Jessica Jones, the second of the television collaborations between Marvel and Netflix, stars Krysten Ritter (previously seen as Jane on Breaking Bad) as the eponymous protagonist. Jessica is a potential superhero with the most generic super powers - super strength, toughness and a certain level of flight - and the most generic superhero origin - an accident in her youth exposed her to gamma rays or something. Despite this she manages to be a very interesting character, as her initial attempts at costumed vigilantism draw the attention of Kilgrave (David Tennant), a spoilt man-child whose mind-control powers allow him to have anything he wants, including a super-powered slave. Jessica breaks free of Kilgrave’s control before the series begins, and the first episode introduces us to her as an alcoholic, emotional wreck of a woman getting by as a P.I. collecting evidence on unfaithful spouses. Her detective work soon brings her and Kilgrave back together however, and Jessica has to face her tormentor and answer the question of how to stop a man who can control your every action?
You shoot him in the head with a rifle from the end of the next block, of course, before he even knows you’re there. Jessica’s unwillingness to kill Kilgrave, even at the expense of innocent lives, is based on her goal of demonstrating his powers in public and thereby proving the innocence of Hope, a girl caught red-handed after murders Kilgrave forced her to commit. I had some trouble going with Jessica on this initially, as capturing and detaining someone with his powers - much less demonstrating them to some part of the justice system - would be next to impossible. Much better to kill him before he can do any more harm and hope (heh) for the best with Hope.
This is a key point in what makes Jessica such an interesting character, though. Where Daredevil was a straightforward, do what’s right because it’s right kind of hero, Jessica has a more complicated relationship with heroism. Having to hide from Kilgrave, while being conscious of the terrible things she did while under his control, and feeling as though she failed in her first attempt at heroism means she now rejects the tag. At the same time she can’t let the sweet, innocent, American-as-apple-pie Hope suffer. Jessica can’t be pragmatic, but the show won’t let her off the hook for her idealism, and she and those around her suffer terribly because she refuses to stop Kilgrave. By the end of the series the only thing that bugged me about Jessica was how much she looked like latter-day Michael Jackson when she wore sunglasses.
This is a key point in what makes Jessica such an interesting character, though. Where Daredevil was a straightforward, do what’s right because it’s right kind of hero, Jessica has a more complicated relationship with heroism. Having to hide from Kilgrave, while being conscious of the terrible things she did while under his control, and feeling as though she failed in her first attempt at heroism means she now rejects the tag. At the same time she can’t let the sweet, innocent, American-as-apple-pie Hope suffer. Jessica can’t be pragmatic, but the show won’t let her off the hook for her idealism, and she and those around her suffer terribly because she refuses to stop Kilgrave. By the end of the series the only thing that bugged me about Jessica was how much she looked like latter-day Michael Jackson when she wore sunglasses.
Tennant plays the villain with an interesting twist as well. Not megalomaniacal or trying to destroy the world, Kilgrave is a hedonist who takes what he wants, regardless of who he hurts in the taking. He has no care for the welfare of others and casually orders his slaves to kill themselves in brutal ways when they displease him, or when he’s finished with them. His powers are frighteningly strong, but because he only uses them in small-scale ways and can manipulate the minds of any law-enforcement who try to intervene, nobody can or does stand in his way - besides Jessica and her few allies.
Speaking of which the supporting characters are great too, and bring some levity to what could otherwise be a very grim series. Almost all of them get tied back into the main plot somehow, making those light side stories in earlier episodes feel integral to the show. Luke Cage (Mike Colter), due to get his own Netflix series next year, is Jessica’s super-powered romantic foil and is built like he just walked off the set of Predator. What he lacks in acting chops he makes up for in beef. Trish Walker (Australian Rachael Taylor) is Jessica’s adoptive sister, at the same time her closest friend and supporter and her greatest vulnerability.
At its base though, Jessica Jones is about an abusive relationship between Jessica and Kilgrave. Jessica does not shy away from using the “R” word to describe their coercive sexual relationship, and beyond that Kilgrave is constantly emotionally blackmailing Jessica by threatening those around her, using them as self-mutilating puppets. It’s very refreshing to see a mainstream show confronting such a taboo issue that affects so many people. Kilgrave justifies everything he does to himself, the only judge of character he trusts, and absurdly believes that deep down Jessica must feel as fondly towards him as he does to her. Jessica’s blunt rejection of this is easy to get behind.
As is the show as a whole. Thirteen tightly written episodes that never lose sight of the main plotline and wrap up well, without a cheap cliffhanger ending. There are still enough unanswered questions though that I immediately wanted another season. Marvel and Netflix are two for two so far, and with Luke Cage and Iron Fist to come along with Daredevil season 2, then a Defenders team-up miniseries featuring all four heroes, Jessica Jones s2 may be a way off. At least she should bring a bit of depth of character to Luke's show.
Speaking of which the supporting characters are great too, and bring some levity to what could otherwise be a very grim series. Almost all of them get tied back into the main plot somehow, making those light side stories in earlier episodes feel integral to the show. Luke Cage (Mike Colter), due to get his own Netflix series next year, is Jessica’s super-powered romantic foil and is built like he just walked off the set of Predator. What he lacks in acting chops he makes up for in beef. Trish Walker (Australian Rachael Taylor) is Jessica’s adoptive sister, at the same time her closest friend and supporter and her greatest vulnerability.
At its base though, Jessica Jones is about an abusive relationship between Jessica and Kilgrave. Jessica does not shy away from using the “R” word to describe their coercive sexual relationship, and beyond that Kilgrave is constantly emotionally blackmailing Jessica by threatening those around her, using them as self-mutilating puppets. It’s very refreshing to see a mainstream show confronting such a taboo issue that affects so many people. Kilgrave justifies everything he does to himself, the only judge of character he trusts, and absurdly believes that deep down Jessica must feel as fondly towards him as he does to her. Jessica’s blunt rejection of this is easy to get behind.
As is the show as a whole. Thirteen tightly written episodes that never lose sight of the main plotline and wrap up well, without a cheap cliffhanger ending. There are still enough unanswered questions though that I immediately wanted another season. Marvel and Netflix are two for two so far, and with Luke Cage and Iron Fist to come along with Daredevil season 2, then a Defenders team-up miniseries featuring all four heroes, Jessica Jones s2 may be a way off. At least she should bring a bit of depth of character to Luke's show.