MCU: Ranking Every Netflix Marvel Season Worst To Best

2. Jessica Jones Season 1

jessica jones netflix
Netflix

Daredevil showed what a serious, adult drama set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe could do, but Jessica Jones perfected the model. Taking a character unknown to mainstream audiences, it was a superhero show that aimed for something bigger, and pulled it off.

This isn't just about crimefighting, but rather a deeply personal story of abuse and addiction, with the series touching on topics including depression, abortion, rape, and PTSD with the kind of approach such subjects need, but without ever coming off as too heavy-handed or clumsy. Key to that is Krysten Ritter, whose Jessica possesses the same kind of inner darkness and demons as Matt Murdock, but mixes them with a genuine sense-of-humour too.

There's a great balance hero, with the series managing to be funny and sexy without undercutting its violent and dramatic elements, and the battle between Jessica and Kilgrave (David Tennant giving one of his best, and most frightening, performances as another complicated villain) is cackling with intensity.

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Contributor
Contributor

NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.