Besides being entertainment, Jane the Virgin is full of role models for young females, said Jennie Snyder Urman, exec producer of the CW comedy, in the form of female characters “who go after their dreams.” Snyder Urman said she’s “proud of all the small choices we make” on the show,” noting how the prestige occupations depicted on screen, the lawyers and doctors, are held by females.
Snyder Urman shared the stage with Aline Brosh McKenna, exec producer on Crazy Ex Girlfriend. In the previous session, CW president Mark Pedowitz voiced support for the ratings-challenged series but fell short of announcing Crazy Ex's pickup for next year.
Brosh McKenna said Crazy Ex’s humorous songs, available on digital platforms, may be a way in to the series for potential viewers. There will be 38 songs this season—“a triple album!” said Brosh McKenna—representing a multitude of genres. She cited the “crazy magic wizardry” of the ditty-writers, including star and exec producer Rachel Bloom.
Brosh McKenna acknowledged the challenge of building viewership for Crazy Ex, which leads into Jane. “I think it’s an unusual show, an out of box show,” she said. “It’s hard to get people to understand totally what it is.”
Snyder Urman offered a peek at the next leg of Jane, including a buildup to the big wedding, a health crisis for a cast member and the character Petra giving birth.
The show will unfold at its own pace. “Slow-moving storytelling,” she said. “We’ll stick with that.”
