Jane By Design Season Finale Recap: "The Bonus Check"

The promos for Jane By Design’s summer finale, “The Bonus Check,” promised a lot of shocking surprises. While I wouldn’t go that far, since many of the plot twists were fairly predictable, it was still an enjoyable hour that left me wanting more. As of now, ABC Family has not renewed the show for another season, but I really hope they do. Aside from a few stumbles, the show has been consistently lighthearted and fun to watch.

Picking up in London once again, Jane had to call Gray and tell her that Jeremy was not interested in returning to Donovan Decker, nor was he planning on showing his designs to Harrods. Gray was mad and admitted to Jane that the only reason she’d sent her in the first place was because she was Jeremy’s friend and she’d expected her to convince him. Jane was hurt and went back to the pub to say goodbye to Jeremy. She told him that she didn’t blame him and she knew what it was like to be someone’s puppet. She tells him that she will miss him (aw) and goes to leave. Jeremy chases after her and agrees to bring his designs to Harrods. The two race through the streets to get there on time and then Gray texts Jane and tells her that the department store loved them. First crisis of the episode averted.

After giving Jeremy a goodbye hug and telling him that he had too much talent to waste, Jane headed back to New York. Eli was waiting to greet her with the rest of Donovan Decker. Everyone gave her a round of applause and Gray congratulated her on a job well done even as India quipped that it was Jeremy who did the work. Gray insists that she didn’t doubt her for a minute and gives her a $5,000 bonus check (nice!).

Back at the Quimby house, Billy raves to Jane about how awesome the party was and how she’s officially a legend now. He tells her that he told everyone that she was in the bathroom the whole time, making out with a college guy. Jane is sorry she missed it. She shows him the check and tells him that she’s going to use it for a down payment on a new car. Billy is excited, but then he has to break the bad news to her. The costumes for the play were destroyed at the party and Ms. Shaw figured out that Jane was living alone. Jane manages to convince the guidance counselor not to call Ben, but Rita says that she will be moving in with Jane until they can work out another solution.

Billy really wants Jane and Zoe to be friends, but neither girl is interested. Jane is not happy to hear that Zoe spent the night at her house, but Billy tells her that nothing happened that night. However, he tells Nick that he was going by a technicality since it was after midnight when he and Zoe hooked up (ugh, Billy, not cool). Speaking of hooking up, back at Donovan Decker, India wants to know if Eli is going to tell Jane about their night together. He’s not planning on it since he and Jane had only gone on one date. India strongly hints that Jane might hear it from someone else if he doesn’t.

Everyone at school is praising Jane for the great party and she’s surprised when Ben pops out of his office. He’s home for a visit and he wants to know where their mother is. He’s not happy that Kate took off or that Jane lied, but she explains that she was doing it to preserve his dream. He’s touched, but he tells her that he’s not going back on the road. Jane lets him know that Rita is planning on staying with her. She also clues Ben in to the fact that Rita misses him.

Carter calls Jane, needing a favor. He wants her to break the news to Gray that she has to go to a charity event that night and that the invitation would be showing up later on. Jane also has to break the bad news to Amanda about the costumes being ruined. Amanda is upset because the lights are broken too and she has no choice but to cancel the play. Everyone is devastated. Jane goes from being the most popular girl in school to the most hated by lunch. Billy points out that they both fit in with the drama club and Jane agrees that it is the place for misfits. When she hears that the play was their last hope, she offers Amanda her bonus check and lies; saying it was a donation from Donovan Decker since Amanda can’t take a check from a minor. (Clearly this is going to come back and bite her).

In my favorite scene of the episode, Ben goes to see Rita to tell her that he’s not going back on the road with the team. She’s confused because it was always his dream and he says it was his dream six years ago, but now he has a job he loves, he has Jane and he has her, or at least he would like to. He promises to go as slow as she wants and that he won’t tell anyone they’re together. He asks her to think about it and then he rounds up the baseball team on the field to tell them about his experiences on the road. Rita comes out, marches up to him and kisses him in front of everyone (yes!). Then she tells him that he can call her ‘Rita’ instead of ‘Ms. Shaw’ and turns and walks back the way she came.

Amanda drops by Donovan Decker with an invitation to the play and Carter mistakenly thinks it’s for the charity event and puts it on Gray’s desk. Meanwhile, Jane has Carter and Eli helping her with the costumes for the play. Eli wants to go to the show with her and when Jane balks, he admits he slept with someone else, but doesn’t tell her who he slept with (something else I see coming back to bite him and India). Jane is hurt, but she knows their relationship was just starting. When he accuses her of keeping a wall between them, she admits that there is stuff he doesn’t know about her. Eli asks if anyone knows the real Jane Quimby and she says one person does. He assumes she’s talking about her ‘complicated best friend’ and suggests that maybe she belongs with him.

Jane tries to talk to Billy before the show, but Zoe turns up before she has a chance. Harper is bitter about not having the lead and spills some beads on the floor, hoping Zoe will hurt herself. But it’s Nick who takes the fall and sprains his ankle, so Billy has to step in and play Prince Charming to Zoe’s Cinderella. Billy is nervous and after Jane gives him a pep talk, he tells her the truth about his night with Zoe. Jane is hurt, but does her best to hide it.

Gray and Eli are in the audience for the play and Eli recognizes Billy. Gray is impressed with the costumes and wonders who designed them. Eli doesn’t say anything, but it’s clear the wheels are turning in his head. Jane watches as Billy and Zoe do their scenes and she looks horrified when Billy has an, ‘it’s you’ line and then the two share a kiss. Ben asks if she’s all right and she says she is.

In London, Jeremy ignores a call from India, but she’s in the pub and tells him that he has to talk to her. She explains that Gray offered her a job as head designer and one of the conditions is that she gets to pick her own team. Jeremy points out that they don’t work well together, but he tells her that he is coming back to New York to start his own company. Jeremy does want things to continue romantically and they share a kiss before Jeremy tells her that there is one person from Donovan Decker he wants to hire. India just rolls her eyes, knowing he means Jane.

Billy and Jane share a long hug after the play ends and then he leaves with Zoe. Amanda comes up to Jane and tells her there are some people there who were raving about her designs and want to meet her. She turns around to find Gray and Eli standing behind her. Uh-oh…

That’s a wrap on the summer season. Hopefully the network will make a decision soon and announce that they want to do Season 2. It kind of sucks that all of Jane’s romantic options have fallen through and it seems like she’s about to be busted, but I’m sure she can talk her way out of it.

Feel free to leave your thoughts on the finale in the comments section below and let us know whether or not you want to see another season!