I recently binge-watched the new Netflix original series, Jessica Jones. It was refreshing to see a woman as the lead in a superhero show. Not only is Jessica Jones strong both in her will and her physical abilities, she is also independent and not overly sexualized. She wears jeans and a black t-shirt under a dark leather jacket, spending each episode beating up people half her size.
She is sarcastic, foul-mouthed, and a bit of a drunk. I enjoyed watching Jessica Jones not only because of the plot, but also because of the strong female lead and supporting characters.
Jessica often turns to other independent women to help her along the way. Her best friend Trish is a successful radio host and an independent career woman that can hold her own during a fight (without superpowers).
Jessica teamed up with the ruthless, powerful lawyer, Jeri, when she needed help. Both of Jessica’s sidekicks are tough women that don’t need men to define them.
The men in the show are also helpful but not as important as the women in the show. Even Luke Cage who is just as strong as Jessica depends on her to rescue him. Her other sidekick Malcolm also needs Jessica to save him before he can help her. The show finally shows that women don’t need men to save the world — we can do just fine by ourselves!