Marvel's Jessica Jones Season 2 Review: 6 Ups And 4 Downs

3. Strong, Timely Messages

With everything that's happening in politics and society over the last couple of years, it's not really a surprise that Jessica Jones - which had already dealt with sexual abuse in its first season - feels very timely in its second season, and no doubt there'll be a lot of comments about her being 'the superhero we need right now'.

Simply being timely isn't enough though, unless it has strong, worthwhile messages underneath that fit with the story and characters. Luckily, Jessica Jones really nails it here, offering a ferocious examination of the unbridled rage Jessica feels. She learns that killing Kilgrave didn't suddenly make the pain stop or shove all her problems away, and the second season goes deeper into trauma and how people overcome it. It also looks at the isolation Jessica is in now, and how she has to try and find a way to allow herself to be open to more human connections in more than a purely physical way, which is what makes the closing moments with Oscar so affecting.

It's a series written by, directed by, and focused on women, so it's no surprise that it deals with themes of female empowerment, consent, and abuse, but it does so in affecting, exciting, and powerful ways that ensure its messages really resonate and have clear purpose.