TAGGED AS: Comic Book, crime drama, Drama, Netflix
Update 3/8/18: The Tomatometer score of season 2 of Marvel’s Jessica Jones has rebounded to 82% on 44 reviews, and the season is now Certified Fresh!
The review embargo on season 2 of Marvel’s Jessica Jones lifted on Tuesday, and critics’ early take is that this comic book adaptation is Fresh at 75% on the Tomatometer with 24 reviews (updated March 4), a notable drop from season 1’s Certified Fresh score of 92%.
The series stars Krysten Ritter as super-abilitied reluctant vigilante Jessica, who was most recently seen making a few new pals in Marvel’s The Defenders. (The first season of that superhero ensemble series came out in August 2017 and was Certified Fresh at 74% on 81 reviews.) Jessica Jones also stars Rachael Taylor as Patricia “Trish” Walker, Carrie-Anne Moss as Jeri Hogarth, Eka Darville as Malcolm Ducasse, and David Tennant as Kilgrave. Janet McTeer and J.R. Ramirez joined the cast for season 2.
Here’s what some of the critics had to say:
Girl power: Ritter’s performance and the all-female directing team impressed reviewers.
“Season 2’s all-female directing staff keeps the show’s noir bent in place though doesn’t push too hard into the realm of art – but the clean approach works, as does Ritter’s always grounded and believable performance.” – Liz Shannon Miller, indieWire
“While the beginning of the new season lacks the focus of the first, and is missing a truly menacing bad guy for Jessica to go up against, the new additions and expanded storylines don’t detract from Ritter’s powerhouse performance.” – Jo Berry, Digital Spy
“The show had a very clear aesthetic from the get-go, and with its new (all female) directing team it doubles-down on the noir this time around, which just makes the show look even better.” – James Hunt, What Culture
“While Season 2 starts off at a slower burn than our prickly PI’s freshman outing, there’s still plenty of potential — and a lot of mystery — in Jessica Jones’ latest investigation.” – Laura Prudom, IGN Movies
“Jessica Jones remains a series fundamentally told from the perspective of its women, whether by putting career before romance, super-power envy or protecting a professional legacy that peers dismiss as ‘pretty good for a girl.'” – Kevin Fitzpatrick, ScreenCrush
Jessica Jones’ layered title character compels viewers to take part in her journey.
“Equal parts droll, damaged and fierce, Ritter is so damn charismatic that she’s able to carry most of the lopsided season with seeming ease, and almost (almost) distract you from plotting issues.” – Chris Evangelista, Slashfilm
“The main problem with Season 2 so far is that, well, it’s not Season 1. Jessica is still one of the most compelling and fascinating superheroes around.” – Abigail Chandler, SciFiNow
“While the plotting feels like it’s back-stepped towards the super-vigilante conventional, she at least remains the most textured and spikily interesting of the Defenders.” – Dan Jolin, Empire Magazine
“Jessica Jones season 2 delves deeper into the past of its hero than ever before, propelled by Krysten Ritter’s brooding but compelling lead performance.” – Robert Yaniz, Jr., We Got This Covered
Some critics saw Jessica’s deep dive into the scientific experimentation on her that gave her super-strength as a morass of backstory.
“It’s one thing to hang a character’s arc on confronting their demons, but it’s another if the whole show seems stuck in reverse. Jessica Jones felt revolutionary in her first season, and now she just seems trapped in the past.” – Meghan O’Keefe, Decider
“The slow-burn mystery of Jessica Jones season 2 shows all the signs of the series being in the midst of a sophomore slump.” – Kevin Yeoman, ScreenRant
“I don’t see Jessica Jones’ second season winning over anyone who was lukewarm about her first – or anyone who skipped it entirely. I’m a big fan, and even I left these first five episodes wondering exactly what had happened..” – Susana Polo, Polygon
“This new Jessica season [hasn’t] even managed the strong start.” – Alan Sepinwall, Uproxx
Marvel’s Jessica Jones season 2 premieres on Netflix on March 8.
