She Hulk: Attorney at Law’s newest episode, “Is This Not Real Magic?” brings viewers into the depths of Jennifer Walters’ personal life with touches of humor, wit, and whimsy as she continues to balance her identity between “just Jen” and She-Hulk. After dealing with her Emil Blonsky case, Jen, played by Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black, Parks and Recreation) decides to dive into the dating world with the encouragement of her friend Nikki, played by Ginger Gonzaga (Togetherness, Kidding).
Unfortunately, Jen finds herself frustrated with dating apps after she has incredibly unsuccessful first dates and very few matches. Much to her original reluctance, she opts to make a dating profile for She-Hulk, which is, of course, a million times more effective. There is always a catch with these sorts of things, though; every person she goes on a date with either wants to ask her questions about her past superhero experiences or brag to her about themselves. This montage is entertaining at first, but screenwriter Gao takes it a little too far; a lot of the men feel like caricatures of what we know today as “toxic masculinity.” It’s great that Gao tries to address this from a female perspective, but it’s almost like she’s trying too hard with it, making these male characters feel comical in their commentary and too blatant to be incredibly impressive.
Aside from Jen’s love life, Wong is back, demanding a cease and desist against the magician Donny Blaze, played by Rhys Coiro (Entourage, Straw Dogs) as he abuses the Mystic Arts a.k.a the powers of Doctor Strange. This subplot is fine, but its only main highlight is the character Madisynn, played by Patty Guggenheim (Florida Girls, Mr. Mayor). Madisynn gets wrapped up in Donny Blaze’s act and must testify at his trial. Guggenheim’s characterization of Madisynn is simultaneously vapid and endearing. She plays a perpetually intoxicated Valley Girl who just waxes poetic about random pop culture and what her favorite cocktail is. However, she and Wong form an unlikely friendship as they bond over The Sopranos, which is endearing as they’re a perfect foil for each other.
Given the fact that this is a Marvel show, there is a bit of a fight scene at the end of the episode, which is where all of the issues within the episode predictably are resolved, but the trajectory of Jen’s love life remains uncertain as she continues to grapple with the idea that some men will only like her when she’s She-Hulk and not “just Jen.”
“Is This Not Real Magic?” brings some quirky characters and comical moments to the forefront of its episode, which is greatly appreciated; however, the “toxic masculinity” overkill detracts from all of the good qualities of the episode, bringing the rating down a little bit. Nevertheless, the cliffhanger of episode four is sure to bring more entertainment to viewers next Thursday.
Rating: 6.5/10.0