“She-Hulk” Episode 2 R&R: When in Doubt, Hulk Out
“I’m contractually obligated to look like this, but at least it’s a better contract than the one my CGI artists currently have.”
by Rob LoAlbo
All photos courtesy Marvel Studios and Disney Plus
With two episodes under our wrestling belt, She-Hulk has now had the chance to settle in and find some footing. So, did it get any better, i.e. suck less? Are Maslany’s charms enough to keep us interested? Or is succumbing to bad instincts and getting worse?
I’ll see you in court because spoilers are coming at you way too fast!
This week’s case: Blonsky v. Walters
FACTS OF THE CASE
Now that Jennifer is out, she’s all the rage on the news and in the pop culture stratosphere. She’s loath to be known only for her superpowers and more for her legal, less-green body of work. Yet her persona is eclipsing her private life as everyone wants ‘She-Hulk’ at their job, bar parties, and bat mitzvahs. Who doesn’t want her around? Well…her law firm, so she’s shown the door before she can smash it.
And what’s worse than getting fired? That’s right: dinner with your parents. Everyone’s got something they want to fix with Jen (and Maslany is funniest when she’s the butt of the joke with some sitcom self-deprecation). Now at her lowest, her court opposition swoops in to hire her to head up their new division: Superhuman Law. The catch? She needs to be in She-Hulk form. Double catch? She needs to represent Emil Blonsky aka Abomination aka Tim Roth from pre-Ruffalo Hulk days. Will Bruce forgive, forget, and give her the blessing she needs? Of course he will! He’s a changed man. (“I’m a completely different person now. Literally.”)
“I need to be real careful with this second dose, or I might turn into Mark Ruffalo.”
He’s moved past those events and also beyond this planet (on his way to Sakaar for maybe some World War Hulking?). Not only that, but Blonsky’s reformed! No longer the Harlem-smasher he used to be, he’s now all poetic and third-eye chakra-d out, sending haikus to anyone who will read them. And the kicker? He’s also got a good legal defense by playing the victim of US bureaucracy. He’s up for parole and wants to hang out with his “seven pen pals.” (Could this be a hint directed at the Thunderbolts movie? I have Ms. de Fontaine on line two!) Jen wants to take the case (or is voluntold to) so she’s mounting a defense with Bruce’s blessing.
Shortly afterward, the news of Blonsky’s fight club days comes to light, which involved some Wong-assisted prison breaks (remember “Shang-Chi”?). IMHO, that’s a deal breaker for parole. Can Jen beat the legal system and Hulk out a jury of her peers? Can she be more than just a figurehead in the office? Will her dad get her to build that addition he’s always wanted? Tune in next week!
EVIDENCE AND TESTIMONIES
With the show kicking into its main plot (and all that pesky origin story stuff out of the way), we begin to see an emerging sitcom tone in the setups and caricatures of those around Jen. This episode is way more consistent than last week’s, with Maslany landing some great pratfalls and exhibiting spot-on comic timing, especially as she struggles with Jen’s metabolism. The story serves her better, too, as the editing is tightened to play to her quick quip strengths (which actually feel more like jokes this week). She and the show have a real His Girl Friday energy to it, with some rat-a-tat-tat dialogue that crackles. And thankfully, the fourth wall breaks are significantly more natural vs. last week’s forced insertions.
“Sir, if you’re going to talk to me about forced insertions, I’m going to have to report you to HR.”
The show moves quicker, with this week’s episode settling into the 22-minute sitcom format. Taking clear cues from past sitcom shows, showrunner Gao knows not to spend too much time with one set piece or in a particular moment, which was NOT the case last week when we spent so much time training. Now, scenes get set up, plot is delivered, jokes fly, status and self-esteem get knocked down, end with a joke or visual gag. Great! (Or as Paul refers to it, a Friday night on the town.)
The jokes are also getting more meta, with quick visual references to Wolverine, The Eternals, and America’s ass himself, Steve Rogers. (And Hawkeye’s arrows have got to be out there still, right?) Hulk/Banner time is mercifully shortened so we get to spend real time with our titular hero instead of Marvel fan service playing out. (Yeah, yeah—we all love Maguire and Garfield, but did they really serve the overall narrative?)
“Nothing says reformed like finger-guns! Amiright?!? Pew! Pew!”
VERDICT
The show improved over last week, but it still has deep flaws that significantly impact the overall feel with She-Hulk’s look being one of them. Without Ruffalo’s Hulk nearby, her CGI is looking less Marvel-y and more Shrek-ish. (Most likely because Hulk has been in the MCU for years and they’ve had time to develop his look.) It’s awkward and uncanny, and worst of all, it doesn’t register the comic nuances of Maslany’s performance. When she’s Jen, she’s a riot. As She-Hulk, not so much.
This image contains 37.6% funnier content than the opening photo.
The pacing and tone are both tighter, and the show commits to the sitcom vibe more so, but it needs to not hold back and instead let the zaniness fly. Gao should look to shows like Cheers, Mary Tyler Moore, and Moonlighting for inspiration and how to handle that approach.
The cameo of the week (Tim Roth) was handled much better than last week’s Ruffalo cameo. It didn’t dominate and allowed Maslany to shine as the straight woman. My advice—keep the cameos brief and let them serve the main character. And speaking of character work, I’m not really sure what Tim and Eric sketch her family was pulled from, but please put them back (yes, even cousin Chad).
“Can someone pass the two-dimensional quirks, please?”
WIN, LOSS, or SETTLEMENT
This week’s episode is getting knocked down to small claims court and being deemed a minor win. It’s not a monumental improvement, but it’s heading in the proper direction. Maslany clearly knows what she’s doing and Gao is getting more sure-handed as we progress. As it stands, She-Hulk’s future is much brighter as things are looking up for the brow-beaten green attorney.
Star City Rating: 3½ out of 5
Next Week: The jury calls Wong (one name, like Madonna) to the defense.