written by Kiara Williams
Oh man, I wish I had a pun doctor when I was in the hospital.
SPOILER WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT
Personal disclosure: I was diagnosed with lupus when I was sixteen. So I can totally relate to being suddenly buried in pills. I really feel for Jess in this episode, especially since she’s also down one organ and up one traumatic experience.
Jessica stubbornly leaves the hospital against her doctor’s wishes in order to go find her assailant. Costa referring to her as a “victim” likely only served to heighten her motivation. Malcolm helps Jessica out by getting the knife that was used to stab her, tampering with police evidence to do so.
As it turns out, neither Jessica nor Trish have stopped looking for Brandt, and they both wind up in Brandt’s old apartment looking for evidence of the statue he stole. Jessica finds a lead first because of course she does. Trish gets her ego all over the place trying to tell Jess what a hero does and doesn’t do, and is making all of Jessica’s actions about herself. Trish is becoming more insufferable by the minute.
Jeri meets up with her ex-girlfriend Kith Lyonne for lunch, and I fully believe the whole reason for her reconnecting is for her to have one last bit of love before she dies, even though Kith is happily (?) married. Jeri just can’t stop nuking relationships from orbit for her own gain. She is so prone to it that she asks Malcolm to dig up dirt on Kith’s husband in order to expose his “dirt” to Kith. Malcolm, in the most adorable “college student” outfit ever, plants a camera in Professor Lyonne’s office in order to catch all the dirt Jeri needs.
Erik the Burger Hookup stops by to check on Jessica, and I really appreciate that he takes care to text instead of knock because he doesn’t want to scare her. It’s actually kind of sweet. “What does a spleen even do?” I said the same thing, haha.
Jeri also visits Jess the next day, mainly because Jess had faked being Jeri’s assistant in order to get info on the stolen statue’s location, but also because Jeri wanted to check in to see how Jess was doing. “Why? So we can be invalids together?” Jess asks. Whew, the internalized ableism jumped out. But I can’t say I haven’t had similar thoughts myself. Suddenly becoming disabled is…an adjustment. A frustrating, long adjustment. That’s the simplest way to put it. Anyway, Jeri helps Jess out with finding the statue. After all, “us invalids gotta stick together.”
Jess prepares to follow the lead, but Trish follows her in turn. Jess tries to trick her with a false note, but then Jess passes out. Trish raids her jacket (like a good friend does, y’know?) and gets the info she needs. This leaves Jess at a disadvantage in the race to Brandt, but it does allow us to see Pun Doctor again and I can’t even be mad. I will protect this man with my life.
Jeri convinces Kith to come over to her place and successfully seduces her. Another relationship successfully destroyed! Except wait, Kith says she’s in an open marriage. Jeri asks what that means, and I really don’t think she doesn’t already know. I think her brain just short-circuited at the idea of Kith not being just hers now that she’s gotten her into bed. Malcolm has gotten video of Kith’s husband banging one of his students, but with this new revelation, it’s not gonna mean much. You’re gonna need a bigger nuke, Jeri.
When Jess leaves the hospital again, she uses Jeri’s info to find the statue, but Trish is in there as well, trying to use her fame to get access to Brandt’s contract info about the statue. That burgundy suit is great, by the way. It’s the one compliment I can give to Trish so far this season. Trish and Jessica have another argument about morals, Trish once again ego-ing all over the place and blaming Jess for getting stabbed. With all that Jess has been through in past seasons, all of which Trish knows about, it’s awful of Trish to try and victim-blame her. The backhand Jess gives her was cathartic. Trish’s training didn’t prevent that, now did it?
Jess goes to confront Brandt, but it turns out that Brandt isn’t the one who hired Jessica’s assailant. She hogties him and leaves him for Trish to pick up. Trish looks weirdly proud, like she actually did something. Whatever helps you sleep at night, girl.
Later on, Jess invites someone over for booze. Erik the Burger Hookup shows up at her door. Jess finally puts it together that her attacker was actually after Erik, and she jacks him up to find out why he caused her to lose her spleen.
The season has been a slow build, so I’m hoping that this revelation causes some pickup in the action soon. It’s time to get some real answers, show!
Jessica Jones Seasons 1-3 are available now on Netflix. Kiara can be reached on Twitter @DJPrincessK.