Marvel’s latest property, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, has left its audience quite muddled. On one end, it doesn’t really align with the style of any of the MCU movies/shows we’ve seen so far. On the flip side, it’s super self-aware, has plenty of funny moments, and feels quite refreshing.
It has led me to question what exactly the show’s format is. Does it follow the MCU template? If not, is this actually working out in the show’s favor?
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law has a unique storytelling approach that combines the slice-of-life, sitcom, and sketch styles. It does not fit into the MCU’s usual style but nonetheless does justice to She-Hulk’s character and the plot.
I’ve put my thoughts together to highlight just exactly how She-Hulk deals with its story, the larger MCU mold, and the pros and cons of it all.
What is the format of She-Hulk? Is it supposed to follow MCU’s style?
I, myself, am guilty of criticizing the show’s wayward format, yet I unwittingly find that the approach is quite unique and undeniably enjoyable.
So what exactly is the show’s format? Based on the runtime itself, it fits somewhere into a makeshift combination of slice-of-life, sitcom, and sketch. As you may have noticed, while there is obviously an overarching story, each episode also tries to depict an independent storyline of its own.
She-Hulk’s comics, too, had a very avant-garde storytelling format, so the TV show is an apt rendering that’s not only updated for the screen but also for the age of the internet.
As such, She-Hulk does take a detour from how it depicts MCU’s conventional tropes—the sad origin story, the burden of being a superhero, the unfolding mystery, and of course, the big, bad villain.
It’s not like the show has not or will not deal with these arcs, but the way it depicts them is by focusing on Jen and her everyday life. It’s quite fresh to see the “person behind the mask” approach to a superhero story.
Pros
One can’t deny the oversaturation of superhero projects, and how each one tries to stress on their story dealing with an End-of-the-World conundrum.
When the genre is going through such an overload, it’s actually exciting to see an individual with superpowers who just wants to get her nine-to-five done.
I think the problem is that as MCU viewers, we’ve gotten too caught up with everything being a puzzle with clues to look for and piece together. This is why the show simply concentrating on the character’s life as Jennifer Walters instead of primarily as She-Hulk feels a bit off to us.
Still, this gives us a chance to enjoy the character for who she is—humorous, smart, candid, and yes, incredibly strong. We get to see her deal with office politics, dating drama, overbearing family, and more—which is all so relatable!
This is a show that ends up surprising you every week. Where else would you discuss Cap’s sex life or have Megan Thee Stallion twerking with She-Hulk?
I, for one, will accept a show that gives us plenty of enjoyable moments over one that is simply a tool to facilitate MCU’s future projects.
Cons
The cons are quite obvious and have been pointed out multiple times—She-Hulk’s pacing and plot both come across as clunky and at times, confusing.
Why was this character/episode important? Will this tie in to the main arc? More importantly, what is She-Hulk’s main arc?
I think the biggest problem has been the lack of communication through proper marketing. The audience would’ve been more accepting of the format, had they known this is how it was going to go. Since they expected the standard MCU style, the first few episodes have certainly caught them by surprise, wringing in all the criticism.
By Ep 4, however, fans are getting a little more used to the show’s sitcom-sketch approach, but I still think the writing could be a little tighter and more polished. Fingers crossed that it only goes upwards from here!
About She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is an American superhero television series created by Jessica Gao for the streaming service Disney+, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Directed by Kat Coiro and Anu Valia, the show is a part of Phase Four of the MCU.
Jennifer Walters, Attorney to superhumans, must balance her job and identity as She-Hulk and decide which path is for her. Her journey is hurdled by dangerous enemies like The Abomination and Titania. Her cousin Bruce Banner trains her to live life as a green-skinned superhero.
The comedy-legal drama premiered on Disney+ on August 17, 2022, with weekly episodes every Wednesday. The show stars Tatiana Maslany, Mark Ruffalo, Tim Roth, Jameela Jamil, Benedict Wong, and Charlie Cox.
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