REVIEW:’Marvel’s Jessica Jones: Playing with Fire,’ Episode 7

Marvel’s Jessica Jones: Playing with Fire Episode 7 is published by Serial Box, written by Lauren Beukes, Vita Ayala, Sam Beckbessinger, Zoe Quinn, Elsa Sjunneson, and narrated by Fryda Wolff. After finding no firm leads at Nova Naledi’s last episode, Jessica Jones struggles with what to do next. Especially since her only solid lead involves visiting a place that currently has a restraining order against her.

Every mystery has that moment. When desperate for new clues or leads, our PI must retreat to their office to go over it all one more time. To puzzle, think, and try to discover that one strand they haven’t thought to tug at yet. That nagging feeling at the edge of their conscience that knows they’ve missed something. That moment comes to this story in episode seven.

Before that moment, she has a characteristically Jessica struggle. She really, really wants to go back to the Hellfire Club. As it is the only sure lead she has, and her compulsion to follow her leads is in overdrive, it takes both a lecture from Hell’s Kitchen favorite public defender and an impromptu call from her therapist, to reign her in. But if she doesn’t go after Shaw and his organization, where does she go? Since walking away without an answer is not an option. Upon returning to her office Marvel’s Jessica Jones: Playing with Fire Episode 7 gets to its primary moment. And while this scene’s external focus is Jessica’s desperate need to find a lead she can follow, the bigger point is just how complicated Jessica really is.

Jessica Jones is a character that is often oversimplified. Viewed frequently as nothing more than the trauma that fills her past, writers often struggle to move beyond that. Characters like Jessica are often simply reduced to devices to make readers feel bad. Rather than exploring the things that drive them beyond the pains that color their pasts, they just heap further abuses onto them. From the start of Marvel’s Jessica Jones: Playing with Fire, I’ve been extremely happy with the writers’ decision to not simply heap more hurt onto Jessica. Their choice to have her be more than her trauma, even actively moving past it, was a pleasant surprise.

Her struggle to move forward continues here, as proper choices of beverage, and other small self-care moments show how much Jessica is trying to stay on the up and up. These choices help her be able to focus herself on the grueling task at hand. And she dives into it with all the analytical skills she can bring to bear on the problem.

So while Marvel’s Jessica Jones: Playing with Fire Episode 7 isn’t the most exciting episode thus far, it continues to build Jessica’s character up nicely. One cannot understand the determination necessary to go over the clues again and again if such moments are not adequately presented. And with Jessica being the one searching, we know something will come from this hunt.

Marvel’s Jessica Jones: Playing with Fire Episode 7 is available June 25th exclusively from Serial Box.