The cliffhanger of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’s second episode was absolutely resolved in the third installment, “The People vs. Emil Blonsky.” The third episode of the MCU’s new spinoff-series features more MCU cameos, quirky plot points, and MCU references galore. It may be the debut season’s strongest episode yet.
In “The People vs Emil Blonsky,” Jennifer Walters, played by Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black, Parks and Recreation) struggles to figure out how she’s going to win her case in defending Emil Blonsky a.k.a The Abomination, played by Tim Roth (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction). While Blonsky escaped from his cell, he claims that it was not of his own volition, but by the forceful hand of a mysterious man named Wong.
Yes, Doctor Strange fans. That Wong.
Once again, the She-Hulk creative team finds a way to bring more Marvel characters to the show’s forefront. Whether this is for the entertainment of viewers or a guise to raise viewing levels is anybody’s guess, but it definitely has to be working.
When discussing Wong’s appearance in the show, Jen goes back to breaking the fourth wall, something that inconsistently happens throughout the course of the show. She says to us, the viewers, “just remember whose show this actually is.” Normally, breaking the fourth wall in a show can be seen as a cheap grab or just something weird to do. Very few shows, such as The Office do it successfully (and given the “documentary style” that The Office has, that doesn’t even really count); however, the feature fits so effortlessly into the plot of She-Hulk that it doesn’t feel awkward when Maslany stares into the depths of the camera.
Along with Blonsky’s case, Jen is requested to represent another case, defending a rather misogynistic man who was duped by a shapeshifter (from New Asgard, no less) into thinking he was dating Megan Thee Stallion. As absurd as this plot point is, it miraculously fits into the delightfully chaotic and quirky world that screenwriter Jessica Gao has created when writing all of the She-Hulk characters and narratives. How it’s done is a mystery to me, but Megan Thee Stallion herself even makes a cameo in this episode, which is the cherry on top of such a grandiose premise. In what world would a man actually think that Megan Thee Stallion needs him to buy her a sedan?
Of course, the Emil Blonsky case terminates in Jen’s favor, albeit via an unexpected pathway, although if She-Hulk has taught its viewers anything from its first three episodes thus far, it’s to always expect the unexpected. You never know what Jennifer Walters will have to endure next.
Rating: 8.0/10.0