Review | She-Hulk: Attorney At Law (1x01 A Normal Amount Of Rage)

“This is another great series premiere for Marvel. She-Hulk makes a glorious debut in the MCU. Tatiana Maslany owns the role. This episode delivers a lot of fun and a compelling origin story!”

Last week, we had a side adventure with the first five shorts of I Am Groot. But today, we are now getting the new chapter of Marvel Studios’ Phase 4. After Thor Love and Thunder in July, it is time for She-Hulk to be introduced. So, is this another successful series premiere for Marvel?

INTRODUCING SHE-HULK

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.

Jennifer Walters a.k.a She-Hulk is Bruce Banner’s cousin. And as the title indicates she is also a lawyer. This episode mainly focuses on telling how she got her powers. Originally, that was going to be revealed in episode 8. But they changed it to have it in the premiere. And I think it was the right choice. Having it right from the start answers the questions the audience has. That way the other episodes can truly focus on the rest of Jennifer’s story.

To help Jennifer navigate into these newly acquired powers, you need someone who knows how it feels to help her. Bruce Banner/Hulk is back. It is always nice to see him. And to be honest, I do prefer Smart Hulk to Smash Hulk, he is a much more developed character. Someone who speaks does make the difference. Plus, this episode answers the question of why we saw Bruce in his human form in Shang-Chi. Everything is connected, you just have to be patient to see it all come to fruition.

(L-R): 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.

EASTER EGGS

Moreover, speaking of connections, there are a lot of easter eggs throughout the episode. These are some nice callbacks to previous chapters of the MCU. One actually made me quite emotional. There is even a tease to something that is coming. And I am excited to see where this is going.

This 38-minute episode feels short but I think it is mostly because I just want to spend more time with this character. I am so happy to finally have She-Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Phase 4 has expanded the universe in so many ways bringing in a lot more characters. The future at Marvel is so bright! This episode takes the time to fully dive into how Jennifer got her powers and how she learned to control them. While also exploring the cousins’ dynamic of Jennifer and Bruce. There are a lot of laughs between these two. The whole joke about Steve Rogers being a virgin or not is absolutely hilarious! We also get a little taste of Jen’s life as a lawyer. If I had a time machine, I would jump to next Thursday!

BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL

Each series has the Marvel DNA but they all have their own style. It is what makes them so compelling. With She-Hulk, it is a sitcom in which Jennifer breaks the fourth wall. It is a first for the MCU. So this is so refreshing. I think it is great that they try different things. While still managing to make them work within this universe. Breaking the fourth wall with a character like She-Hulk just feels right, especially with the way Tatiana delivers her lines.

CAST

(L-R): 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.

In just one episode, Tatiana Maslany imposes herself as Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk, the same way Mark Ruffalo is Hulk and Robert Downey Jr. is Tony Stark/Iron Man. She really owns the screen. Tatiana brings her wit and heart to the character. I have no doubts she will become an instant fan favorite! The dynamic between Jennifer and Bruce works so well because you can feel that Tatiana and Mark get along well too. Even if Mark is just a special guest star, I cannot wait to see them interact again.

Jameela Jamil also makes her MCU debut as Titania. I loved her in The Good Place. From the looks of it, she is going to be great in this as well.

END CREDITS

The end credits are so cool. Indeed, they feature several drawings of She-Hulk/Jennifer Walters. It is always a good thing when series have credits that are not just black with the names in white. It incites to stay and watch the credits! Plus, another reason to watch them, is you do get a mid-credits scene. It is something you will find with all the episodes. It does not tease anything, it is simply a little comedic scene that is surely worth watching.

VISUALS

SHE-HULK Attorney At Law — (L-R): 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.

When the first teaser was released, there were a lot of backlashes online because of the CG. However, seeing the final product in 4K, the CG is amazing! Marvel Studios know what they are doing. I love the way She-Hulk looks! She is not too muscular like Hulk. They stayed with the look she has in many comics. After all, the muscles are not everything for strength. Overall, the series is visually beautiful and colorful.

VERDICT

This is another great series premiere for Marvel. She-Hulk makes a glorious debut in the MCU. Tatiana Maslany owns the role. This episode delivers a lot of fun and a compelling origin story!