S01.E05: Mean, Green, and Straight Poured into These Jeans

[tkc]

It appears we can add another superpower to Jen’s checklist: the ability to shrink with embarrassment!

This show is doing a great job with the character moments. I mean, the plots themselves are fine, but the nonsense with the Iron Man 3’s, the over-the-top fashion designer channeling Edna Mode, and the fourth wall breaks really add colour to the show.

Looking forward to seeing a certain someone from Hell’s Kitchen soon, and maybe finding out how he ended up with a new suit designer!

Edited September 15, 2022 by tkc

[AnimeMania]

She-Hulk discovers Titania owns the name “She-Hulk” and is
suing her for trademark infringement. 

Air Date: September 15, 2022

[arc]

Gasp. No post-credits scene?

Luke was delightful but yet I'm a little disappointed the superhero costumer wasn't Melvin Potter instead. Or, y'know, Edna Mode.

Dating in LA sounds dire.

[paigow]

47 minutes ago, arc said:

Gasp. No post-credits scene?

Disney+ should refund $.05 to every subscriber

[shapeshifter]

Is the show doing well WRT ratings and reviews? 
Or am I one of the few who feels like she's watching the comic book, superhero version of This Is Your Life?

 

9 hours ago, arc said:

Luke was delightful but yet I'm a little disappointed the superhero costumer wasn't Melvin Potter instead. Or, y'know, Edna Mode.

Griffin Matthews was the best thing about The Flight Attendant, and I thought he was terrific here as the costumer.

Edited September 15, 2022 by shapeshifter

[starri]

I have really found this show funny, but nothing made me laugh as hard as “It says ‘Avongers.’”

[thuganomics85]

Was not predicting that Jen would win the day thanks to her (and Mallory) bringing out her former dates from last week in order to prove that she had already been using the "She-Hulk" moniker before Titania did.  Sure, it might have led to some embarrassing cringe to relive all of that, but it was worth it!  Amused me that the muscle head guy automatically starting hitting on Titania after the case, because yeah, he's seems like that type.

Definitely am looking forward to seeing how Titania strikes back.  As I had hoped, Jameela Jamil, is really nailing down the whole vapid, social media influencer persona, with all of the selfies, mean quips, and general superior attitude towards everyone around her.  Took a few seconds to get use to her American accent compared to her normal voice, but it reminded me of the times Tahani would randomly do one on The Good Place!

Light on the cameos this time, but I enjoyed them expanding upon Mallory, Nikki, and Pug this go around.  Like how Nikki/Pug already have some kind of system were they trade favors for favors: including standing in line to get a pair of sneakers so Pug can have "one to wear", one to stare."

Finally start answering the real questions: where do all the heroes get their awesome suits!  I imagine that there are probably other ones scattered across the country, but I imagine that L.A. would be the best of the best.  Enough that, judging from that final shot, a certain someone from way across the country might be showing up to pick up his new helmet!

[Sakura12]

Matt ordered a designer helmet from LA. This is a different Daredevil. Lol

Jen's not afraid to embarrass herself, I like that about her. The Judge was probably thinking the same as Mallory, if she's willing to parade the bad dates she went on as She-Hulk then the name should be hers. 

She does seem more confident as She-Hulk. Not just with the being able to walk down the street at night with headphones on. She's not as awkward as Jen. 

I'm not even a fashion person but her suits were pretty bad. I can't wait to see what Luke made her.

No after credit scene probably because everyone will be waiting for the next episode anyway. No after credit scene will beat that. Plus we kind get extra scenes in the closing credits. We saw Pug getting his Iron Man 3's. 

[paigow]

The Avongers mug has been in the end credits all season... waited half season for the payoff...

[kay1864]

12 hours ago, paigow said:

Disney+ should refund $.05 to every subscriber

Pay to the order of... Mrs. Wilbur Starks... one dollar and NINE CENTS!

What the heck kind of car is that that Nikki is driving?

[phalange]

So thats where the “Avongers” merch comes from!

Poor Jen, having to relive her crappy dates in court, especially having to hear the doctor say he wasn’t interested in her as her normal self. At least they won the case, but I’m sure Titania will be back. 

Jen deserves some nice, well-fitting clothes. Can’t wait to see what the designer came up with.

[bettername2come]

9 minutes ago, phalange said:

Poor Jen, having to relive her crappy dates in court, especially having to hear the doctor say he wasn’t interested in her as her normal self.

That was so sad! I mean, I thought he was more respectful about it than a lot of guys would have been now that he's not shocked to see his date literally wake up as someone else, and there's nothing wrong with just not being attracted to someone, but the point they made over drinks about "I have literal superpowers and they still think they can do better than me" is a valid one. 

And yes, I want my nickel back for the lack of after credits scenes. Those have been the best part!

[arc]

1 hour ago, kay1864 said:

What the heck kind of car is that that Nikki is driving?

Looks like one of the Fiat 500 models.

1 hour ago, phalange said:

So thats where the “Avongers” merch comes from!

And it's adorable! I like how each "Avonger" is juuuuust off-brand enough to probably avoid getting hit with a trademark lawsuit:

[kay1864]

24 minutes ago, arc said:

each "Avonger" is juuuuust off-brand enough

HawkGuy! Holk is purple with anger. And Natasha is… Black Rabbit?

ETA: fans are already clamoring for Avongers merch; if Disney is smart they’ll start selling it. (the T-shirt is already for sale, but not by Disney)

Edited September 16, 2022 by kay1864

[arc]

2 hours ago, kay1864 said:

And Natasha is… Black Rabbit?

I think a scorpion, but it’s hard to be sure.

[MrWhyt]

I'm really enjoying the show but I think the length is hurting the stories, it seems like everything is either rushed or just gets cut off abruptly. I think I'd prefer less episodes but longer.

[kay1864]

51 minutes ago, arc said:

I think a scorpion, but it’s hard to be sure.

Ahhh that makes more sense. Now I see it.
Infinitely more sense, in fact. Thanks!

(the kickass fearsome martial-arts heroine Black Rabbit! Yeah that’s the ticket 😆)

The fact that the Art department would take the time to develop Thur and Holk etc that are close enough but not quite infringing, that we can barely see for a second…blows my mind.

Edited September 16, 2022 by kay1864

[HelloooKitty]

Ah yes, the Avongers!

Iron Person

Black Scorpion 

Holk

Hawkguy

Captain

and the Mighty Thur with his shovel!

[Silver-hyren]

I absolutely love this show and think it’s the best Disney+ Marvel series.  The slice of life/workplace comedy is a nice change - not everything needs to be end of the world doom and gloom all the time just because the main character has a superpower.  The 30 minute runtime per episode generally doesn’t bother me either.  Most if the other D+ shows had me checking to see how much time was left (:coughLokicough:).  This is the only one I thought the story got cut short (I wanted to see her new suits! Curse you no end credits scene!).  

[arc]

Polygon reports that Luke Jacobson is a deep cut from an old and very obscure Marvel comic that wasn't even set in the mainline MU:

Quote

But Luke Jacobson? It’s a pull from the little-known Dakota North.

As Keith Silva wrote in a 2018 feature for the Comics Journal: “To say Dakota North was an outlier is a disservice to outliers.” The first issue of the series was published in June 1986, and its fifth and final installment came only eight months later. Written by Martha Thomases and drawn by Tony Salmons, both essentially newcomers to creating comics, it is a concept so unique in scope and bizarre in tone that really the only place for it to go was down in (glorious, fascinating) flames. Dakota North wasn’t even set within the Marvel Comics universe, though its lead, Dakota, would eventually appear in in-universe comics, guesting alongside characters like Luke Cage, Daredevil, and Power Pack.

In Avongers merch news, the (company of the) artist who made the art (he also does all the Twitter Marvel emojis) tweeted an eyes emoji, maybe hinting at a real merch drop coming.

[starri]

I don’t really have a life, so it’s very rare that they make a reference that’s so obscure that even I don’t know it.  Hats off.

And I agree, I hope they can find a way to work him into the actual Marvel universe.

[Tachi Rocinante]

I'm partial to the Avingers

[kay1864]

2 hours ago, Tachi Rocinante said:

I'm partial to the Avingers

It’s people like you what cause unrest.

[tkc]

Here are some pictures of the Av(i/o)ngers merch. Notice the Avengers symbol has the arrow reversed, to avoid copyright infringement!

Here's the sneaker wall from the closing credits... try to identify as many Marvel characters as you can from the shoes!

[RobertDeSneero]

20 hours ago, arc said:

Polygon reports that Luke Jacobson is a deep cut from an old and very obscure Marvel comic that wasn't even set in the mainline MU:

When is the incel army going to attack because yet another beloved white character from the original source material was portrayed by a black actor?

[Cattoy]

She-Hulk was one of my favorite comics back in the day, so I was hyped for this. It didn't start great, but IMO, most pilots for shows are horrible. They haven't fleshed out the characters and their interactions yet, they don't know what direction the show will take, etc, etc, etc. With She-Hulk, the pilot has been the best episode so far and even that wasn't the greatest.

It's not the fault of the actors; the show did a great job with casting. But when the cameos are more entertaining than the main show? That's a problem. The writing just isn't connecting, and the cast can only work with what they're given.

I don't think anyone is watching this show expecting legally-accurate plots, but the scenes have been just lazy. It takes years to get a trademark. There was no need to parade the loser-dates. Computer logs would have shown she had registered her profile under that name, and that she interacted with a large number of people as She-Hulk. It only served as an excuse to humiliate the supposed main character of the show.

If the show gets a second season, I think it needs to get some focus.

[Affogato]

On 9/17/2022 at 11:00 AM, Cattoy said:

She-Hulk was one of my favorite comics back in the day, so I was hyped for this. It didn't start great, but IMO, most pilots for shows are horrible. They haven't fleshed out the characters and their interactions yet, they don't know what direction the show will take, etc, etc, etc. With She-Hulk, the pilot has been the best episode so far and even that wasn't the greatest.

It's not the fault of the actors; the show did a great job with casting. But when the cameos are more entertaining than the main show? That's a problem. The writing just isn't connecting, and the cast can only work with what they're given.

I don't think anyone is watching this show expecting legally-accurate plots, but the scenes have been just lazy. It takes years to get a trademark. There was no need to parade the loser-dates. Computer logs would have shown she had registered her profile under that name, and that she interacted with a large number of people as She-Hulk. It only served as an excuse to humiliate the supposed main character of the show.

If the show gets a second season, I think it needs to get some focus.

Lawyers are common and work for hire, so it is really strange when shows don't have legally plausible story lines.

[Ailianna]

Laws and procedure vary WILDLY by jurisdiction. What one lawyer thinks is crazy another will think commonplace because of differences in local practice even in the same state.

Most real legal practice is also damn boring to watch. Jen at her desk reading isn't going to do much for anyone's excitement level.

The trademark issue, raised above, is an example of prioritizing "reality" over story. So far, the theme of all the episodes has been Jen slowly coming to actually accept her alter ego. She goes from wanting to pretend nothing happened to reluctantly using it when she had to. But in this episode she had to actively claim this as part of who she is, not to be secret, or shameful or hidden. Maybe a metaphor in there? But she is finally admitting to herself and the world that this is who she is, and even fighting to hold on to her identity. 

That story arc dies a pathetic death if it takes her years to get there or years to make everything legally exact.

[marketdoctor]

On 9/15/2022 at 7:08 PM, paigow said:

The Avongers mug has been in the end credits all season... waited half season for the payoff...

Avongers...Arrive!

It's one of their best running jokes since Rogers:  The Musical.  Also, as Ailianna notes:

Quote

That story arc dies a pathetic death if it takes her years to get there or years to make everything legally exact.

Most cop/legal shows have this issue.  And they can't keep using "several months later", because that raises questions about the timeline.  It'll be a nice reverse lampshade if Jen breaks the fourth wall to address it, but I'm not waiting for that to happen.

[tennisgurl]

My birthday is coming up, I am really going to need some great Avongers merchandise. I would especially like Thur's mighty spade, to garden like the gods! Only the worthy shall weed! 

I love MCU Edna Mode, Jen really needs to deal with her outfit issues. I cant wait to see what a nice tailored outfit looks like on her, both as She-Hulk and as Jen. 

I cant wait to see more of Jameela Jamil, she's hilarious even if its still weird for me to hear her in an American accent. I think the judge half gave the Jen the win just because she felt bad for her, having a whole parade of bad dates show up to explain how they aren't into her on the record is more brutal than most fight scenes. 

That mask sure did look familiar...

Edited September 19, 2022 by tennisgurl

[rmontro]

On 9/15/2022 at 9:54 AM, shapeshifter said:

Is the show doing well WRT ratings and reviews? 

I've heard this is lowest rated Marvel Disney+ series yet, and the first to fail to make the Nielsen top 10.  Not sure why that is, it's only a half an hour and goes by quickly and painlessly enough.

I do think the episodes have been falling off as the season has gone on though.  I was looking forward to seeing Jemeela Jamil (again), but I thought this was the weakest episode yet.  Should get more interesting if/when the owner of that yellow cowl shows up.  I like the main character, but I notice this show seems to live and die on its guest stars.

[paigow]

18 minutes ago, rmontro said:

Should get more interesting if/when the owner of that yellow cowl shows up.  I like the main character, but I notice this show seems to live and die on its guest stars.

If Netflix Daredevil had been titled Senor Foggy instead, that would have been the model for this show. Jen / She-Hulk is avoiding the Superhero lifestyle so the guest stars have to shoulder the hero burden...

[Guest]

3 hours ago, rmontro said:

I've heard this is lowest rated Marvel Disney+ series yet, and the first to fail to make the Nielsen top 10.  Not sure why that is, it's only a half an hour and goes by quickly and painlessly enough.

It only being a half hour show works against it in the Nielsen ratings. Unlike regular ratings, streaming ratings are based on total minutes watched. The nature of how streaming shows are released means that the Nielsen ratings really doesn’t tell us anything about how many people watched it compared to the other Marvel shows. 

[rmontro]

5 hours ago, Dani said:

It only being a half hour show works against it in the Nielsen ratings. Unlike regular ratings, streaming ratings are based on total minutes watched. The nature of how streaming shows are released means that the Nielsen ratings really doesn’t tell us anything about how many people watched it compared to the other Marvel shows. 

Yeah, I get it, it's like a double album vs. a single album used to be back when they used to sell records.  If you sold one double album, it counted as two.  Personally, I like the half hour format.

[chitowngirl]

I could also see people waiting to binge this once all the episodes drop…

[Danny Franks]

I'm very pleasantly surprised by Jameela Jamil's performance. I didn't know what her range was like, but Titania is so different from Tahani, and is completely convincing as a social media, airhead, grifting opportunist. And I know Jameela will have loved this role, as a major critic of the Kardashians and their snake-oil selling. I absolutely laughed at the other lawyer asking, "this is the person who legally out-manoeuvred you?"

The discussion about Shulkie not trademarking her name was fun. I like the show focusing on this sort of minutiae that no one ever thinks about, but that would totally be an issue in a country as litigious as the USA.

I can get why guys who really have the hots for She-Hulk might not be interested in Jen, because they're very different. Tatiana Maslany is really attractive, but Jen is portrayed as mousy and diffident (the oversized suits don't help, obviously) while She-Hulk is literally larger than life.

A fun aspect of this show is that Jen is a bit of a pushover as a person - she takes the picture of Titania and fan when asked, she agrees that she and that weirdo should go out for another drink, and I'm sure there are plenty of other examples. That juxtaposition with her physical strength and intelligence is interesting.

Seeing Griffin Matthews show up as the fashion designer was cool. I really liked him in Dear White People and this show gave him the chance to really ham it up. And I enjoyed the Daredevil tease.

I think my only real criticism of this show is that I think the pacing is off. Sitcoms have a rhythm and cadence to them (both good and bad ones) that are suited to only being 25-30 minutes long. This show doesn't quite have that pacing. The editing isn't as tight, the end of each episode feels like it leaps up out of nowhere. Maybe they didn't have enough sitcom writers on the team.