This past week’s episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law titled “Mean, Green, and Straight Poured into These Jeans” is the program’s weakest episode thus far, with a weak plot and redundant writing. The show tries to draw on more Marvel and pop culture references, but it just falls flat.
Jennifer Walters, played by Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black, Parks and Recreation) is sued for using the name “She-Hulk,” which is apparently trademarked by the one and only insufferable influencer Titania, played by Jameela Jamil (The Good Place).
Invested in keeping the title herself, Jen decides to go to court, represented by tenacious co-worker Mallory Book, played by Renee Elise Goldsberry (Hamilton, Altered Carbon). In order to prove that Jen owns the name She-Hulk, Mallory opts to bring in the slew of Jen’s past lovers from her dating app days, demonstrating that she’s been “owning” this name far before Titania trademarked it for a cosmetic line.
Of course, the montage depicting Jen’s times in the court is rather humiliating and painful – no one wants to have their love life and chats broadcasted for an entire jury. A la typical Jessica Gao fashion, the female characters in She-Hulk complain that Bruce Banner has never had to “prove his value to a parade of underwhelming men” like Jen has, so this whole court thing is ridiculous and should feel like an attack against women. Gao tries to make a point here, but it’s just overdone and feels too forced to be received genuinely well.
The other side plot of this fifth episode is giving Jen a makeover of sorts. Her friend Nikki, played by Ginger Gonzaga (Mixology, Kidding) insists that she needs a superhero suit in order to establish her position as a legitimate Avenger. The fashion designer consultation is fine but underwhelming. The stylist, played by Griffin Matthews (The Flight Attendant, Weeds) serves the stereotypical uppity fashion designer trope; Nikki even justifies his behavior, saying “in fashion it’s cool to be mean.”
Jen wins the case as expected, but this episode is fairly unnecessary and really does not provide anything towards Jen’s character as a whole or move the plot forward. Nothing incredibly exciting happened this episode, and the ending of the episode alludes to another character joining the show’s fray, but it’s unclear as to who that character will be in the future.
Rating: 6.0/10.0