When I heard that the popular Venezuelan telenovela “Juana La Virgen” was going to be remade, I was skeptical. The premise of the show is that Jane, a virgin, is artificially inseminated by accident. This event is followed by a slew of dramatic, awkward and funny moments.
As I have discussed in this column before, diversity and diverse representations are important in the media. Yet I am unsure of the impact “Jane the Virgin,” a television show which airs on the CW, may make in the long run.
First, I’m not a big fan of remakes in general. There are a lot of stories to tell that haven’t been told, and in most cases, why repeat them?
Notwithstanding the version in which singers and actresses Whitney Houston and Brandy starred in, which was an important film moment for women of color, how many times will “Cinderella” be remade?
As a viewer, it also seems really hard for a remake to be released that is better than the original. With all due respect, why watch the remake of a movie or television show? Online platforms coupled with television re-runs often make it possible for a viewer to watch the original movie or show.
For example, the British television show “The Inbetweeners” was remade for an American audience. Why do that when the original was so popular and beloved? I can understand the concern that somehow the show wouldn’t translate for an American audience, but why not give the original show a chance? Sure, the show’s sense of humor definitely wasn’t PG and had its crude moments, but I think the show lost some of its magic in the remake.
This brings me to my third and final concern I had when I found out about the “Jane the Virgin” remake: would the show translate well? Would the characters be stereotypical Latinos and Latinas?
So far, the show has received positive reviews and has been lauded for its representation of the Latino and Latina characters. Gina Rodriguez, who plays Jane, won a Golden Globe in January 2015 for Best Actress in a Comedy Series. Rodriguez has been vocal about increasing diversity in television.
Most recently, Rodriguez spoke at a PaleyFest panel in March.
“One: you need to write for human beings — that goes for any underrepresented ethnicity,” Rodriguez said at PaleyFest’s “Jane the Virgin” panel. “We’re human. We all want the same things. We all want love and success. We’re afraid of failure. We want people to like us … You write for a human being, that’s cracking the code, for any ethnicity … Cast the best actor, and I bet you they will explode, that is what happens, cream rises to the top. Do not be afraid to do that and to branch out, if we’re talking about networks.”
“Jane the Virgin” has been praised by many as a step toward diversifying the characters on television. This recognition is well earned, but in many ways, the hype surrounding “Jane the Virgin” reminds me of the TV show “Ugly Betty,” which aired on ABC from 2006 to 2010 and was produced by actress Salma Hayek.
A remake of the popular Colombian telenovela “Yo Soy Betty, la Fea”, the show achieved a large amount of mainstream success in the United States. “Ugly Betty” was praised for its representation of a Latino family in a way that didn’t abide by stereotypes. Like with Rodriguez, “Ugly Betty” catapulted America Ferrera, who played Betty, into stardom. “Ugly Betty” may have also opened doors for a show like “Jane the Virgin” to be made, which is a positive development for Latinos and Latinas on television. In addition, both shows explore different issues including undocumented migration, with undocumented characters having important roles in the shows.
I am in no way arguing that the two shows are the same, because there are definitely differences. For example, Jane’s grandmother on “Jane the Virgin,” who is played by Puerto Rican actress Ivonne Coll, only speaks Spanish on the show. What Coll says is then translated for the audience through the use of English subtitles. Jane then proceeds to answer her grandmother in English, something I’ve both seen and done in my own life. It is also the first time I’ve personally seen that on a television show.
I hope that “Jane the Virgin” is able to distinguish itself further and really take the telenovela remake to new heights, opening the door for other shows that highlight diversity. If movies or television shows are going to be remade, they might as well serve a larger purpose.
