Detective Jackie Quiñones of Netflix’s “Hightown”: A Woman’s Dark Struggles with the Shadow Self Highlights Our Broken Society

Author Information

Diana Rios, University of Connecticut, United States

Abstract

The series “Hightown” (2020-2024) takes viewers on a journey with several tragic characters, including the main hero/antihero Jackie Quiñones. She is a valuable fisheries agent on Cape Cod who becomes embroiled with crime detective investigations in the New England, U.S. region.This analysis focuses on seasons 1-3, drawing from C.G. Jung’s concepts of “the shadow self” or “dark self”, Frankel’s work on female characters in popular culture, and relevant supporting research on strong women and media. In our real society, everyone is imperfect and we metaphorically mask/masque for the sake of decency and civility. Jackie’s tale is compelling by today’s trends because the series sheds light on addictive, obsessive behaviors currently running across racial, ethnic, economic class lines. In the series characters are culpable of extreme errancy, and they bury these among personal shadows and in physical obscurity (bogs, ditches, hideouts) until discovered. Jackie is painted as an un-glamorized anti-drug law enforcer and cannot mask her addictions well. By not consistently managing (AlAnon meetings, etc) her dark side (roots of her emotional problems), she lives in self-destructive cycles. This analysis discusses: 1. pieces of the shadow self as an interpretive framework; 2. female character elements painted through the main protagonist (strong female; kick**ss hero; tragic hero); 3. US regional trend data in drug addiction as key context for the series. Though it is uncomfortable to view portrayals of health crises and brokenness in any society, “Hightown” lays bare contemporary issues, instigating audience awareness