Entertainment

The One Show Coming To Netflix In April That 'Real Housewives' Fans Will Love

by Taylor Ferber
Liz Minch/Bustle; Netflix

Believe it or not, there's a show out there that gives the drama on Real Housewives a run for its money. And in particular, there's one show Real Housewives fans will love coming to Netflix in April. Jane the Virgin Season 4 hits Netflix in April, RH fans should definitely check it out if they haven't already. The CW drama and the reality series certainly have similarities and differences. But Real Housewives fans will appreciate that like the Bravo franchise, Jane is a group of women finding their identities — both as individuals and a group.

For RH fans who aren't too familiar with Jane, here's a brief synopsis: The soapy, telenovela-style story chronicles Jane (Gina Rodriguez), a young, aspiring writer who was accidentally artificially inseminated while at the gynecologist, became pregnant, and had a baby, a son named Matteo. It may seem far off from Housewives, but in many ways, it's not.

Let's start with the similarities. Both shows depict swanky, idyllic cities. Housewives shows glamorous places like Beverly Hills, New York, and Orange County, while Jane takes place in sunny Miami. Jane may not come from a wealthy family, but viewers certainly get a peek of that lifestyle thanks to her baby's father Rafael (Justin Baldoni) and his family fortune that includes an upscale, beachside hotel. Oh, and there's are some family drama in Jane that may be familiar to RH fans too.

Most conflicts in Housewives hinge on women talking badly about each other behind one another's backs. There's also the occasional catfight, table flip, or drink thrown at another person. That intensity isn't necessarily the case with drama in Jane (although Jane and Petra did get physical that one time after serious tension over parenting issues). That said, the women in Jane certainly do have growing pains and don't always see eye-to-eye, especially when it comes to generational differences between Jane, her mom Xiomara (Andrea Navedo), and grandma Alba (Ivonne Coll). Thus, they have to learn to work it out and accept each other for their differences. And Housewives fans have definitely witnessed a fair share of family drama (Kim and Kyle Richards, anyone?).

But if RH lovers really want to be blown away by drama they haven't managed to witness on the show thus far, Jane is the answer. It has so many layers and wacky circumstances that can still be marathoned while knowing that the stories are fiction. What happens on Jane that makes the show surpass RH in the drama department? Where do I begin?

First, Jane The Virgin has a thoughtful love triangle, which doesn't usually happen on Housewives, since a good handful of the ladies are married. What initially hooked viewers was the passionate love triangle between Jane, Rafael, and Michael (Brett Dier). Without giving too much away, it becomes gut-wrenching to watch and really hard to choose which suitor is best for Jane.

There's also a good amount of baby mama drama. Jane isn't the only one who gets pregnant without having sex. Petra (Yael Grobglas), her on-again-off-again frenemy, inseminates herself, with yes, a turkey baster, and ends up having twins. Did I mention the father is also Rafael? Yep, that happens. Jane's mom Xiomara also deals with pregnancies, both hers and her husband's ex-girlfriend's.

To really take it to the next level, Jane has murders, mysteries, deaths, conniving siblings, and epic dream sequences. Audiences and critics have recognized how special Jane is in the vast TV landscape. In 2015, the show won the Peabody and People's Choice Award, and leading actor Gina Rodriguez won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy (and she has been nominated almost every year since).

Grounded in the whimsical show is a story about heart, self-identity, family, and following one's gut, which definitely makes it worth watching. The New Yorker recently made a case as to why Jane the Virgin is so much more than a "guilty pleasure," and there's certainly no guilt in enjoying the drama that comes with it.