She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Season 1 Episode 5 Review: Mean, Green, and Straight Poured into These Jeans

It is disappointing that the most enjoyable aspect of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Season 1 Episode 5, “Mean, Green, and Straight Poured Into These Jeans,” is the title.

This episode is by no means a failure, but after four balls-to-the-wall installments bursting with chaos magic, the toned-down mediocrity on display here cannot help but feel like a misstep.

Alas, the follow-up to Madisynn’s outstanding performance was bound to disappoint us. There was no topping that insanity.

A Tough Crowd

Episode 5 acknowledges the sitcom format more than ever, embracing the staple filler episode in pursuit of a new look for Jen. Unfortunately, it uses the sitcom as a crutch rather than a tool to elevate the superhero element.

She-Hulk forces itself into the confines of a traditionally paced twenty-minute comedy with stricter A and B storylines than it initially humored.

There’s almost no ceremony as characters disappear off-screen, and interactions offer little organic development. The result is a body of work that feels out of character.

Maybe it’s the dialogue or pacing, but something is off about how this installment operates within its pre-established world, and like a sign with a flickering bulb, it grates at the viewer.

But perhaps the most perplexing choice is the one to forgo a post-credit scene.

I was under the impression these reverse cold opens were a way to pay homage to the sitcom framework. After all, small details make a show, and this shift suggests She-Hulk doesn’t entirely appreciate the brand it’s cultivating.

I also have a bone to pick with She-Hulk‘s treatment of our leading lady.

We are halfway through the season, and while the show has offered a ton in the way of top-tier cameos, we have witnessed very little earnest development for Jennifer Walters.

She came out of the gate as a fully realized character with drive and a niche personality. Unfortunately, episode 5 gives us the shell of that character as it reduces Jen to a side character and forces Maslany to convey gravitas through cgi-layered expressions.

It would be okay to make her the butt of the joke down the road. But with several episodes of tedious world-building, this show cannot afford to poke fun at Jen’s “unattractive” personality when it has yet to establish that personality.

She-Hulk is leaning on its comedy as an excuse for keeping the character development light. However, WandaVision‘s evolution of the Scarlet Witch proves that you can keep things light and leave with a fully fleshed-out protagonist.

Avongers Assemble!

Josh Segarra may not have intended to carry the responsibility of this episode’s success when he picked up that plastic shield and foam hammer, but he is our saving grace nonetheless.

Segarra reentering his Sirens himbo era is everything I had hoped for. Pug’s loveable golden retriever energy and the joy in his eyes as he explains his grand sneaker heist is matching Madisynn in wholesomeness.

He’s giving “Bucky with an ice cream cake” vibes as he whips that toy shield around, and that’s all we can ask of our Marvel men.

And Ginger Gonzaga’s Nikki finally gets to shine! She carries the fun as effortlessly as Segarra, leaning into the whimsy of dressing up in knock-off Avengers merch and dancing her way into the most elite superhero design studio.

Together these loveable goofs prove that She-Hulk doesn’t have to dig deep into the psyche of these characters to strike a chord.

Fashionably Late

Cue the Daredevil theme song because our suffering catholic is back in style.

For how clunky and cheap this episode can feel at times, Daredevil’s helmet reveal is straight class. The tongue-in-cheek reveal of Matt’s signature horns is as elegant as the high-end tailor replacing Melvin’s workshop.

Matt’s arrival in LA confirms Daredevil is coming sooner than we thought, and he’s coming with a new backstory.

That change is terrifying; let’s not pretend a total reboot of a near-perfect series is not. But there’s no plot erasure that can convince me MCU Foggy and Karen are not in Hell’s Kitchen worried sick Matt got lost on the subway again while he galavants around California.

This episode may underutilize Renée Elise Goldsberry and make some truly odd tonal choices. But thanks to a few cleverly placed props and one adorable sneakerhead, She-Hulk lives to see another day in court.

—

What did you think of this episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Critic Rating:

User Rating:

 

New episodes of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law stream Thursdays on Disney+.

 Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!

TIFF 2022: A Q&A with the Cast of ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’