Geeks logo

She Hulk: Attorney of Law holds a disappointing MCU record and reviews, and there are several potential reasons for this which would explain why She-Hulk has such a low audience score.

Published by Oyetade Oluwadamilola

By Oluwadamilola OyetadePublished 11 months ago 4 min read
1

She Hulk: Attorney of Law is the latest mini-series released by the MCU. After the first season of the show concluded on October 13, the overall reaction from the audience was not good enough.

Ultimately, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law wasn't like other MCU shows. It was essentially a workplace sitcom about a super-powered lawyer, containing Fleabag-style fourth-wall breaks, irreverent humor, and an incredibly meta-finale that saw Jen Walters (Tatiana Maslany) face off. It's, therefore, easy to criticize the MCU incredibly predictable and homogenous fresh approach of the MCU. Although She-Hulk set up the return of Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) in Daredevil: Born Again and introduced Hulk's son Skaar, it didn't seem particularly interested in setting up future MCU phases.

Jen Walters always went to great pains to point out to the audience that She-Hulk was a "lawyer show" rather than a superhero show, even if this assertion was repeatedly challenged throughout the series. The fact that She-Hulk was overtly a comedy may also have thrown some audiences, especially given the MCU's checkered past with humor. Generally, the MCU takes itself a bit too seriously, and clearly, audiences have responded well to this over the past 14 years.

The flippancy and humor of She-Hulk likely made some audiences hostile, given that it regularly parodied some of the MCU's big hitters, causing some fans to be a bit defensive. In addition, the fact that much of the humor also derived from poking fun at Marvel Studios and its toxic fanbase may have made these fans even more defensive..

It can't be coincidental that She-Hulk directly confronted the misogyny and sexism within the more toxic elements of the fanbase, has such a low audience score. As soon as Jen Walters was revealed to be She-Hulk, she had a target on her back. In the She Hulk Finale the shadowy cabal Intelligencia was revealed to be a group of misogynist internet trolls who were furious about an increasing number of female superheroes like Lady Thor (Natalie Portman) and She-Hulk herself.

Intelligencia even uses Josh (Trevor Salter) as a honey-trap to steal Jen's blood, enabling them to turn into superheroes. Within these misogynistic online groups, review bombing has become one of the favored weapons in their arsenal.

She Hulk introduces a lot of new characters but they seems extremely shallow. The characters enjoyed a lot of screen time. However, far and few of them are relatable or even likable.

There is no character development after Jennifer Walters gained her powers in the accident alongside Bruce Banner when some of Bruce's blood gets transfused with her through a wound, she turning her into the titular She Hulk. This was followed by Bruce taking her to his secret lab and helping her embrace the reality of being a superpowered individual.

However, Walters is constantly rude to The Hulk, and insults his legacy, which is filled with an incredible amount of struggle. She following the pattern of behavior throughout the show, as a result of which, her character falls flat.

Even during the finale, when it's time for her to face the reality of the situation, she breaks the fourth wall and demands the writers give her a happy ending. Without any real stakes, the story feels superficial.

Tim Roth returned to the MCU as Abomination in Shang-Chi & The Legend of the Ten Rings. While he appeared as a fierce villain in The Incredible Hulk (2006), he now seems to have shed everything that made his character likable in the first place.

Abomination is one of the core Hulk villains and holds a lot of potential if used correctly. However, seeing as Emil Blonsky lacked any conviction to make a big move, it's next to impossible to bring him back into that light seems like a huge waste of potential.

The finale is a stark departure from MCU's usual endings. It’s know that the MCU holds a prestigious legacy. With the Avengers’ saga ending after Iron Man's grand sacrifice, it's up to the future to uphold these ideals. Sadly, that sacrifice is rendered meaningless in She Hulk.

Walters constantly breaks the fourth wall by talking to the camera and addressing the audience directly. It mimics the antics of Deadpool, though it works to the detriment of her story.

If that wasn't enough, Walters then lands in the writer's room, only to find that an A.I. named K.E.V.I.N (a reference to Kevin Feige) controls all the stories. There are countless moments in the MCU that are magical, and a portrayal like that might take the magic away from them.

She Hulk failed because it lacked the emotional hook that is otherwise typical of MCU's projects.

Despite the fact that the show had some obvious problems, it also introduced many new characters like Mr. Immortal which means that Planet Hulk is imminent. Even if the show didn't hit all the right marks, we can hope that future MCU projects will have a lot more to offer.

comicssuperheroesmovieentertainment
1

About the Creator

Oluwadamilola Oyetade

Oyetade Oluwadamilola is a talented creator hailing from Lagos, Nigeria. He has a passion for telling captivating stories through written and visual mediums, particularly articles, stories and photography.

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.