[Note: This article contains minor spoilers]

“Would you put day drinking under experience or special skills?”

Daredevil led the charge for Marvel’s line of Netflix shows, and that character’s revival on the small screen thrilled me and many others. It was an incredible introduction into what could be accomplished with good writing, acting, and a visionary eye for the street level heroes. I was skeptical about the second character choice though and curious how they could top its predecessor. I went in questioning why a hero, who was untested off of the pages, was chosen to follow Daredevil. I had already grown tired of trying to explain who the character was for my friends and coworkers, and the trailers had not hooked me like I wanted, but as of November 20th it was finally here—Jessica Jones.

A creation from writer Brian Michael Bendis, the show is mostly based off of the comic series Alias, which is the name of her private investigations agency. Jessica (Krysten Ritter) is not an average superhero though, and her story is less of an origin than it is an in medias res of a nearly defeated introvert who is trying to make up for things that were not her fault and hide from the past. She is negative, foul-mouthed, rude, sarcastic, and I might be in love. Jessica Jones is a powerful character who has been mentally and emotionally spayed. Jones is not cut out to be a hero. She is powerful, but so vulnerable that I feel for her almost instantly. This—and a little de-powering from her power set in the comics—is how we avoid what is commonly referred to as Superman Syndrome, where a nearly perfect character becomes stale quick. She is a broken character at multiple points and by episode seven I wanted someone to put a bullet in her and end the misery as a mercy killing.

“Guilt makes people do stupid shit.”

I could go into her character a lot more, but I don’t want to leave out the supporting cast. You see, in the beginning, each major player is building up defenses, trying to close themselves off, or hiding from something. This adds motivation and concern for each of the characters, making them more interesting. I ended up loving Patricia “Trish” Walker / Hellcat (Rachael Taylor), Jessica’s friend and sister. She feels real and whole, having jumped over several hurdles in life, now trying to find more than what she has, but being shaken to the core when a certain name from the past is mentioned. She is as fierce as the titular character, even without powers to back it up. The scene where Trish is talking with Simpson, holding the gun on the table worked so well to show who she was. Luke Cage (Mike Colter) is presented well as another blossoming hero and love interest. This bit of eye candy plays a good role in the story and does not overpower or take away from it, while showing that there is a lot to work with in his upcoming run. I also would be remiss not to point out Jeri Hogarth (Carrie-Anne Moss), a gender-swapped side character from the comics who borderlines on being despicable, and does some of the best acting I have seen from Moss.

There are many other good performances and a lot of side characters that feel whole and intertwined incredibly well to the show overall. There is one character I couldn’t like, however, and that was Will Simpson (Wil Traval), who is better known from the comics as the villainous Nuke. I wasn’t sure if it was his acting, the character itself, or watching the predictable spiral the pill popper is on, but it never clicked. Everyone else has these cool little character traits and moments that make them stand out, like how Clemmons—from some of my favorite Punisher comics—corrects his own word choice, or Jessica locks her office door even though the glass is broken. Simpson was not given the same attention and simply made a slightly awkward fit for the tone of the show unlike the others.

“Jessica, I knew you were insecure, but that’s just sad.”

Jessica Jones is a dark and gritty fight for freedom with noire elements—like her phone having the old ringtone, crossed off list on the digital pad, hints of existentialism, and not being able to save the girl—that feels just a little different than anything else fans have seen from Marvel productions so far. It doesn’t have the happiest ending and is unapologetic for its brutality. This is a show that might be more violent than Daredevil and commits to its high body count. The themes are a bit depressing when looking too deeply, but the one that seemed accurate and is constantly being beaten into the audience’s skull is that being a superhero comes with penalties—a decision not to be taken lightly. In many ways though Jessica didn’t choose that life; in fact she tried to stay away from it, but one man made sure that was not a possibility.

Kilgrave (David Tennant), known in the comics as The Purple Man, is a villain that is easy to truly hate. It isn’t often I get to say that, but by the end of the first episode, his character comes off as a very real and immediate threat as well as a cold heartless bastard. It is a sort of praise to the writing as well as Tennant himself that he does so much to help this feeling with very little screen time in those first few episodes. Kilgrave never stops coming it seems, not knowing what it means to go too far, and feels more fleshed out in thirteen episodes than his entire lifespan in the comics. The creepy obsession with Jessica, all of the pictures, their conversation about consent, it all made me just the slightest bit uncomfortable and concerned for the hero. Bravo.

My only question now is: Kilgrave or Kingpin? That will be another article though.

There is a lot to rave about in Jessica Jones. The music is fitting, helping to establish the somber tone and reinforce that noire aesthetic. Humor is subtle and well-placed without being distracting. The story is engaging and has many moving parts and key players that all flow together in one pretty cohesive unit, unlike some angles in Daredevil that seemed to trip over each other and break the pacing. The writing is tighter and the dialogue is strong, with some fun parts to it.

“Lady, you’re a very… perceptive asshole.”

I love the sexual element as well, which this show has a ton of. In a way it adds to the dirtiness, even with two gorgeous people going at it, as the act is even more intense and personal, but often just an invasive itch that has to be hammered out. Super powered relationships are a subject that often makes for good entertainment, but this is something else that also probably deserves its own piece, but the evidence of how much it adds to this show is quite clear. It’s one of many elements that just seemed to fall into place perfectly.

Don’t misunderstand; the show isn’t perfect. There are some character moments, especially between Trish and Jessica, that feel forced, and some of the plot points are too convenient, but that is excusable to some just for being a product of comics. The first half of the run is a beautiful creation that encourages powering though any form of a lull around the center, where the second portion feels a bit longer, but excels with its ending. Jessica Jones had an interesting path though, as it was originally supposed to be sold to ABC, and would have featured Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel instead of Trish—which would have been closer to the comics—but she will get her own movie now. I am glad the show turned out the way it did though, and reading up on the production history and the rumors of a possible second season, it is clear that everyone who worked on it not only put a lot in, but cared about what they were making.

“I’m a complete control freak when it comes to this character. I will do everything in my power to protect the character in whatever forms. They’ll have to throw me kicking and screaming out of that building. But they own the property. They’ve really been inclusive thus far so I’m not really worried about it.” –Melissa Rosenberg, Showrunner

I was worried at first, but now I think this is better than Daredevil overall, and I certainly want a second season. I should have never doubted her, or Marvel with their character choice (until the other shoe drops at least). Now I’m hooked on this neurotic PI and can’t wait for others to see what I do in her.