The cool girl: Jessica Jones Review

She’s a cool girl. Being the Cool Girl means I am a hot, brilliant, funny woman who adores football, poker, dirty jokes, and burping, who plays video games, drinks cheap beer, loves threesomes and anal sex, and jams hot dogs and hamburgers into her mouth like she’s hosting the world’s biggest culinary gang bang while somehow maintaining a size 2, because Cool Girls are above all hot.” - Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl.

I wonder when Flynn was writing this description of “the cool girl” if she was describing Jessica Jones? She’s drinks whiskey, kicks ass, doesn’t give a shit and gets things done. Case in point:

For those not familiar with the comic, Jessica Jones, a woman with limited superhuman abilities whose brief career as a "hero" was cut short by Kilgrave's toxic interference prior to the start of the show.  Jessicaescaped Kilgrave's hold, and has become a private investigator who relies on her natural ability to read people.

I was excited for the debut of this and gradually watched all 13 episodes since the in between finals, work, the holiday madness, back to work lol.  It’s fantastic! You don’t need to be a comic book fan to enjoy it. The series is very different from current shows based on comics: The Flash, Marvel’s Agents of Shield, and Supergirl. Jessica Jones is very dark, hence one reason why Marvel may have chosen to showcase on Netflix.  The themes are more violent, bloodier then what we seen even in Marvel movies (of course that will change since R rated Deadpool debuts Feb 12).  The series tackles a variety of trauma: rape, torture, emotional abuse, drug addiction, and most particularly, the struggle to be believed after trauma has occurred.  It’s very clear after completing the season 1: The trauma made Jessica who she is.

Kristen Ritter as Jessica Jones and David Tennant as Killgrave are the best character castings since Hugh Jackman as Wolverine.  Ritter plays Jessica so bitter, flawed and yet she is so human. I think this is why people who are non-comic fans can dig this show. She isn’t really trying to be a hero she is trying to take down Killgrave.  Now to Killgrave, he disturbs me, you barley saw the dude and he disturbed me.  Fellow super-villians Ultron and Loki got nothing on Killgrave!    Supported of course by that British Accent, there is a scene (yes this is a spoiler) where he orders two children in a closet…. That’s all I’m going to say, but it shook me…. Tennant’s performance is chilling and terrifying and asks dark questions about what we would do with ultimate power over those around us, and about what would become of us.

Mike Colter as Luke Cage.  AMAZING! His bar fight scene had me cheering.  It was way too short.  I had to rewind it and watch it again.  There's that moment when you really see his superpowers. That’s all I will say, but it’s brilliant!  I.  Cannot.  Wait.  For.  His.  Show.

Jessica Jones proves that Marvel is building a great line up in the Netflix family it will most likely get better with season 2 of Daredevil and the debut of Luke Cage in 2016.  Whether you love Marvel, or don't know the difference between The Winter Soldier and Thor, the Marvel Universe entries on Netflix should not be missed by anyone who likes great television.  This is easily the darkest, most personal, and least action-oriented entry in Marvel's canon of film and television, and also among the best.  Whatever trauma they have experienced, the women of the show are all consistently portrayed as either having control of their lives or working hard to regain it. I think many women can relate to that. No Marvel show, not even Agent Carter (which I love and adore Peggy Carter) has ever done that so effectively.  I recommend Jessica Jones as great TV to binge watch this winter!

What are you guys binge watching this winter? I’m almost done with Mr. Robot, that will be my next review!

XO

Kos