Jane the Virgin's final season premiere transcends its clichéd soap-opera twist

Slate

The plot device used in the fifth and final season premiere to explain Michael Cordero's reemergence "is so predictable and cliché that it should have us rolling our eyes," says Marissa Martinelli. "Except that Jane the Virgin thrives on clichés, and if you’re most concerned with the logistics of the twist ... then the show is rolling its eyes at you." Martinelli adds that "Jane the Virgin usually sells its most absurd plot twists by grounding them in real emotions, and that’s exactly what it does here, even as the writers get hand-wavy about the plot mechanics." Recognizing it is using a ridiculously clichéd soap-opera twist, says Martinelli, "is what allows the show to transcend it."

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