A Normal Amount of Rage

An okay enjoyable lighthearted pilot episode. Much of this episode is what we've seen from the trailers so majority of it feels like I'm watching this the second or third time. The comedy was a bit hit and miss. Dialogue is a bit cheesy at times but that's expected. Tatiana Maslany is a good casting choice, she's somewhat likable and her banter with Hulk is highlight of the episode and that's saying something. Overall, there's not much to this episode except some few setups for what's coming. I hope it's gets better with the upcoming episodes. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Much like the original Hulk, She-Hulk: Attorney At Law is at war with itself.

On one hand, the writers seem to want a sitcom that essentially mixes the everywoman trifles of Sex and the City with the legal shenanigans of Ally McBeal (this is the most jokey Marvel has been yet, much to the ire of fanboys who feel that once-respected characters like Thor and indeed Mark Ruffalo's Hulk have steadily been made more and more of a joke). On the other, Marvel needs an origin story for its latest action figure.

And the thing is, having watched the first episode, I'd argue neither side is winning. Fifteen minutes into the show, we've breezed through stuff that could've filled a whole origin film of about 2 hours; Jen Walters (Tatiana Manslany) gets unceremoniously introduced as Bruce Banner's hitherto absent cousin, she almost immediately gets her powers, she trains to control them, and Bruce realizes that this training is hardly necessary, as Walters is (somehow) still fully in control when in Hulk mode -- which, having been tormented by his Jekyll-and-Hyde relationship with his own Hulk for decades (until resolving it off-screen after a would-be poignant scene got deleted), Bruce is of course only mildly miffed about.

However, it feels like we've rushed through all the beats of a comedy where a female lawyer proves herself in a male-dominated field, too. The one-dimensional sexist dudes have already done their bit, the one-dimensional supportive gal pals have done theirs, and Walters winds up doing well in court. Judging from the trailers, and some lines from Benedict Wong in his umptieth MCU Phase Four appearance, what She-Hulk really wants to get into is more multiverse and crossover stuff. Did you see Daredevil in the teaser? 'Member him?

I'm sure we'll get more Sex and the City-esque plots as the show goes on (the origin-story stuff, however, does seem all done). I just feel like She-Hulk isn't as genuinely interested in introducing a new hero and telling their story as Ms. Marvel and Moon Knight were -- both of which I find mid, but never mind. This isn't because the writers don't care. I just get the sense that Marvel, wanting to get She-Hulk ready for some Secret Wars and World War Hulk ASAP while checking off some other cameos, don't let them care too much.

I don't know if I'm making sense and I'm guessing none of you care, since this show is sure to win over "both sides" of the online nerd world.

On one hand, it does that thing where it belittles and nerfs old characters -- loved by comic-book aficionados for ages -- to make these new, "more progressive" ones seem better (complete with dialogue that reads like Tumblr posts circa 2015), all while doing enough generic "girls get it done" tropes to entice the Usual Journalists. On the other hand, I don't know that the YouTube dudes will get too mad about this stuff when there's the lady from Orphan Black as a tall, curvy, green warrior woman who's usually barefoot. Win-win.

People pre-rated the show 5 stars for some reason, and the first episode ended up being pretty good. The cgi wasn't great, but it really wasn't as bad as people are saying, and I thought it could be genuinely funny at times. Obviously they're not reinventing the wheel, this is pretty generic marvel stuff but it's enjoyable enough. Just relax.

The jokes doesn't sit, and she is sooo amazing from the start go, you know exactly where this is going. They gave her the Rey treatment. No growth, no learning curve, no development. She is already won the gold medal before leaving the starting line. This reeks of lazy writing.

Mark Ruffalo was a huge part of the first episode, and he got some genuine screen time. It made me realise we didn't get much of him, being in very crowded Movies. A huge plus.

I loved the strength, emotionally I mean, of Jennifer Walters. Tatiana Malsany played her terrifically with heart, humour and strength.

Look forward to the rest of the series.