The CW’s hour-long comedy Jane the Virgin—starring Gina Rodriquez—follows the story of Jane Villanueva who is faced with an unlikely and unexpected pregnancy. The series premieres Oct. 13 at 9 p.m. ET. The following are reviews from TV critics around the web, compiled by B&C.
“This should be a star-making turn for Rodriguez, who handles Jane’s broadly comedic moments as confidently as she does her quietly dramatic ones, and her performance in the role is enough of a reason to tune in by itself.”
—Kate Kulzick,A.V. Club
“Based on a telenovela, the hour-long comedy is a satire of the genre, a homage, and a card-carrying member all at once. More importantly, particularly for those who have longed to see American TV better reflect America, the show is trying to use telenovelas to tell us something about the Latino-Americans who embrace them.”
—Robert Bianco, USA Today
“Despite a few problematic aspects with the premise, Jane the Virgin contains a secret ingredient that is in short supply, perhaps especially on many of the CW’s recent soaps: Charm.”
—Brian Lowry, Variety
"Jane the Virgin, which premieres Monday on the CW, tells the story of a young Miami woman who becomes pregnant despite never having had sex. (It's not a miracle but a medical mishap.) In my considered professional opinion, it's one of the best things to come out of the fall season, but as a recreational television watcher, I like it too.”
—Robert Lloyd,Los Angeles Times
“The single most compelling reason to watch Jane —or depending on your taste in telenovelas, quite possibly the only one— is Jane. Gina Rodriguez is one of those incandescent types who can fill the screen with warmth and relatability. She's simply terrific in the pilot.”
—Verne Gay,Newsday
“Like most telenovelas, though, Jane has an unapologetically sentimental side, full of hugs, family values talk and warm support. Even by the soap-opera standards of telenovelas, it feels a little much. The pieces at first don’t always mesh smoothly. Rodriguez is terrific, though, and this could be that rare telenovela that assimilates.”
—David Hinckley, New York Daily News
