By Eva Davey
At the time of writing this review, the final episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law has yet to be aired. The television show follows the titular hero in her day-to-day life as both She-Hulk and her human form, Jennifer Walters (played by Tatianna Maslany), while she works as a lawyer. Falling in line with the other Marvel shows debuting on Disney+, the series features six episodes all under forty minutes long. It takes inspiration from courtroom shows that have graced TV screens in the past, while giving it a Marvel-esque spin.
Based on the comic-book character, the show changes a few things about the famous superhero. Firstly, they have changed her origin story. The show begins with an almost fatal car accident where her cousin, Bruce Banner (aka The Hulk), accidentally lets his own blood mix with Jennifer’s. Long time fans of She-Hulk will notice that originally the character is given a blood transfusion in a mafia hit gone wrong, which is joked about in a later episode of the series. Why the change? Director Jessica Gao cites the original storyline simply feeling out of place. Being a longtime fan of Marvel content, I can honestly say that it would not make sense for Banner to willingly turn someone into a hulk after the hardships he has faced. This change makes perfect sense for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), considering many of the Marvel shows depict the bad parts of being a superhero.
Walters refuses to fill the shoes of her 6 foot 7 tall alter ego in the beginning. She is aware and calls out the wrongdoings that the MCU doles out to their heroes; she lists the trauma, the exploitation, and the lack of basic rights (no pension, no health insurance, etc.) given. As a viewer this left me thinking; normally I watch superhero movies and I don’t think twice about the buildings they just knocked down or the lives they lead after ditching their superhero mantles. But Walters uses these downsides as an argument (she is a lawyer after all) for why she should not ‘hulk out.’ When Marvel first started playing into recognizing the downsides of being a superhero it felt like an awkward wink to the audience, but She-Hulk balances this supposed joke with actual emotion delivered by Maslany.
The protagonist continually breaks the fourth wall throughout the series, which adds to the comedy aspect of the show. She-Hulk makes it clear that the show wants to break the fourth wall (and also break the glass ceiling) consistently. It is not an overused or relied upon gimmick, but instead is used multiple times to guide the viewer. The show frequently promotes feminist ideals through effective humorous quips. At times it feels too on the nose and cheap, while other moments land hard.
Maslany (famously known for Orphan Black) is amazing in the role of She-Hulk. While the character is not exactly the same as the comic book counterpart, Maslany depicts a She-Hulk that is multidimensional and multifaceted. She is backed by an equally great supporting cast. Like many situational comedy shows, the ensemble needs to work together or it could risk failing. Luckily the biggest cameos to the smallest walk-on roles feel purposeful.
The biggest critique of this show is its short run time. As previously stated, each episode is under forty minutes, and the first season will only air six episodes. Due to its sitcom style, this works for the most part, but when the show drops teasers for more to come in MCU, things feel rushed. By the end of each episode the ending minutes feel cramped together right before large cliffhangers that will bring viewers back next week.
I cannot review She-Hulk without mentioning the infamous computer-generated imagery. Greatly debated before the show even premiered, I can confidently say that it isn’t that bad! On average I probably got distracted by it once per episode, but it could be worse. If anything the artists should be getting praise for being able to make She-Hulk finally come to our television screens.
All in all, She-Hulk: Attorney At Law is exactly what the Marvel Cinematic Universe needed. It’s easy, light, and just a fun time for die hard comic fans or the casual viewer. This show gets a large green thumbs up.
Eva Davey is a UFV student majoring in English Literature and minoring in Media Communications. She is a fan of poetry, oat milk lattes, and the final girl trope. Currently, her worst enemy is the Good Reads app.