She-Hulk
“While LGBTQ representation may not be the deepest in She-Hulk, it’s positive to see different sexual identities normalized.”
Title: She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
Episodes Reviewed: Season 1
Creators: Jessica Gao 👩🏻🇺🇸 based on the comics by Stan Lee 👨🏼🇺🇸 and John Buscema 👨🏼🇺🇸
Directors: Kat Coiro 👩🏼🇺🇸 (6 eps) and Anu Valia 👩🏽🇺🇸 (3 eps)
Writers: Jessica Gao 👩🏻🇺🇸 (3 eps), Francesca Gailes 👩🏾🇺🇸 (1 ep), Jacqueline J. Gailes 👩🏾🇺🇸 (1 ep), Melissa Hunter 👩🏼🇺🇸 (1 ep), Dana Schwartz 👩🏼🇺🇸 (1 ep), Kara Brown 👩🏾🇺🇸 (1 ep), Zeb Wells 👨🏼🇺🇸 (1 ep), and Cody Ziglar (1 ep) 👨🏾🇺🇸
Reviewed by Symphony Barnes 👩🏻🇺🇸
Technical: 3.25/5
Based on the Marvel comics that established She-Hulk in 1980, She-Hulk: Attorney At Law introduces new audiences to Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany), a lawyer whose life becomes a bit more complicated when she gains powers to become a big green superhero. Taking on the formula of a 30-minute sitcom, this Disney+ series feels like a breath of fresh air among other MCU projects, which tend to be longer and more dramatic in tone. Much like the comics, She-Hulk is very self-aware and engages with the audience, such as breaking the fourth wall or including commentary on societal issues. Its bubbly energy is a testament to the fact that Marvel can indeed deliver projects that embrace the serial format.
However, She-Hulk’s ability to pull off the kinds of successes typical to sitcoms also come with some misfires of the genre. For instance, the pacing and structure often feels inconsistent and some of the humor is overdone or forced. It takes a bit for the show to find its footing. The visual side of things—particularly the visual effects—are similarly wobbly, especially at first. In the pilot episode, She-Hulk interacts with her cousin Bruce Banner a.k.a. Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), and at supposedly 6-foot-7-inches, her height fluctuates next to her 8-foot cousin. Additionally, the CGI done to Maslany to make her appear green also smooths out her facial expressions, to the point where emotions sometimes aren’t properly communicated. It’s ultimately not a dealbreaker, but the CGI in She-Hulk is undoubtedly some of the worst of Marvel’s library.
Post-production issues like these tend to expose deeper problems within the studios or industry as a whole. Over the past few months, a number of VFX artists who have worked on various MCU projects have spoken out about being overworked and underpaid. Hopefully, Marvel is paying attention and will enact some positive change, but for now, Maslany is one of She-Hulk’s saving graces. She takes command of the series as best she can, working with what she has.
Gender: 4.25/5
Does it pass the Bechdel Test? YES
She-Hulk follows in the steps of other female-driven MCU projects, like WandaVision and Ms. Marvel. Together, these recent titles indicate a new direction for the infamously male-dominated franchise. Jen’s point of view controls the narrative as she navigates life as a 30-something-year-old lawyer (and superhero) in Los Angeles.
Jen is an ambitious woman. She is distraught when she gains her powers, as she’s mostly been concentrating on her career in law. Her mental and emotional response to her newfound powers are explored throughout the series’ run, as are themes surrounding identity and feminism. She’s ultimately a relatable character in that she deals with issues that women face today—toxic comments on social media, self-image issues, bad dates, career troubles, etc. Like Ms. Marvel’s Kamala Khan, who was relatable for many young girls—especially those of Pakistani descent—it’s delightful to see a Marvel superhero that feels down-to-earth and accessible.
And it’s not just Jen pulling all the weight. She’s joined by several other well-written female characters—most notably, her best friend Nikki Ramos (Ginger Gonzaga). While Jen is generally more serious, Nikki lights up the screen with her infectious energy, always there supporting her bestie through the emotional ups and downs she endures. Their chemistry feels genuine, making for a nice example of female friendship.
Further, the main antagonist of She-Hulk is also a woman. As Jen’s main enemy in the series, Titania (Jameela Jamil) is complex. She’s strange and her conceit makes her annoying, yet she’s also intriguing. She’s a social media influencer with a big, yet fragile ego and when Jen humiliates her in the pilot episode, she forms a grudge and will do whatever it takes to get back at Jen. Her background may not be explored as deeply as it in the comics, but one can see it’s her insecurities that fuel her actions.
But She-Hulk’s representation of women is not without its drawbacks. For example, some of the quips feel a bit on the nose. In the pilot, Bruce tells Jen that the triggers for “Hulking out” are anger and fear, and she scoffs and says, “Those are like the baseline of any woman just existing,” later adding, “Here’s the thing, Bruce: 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 I might just literally get murdered.”
Jen’s comments feel oversimplified, as if speaking to a (predominantly male) audience that’s clueless about everyday sexism. To be fair, She-Hulk isn’t trying to be a revolutionary show. It’s just one chapter in a massive franchise with an audience that’s only getting younger—if Ms. Marvel’s popularity among Gen Z is anything to go by—and may be serving as a foundation for kids and teens being introduced to feminist values for the first time. The fact that She-Hulk is even incorporating feminist themes into a mainstream series may already be a win in and of itself.
Race: 3.75/5
Set in current-day Los Angeles, it’s gratifying to see the racial makeup of She-Hulk looking somewhat on par with reality. Supporting characters include Nikki, played by Gonzaga who is half-Filipino; Titania, played by Jamil who is South Asian; and Mallory Book, played by Renée Elise Goldberry who is Black. Additionally, Benedict Wong (British Chinese) makes appearances throughout the series, continuing to delight fans as one of the most visible Asian characters across the MCU. And, of course, Megan Thee Stallion (Black American) has a cameo as a fictionalized version of herself.
Led by showrunner Jessica Gao—who is now the third Asian woman to lead a Marvel film or series, joining Chloé Zhao for Eternals (2021) and Bisha K. Ali for Ms. Marvel—the She-Hulk writers room also includes a diverse group of individuals, including Cody Ziglar (Robot Chicken), Kara Brown (Grown-ish), and others. Additionally, Episodes 5-7 are helmed by Indian American director Anu Valia (Never Have I Ever). However, one would think that given this breadth of lived experience informing the show, characters like Nikki or Mallory would be more fleshed out. While they’re certainly not one-dimensional and don’t fall into stereotypes, writers do take the safe route of colorblind storytelling and miss out on the opportunity for deeper character development.
LGBTQ: 3.75/5
It’s easy to miss, but as Nikki talks to Jen about dating in Episode 4, she says, “Oof, hetero life is grim.” Gonazaga confirms the sexuality of her character, saying, “Nikki is definitely queer, she’s free, she’ll love anyone. I thought of her initially as being bi, because I’m kind of projecting myself onto this character. But in truth I think Nikki will love anyone.”
Additionally, in Episode 6, viewers are introduced to Craig Hollis aka Mr. Immortal (David Pasquesi), a superhuman who repeatedly fakes his death to get out of various marriages. Eight of Mr. Immortal’s estranged spouses file suits against him after learning his secret, and one of them is a man.
While these two inclusions may not be the deepest examples, they’re great to see, especially with one being Jen’s best friend. Further, it’s positive that their sexual identities are normalized. Nikki shares her thoughts on dating as anyone would, and Mr. Immortal’s ex-husband is at the meeting to file suit, same as the other estranged spouses.
Bonus for Disability: +0.25
She-Hulk invites disability representation with appearances from Daredevil (Charlie Cox), the superhero alias of Matt Murdock. Introduced into the MCU in 2015 with his own Netflix series, Daredevil has since become one of the most popular blind characters in media. As a lawyer, Matt faces Jen in court where the depiction of his blindness is mostly positive and never treated as a burden. But neither is it naturally woven into his character; when Matt transforms into his superhero self, his cane is often tossed aside as if his disability is being shed. This isn’t representation so much as it is a snazzy sweater the character can take on or off when it suits him. Still, I’m hopeful the character’s continued appearances in the MCU can help pave the way for more authentic portrayals of blindness and visual impairment.
Mediaversity Grade: B 3.81/5
While She-Hulk could surely be improved, parts of it are laudable. The fact that it comes from a diverse group of creators and includes several attempts at proper representation are steps in the right direction, especially given the MCU’s heel-dragging until very recently. Plus, its laid-back nature and digestible format of half-hour episodes make it even more enjoyable to watch. We may not know what lies in the future for Jen Walters—especially as Disney+ has yet to renew the series—but I’m certainly open for more.
Like She-Hulk? Try these other female-led Marvel titles.
Ms. Marvel
WandaVision
Eternals (2021)