She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (Disney +)

That was an outright great opener. Qualitywise I'll give it five stars (compared to the rest of MCU). But let me be absolutely blunt. That fact doesn't impress me in the slightest. I loved Ms. Marvel and Moon Knight's openers too. And The Falcon The Winter Solider and Hawkeye also opened strong. The Marvel Studios shows put all the money and effort into the Pilots, and with the notable exception of Loki, all quickly decline and fizzle out by the end. The first episode of this show being great is typical, and frankly, it doesn't matter. Let's see how things are going forward. I will remain a skeptic until then.

We have a few things to note. First, I was hearing complaints about the CGI from people who watched the trailer (I did not) but it looked fine in the episode itself. More than fine when you realize we finally got live-action MCU Hulk on a TV budget.

I was in a DBT group years ago, and that specific method of therapy was nothing but a pain in the ass. I'm not saying it wasn't helpful, but it's the only therapy program I have ever been in that required freaking homework. It being the therapy choice of Bruce for an increasingly frustrated Jen is totally apt on every level.

I like Jen's observation that as a woman she has more practice keeping her temper in check than any man could ever mansplain to her. She's right there.

I don't think less of Steve Rogers for losing his virginity on a USO tour with a random girl. I think less of him for bragging about that to Bruce.

As far as MCU canon goes, we learn that Hulk turned back to Bruce after Endgame because he was unable to integrate the personas with the injured arm. With the arm healed (finally!) we see that Smart Hulk is actually Bruce's preferred mode of being. I don't blame him. Smart Hulk is cool.

In conclusion, it was great. And that fact doesn't impress me in the slightest. *****.

I was very interested in seeing this episode. Second episodes of Marvel Studios shows follow a pattern. Usually the Pilot is great, and the second episode is a little LESS great, and then the show turns to crap from that point forward. This was not less-great than the Pilot, which is encouraging. I think the thing that tells me this series has the potential to work out is that the episode totally stayed in its lane. The premise is comedy and the episode remained a comedy the entire way through. Ms. Marvel going in the opposite direction is what utterly destroyed that show. I'm still pissed that a show with as great a first episode, as appealing a lead, and as fun a premise as that just became a nonstop downer instead. I would love to have blamed Jeph Loeb for that, but it was entirely Kevin Feige.

Either he's learned from that mistake, or more likely, it's simply that the intention of this series is different.

Hulk is on a spaceship? Hmmm.

Mark-Linn Baker is one of the rarest of actors who is equally as gifted in comedy as he is in drama. That is VERY unusual. It's always good to see him on my TV again (although I think he should lose the creepy porn-star mustache).

I was annoyed by the end as much as Jen was because because Blonski's redemption story seemed totally solid. The way he described the reason he was put into prison sort of casts that entire thing into doubt to not just Jen, but for me too. That fact tells me there is something else going on for that ending. But I really responded well to the idea here, and as much of a loser as Tim Roth makes him seem to us, he's also weirdly compelling and sympathetic too.

This is the first Marvel Studios show in a WHILE not to suffer a second episode sophomore slump. I'll get a fuller picture next week, I think, but the fact that I didn't really have anything to object to or make me uneasy is promising. ****1/2.