She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Episode 1 Review
All rise for Jennifer Walters, Attorney at Law; or, as she’s more commonly known as, She-Hulk. After being delayed by over a week, Marvel’s come out with their newest show for Disney+, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Touted as the first genuine MCU sitcom, She-Hulk has a lot to live up to, especially since the titular character is the next Hulk in the MCU. And, if the comics are anything to go by, there might be many more Hulks to come. So, how does She-Hulk, both the character and the series, measure up when compared to her more famous cousin?
Honestly, she does pretty good.
Origin Story Time!
The episode starts off with Jen Walters preparing for an important legal case, and dealing with a sexist co-worker criticizing her. These opening moments do a great deal of capturing Jen’s personality. She’s professional in her role as a lawyer, and will either ignore sass from guys…or just sass them back, as seen with how she interacts with her cousin, Bruce Banner. One quick fourth wall break (she does this in the comics), and we learn how she became the She-Hulk.
A few months ago, she and Bruce were on a road trip when they got into a car crash. Jennifer pulled a still-human Bruce to safety, but some of his blood got into her open wounds. As a result, she can turn into a Hulk of her own, the She-Hulk. So, what does Bruce do when seeing what his cousin can turn into?
He takes her to his private retreat in Mexico and wants her to stay there so he can train her, help her acclimate to her new status as a Hulk. However, it quickly becomes apparent to both that worked for Banner during his long, complex road as the Hulk won’t necessarily work for Jen Walters. Firstly, Jen doesn’t have a split personality as She-Hulk; she’s in full control at all times. Secondly, unlike her cousin, she can transform between human and Hulk-form whenever she wants. Lastly, and this is the most important part, she doesn’t want to become a superhero like Bruce thinks she should be.
Jennifer Walters is a Pretty Fun Character
The premiere does a really great job of establishing Jennifer Walters as a character. She’s got a bit of that social awkwardness from her cousin, but she’s more extroverted in nature, and far more geeky. She spends the entire episode obssessing over whether Steve Rogers is a virgin, and it’s pretty hilarious to see. More than that, though, Jen establishes herself as unique compared to her cousin. She’s got her own wants and needs, such as wanting to continue her job as a lawyer and not get involved in this superhero business.
Sadly, she doesn’t have a choice when a supervillain attacks the courtroom during her case, forcing her to go She-Hulk in front of the whole world. Cat’s out of the bag now!
An Intriguing Premise
On the surface, the idea of a legal sitcom in the MCU might sound dumb. However, it’s actually a brilliant idea when one thinks about it. The rise of superhumans on Earth would greatly affect the legal system in real life. New regulations for the use of powers would have to be added. The idea of superheroes testifying in court as reliable witnesses. The right for heroes to be heroes. There’s a lot that could be covered. And, as one of the most prominent lawyers in Marvel’s arsenal, She-Hulk’s the perfect character to explore this.
The show has a lot of potential for covering the everyday aspects of the MCU. In addition, Jen Walters’ is a very relatable character. She’s sassy, she obsesses over fan theories, and she’s trying to build a love life. In the age of online dating, that is hard for some people. I’m looking forward to this show.
Oh, and that thing with Captain America? He’s not a virgin.
