The first episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at law has been released on Disney+. Let’s take a quick dive into the good and bad sides of the series. If you haven’t watched it yet, you should go watch it right away. I definitely think the show is worth your time, especially if you’re looking to have a little laugh and see some awesome stuff!
Good
1. Relatability
She-Hulk isn’t about a superhero saving the world from multiversal threats. It’s a show about a superhero who tackles real-life issues and navigates life despite being presented as a superhero. It deals with ideas of sexism in the workplace and the atrocious state of dating apps. The show features a woman in her thirties who manages life in her own way.
2. Many Marvel Callbacks
From Hulk’s Gladiator Helmet to Ragnarok to Tony Stark’s Iron Legion Helmet in Age of Ultron, Marvel immediately makes its presence felt. They also used the first episode to tie several loose threads. Shang Chi’s post-credits were explained by introducing the device that allows the Hulk to remain in his human form. The episode also remembers and commemorates Iron Man by exploring Tony and Bruce’s friendship. Even the Led Zeppelin shirt worn by Jen belonged to Tony. We finally got to see the gamma lab mentioned in Endgame. There are also references to The Avengers movie, Hulk’s time in Sakaar and Natasha’s Lullaby. In fact, there’s even a QR code in the bar that Jen stumbles upon. This will take you to a free digital copy of The Savage She-Hulk Issue 1 (1980).
3. Tatiana Maslany as She-Hulk
Tatiana Maslany is absolutely brilliant as Jen Walters throughout the episode. She is the heart of the show. His playing was relatable, natural and funny. She seemed invested in the character and shone in the role. Above all, she commanded the screen and added her own stupidity to the character. People all over the internet praised her and raved about her performance. So I guess I’m not the only one. From start to finish, you can’t help but get attached to her.
4. Stupid sense of humor
The show itself is silly, bizarre, and decidedly original. He knows not to take himself too seriously and even makes fun of Marvel. The show won hearts with its hilarious and chaotic interactions. While there have been criticisms aimed at the tone of the show, I respectfully disagree. If you’re looking for something more serious, Marvel has a lot to offer in that department. However, She-Hulk is meant to be a airy, light funny sitcom-like show, grappling with everyday life issues.
5. Clever Hulk and She-Hulk jokes
The dynamic between She-Hulk and Smart Hulk is engaging and hugely entertaining. From Hulk’s frequent childish pettiness to Jen’s light-hearted jokes, they were the perfect pair. Their banter really set the first episode apart. It gave us many memorable and memorable moments. Bruce shouting “My bar!!” because Jen accidentally destroyed it during their fight was one of my favorite scenes. And of course, there’s Bruce waking Jen up using an air horn. Tatiana Maslany and Mark Ruffalo worked extremely well together and bounced off each other effortlessly.
6. Epic post-credits scene
The post-credits scene should be enough to get you watching She-Hulk right away. For the duration of the episode, Bruce and Jen go on a road trip. Therefore, Jen theorizes that Steve Rogers aka Captain America is a virgin. As we saw, during the post-credits as Jen and Bruce drink together, the Hulk finally reveals the truth. Steve Rogers lost his virginity to a girl on the 1943 USO tour. This scene is sure to go down in history as one of the best post-credits scenes of all time.
The bad
1. The schedule must be set
In presenting his red binder of Hulk knowledge he’s accumulated over the years, Smart Hulk makes a mistake. Hulk claims he’s been like this for 15 years more or less. Now, the MCU’s hulk was introduced in 2005, which would ideally place She-Hulk in the present day. However, the MCU had jumped forward 5 years into the future during Avengers: Endgame. Disney+ put the events of She Hulk before Ms. Marvel. So technically She-Hulk should happen in 2025. That would make a total of 20 years since Hulk’s inception in the MCU and not 15. As it turns out, the timeline is a bit of a mess right now and Marvel has to understand soon.
2. The CGI was far from perfect
We’re certainly not the first to criticize She-Hulk’s dodgy CGI. It’s been such a common criticism that director Kat Coiro even made a statement. She Hulk’s skin looks abnormally smooth, and her 80s-style hair is bouncing together instead of moving normally with the wind. While Hulk’s sturdiness and imperfections in CGI make him more real. This often distracts from Maslany’s performance. However, this is not something new in the Marvel Universe. The MCU in general needs to improve its visual effects. The show can definitely improve its CGI, but that’s not reason enough for anyone not to watch the show.
3. Hulk felt diminished
The big green guy who’s smashed puny gods and single-handedly tackled alien spaceships should have no trouble stopping a jeep. The first episode definitely diminished a lot of his powers and underplayed him. After all, he’s the same guy who was strong enough to wield the Infinity Gauntlet during Endgame and still survive. While I understand She-Hulk is the focus of the show, they certainly didn’t do justice to the Hulk, someone who can literally destroy planets.
4. Everything felt a bit rushed
The origin story and the training arc felt rushed. This is the first time a superhero has only had a 5-minute origin story. I hope they keep coming back and answering several important questions about their genetic abnormalities and whether or not they are mutants.
So! As a Marvel fan myself, I think the show is off to a great start and nothing could stop me from watching future episodes.