‘Jessica Jones’: Five Things You Need To Know Before You Watch

Jessica Jones has become one of the hottest shows on TV. The new series, the second Netflix original series to be based on a Marvel comic, is being touted by viewers and critics alike as one of the best new shows on television. Jessica Jones is also being referred to as “the smartest entry into television’s already crowded cast of superheroes” by The Muse. The hit, which became available on Netflix on November 20, has taken the streaming service and the world by storm.

5) It’s Netflix – You Can Binge Watch

Because Jessica Jones is a Netflix series, fans can watch it at their leisure. This means you can check the 13-episode series out in its entirety one cold winter weekend, or you can break it up. The point is, you don’t have to block out an hour every Thursday night to watch Jessica Jones.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3UYWK2jeX0

Netflix has had great success with its original series’, having become a serious competitor for traditional television networks. Orange is the New Black anyone?

4) What You Need To Know About The Plot

Jessica Jones is a superhero? Most people had never even heard of the character when the series was announced. She’s definitely not as well known as Spiderman. Jessica Jones originated in the Alias comics. The character was introduced in the Alias series back in 2001, and Jessica’s time as a superhero is short-lived. She falls from grace following catastrophic, physically and mentally debilitating encounter with Kilgrave (played flawlessly by David Tennant), who is her nemesis in the Netflix series as well.

When we reunite with Jessica Jones this time around, being a superhero is a thing of the past. The Jessica viewers are introduced to is broken and struggling to find herself following the loss of her superhero identity. Jessica Jones viewers meet a much different Jessica than the one portrayed in Alias.

Jessica Jones distinguishes itself from the rest of the superhero genre by nature of its incredible writing and story arc. It’s much more than a struggle between good and evil. Jessica Jones is an internal struggle, too. It’s gritty, real, harsh and definitely not for children.

3) The Cast Is Incredible

Jessica Jones is getting a lot of love for its casting. The show’s lead, Jessica Jones, is played by Krysten Ritter. She’s known for her roles in Breaking Bad, Chloe, and What Happens in Vegas. Ritter’s ironic and unique persona lend a depth and realism to Jessica Jones that does justice to the powerful writing and plot. In the Jessica Jones Netflix adaptation, the leading lady’s day (and night) job is a private detective in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City. Quite the perfect fit for a once-superhero dealing with PTSD and some serious self-hating tendencies.

By all accounts, Jessica Jones became the instant hit it did based on the strength of the cast as a whole. There are already plenty of accolades being given to the creator, Melissa Rosenberg (of the Twilight movie franchise). There’s already Emmy buzz surrounding Jessica Jones, reports Vulture.

The cast of Jessica Jones also features Rachael Taylor, Eka Darville, Carrie-Anne Moss, Wil Traval, Susie Abromeit, and Mike Colter.

2) Be Prepared For Some Graphic Sex

The first episode of Jessica Jones doesn’t leave much to the imagination. I can’t reiterate enough that this isn’t a superhero show for kids. Without giving too much away, the series has a good half-dozen sex scenes throughout, including in the opening. They leave as little as they can to the imagination and still be on TV, Vulture reports. While most of us are used to the PG-13 superheroes of the summer box office, Jessica Jones is not that.

The printer of the comic book initially refused to print it, reports MoviePilot, because of the graphic nature of the initial sex scene. Of course, the Jessica Jones comic was printed, and the new show’s creators stayed true to the comic. Fan’s reactions to the opening scene of the series have been mixed, largely with long-time fans of Jessica Jones appreciating the authenticity while newbies to the series were more surprised at the unexpectedly graphic nature of the scene.

Multiple sex scenes and an oral sex scene in Jessica Jones? This is some grown up Marvel-Netflix show

— Gabby (@gabbyt590) November 22, 2015

Thatawkward moment when youre watching the new @Marvel show while parents are in the room and a sex scene comes #JessicaJones #GameOfThrones

— iKingsSGC (@iKingsSGC) November 21, 2015

That sex scene came right out the comic. Even tho the comic was mature, the steamy was leveled up! #JessicaJones #MeAndMsJones

— Geek Soul Brother (@GeekSoulBrother) November 21, 2015

1) The Comics To Read

If you want to come into the Jessica Jones series as in-the-know as possible, you can check out the character’s back stories in their original comic-book glory. Wired has laid out the comprehensive Jessica Jones reading list for the fans who want to know everything there is to know about Jessica.

• Alias Numbers 1-28 (2001-2004)

• Luke Cage, Hero For Hire Numbers 1-9 (1972-1973)

• The Pulse Numbers 1-14 (2004-2006)

• Daredevil Vol. 4, Numbers 8-10 (2014)

• Patsy Walker: Hellcat Numbers 1-5 (2009)

If you’re just interested in Jessica, you should be able to get your fix by sticking to the Alias comics. If you want to delve a little further down the rabbit hole and get up to speed on the other players in the Jessica Jones corner of the Marvelverse, the list above will tell you everything you’d ever want to know. Each of these Jessica Jones comics can be found individually, digitally or in collected print editions.

[Image Courtesy Of Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images]