This review contains detailed spoilers for Episode 4 of She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, which is now streaming on Disney+. To refresh your memory, check out our spoiler-free review of last week's episode.
Another She-Hulk episode, another week without the Daredevil cameo fans are waiting for. But you know what they say about those who wait – plus, we get more Wong! Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany) enters the online dating scene, which is complicated enough without the added complexity of being a Hulk; Wong (Benedict Wong) can’t make it through an episode of anything without being relentlessly spoiled by his new friend; and She-Hulk: Attorney At Law takes some swipes at the abject ridiculousness of legal issues in a superhero-laden world.
It looks like Wong and the leaders at Karmar-taj need to tighten up their application process, because there’s another rogue wizard causing mischief, and it isn’t even Steven Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) this time! When a former student goes rogue and tries to use the mystic arts for his own gain, Wong hires She-Hulk to issue a cease and desist order. But Jen, Wong, and his new bestie Madisynn aren’t enough to stop Johnny Blaze from accidentally unleashing a demon realm on his auditorium.
She-Hulk Episode 4 brings two key components to the forefront. The first is that we could keep this show going forever just by having Jennifer Walters tackle the ridiculous scenarios that the audience accepts simply because we’re watching a world with superheroes. No, Wong, you can’t send someone to the mirror realm just because they’re vexing you (even if it might be better for the rest of the world). The second is continuing to highlight how being a Hulk has forever changed Jen’s life, and how she chooses to respond to this new complication.
Being She-Hulk and Jennifer Walters feel the same to the character because she doesn’t have a “Hulk” alter-ego in the way that Bruce (Mark Ruffalo) once did. She feels like Jen all the time (albeit a little more confident as She-Hulk) so it’s jarring for her when she goes from the apple of her date’s eye to being treated like a disappointment. We see her roll with the punches this week, but it’s mostly because she’s served with papers immediately after. Titania (Jameela Jamil) resurfaces this week and she’s suing for the She-Hulk name.
Episode 4 brings some solid action with Wong and She-Hulk taking on the demons while successfully convincing Blaze to knock it off with the real magic, and Titania’s return brings some intrigue to the table. Will She-Hulk represent herself in the case of the identity she didn’t even choose, or will she call in Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock to help with the proceedings? With nine episodes in Season 1, head writer Jessica Gao and her team did a perfect job crafting the ideal mid-season scenario without needing to play off a hiatus. We love a television series that acts like a show and not a “six-hour movie,” as so many TV executives like to say!
Laced in with the hilarity of watching Wong get his shows constantly spoiled and the scenes where women have their most cringeworthy dates played back to them in real time are tiny shout outs to everyday issues women face (a continued trend for the series). We may agree to go on dates with the understanding that they could be bad, but what we don’t agree to is being bothered in public while we’re working or with friends. I can also confirm that no plus-sized woman is signing off on clothes that look like that on their figure. But, the fact of the matter remains that stylish options in plus-size clothing remain tragically difficult to find.
Four episodes in and She-Hulk: Attorney At Law’s greatest asset continues to be its balance. It’s loud, proud, and female-centric while still bringing fun cameos, plenty of MCU tie-ins, and lots of street-level superhero shenanigans. The self-awareness ain’t bad, either.
Source: IGN.com She-Hulk: Attorney At Law – Episode 4 Review