Jessica Jones promotional art cover for episode 202 “AKA Freak Accident.” Photo courtesy of Netflix.
**This Article Contains Spoilers for Jessica Jones Episode 202 and Episodes Prior**
“You’ll be exactly what you always feared you’d be…utterly goddamn ordinary.”
Well that was a doozy. I guess that’s the end of Simpson? Just after he reveals himself to Trish to have been her shadowy protector, he sacrifices himself to protect Jess and Trish. Or so he thought, seeing as whatever that thing was it simply jumped over the two of them. It is surprising that the show decided to kill Simpson off so quickly, as he made a rather sudden (at least to the viewer) change, and now we won’t really be able to see any of that. What did kill him though, did it very harshly, as his neck was twisted a full 360 degrees. And who is this new mystery figure at IGH?
I think the standout aspect of this episode was Trish’s storyline. So far I’m really happy with the amount of focus she is getting. Seeking to get the clout she needs at the hospital, Trish reignites communication with her mother so that she can talk to Max—her director from back in the Patsy Walker days. Patsy and Malcolm team up to talk with him, where it’s tragically revealed that her mother pimped her out to Max for childhood fame. While topical, it was heartbreaking to see Trish in that position. His insult to her as he walks out (as quoted at the top of the review) did a great job at framing her motivations, while illuminating her fears. With going as far as to blackmail someone, Trish is clearly very determined to uncover IGH with or without Jessica.
Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones. Photo courtesy of Netflix.
Now just because Trish is getting a lot of attention, doesn’t mean that Jessica is lacking any. The episode picks up with her dealing with her problems the only way she knows how—drinking. However, this doesn’t stop her from investigating IGH further. Her first stop leads her to find Koslov to be dead (another odd move by the show). Thanks to a darkly humorous scuffle with the man in a wheelchair, Jessica learns that he was killed by an experiment belonging to another head honcho of IGH. Her second stop leads her to Whizzer’s apartment, and gives us a payoff to his pet mongoose. It was moving watching Jessica connect to Whizzer in his desperate video log, and realizing how she screwed up by tossing him into the wind.
Remember how in the last episode review I mentioned it was only a matter of time until Malcolm’s happy days become more complicated? Well it’s slowly starting. Malcolm is seen getting mysterious messages from a woman named Annette, who we later see him having slept with. The lack of direct focus on her makes me think that it’s not good for Malcolm, and that she may pose to be a bad influence in his life (keep in mind his line to Jessica earlier about needing to do stuff or he’ll find himself in trouble). Also of note is Malcolm’s vengeful attack on Max outside of Trish’s watchful eye. I see Malcolm reaching some dark places in the near future.
Hogarth’s story continued to play out in a slow manner, which mind you isn’t a bad thing. Seeing her in this low place is intriguing, and watching that switch flip when she kicked her company out was great. I think the subtle storytelling of what she is dealing with is a great move for the show. The moment with the wine spilt on the floor had an even greater impact because of it.
Rachel Taylor as Trish Walker (left) and Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones (right). Photo courtesy of Netflix.
While Simpson’s reappearance and death were jarring, the episode had plenty good to offer. Jessica and Trish’s weaving storylines both gave great emotional resonance to their characters, and came together nicely as they met on the sound stages to confront Simpson, who kindly informed us of a new big bad in play. I’m hoping we get a glimpse of this mysterious attacker sooner rather than later. Though if it can rotate a head that way, it’s a force they may not want to meet.
What did you guys think of the episode? Make sure to leave your thoughts down below in the comments! But please make sure to keep it spoiler free of any future episode information. For all of our Jessica Jones Season 2 coverage and reviews in one place, make sure to check out our HUB!
Bonus Notes:
- “A normal person would cry.” Well damn, that’s harsh.
- Trish’s mom is truly a piece of work.
- Props to the show for portraying a movie set semi-accurately. You’d think that productions would be better at portraying them, but they tend to miss.
- Good on Trish for cleverly dropped her purse as a trail marker. Also good on Trish for getting the upper hand Simpson (even if he did likely allow it to happen).
- The scene at the end was gleefully chaotic, and just the right amount scary. When you have to tell Jessica Jones to run, it’s never a good thing.
- “It takes a monster to stop a monster. He just wasn’t the right monster.” Great line.
Jessica Jones promotional art cover for episode 202 “AKA Freak Accident.” Photo courtesy of Netflix.
Jessica Jones Season 2 is now available to stream exclusively on Netflix.
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