Another month, another Marvel series. This time we’re going green, as the Hulk’s sassier cousin takes over Disney Plus.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law follows Jennifer Walters, a lawyer turned Hulk, as she begins a long journey to becoming a superhero and accepting her new ‘grass-is-always- greener’ circumstances. Except, unlike cousin Bruce Banner’s decades long journey of self-acceptance and scientific wonders, Walters has pretty much nailed the transformations in the first episode. A green queen!
The series starts with a powerful pullback on Tatiana Maslany as Walters, showing off her well-established lawyer skills surrounded by degrees, colleagues and a little Ruth Bader Grinsburg bobblehead. Walters is immediately captivating and self-empowered, and this is before she comically breaks the first fourth wall of this meta and self-aware show.
And the show only gets cheekier. After Walters survives a car crash which leaves Bruce’s contaminated blood in her system, she embarks on a fun, if conflict-filled training montage with the master of Hulks himself.
Mark Ruffalo and Tatiana Maslany play brilliantly off each other, naturally joking and ribbing like cousins. But green jealousy fills the beachside air when Walters masters her Hulk body quicker than Banner ever did, leaving more than enough space for low-level drama and some enjoyable Hulk fights in this debut.
However, the best gift the pilot gives fans is the sensitive care regarding Banner’s own hulking history. Specific callbacks to his long, often isolating journey allows this old fan-favourite to reminisce on his lost friends and wallow in the genuine torment that comes from being seen as a monster by the world.
In particular, mentions of Tony Stark and Natasha Romanoff help fill in gaps in the Blip and Banner’s own mental state, honouring the “good times in the hard times” and leaving Walters to come to terms with more than just green muscles and superpowered strength. There is hardship hidden in Hulk-bods.
The women-led writing team shine here, incorporating relatable female experiences into their ‘fun lawyer show’, including spontaneous bathroom female friendship, streetside unwanted attention, and workplace sexism. Walters is practised in keeping the anger in, so why should doing it as a Hulk be any different.
Sensitive, comedic, and creative, there is much to love in this She-hulk-sized debut. It is taking its time before the action hits, bounding down a well-laid path of Avengers lore, while exploring the more unique elements that accompany a female lawyer show.
Maslany is already a perfectly loveable and empowered superhero, who’s charm and humour have created a uniquely playful tone, as if pulled straight from the comics. Her first scene showcasing She-Hulk to the world is powerful and endlessly exciting, particularly as she steps back into her heels, dusts herself off and returns to closing statements with ease.
Plus the ever cheeky and mischievous Jennifer Walters finally uncovers the long debated mystery of whether Steve Rogers lost his virginity – what a definitive reason to never skip the credits going forward!
Big, green and a whole lot of fun, She-Hulk: Attorney At Law debuts every Thursday on Disney Plus.