“She-Hulk” is back! Though she obviously never left, her name’s trademark was just busy being taken by the villain Titania (Jameela Jamil).
This week brings another weak episode, following last week’s somewhat weak outing. I’ve come around on the previous episode more since publishing. Madisynn has really grown on me in the last week, but this episode doesn’t even have a standout character to fall back on. Sure, Titania is there, returning for the first time since the end of the premiere, but she’s not funny enough or interesting enough to make a big deal over.
There are several bright spots, however, with the series giving more time to its side characters and ending on a tantalizing tease of what’s to come, even if it lacks a post-credits scene for the first time.
Slight spoilers for all of She-Hulk ahead.
“She-Hulk” episode five, “Mean, Green, and Straight Poured into These Jeans” picks up with Jennifer Walters having to deal with influencer villain Titania stealing her name’s trademark and putting it on a variety of snake oil beauty products. Walters has no choice but to take her to court, having to defeat her adversary with the law instead of with fisticuffs. Meanwhile, Pug and Nikki are on a quest to get She-Hulk a fitting wardrobe from a shady superhero costume designer.
Outside of this being a weaker episode of the series, nothing else has changed. “She-Hulk” is still a blast to watch, and even if every joke isn’t gut-bustingly hilarious, the number of jokes that get a chuckle or small laugh pile up fast, to the point that not having a big punchline doesn’t matter. It’s just flat-out entertaining; the series isn’t worried about having those massive Marvel moments the cinematic universe is known for, but the series still has them in droves. We’re getting character comebacks for those that haven’t been active for over a decade, we’re getting exciting plot progression for Banner Hulk and we’re getting new fan-favorite characters on an almost weekly basis.
The one thing this series doesn’t have is a compelling main villain. Yeah, they’re trying really hard to make Jamil’s Titania that, but it just isn’t working. This week’s opening was funny, but that’s really the best her character has gotten so far, and Jamil isn’t really the reason for it. It’s just really disappointing, especially as Marvel has put a lot of effort into effective and fun social media marketing for the character. Even as a fan of Jamil’s other work, especially “The Good Place,” she’s just not nailing this role. I don’t know if it’s the fake American accent she’s putting on, but something just isn’t coming together here. I’d say it’s the show’s biggest failure so far.
No matter the villain, the teasing of Charlie Cox’s Daredevil at the end of the episode is extremely exciting. I’m not quite sure how Matt Murdock fits into a mainly comedic series, but I can’t wait to find out. I have faith that these writers can make it work; they’ve proved themselves to be able to handle MCU characters from all aspects of the universe.
Speaking of characters from all around the universe, Nikki and Pug get a chance to meet the Avongers (copyright-safe Avengers), or at least their merch broker this week. It’s a super fun subplot that will lead to She-Hulk finally making her way out of the uncanny valley. Putting her in properly fitting clothes will finally make her look a bit less ridiculous while simultaneously fixing some of the visual effects issues that have hampered past episodes.
Looking forward, there’s still a lot of fun to be had with the last four episodes of “She-Hulk.” If Charlie Cox makes his return next week, which they’re certainly teasing, then what other secrets are they hiding? I certainly can’t wait to find out, especially if they bring back the post-credits jokes and teases.
