Elf Blood

So, just under a week after its release, I’ve finally finished watching all 13 episodes of Marvel/Netflix’s latest superhero show, Jessica Jones. Also set in midtown New York (well, all over New York city really), Jessica Jones is a private investigator whose mysterious and traumatic past not only begins to catch up with her, but actively hunts her down with creepy and increasingly personal mindgames.

I’m not going to say too much about the story, as I don’t want to spoil any of it for you, but I will highlight the series’ strengths: The show makes you care about all of the characters, from the leads to the background civilians (and you WILL care about the background civilians by the end). But this isn’t some sort of saccharine, hope-filled “let’s-all-get-along” show that lesser studios might produce. Sure, the heroine is sympathetic – but she’s also bitter, cynical, and crass, perhaps even beyond the justifications of her incredibly traumatic backstory. Simultaneously the villain (played by local lad David Tennant, squee) is an incredibly well-groomed and charming monster of the highest order, an unrepentant control freak who doesn’t realise the harm and havoc that he wreaks, with his own horrific childhood story to conveniently blame all his failings for.

It’s an excellent detective story in the noir convention, with the weary gumshoe taking on jobs just to keep the lights on while pursuing her own personal case by hitting the streets and staking out persons of interest. The story and the characters eventually evolve into more of a science-fiction thriller at about the mid-point, but does not suffer as a result. Rather than the slow-burning mystery of the first half, we delve into a brutal rollercoaster of emotions, a fight for justice and a desperate attempt to cling onto humanity.

Anyway, I’ve been deliberately vague about the whole thing because I want all of you who haven’t seen it yet to experience it fresh and new! But it really is a fantastic story, with compelling characters, a finely-crafted atmosphere and wonderful cinematography – the colours in particular are impressive in the mood that they convey.

Anyway, until Monday, folks! See ya!

M.