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“Jessica Jones” recap (1.05): You’re never fully dressed without a smile

Previously on Jessica Jones: Susan from Friends is a secret anti-superhero bigot. Malcolm from next door is a secret stalker for Kilgrave. Jeri from your worst lesbian divorce nightmare scenario is a secret romance recycler.

So, finally, some backstory. What we knew about Jessica’s secret superhero life before was 1) she tried it, and 2) it didn’t take. But now we’re transported 18 months earlier to Jessica Jones: Dissatisfied Office Drone. Her primary vocation appears to be mindlessly misusing office supplies and casually extorting her bosses for severance pay packages.

On her way out she knocks over a file cabinet for good measure and then contemplates everyone’s biggest resume-building dilemma: Whether to put “day drinking” under “Experience” or “Special Skills.” Hey, why not both?

Before Kilgrave Jessica brushes up on her Experience/Special Skills with Trish. But then, as is wont to happen whenever two women are enjoying each other’s company in public without any or all presence of the male species, a man walks up to interrupt them. He says something vulgar about watching Trish in her old TV show and masturbation.

So Jessica challenges the doofus to a Strength Tester/Unchecked Male Ego Humblizer game. I must say, one of the best things about this show is its complete crushing of the concept of male entitlement to female bodies. Jess smokes him in the punch test and Trish credits Jillian Michaels to confused onlookers.

Meanwhile, Jessica and Trish give each other knowing looks that are just a few notches below the Carol/Therese level of sexual chemistry. I mean, seriously: Why aren’t these two totally gay for each other already?

Just like a good girlfriend, Trish pushes Jessica to do more with her talents. There’s a lot of good a girl who knows how to guided fall can do. Though I can’t help but think Trish is trying to live vicariously through Jessica’s superhero abilities.

Flashing back to After Kilgrave Jessica is checking out Before Kilgrave Malcolm. Just six months ago he was a vibrant-looking young man. Now he shuffles numbly through the corridors and across the streets, a shadow of his former self.

Jess follows him on his daily routine to get to Kilgrave. Can we talk for a second about Jessica’s totally non-inconspicuous tailing attire? I mean, a white jean jacket? White. Jean. Jacket. Anyway, no one seems to notice the fashion crime. Instead, she sees Malcolm meet with Kilgrave, and figures out how the daily exchange of photos for heroin is completed.

While contemplating how best to end Kilgrave, Jessica is interrupted by her own broken bottle of whiskey and a knock at Carl. It’s Creepy Twin Guy. He heard the crash from her bottle, ran down the steps, whipped up some banana bread, and knocked on her door all in the span of under 15 seconds. Jessica receives his oddly cordial gift with a totally reasonable amount of scorn, but still takes the banana bread. Hey, it’s banana bread. She drinks a lot and could probably use something doughy as a bottom.

From bottoms to fronts, Trish is concentrating really hard on hers. Well, someone is. Not to be critical, but that head placement is a little high. I’m thinking even Gene Simmons‘s tongue on steroids would have a hard time getting you there. Just saying, basic physiology and all.

Their under-the-sheets session gets interrupted by an insistent knock at the door. It’s Jessica who has hatched a plan to catch Kilgrave and needs to talk about it immediately. Patience, obviously, is not one of her superpowers.

Trish comes to the door and Jess starts to lay out her plan. Because no man can resist interjecting his opinion when women are talking, Simpson comes out in his underwear to interject his opinion. Luckily for us, Trish has the best comeback for unwanted mansplaining to ever be uttered on screen: “Hey, last night was fun, but that doesn’t mean I want your opinion.”

I’m buying every straight girl I know this emblazoned on a T-shirt.But Simpson, by nature of his Special Ops background, weasels himself into the operation anyway. But it’s clear he doesn’t really respect Jessica or her abilities. In fact, he thinks she isn’t even close to being a hero. Well, buddy, that makes two of you then.

With that, we flash back to a Before Kilgrave Jessica. She is wearing a dirty hoagie costume handing out coupons for two-for-one hoagies. See, young people, stop complaining about there being no good jobs out there for you. A young girl wanders into the street as her texting father ignores her. But Jessica sees her and stops a speeding cab with one hand from hitting her. As the wide-eyed young girl thanks her, we see the hero inside Jessica rise.

Not a hero my ass, Simpson. Go fuck yourself and your terrible cunnilingus technique.

Alas, he continues to rear his mansplaining head. Oh, hey, little lady—I got you an automatic transmission getaway van. I wasn’t sure your lady feet could manage a clutch, gas and brake pedal all at once. Now make me a sandwich. Ugh, well at least he accurately assesses that Jessica doesn’t like him very much. Trish says Jessica is protective and doesn’t like any of the guys she dates. Hm, interesting, I was like that with my best friends back in the day, too, but that was mostly because of the lesbianism.

Jessica gets a call from Hope in jail. She seems to be having some sort of unwanted Orange Is the New Black situation with an inmate named Sissy and needs cash. Jess gives in, because she saw what Vee did to Red and does not want that kind of facial scarring on her conscience.

With that, we are treated to our third Before Kilgrave flashback to Jessica’s recent past. Trish and her are planning out superhero costumes. Trish holds up a prototype that fans of the comic books will no doubt recognize. It’s a reference to Jessica’s first costume—and alias, as “Jewel”—during her early attempts at superheroing in the comics.

Yeah, I’m pretty pleased with the creative decision to go with skinny jeans and hoodies for the show instead.

So it’s Mission: Imprison Kilgrave day. The producers can’t help themselves and give us a glimpse of a tiny costumed Captain America running by right before shit starts to go by. We get it, Marvel. We promise to also go see your movies, now can we get back to the action?Operation Stick & Snatch seems to be going well. Simpson stuck him with the tranquilizer dart. Jessica snatched him up off the street. Trish squealed out as the getaway driver. Hey, this crazy plan actually worked? Things are going so well. Jess even gets to sock him right in his cocky, unconscious face.

Yeah, no. Sorry, guys, it’s way too early in the season for it to be that easy. Kilgrave was wearing a tracker and the armada of security he hired comes complete with stun sticks. Yes, you heard that right, he hired them instead of compelling them. Cash really is king. Simpson wants to make sure with some non-Geneva Convention approved methods. But Jess reminds him his whole and only job is to serve and protect.

She leaves to go find Malcolm, who at this point is so desperate for a fix he has called some lesbian drug dealer. Jess dispatches her, and then keeps Malcolm from going after her. But he tells her she can’t save him “again.”

So now, it’s here. The end of Before Kilgrave Jessica and start of After Kilgrave Jessica. We flashback to her running into a mugging on the street. She throws the two attackers around like rag dolls. And just as she is going to check on the victim there is clapping.

It’s him, flanked by two compelled ladies. He sends them off, luckily with all their limbs, and focuses all of his attention on Jessica. But all he sees is the power. What he doesn’t understand, of course, is her heart. Inside of Jessica is a hero—no, not one who wears spandex and waves the flag. But one who, deep down, wants to make a difference. But then, psychopaths never were big on comprehending the concept of empathy.

And so, it began. Kilgrave compels her to leave with him and on the sidewalk, a bloodied Malcolm picks himself up. Life’s rich circle of shit has come full circle. So now, back in the mess of present day, Jessica tries to help Malcolm go cold turkey. But instead of compelling him, she gives him a choice: Save her for once, or drown himself back in what Kilgrave wanted.

Kilgrave wakes up, with a mightily bruised face, and laughs. So next he rings up Jessica to gloat and make a deal. He won’t hurt Malcolm if she does his job for him. She must send him a photo, every day at 10 a.m. And “don’t forget to smile.” Oh God, there it is again. The insidious command to “smile.” Because, of course, women owe men like him smiles, and dates, and love and obedience and whatever else they feel entitled to.

Of all the ways this show exposes the misogynistic mentality that pervades so much popular thinking, the instruction to “smile” may be the most insidious. It seems like such a well-meaning request. Who could be mad at a smile, right? But when men tell women to smile, it’s never really about brightening her mood. It’s not about what actually would make her smile. It’s about what he wants to see. And Kilgrave, he wants to see a smile.

Like us, Jessica is disgusted by the request. But then, she also knows what will make her happy. And helping people, saving people, making a difference—that’s what makes Jessica happy. So she smiles, the faintest, smallest smile. But not for him, never for him. It’s all for her.

Find more from Dorothy Snarker visit dorothysurrenders.com or @dorothysnarker.

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