I just got Netflix , and am working my way through stuff. About 3 episodes into Season 1 of Jessica Jones, and s far it's fucking great. Added plus that I have a friend named Jessica Jones!

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I'm going to wait until you're sitting next to Ericubus and then I'll ask how you're feeling. - caryc

That first season of Jessica Jones is fantastic.

The second season is a little more uneven, especially in the second half, but the character stuff is still really strong and it's a natural extension of everything you see in 1.

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"Hitler had a pretty good idea there." - Eric

Luke Cage season 2

I can't get too deep into this one, because I half-watched a big chunk of it -- I had it on while working, so it didn't get my full attention -- and I split it up, watching four or so episodes when it first debuted, then the rest recently.

But still.

I liked it fine. The second half was really strong, especially the final stretch leading up to and after the Rum Massacre (or whatever they called it). All the back and forth between the criminal factions reminded me of the Godfather. So many double crosses, twists and turns, it kept you guessing. Usually these Netflix series drag in the second half, but this one got better.

Still, Luke continues to play second (or third) fiddle in his own show. Misty is awesome, but they give SO much screentime to the villains. Way too much. Shades and Mariah are both really interesting characters, but DAMN, they could have cut three episodes out of this just by trimming their stuff down some. It was too much.

I did love where it ended, though. Luke in control of the club, the king of Harlem and his allies being a little uneasy about the whole idea. I'm sure a third season would explore how that could potentially corrupt him.

Also, Bushmaster. Really silly in the first half, but once they developed his character more he became a pretty good villain with compelling motivations beyond just the usual criminal stuff.

Less stylish than the first season, but better overall, I'd say.

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"Hitler had a pretty good idea there." - Eric

Iron Fist season 2.

I really liked this one a lot. Having 10 episodes worked in its favor. Cutting 3 episodes from the usual allotment helped a LOT with pacing. If they had done 13, I figure they'd have done the same basic story but with a looooooot more filler. This worked well like this.

Except for episode 8, there was basically no filler here.

Some people didn't like the Joy and Ward storylines, but they're both natural extensions of that first season, were handled pretty well, and didn't take up too much screentime. I liked Ward's evolution into someone you actually kind of like, and Joy turning into a shaky villain was great.

Speaking of villains, Typhoid Mary was off the hook. Alice Eve, who surprisingly was NOT hot in this, not even as a strawberry redhead, nonetheless KILLED IT. Fantastic acting. Badass when she needed to be, great take on the multiple personalities, sweet and scary and fun to watch.

I'm hoping she'll be a surprise villain in Daredevil season 3. She just nailed every aspect of this and NEEDS to return to the Netflix fray.

Finn Jones was much better as Danny Rand this time around. He's not a scene-stealer by any means -- like Luke Cage, he's often the second best thing about his own series -- but he was good, and they gave him some good action this time around.

Colleen Wing, on the other hand, she stole this series. She was badass, tough, cute, and had a good story arc. Loved how she became the Fist at the end, with sword and glowing white fist. I'd totally dig on a miniseries with her.

Or with her and Misty! More Misty is always good by me. Luke Cage season 2 was uneven for me because there was so much focus on the villains, but Misty stuff is always welcome. I like how they teased her teaming up with Colleen, too.

I had to look up that ending with the glowing guns. I don't know that part of Iron Fist lore, but when I read looked pretty cool to me, so bring on a third season!

(My bet is that by the end, the status quo is returned, Danny has the Fist again, etc.)

Davos was a solid villain, too. Not great, but solid and better than any of the season 1 villains. I didn't care about him in season 1, but in this one he was believable and often terrifying. Good stuff.

It wasn't perfect, of course. The story with the homeless kids was so/so and could have been cut, probably saving a good 30 minutes of screen time. Colleen didn't need that motivation to go be a hero.

Also, I didn't understand why Colleen and Danny had to split up. Made no sense to me. Episode 8 was one of those wasted holding pattern, breath before the big finish episodes that always grind things to a halt.

And finally, the trailers teased the idea that we'd see the real Iron Fist costume, and STILL NO COSTUME. Ugh. Give me the damn costume!

But overall, I was really impressed with this. In fact, I'd rank it upper middle pack, below both DDs, the first JJ, and Defenders, but above everything else.

Yes, I'm serious.

And going forward, they should cut them ALL down to 10 episodes (except maybe Daredevil). Most of the series would have been much improved if they told the same story with a few fewer episodes.

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"Hitler had a pretty good idea there." - Eric

We just finished Jessica Jones, Season 1 after watching Daredevil, Season 1 again (for me).

We're trying to keep it all in order after Mrs. Pender enjoyed the first season of Iron Fist.

Jessica Jones Season 1


Although seeing Doctor Who and the B in Apt 23 was cool, it was a rough start for us.

I was not entirely sold that Krysten Ritter was much more than just annoying, dismal, and seriously depressing. At least, her character seemed to be just stuck in this bleak, colorless blah.

For me, I don't think I turned the corner for the show until we find out more about Malcolm in episode 4.

But any connection to Jessica, for me, is still almost "meh".

Maybe it is her whole entire self-pitying and immature attitude that kind of turns me off or her constant drinking (which is kind of a trigger for me), but whatever it is, there is still something about her that kind of grates on my nerves.

Now, it is not nearly as bad as the first half of the season.

And some of her "joyless" lines were really hilarious.

Holy fuck, though, her misery is hard to deal with at times (maybe because of my own mental problems) and it never fucking relents.

As I said, we watched Daredevil Season 1 just prior to this and going from such a great cast and show to this was a little disappointing for me. We slugged through it and I am glad we did because, even though it seemed it could have been a few less contrived "Purple Man escapes because of this and this" situations and making the season tighter to about 10 episode instead of the slightly bloated 13 episodes, I am glad we got to the end which bordered on anti-climatic.

I mean it seriously was a frenetic build-up to not much payoff and I was on the verge of not really caring even that far into the season.

I almost wished Jessica had died.

Almost.

Compared to the buildup of Fisk and the torment of Daredevil's own problems, Jessica just seemed stunted through the whole season with no real growth to be shown. She never truly moves past anything. It seems like she should move past some of what is happening to her, but even after a few choice lines or actions, she is right back to where she was in episode 1.

The lack of any growth in her character is tiring, boring, and it seriously flattens her character to nigh-cardboard levels. Every time Jessica opened a bottle, I felt like doing the same and reflecting her "fuck life" attitude right back at the show.

I really think that is the major difference for me between most of Marvel vs. DC Comics recent film/movie/TV shows: The characters in Marvel always seemed to move somewhere - either up or down - while Superman is almost just boringly the same over and over.

Sigh.

It ultimately was good, though.

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Pender will beat off to anything....

I can understand feeling that way. It's a downbeat show that is effectively about rape survival, and Jones has no interest in being anything but miserable. She's not likable, though that's because she resists being helped or helping herself. She's FRUSTRATING.

If you found her frustrating here, you'll really find her frustrating in season 2, where she spirals further into self-pity.

Everyone around her calls her out on it, though. The show doesn't make it seem like that's okay. It's part of her arc.

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"Hitler had a pretty good idea there." - Eric