With the conclusion of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, yet another Disney+ series in the MCU has come and gone, this one serving as the last of Phase 4. The nine-episode season had plenty of twists, turns, and surprises to offer, but that didn't save Tatiana Maslany's She-Hulk debut from some intense controversy.
Between its unique brand of comedy, its handling of certain popular characters, and its divisive protagonist, many viewers had some harsh criticism to give. But that doesn't mean She-Hulk didn't enjoy its fair share of highs, with Charlie Cox's Daredevil comeback being widely praised across the board.
So, having been through all these peaks and troughs, how does each episode of She-Hulk stack up against one another? The Direct has ranked all nine installments in the debut season from worst to best.
9.) Mean, Green, and Straight Poured Into These Jeans (Episode 5)
It's tough to pinpoint exactly what makes the fifth installment the weakest of She-Hulk's nine-episode run, but there is plenty at fault here. This episode sees two stories run in unison - neither of which really proves very enjoyable - as She-Hulk faces Titania in court while Niki and Pug go clothes shopping for Jennifer Walters.
Ultimately, part of the charm of She-Hulk, both in terms of comics and her MCU adaptations, comes with how she plays in the wider world. This Disney+ series thrives when it focuses on the premise of being a legal comedy in the Marvel world, while this episode plays more as a generic and cringy comedy.
8.) Just Jen (Episode 6)
Unfortunately, "Just Jen" ends up being a rather forgettable outing in the She-Hulk saga - one that's carried by a fun side story and intriguing future set-up. Granted, the whole premise of this episode was to see how Jennifer navigates normal social life as a Hulk, but nothing that happens is ultimately too interesting.
Yes, Jennifer goes to a wedding, parties like there's no tomorrow, and goes head-to-head with Titania again, but none of that ends up being very entertaining. Just as Walters herself alludes to in the opening, this wedding story feels unfortunately timed in the season, which comes off more frustrating than anything else.
More positively, Nikki and Mallory's case with Mr. Immortal as they represent him against his many exes feels right at home in She-Hulk. This introduction of an all-new super-powered person who leads a totally different lifestyle from what is usually seen fits right into the legal comedy aspects that are the series' strongest.
7.) The Retreat (Episode 7)
After an arguably lackluster fifth and sixth installment focussed on Titania, She-Hulk made a powerful comeback with "The Retreat." As Jennifer struggles with a love affair gone wrong, this episode takes her away from the courtroom and normal life for a journey of learning to love herself - in both human and Hulk form.
This leads to plenty of powerful character moments for not just Jennifer but also a host of brand-new super-powered people who are part of Blonsky's group. Each of these characters, despite all being new introductions, has their own story and troubles, which make them quickly interesting companions for She-Hulk.
Simply put, this was a well-placed side-step from all the action and legal antics to truly focus on what it means to be a super-powered person in the Marvel universe. As always, it's also great to see more of Tim Roth's Emil Blonsky, who puts his many years with powers to use as a coach to this less experienced group.
6.) The People vs. Emil Blonsky (Episode 3)
In many ways, the first three episodes of She-Hulk serve as a trilogy to introduce Jennifer Walters, establish her as a superhero lawyer, and detail her first case: the parole of Emil Blonsky. Ultimately, what carries this installment to greatness is being a fun legal story that effectively concludes the opening arc of the series.
Alongside all of the Abomination action going on in this episode, Pug also has his own case going on in the divorce settlement of Jennifer's scumbag colleague and a shape-shifting Light Elf. This case was more than anything hilarious and even brought Walters into play to deliver a clever connection to her main case.
One also can't forget the ending of "The People vs. Emil Blonsky," and not the one that saw She-Hulk take on the Wrecking Crew. After the credits rolled, fans saw the green lawyer twerking with Megan Thee Stallion herself - a moment that fits right into place for the character and series but was highly controversial.
5.) Superhuman Law (Episode 2)
Serving as the second chapter in the aforementioned trilogy of opening episodes, "Superhuman Law" serves as an excellent follow-up on the premiere. Not only does this continue the origin story of She-Hulk - this time through her journey to becoming a superhero lawyer - but also brings the legal comedy aspects into play.
As Jennifer Walters gets accustomed to her new life and job, fans are treated to the return of Tim Roth's Emil Blonsky which is really the shining star here. To the surprise of everyone, Abomination has been on a quest for redemption, which makes his long-awaited comeback even more interesting than promised.
4.) Is This Not Real Magic? (Episode 4)
Jennifer Walters' debut MCU outing thrives when it leans into its premise as a legal comedy in the Marvel universe, free to explore a whole new angle on this world. Episode 4 does this perfectly as She-Hulk defends Wong in court and helps him to take down a rogue sorcerer, whilst also dealing with some magical demons.
Beyond all that magical action, there were plenty of amazing moments with Jennifer here as she went on several dates, some more successful than others. Once again, this only delivered more of what's great about She-Hulk as it offered a new spin on day-to-day life as a super-powered person in the Marvel world.
3.) Whose Show Is This (Episode 9)
The gamma-green attorney may not enter the courtroom for the finale, but that doesn't stop it from leaning more strongly than ever into She-Hulk lore. Although Walters may have lost her job and be on a mission to takedown Intelligencia for up-ending her life, she's more of a lawyer than ever here.
The series also delivers its strongest fourth wall break yet as Walters hops out of the MCU and into the Marvel Studios lot to meet KEVIN, a robot take on Kevin Feige. This is perfectly on board for the character who has hopped out the pages of her comics many times to meet the writers and editors behind them.
Among the only major criticisms to leave of the finale comes its handling of the series' running Intelligencia story as all that simply gets thrown out the window. Every piece of build-up gets quickly abandoned for the sake of the shock fourth wall break in a way that may feel cheap and unsatisfying to some but not all.
2.) A Normal Amount of Rage (Episode 1)
She-Hulk may have opened with an episode that completely abandons its legal premise in favor of an origin tale, but it remains an extremely effective premiere. With everything "A Normal Amount of Rage" offers in terms of both an original story and MCU connections, it's hard not to keep smiling the whole way through.
Tatiana Maslany quickly attaches audiences to Jennifer Walters with all the charm, comedy, and charisma that would go on the bless the entire series. Although fans are treated to a brand-new character here, they also get the rare experience of immediately seeing how she places in this world due to her Hulk connections.
1.) Ribbit and Rip It (Episode 8)
No, "Ribbit and Rip It" is not just the best episode of She-Hulk because Charlie Cox's Daredevil finally showed up. This story delivered on every aspect with legal comedy, superhero action, hilarious fourth-wall-breaking, and a stellar romantic dynamic between two heroes that shined thanks to the actors behind them.
Marvel Studios did an incredible job at bringing Cox's dark and brooding Matt Murdock into the comedic space of She-Hulk with comedy and charm that still felt in character for him. The relationship he quickly builds with Jennifer Walters also feels natural, earned, and the chemistry is clearly on point from the beginning.
In terms of the adventure that the legal eagle superheroes go on, this was a simple one as the two went head-to-head in court and then united to stop a kidnapping. But nonetheless, all the pieces fell into place as Leap-Frog made for a funny and fitting antagonist, allowing this episode to fully live up to all the Daredevil hype.
Did She-Hulk Deliver for Fans?
She-Hulk may not have been the most beloved Disney+ series yet among fans, but there were certainly plenty of highs to look back on along the way. Viewers were treated to plenty of superheroes, the most Hulk-centric story the MCU has told in almost 15 years, and even a trip to the Marvel Studios lot.
In many ways, She-Hulk was the strongest showcase outside of the blockbuster Avengers movies of the MCU as a whole. This series pulled from across the board with Hulks, Abomination, Wong, and Daredevil, along with introducing plenty of new super-powered people, allowing it to showcase this as a lived-in world.
Only time will tell whether She-Hulk has done enough for fans to earn itself a Season 2 renewal at Marvel Studios, but one can only hope so. Clearly, the concept behind the series has unlimited potential to expand into more episodes, especially as refinements can now be made based on the lessons of Season 1.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is streaming now on Disney+.
