The second season of Netflix’s Jessica Jones is almost upon us. I’ll admit I was only so-so on the first season but I liked it enough to give the second a try. Even with losing David Tennant in that role (my God, he was incredible) I really like Kyrsten Ritter and I think she’s great as Jessica. However, another reason to support the series is because, as we discussed after season one, Netflix committed to hiring female directors for all 13 episodes. Now that the season two is (finally!) here, Krysten talked about what that meant to her and the show in general.
On getting into Jessica’s dark headspace: I’ve gotten a lot better at that, in Season 2. The more you use that muscle, the better you get at it. I feel like I am able to find a balance and am able to bounce back. I also make sure to do nice things for myself and go out with the crew. I realized that I like to laugh a lot and have fun, so I make sure to find those moments and have balance. In Season 1, I got really depressed and wasn’t able to shake it off like that. Now, I feel like I was able to be a little bit more disciplined, in that way. But yeah, Jessica is in a really dark headspace and you have to take good care of yourself, mind and body to stay in that level of darkness for six months.
On having all 13 episodes being directed by women: It was really great. Our show is already so female. Season 1 was so female. It’s already in our DNA. But having all women this season was exciting because it’s never been done before, which is stupid. The content that we cover and the dark subject matter and the sexual stuff, to be honest, having those conversations with a woman is a lot easier for me. I feel much more at ease and safe, and able to be vulnerable and raw, when you’re planning this stuff out with a woman. It just takes something away from a conversation, when you can’t be really real and raw. I love it! Within the industry now, there’s a lot of mandates to hire women and for diversity, which is amazing because that wasn’t there ten years ago. They went into this season with an eye to hire as many women as possible and to represent diversity, and then they started interviewing people and wound up with more than half, and then more than three-quarters, and then decided to do it all. Those women ended up being the best people for the job. I can’t wait for it to be totally commonplace and not that crazy.
On working with Janet McTeer: Oh, my god, it’s heaven! I love her! I absolutely worship her! She is so fierce and so smart. She’s one of the most exciting actresses I’ve ever worked opposite. Sometimes she’s super adorable and I’d ask myself, “Am I in love with Janet McTeer?” We had a great time together. We needed a heavyweight actor, after David Tennant in Season 1, and she is that, let me tell you.
The rest of the interview deals much more with the show’s plot and characters. I’m wondering what Krysten is referring too when she said, “it’s never been done before,” because Queen Sugar’s hired women directors exclusively for their second season. Maybe she meant in the superhero or comic genre. But I agree with her, given the subject matter and the baggage the women in JJ are carrying, a female director’s perspective would help immensely, particularly conflict resolution, which I don’t think season one handled well. I also like that Krysten reiterated that the women were hired not just as a diversity push but because they were also the best for the job.
You can read Colliders review of the new season here. It has season one spoilers. I didn’t watch The Defenders but Collider said that’s not a problem to get into JJ season two, it largely ignores her part in The Defenders. Janet McTeer’s role is being kept hush-hush, she hasn’t been named and she’s not giving anything up in her interviews. She’s the bad guy, right? She has to be the bad guy. Or the good guy who did Jessica wrong. Or Jessica’s abandoned childhood dog back in human form. Or – I honestly don’t care, I’d watch Janet play anything, I can’t wait to find out who she is in this. Season two starts streaming tomorrow on Netflix.
Photo credit: WENN Photos
I loved season one, can’t wait to watch season 2!! Also Krysten is super cute on Instagram with her love of knitting and her friendship with Charlie Cox, etc. Shevalso looks 🔥 in that black gown and coat with the red lips.
I am so so excited about season 2.
I’m at home with pins in my left foot for the next 8 weeks so I’ve been rewatching a lot of season one Jessica Jones, and Defenders in preparation. I enjoyed them both, and I’m looking forward to what will hopefully be a tighter plot this time around.
Also- my husband and I met Charlie Cox at a comic con last year and we were pleasantly surprised by how warm, goofy, and sweet he is. I can only imagine how much of a blast their sets must be.
Oh you poor thing! I have a plate and 5 pins in my left foot and I remember the recovery well… I had to use a chunk of my holiday leave because I’d burst my ear drum a couple of months earlier and already used a chunk of my sick leave and the recovery is so long for the foot operation. I also lived in an apartment on the top floor with no lift and there were 4 flights of stairs just to get to the base of my building… 😂 I couldn’t go home for a month and a half. That was a great year for me!! I hope your recovery goes well!! My foot works perfectly now and the pain from walking / running / high heels was much quicker to recover from than they predicted so I hope the same for you!! Enjoy the show!
Thanks chica!
You sound like one rough tough cookie and I’m so encouraged after hearing how well your recovery went! Hopefully things will go as smoothly for me in the long run. In the meantime, I’ve been using lots of ice, elevation, ibuprofen, vicodin, and uber eats lol
I’m not sure how hiring only women represents diversity, but I say hire whomever you please.
Yeah because women are soooooo overrepresented behind the camera in film/television.
You didn’t really address my point. Hiring only one particular group in the name of diversity is laughably contradictory. Like I said, hire whomever you like, but let’s not delude ourselves into thinking “women only” is diverse. Come on.
Yes, in one sense of diversity, actually hiring all women directors *is* diverse. Teacakes is right.
“They went into this season with an eye to hire as many women as possible AND to represent diversity.”
Sounds like they’re trying for broader diversity in general, not just gender.
I liked Season 1, but there was room for improvement. I don’t mind that, and I will watch the new season. I am happy that they chose women. It may also cut way back on harassment and sexual misconduct. The studios won’t have to worry about it coming out and ruining their projects.
Definitely!
Also… I’m a girl. I’ve dreamed of being a director since I was a baby.The #MeToo movement did two things to me: 1. It made me glad I didn’t get into it years ago, 2. It’s making me really want to make the jump now. What do you guys think?
@OtherLaLa – it’s never too late. Ava DuVernay got into directing in her late 30s because she couldn’t buy a house in the area that she wanted. The director of mudblood left a marketing career to follow her path.
I love both Jessica and Krysten, so I can’t wait for season 2. Gonna miss David? Gonna miss David, but hopefully they’ll have another great villain to fit the plot. PS: She looks stunning in the black dress.
totally agree. I’ve tried the other marvel shows on netflix and just couldn’t get into any of them so I’m glad JJ is coming back finally.
@laulau, have you given Daredevil a go? If you like JJ, you should really try. It’s the best adult Marvel. It’s harsh, but damn it’s good and the first season’s villain is cray cray lol. It has taken far too long for their next season… it drives me crazy.
I’m kind of an old chick nerd about these shows, and have sadly watched a lot (I think all of them!), but I have to hand it to Marvel. I remember how laughable superhero shows were in their beginnings, but I still watched ’em. All of’ em. The genre is really really good now. Even some of DC’s are entertaining and improving on closing the gap.
This is how I feel I’m so excited for season 2 and I love Kristen!
David Tennant was the best bad guy in all the Netflix marvel shows so far. I’m super going to miss him. That being said I’m excited for season 2!!!!
Dare I say, he portrayed the best Marvel villain ever…
David Tennant is the bed everything always….
He was really terrifying! I enjoyed the first season, looking forward to this one.
Krysten, I’m really pulling for you. I don’t watch violence, so I am sad to miss it, but I look forward to seeing you again in something!
d’onfrio in the first season of daredevil was amazing as well
I love JJ and excited for the second season. Kristen is fantastic in it! I haven’t watched Daredevil, but I might look at the trailer. Kristen is still gorgeous, no matter how many times she wears the same outfit on the show!
Thank you for mentioning my favorite show Queen Sugar!
There was an episode of the podcast You Are Not So Smart on collective intelligence, and one of the things they discovered is that groups complete tasks most effectively when they are at least half women, and a group of all women work better than all men. I have discovered in the working world that workplaces that have at least half women are muuuuuuch less toxic than the male dominated atmospheres I mostly, unfortunately, work in.
I guess I assumed this was a conscious effort to hire all women – I love that it was okay let’s make sure we hire SOME women, and that quickly grew to all. That’s so awesome.
I LOVE this show. I love those dark broody dramas, and I’m so happy to see a woman lead one. (I also read the comic books so I have that behind me too). I’m so excited to start watching the next season!