Jessica Jones: Season 1 (2015)
TV SeriesOptionalNetflix era
Private investigator Jessica Jones confronts her mind-controlling abuser, Kilgrave. It’s a 2015 season from Marvel’s Netflix era. Marvel added it to its official timeline in 2024, but the films don’t need it, so it isn’t in our main 81-title order. At 13 episodes, about 9h 45m in all, it streams on Disney+ and Hulu in the US.
| Release date | November 20, 2015 |
|---|---|
| Episodes | 13 × ~45 min |
Why it’s worth knowing about
Jessica faces Kilgrave, one of the best villains of the Netflix era. It introduces Luke Cage before his own show.
About Jessica Jones: Season 1
Season one finds Jessica Jones, a former superhero with PTSD, running her detective agency, Alias Investigations, in New York. When a missing-person case leads to a college student named Hope Shlottman, Jessica realizes that Kilgrave is back. He's the man who controlled her mind and ended her short career as a hero. The season plays like a neo-noir thriller about trauma and control. It also introduces Luke Cage, a bar owner with unbreakable skin who becomes close to Jessica.
Melissa Rosenberg created the series for Netflix, which released all 13 episodes on November 20, 2015. Krysten Ritter stars as Jessica, David Tennant plays Kilgrave, Rachael Taylor plays her sister Trish Walker, Mike Colter plays Luke and Carrie-Anne Moss plays lawyer Jeri Hogarth. Critics loved it, giving it 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, with special praise for Tennant and for how the show handled abuse without showing it on screen. It won a Peabody Award.
Good to know
- Sean Callery's jazz-style main theme won a Primetime Emmy.
- The finale, "AKA Smile," won a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form.
- Mike Colter's Luke Cage debuts here, ahead of his own Netflix series in 2016.
- Every episode title uses the "AKA" format, starting with "AKA Ladies Night."
Spoiler Spoilers for Jessica Jones: Season 1: tap to reveal
- Rosario Dawson's Claire Temple crosses over from Daredevil in the finale.
How to watch it
Watch this after Daredevil season 1. It's the second Marvel Netflix series, and Luke Cage season 1 follows it naturally. It's one of the strongest of the Netflix shows, and you should finish the whole season, since Kilgrave's story builds steadily. Content warning: it deals directly with abuse, assault and trauma.
Where to watch Jessica Jones: Season 1 in the US
| Streaming (subscription) | Disney+, Hulu |
|---|---|
| Rent or buy | Amazon, Apple TV, Fandango at Home |
Where to watch Jessica Jones: Season 1 outside the US
| Country | Stream | Other options |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Disney+ | None needed |
| Canada | Disney+ | None needed |
| Australia | Disney+ | None needed |
| India | JioHotstar | None needed |
Streaming availability last verified: October 16, 2026
All streaming options for Marvel movies and shows, by service and country.
Related guides
Jessica Jones: Season 1 FAQ
Who plays Kilgrave in Jessica Jones?
David Tennant plays Kilgrave, the mind-controlling villain. His performance is often cited as one of the best villain turns in Marvel's TV history.
Is Luke Cage introduced in Jessica Jones?
Yes. Mike Colter first plays Luke Cage in Jessica Jones season 1, before his own series premiered in 2016.
Is Jessica Jones based on a comic?
Yes. Jessica Jones comes from Marvel Comics. The show was first developed for ABC in 2010 as AKA Jessica Jones before Melissa Rosenberg reworked it for Netflix.
Can you skip Jessica Jones: Season 1?
Yes. It’s been on Marvel’s official timeline since 2024, but none of the films depend on it.
How many episodes does Jessica Jones: Season 1 have?
Jessica Jones: Season 1 has 13 episodes, around 45 minutes each.
Is Jessica Jones: Season 1 part of the MCU?
Marvel added the Netflix shows to its official Disney+ timeline in 2024, so they now count as part of the MCU. We keep them out of our main 81-title order because the films don’t depend on them; our Netflix canon guide explains the details.