Netflix’s 39-Episode Action Series Keeps Getting Better 7 Years After Ending

Netflix was once the perfect place to find Marvel characters on the small screen, and the streaming service’s superhero TV shows are still some of the best in the genre. While Daredevil was the show that first brought Marvel heroes to Netflix, Jessica Jones is the one that just keeps getting better with time. Even before Krysten Ritter reprised the role in 2026 for another show, her Netflix series had already stood the test of time more than 7 years after ending, and it gets better with each rewatch.

Jessica Jones premiered on Netflix in late 2015 and ultimately ran for three seasons, which tied it with Daredevil as the longest-running streaming Marvel show at the time. Krysten Ritter’s series was also the last Marvel Netflix show standing, with the final season debuting in June of 2019. Daredevil, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and The Punisher had already concluded, and The Defenders never expanded beyond its first season. Up until Charlie Cox appeared in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Jessica Jones season 3 was the last time that any of the heroes from the Netflix universe was seen in live-action.

The series, which starred Ritter as a private detective with superhuman strength and a seriously traumatic backstory, doesn’t just have a strong legacy because it outlasted all the other Marvel shows on Netflix. The first season in particular stands out as some of the best content ever produced by Marvel in live-action. Ritter’s appearance in the latest season of Daredevil: Born Again means that the time has never been better to revisit all 39 episodes, which can now be found streaming on Disney+.

Jessica Jones Continues To Cement Itself As A Truly Great Marvel TV Show

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The success of a solo superhero show really relies on a strong lead, and Krysten Ritter delivered a standout performance from beginning to end. Best known before Jessica Jones for an arc on Breaking Bad and a lead role in the Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23 sitcom, Ritter stepped into the boots and leather jacket without much experience in action-packed TV shows. She didn’t appear in Daredevil‘s first season to introduce viewers to her character, and Jessica Jones as a character wasn’t nearly as well known as Daredevil, who had hit the mainstream in Ben Affleck’s 2003 film.

The odds weren’t entirely in Jessica Jones‘ favor, and the show deserves credit for telling a story that could whet the appetites of superhero fans as well as hook newcomers who had never heard of the Marvel hero before she arrived on Netflix. Ritter was surrounded by a strong cast, including Rachael Taylor as Trish, Carrie-Anne Moss as Jeri Hogarth, and David Tennant as Kilgrave, among others. Jessica Jones also introduced Mike Colter as Luke Cage, nearly a year before the premiere of his solo show.

All of the factors that made it a hit from 2015-2019 have helped it stand the test of time into 2026, with the added perk that all three seasons are available in full now. Jessica Jones was canceled with enough time left ahead of season 3 that the writers, producers, and Ritter had the chance to stick the landing with the ending. The third season isn’t remembered as the best of the entire series, but it at least didn’t end in a life-or-death cliffhanger to taint its memory.

David Tennant Remains Arguably Marvel’s Best Live-Action Villain

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As excellent as Krysten Ritter was as the leading lady, Jessica Jones likely wouldn’t have become such a hit if not for David Tennant as Kilgrave, a.k.a. the Purple Man. Kilgrave possessed the ability to control the minds of anyone and everyone around him, which he used to rape, murder, and manipulate to his heart’s content. He held Jessica captive for months, controlling her and repeatedly assaulting her before she was able to escape.

Left with PTSD, Jessica then had to deal with him stalking her and proclaiming his love, with plenty of collateral damage along the way. Tennant, who was best known at the time for Doctor Who, proved just how despicable of a character he was capable of playing, and Kilgrave is arguably Marvel’s best live-action villain as a result.

The intimate nature of Kilgrave’s cruelty makes him scarier than the much larger villains of the MCU films. Daredevil‘s Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) is the most comparable Marvel antagonist to Kilgrave, and even then, most of his power comes from his physical strength and his army of henchmen. Characters like Daredevil (Charlie Cox) and The Punisher (Jon Bernthal) took beatings from Fisk without being killed, and the Daredevil: Born Again season 2 finale saw Fisk completely lose control.

Kilgrave didn’t need physical strength or henchmen, and he likely would have continued menacing Netflix’s Marvel world if not for the weak spot of his obsession with Jessica. In fact, he was so nigh on unstoppable that Jessica ultimately opted to end him despite not wanting more blood on her hands. Fisk has never driven Matt that far, either in the original Daredevil or the Born Again revival. Fisk is scary, but Kilgrave was nauseatingly nightmare-inducing, and Jessica couldn’t allow him to live.

David Tennant’s character didn’t need to eliminate half of all life in the universe like Thanos (Josh Brolin) or take over New York City like Fisk to rank as the MCU’s scariest villain, and there’s certainly a case to be made that he’s the best of the best bad guys that Marvel has had to offer.

Jessica Jones’ More Recent Appearances Have Only Enhanced Her Reputation

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Krysten Ritter made her triumphant return to television as Jessica Jones as part of the cast of Daredevil: Born Again season 2. In need of help to take down Fisk, Matt Murdock managed to recruit Jessica to the fight. The Disney+ show revealed that she had given birth to a young daughter, Danielle, with Luke Cage at some point after her show ended in 2019, so she had extra motivation to take down the man who had a violent vendetta against vigilantes.

The developments that she became a mother and rekindled her relationship with Luke Cage were enough to set up more stories, but it was the reveal that she has been experiencing problems with her powers that really added an interesting layer to her future as a hero. Her powers started to wane in and out after she gave birth to Danielle, which caused some problems after she stepped up to help Daredevil in Born Again.

It remains to be seen if Marvel has long-term plans for Jessica that would fully explore her issues with her powers (and/or her decision to reopen Alias Investigations), but fans can at least count on seeing Krysten Ritter again.

Will Jessica Jones Return To Marvel And The MCU?

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Krysten Ritter’s return as Jessica Jones wasn’t limited to just a few episodes of Daredevil on Disney+, as she is set to return for Daredevil: Born Again season 3. Details are scarce, but the third season bringing her back was all but inevitable after comments from showrunner Dario Scardapane. He opened up about the season 2 finale on the Daredevil: Born Again Official Podcast, Scardapane teased:

Luke Cage is a big part of season 3… If you know these characters’ history and you know some of the comic book runs, you’ll know what’s happening. We tipped our hand for season 3 incredibly at the end of season 2.

Not only will Ritter be back to continue the storyline in season 3, but Mike Colter will reprise his role in a much bigger capacity as Luke Cage. Set photos have even confirmed the return of the fourth Defender from the Netflix shows: Finn Jones will be back as Iron Fist as well.

It remains to be seen how large their roles will be in Matt Murdock’s series, but it’s fitting that Jessica Jones was the first one to come back. Jessica Jones was the last Marvel show to end on Netflix, and the star was the first veteran to join Charlie Cox on a Disney+ original.

Release Date

2015 – 2019-00-00

Network

Netflix

Showrunner

Melissa Rosenberg, Scott Reynolds