JESSICA JONES Review: The Daily SuperHero Writers' Quick Thoughts

This post contains SPOILERS for JESSICA JONES. You've been warned.

Marvel's JESSICA JONES is now available to [binge] watch on Netflix. Overall the opinion on the new series is good so The Daily SuperHero got its beat writers together and they shared their individual opinion and thoughts on the female super hero show.

Nick Whitney (@Whitniverse), ARROW Beat Writer

"I can't remember exactly when I first read Alias, it certainly wasn't when it was first published, but I fell in love with the comic as soon as I first laid eyes on it. When Marvel announced THE DEFENDERS series of Netflix shows I was a little in shock that JESSICA JONES was amongst them. I knew they would have to change things, that is the nature of adaptation, but I really feel they kept the vibe of the comics, which I re-read earlier this year. This is a great neo-noir show, about the shattered lives of victims of abuse. With superpowers. As of writing this I've only seen the first 6 episodes but I love them (having watched 4 of them just today). I wasn't entirely sold on Ritter as Jessica when she was cast but I am now, in a kind of "only Robert Downey Jr could play Tony Stark" sort of way, she's made the character her own. The show is dark. It makes Daredevil look like a stroll in the sunshine at times but it's darkness is real, a story which needed to be told — even through the filter of a Marvel property — of rape and responsibility.

"What's next for Jessica and Luke Cage? I don't even know where this season is going to take them yet... But I am surprised how big a role in JESSICA JONES that Luke has had. Not that I wasn't excited for his own series, I was, but Mike Colter's turn as the Harlem born superhero has convinced me that Marvel TV's game is strong and we are in for one hell of a ride in 2016. The only real question is: Will we get JESSICA JONES Season 2 before THE DEFENDERS? If the characters weave into each other's stories as they do here, I hope they vote yes, because I'm in no rush to see them team up just yet when their creating such character driven shows."
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Kaitlin Roberts (@kaitmrober), THE FLASH Beat Writer

"While JESSICA JONES is not a direct adaptation of the comic book Alias, it perfectly captures the tone and spirit of the series. A little ironically, the comic book was a bit more episodic, with every case being self-contained. Not so with the show. Everything is tightly plotted and beautifully interwoven. There were a couple of story lines that I felt were going nowhere, only for them to become relevant in surprising ways. It works very well if you’re binge-watching, as many do with Netflix. But for all the genuinely jaw-dropping twists, the strength of the series comes from its characters. Jessica deals with some pretty heavy topics, but it does so in a genuinely respectful way, due in large part to how nuanced and developed the characters are. They feel like real, flawed people dealing with complicated issues—the super heroics serve only to highlight these qualities. Special mention must be given to Krysten Ritter, who wonderfully portrays a very complex female anti-hero and carries much of the series on her shoulders.

"Like any good first season, it ties up the main plot while leaving some loose threads waiting to be pulled at for the next round. Based on the hints we’ve gotten, it seems like they’ll be focusing more on Jessica’s origins and the mysterious organization linked to her powers; this could also be a opportunity for them to give Trish (Patsy) her own super-powers, or at least show the start of her journey towards becoming Hellcat. Hopefully, Luke Cage will also be returning, as the chemistry between he and Jessica was electric; but until then, I’ll be waiting with bated breath for next year's LUKE CAGE series. At the end of this season, Luke seems to be running, both from his past and from being a hero, but it’s a pretty safe bet to say that’ll change once his own show starts. After the level of quality we’ve seen in DAREDEVIL and JESSICA JONES, it’s safe to say that’ll be a journey worth watching."
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Peter Freeman (@Peter_Freman), AGENTS OF SHIELD Beat Writer

"There are so many things to say about JESSICA JONES but I only have a paragraph so I’ll try my best to be concise. In short, I’ll say that JESSICA JONES is good, but not great. For a show that’s 13 episodes long it takes way too long to get going. It isn’t until Episode 7 that the show finally hits its mark. David Tennant as Kilgrave is a delight and the rest of the cast is equally as interesting. The story takes some very dark turns, as one might expect from a man who can use mind control. It’s a befitting addition to the Marvel Netflix Universe. I just wish that the show got its groove a little sooner than halfway through.

"After the second season of DAREDEVIL comes LUKE CAGE, which reportedly takes place approximately six months after the events of JESSICA JONES. Considering how abrupt his exit in the series was, I hope that we’ll have some explanation as to what he was doing in between shows. I also wonder if we’ll get a larger look at how Luke Cage received his powers. He briefly mentions an 'experiment' to Jessica but we’re otherwise left in the dark. All that said though, Mike Colter did an awesome job as Luke and I look forward to what his series brings to the table."
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Carly B. (@tvfanatic360), AGENT CARTER Beat Writer

"JESSICA JONES definitely raises the bar as the next installment in THE DEFENDERS series. The series shows the first Marvel superhero show revolving around a female character. Hearing a show about a female investigator would normally not be a big buzz, adding the fact that she is a superhero and has her own PTSD traumatic filled past, it brings more originality to the story. Showrunner Melissa Rosenberg brings justice to JESSICA JONES by making an unpredictable TV show with with lots of surprises, action, entertaining character and references to other Marvel media (cue all those Hulk references). I'm sure the one surprising part of the series is the diversity of the characters. Fans are sure to be begging for the second season soon. 

"The ending to the first season led fans to wonder what is next for our heroine in the Marvel Universe. While initially I didn't believe that LUKE CAGE would be compelling enough to lead his own show or even be a member of a mini superhero team like THE DEFENDERS, I think Luke brings a pragmatic approach that Jessica and Matt Murdock could use. I'm interested to see where THE DEFENDERS takes the three with the aftermath of JESSICA JONES... Stay tuned."

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Daniel Wolf, (@TheDanielWolf) The Daily SuperHero Founder & Publisher

"I have to say it, JESSICA JONES is good but not a great TV series. I felt that this show was trying to be more on-par with an HBO drama and it ended up being more like a show that would be on the USA Network. I was most impressed with actor David Tennant as Kilgrave. I'm not a 'Doctor Who' fan — so I didn't get caught up with all that hype when he was cast in the role — but his performance stood out as the strongest of the entire cast. Too bad he won't be coming back since Jessica snapped his neck at the end because he quickly developed into one of the best villains, alongside Loki and Wilson Fisk, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Perhaps he'll be back, but doubtful even though this is comic book fiction. It was quite straight forward, snap and all.

"Mike Colter as Luke Cage was another great performance (and yes, Krysten Ritter of course killed it as Jessica) and it'll be interested to see how grounded they keep him in his own series next year. I really do want to see Luke dominate his opponents in more fight scenes and I want to see how LUKE CAGE will begin to set up his fellow comic book 'Heroes For Hire' partner IRON FIST and his series. Honestly, I'm not too sure if there will be a JESSICA JONES Season 2 as of writing this quick review but I would definitely watch even though Season 1 was not as engaging and compelling as DAREDEVIL was. Although I did really enjoy all the mind games by Kilgrave. Too bad he can't control Wilson Fisk in THE DEFENDERS in a villain team-up. That would have been so damn cool."
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Fan Reaction to Marvel's JESSICA JONES on Netflix