The MCU Series So Offbeat It Split An Entire Fandom

Fandoms have a tendency to bring out the best and worst in people who enjoy a franchise, but Disney+ dropped one of the most divisive shows they were ever attached to when they released She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. The 2022 series starring Tatiana Maslany as Jennifer Walters saw Bruce Banner’s cousin inherit his incredible power after an accident led to their blood being contaminated.

However, despite developing a green hulking persona like Bruce, Jennifer displayed significantly more control over her powers, being able to transform at will, and avoid becoming overly angry or aggressive while in her She-Hulk state. And interestingly, she also appeared to have the ability to break the fourth wall and engage with the audience directly.

With all of that in mind, this show was uniquely positioned to address the MCU’s fanbase, respond to criticism, and attempt to push back and play with audience expectations. Unfortunately, this wasn’t always looked on favorably, and the show ended up being one of the most divisive releases in the MCU’s history.

She-Hulk’s Take On The MCU Split The Fandom In Two

Here’s the thing: She-Hulk had a lot of challenges it needed to overcome to effectively get the audience on their side. The character was frequently compared to other Marvel figures like Hulk, and even Deadpool, because of common characteristics. And while people enjoyed and connected with those characters, there was a reluctance to embrace a different hero who might try to fill some of those same niches.

On top of that, the show directly pointed a finger at the audience and highlighted problems that it saw with how the fans engaged in their admiration of the MCU. And while some people were able to laugh at themselves and acknowledge that there was room to grow and change, there were others who felt attacked and lashed out at the show and all those involved.

On top of that, there were also some odd choices in the show that had not been seen previously in the MCU, but considering this series was a legal comedy as well as a superhero action showcase, it makes sense for them to introduce tongue-in-cheek humor and be more playful than the drama shows like WandaVision, and less espionage action oriented than shows like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

Despite a genuine effort to engage with the fanbase and offer a sincere critique, She-Hulk was met with frustration, derision, and a general unwillingness to take on board any of what the series was trying to highlight. Ultimately, the people who could have benefited most from its message lashed out, and many others struggled to connect due to the heavy-handed messages.

She-Hulk’s Visuals Also Came Under Significant Criticism

But it wasn’t just about the way the series tried to act as a moral compass for the fanbase. On top of pushing messages and criticizing the audience, the show also came under fire for the rushed CGI and the awkward transformations, particularly in major action sequences towards the end of the season.

In general, making a character like the Hulk, or his cousin She-Hulk, look ultra-realistic despite being an impossibility, costs a great deal of time and money. Even in a movie with hundreds of millions of dollars at their disposal, the transformations and action pieces with a character like the Green Goliath are usually kept to a minimum.

But, in a series titled She-Hulk, with the focus squarely on this character and how they engage with the real world, perform in a career, and connect with other people, the challenges are significant, and it shows that not enough time or money went into making every scene work as intended.

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law had a lot of redeeming qualities too, and it was a fun series as long as you could take the jokes in the spirit they were intended, but unfortunately, it also left the fanbase irrevocably divided in a way that has yet o be fully healed or improved on.