She-Hulk: Attorney at Law - Marvel Finds its Funny Bone, and She's 6'7" and Gamma Green
By John Kirk
Rating: A
How do you make a super-hero story funny? Humour’s a fickle thing in Marvel Studios shows. Super-hero stories are usually epic in nature, touching on either cosmic-level topics or on matters most human.
If there’s a joke to be made, then it must be appropriately placed and well-conceived. In other shows, attempts at humour have sometimes been awkward.
But She-Hulk: Attorney at Law gets it right.
Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) tutors his cousin Jennifer (Tatiana Maslany) in being green.
A little background: The She-Hulk originally appeared in The Savage She-Hulk in 1980, created by Stan Lee and John Buscema. She was supposed to be a lesser shade of savage, having received a blood transfusion from her cousin, Bruce Banner, aka the Incredible Hulk. The comic didn’t find its niche with readers and eventually, the She-Hulk was relegated to cameo appearances in other comics and eventually became a member of the superhero group, the Fantastic Four.
When legendary comic artist and writer John Byrne took over the revised title of The Sensational She-Hulk in 1989, he did so with a definitive tongue-in-cheek attitude. And to be frank, it revitalized the character and broke ground for its possible future development. You know, for something like this?
Byrne deliberately didn’t write this as a serious comic. It poked fun at a lot of traditional superhero tropes and frequently broke the fourth wall, inviting the reader to join the party by proxy. It was bold and refreshing.
It’s this treatment that we see honoured in Marvel’s latest comic adaptation to television. She-Hulk: Attorney-At-Law, adapted for television by Jessica Gao (Rick and Morty, Silicon Valley), is meant to be funny. In fact, it’s funny as hell – which is what Byrne intended.
Forgotten characters and fringe villains return. And while she’s a lawyer, she’s also supposed to balance her life as a super-hero, combatting opponents in the most outlandish way, while maintaining a career as a high-stakes attorney representing other superhumans.
A veteran from her own successful sci-fi show, Orphan Black, Tatiana Maslany knows how to play both humour and adventure to the camera. Maslany is an ideal choice, gifted with an innate sense of comedic timing, while also being overtly familiar with the tempo of a fast-paced action series. Amid jokes that land, coupled with awesome CGI to transform her into the 6’7” emerald-hued behemoth, she perfectly presents what Byrne had intended for his comic.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law works because it follows the source material well. It’s essentially a blueprint for a successful show because the comedy isn’t forced, out of place or trying to be a different animal.
Mark Ruffalo reprises his role as Bruce Banner/The Hulk, who guides his cousin in being a gamma-ray powered Hulk. The first episode speeds through the origin story in order to establish Jennifer Walters as a reluctant super-hero intent on a law career.
Ruffalo’s presence is not only essential but welcome as this version of the Hulk has Banner’s intellect as well. The friendly banter between cousins adds warmth to the show’s family tone.
However, one of the hallmarks of the comic was frequent cameo appearances of guest stars – which also gets fourth wall attention as well. The same holds true to the show, in which previous villains, heroes and other familiar characters find their way to the show, allowing these great fourth wall comedic moments which don’t disappoint. (In one instance, Benedict Wong, a.k.a. the Sorcerer Supreme of Dr. Strange film fame, seeks an injunction again an ardent student who keeps interrupting his viewing of The Sopranos).
While the episodes are only about thirty minutes long, viewers won’t feel short-changed. Each episode is filled with humorous moments, with multiple chances for She-Hulk to show her super-powered and legal acumen. It also highlights other issues like Jennifer’s struggle to manifest her own identity outside of her She-Hulk persona, family dynamics (what do you do when your daughter is a super-hero?) and why spandex should be her best friend.
Comic fans will easily recognize John Byrne’s influence in this show, and new audience members will not be disappointed. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law hits multiple notes on so many levels that it may be the most enjoyable TV series Kevin Feige will have produced for Marvel Studios.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is hilarious and a must watch. Thanks, John Byrne.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Program created by Jessica Gao. Starring Tatiana Maslany, Mark Ruffalo, Tim Roth, Benedict Wong, Josh Segarra, Jameela Jamil, Ginger Gonzaga. Series debuts August 18 on Disney+.