Lightning strikes twice for Marvel with ‘Jessica Jones’
Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones. Ritter is also well known for her roles in “Breaking Bad” and “Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23”. Her role as Jessica easily surpasses both in weight and emotion.
Superhero-based television is difficult to pull off. The danger of alienating audiences who know too much or too little is always there, and production value can make or break a show’s believability. Luckily, Marvel’s “Jessica Jones” hits perfectly on all cylinders.
This Netflix series is not the first Marvel has produced. The series “Daredevil” was released on Netflix on April 10 and was also a stellar show. “Jessica Jones” was dropped on Nov. 20 and is even better.
“Jessica Jones” is more than a superhero show; it is a noir. Jessica is a P.I. who just happens to have superpowers. Her dark past and sleuthing skills are at the show’s core instead of battles and special effects.
Maureen Ryan from “Variety” said, “At the core of its scarred, tenacious heart, ’Jessica Jones’ is about how hard it is for one woman to trust the world — and herself.”
Krysten Ritter is in her element as Jones who drinks, snarks, and is ultimately an anti-hero. She masterfully balances funny quips and the horror that was her experience with the show’s villain, Kilgrave (played by David Tennant).
Those familiar with Tennant from his more jovial turn in “Doctor Who” will be caught off guard by his chilling performance. Kilgrave is a psychotic man-child with the ability to control people’s actions. The dark possibilities this allows him are explored.
“NPR’s” Eric Deggans said, “Kilgrave’s power is often presented as the ultimate violation; a way of making others want to do what they normally would never do.”
This violation includes anything from petty theft, to sex, to murder. The implications of these things are addressed as Jessica tells Kilgrave to his face that he is a rapist for the things he made her do.
Critic Alex Abad-Santos said on vox.com, “[“Jessica Jones”] explores the intimacy of abuse… Amid all this blood, death, and trauma (and there is plenty of all three), the most terrifying thing is watching someone endure it all and go on living.”
If you are looking for a riveting show that explores the broken psyche of its hero or just want something to binge-watch on Netflix, look no further than “Jessica Jones.”
