*Warning: The following review contains spoilers for episode four of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law*
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law continues to find its footing, but the overarching picture of the series still feels underwhelming. This week, Wong (Benedict Wong) returns, but for some legal aid instead of testifying in a parole hearing. You see, he wants “magician” Donny Blaze (Rhys Coiro) to stop practicing the Mystic Arts in his shows, as every misuse of the practice could prove disastrous. That’s the gist of this week’s case, and it’s a lot more fun than last week’s episode.
Read: ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ Episode Three Review: “The People vs. Emil Blonsky”
Part of the reason why the episode is funnier is due to the addition of Madisynn (played with impeccable comedic timing by Patty Guggenheim, emphasizing that her name is spelled with two Ns, one Y, “but it’s not where you thiiiiiiiiiiink!”). She arrives in Kamar-Taj after being sent to an alternate dimension by Blaze, where Wong peacefully tries to watch one of the best episodes of The Sopranos. Madisynn spoils Wong what will happen (I won’t here, but if you haven’t seen The Sopranos, what are you doing with your life?), which then becomes the catalyst for The Sorcerer Supreme to take legal action against Blaze.
Then we’re off to another “case of the week,” which is fun to watch (especially when Madisynn drunkenly testifies), but the format’s cracks are starting to show. The worst aspect of the series, the action, becomes a bit better this time during a scene where Wong, Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany), and Blaze fight Demon-like creatures the magician summoned while trying to open portals to impress his audience. The scene looks fun and is an excellent showcase for the “movie-level” quality Marvel has been trying to promote with their television series. Still, its rough editing and breakneck pace hinder it from being memorable.
However, it does give a small glimpse of how She-Hulk will not tackle too “out-there” cases about massive events but stay in street-level (or relatively small scale) matters. Hell, Wong fighting Abomination (Tim Roth) in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was not a *massive* event since the cage match was supposed to be kept quiet. The fights have been small in scale and scope, but the cinematography and editing don’t do any favors. Here’s hoping that when Daredevil (Charlie Cox) shows up (God knows where?), there’s going to be some compelling action choreography brought to the table.
But what works in the episode certainly works well. Tatiana Maslany continues to shine as Walters; the meta-jokes remain sparse but effective, especially with how she teases what’s to come with Titania (Jameela Jamil) next week. There has been much debate considering Marvel’s episodes’ format (and runtimes), but She-Hulk: Attorney at Law has been the most effective. It’s the first MCU Disney+ show that feels like a television show, not a movie. As a result, none of the episodes overstay their welcome or feel too rushed. Instead, they always make the most of their runtime and deliver enjoyable entertainment for audiences. It’s a breezy comedy show, the way the studio pitched it as such from day one.
It’s a shame that the moments that should wow audiences don’t work and that some of the humor is childish. The CGI is marginally better this week, but not by much. It’s very inconsistent and veers in uncanny valley territory some of the time. But the episode remains a fun time, even if elements of it could’ve been polished.
Some don’t like the fact that Wong has become a full-fledged meme. His dancing at Alabama 3’s “Woke Up This Morning” while imitating Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) smoking a cigar corroborates that his character has become a joke. Still, I tremendously enjoy Benedict Wong’s continuous self-awareness as The Sorcerer Supreme, and he seems to have a good time. And I’m having a good time with She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, even though it is nowhere near the best thing the MCU has done or the best Phase Four project.
✯✯✯ ½
The fourth episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is now available to stream on Disney+.
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