*Warning: the following article contains spoilers for episode eight of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law*
OK, he’s here. Are you going to stop complaining now?
Of course, you won’t because this Daredevil (Charlie Cox) doesn’t have the same grit as the Daredevil from the 2015 Netflix series of the same name, which was, shocker, expected. But everyone started to complain and go, “look how they massacred my boy” when Entertainment Tonight released a clip of She-Hulk: Attorney At Law‘s latest episode, which saw Daredevil being more acrobatic than in the Netflix show and…[ah (!!!) noooo (!!!) what are we going to do, now!!!!!] quip!
Read: ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ Episode Seven Review: “The Retreat”
Anyone who complains hasn’t read a single Daredevil comic or seen the Netflix series for what it was beyond its TV-MA-rated violence. One of the first things uttered from Matt Mudrock and Foggy Nelson’s (Elden Henson) mouths in the first episode of Daredevil is a hilarious joke. So when Murdock says, “my ass remains un-whooped,” as semi-cringeworthy as the line is, it’s perfectly in character. And do you need further proof that it’s the same character from the Netflix series when the theme from that show starts to play over the episode when Murdock says, “I’m Daredevil”? I’ll stop here because you’re going to complain anyways.
Of course, the episode’s tribute to Daredevil‘s hallway fight scenes wasn’t going to be as thrilling as the Netflix show. Not because of its TV-14 rating, but because director Kat Coiro and cinematographer Florian Ballhaus didn’t opt for a one-take. The cuts happen at the most random moments, and as awesome as some of the aesthetic flourishes are in the scene (neon blues and an endless barrage of henchmen), bad cuts ruin most of the action here. But seeing Daredevil in his classic yellow suit and Cox back in the role fills my heart with so much joy.
And as much as She-Hulk has trouble crafting impeccable action scenes (which have been a problem since the beginning), the episode still shines because of Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany) and Matt Murdock’s chemistry. Cox and Maslany are excellent together in the banter they create in the courtroom (oh my god, does it feel amazing to see Murdock as a lawyer again wholly destroy his opponent!) and their superhero antics. The fight scenes are OK at best, but their lively spirit remains untouched.
You can tell Cox is having a blast donning the suit again and duking it out with a new weapon in his arsenal to boot, while Maslany seems happy in giving him the spotlight…even if she consistently reminds the audience whose show this is. And even amidst the flaws, I couldn’t help but have a smile from the minute Murdock walked into the courtroom to his walk of shame. Because, yes, they go at it. Did I expect it to happen? No. Does that mean Murdock is over Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll)? Only time will tell…
If anything, all these episodes made me excited to see the character again in Echo, Daredevil: Born Again, and Spider-Man: Freshman Year. And since they’re setting him up to be a significant player, it’s clear that he will be an integral part of Phases Five and Six of the MCU. After that, we have to see what else Kevin Feige and Co. have in store for us as the franchise progresses.
Other elements in the episode weren’t as vital as Daredevil and She-Hulk’s relationship, such as the addition of the very silly (and amazingly dull) superhero/villain Leap-Frog (Brandon Stanley), who kidnaps Luke Jacobson (Griffin Matthews) after his suit malfunctions. Leap-Frog forces him to build a new suit, but his plan gets thwarted by the arrival of Daredevil and She-Hulk. Unfortunately, he’s a reasonably standard villain, and while Stanley’s portrayal is caricatural, he is one of the most forgettable foes this series has brought on so far.
There’s also the aspect of the tacked-on cliffhanger ending, where the Intellegencia exposes She-Hulk as the “fraud” she is, only for her to rage out and scare everyone at the gala, leading to an altercation with the Department of Damage Control. My gut instinct says that she will be in legal trouble, which is how the show will come to a finale, with the “HulkKing” being revealed to be none other than that creep Todd (Jon Bass). One thing’s for sure: She-Hulk: Attorney At Law‘s eighth episode has held my interest long enough for me to want to see how it all ends next week.
✯✯✯½
The eighth episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is now available to stream on Disney+.
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