Jane the Virgin

This affectionate adaptation of a telenovela offered much-needed representation of Latinx lives on US television. With a devoted fan base and a host of awards--including a Peabody, a Golden Globe, and a People's Choice Award--Jane the Virgin (CW, 2014-19) remains one of the most well-known television shows of the 2010s in the US and abroad. Tracing the arc of the show's plot alongside its social context, scholar Paul Julian Smith unpacks the unique cultural phenomenon that was Jane the Virgin. Smith discusses the show's hybridity of genres, including romance, drama, and comedy, and its innovative narrative strategy as distinct strengths, making it an important precursor to comedies and dramas that followed. The show's hilarious, bright, soap opera-like portrayal of a Venezuelan American family and intentional engagement with themes of immigration, legal status, racism, and reproductive healthcare made it a palatable vehicle for progressive representations of the lived experiences of Latinx immigrants. Finally, the blending of the fictional and real-life personas of Gina Rodríguez (who played the protagonist, Jane) and her supporting cast marks the lasting impact the show had in television.