Eight Reasons to Watch Jane the Virgin

The 411 on one of the best comedies of the season.

Do You Watch Jane the Virgin? - When I heard the premise of CW’s new Golden Globe nominated show, I wasn’t sure what to make of it. The heroine, Jane Villanueva, a 23-year old college student and virgin, goes in for a Pap smear, only to leave accidentally inseminated. Sounds crazy, but here’s the tea: You need some Jane and company in your life. Here’s why. By Kellee Terrell (Photo: Greg Gayne/The CW 2014 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved)

1 / 9

Do You Watch Jane the Virgin? - When I heard the premise of CW’s new Golden Globe nominated show, I wasn’t sure what to make of it. The heroine, Jane Villanueva, a 23-year old college student and virgin, goes in for a Pap smear, only to leave accidentally inseminated. Sounds crazy, but here’s the tea: You need some Jane and company in your life. Here’s why. By Kellee Terrell (Photo: Greg Gayne/The CW 2014 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved)

It’s the Best New Show of the Season - The American Film Institute, Time and The LA Times all have named this show one of the best of 2014.  Did we mention it was also nominated for two Golden Globes, including Best Comedy Series? And the star of the show, Gina Rodriguez, took home a Golden Globe award for Best Actress in a TV Comedy.Based on the Venezuelan telenovela Juana la Virgen, this hilarious cast of characters is such a breath of fresh air. And it finds the perfect balance between over-the-top storylines and down-to-earth realness. (Photo: Patrick Wymore/The 2014 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved.)

2 / 9

It’s the Best New Show of the Season - The American Film Institute, Time and The LA Times all have named this show one of the best of 2014.  Did we mention it was also nominated for two Golden Globes, including Best Comedy Series? And the star of the show, Gina Rodriguez, took home a Golden Globe award for Best Actress in a TV Comedy.Based on the Venezuelan telenovela Juana la Virgen, this hilarious cast of characters is such a breath of fresh air. And it finds the perfect balance between over-the-top storylines and down-to-earth realness. (Photo: Patrick Wymore/The 2014 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved.)

Gina Rodriguez Is Everything - The stellar and hilarious Gina Rodriguez is pitch perfect in this role and every episode makes you fall in love with Jane. Do you love romantic comedies? Do you love mysteries? Do you love character-driven stories around women of color? Then you'll love the love triangle between Jane, her fiancé and her baby's biological father. (Photo: Nino Munoz/The CW  2014 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved)

3 / 9

Gina Rodriguez Is Everything - The stellar and hilarious Gina Rodriguez is pitch perfect in this role and every episode makes you fall in love with Jane. Do you love romantic comedies? Do you love mysteries? Do you love character-driven stories around women of color? Then you'll love the love triangle between Jane, her fiancé and her baby's biological father. (Photo: Nino Munoz/The CW  2014 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved)

Rafael Is Fine - Justin Baldoni, who plays Jane’s accidental baby daddy, is handsome, rich and dreamy — like Disney prince dreamy. #thatisall  (Photo: Tyler Golden/The CW 2014 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved)

4 / 9

Rafael Is Fine - Justin Baldoni, who plays Jane’s accidental baby daddy, is handsome, rich and dreamy — like Disney prince dreamy. #thatisall  (Photo: Tyler Golden/The CW 2014 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved)

It Tackles Religion, But Without Judgment - If the emphasis on Jane saving herself for marriage and her religious convictions makes you feel uncomfortable, it shouldn’t. The show nuances her convictions in a hilarious and down to earth way without talking down to you or making you feel bad. Jane may be a virgin, but she is no angel.  (Photo: Danny Feld/The CW ,2014 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved.)

5 / 9

It Tackles Religion, But Without Judgment - If the emphasis on Jane saving herself for marriage and her religious convictions makes you feel uncomfortable, it shouldn’t. The show nuances her convictions in a hilarious and down to earth way without talking down to you or making you feel bad. Jane may be a virgin, but she is no angel.  (Photo: Danny Feld/The CW ,2014 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved.)

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Portrays Latinos in a Complex Light - Being visible is important, but it's not enough. We as people of color need to see ourselves as the complex human beings we are in real life — something that doesn’t happen as often as it should. Thankfully, Jane the Virgin defies the flat stereotypes and gives us robust Latino characters — of all different shades and all different walks of life.   (Photo: Tyler Golden/The CW ,The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved)

6 / 9

Portrays Latinos in a Complex Light - Being visible is important, but it's not enough. We as people of color need to see ourselves as the complex human beings we are in real life — something that doesn’t happen as often as it should. Thankfully, Jane the Virgin defies the flat stereotypes and gives us robust Latino characters — of all different shades and all different walks of life.   (Photo: Tyler Golden/The CW ,The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved)

The Villanueva Women Are Amazing - The bond between a daughter, her mother and her grandmother is a beautiful thing, yet it’s not often that we get to see it. But on this female-driven show, seeing Jane, her young mother Xiomara (Andrea Navedo) and Alba, her grandmother (Ivonne Coll) who never speaks English, is one of the most real and touching things we've seen on television in a while.  (Photo: Danny Feld/The CW 2014 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved.)

7 / 9

The Villanueva Women Are Amazing - The bond between a daughter, her mother and her grandmother is a beautiful thing, yet it’s not often that we get to see it. But on this female-driven show, seeing Jane, her young mother Xiomara (Andrea Navedo) and Alba, her grandmother (Ivonne Coll) who never speaks English, is one of the most real and touching things we've seen on television in a while.  (Photo: Danny Feld/The CW 2014 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved.)

Jane Is Someone to Look Up To - Yes, we have female characters that are driven and powerful (Think: Scandal’s Olivia Pope, HTGAWM’s Annabelle Keating and The Good Wife’s Kalinda Sharma to name a few). But it’s nice for younger women of color to have a role model to look up to as well. Jane is a college student, has a job, helps her family and has dreams of being a teacher and a writer. (Photo: Danny Feld/The CW -- © 2014 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved)

8 / 9

Jane Is Someone to Look Up To - Yes, we have female characters that are driven and powerful (Think: Scandal’s Olivia Pope, HTGAWM’s Annabelle Keating and The Good Wife’s Kalinda Sharma to name a few). But it’s nice for younger women of color to have a role model to look up to as well. Jane is a college student, has a job, helps her family and has dreams of being a teacher and a writer. (Photo: Danny Feld/The CW -- © 2014 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved)

This Show Has Serious Heart - Without ruining plot lines or crazy twists for you, this show will have you in tears, from both laughter and having your heart completely broken. Thanks to an incredible team of writers, you feel for all of the characters — even characters like Petra (Rafael’s wife), who you can’t stand.  (Photo: Danny Feld/The CW 2014 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved.)

9 / 9

This Show Has Serious Heart - Without ruining plot lines or crazy twists for you, this show will have you in tears, from both laughter and having your heart completely broken. Thanks to an incredible team of writers, you feel for all of the characters — even characters like Petra (Rafael’s wife), who you can’t stand.  (Photo: Danny Feld/The CW 2014 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved.)