappy as hell chemistry with the man she sarcastically dubbed “Charming” and a snarky, elaborately-dressed Evil Queen who actually got her happy ending, as well as various dwarfs, crickets, fairies, etc. There was also true believer Henry—who perhaps made you feel a little sad and nostalgic the first time you saw him, a reminder of the childhood innocence you once had—, and an understandably skeptic Emma Swan, who grew up with no knowledge of fairy tales or happy endings. Unfortunately, she’s probably the one the majority of us related to the most.

As is my way, I didn’t watch the pilot of Once until critical buzz had quieted a bit, between its second and third seasons. But when I did, I remember being surprised by how confident an introduction it was. A lot of series—even ones that wind up great—stumble through their first episode or even their first season. This was not the case with Once Upon a Time. Right from the beginning, from the moment Henry watched that clock tower chime, the show’s message of hope was clear, a message it never strayed from in seven seasons. It was sure of its characters, too. Sure, Regina and Emma, to name a couple, evolved beautifully from the pilot, but their personalities remained much the same. This is no small feat. Instead of tweaking characters or other aspects of the show that didn’t quite work, Once hit the ground running, laying the foundation for well-earned relationships and character journeys from its very first episode.

The show’s impressive character work quickly became my favorite part. I loved Once’s almost hilarious disregard for logical timelines, its crazy plot twists and character relationships (just try to explain Henry’s family tree to someone), and its delightful “anything goes” mentality (there were certainly moments it felt like they shook up the Disney canon in a bottle and went with whatever came out), but most of all, I loved its characters.

As mentioned, Regina and Emma, in particular, grew a ton throughout the course of the series, in two hard-fought character arcs that were a sight to behold, especially for a character development junkie like myself. In the pilot, I don’t think anyone would have called the Evil Queen their favorite. But she was portrayed with such empathy and heart that, by season three, she was my favorite. The writers on Once took immense care of their characters, slowly building up Emma’s optimism and trust in others, Regina’s learned selflessness and forgiveness for herself, Hook’s internal battle with darkness and the man he wanted to be, etc. Even if I didn’t agree with what a character did, I nearly always understood why they did it. Characters on this show rarely felt like plot devices, but rather whole human beings, something that shouldn’t be rare on TV but somehow is.

This is especially impressive considering that well, Once was a show about a bunch of fairy tale characters. It’s crazy to say that you found small pieces of yourself in Snow White or the Evil Queen or any of the other countless make-believe characters that graced Once over the years, but that doesn’t make it any less true. The show’s characters made fantasy transcend the common experience, through wonderfully small, realistic beats and huge, character-defining declarations. It was the combination of these two that made the show work: Regina’s never-ending parade of one-liners paired with her staring at the actual embodiment of her past self, finally ready to forgive; Emma and Hook making pancakes shortly after she declared “I am not nothing, I was never nothing!”; etc. Once always made time for those moments between the battles and plot twists that provide just as much insight into characters as the declarations do.

As mentioned, the show had immense empathy for its characters, but it also wasn’t afraid to make them do the work, especially in their relationships with each other. I think what impressed me most was that, with such a huge cast, for the most part, each relationship felt specific and ridiculously well-earned. It would have been easy for Regina, for instance, to have similar relationships with Emma, Snow, and Charming, all people she hurt in much the same way. Instead, she and Emma slowly but surely became co-parents and best friends, developing a no-nonsense understanding of each other that was pretty unparalleled. Snow, ironically, became a sort of advice-giving sister and sounding board for her former step-mother. And Charming welcomed her into the family graciously, always having faith in who she’d become, even when she doubted it herself.

With a big cast, complicated backstories, and additional characters who would pop up for an arc or two, it would have been easy to miss potential points of commonality. Instead, Once often surprised me with how much characters like Belle and Hook, Emma and Elsa, or Snow and Jasmine had in common. It’s funny to say it about such a sprawling show, but Once was very methodical about things that other shows often overlook or deem too obvious to be interesting. It loved finding those intersections in characters’ pasts, setting up backstories that neatly led to revelations in the future, or building to the kind of full-circle moment that we rarely get in real life.

It wasn’t a perfect show. It ebbed and flowed like the best of them, with entire arcs or characters that didn’t quite work for one reason or another. This entire seventh season, while enjoyable in its own way, has been far more focused on churning through plot than delving into genuine character moments like the ones mentioned above. But, as I said, admirably, this show knew what it was from its very first episode: a show for and about optimists, whether current or recovering. It featured complex, imperfect female characters and romances for the ages, while never once suggesting that those two things couldn’t exist simultaneously. As mentioned, it had two of my very favorite character arcs of all time in Regina Mills and Emma Swan. And most importantly, it took great pains to remind its audience that happy endings are possible.

At its heart, Once was a symbol of why TV was invented in the first place: to entertain, to offer an escape, to bring a little joy. A simple idea, sure. But one that was well worth watching.

2016 in Review: TV’s Best Duos

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2016 in Review: My 10 Favorite Shows

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Giving Thanks for Great TV

It’s become a tradition here at Standing in Front of a TV for me to write about what I’m thankful for each Thanksgiving. I have a lot to be thankful for this year: family, friends, health, etc. However, 2016 wasn’t the best of years otherwise, making me more grateful than ever for the escape that television provides. Here are eight TV-related things I’m thankful for this Turkey Day:

1. Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. I’m sure this is on a lot of people’s lists given that it premieres this weekend, but I’m beyond excited to revisit this cozy blanket of a show. The revival also gave me an excuse to rewatch the series again, and falling back in love with Stars Hollow was just the distraction I needed this fall.
2. A strong crop of new shows. A lot of my shows got canceled or held for midseason this year, leaving me with some holes in my fall TV schedule. Luckily, this was one of the best seasons in recent memory for new shows, and I’ve happily added new favorites like This Is Us, Pitch, and The Good Place.
3. The CW. Last year, I mentioned superhero shows specifically, but this year I’m grateful for the network in general. Yes, their DC lineup remains strong (especially with the addition of Supergirl), but they also have other wonderfully unique shows I love, such as Jane the Virgin and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
4. The West Wing. Regardless of your political affiliations, I think we can all agree that this was a tumultuous year, making President Bartlet and Co.’s idealism both reassuring and refreshing. This was my first time watching the show all the way through, and I’m definitely glad that I picked this year to do so.
5. Divisive female characters. I love characters who aren’t traditionally likable–especially female characters because women have only recently been given those parts. Right now, I’m thankful for characters like Petra Solano, Cat Grant, and the returning Paris Geller for reminding people that women are complex individuals who need not smile.
6. Samantha Bee, John Oliver, and Seth Meyers. Not to make this list all about politics, but these three were life savers this year, providing just the right blend of outrage, humor, and optimism during the election season. It was also great to see a woman break into the late-night boys’ club in such spectacular fashion, offering a long overdue female perspective on social issues.
7. ‘Shipping. Yes, discussing ‘shipping on the internet can get nasty pretty quickly, but watching couples like Emma and Hook, Amy and Jake, and Jane and Michael (all of whom are particularly happy and adorable this season) brought me a lot of joy this year. When your love life gets you down, it’s nice to disappear into someone else’s for awhile.
8. Once Upon a Time. This show’s brand of optimism is exactly what the world needs right now, and watching it is the perfect way to head into a new week. It’s also chock-full of wonderful female friendships and has some of the most believable and swoon worthy romantic relationships on television, despite the show’s fantasy elements.

What are you thankful for in the world of TV? Let me know in the comments, and have a great Thanksgiving!

Thank You, Kate

In light of today’s news about the show, my usual review didn’t seem appropriate. Instead, as our time with her draws to a close, I want to take a moment to celebrate the amazing Kate Beckett.

I’m going to avoid talking about the politics of the decision, because in the crazy world of Hollywood there’s really no way to know for sure how it happened, who was involved, and what their reasoning was, but I will say that if Stana Katic truly didn’t have a choice in the matter, then it’s a real bummer that an actress who clearly took her job and her character very seriously wasn’t given the chance to say goodbye to that character on her own terms. Katic took the words on the page to new heights with her fearless, badass, and, at times, heartbreaking performance. She made Beckett who she was, and I can’t imagine anyone else doing justice to such a wonderful character. She sold every one of Kate’s emotions without it ever feeling jarring, creating a nuanced character who was flawed and believable and achingly human. So, in addition to thanking Kate, I want to thank Katic for her hard work and unflagging commitment to the role.

That nuance that Katic, as well as the writers, brought to Kate Beckett is one of my very favorite things about her. Kate is strong. She’s vulnerable. She’s tenacious. She’s brave. She’s kind. Sometimes she’s all of those things in a single moment. She’ll take a murderer down without batting an eye, then laugh at her husband’s cheesiest joke. She worked tirelessly for years to get justice for her mother, despite the personal cost. She’s an excellent captain, mixing compassion and authority effortlessly. She survived countless near-death experiences because of her nerve and intelligence and brave reliance on friends and family. She let herself fall in love and choose happiness, even when her past screamed at her to never get close to anyone ever again. She proved to herself and to viewers that love isn’t a weakness or a weapon; it’s the purest strength imaginable. Broadly, she proved that women are multi-faceted, complex individuals, making her an excellent role model, especially for young women.

I know she’s been one for me. I binge-watched the first three seasons of Castle when I was in the middle of college, trying to figure out the whole adulthood thing (I’m still figuring it out, to be honest) and feeling more than a little self-conscious about doing so. But I swear, the minute I saw that fierce, leather-jacket-wearing detective with the wicked smile, fantastic at her job and oozing confidence, I somehow felt a little more confident myself. If this woman with an impossible past and a dangerous job still managed to be so self-assured, then why couldn’t I? Shortly after, I bought my first leather jacket and a pair of high heel boots, putting a little bit of Kate’s fire in my own life at a time when I really needed it.

Now, I’ve happily gotten to a point where I don’t need the jacket or the boots to feel confident; it’s just something I am now. However, I’ve grown rather attached to them, partly because they remind me of what Kate Beckett taught me about finding your best self and remaining steadfast in who that person is. So thank you, Kate. Thank you for being a role model and a positive influence, for being unapologetically imperfect, for kicking ass and letting yourself have fun along the way. No matter how you leave the show, I, and every Castle fan out there, have that to hang onto, “always.”

5 Reasons You Should Be Watching Galavant

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Giving Thanks for Awesome Television!

I’ve got a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving: friends, family, health, happiness, etc. But, in addition to those things, TV plays a pretty big role in my life (and this is a TV blog), so I’d like to take a moment to celebrate all that I’m thankful for in the world of television this year.

1. A wealth of new shows. This is the age of peak TV, and, while some believe there is simply too much of it out there, I’m of the mindset that you can never have too many options, even if it can seem overwhelming at times. This year, I started watching The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Blindspot, Master of None, and probably others I’m forgetting about. I like each for different reasons, and all have only made my love of good television grow.
2. Challenges for couples that will hopefully make them stronger. This has been a tough year for ‘shippers in a lot of ways: Captain Swan, Caskett, Danny & Mindy, Juliette & Avery, etc. have all been put through the wringer in the last few months. And, while I’ve had issues with some of their obstacles (especially Castle and Beckett’s), others have been written in a heartbreaking but beautiful and realistic way (like Emma and Hook’s) that have only increased my love for the couple. Also, in most cases, I’m confident that the challenges the couple is facing will only make their relationship stronger in the long run.
3. Relatable, realistically awkward leading ladies. Truth time: Like a lot of people, I can be ridiculously awkward sometimes. So it’s been really, really nice to see more women like me on television lately: women who don’t always say the right thing and don’t always have it together. Amy Santiago, Jane Villanueva, Felicity Smoak, and Kara Danvers are all great alternatives to the many stereotypical “cool” girls on television. These ladies are  cool too, but in their own badass, original way.
4. Large ensemble casts that allow for endless character combos. One of my favorite things about shows such as Once Upon a Time, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Grey’s Anatomy is that, with such huge casts, there’s an infinite number of ways to create new dynamics amongst characters. Some of my favorite recent storylines on those shows have come from grouping characters in ways I never considered, such as Mulan, Ruby, and Merida working together to save Merida’s kingdom, May and Hunter teaming up to infiltrate Hydra, and Richard acting as Arizona’s wingman. It’s also a great way to add life to aging shows; if the characters are still interested in creating new friendships and alliances, then I’m interested in watching them do it.
5. Hot men with babies. For whatever reason, this has been the year for men and babies together on television, and I’m totally on board with it. The Originals, Jane the Virgin, The Mindy Project, and Nashville have all had angsty moments this season, but they’re a little bit easier to swallow when you see a guy like Elijah Mikaelson or Rafael Solano holding an adorable baby.
6. Superhero shows. This time last year, the only superhero show I watched was Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Now I watch five (!): S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter, Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl.  This may seem a tiny bit excessive, but, though all originate from the world of comics, these shows go far beyond that, creating unique worlds and characters of their own, all while staying grounded in the genuine emotion that makes a great TV show. They also each bring something different to the table, whether it’s grit and friendship (Arrow), a sleek spy world (S.H.I.E.L.D.), heart and humor (Flash), a film noir escape (Agent Carter), or a superhero for the every woman (Supergirl).
7. Shows constantly redefining what they are. When Nina Dobrev and Patrick Dempsey left their shows last year, I’ll admit that I was a little nervous about the future of TVD and Grey’s. So, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the creative resurgence in both of those this year. The flash forwards on Diaries and the taut, emotional scenes with Stefan and Damon, amongst other things, have made me more excited for each new episode than I’ve been in a long time. And, while I don’t think this is going to go down as my favorite season of Grey’s, I respect the way the writers are filling the void left by Derek, and the new sister scenes with Meredith, Maggie, and Amelia have struck a comedic and emotional chord reminiscent of the show’s glory days.
8. Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Quite simply, for being my happy place. Each week, I tune into that show knowing I’ll be with characters just trying to do what’s best for one another and having a hilariously fun time doing it. Plus, with Jake and Amy together romantic-stylez, the show has never been sweeter or more romantic.

What are you thankful for this TV season? Let me know in the comments, and have a wonderful Turkey Day!