On Nov. 20, Netflix
released the full first season of
"Jessica Jones," their second
venture into the Marvel-Netflix universe, to which
"Daredevil"
(2015) belongs to as well. The titular character, Jessica Jones, is
an ex-superhero and private investigator with super strength and the
ability to fly – well, kind of. It's more like jumping. You'll see.
Jones is a
refreshing new protagonist not only because she is the first female
Marvel superhero to lead her own TV show, but also because most other
Marvel protagonists are shown as they are becoming a superhero. Jones
has already tried the superhero thing, but – for a reason that will
reveal itself to you over the course of the season – it didn't work
out. Usually, protagonists have some kind of tortured back story, but
Jones' back story is by far the most heartbreaking that I've ever
seen. And at the beginning of
"Jessica Jones," we see that she
now has PTSD because of it. I won't spoil what exactly happened to
her, but I will say that it is handled by the writers beautifully,
because we get to see Jones as a hero, a victim, and a survivor.
Aside from the main
character, here are some other reasons to enjoy Jessica Jones.
1. The humor.
Unlike the Marvel movies, where most of the humor relies on punchlines, the humor in "Jessica Jones" often comes from Jones herself. Her attitude about some things is simultaneously hilarious and relatable.
2. It fits in nicely with the "Daredevil" universe.
"Jessica Jones" and "Daredevil" are both set in Hell's Kitchen, New York City, but somehow, it still seems as if the two characters live in two different cities. "Daredevil" is arguably darker in tone; Matt Murdock mostly operates at night, fighting for a city that is being destroyed by crime with another man at the helm of its destruction. Jessica Jones is fighting for the people around her, who are being targeted by another super-powered human simply to get to her. But the characters do have something in common: they both love their city. So it's easy to see how Murdock and Jones will get along once they team up in Marvel's future plans.
3. The acting is nothing short of spectacular.
Like Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/Daredevil, Krysten Ritter delivers a powerful, believable, and dare I say badass performance as Jessica Jones. And, honestly, David Tennant's performance as the villain, Kilgrave, deserves an Emmy. Seriously, he is creepy.
4. Kilgrave is the most disturbing Marvel villain yet.
Did I mention how creepy Kilgrave is? His super power is mind control -- but it's not the normal mind control that we're used to seeing in movies and TV, where the person tells the victim to do something because he wants them to. Kilgrave has the ability to make the victim want to do something. So, just as an example, he could tell you to kill yourself, and you will want to kill yourself. You will do anything to kill yourself, even if you have to tear at your own skin with your bare hands. This man could take care of Loki, Wilson Fisk, Ultron, and all of Hydra in one breath.
5. The female characters are many and they are utterly complex.
Oftentimes, when a TV show has a female protagonist, most of the other characters are men. And it doesn't matter how badass she is alone, because when surrounded by men, it seems as if they are the default and she is the exception to the rule (sorry, Agent Carter). But Jessica Jones is full of complex women who don't depend on the men around them to be full-fledged characters. For example, Jones' core relationship is with her best friend and adopted sister, Trish Walker.
6. The little references to the MCU are golden.
Just like in "Daredevil," there are a few references to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) – specifically, to "The Avengers." The characters from the MCU are never mentioned by name, but you can easily guess who they're talking about. It's fun to see what the people of New York City think of the Avengers after they basically thwarted an alien invasion.
7. The comic book Easter eggs give it that Marvel touch.
What would a Marvel TV show be without the nods to the comic books? Fans of the comics will notice some of the more obvious ones. For the subtle ones, I think we'll be needing Jessica Jones' P.I. skills to discover them. Anyone recognize this suit?
Those are only seven, but there are so many more reasons to love "Jessica Jones." Catch it on Netflix to see for yourself!
