Streaming Review: She-Hulk - Attorney At Law
Streaming Review: She-Hulk - Attorney At Law
11 October 2022
The Hulk mentors his cousin She-Hulk as she acclimatises to her new power. (From left) Mark Ruffalo as Smart Hulk / Bruce Banner and Tatiana Maslany as Jennifer ‘Jen’ Walters/She-Hulk in Marvel Studios' She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.
Hooray, a female superhero! If there’s one thing we can celebrate about She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, it’s that there are never enough females in the testosterone-driven world of men in capes. And in Marvel’s latest TV series about a lawyer-come-hero (who turns green, obviously), we see the cultural conversation about feminism and equality play out on screen.
(From left) Tatiana Maslany as She-Hulk/Jennifer ‘Jen’ Walters, Ginger Gonzaga as Nikki Ramos, and Drew Matthews as Dennis Bukowski in Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. © Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.
But instead of being a hugely action-driven plot akin to Hawkeye, or with mind-bending twists like Loki, She-Hulk is substantially more generic. Designed as a twentyish-minute sitcom, you can’t help but feel that the (literal) gravity of the character is left untapped. Granted, the last two episodes begin to show us the nuance of shame and anger in the character. But this late start is a folly that is hard to move past when you consider we have hundreds of hours of character development for every other hero or villain in the known universe.
If you haven’t heard of the superhero She-Hulk, let me catch you up. There is a good chance that you have seen her cousin (yes, really) on screens or at a toy store near you. The Hulk, otherwise known as Bruce Banner, was a scientist who experimented with gamma radiation and became a giant green monster. Created in 1962, the latest iteration of the big green guy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is played by the awkwardly delightful Mark Ruffalo. While he has never quite received the accolades he deserves, we have instead been given a series about his cousin.
She-Hulk is a nine-part series about lawyer and all-around girl boss Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany), who has her career upturned after a car accident with her cousin, the Hulk. His blood somehow gets into her bloodstream during the accident. Look, there are a few plot holes here, but you can’t afford to be picky when you’re talking about gamma radiation and saving the universe. Basically, hardworking feminist Jen can now become a Hulk. And unlike her cousin, she can actively control her anger and feelings straight away, ensuring she can transform at will to protect people. This in itself is a learning curve for the Hulk, who has spent the good part of 15 years trying to control his rage.
Tatiana Maslany as Jennifer ‘Jen’ Walters/She-Hulk in Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.
This juxtaposition shows the societal conditions women have adapted to as a form of protection. Because while the brawny Hulk is celebrated for destroying everything in his path because he is a ‘good guy’, the social backlash on a female who is ‘too emotional’ for acting the same way is a daily experience for females and gender-diverse people. And whether this reflects the pressure we put on women in power or everyone we meet, I couldn’t help but relate to Jen’s soapbox moment when she tells her cousin: “I'm great at controlling my anger. I do it all the time: When I’m catcalled in the street; when incompetent men explain my own area of expertise to me. I do it pretty much every day because if I don’t, I will get called emotional or difficult or might just literally get murdered. So I’m an expert at controlling my anger because I do it infinitely more than you.”
This feminist narration provides a strong foundation for She-Hulk – a theme that Jen reminds us of when she breaks the fourth wall in every episode. And this comes to a the fore at the end of the series, when Jen's sexuality is exploited and shamed because she is a female. However, it essentially gets lost in the hubbub of, well, meaningless stuff. Sure, Jen is chosen to represent superhumans in her new job, but a story about former villain Emil Blonsky turned yoga guru released from prison is blasé. And when she can’t get a date as Jen, she creates an online dating profile as She-Hulk, resulting in some witty moments but fizzling with a one-night stand because he dislikes her true form.
Mark Ruffalo as Smart Hulk/Bruce Banner and Tatiana Maslany as Jennifer ‘Jen’ Walters/She-Hulk in Marvel Studios' SHE-HULK: ATTORNEY AT LAW, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.
Look, the intention to create a fun, witty social commentary about powerful females is in the DNA of She-Hulk, but more often than not, we are left feeling like Jen is struggling to practise what she preaches. And while there is room for vulnerability and growth in characters, you expect a lot more over nine episodes.
Perhaps She-Hulk will develop to become a pivotal member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, showcasing how women push the envelope of societal norms and expectations to change the world. But unfortunately, for the majority of season one, this didn’t happen.
She-Hulk is rated M for themes, violence and language. It is streaming now on Disney Plus.
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