She-Hulk: Attorney-at-Law,
created for TV by Jessica Gao,
directed by Kat Coiro & Anu Valia
(Marvel/Disney+, 2022)


I do not understand the internet hatred for She-Hulk.

Because you know what? The series is fun. The writing is clever. And Tatiana Maslany is an endearing protagonist, both as the humdrum attorney Jennifer Walters and her CGI-generated alter-ego, the superpowered green She-Hulk.

Sure, the Disney+ series does not have the high stakes of the movies that so far have populated the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But it's not a movie, and it never claims to be. It's an irreverent series based on an irreverent comic book. And it captures that angle pretty darn perfectly.

Heck, the full series title -- She-Hulk: Attorney-at-Law -- should tip everyone off that it's not shooting to be a big comic-book adventure with world-threatening villains. It's about a lawyer, who also just happens to be Bruce "The Incredible Hulk" Banner's cousin, and who, by happenstance, is exposed to his blood and gains Hulk powers. Tonally, it's more closely related to Ally McBeal than to Avengers: Endgame.

And the fact that she's immediately better than her cousin is at controlling his rage and, therefore, the transformations? It's a comic-book story, which means suspension of disbelief is required from the get-go. Live with the storyline established by the writers, or go watch something else. I mean, it's not that difficult. But, instead, internet warriors are raging that She-Hulk is too feminist, or too "woke," or not a sufficiently realistic courtroom drama, or whatever complaint you feel motivated to tender.

Just get over it. She-Hulk is not meant to be taken seriously. Nothing about it suggests otherwise. Getting mad about it is like getting mad that your new puppy isn't a cat.

Maslany has a great goofy way of being both Walters and She-Hulk, and the nine-episode series is a fun way to watch her grow accustomed to her new reality. It's great, too, that MCU regular Mark Ruffalo makes a few appearances in the series as her green-skinned cousin, helping to shepherd her into a Hulk lifestyle.

The series deals more with courtroom "drama" than superheroics, and there's also plenty of family dynamics, social media, dating, sex, product branding, personal identity crises, bridesmaids, fourth wall-breaking and ... well, lots of stuff. Fun stuff.

Oh ... yes, she breaks the fourth wall -- mostly just by speaking directly to the audience, but on one occasion quite literally breaking through the Disney+ streaming window into Marvel's studio offices to complain about an errant plot twist in her show. And, while Deadpool fans have a meltdown because his movies did it first, let's show a little respect to comic-book history here -- that was always the She-Hulk's schtick.

Besides Ruffalo, the series includes appearances by Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky/the Abomination, a role Roth originated long ago in 2008's The Incredible Hulk, back when Ed Norton was Bruce Banner and the MCU was still a gleam in Marvel's eye; Charlie Cox as Netflix fan favorite Daredevil/Matt Murdock; and MCU golden boy Benedict Wong as Wong, the Sorcerer Supreme. Other cast members of note include Ginger Gonzaga as Jennifer's assistant Nikki, Jameela Jamil as superstrong social influencer Titania, and a bunch of legal folk such as Holden Holliway (Steve Coulter), Mallory Book (Renee Elise Goldsberry) and Augustus 'Pug' Pugliese (Josh Segarra).

And we can't not mention the surprise star of the series, Patty Guggenheim as Madysinn ("two Ns and one Y, but it's not where you think"), who needs her own series with Wong, like, stat.

At the end of the day, She-Hulk: Attorney-at-Law is a fun series, and you'll laugh if you allow yourself to enjoy the experience.




Rambles.NET
review by
Tom Knapp


22 October 2022


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