S01E01, S01E02, S01E03, S01E04, S01E05, S0106, S01E07:,Editor's Note: This review covers the first seven episodes of Marvel's Jessica Jones and will contain mild spoilers. If you wish to go in blind, we suggest navigating over to Netflix, watching the episodes, and then returning to read the review!When it debuted in April, Marvel's Daredevil was unlike anything Marvel had ever done. It was an abrupt departure in tone from the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it was thematically different from Marvel's two prior television shows, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. And Marvel's Agent Carter, both of which air on ABC. Marvel's Jessica Jones, the second of five planned Marvel projects at Netflix, is a confident, nuanced, and worthy follow-up to Daredevil featuring a flawed, but accomplished lead.
It stands on its own—not just from Daredevil, but from the the rest of Marvel's other series—yet somehow also fits snugly within the larger narrative of the MCU. It should continue to boost the pedigree of Netflix, but make no mistake: this is not only the best Marvel series to date, it's one of the best dramas currently on TV, streaming or otherwise.Whereas Daredevil benefited from having years upon years of history on the page, and even a problematic major motion picture to his name, Jessica Jones is a relatively new character in the Marvel universe, something that actually works in the show's favor because there are fewer expectations about who and what the character and the show are supposed to be. Created by Brian Michael Bendis in 2001, Jessica Jones, as she is on the page, is a former superhero who went by the name Jewel, but who hung up her cape after losing eight months of her life to Zebediah Killgrave, a.k.a. The Purple Man, a villain and enemy of Daredevil with the power to make people do what he wanted.
In the aftermath, she opened Alias Investigations in New York City and became a private investigator, which satisfied her need to help people, paid the bills, and gave her purpose.The comic character's on-screen counterpart is played by (Jane from Breaking Bad, the B in Apt. 23), who's showing off her impressive range and once again putting her talent for delivering dry, sarcastic barbs to good use, and shares the comic character's dark and traumatic past, as well as her career and plenty of her bad habits. Suffering from PTSD as a result of her time spent with Kilgrave, she is, as described by potential love interest Luke Cage , 'a hard-drinking, short-fused mess.' In a departure from the source material, her already short stint as a superhero has been reduced to nothing more than a desire to make a difference and a pretty fun gag involving the character's costume from the comics, and in that regard, Jessica Jones is not your typical superhero series.
It's an exploration of trauma and survival with a detour into prejudice, but it also proves, like Daredevil did before it, that street-level superheroes can exist alongside their better known, global counterparts and still be just as, if not more, engrossing.But even Daredevil was more all-encompassing than Jessica Jones. It was a series about a city and the man who fought to protect it—a traditional superhero origin story, in other words—while Jessica Jones is a complex character-driven piece. The series, though sharing the same Hell's Kitchen setting, is far more personal, more insular than Daredevil ever was, with a sharp focus on its heroine who's both running toward and away from the man who ruined her and violated her for months on end. You could call her an antihero, but there's also something in Jessica that drives her to want to help others, and although her methods are questionable and she finds her powers more of a burden than a gift, she also finds a way to use those flaws to her advantage.
The series also trades Daredevil's city-wide conspiracy, righteousness, slick and stylized violence, and intense action sequences for intimate relationships, detective work, a complicated relationship with bar owner Luke Cage—himself blessed with superstrength and impenetrable skin—and the psychologically damning effects that the show's version of Kilgrave, played by with his non-regional Doctor Who accent firmly in place, have left on Jessica. And it works spectacularly.But because of the relative unknown status of the show's lead character and because the show is not building toward Jessica's ascendence to the role of traditional superhero, Jessica Jones doesn't necessarily feel like a Marvel property, making it much more likely to appeal to a wider audience than just comics fans (however, there are various scenes and lines of dialogue that were lifted directly from the page, which will surely delight said fans). This extensive review covers the first 7 episodes.
However, the series had 6 more for a total of 13. There was enough material for about 8. Beyond that, the writers and editors kept story going by folding it back on itself and producing a tedious permutation of events that led to an uninteresting conclusion.The incessant repetition exposed the audience to gimmickry that was forgivable, but only for a while. For instance, how many times did we see Jessica's power being neutralized inexplicably - maybe because she was easily distracted - only to return in the next scene or episode.In the end, I likened the series to a long train passing at a railroad crossing. Excitement of watching the first few cars' passing by waned over time and the train seemed to slow down. Eventually it is gone, the arms lift, and I am thanking on my way.
A lot of her 'decisions' (I'd say 'reactions') are driven not by any native intelligence she may or may not have but by the damage she has not dealt with (so far she's been taking the the 'well, all that machinery is completely broken so imma just throw a tarp over it and try to ignore it' approach). The bad decisions come from facked up emotional wiring-when she's just focused on working cases without any personal stakes involved, she's pretty smart, it seems to me. Basic immaturity is a common problem for alcoholics as well as for people trying to avoid dealing with severe emotional damage (freq.
Hand in hand).Damaged, offensive protagonists are tricky in any case, as we've seen in recent attempts to fill the House M.D. Void ( Backstrom, Rake, probably others that came and went without me noticing they existed).
Even harder with damaged female protagonists (anybody remember Canterbury's Law, which was sort of a prototype for The Good Wife only with a grittier role for Margulies? I was probably the only one who liked it, iirc.). Bryan Fuller tried two series with young female leads in a supernatural predicament ( Dead Like Me, Wonderfalls) who were meant to start out as just Mildly Objectionable and develop into better (Fuller?) people as the show went on, but not many people wanted to follow those characters to see it happen (just me again, apparently). So, damaged protags are hard to make broadly watchable anyway, and I'd say even harder when they're female. Even Rectify, whose damaged (and also PTSD) protagonist is so much more benevolent and appealing than Jessica, is too intense for many to deal with. I don't think Jessica Jones is as good as that show, but I like it for some of the same reasons.I'm suspecting that showing how damaged people behave and then showing why they're damaged is maybe an intentional theme in the show-Malcolm is another good example.
It's the way it often happens in real life, where we write off someone as basically defective based on crappy behavior and then maybe due to circumstances you end up seeing that there's more to them and eventually learn that they weren't always Like This, and your perception of them changes. But then that's not a journey most people choose to take in real life either if it can be avoided, so it's not surprising that JJ is not engaging people quite as much as, say, Daredevil. I sort of expected 'B' Marvel release being it on Netflix and not picked up by any big networks but I was very pleasantly surprised. It was a show that played out equally or better than most of the TV shows of this genre on TV last few years.The big bonus for me was that it was a tight knitted and character driven show which becomes rare these days. Well I watched it all in course of a week and I definitely want more. I like the drinking lone wolf PI flicks, and it was a fresh game that the PI was a girl.
Now I want more. I just finished it last night and I thought it was really good.
It's not going to be all action oriented like Daredevil and that's ok, the show wouldn't be as good if it was. It's a psychological thriller where you invest your time in it it and it pays off in the end. I like Krysten Ritter but something just seemed to not click all the time, maybe because she felt cold and robotic or something and it makes sense given her recent past, but just if they give it a second season I hope they can open her up a little and be more multi-dimensional of a character. I also understand why Luke Cage was in it so much given their relationship in the source material but it'd have been nice if for her DEBUT season, they didn't try to force so much of him and the Nuke origin story on us. Best show of 2015, imho. Along with Mr Robot.Im not a fan of superhero stuff (Avengers?Batman?
What a waste of money and time! What a senseless CGI attraction they were). Don't get all that mythology.
Even Netflix's Daredevil was bland and boring in my taste. Typical still.But Jessica Jones is much better and refreshing. Less superhero typical stuff. Show is more like noir drama with repeating themes of survival and psychological trauma. I like that main villain is just a creepy obsessive stalker (who is also rapist and murderer) whose main intention isn't world power or world destruction. His main obsession and main goal is Jessica Jones. And because of that feature show feels very realistic, very chilling.
Also I like all secondary characters (drug addict neighbor, Carrie Ann-Moss' character) Especially relationship between Jessica and her sister Trish was well tailored. I enjoyed their scenes.2d season please. Like, right now. It's a fairly good show. Slow moving at times but I like most of the characters. Luke Cage is spot on and a really likable character. Why did they choose such an unattractive (really more plain than unattractive) actress and who is not shapely like the Marvel character, Jessica is modeled after?
Yes, she has the hair but that is about it. Plus she is not really a strong person in the sense of her character but more of a weak person.
I envisioned a strong character (not referring to her physical strength) for a woman in that role. I know it's coming. That obvioius bro-argument - main actress isn't attractive and isn't having similar shape as comic book Jessica.
Oi!First of all - she is attractive in other viewers' eyes (coz attractivness is subjective) and secondly, she has this big eyes almost comic book-y.Thirdly, why should actress (or actor) be modeled similarly (to the teeth) to comic book character? And why shouldn't TV series' Jessica have thinner body (not that athletic as you like) - she was a teenager when this 'gift' fell upon her.
And why is it matter what type of body she has if she has super-strength anyway?I just dont like that Luke Cage has two powers - impenetrable skin and super strength. It's unfair coz he's already buff like fuck. I am very pleased with this show, I think it is amazing, even better than DD. I will only comment here the weak points because I like to explicit them, but in general, I am very glad with this show (so I will put some strong points too)Weaker:The Simpson story, Annoying and distractingToo much about the lawyer drama. I liked the idea but it was too muchNobody thinking 'normal' ways to defeat Kilgrave (until near the ending) like having a couple of deaf policemen involved or just trying to see what happened if the noise is too loud to hear what he says,Kilgrave powers are inconsistent. Sometimes he needs to be superspecific, sometimes the victims guess what he want, And I still don't know why you can't do other stuff.
For instance, you are running, he orders you 'stop'. Can you still talk to him? Shoot him?StrongerJessica being a damaged person, who keeps going even when people hates her and her story being interesting for that and not because of her powers or beautyTennantt. Kilgrave is just completely perfectThe relationship between Jes and Trish.Half naked Luke Cage:-).
I went trough the whole thing at this point & I loved it! Netflix is 2 for 2 as the best thing to happen to the MCU. Don't get me wrong. The rest of the MCU is fun popcorn fluff that's more entertaining than not, but I personally prefer my comic book adaptations to not simply be live action cartoons.When 'flix announced their shows, I was psyched for Daredevil, never cared for the Power Man & Iron Fist comics as a kid, & never heard of Jessica Jones, so I figured the whole package would simply be touch & go for me. Daredevil ended up rockin' (at least up until they broke out the red costume.I hope they fix that silly lookin' thing for season two) Jessica Jones hit on almost all cylinders, & now, Netflix has earned my trust that the rest of their shows will keep rockin' in the same vein.Given that I originally had zero interest in the Jessica Jones show, I was pleasantly surprised that by the end, I found it to be the better of the two shows.I want more! Finished the binge last night with just a break to Grimm & Last Kingdom for a little light relief.
If I have any complaint it is just that the show woulda been better as a 10 episode series. 12 was just too many and the start of the last third dragged as we saw Kilgrave essentially repeating stunts to get free again. I realise it had to set the show up for season 2 hence the asides about evilcorp messing with Jessica, Luke and the annoying cop who will unfortunately turn out not to be dead in either season 2 of JJ or season 1 of Luke Cage.Still I really enjoyed the show. I have elected to feel sorry for the negative types who need to stick to the old fallback of attractive women can't act, in order to cope with their own inadequacies rather than appreciating that some people actually do win the lottery. Rather that than berate them for their blind prejudices.Will I watch season 2? Overall I liked it. I don't think it is as strong as Daredevil, but it is up there.
I liked pretty much all of the characters and their contributions. Though some of them seemed a bit needless. I don't think we needed Robyn and Reuben, mostly because we didn't need what happened to convince us that Kilgrave was a bad guy and that they are living in a morally ambiguous world where survival is number one legalities number 4 or 5.
I liked the set up for next season, but again, I am not sure we needed that much of it or the magic of it all.One thing I did have issues with as the whole thing spilled out, and this will likely be a thing for me for the series. The inconsistency of Jones' abilities. You can't get knocked out by Robyn holding on to a 2x4 and then take all of that punishment by Cage, get shot, get stabbed, cut etc and still be able to keep going. I thought that was weird.Overall it was shot great, I can't think of any performances that I disliked, save for maybe Horhgath's ex. But the end of that plot was kind of satisfying.
Tennant knocked the role of Kilgrave out of the stratosphere. Wow, he was legitimately despicable and lovable, hated him and kind of felt bad for him all at the same time.
I kind of dislike his ending, but given that there is a magic group with magic pills about perhaps that won't be permanent.Overall great show. I'm only 2 episodes in and I'm already hooked just as I was with daredevil. When marvel has no restrictions when they have the freedom to do as dark and real as they want, when they can say, do and show what ever the hell they want that's when marvel is at its best, Netflix has given them the platform to create a left of centre superhero show something that's not like what's currently on tv and it's fantastic. So far marvel is two for two and it looks like Luke cage will be three for three I'm excited. Just finished all the episodes, and thought the show was powerful and intense.
I was frankly surprised to read the comments here saying they thought it was boring, and that they didn't like Krysten Ritter. Did we watch the same show? Ritter did an amazing job, and carried the show with her ability to make us care about such a screwed up character. Not 'heroic' enough, some said? Um, that was one of the main themes being explored here (just like with so many other 'superhero' characters). What makes someone a hero, how do they cope with unspeakable tragedy, weariness and pain, and still try to help/do the right thing, etc. Why is this thematic exploration in JJ all of the sudden so unacceptable to so many of you this time?
I can't help but wonder if it is partly because the character is a woman, and since she is not 'hot and sexy' and doesn't act the way men/society like/expect women to behave. If you were expecting Jessica Jones to be a supermodel instead of a superhero, then I guess I can see why some of you were disappointed. Thankfully, I was just hoping for a well-crafted, emotionally-satisfying, character-driven piece, so I was able to appreciate it on its own merits. I don't get all the complaints about Ritter either. I thought she did a great job considering she had to be tough yet vulnerable while remaining feminine. I think the show could have given her a few unrelated cases to Kilgrave to give a better idea of her character so we could see her as a hero.
Despite all her objections that's ultimately what really what she wanted.My other minor nitpick is they really needed to reiterate to the viewer again and again that she refused to kill as it would make her just like Kilgrave. The original reasoning just didn't work for me and I really think the show as a whole would have benefited from a couple of scenes where they really drove home the reasons why Jessica refused to use her powers to kill the man who abused her. 'I buy in bulk' Brilliant line from Jessica Jones about her drinking. Now I know what to tell my neighbors why I go to the liquor store so often.JJ, at its face value is great entertainment.
Jeez, a smart-assed super hero who hides her powers for the most part who is always drinking or hungover when she is not kicking ass, tons of mind controlled killers, crazy bad guy with a British accent who controls said minds, what else do I need? Tons of fun, great to see Kristen Ritter follow up her great performance from BBad, good casting choice, can't wait for season 2. I think Jessica Jones is good but definitely not as good as everyone seems to think it to be, (Not Marvel at it's finest and not even close to Daredevil) it's mostly personal because having read the Alias comics a few months back, i got a different vibe. Exactly what I've been saying!
This Jessica was nothing like the comics. I think the writers just didn't get her at all or even the source material for that matter. They managed to reduce her to 'angry bitch' for all of 13 episodes when they had all the time in the world to show the many sides of her personality. Why couldn't they have adapted the Spider-man storyline and instead of Spidey have her find out who Daredevil was and have that same storyline follow the comics? Because for me that story captured her character very well, tough as can be with a heart of gold. This is better than most of the shows out there.
I do think that Daredevil is better. If only because the supporting characters of Daredevil are better developed.Tennant's Kilgrave was EXTREMELY creepy. Kind of interesting to see him play a villain again, as opposed to the 'good guy' he is normally seen as.Ritter as Jessica was pretty good. I just found it hard to believe she was an alcoholic.Weak points aside, I can see a lot of potential for a second season.
I'm seeing even more potential for the Luke Cage series. To be honest, I would have liked to see the Cage series come out before JJ. In many ways it would have made more sense. I feel, when it comes to Luke Cage, that this was the only way to really go. If you think about it, not only does this show establish how he'll be connected to The Defenders later without having to spend time building that side-plot in his show but it also gave him the biggest nudge to go out there and be a hero; if that is what he'll do.
The things he's resolved in this show (avoiding details to keep it spoiler free) also make it so we won't have to deal with that in his. They were also able to build a relationship between him and jessica reliant on the fact that they're 2 damaged people rather than 2 heroes (which would've been the case if they met later down the line) which to me is far more believable and compelling.
I could go on for days but I hope you see where I am coming from and maybe, just maybe I'll make it less of a negative in your mind! This show was fantastic!
Honestly, when I heard Krysten Ritter got the part of JJ, I wasn't sure what to think, because I only know her as a comedic actress, but she really knocked it out of the park! The whole ensemble, really, was just great! I enjoyed that they didn't beat around the bush talking about rape, abuse, etc. But they still treated those situations delicately. All in all, I think it was a wonderful show, and I can't wait for season 2, and Luke Cage!(Awful tired of some of these misogynistic comments here, though). I don't really know what it was exactly that I found boring about those first four episodes.
I mean, I love character pieces - one of my favourite shows right now is The Leftovers and characterization is quite literally the only thing that show has going on.I think my issue was a combination of plot, character and theme. During those first four episodes, nothing of substance really happened - that would be okay if the characters and themes were interesting enough to compensate but due to little more than personal preference; I couldn't find myself caring about either.
I just disagree with you. My heart was in pain for Jessica, Luke, Trish, Malcolm and even Kilgrave. That is why I cannot understand people being bored. For me, it was extenuatiing to see so much pain. I felt so sad for them.I have not read the comics, so I don't know if it si better, but Kilgrave here is also introduced at a slow rhytm.I agree many subplots and things could have been done better to have a more cohesive show.
I even agree the show could have had fewer episodes. But I can't imagine being bored with something like this show, that had me almost crying for 5 days. You're completely missing the whole point here. The show is boring because it lacks direction not because the premise isn't good.
It feels so disjointed, plotlines don't develop fully or just go nowhere. Subplots don't make sense to the overall plot. Too many plots and characters should have been edited down for a more focused and cohesive story. In the comics, there was a slow build up to Killgrave. We got to know Jessica first as a very competent PI (who did more than Google people btw) and there was a sense that she was dealing with something but it didn't define her.
It isn't until near the end of the run that we finally find out what happened to her makes such impact. The problem with this show is you never give a damn about these characters. I was never emotionally invested in her or her pain which was so unlike what I felt reading the comics. They managed to suck all of the likable and redeeming traits of this character that by episode 6 I was just soldiering on. Watched it all.
I prefered Daredevil, but this was still a very good season. Most of the actors do a great job, especially David Tennant. A lot of the great moments on the show involve Luke Cage and Kilgrave. The sister relationship between Jessica and Patsy was also really well done. The two best episodes for me were the ones that were heavily Kilgrave centric, which if you've watched the show you know which ones I'm talking about.Most of my issues have to do with the smaller subplots. I really liked Carrie Anne-Moss in this show, though her love triangle with Calamity Jane and Pam wasn't the most interesting, but I did like the conclusion.
The stuff with Simpson was interesting, but it felt out of place at times. The worst was anything that had to do with those annoying fucking neighbors, Ruben and Robyn. Robyn might be the most annoying character on TV this year.Despite these complaints, it was still a very good show and I look forward to seeing more with these characters in the future. Yeah, as someone from that 'normal female audience' you speak of (as opposed to what, the abnormal female audience? Which are, I'm guessing, mutants and supermodels?), I:1) think Krysten Ritter's pretty hot, beauty in the eye of the beholder and all that, she might not be to your personal taste but calling her looks ordinary's a bit of a stretch,2) don't mind hot female protagonists on TV, but am really glad that acting ability and ability to represent the character do win out over lone sexyness sometimes (they so often lose). Jessica Jones as a character isn't solely defined by her looks, so why should they be her most important trait?
Krysten Ritter
I can't say I'm physically attracted to Mark Ruffalo, it doesn't mean I don't think he makes a good Hulk, because the point of Bruce Banner isn't really his hotness.Signed: a normal female TV viewer (don't believe what you hear, we are people too!). Of course it's in the eye of the beholder. Hubby thinks she is not pretty (ugly would be too much) while I think she is average/pretty but I know she is considered pretty for many people. Eye of the beholder and so on. Jessica is not a particularly beautifiul super heroine (in the comics, as far as I know), so the actress doesn't need to be hot.
Her looks are not a defining trait of her character.Also, she seems less pretty because she is a mess and doesn't take care of her own looks. Kilgrave loves her for the reasons stated by docspector below and because he likes that is a 'gifted' one, like him. Ruben is clearly a submissive character who is attracted by strong women. Physically strong women, I mean. And he saw her threatening his sister. And looks primarily liked her by sex, she was strong even the first time they were in bed, and I think by that time he was feeling broken, And he had sex with several women, not particularly hot themselves.
In fact, even when I think Reva has a pretty face I would't call her 'hot' either. To be fair, the character in the comics was not drop dead gorgeous if anything, she comes off as an attractive but not super hot in her mid/early 30's kind of woman? That pretty much gets on with her life and is indifferent to sexual encounters or is open about no strings attached relationships because of what she has gone through. Luke Cage on the other hand is portrayed as a playboy cape chaser ha ha but i think he just came to care about her eventually. And yes, she does dress like that too.puts zero to no effort in the way she looks.
Marvel Jessica Jones S01e07 Free
I think they got that bit spot on. I've watched the first 2 episodes, and am hopeful, but I really disliked the pilot. It is very shallowly written, using neo-noir to hide its one-dimensional material to a frustrating degree.
And casting Krysten Ritter is a mixed bag, she has the edge needed for the character's 'now' persona, but there's no hint of any past character that she transformed from and that hurts a lot, it makes the shallowness feel even more shallow. And by not having any heroics for her in the past or present, she's even less engaging, it makes her current job so simplistic.I dunno, I really am having a hard time with this show, it could be good but so far into ep 2 it's barely compelling, and it's up against The Man in the High Castle which is outstanding. I'll preface this by saying that while I do like certain aspects of the Marvel universe, I am not a huge fan. I have no background in the comics. That said I have really enjoyed what I've seen so far of 'Jessica Jones.'
I'm on episode 5 right now, and I plan on watching the entire season. The cast is great, although we haven't seen enough of Kilgrave himself yet for me to pass judgement on him. His actions are felt throughout the show, creating a 'larger than life' appearance, here's hoping when we spend some time with the man himself he lives up to that appearance. Well, I'm more into heroes (male or female), who are able to cope with their problems in an adult and mature way, without using drugs or such things.Agent Carter lost Captain America and her career has ben crushed. She has to go against prejudice and thick-headed men and is viewed as being inferior to male agents. And despite all that, she manages to be efficient and positive.Jessica Jones comes across like a whiney and anti-social sap in comparison to Agent Carter. But that sure is my personal taste.:D.