Netflix’s new original series from Marvel is “Jessica Jones.” It premiered Nov. 20 on the site and already is a distinctive standout from other superhero tales. Krysten Ritter (“Don’t Trust the B---- in Apartment 23”) gives a heroic performance in an otherwise non-heroic superhero persona as Jones. This role gives Ritter the opportunity to break away from her past experience in comedy, and prove she is a multifaceted actress. “Jessica Jones” is a melting pot of varied emotion and mood, which Ritter seems to perfectly harness. At times the plot can be extremely dark and disturbing, while other times it can be snarky and fun. Ritter proves she is up to the challenge, gracefully playing one of the most graceless, damaged, tormented and complex superheroes on television.
Jessica is a superhero who uses her powers to help others, but not in the way you would anticipate. She is a private investigator offering freelance work to clients who are desperate for a snoop. Jessica practices her powers simply to obtain the information she needs for her clients. The show uniquely offers us a superhero with the “super” being an afterthought. Her powers are lower on the show’s importance hierarchy in comparison to her complex character. Here is a superhero that is barely super; she is simply a little stronger than humans, not even by very much. She is still prone to being hurt and even bleeds as easily as any human. One would think this would make the show less interesting but surprisingly it’s only more intense. Her weak powers add physical vulnerability to her already unstable and self-destructive persona. Jessica’s problem is that she is all too willing to help others, but never herself. This results in constant binge drinking and pushing herself into isolation. Her only friend is Trish Walker (Rachael Taylor), a famous radio personality and one of her exclusive support system, along with Luke Cage (Mike Colter), Jessica’s love interest and fellow super.
“Jessica Jones” is a superhero show with a fresh take, offering a brand-new plot that comes nowhere near the typical superhero story. We are introduced to Jessica in the midst of her journey to recovery. This is not from alcoholism or addiction, but a form of PTSD caused by her interactions with the treacherous supervillain of the show, Kilgrave, played by David Tennant from “Doctor Who.” Kilgrave has the gift of mind control and uses it abominably. Unlike in other superhero stories, Jessica had fallen prey to his powers earlier and they still haunt her. She is victim to panic attacks, hallucinations and, most of all, guilt after being used as his personal puppet to kill. The show begins with his return into Jessica’s life just as she is trying to move on. Jessica marks his return through cases he strategically placed in her path to weave her back into his web. This forces her to go on a suicide mission to stop him from manipulating anyone else once and for all.
Jessica and Kilgrave have a unique superhero-supervillain dynamic. She was the first of his victims to challenge him and escape. This challenge is what sparked his obsession, even love, for her. He gets a thrill from defiance because he is accustomed to getting his way. In his sick mind, she is the one that got away. This brings to light such harsh realities as rape, abuse, post-traumatic stress and more that the show refuses to shy away from. Holistically, it is a series that investigates the investigator. Who truly is Jessica Jones and what has turned her into the chaotic force she is today? This will be answered more literally in the form of her origin story as a child, how she received her powers and why she is suppressing them. However, the focus for the audience, more on the psychological problems in Jessica’s life instead of literal answers, is the show’s true innovation. Jessica Jones is a fascinating character with a fascinating mind, a mind that maniacal mind-controller Kilgrave, let alone the audience, finds puzzling to interpret but captivating all the same.
