Yes, its humor is still deeply cringe in places-Jen really needs to work on her dating profile game, and far too many jokes still involve cracks about her physical appearance-but the overall feel and focus of the show is the most cohesive it’s ever been. Notably, “Mean, Green and Straight Poured Into These Jeans” is the first episode of She-Hulk that doesn’t feature any surprise cameos or guest stars, and, as a result, is the first time that it feels as though the series has a clear and purposeful identity of its own. But this half-hour makes me hopeful that She-Hulk’s first season is building toward the idea that Jen and She-Hulk are simply two halves of the same whole, and that as Jen embraces her new identity and all it entails, that awkwardness will go away. And maybe she never wanted to be a superhero, but it’s apparent that that’s now how the world sees her, and, more importantly, how she’s starting to see herself.Ĭould I have done without that revelation arriving after some intense public humiliation subtly laced with the misogynistic assertion that Jen, as herself, is somehow lesser than her superhero alter ego? Probably. I doubt any of us expected that trademark law would necessarily make for a compelling-or even remotely funny-story, but Tatiana’s decision to copyright the name She-Hulk in order to slap it on her range of Goop-esque scam beauty products forces Jen to not only defend her brand in court but confront the fact that She-Hulk has become an intrinsic part of who she is. But by being forced to defend that identity in court, Jen is forced to actually think about what it means to be She-Hulk, and how much that moniker has come to mean to her. For much of the series to date, we’ve seen her resent and disdain her abilities, only begrudgingly embracing them when necessary to solve a problem or protect herself (as much as she seemed to enjoy beating the crap out of a day-glo Wrecking Crew a couple of episodes back). ![]() She acquired her Hulk powers by sheer accident, was dubbed She-Hulk by popular demand, and was forced to embrace her secret identity publicly in order to keep a job she desperately needed. Jen Walters never wanted to be a superhero. ![]() Though the reveal of Daredevil’s new helmet will likely dominate much of the post-episode discussion around this installment-and look, I get it, I am ready for the return of Matt Murdock, particularly since this episode definitely hints that the Netflix version of the character is more than likely still canon-”Mean, Green, and Straight Poured Into These Jeans” is the series’ most cohesive installment yet, one that actually uses its broader plot to say something significant about Jen Walters’ journey as a superhero. But with the arrival of its fifth episode, She-Hulk finally seems fully confident in what kind of show it wants to be. Between the series’ controversial fourth-wall-breaking narration and its embrace of a purposefully broad brand of humor that ranges from self-deprecating to downright uncomfortable, the show has definitely established itself as something very different from everything in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that’s come before it. ![]() Like many (most?) other half-hour comedies, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law has taken a few episodes to settle into its groove.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |