“Jessica Jones” Season 1 Review

By: Justice Sahaydak

Marvel’s Netflix show “Jessica Jones” may have been recently canceled,1but its focus on trauma and recovery shouldn’t be forgotten.

Jessica is a “hard-drinking, short-fused, mess of a woman”2who, despite her superpowers, works as a cynical private eye. Although she’s always been a little rough around the edges, her life spiraled out of control after spending months under the mental control of the despicable Kilgrave. The seriesdoesn’t shy away from showing how trauma impacts every area of one’s life. But it goes further and shows that there is hope for healing, no matter how lost someone is.

“Jessica Jones” emphasizes therapy’s effectiveness. When Jessica has a panic attack, she uses specific therapeutic techniques to calm down, and she recommends an organized support group to Malcolm, another victim of Kilgrave. In a world of vigilantes working outside the system, this focus on traditional methods of recovery is unexpected, yet welcome.

The show also focuses on informal paths to recovery. In the final scene of season one, Jessica is too overwhelmed from fighting Kilgrave to care about her demolished apartment or ringing phone. But Malcolm is there, sweeping up debris and answering calls. He is willing to support Jessica when she cannot support herself. Friends can play a key role in recovering from trauma.

This season has been out for years now, but its acknowledgment of trauma is still so important. There are few shows that deal with the hope for recovery as powerfully as season one of “Jessica Jones.”