Spoilers She-Hulk: Attorney at Law discussion thread

[Reverend]

Honestly at this point, I'd rather have another Hulk show than a movie. More story, less spectacle.

As the second point, we've already seen how fast Banner's blood will infect a person. We see it in the origin of the Abomination and we saw it effecting Samuel Sterns' cranium pretty much immediately with contact. And, yes, these are also very conveniently placed drops of blood.

There was also that whole bit where Bruce cut himself in the factory, and ended up giving Stan yet another superpower. So clearly Bruce was well aware that his blood was a level 4 bio-hazard, even before Sterns started experimenting.

 

[Skipper]

A little bit off-topic. Try to imagine an alternate universe where they actually did this tv show!

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Might it have been this?
https://uproxx.com/tv/alison-brie-she-hulk-tatiana-maslany/
Apparently the casting sheet called for an Alison Brie type, and so people assumed she'd been cast, per the article.

It's possible. Also possible what I remember was posted here in the early going. But I do seem to recall something about a different person being the She-Hulk herself.

Like others have said, it didn't make any sense considering what they did with Ruffalo.

 

[Nerys Myk]

So what if he shares the spotlight with his awesome cousin?

Sensational cousin.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Sensational cousin.

I stand corrected.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I will say about the new female phase 4 characters is there isn't a whole lot of variety in their personalities. They're clearly trying to compensate for the genre spending several decades characterizing women as weak and helpless, but doing it subtractively by taking away vulnerability.

Being culturally on the right side doesn't make something good writing if you're that on the nose about it. The whole thing about "She can instantly control her hulk powers because she's used to being catcalled" seemed like just a bit of a reach. Preaching for the right team is still preaching. It seems like they've misdiagnosed the problem with those older helpless female characters. They can have agency and be strong and still have the same flaws and vulnerabilities as any three dimensional character, male or female, should have.

 

[Ghel]

As to the first point, the episode was 38 minutes long, including motion picture length end credits, so I should hope that the hour went by fast.

Perhaps I should rephrase since I wasn't timing the episode. The pacing of the episode worked well for me. There were no points where I felt it lagged.

 

[YLu]

I will say about the new female phase 4 characters is there isn't a whole lot of variety in their personalities.

What personality traits do Jennifer Walters, Ms. Marvel, and Jane Foster have in common? And that’s just the three latest installments, so it's not like I'm cherrypicking.

 

[theenglish]

I will say about the new female phase 4 characters is there isn't a whole lot of variety in their personalities. They're clearly trying to compensate for the genre spending several decades characterizing women as weak and helpless, but doing it subtractively by taking away vulnerability.

We only have one episode of She-Hulk so I can't comment there--but Captain Marvel was depowered throughout the movie until she regained her memories at the end; Jane was dying; Kamala was struggling with just being a teenager and learning how to control her powers. Sounds to me like you are making this up to prove whatever point you want to make--and I'm not sure I like your agenda.

 

[Non Sync]

I thought the first episode of "She-Hulk: Attorney" was funny in a light way. It certainly ended on a funny note. But . . . I can't believe Tatiana Maslany had ended up starring in this project. I'm sorry, but I thought it was beneath her. Beneath her talents. Perhaps I'm jumping the gun. Perhaps the series will improve in later episodes. But this seemed like a weak way to start a comic book hero/heroine production.

Look back to the Batman (1966-1968) TV series and some of the guest stars they had on the show: Burgess Meredith, Cesar Romero, Vincent Price, Cliff Robertson, Eartha Kitt, Milton Berele, Rudy Vallee, Glynis Johns, Ethel Merman, Dina Merrill, Howard Duff, Roddy McDowall, Van Johnson, Art Carney, Otto Preminger, Liberace, Eli Wallach, John Astin, Tallulah Bankhead, Joan Collins, Jill St. John, Phyllis Douglas, Shelly Winters, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Ted Cassidy, Jerry Lewis, Phyllis Diller, Andy Devine, Sammy Davis Jr., Sam Jaffe, Allen Ludden, Gypsy Rose Lee, Steve Allen, Dick Clark, Bill Dana, Don Ho, Chet Huntley, Edward G. Robinson, George Raft, Art Linkletter, and Henny Youngman. Frank Sinatra, Natalie Wood, and Cary Grant were also fans of the show and tried to get on, but producers were unable to come up with the right roles for them. Robert F. Kennedy was also a fan but couldn't get the details worked out for him to make a cameo as a character named Attorney General. A number of the stars were urged by their children or grandchildren to on the show.

For a very campy superhero show, there was a lot of talent that appeared on it. The list above didn't include actors just getting started like James Brolin, Teri Garr, and Rob Reiner.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Tatiana Maslany is quite a talent but she's always been a TV actress. To be a series lead with a show on D+ and a foot in the door into the MCU seems a pretty good place to be.

 

[FPAlpha]

Tatiana Maslany is quite a talent but she's always been a TV actress. To be a series lead with a show on D+ and a foot in the door into the MCU seems a pretty good place to be.

The MCU has been a career booster for many actors - it made Chris Evans an A Lister, saved RDJ's career and made him an A Lister again and gave others much needed mainstream exposure. I have a real problem with people thinking that the MCU should be beneath anybody, as if acting in comic book movies is somewhat less than "true" acting. The MCU wouldn't be where it's at if they weren't able to attract good talent who gave it their best. For actors to land a leading spot in an MCU movie is an extremely good career move, if it's a multi movie deal such as Evans had they will come off quite well too so everybody wins.

Now there are actors who clearly follow their own plan - make a blockbuster movie for the money and then do a couple "more artistic" movies which are more to their liking and i can understand this and respect it but i still get the feeling that mnost MCU actors really liked the experience of making a superhero movie ( not like Ben Affleck during the Superman vs. Batman press tour ).

 

[Nerys Myk]

Yeah, I think of lot these MCU stars have the ability and security to pick and chose their projects because of their MCU paydays.

 

[Gov Kodos]

The MCU has been a career booster for many actors - it made Chris Evans an A Lister, saved RDJ's career and made him an A Lister again and gave others much needed mainstream exposure. I have a real problem with people thinking that the MCU should be beneath anybody, as if acting in comic book movies is somewhat less than "true" acting. The MCU wouldn't be where it's at if they weren't able to attract good talent who gave it their best. For actors to land a leading spot in an MCU movie is an extremely good career move, if it's a multi movie deal such as Evans had they will come off quite well too so everybody wins.

Now there are actors who clearly follow their own plan - make a blockbuster movie for the money and then do a couple "more artistic" movies which are more to their liking and i can understand this and respect it but i still get the feeling that mnost MCU actors really liked the experience of making a superhero movie ( not like Ben Affleck during the Superman vs. Batman press tour ).

The genre and stories say little to nothing about the quality of the actor. One might even say it says something positive for the actor that they don't look self-conscious in the silly suits. The roles and stories might be simplistic (folks in silly suits punching other folks in silly suits) but that's pretty much what all drama boils down to, to be reductionist about it. Protagonists and antagonists. The actors ensure we care about what's going on whether it's a bunch of guys arguing around a table for two hours like 12 Angry Men or some guy going on a long ass hike to ditch a trouble relic like Lord of the Rings or The Gods Must be Crazy. If the actors are shite, it won't matter how cerebral the script and subject matter.

Ben Affleck's problem is for the most part Ben Affleck. That could be said of anyone but he has a pronounced case of the condition.

 

[theenglish]

Now there are actors who clearly follow their own plan - make a blockbuster movie for the money and then do a couple "more artistic" movies

You forgot the movie they do for their friend.

 

[Reverend]

I may be reading WAY too much into it (and probably am) but on a re-watch I can't help but wonder if the mention of Bing-Bong from 'Inside Out' is a subtle reference to what's going on with Jen's 4th wall breaking. I mean Bruce reacted so she is saying these things out loud to people who aren't actually there (not counting The Watcher), so it's sort of like an imaginary friend.

(folks in silly suits punching other folks in silly suits)

Which incidentally, also describes most Shakespearian productions (just with more stabbing than punching.)

 

[Gov Kodos]

I may be reading WAY too much into it (and probably am) but on a re-watch I can't help but wonder if the mention of Bing-Bong from 'Inside Out' is a subtle reference to what's going on with Jen's 4th wall breaking. I mean Bruce reacted so she is saying these things out loud to people who aren't actually there (not counting The Watcher), so it's sort of like an imaginary friend.

Which incidentally, also describes most Shakespearian productions (just with more stabbing than punching.)

I laughed at Bruce saying they don't get a choice in the names. That's the writers, after all. Maybe, the gamma radiation gives them varying degrees of awareness that there is something beyond the fourth wall.

I'm hoping they use it like Boston Legal where the episodes end with Bruce and Jen at the bar like Denny and Alan on the balcony talking about the show.

Bruce: Aren't you supposed to be trapped in the Leader's lair?
Jen: Not till next week.

 

[Skipper]

What personality traits do Jennifer Walters, Ms. Marvel, and Jane Foster have in common? And that’s just the three latest installments, so it's not like I'm cherrypicking.

They are all three women, aren't they? This makes them identical. In fact, the only way to tell them apart is by hair color.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Wow! Don't quit you job, because it's evident that being a Hollywood producer wouldn't be the best career choice for you.

Just the opposite: good producers are never "all-in" yes-men/yes-women, but are not afraid to challenge the bad tendencies of directors and even studio heads at the risk of their own positions.

I would be fine with that result if it meant a Hulk-centric film. So what if he shares the spotlight with his awesome cousin?

Because the other big MCU superheores all had their first sequel as the clear lead, even if guest stars appeared (e.g. non-headliners Black Widow & Fury in The Winter Soldier and introducing Sam/Falcon). With She-Hulk having her own series (essentially her own movie as a headliner), adding her to the (still unlikely) first Banner/Hulk sequel is the equivalent of a Captain America-level character (headliner) was the guest star in The Dark World, and it automatically takes the focus from the subject of the sequel.

For a very campy superhero show, there was a lot of talent that appeared on it.

Most were guest stars due to being personal friends of producer William Dozier, who slotted them into roles (and trying to help the sagging careers of some), hence the existence of so many of those terrible made-for-TV villains (e.g. Archer, King Tut, Shame, the Minstrel, Nora Clavicle, Lord Ffogg / Lady Penelope Peasoup, Ma Parker, Chandell, Egghead, et al,), or window cameos, more than the oft-used "my kids wanted to see me be mean to Batman" story.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

Any-Man and the Wasp? Would that work for Hulk and She-Hulk? Shulk? The Hulks? Jen and Bruce: Green on the Weekend?