We now begin my portion of the Jessica Jones reviews divided up among our writers. I have to admit that it’s a very binge-friendly show. It was very hard for me to stop and write this review. So far, the series ha had quite a noir feel, but there’s nothing cliched about it. It’s extremely compelling, and it’s made up of lots of strong characters. “AKA 99 Friends” established a sense of fear and urgency to the larger story about Kilgrave and Jessica, while simultaneously exploring the world and its characters.
A brief synopsis of “AKA 99 Friends”: Jessica is reluctant to accept a new P.I. case, after the last referral she received ended so poorly. Simpson wants to make up for the pain he’s caused Trish. Jeri and Jessica vet the various Kilgrave victims’ claims, and establish a ‘support group’ for the real ones. Jessica searches for whoever is following her on Kilgrave’s behalf, and is startled by the discovery.
One of the best things about Jessica Jones as a whole is that it seems (so far at least) to really believe in its characters. The show doesn’t try to overload you with characters, but instead, it spend serious time delving into the ones it has already created. The Netflix/binge format works well for a show that wants to do that. On the one hand, you’ve got the overarching story about Kilgrave and the danger he presents, and on the other hand, you have an in-depth, character-focused drama series.
“AKA 99 Friends” uses the eminent danger Kilgrave poses to explore Jessica’s character further. She accepts another case, but remains extremely cautious about the client and (it turns out) with good reason. Though, the client wasn’t sent by Kilgrave. I thought it was a masterful storytelling device, and it also connected Jessica Jones to the larger MCU without putting big posters up or doing crossovers, much like Daredevil before it. Much like X-Men, Agents of SHIELD, and The Flash, it seems only natural that people would act irrationally or violently in fear of mutants/Inhumans/metahumans. “AKA 99 Friends” paints an incredible portrait of things the characters would realistically deal with in a world like that.
Krysten Ritter was the perfect choice to play this part. She’s got just the right combination of hardened toughness and vulnerability to make the perfect Jessica Jones. She’s obviously broken, but it lights a fire under her to free herself and others from her own brokenness. Since “AKA 99 Friends” was largely Jessica-focused, the importance of her character really became clear in this episode.
The supporting cast also becomes a little more fleshed out over the course of this hour, particularly Jeri and Officer Simpson. Jeri is fascinating because of her broken marriage, in combination with her (apparent) strong desire to help Jessica and the other Kilgrave victims. She plays hard on the surface, but she’s using her own superpowers to fight the good fight from where she stands. Carrie-Anne Moss is wonderful in this role, and I’m excited and hopeful to see her more.
So far, Jessica Jones is a fascinating noir-esque series that’s almost impossible to slow down and enjoy. It’s so good you want to devour it. The characters are strong, the overall story is solid, and everything is chugging along nicely.
What did you guys think? Did you enjoy this episode? Let us know in the comments!
[Photo credit: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix]
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