Jessica Jones Series Review (Season 1)

Released: November 20th 2015 (All episodes)

Created by: Melissa Rosenberg

Number of episodes:13

Where to watch: Netflix (All regions)

Starring: Krysten Ritter, David Tennant, Mike Colter, Rachael Taylor, Wil Traval, Erin Moriarty, Eka Darville and Carrie-Anne Moss 

Jessica Jones is the latest of many aggressive forays into the small screen from Marvel which taps into some of the more obscure names from the company’s long line of comics. It’s also one of the more unconventional products put out by the company, melding a more down to earth storyline with engaging characterisation.

Once again taking place in Hell’s Kitchen, Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter) is a retired super heroine who starts up her own private investigation business to get by; her first investigation into the young Hope Shlottman (Erin Moriaty) brings Jones into contact with Kilgrave (David Tennant), a sinister man with the ability to control the actions of those around him. Kilgrave has a personal interest in Jessica and she (along with her closest friends) makes it her mission to bring him to justice and clear Hope’s name. Jessica Jones certainly has powers including heightened strength and near invulnerability but they’re rarely placed at the forefront and this is what makes for a strong central conflict; how can you stop someone who challenges mentally rather than physically? Similar to The Dark Knight in 2008, Jessica Jones is an intimate crime drama, taking plenty of time to provide character development and drama; the traditional superhero sequences are the icing on the cake here. There are also a few nods to the Avengers woven in as well for those familiar with the source material. The subdued nature of the premise allows the series to delve into some more realistic, often darker facets of the human condition; drug use, rape and sexuality are major themes but they never become gratuitous. Instead they enhance the plot and characters, carving out an identity for the series as a whole. The show does have one major weakness; in the second half of the series, a major event occurs which dramatically simplifies Jessica’s goals and this does reduce the excitement a fair bit. It’s still worth sticking around to the end, but the series is at its best when Jessica is initially following the trail and deducing the facts.

Shifting the focus away from typical superhero fare, JJ puts its characters and the situations they encounter first. Krysten Ritter (of Breaking Bad fame) is great as Jessica Jones; she has this roguish, rebellious personality mixed with a pessimistic outlook that highlights the disappointments she’s been through. Her friends and colleagues are also well portrayed; Carrie Anne Moss as the often ruthless attorney Jeri Hogarth, Rachel Taylor as Jones’s closest friend Trish and Mike Colter as the laidback yet fractured Luke Cage. Each character has their own motivations and desires which deepen their bonds as well as contribute to the central goal of bringing the central antagonist to justice. While he’s the only real opponent in the series, Kilgrave is an immensely devilish and often sadistic villain; he takes such pleasure and glee when toying with his victims and David Tennant does a fantastic job of making you detest him. Again as with the other characters, Kilgrave has his own reasons and dark secrets that make him equally engaging.

Despite taking place in a realistic setting, Jessica Jones firmly roots itself into the noir style; cinematography gels with a minimal use of computer effects to create a highly dynamic presentation. A moody setting and atmosphere hangs over the series, particularly during the scenes at night, reinforcing the mature themes of the story and the often grim events that take place. The costume design also ties in with this; it’s very rough around the edges, bringing identifiability to the characters and their background. While Jessica Jones doesn’t adopt the more extravagant aspects of the comics (there’s no purple skinned Kilgrave to be found here), the series succeeds in placing the viewer into Hell Kitchen, emphasising that it isn’t a typical superhero tale.

While it doesn’t manage to maintain its momentum all the way through, Jessica Jones is still another worthwhile television offering from Marvel; much like Deadpool it makes a real effort to set itself apart from the countless other superhero features. The greatest achievement though lies in its characters which are some of the best realised in the genre.

Rating: 4/5 Stars