Title: She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
Release Date: August 18 – October 13, 2022
Creator/Head Writer/Showrunner: Jessica Gao
Episodes: 9
Production Company: Marvel Studios
Summary/Review:
Up-and-coming Los Angeles lawyer Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany) is traveling with her cousin Bruce Banner, a.k.a. The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) when a car crash causes her to be exposed to Bruce’s blood and thus acquire Hulk powers. Turns out that Jennifer is much better at controlling her Hulk powers than Bruce but has no interest in being a superhero. But her powers are revealed in the most public way possible, and she ends up having to work for a law firm defending super-powered beings while in her She-Hulk form.
This show ends up being something we haven’t seen from Marvel and don’t really see much of at all anymore, an episodic sitcom. And a very funny one at that. Following the precedent set by the She-Hulk comics, Maslany to comment on the story. It ends up kind of being a superhero story crossed with Fleabag and Ally McBeal (but in a good way). This approach is something that could’ve flopped hard but Maslany’s charm and talent win the day. I’ve heard a lot about her great work on Orphan Black, a show I’ve sadly not yet watched.
In addition to spoofing legal dramas, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law satirizes the dudebro culture of gatekeeping that all too often manifests itself as misogyny against women in superhero media. The final episode makes fun of the Marvel formula in a very funny way, although I felt a bit cheated that they didn’t offer an alternate resolution. Apart from that disappointment this was a very clever and entertaining series. Maslany is boosted by strong supporting cast and guest stars, including:
- Ginger Gonzaga as Nikki Ramos, Jennifer’s paralegal and best friend.
- Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky / Abomination, the villain from 2008’s The Incredible Hulk (and the first time in a long time Marvel has acknowledged the events of that movie) who has become considerably more chill.
- Megan Thee Stallion as herself.
- Benedict Wong as Wong, because everyone loves Wongers!
- Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock / Daredevil, Jennifer’s fellow lawyer/superhero who comes from New York for a team-up and a hook-up.
- And the breakout character of the series, Patty Guggenheim as Madisynn King, who turns being a drunk party girl into a superpower.
MASTER LIST OF MCU REVIEWS
- Iron Man – *
- The Incredible Hulk – **
- Iron Man 2 – **
- Thor – **
- Captain America: The First Avenger – ***
- Marvel’s The Avengers – ***
- Iron Man 3 – **
- Thor: The Dark World – **1/2
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier – **1/2
- Guardians of the Galaxy – ***
- Avengers: Age of Ultron – ***1/2
- Ant-Man – ***1/2
- Captain America: Civil War – ***
- Doctor Strange – **1/2
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – ***1/2
- Spider-Man: Homecoming – ****
- Thor: Ragnarok – ****
- Black Panther – ****1/2
- Avengers: Infinity War – ***1/2
- Ant-Man and the Wasp – ***1/2
- Captain Marvel – ****
- Avengers: Endgame – ****
- Spider-Man: Far From Home – ***1/2
- Black Widow – ***
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – ***1/2
- The Eternals – ***
- Spider-Man: No Way Home – ****
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – ***
- Thor: Love and Thunder – ***1/2