‘Jane The Virgin’ Season 4: Showrunner On Show’s #MeToo Storyline

Even though “Jane the Virgin” makes use of magical realism, the show tries to be as relevant as possible by tackling topics such as abortion and bisexuality, among many other things.

In Season 4’s “Chapter Seventy-Five,” the show took part in Hollywood’s #MeToo movement by giving Jane Gloriana Villanueva (Gina Rodriguez) a fresh perspective on her former relationship with professor Jonathan Chavez (Adam Rodriguez) differently.

In the episode, Jane realized that Chavez has a pattern of having relationships with his students. She almost lost her virginity to him, which she is now glad she didn’t.

Showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman told Variety that they have always felt a big responsibility in terms of portraying sex and sexuality, so they decided to add that twist.

“[This story] came out of the sea change — the long needed sea change happening right now. Obviously we talk about it every day in the writers’ room, and it makes you look back on everything — so many interactions. It’s been so empowering on every level to watch so many people coming forward,” she said.

With Jane and Chavez, Urman said they explored their power dynamics and made Jane reflect whether or not she was the one who did consent to their relationship. After all, she did drop him as her adviser so she could have a romantic relationship with him. It was something the writers felt they needed to tackle again.

“We wanted to look at the gray area, so that Jane could be working it out,” Urman explained. “Even though it was fine [at the time], it doesn’t feel as fine in retrospect. We wanted to see how this moment has changed the way people look at stories and the way Jane looks at something that happened post- the Me Too movement.”

Meanwhile, Urman told Mic that they made Jane’s feelings about sex evolve since Season 1. After the loss of her husband, Michael Cordero (Brett Dier), Urman said Jane underwent a “slow evolution.”

“[Jane’s] evolution as a sexual character is something the show was always interested in and then as we started to figure out how she and Rafael (Justin Baldoni) would have sex, we wanted to bookend the season,” she said. “She thought at the beginning of the season that she was going to get into the shower with him, and then at the end of the season she’s ready and he gets into the shower with her.”

“Jane the Virgin” Season 4 airs Fridays on The CW at 9 p.m. EST.