In a lot of ways, Jane by Design is the perfect summer show. With its warm tone, cute boys, and even cuter clothes, all tied together by a charming lead performance and themes of friendship and personal growth, it tends to be a light, breezy hour of television. The show may not be dripping with tension or any real threat that Jane’s double life will come crashing in on her, but for what it is, the first 10 episodes of the show made for an extremely enjoyable watching experience. And with its vibe screaming summertime, a transplant to the hot weather made for short shorts and bikini tops seemed like the perfect way for the show to really find its groove.
“The Replacement” may not have changed the pace up that much, but it encapsulated everything that I like about Jane by Design in an hour’s time. The show typically had a procedural aspect in its spring season, thanks to Donovan Decker clients weaving in and out of the offices on a nearly weekly basis, but that was replaced (har har) by a more character-oriented episode that served as a catch-up and a look ahead. Put on display was Jane’s friendship with Billy, which has always been one of the strongest elements of Jane by Design. The ease that exists between the characters and the comfort that they find in one another during their hard times can be quite touching, a product of years of bad breaks and life experience, but that was put to the test in “The Replacement”. Billy’s homecoming from juvie should have been a major cause for celebration; instead, the awkwardness from the fashion show and Jane’s prospective job offer tainted the event and kept the two apart, at least emotionally, for a good portion of the episode. Jane by Design can veer a little too close to being a fairy tale for me with its focus on Jane’s victories at work and ability to wriggle out of any sticky situation, so an episode that had a little animosity is definitely needed and much appreciated. Jane and Billy were never in any serious danger of not being friends, but the notion of Jane leaving Billy behind and going full throttle in her professional life is worth a look and gives the show a little more depth. I like how feel-good Jane by Design can be, but for us to be able to appreciate the triumphs, the bonds, and the moments of self-actualization, there has to be bumps and bruises along the way.
Which is why although I’m very much in the crowd that hopes Jane and Billy end up together, perhaps my favorite scene of the night was the final minute of the episode, where they both deny their feelings for one another in hopes of avoiding the hurt that comes from a busted friendship. Jane by Design does sadness and emotional depth well and this was no exception, the scene saying so much without having the actual words they’re saying as the centerpiece. Jane had seemed a little taken aback by the thought of Billy feeling something for her, but once he came back for her at Donovan Decker and helped her get him, you can tell she had come to terms with her, her dejected expression that closed the episode driving home her disappointment. It had such a feeling of “I had what I wanted/needed all along and now it’s too late to do anything” that it makes me okay with waiting for the other shoe to drop; exploring complicated feelings and coming to terms with your status with someone can make for great material, especially in the hands of extremely capable people like Erica Dasher and Nick Roux.
But while Jane kind of “getting it” regarding Billy and his feelings for her made for a beautiful closing scene, I wasn’t much of a fan of yet another “Jane is going to get caught OH WAIT FAKE OUT” plot device in the Ferris Bueller-ish dash home. I’m perfectly fine with them hinting at Jane eventually being caught, but there has to be some sense that that’s a real possibility. Thus far in Jane by Design, there haven’t been any indications that it would actually happen and it makes every time they go to this well feel like filler. Was the race home pretty cute? Yes. Did it feel very much in-character for the show? Yes. Could they have dedicated the time it took for that plot to something else? Yes. There are so many interesting threads to pull at in this show that another Houdini-like escape from Jane really was a let down from what could have been. To be fair, I thought not giving Jane India’s job was a very wise move, in terms of believability and potential for the show. It would have been too much too soon, both for Jane and Jane by Design, as part of the fun of both is watching the journey. I want to see Jane work her way up the ladder and gradually become more involved at Donovan Decker, not be launched into a dead man’s curve of a job that she’s not qualified for and has no way to perform well in.
The person chosen for the job, Gray’s nephew Eli, worries me. I think he had a pretty solid debut for a new character and immediately meshed, but can we not have another love interest for Jane? Granted, he may not be intended to be that, but from the flirty banter between the two and Jane calling him “good-looking” to Jeremy, I have a feeling that there might be a little something develop between the two sometime this summer. Intellectually, I understand that this is kind of the way real life works; you can develop feelings for someone, have it not work out, and still have to be with them on a daily basis. It hurts and it’s unfortunate, but it happens and you have to deal. But Jane has three guys where the feelings aren’t reciprocated (Jeremy) or something happened to derail a relationship from happening (Billy, Nick), all three currently still in her orbit. Again, like the issue of getting caught, it feels like the same note is being played and taking up time that could go to other storylines. I think Eli could become a valuable part of Jane by Design and the world of Donovan Decker, but we don’t need every attractive heterosexual male from 15-30 that gets brought onto the show falling head over heels for Jane. We’re supposed to believe that she’s Everygirl America, a typical trendy teen that gets the opportunity of a lifetime; that might not be possible if Eli becomes simply another in the list of Jane Quimby suitors. The character can be more than that and the show can be more than that.
“The Replacement” was a fairly strong episode of Jane by Design. Though I’d like it if they left the “Jane may be found out” card in the deck until it had real weight to it again, the core of the show is still as strong as ever, with Jane and Billy’s friendship worth the season pass on your DVR alone. If this episode is one to go by, the summer season looks to be more about the young fashionista getting comfortable in her role at Donovan Decker while trying to have some semblance of a personal life along the way. The growing pains of the first 10 episodes may be over, but Jane Quimby has to figure out the next stage of her life and I’m more than ready to go along for the ride.
Thoughts, Quotes, & Observations:
-“I’m waiting. Bated breath over here.”
-“Are you kidding? We ooze chemistry.” “Don’t say ooze.”
-“I’m not that familiar with lady stuff, so I’d really rather not discuss it.”
-“Sometimes you are way too British.”
-“I counted eight people cringing.”
-Hey, everybody! I picked up Jane by Design for the summer, so expect to see regular videos and reviews for the next eight weeks. I hope you follow along and don’t be afraid to e-mail me or tweet me if you have a question or comment.
-India’s shorter hair: yea or nay? I’m thinking yea. Although I loved her super luxurious locks in the spring episodes, the new ‘do suits her.
-Another thing I liked: Jane not performing well in school. It makes her seem less like superwoman and more like a regular teenager that can mess up and get overwhelmed at times.
-Favorite outfit: Gray’s print dress, mostly because I liked the color combination. I liked Jane’s leather jacket and skirt a lot, too, but maybe not together.
-Ben and Rita continue to be extremely cute. Funniest moment of the episode was her trying to hide inside the fridge from Billy on the morning after she slept over.
-Next week on Jane by Design: Jane’s brush with celebrity threatens to change her for good, while India plots revenge for her firing.
