While I am fairly fond of the MCU and various properties inside of it, I have never been truly on board with Marvel Studios’ mission at all times; thus, the idea of Disney+’s new spinoff series, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, felt like it would definitely be a strict hit or miss for my tastes. However, upon finishing the show’s first episode, it is safe to say that the program is a hidden gem in the MCU and a must watch for Marvel fans everywhere.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law follows Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black, Parks and Recreation) as Jennifer Walters, the cousin to the one and only Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner a.k.a The Incredible Hulk. Jennifer is a lawyer who’s fought her way up to a new position in a male-dominated field. Witnessing the rehearsal of her closing argument in the episode’s first scene demonstrates enough that she’s a spunky, tenacious, and determined woman eager to make a name for herself. Unfortunately, this all goes awry in one fateful car ride with Bruce, where her life becomes permanently altered, whether she likes it or not.
I don’t want to give too much away to those still anticipating their first viewing, but once she gains the fateful green hue, the fun Marvel-esque antics begin. Bruce whips Jennifer away to his tropical home in Mexico, where he attempts to train her in the ways of the Hulk lifestyle, as well as controlling her anger and urges.
Personally, I’m not a big fan of action sequences, so this portion of the episode did not resonate with me. Despite some of the cheesiness that comes with being part of the Marvel franchise, She-Hulk screenwriter Jessica Gao (Rick and Morty, The Undesirables) makes an effort to apply some depth to the character of Jennifer Walters and her life as She-Hulk, and depth isn’t something that we always get in Marvel movies/TV shows, which tend to be plot and action driven.
As Bruce trains Jennifer, he’s confused as to how she never turns into a full alter ego like he does. Jennifer responds to her cousin, saying that as a woman, she’s had to control her anger infinitely more than Bruce ever has. I enjoy that in a show that is supposed to be pretty light-hearted and possibly mindless (and still is a little bit), that Gao still addresses and breaks down gender stereotypes.
As we all know, women are supposed to be feminine, which usually means dependent, demure, and never angry; however, in a lighthearted way, Gao reminds viewers that women can be a lot stronger than they seem, and may even be better equipped to handle “masculine” professions, like working as a lawyer, than a man who cannot control his anger.
She-Hulk also contains a ton of quippy banter about Mr. Steve Rogers himself and some other old Marvel superheroes, reminding us that the MCU and its community’s roots still run deep.
Rating: 7.0/10