Things are going well for Jane. She’s planning to be a teacher and she’s dating a very nice detective named Michael. Chaos ensues when Jane is accidentally artificially inseminated during a routine gynecological check up. The gynecologist, preoccupied with her own love dramas, implants Jane with the sperm of a hotel mogul; the hotel mogul who owns the hotel that she works at, the same hotel mogul who she, years ago, shared a brief but romantic kiss with, and the same hotel mogul that saved his sperm before undergoing chemotherapy to treat his presumed deadly cancer. Meanwhile, Jane’s father, of whom Jane does not know the identity, is revealed to be a telenovela star; a telenovela that Jane watches religiously. It’s also revealed that Jane’s boyfriend may not be as perfect as she thinks.
“Jane the Virgin,” while melodramatic and telenovela-esque in its plot, manages to come across as relatively believable, as characters respond to ridiculous events in actively not-ridiculous ways.
The events of episode four of “Jane the Virgin” happen as follows.
Jane’s in the midst of planning for her wedding to Michael (who after all the drama proceeding Jane’s decision to keep the baby for Rafael (the hotel mogul), has decided he still wants to be with her so long as she gives the baby to Rafael and his wife). As the date of the wedding gets closer, Jane begins having erotic dreams about Rafael (the hotel mogul and Jane’s former flame) that make her question her engagement to Michael.
Jane discusses her concerns about her impending marriage with her mother, Xiomara, who disregards her feelings for Rafael as being “chemical.” Rafael is hot, it’s normal that Jane would have sex dreams about him. She tells Jane to keep physical distance between herself and Rafael. “Three feet,” she says. “Actually with that guy, better make it four.”
Jane’s grandma, upon finding out the real identity of Jane’s father, (the star of her favorite telenovela), becomes irritated with Xiomara for keeping this information from Jane as she, being the traditional Catholic woman that she is, would like for Jane to have her father give her away at her wedding. Xiomara excuses herself from the confrontation with Jane’s grandma in order to go have sex with Jane’s father (the star of her favorite telenovela).
Jane’s at work when she has a run-in with Rafael. Rafael has a literal halo surrounding his face, because he is a handsome, hot angel. Rafael is to Jane as God is to Mary. Rafael is God. Sexy Latin music plays in the background as Rafael asks Jane to do him a favor and write a press release for the hotel.
Rafael’s sister, (the irresponsible gynecologist) is revealed to be sleeping with Rafael’s stepmother. Rafael’s sister is married, Rafael’s stepmother is married; this situation is a low-key disaster. Rafael’s stepmother is likely younger than Rafael. Stepmother and Rafael discuss the plans for the hotel expansion.
Meanwhile, Jane’s detective boyfriend is lurking around the hotel trying to solve a recent murder of an employee, Xav, who was having an affair with Rafael’s wife. It’s revealed now that Rafael’s ex wife may be a potential suspect in said murder, but Jane’s husband is reluctant to bring this to his department because he’s worried that having Rafael’s wife in jail will deter Jane’s decision to give the baby to Rafael.
Jane and Michael receive marriage counseling from a priest who true telenovela adaptation fans will recognize as Horatio, the father of Betty Suarez from the ABC telenovela adaptation “Ugly Betty.” Jane reveals in session her sex dream with Rafael. Michael, as expected, reacts very poorly.
Back at the hotel, Jane falls into the pool after an uncomfortable run in with Rogelio (the telenovela star and her father who she does not know is her father that is trying very unsuccessfully to get to know Jane from afar) and Rafael jumps in to make sure she is okay. Michael, who is also back at the hotel doing his job and investigating a murder sees them and gets even angrier. Jane and Rafael were obviously doing some very meaningful canoodling in the pool with their clothes on. “Is the chemistry that intense?” he asks Jane.
Jane tries to win back Michael by writing him a sexy email. She may be a virgin, but she isn’t a saint. The email is very sexy. In an unfortunate twist, however Jane accidentally sends the sexy email to Rafael, and the raving hotel press release to Michael, which further angers Michael, and makes Rafael extremely uncomfortable.
The episode ends with Michael finding a substantial lead on the murder case, one that may eliminate Rafael’s wife from his suspect list. Michael and Jane are on rough terms, and Jane just wants things to go back to the way they “were.”