She-Hulk review, Episode 1: “A Normal Amount of Rage”

Okay, I’m just going to say this right off the bat: I love She-Hulk! It’s hilarious, witty, sarcastic, and the Marvel comedy series we didn’t know we needed. I love multiversal action as much as the next person, but getting a break from that is actually quite refreshing.

Obviously, there will be plenty of Marvel Cinematic Universe connections in this series. We know we’ve got Daredevil (Charlie Cox), Abomination (Tim Roth), and Wong (Benedict Wong) on the way. However, this series stands out from the get-go because of the comedy factor…and the fact it breaks the fourth wall. And there is no one better than Orphan Black’s Tatiana Maslany to play the title role. She is absolutely perfect, and she proved herself hundred times over in the premiere episode.

We have a lot to talk about, so without further ado, let’s break down the big moments from the She-Hulk series premiere! Beware SPOILERS ahead!

She-Hulk’s origin story

The series wastes no time telling us how attorney Jennifer Walters became She-Hulk. We know she’s the cousin of Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). While on vacation with a very human Bruce (more on that in a bit), they get into a car accident after a spaceship appears in front of them on the road. Bruce’s blood gets into Jennifer’s bloodstream, and voila! She becomes a Hulk just like him.

But being the Hulk isn’t easy, as we’ve seen over the years. There is a lot of anger control issues to deal with, not to mention the unexpected responsibility of being a superhero. Jennifer isn’t necessarily into all that and struggles to listen to her cousin as he tries to train her, which makes for some hilarious moments. I loved Maslany and Ruffalo’s banter together.

As for why Bruce is a human? He has a device that prevents him from going full Hulk, but the device shatters after they get in the accident. For the remainder of the episode, he appears as smart Hulk because he has finally figured out how to live symbiotically with his alter ego. He’s quite jealous when he realizes that symbiosis comes naturally for Jennifer, who can switch between human and Hulk form with no problems.

She-Hulk’s training

I thoroughly enjoyed watching Jennifer get trained by Bruce, especially because she seems to have a better grasp on being a Hulk than he did initially. She’s powerful, strong, and rivals him at everything he shows her.

Ultimately, she leaves the deserted island where he trains her with his blessing. Side note: I love that Bruce made a bar there with the help of Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.). It was such a cute call-out to Ironman, may he R.I.P.

Watching Jennifer try to control her She-Hulk powers is quite entertaining. We see her try hard not to Hulk out at the wrong moments. But that’s not always possible, like when a group of men starts bothering her outside a bar.

I think it’s in these moments where the show really shines. Jennifer tells Bruce later in the episode that she has had to control her anger constantly over her lifetime. She’s had to prove herself to her male co-workers, deal with grimy men, and face a world that isn’t always kind to women, especially women who openly show anger. That’s why she has much more control over Hulking out than Bruce did, and I’m so here for it!

Titania has arrived!

The episode ends with the introduction of the villain Titania (Jameela Jamil), who bursts through a wall while Jennifer is trying a case, for Jen to reveal her Hulk-ness to the world.

She didn’t want to be a superhero, but as Bruce said, you can’t ignore that aspect of this life. And it looks like Jennifer is finally starting to understand the immense responsibility that now lies on her huge green shoulders.

I don’t know how much more I can say about this series, except that I love it, I’m here for it, and I can’t wait for the weeks ahead. Marvel has struck gold once again, folks!

Grade: A

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