Jessica Jones Season 3 Review (Series Finale): What Does It Mean To Be A Superhero?

Sadly, all of the Marvel shows have been put out to pasture by NetFlix, No more Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, DareDevil, Iron Fist, Punisher or Defenders. This is because Disney is releasing their own streaming service. Disney Plus is scheduled to launch November 12. Disney also now owns Hulu so I'm interested to see what develops there.

"Jessica Jones" was treated better than most shows by NetFlix and got a final season. Last year saw quite a bit of criticism as Jessica's estranged mother was the main baddie. Having her follow the excellent season 1 villain Kilgrave might have been a questionable move. I'm not sure anyone could match his brutality and finesse. In the end, Jessica tries to protect her highly unstable mother while others try to stop her. Trish ends up killing Alisa thus causing what may be irreparable rift between the "sisters".

In season 3, the villain is Foolkiller (Gregory Sallinger). Unlike Kilgrave and Alisa, he doesnt have any superpowers. He's just a genius level nut-case serial killer who likes to take photos of his victims. He is from the comics and is a composite of several characters. Foolkiller likes to target those who thinks have an unfair advantage such as the wealthy, beautiful or super powered.

Remember Trish last year got Dr Mallus to inject her with some superhuman juice. Now she is training and growing into her powers as HellCat. Watching her try on different costumes was a lot of fun. One is actually the yellow costume Hellcat wears in the comics. Trish summarily dismisses it by saying " No f$^ing way!". Too funny! She finally settles on just a hat and scarf. Trish is an interesting case study. She was a child star, drug addict and radio/TV host. She's used to being in the spotlight. She desperately wants to be like Jessica and become a superhero. This is the opposite of what Jessica wants. She just wants to be left alone.

Jessica tries to tell Trish that being a superhero is not all it's cracked up to be. Jessica believes in the law for everyone (including supers). Trish seems to think supers are above the law and she can do whatever she wants as long as she thinks it's "justified". But Trish has an addictive personality and has gone a little whacko.

This season Jessica hooks up with Erik. He's another super whose power is detecting/feeling whether others are good or bad. I cant say I really like him as an actor but Erik gives Jessica someone to fight crime with.

Jeri Hargart (played by Carrie Anne Moss) continues to struggle with her ALS diagnosis. She looks up an old college flame. Jeri then proceeds to do what she does best-- try to manipulate all those around her. She does this to Kith, her husband and anyone else within orbit. It seems Jeri is one of those people who never learns from their mistakes. She cannot keep from being self centered. As Kith says, Jeri is indeed going to die alone.

Malcolm has been working for Jeri since last season. He doesnt get a ton to do this year except undercover work, talk to Jessica occasionally, and have a new love interest.

Jessica publicly embarrasses Foolkiller in front of some kids he coaches. He takes revenge by... wait for it... by killing torturing and killing Trish's mother Dorthy (played by the always wonderful Rebecca De Mornay). Trish's discovery of the her mother was heart breaking to watch. Their complicated love/hate relationship makes her loss that much harder.

Trish wants to kill Sallinger as payback. Jessica instead wants to get evidence to lock him up for life. The sisters fight. Jessica tries to tell Trish that she's going down a bad path. Trish wont listen. She kills several other people and eventually Jeremy (in a great fight in an elevator). Erik confirms she has gone over to the dark side when his eyes start bleeding if he's near her. But Trish is not stopping. She threatens Jeri, then Kith. Jeri agrees to help her escape the country if she frees Kith. But Jessica shows up. The women fight. Trish is captured. Jessica is outside when Trish is taken aboard a helicopter to be flown to probably The Raft (a Marvel underwater super prison for supers). The sisters make eye contact. It's a devastating scene.

Jessica then goes to the train station. She's given the keys to Alias Investigation to Malcolm and is leaving town for good. But then she hears the voice of Kilgrave saying "You're right to give up. Give in. It's someone else's job now". She turns around, smiles and leaves. What does that mean?

Grade: 4 1/2 Monsters (out of 5). I'm very happy "Jessica Jones" got a final season before being shut down (like the other NetFlix Marvel shows). I enjoyed season 3 overall. Rachel Taylor as Trish and Carrie Anne Moss as Jeri gave award worthy performances. The villain of Foolkiller was sufficiently scary even though he wasnt super. The story did lag a bit in the middle but I'm OK with that. This season raises interesting questions about what it means to be super. Does that mean one can take the law into their own hands and become a vigilante? Trish says "yes". Jessica says "no". And if so, who gets to decide who lives and dies? I understand Trish's rage but it is a slippery slope. It seems that violence had become Trish's latest addiction. That's very dangerous for her and everyone around her (be they guilty or innocent). I would liked to have seen a more upbeat ending but that's probably not true to Jessica Jones (the character and the series0.