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Warning: this review contains minor spoilers to several episodes of the show.

The opening scenes of Netflix’s new series, Jessica Jones (based on the titular Marvel comic book character), are light, playful, and stylized. Jones (played by Krysten Ritter) narrates off-screen as a camera takes shots of a couple that is apparently having an affair. The man that wanted these shots taken, that we assume is the husband of the woman in the photographs, is then seen taking his anger out on Jones. What does she do? She punches him through her apartment’s glass door. “And then there’s the matter of your bill,” she adds.

It’s a great introduction. Jones works as a private investigator for her own company, Alias Investigations, and possesses superhuman powers but is more interested in drinking whiskey than flying. For part of the first episode, it seems like the show might carry on like this, with Ritter (who was also excellent in Don’t Trust the B---- In Apartment 23 and Breaking Bad) making sardonic comments, taking on new cases, and drinking in between. A light, quirky detective show, right? Not really. Although there are several jokes sprinkled in each episode, Jessica Jones is a dark, bold series that includes gruesome deaths and tackles heavy issues like abusive relationships, rape, PTSD, and drug addiction.

Throughout the beginning of the first season, which was created for Netflix by veteran scriptwriter Melissa Rosenberg (Dexter, the Twilight films) and released in its entirety on Friday, Jones is often stuck between wanting to distance herself from her past while also being forced to come to terms with it. There are several opportunities for the reluctant superhero to run away and start a new life, but Jones decides to deal with her issues and help others.

I usually gravitate toward TV series with loud, complex, and fully developed female characters as leads, and I was happy to see that tradition carry on with a superhero show in particular. My favorite TV show as a teenager was Buffy the Vampire Slayer (still is one of my favorite shows), which similarly featured a woman trying to escape her past and live a normal life—but instead of hiding, she took out a bunch of vampires and various other creatures.

Since Buffy, similar shows have featured great lead female characters (Veronica Mars, Orphan Black). But as Jones, Ritter shines even among this company. With the way she carries this series, it’s easy to imagine her becoming a big-screen lead soon. She jumps from quick-witted and funny to vulnerable and compassionate with ease. Ritter’s Jones wears basically the same outfit every day (well-worn jeans, a leather jacket, and boots), drinks a lot, and lives in a modest apartment. She isn’t glamorous, and she doesn’t want to be. She’s real. The other female characters on the show are also independent, have sex (and the show emphasizes their pleasure), and are able to defend themselves in several tough situations. They don't need men to save them.

While Ritter usually overshadows everyone when she's on-screen, all the supporting characters work on Jones. There’s her friend Trish “Patsy” Walker (Rachael Taylor), lawyer Jeri Hogarth (Carrie-Anne Moss), neighbor Malcolm Ducasse (Eka Darville), and cop Will Simpson (Wil Traval). We also meet Luke Cage (Mike Colter)—set to get his own Netflix show in 2016—who is also a superhero and has unbreakable skin. I kept hoping to see more of Cage's character in each episode, but that's probably the point. Netflix wants viewers to become invested so we'll watch his show down the line.

Kilgrave (David Tennant) is the villain of the show, playing a man who can control people’s minds and make them do horrific things like kill themselves or people they know. At first, his powers seem terrifying, but his presence in nearly every episode (physical or otherwise) becomes grating. His main goal is to persuade Jones to be with him, even though she doesn’t want him. He is obsessive and creepy. At one point in the season, he demands that she send him a selfie every morning at the same time. In another episode, Kilgrave leaves out a dress for Jones to wear, which she promptly rips into pieces (“Purple’s not really my color,” she tells him). It’s revealed over the course of the episodes that Kilgrave raped Jones and that she saw a therapist, and the show does a good job of dealing with these difficult topics. It’s clear that Jones struggled and went through a lot in the events before the show begins. Flashbacks also reveal a lighter, more relaxed Jones.

As Jones manages to pull off dealing with these important topics, it also doesn't take itself too seriously. Kilgrave is a twisted villain, but he’s presented with some humor. Other characters remark on the obviousness of his name choice, and there’s a great Obi Wan Kenobi reference when he effortlessly walks past a few police officers who are protecting a hostage scene: “We can go about our business. Move along.” Jones also doesn't take her superpowers seriously. She says her ability to fly is "more like guided landing," and we don't see her in a costume once (though we do see a glimpse of her Jewel costume in a flashback).

Jessica Jones is part of a series of Netflix shows based on Marvel characters. Daredevil was released earlier this year (while solid, I enjoyed Jones a lot more), Luke Cage is being released next year, and Iron Fist and The Defenders will follow. Naturally, character crossovers are planned. Daredevil’s Rosario Dawson makes an appearance on Jessica Jones, and Mike Colter plays Luke Cage here and presumably in his own series. Still, Jones never feels like one part of some giant franchise plan. This is its own show, one with a fantastic lead and great writing. It's probably the first time many people are being introduced to the character of Jessica Jones, and I have a hunch she's about to become extremely popular.

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