Name: She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
Director: Kat Coiro, Anu Valia
Released: 2022-08-18T12:30:00

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law follows Jennifer Walters, a lawyer who tries to find balance in her life after getting the power to turn into a Hulk. All episodes are now streaming on Disney+.

Story

Jennifer Walters is a lawyer by profession and also the cousin of Bruce Banner aka the Hulk. After an accident caused by an alien spaceship, some of Bruce’s blood gets into Jen’s bloodstream, giving her the ability to transform into a Hulk.

After a brief crash course on being a Hulk with Bruce, Jen goes back to her regular life with no plans on adopting the superhero lifestyle. However, when a supervillain attacks the courthouse while she’s fighting a case, she is forced to reveal her powers.

The media christens her as She-Hulk and what follows is Jen trying to come to terms with her newfound fame and the special treatment that comes with it, good and bad.

She constantly feels inferior to her superhuman alter ego, even though she’s literally the same person. Jen fights off trolls, and supervillains and even finds companionship in her journey to strike the right balance between lawyer and superhero.

Performances

Tatiana Maslany is charming and the epitome of relatable as Jennifer Walters. She’s quick-witted while also being silly and grounded which comes across well, especially during the several fourth wall breaks.

Ginger Gonzaga plays Nikki Ramos, Jen’s best friend and assistant, and her portrayal is quite enjoyable even if her character is slightly stereotypical. Josh Segarra is also pleasant in his portrayal of Pug.

Tim Roth is great as a more subdued and zen version of Emil Blonsky. He’s still got his dry British wit but the character is adapted for the tone of the series and Roth does it justice.

Jameela Jamil doesn’t have to work too hard as the influencer/supervillain, Titania as she is made for the role. She makes sure to put forth an air of superiority in front of the more diminutive Jen until she’s soundly beaten by the hero.

The entire cast is great but special mention goes to the duo of Benedict Wong and Patty Guggenheim. “Wongers” and Madisynn are two of the most hilarious characters in the series, especially when they share the screen.

Positives

The series insists right from the start that it is meant to be a legal comedy and mostly succeeds in maintaining that premise. There is the presence of some superhero work but the main focus is Jen and her life.

The writers do a wonderful job of showcasing the struggles of a woman in society and how Jen continues to deal with much of the same even as a superhero. She’s constantly criticised by trolls and the creators decide to use real-world opinions to hit the point home.

The use of fourth wall breaks is entertaining on most occasions while the self-awareness about the MCU formula brought up in the final episode is a brilliantly unique idea that shows ample creativity.

Kat Coiro’s direction is top-notch as she crafts an interesting story across 9 episodes that never tries to over-extend itself despite so many moving parts.

Negatives

The visual effects are hit-and-miss throughout the series and appear awkward. Whenever Jen is in her She-Hulk form, her expressions are unpredictable and she doesn’t necessarily fit in with the rest of the set.

The final episode tries something quite different by going all in on the meta genre but it does affect the impact of the finale ever so slightly. The usual all-action climax sequence is replaced with a critical discussion of the overused tropes of the MCU before skipping to the reformatted end.

Verdict

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is the final series of phase four of the MCU and it is a cut above many of the series that preceded it. With a unique approach and premise, the series succeeds in entertaining the masses despite its many critics.

The visual effects are a relative disappointment given the high-profile nature of the studio but the writing and narrative are certainly fun and engaging.