“I think it was decided before I came onboard that painting someone purple would perhaps be on the fantastical end of things, which is not the kind of world they’re trying to create in ‘Jessica Jones, ‘ ” he said.
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One of the familiar faces to link Daredevil and Jessica Jones is Rosario Dawson’s character, Claire Temple, aka the Night Nurse. “I wanted her to be identifiable immediately”. She avoids anything that resembles a normal work schedule or social life, and she buys her cheap whiskey in bulk.
You’ll remember Krysten from Veronica Mars and Don’t Trust the B- in Apartment 23. Rosenberg said the character’s sense of humor is her favorite part about Jessica, especially “as delivered by Krysten Ritter”. The ties to sexual assault are strong in this scene, and Jessica is essentially playing the role of a rape counselor, making sure that Hope doesn’t blame herself for whatever she was forced to do under Kilgrave’s control. “Not that I’m complaining”. Jessica’s even crushed on him for a hot minute. Instead, we see him through the lens of Jessica’s PTSD, which manifests as a constant simmering rage (a bad combination with super-strength), paranoia, and a serious drinking problem. As an actress I got to do everything that I always wished to do, but have never found all in one part…This is doing drama, looking bada* em *Matrix series, Dr. Who’s, David Tennant as the haunting villain Kilgrave AKA Purple Man, as well as Mike Colter, who plays the almost indestructible Luke Cage, another one of Marvel’s “Hells Kitchen Heroes”. Kilgrave has the power to manipulate anyone by the sheer power of suggestion. In the comics, Trish Walker is the alter ego of superhero Hellcat, something we may get to see on this show. If he asks you for anything, you’ll hand it over without asking a question.
Kilgrave is easily the most well-conceived and terrifying villain in Marvel’s cinematic universe – so much so that his introduction highlights how weak most of Marvel’s other villains have been. Luckily showrunner Melissa Rosenberg and her team of writers took this very seriously, resulting in an extraordinarily intelligent depiction of psychotic male entitlement (Kilgrave) and the daily grind of survival (Jessica). He doesn’t have to be near Jessica to terrorize her, so when Jessica learns that her greatest enemy isn’t as dead as his death certificate led her to believe, her first reactions are intense fear and panic. “But what I can tell you is that anyone who is a hardcore Punisher fan is going to be blown away and incredibly satisfied by Bernthal’s take on Frank Castle”. Her lover, or her best friend, or any random stranger on the street could be under Kilgrave’s control, which means it’s safer for everyone if she pushes everyone away. Fandom freaked, a printer refused to print the issue, and even Marvel snickered, describing her lover, Luke Cage, this way in a later guide to its hundreds of characters: “A come-from-behind hero…”
In Jessica Jones’ early episodes, Kilgrave is similar to the shark in Jaws – rarely seen but omnipresent. It’s not just his wardrobe; it’s the walls and items in the rooms where he has spent time, as if his particular brand of evil can infect the world around him like a creeping illness. And most of all, we meet his victims: regular people who, having recovered their minds, are deeply traumatized at the very bad things he made them do.
Ritter’s Jessica Jones is damaged. “I think that would be incredible in so many ways”, said Ritter.
That’s it. We can follow that. We’re also introduced to side-characters like Jessica’s neighbors (a drug addict and a pair of delightfully weird siblings), who help to give her life a far more three-dimensional tone than the bizarrely unrealistic NY of Daredevil. She can grapple with the horror and pain of her experience without letting it break her completely, and while she clearly has her issues, she’s also smart, tough, and courageous enough to push back.
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The first season of Jessica Jones set the foundation for what could/should be future seasons of the show, but before we know if and when the Jessica Jones Season 2 will premier on Netflix, we have to be patient as we wait for the roll out of the second season of Daredevil in the spring and the first season of Luke Cage. There’s nothing fragile about this protagonist, and “handle with care” is a warning for your benefit, not hers.
