IR TV Review: SHE HULK - ATTORNEY AT LAW - EPISODE 9 [Marvel/Disney+]
The essence of an interconnected universe has always been a large part of the Marvel thumbprint (though it has been criticized in the recent phase for not being as dynamic as in the beginning). The irony with the season finale of "She Hulk - Attorney At Law" is that it leans into it wholeheartedly against its own criticism. Again it is the talent of Tatiana Maslany that can sell this since she is still playing Jennifer Walters even when the 4th wall completely disappears and becomes a meta thing all its own. It is an interesting and very self-aware move which understandably is where it needed to go. The climax and the build up tends to thwart the build up of what the season suggested it needed to do but the real idea likely was to deconstruct the idea. As a result it seems more fresh but allows the train to keep moving (a post credit scene even identifies this). Like an episode earlier in the week of "Lower Decks" it makes an allusion that even a computer can write these stories but it takes some human ingenuity to push the idea along. That is why the endiing here still works.
It could be considered too self referential (which it is) but it still gets the job done, resolves the context of the show, gets you inside the head of Jennifer but also shows where the Marvel Universe has been lacking (female representation) and overcompensating (superheroes with daddy issues) which Walters thrusts right at the camera. As far as where another season might go, it still is fresh and possible but likely intercedes the multiverse (and then deconstructs that). Also the opening of the episode pays reference back to the 70s in the most beautiful way which captures that "She Hulk: Attorney At Law" knows exactly what it is, both in Jennifer's mind and in the writer's room (which again Maslany as Walters says directly in her meta style). "She Hulk: Attorney At Law" is not perfect but at least is trying something new but only with Maslany could this have worked. B+
By Tim Wassberg
