Episode 10 showcases the best and the very worst parts of Jessica Jones.
It has very strong moments, including the rawest glimpse of Kilgrave and Jessica's old abusive relationship in the series to date, Simpson's sliding off the slippery slope, and excellent character work from... well, no racism intended, every black character in the cast but Luke. It also features a genuine stakes-shifter of a conclusion that, for better or worse, sets up the tone of the rest of the show.
However, it also features the culmination of two stupid, pointless subplots that have eaten up far too much time in the series already, and neither in a terribly satisfying way. Having served their purpose, that of elongating the overall plot in contrived fashion, they gracelessly disappear without further ceremony. I don't mourn their passing, only that they chewed up so much screentime in the process.
And that, in essence, is the show in a nutshell: very strong thematic work, fairly strong character work, and an overabundance of pushy side characters who feel like unwelcome intrusions on both sides of the fourth wall.
I often compare this series to its most obvious point of comparison, Daredevil. And Daredevil's lame pointless subplot at least had minimal effect on the narrative. Here, it takes over multiple times with disastrous effects, as though these character exist only to ruin good things while the villain gets by on pure blind luck. It reduces the built-up menace he's had all season.
Obviously, that's not quite fair. Daredevil's core narrative is about two very different men going from completely unaware of one another to a deeply messy and personal rivalry, while Jessica Jones's is more-focused on the aftermath of an abusive relationship. But while Daredevil is essentially a crime drama, Jones is a mystery.
This episode features the solutions to multiple mysteries. Most of them weren't all that great, unfortunately, but those were the lame side mysteries. If nothing else, the conclusion at least pushes the main plot to the forefront.
I don't really like the conclusion, which, among other things, makes the last three-quarters of the series feel, in hindsight, a bit pointless. But I respect what it accomplishes from a structural point of view.
Episode 10: This Show in a Microcosm
Episode 10 showcases the best and the very worst parts of Jessica Jones.
It has very strong moments, including the rawest glimpse of Kilgrave and Jessica's old abusive relationship in the series to date, Simpson's sliding off the slippery slope, and excellent character work from... well, no racism intended, every black character in the cast but Luke. It also features a genuine stakes-shifter of a conclusion that, for better or worse, sets up the tone of the rest of the show.
However, it also features the culmination of two stupid, pointless subplots that have eaten up far too much time in the series already, and neither in a terribly satisfying way. Having served their purpose, that of elongating the overall plot in contrived fashion, they gracelessly disappear without further ceremony. I don't mourn their passing, only that they chewed up so much screentime in the process.
And that, in essence, is the show in a nutshell: very strong thematic work, fairly strong character work, and an overabundance of pushy side characters who feel like unwelcome intrusions on both sides of the fourth wall.
I often compare this series to its most obvious point of comparison, Daredevil. And Daredevil's lame pointless subplot at least had minimal effect on the narrative. Here, it takes over multiple times with disastrous effects, as though these character exist only to ruin good things while the villain gets by on pure blind luck. It reduces the built-up menace he's had all season.
Obviously, that's not quite fair. Daredevil's core narrative is about two very different men going from completely unaware of one another to a deeply messy and personal rivalry, while Jessica Jones's is more-focused on the aftermath of an abusive relationship. But while Daredevil is essentially a crime drama, Jones is a mystery.
This episode features the solutions to multiple mysteries. Most of them weren't all that great, unfortunately, but those were the lame side mysteries. If nothing else, the conclusion at least pushes the main plot to the forefront.
I don't really like the conclusion, which, among other things, makes the last three-quarters of the series feel, in hindsight, a bit pointless. But I respect what it accomplishes from a structural point of view.