Cat-apple mutant drummer

On my YouTube feeds, this pops up. No surprise since the Google algorithm is overheated with my current BABYMETAL foxhole trawl. There's nothing I can say about this clip, other than that it demonstrates the chaos when a supporting cast decides to upstage the performance -- except that this character in the foam suit IS the performance.

Introducing Nyango Star. Apparently, this insanity stems from a dead cat whose spirit is reborn inside an apple. Visually, the suit is, in fact, a mashup of a cat face forcibly grafted on an apple, but where do the mad drumming skills come from? First, apple in Japanese is 'ringo', and the sound a cat makes, 'meow' in English, is 'nyan' in Japanese. So the fusion of Nyan-go for the first name. But Star? There's a big mystery around who the person in the suit could be, as that's never been revealed. While I have no guesses as to who it might be, I can guess the inspiration behind the name and how it all fits together. Do any non-boomers remember the drummer for the Beatles, Ringo Starr? Now think of him as a cat-apple mutant heavy metal drummer. There you go!

Oh, theory confirmed!

Death chant

I watched a different version of the video I'm sharing here. The one I did watch disturbed me for quite a while because it seemed so dark. We hear the crowd chanting "death" over and over again, and I couldn't fathom any reason for their rabid fanbase to wish them such ill. In the video I watched, SU gets crucified at some point in the item, much to the delight of the audience, and all I could do was stare, mouth agape. What. The. Heck.

The song, if that's what it is, begins with a sombre dirge over a disconcerting projected narration for which I have no translation. The girls enter wielding Sith lightsabres to a sped up execution drum beat. They take strategic points on stage and cheerlead the crowd in spelling out B-A-B-Y-M-E-T-A-L, commencing the "death" chant.

The girls then introduce themselves in turn: "SU-METAL desu", "YUIMETAL desu", "MOAMETAL desu", and then the realization hits. The whole thing is based on a terrible dad joke of a pun. "Desu" (I am) is pronounced "des", and when lisped, "death". That explains MOA's odd way of introducing herself in interviews sometimes, when instead of saying "desu," she sticks her tongue out between her teeth, turning the "s" sound into a "th" sound, which I thought was a bit strange.

It turns out that this song is usually their opening number, and it fulfills a number of functions. First, there are no melodic vocals, which gives focus to the band and its instruments, leaving no doubt that we are at a metal concert featuring blistering metal music. Right from the get-go, the crowd is amped up and already interacting with the performance, setting a pace and rhythm that is easy and compelling to follow. The chant of "death" sets a horror tone invoking the sort of fun, Halloweeny atmosphere this show thrives on.

The girls aren't just introducing themselves with their names, but are ritually casting off their everyday forms of Suzuka Nakamoto, Yui Mizuno, and Moa Kikuchi, and transforming themselves into the powerful beings of SU-METAL, YUIMETAL, and MOAMETAL respectively. Think of it as a dark Sailor-Moon type transformation sequence. Their final pose is crossed forearms over face, fingers of both hands making the fox-sign. Megitsune masks on, they are ready to engage their fans in another butt-kicking 'live' performance.

And in case you are still curious about the crucifixion thing, long story short, it's SU celebrating her 16th birthday like a drama queen. I mean, why not?

Awadama Fever: Literal bubblegum pop

To be honest, this song wan't on my list for review, but it triggered an unexpected memory for me from a long time ago that I decided to make a record of it.

This performance of 'Awadama Fever' opens with Kami band's super impressive solos getting the audience hyped and rockin'. Enter the girls, their vocals effortlessly slicing through the thumping beat. The song title translates to 'bubble' (awa) 'ball' (dama), so it's a song about being carried away in a bubble gum bubble. To get around the physics of bubble gum being heavier than air, flight is achieved by unlocking the power of dreams. Quite a Studio Ghibli conceit, and clearly a fun one for performers, musicians and the crowd to create the fantasy together. Ah, yay!

There's a lot more mime I observe in this dance. The girls' arms form the shape of the bubble, their hands shape the secret box, turn the locks, open the door, and I'm sure there a fox and sox in there somewhere too (says the voice of Zeuss). The recurring image is the giant bubble the girls maneuver around the stage, taking it anywhere, or maybe it's taking them as they 'ride on the wind'. They even mime the sensation of being lighter than air during the instrumental bridge.

I'm speculating that 'Awadama Fever' is an updated, upbeat, metallized version of the traditional children's song, 'Shabondama', or soap bubble in English. The two songs have the same idea, of ephemeral bubbles floating upwards on the wind, except that the latter focuses more pessimistically on the fragility of the vehicle and briefness of the flight, while BABYMETAL is more excited about the prospect of flying on dream-powered bubbles, even if it lasts only as long as an hour-long nap. Po! Po!

I'm not sure how far back the 'traditional' song goes, as I believe soap to be a fairly recent invention, but at least old enough for my dad to have learned it as a child, and in turn, he taught it to me when I, too, was little. Learning this song in Japanese school was probably one of my dad's more pleasant memories of the Occupation. It stayed with him at least long enough to pass it on to me, though I had since forgotten it over time. And now I have a reawakened memory, recently unlocked from my secret box of forgotten things. A 'mint-flavoured time machine' indeed.

Throwback to the early days with Doki Doki Morning

Welcome to early BABYMETAL, really a reference point as to how much the band has grown up and into the performers who released their fourth album just a month ago. This video release is ten years old, but even then it already features quite some quality production values for its time.

The concept fusing bubblegum pop with heavy metal instrumentation shouldn't have worked. It's crazy making the headline performers be younger than the legal age allowed at the venues they are performing in (assuming alcohol is being served). It makes no sense to have children's voices leading the brutal accompaniment, and definitely no business turning the whole thing into this addictive, cutesy, feel-good fusion of metal, rap, and pop all thrown into this delicious, incongruous sonic rojak (spicy mixed salad) of a song. It works so well, and the big mystery with BABYMETAL and their penchant for experimenting with genres like a mad scientist pouring test-tubes of multi-coloured chemicals into each other to find the most explosive combos is HOW does it work?

In this video, the Halloween theme does a lot to bridge the gap. In the midst of a face-melting opening riff, the girls emerge from the depths, lurching to a zombie rave before reverting to their 'human' selves, singing about how difficult it is to get up in the morning, yet being all excited to grow up and see what life has to offer. Maybe they shouldn't have been partying all night in you-know-where, then.

Musically, the swapping between the genres should have been jarring, if not for the instrumental transitions that skillfully smooth and blend the disparate styles so seamlessly that each has its time to shine. The metal packs a solid punch, the rap sounds bright and light in contrast to the metal, the pre-chorus builds anticipation (musically and lyrically), and the pop chorus lifts the spirit as much as it lifts the feet. This song deserves to be everyone's wake-up alarm -- who wouldn't want a dopamine hit first thing in the morning?

But the secret ingredient that makes the whole thing work is... work. We know the band is already seriously accomplished, but the girls aren't just freshly picked off the street. SU, MOA, and YUI have been in training to be professional entertainers for years even before this video got put together. Naturally gifted, yes, but also putting in hours of after-school training, rehearsals, and performances both 'live' and on music video as members of Sakura Gakuin, which is whole 'nother rabbit hole to explore.

BABYMETAL works because each component member could very well have their own highly successful solo career, but their choice to synergise their strengths instead, learning and growing together over these years, fully committed to developing BABYMETAL as a legit sub-genre in itself is how something that shouldn't work works. And the world is a much better place for it.

Kakurenbo with an Oni

Time to give the Kami band some attention. About half this song is taken by the instrumentalists' solos, and each one demonstrates very impressive abilities. Intricate fretwork from the dueling harmonized electric guitarists, and featuring one of a tiny handful of 6-string bass guitarists in Japan, and an incredibly fast drummer double-kicking double bass drums in double time. A very basic but totally skillful metal band without a doubt.

The song is 'Catch Me If You Can', based on the game of hide-and-seek (kakurenbo), except that the girls seem to be playing with an Oni, the seeker, who calls out "are you ready?" in a monstrous growl. The dance is choreographed to be cute and funny. The run movement is exaggerated to look like manga/anime running, taking gigantic steps with the trailing foot high in the air. While YUI and MOA play, SU stands in for the seeker, but when her vocals kick in, she becomes a player too.

Characteristic of BABYMETAL, the J-pop sound over metal is insanely catchy, the chorus yet another of the band's earworms that sticks in the head for days. The combination of feel-good music, plus the entire band's commitment and joy in what they do hits my emotional triggers in ways no other music has before. One song can make me grin from ear to ear, and another brings tears to my eyes, sometimes even both at the same time, and I can't understand why. As SU-METAL likes to say, "don't think, feel". So I suppose there is no explanation for it.

Yet I can't help but think a little deeper. If this were just J-pop, or pop in general, I would have blown it off as cute, but I wouldn't have dwelt on this song as much as I have. It's the metal that puts in the edge, the darkness, giving me a tiny feeling that there's more to this song than it appears.

It makes me reflect on my own mortality. After all, aren't we playing hide-and-seek with Death as long as we are alive? But Death is not scary, just inevitable, and he is patient. He calls out "Ooo... moo ikai, moo ikai?" to which we reply "Madda da yo!", and it's a fun game. As long as we're alive, there's no reason not to have fun. Even if we fall over, we don't cry because we are strong kids, and we can't wait to go another round.

The red shoes SU references are a bit of a puzzler. It apparently refers to a folktale about a child wearing red shoes who got kidnapped by a foreigner and is taken away on a ship, never to return again. To which I interpret as SU's advice to not do anything stupid and invite Death to cut short the game prematurely. An anti-self-harm, anti-suicide message embedded in this cheeky little number, perhaps? Knowing BABYMETAL's positivity, I wouldn't be surprised.

Edit: I hadn't noticed it before, but this song ends on the refrain, "madda da yo", meaning "not yet", and the final movement looks like a beautiful heart seizure over a drumbeat and bass note fading gradually to silence. Nobody is ready to meet their inevitable end, are they? Which makes the point about the red shoes a lot more poignant, now I think about it.

Metalizm (Official) by BABYMETAL: video first impression

Well, the official video for 'Metalizm' dropped today, taking me by surprise. This song is featured in BABYMETAL's latest album, 'The Other One'. It's clear the band has taken a whole new aesthetic and approach to their performances. No longer banking on kawaii, the focus seems to be more on creating this dynamic art form with all the talent they've developed over the years they've been performing.

I feel this art form to be unfortunately limited by the 2 dimensional medium of video it is presented in. This piece of work was designed to be more immersive than just the flat screen I'm watching it on. But the technology needed to fully appreciate this piece either hasn't been invented yet, or is simply as yet unaffordable. The best I could probably do is to strap on an Oculus headset to see and feel the swirling colours and rhythms everywhere I look instead of just straight ahead.

The song itself is hypnotic, trance-inducing. The pace of the music is somewhat slower, less frantic than many of their other songs, while the vocals are calmer, and (dare I say) designed not to test SU's range. In fact, from a quick glance at the translated lyrics, they remind me of descriptions of rather dramatic manga panels -- metal knights and metal kings in flight, bringing hope and light to the world.

The dance is full of sharp angles, perfectly synchronised, as always, creating beautiful patterns with the trio moving together, intricate yet powerful. What I see are depictions of the edginess of metal in the midst of swirling flames. The action to me is more reminiscent of forging rather than fighting, with the rhythmic pounding of hammer on anvil, and not the sharp clash of swords.

Perhaps this song is intended as a sort of palate cleanser within the concert repertoire. An item for a change of pace, and possibly a moment to recharge energy before the next big set piece.

The songs in this new album clearly signal maturity. Their performances of the past were quite literal storytelling theatre pieces. I'm happy they've now gained the confidence to simply play with their unique 3-D, multi-sensory canvas, comfortable in creating more abstract art, and letting their music speak for itself.

The chocolate crisis

'Gimme Chocolate' is the song that BABYMETAL tends to be most associated with. Most people who first encounter the band from this song are immediately hit with cognitive dissonance and are unable to process what they are watching for a while. Sometimes longer.

It opens with a monstrous growl demanding chocolate followed by a wall of metal noise as drums and guitar smash into your face. Three little girls wearing striking red and black frilly skirts take centrestage in a frenzy of perfectly coordinated dance. Within seconds the mind has to cope with so much dichotomy of sight and sound, and then the girls bring in a vocal tone that runs freely and lightly against the backing music, so heavy and dark.

This band is all about dualities of things that obviously do not fit, yet these incongruous threads are woven together into a surprisingly wonderful never-experienced-before tapestry full of music, energy and fun.

Going by the translated lyrics, the song depicts this duality in the dilemma of craving chocolate, yet worrying about gaining weight. We see this dilemma also played out in their dance. MOA and YUI are the devil and angel attending to each side of SU. Their words are gibberish: One says 'dokyun' and the other, 'zokyun', so there's no way to tell which is 'good' and which is 'evil', but both are unhelpfully egging SU on to choose between them. Do it, or don't do it.

Their dance moves between checking themselves out for signs of weight gain -- pats to the waist and face, the one tiny butt wiggle, and the back lean, like they are imagining what a rotund belly might look and feel like; alternating with miming a chocolate box in their hand, so near, and yet so far. They constantly revisit the move where they alternately point to their own heads with opposite fingers, suggesting the constant struggle to choose between temptation and consequence.

The song's conclusion is so BABYMETAL: consequence be damned, they gleefully bite into the chocolate bonbon they have been denying themselves this whole time, no regrets. It's like realising that not every choice needs to be the crisis it's made out to be. Have a bit of chocolate, be happy, work hard. Life doesn't need to be more complicated than that.

Meet the band, the show, and the phenomenon that is BABYMETAL

We've seen the headliners of BABYMETAL perform with just their vocals in the previous two videos. But the true BABYMETAL experience is when they are commanding an entire arena, giving their all in a theatrical extravaganza. Yes, behind the trio that is the face of the band, there is an entire theatre company that puts the whole show together. From staging, lighting, and pyrotechnic design; to sound production; to camera work; to the incredibly talented metal band -- when they're playing for BABYMETAL, they're called the Kami band -- that drives the merciless metal machine powering the girls' relentless performance onstage; to the participation of the audience 10s of thousands strong; it looks like no expense is spared in making each show a cherished life experience that I wish I could buy a ticket to.

Probably the best intro to the phenomenon that is BABYMETAL is this performance of 'Headbanger!' This performance was in 2013 (the video was released in 2014) making SU-METAL 16 years old while MOAMETAL and YUIMETAL would be 14, assuming my math is correct.

The title of the song refers to the instinctive movement of nodding or bobbing one's head vigorously to a metal beat. Constantly innovating, BABYMETAL headbangs side-to-side instead of the usual up-and-down, and it's genius for the show. The girls get to keep their kawaii faces turned to the audience at all times. Even their hair is cut and pinned back such that it never covers their faces while headbanging. It's also a trademark move, unique to the band.

Small details like these keep the audience constantly engaged, with every stimulus designed to enrapture the senses of sight and sound, and even touch as sonic waves of this intensity are highly tactile as they pass though the body over and over again, often in rapid succession.

The lore of this song is a little confusing for me, but apparently, it's about a girl who has just turned 15 attending her first metal concert and either experiences a night she will remember forever, or a night that will never come again for her because it was so transcendent.

The performance itself features BABYMETAL's characteristic high energy dance delivered with precise synchronicity, but more importantly, with so much infectious joy from the girls who are living their best lives, doing what they were born to do. If only we could all be so blessed.

There is also a little extra bit thrown in at the end of the song that we didn't ask for but they generously gave, anyway, The girls are clearly, and understandably, very tired after all that running around, headbanging, giving their everything to the music and the dance. The audience would not begrudge them a rest, but instead they turn that rest time into high drama with the slow and painful ascent up the peak for SU to strike the gong, ending the song. It's not an Oscar-winning performance, but it's a way to get the audience involved and invested, cheering the girls on to complete this last important mission, while the girls themselves get a well earned breather.

One last thing: SU-METAL's death stare. So fierce.

A gentle introduction to BABYMETAL pt. 2

Moving slightly backwards in time, this video features SU-METAL and MOAMETAL as a duet. This being The First Take, the same rules apply. One take is all they get.

The song is 'Monochrome', featured on BABYMETAL's latest album, 'The Other One', released almost a month ago.

SU takes the spotlight, showcasing her crisp, controlled vocals. She isn't just singing, she's performing, putting full emotion into her powerful, piercing belts. Her voice catches in the exact same spot in the first two verses, like someone who is trying hard to hold it in, but can't. There's a cry in there but not a selfish, attention-seeking one. It's more personal, perhaps reflective of the loss of someone or something, or perhaps of certain sacrifices she might have made along the way. Without the metal backing, SU turns 'Monochrome' wistful and ethereal, and beautiful to listen to.

MOA plays the stoic in her facial expression and vocal tone. Her grounded supporting 'oh oh's give the song gravity, while SU's voice soars. Between these two opposing forces, my heart rent like string cheese on a pizza slice pulled upwards and away from its base, leaving me an emotional wreck the first few times I heard this version. Their official lyric video is beautiful too, but it didn't hit as hard in the feels.

Every BABYMETAL song is a sort of story. By the last verse, SU sings of accepting change and lets go (at least that's what I'm getting from the subtitles). Melancholy night turns to day full of promise and hope. Their songs are positive and uplifting, though in this new album, the songs are less playful, less full of youthful idealism. SU and MOA are, after all, young adults now, and their sensibilities have matured, as they should. Babies no longer, but they are still BABYMETAL.

A gentle introduction to BABYMETAL pt. 1

I'm seriously late to the party. The girls have grown up so much, being in the business for over 10 years now. Thankfully, they have some new material released within the past month which I can review, then perhaps consider how much further down the 'fox hole' I want to delve into.

First, some context. The band has been described as pioneering the 'kawaii metal' genre. The formula was clearly explosive, but the talent agency that put the band together just went with it. Take three super talented multiple-threat pre-teens and make them front a band comprising some of the best talents in Japanese hardcore metal, infusing the hard driving beats with the melodies of idol pop. While the band members themselves are mostly session musicians, a few have stayed with the group on a semi-permanent basis. The mainstays who give the band the name 'BABYMETAL' are SU-METAL (lead vocalist) and MOAMETAL who flanks the lead with supporting vocals and dance. The original third member, YUIMETAL took the other flank, but left a few years ago due to poor health. She was a solid and much revered foundational part of the band, and greatly missed by fans today.

This video (above) is atypical of their music. On The First Take music artists of stature perform with their voices alone, accompanied by a simple unplugged music backing  Here, performers leave their bands and choreography behind so that the audience can focus on just the vocal presentation in isolation -- and record that performance in a single take. (Edit: oops, no. The featured guest can arrange their performance however they want, but it's all shot in just one take).

The video above is entitled 'The One - Unfinished ver.' which is a tribute to their huge international fanbase collectively known as the One. It is 'unfinished' as it is only a snippet of the full version. This video is significant as it features one of the first recorded appearances of MOMOMETAL as the recently confirmed third member of the group, finally returning BABYMETAL to its original trio status. While SU-METAL still sings lead here, the focus seems to be on MOAMETAL and MOMOMETAL who provide a beautiful backing harmony which we seldom appreciate, lost as it often gets in the sound and fury of their usual full metal performances, packed with so much frenetic choreography and theatrical spectacle. Also because of the loss of YUIMETAL, MOA up to this point has had no consistent partner to harmonise with.

Like the title of the song, the two-part harmony indeed blends as one, like their voices were made for each other. This harmonic base provides SU-METAL a platform for her voice to soar as she belts out a song of affirmation and identity. On one hand it pulls in the fanbase for whom the song is written, but it also welcomes MOMOMETAL into the band with an anthem of sisterly solidarity. And perhaps the song is 'unfinished' to symbolize the beginning of a new journey for this trio of amazing vocal talent.

In part 2, we will review the previous First Take release, 'Monochrome - piano ver.' by BABYMETAL.

Eulogy: Remembering my Dad

This is the eulogy I composed for dad, who departed a week ago. I'm adding in stuff I actually said, and some other stuff I thought of later that I should have said.

[Generic greetings]... I wrote this down to keep my thoughts focused and disciplined, like my dad was.

Usually, the eulogist would speak of their loss and the audience would commiserate with him. Instead, I will take this opportunity to offer my condolences to you, who have lost a husband, a father, in-law, a grandfather, a nephew, an uncle, a brother, a cousin, a childhood or work friend, a colleague and mentor. If you are here today, you must have meant something to my dad.

So many roles, and dad defined himself by the roles he played with each of us. He was a protector, a provider, a peacemaker, a policeman, a disciplinarian. Sorry I couldn't keep the alliterative streak going, but I want to focus on the 'disciplinarian' part. I remember his unique brand of discipline when I was in my teens. I was peer pressured into buying some apparel I wasn't comfortable with, so I wore it and asked dad what he thought of it. Fashion advice from my dad -- what was I thinking? He simply said, "if you dare wear it in public, I won't stop you." Reverse psychology works every time. I did wear it in public – once for my friends' sake. And after that, everything else I have worn since has been my own choice. Except for today [indicates loud, ill-fitting Hawaiian shirt, black background with pineapple motif], but it's a special occasion, so it doesn't count.

He taught me maths, and lost his hair over it. When I got older, he taught me to drive stick. Lessons I'll never forget. Driving stick for the skill, and maths for the trauma. 

Dad took all his roles super-seriously, even if they gave him lifelong anxiety. And the kind of kids we were, we didn't help. Regardless, I dare say that with him as our dad, we turned out pretty ok. My siblings and I all wound up in the education ministry. My sister and I got into education, my brother got into ministry. We have our own households, and are living relatively free from deprivation and desperation, so great fantastic job, dad!

One word that describes dad is "considerate". His final act on earth was one of consideration. His very last interaction with me was to say, "go!" as he waved me off at the A&E driveway. He didn't want my vehicle to block the entrance and cause an inconvenience to other emergency cases coming in. [Should have said: "My vehicle was blocking the entrance, and he didn't want to inconvenience the other emergency patients who were climbing over my car to get inside"].

Come to think of it, by passing at this time of year, he ensured that no one needed to bother HR with their leave applications to attend his wake.

That's the kind of joke dad would have told better. You would have been in stitches. It's all in the delivery. Let's use this remaining time to remind each other of his crazy antics [I retold dad's story about how he reflexively reached up and without looking caught a bird in mid-flight out of the air], grand adventures, and wacky conversations we've had with him. [Forgot to say: "Dad would want us to put the FUN into his funeral". Also forgot to tell the story about his conflict management process: Once he was playing mahjong with his sisters and needed to sneeze badly. He couldn't turn his head right or left, and he couldn't face straight ahead because someone would have got a faceful. So he turned his head upwards, looked towards heaven and showered everyone with his blessings].

Once again, my condolences to all of you for your loss. And thank you for indulging me in reminiscing our memories of my dad together.

She-Hulk 1X9: They went there

Episode 9 is the finale to 'She-Hulk: Attorney at Law'. It presents an unexpected, yet perfectly on-point conclusion to a show that has consistently kept its focus on the human aspect of life in the MCU, superpowers notwithstanding. This episode centers on a key argument that Jen has with Nikki. Given what Intelligencia had done to Jen in betraying her trust, violating her privacy, making her look like a monster to everyone she loves and respects, and legally depriving her the use of her She-Hulk power, Jen has a very strong revenge motive that, regardless, she insists on seeking a legal resolution for. Nikki, however, wants to punish the group "by any and all means", though she defers to Jen with a wry "boring".

"Boring" sums up the entire season, and is the whole point of the show. In a universe that boasts an ever increasing menagerie of people -- including the protagonist -- who possess a diversity of incredible powers, this show wants us to see life from the normal, non-powered perspective. The real heroes of this show are Nikki and Pug who represent the power of friendship at all cost; and Jen's dad who wields the formidable power of family acceptance and support. Mallory Book, and to some extent, Emil, help Jen with perspective and balance. These are powers that are easily taken for granted, but they are real and accessible to us since there's no way in our universe that we can get hold of any conceit (like She-Hulk blood) that will grant us superhuman ones.

So when the big showdown between Intelligencia and She-Hulk occurs, and the scene degenerates into unintelligible chaos, reminiscent of Titania bursting into the courtroom for no reason in episode 1, which she does again here, along with Nikki, Pug and Bruce to face off against Abomination and Todd-Hulk, Jen has had enough. Jen invokes another superpower unique to She-Hulk that she used in her John Byrne comic book run c.1985: her ability to crossover from her universe into her writers' and artists' workplace to complain about their crappy writing and editorial choices.

One thing Marvel is not shy about is how it parodies itself. Here, Jen confronts her writers portrayed as a bunch of noodle-heads discussing a cringey plotline for "season two", all beholden to Kevin, or K.E.V.I.N. as they reverently refer to him. K.E.V.I.N. possesses the algorithm that churns out "near-perfect" Marvel properties, though it leaves quality ratings to the Internet. K.E.V.I.N. knows that the fans want big action, high stakes, satisfying conclusions, and spectacle. The problem, Jen points out, is that while the formula been highly profitable so far, it has become worn and transparent. For the narrative she wants to tell, the formula shoehorns in a lot of extraneous elements that distract from the key narrative: that of a normal person learning to live with and incorporate a physical disability into a normal existence. Boring.

That K.E.V.I.N. relents and renders the Hulk blood plotline into a red herring is good news. This move suggests that future Marvel projects could rely less on crowd-pleasing formula, and support more original, more creative stories, yet remain resolutely focused on the human element, which is the core of how Marvel has always Distinguished itself from its Competition.

"Who's show is this?" It's Jen's. Having regained control of the narrative, Jen resolves her issue with Todd and his hate group in a normal human way. "I'll see you in court". There is no resolution in this outcome. Given Jen's track record in the courtroom, Todd and company could still win and get off scot-free. We don't know as the season ends just before the trial begins. This ending is unsatisfactory to us, but it is non-formulaic. It is also very human in that Justice is never a foregone conclusion, but a process that we make our best effort to pursue. Justice is attained not on a battlefield, but in a boring court of law.

I've always held the notion that comic books aren't just for kids. It's interesting then, that this TV series based on a comic book has seen lots of kids leaping to their feet, flailing their hands, and screaming, "yer tellin' it wrong!!!" To which I respond, ok. I'm sure y'all have had fun doing that too.

She-Hulk 1X8: She who wears the suit

It's taken 7 painful episodes getting to know Jen Walters, slowly peeling away at her character and discovering what makes her tick. The human Jen Walters, that is, who up until now has carried her special ability like it was a terrible disability, although she occasionally found ways to use it to her advantage.

But honestly, who needs roughly three and a half hours of runtime to get to know a person? In the Spider-Man movies, how long did we need to get to know Peter Parker? Less than an hour, maybe? Then he's already off in his costume fighting the big bad guy.

Getting to know Jen in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law was an arduous journey. It was like watching Peter Parker using his new powers to show off, make money, and pick up girls while never having to face his Uncle Ben moment, at least not for a long while. And for Jen, it has taken a very long time, and she still has yet to learn that 'with great power, comes great responsibility', but she is just starting to.

Episode 8 features three costumed main characters, all connected by a common thread, Luke Jacobson, who has made each of their outfits.

The first is the character of Leap-frog, who is essentially a straw-man inhabiting an empty suit. He is a relatively unknown entity in the MCU so he comes with little baggage. He has no skill, generally embarrasses himself, and the only thing special about him is his suit. We see him as a nobody, no backstory, no motivation. We first see him fighting a couple of burglars. Is he a hero? He styles himself as a crime-fighter, so maybe. But because he is really just an ego in a costume, when he makes his heel turn later in the episode, we don't question the sudden twist. When it happens, we're like, whatever. We have no investment in him whatsoever.

The second is Matt Murdock, who makes his long-awaited appearance. His courtroom attire makes him a confident professional both in the courtroom, and in Legal Ease, all the lawyers' favourite bar. His transformation into Daredevil is eagerly anticipated, and it feels so rewarding when we are treated to his signature Netflix hallway fight sequence after the show has delayed our gratification for 8 weeks. Matt is clearly a hero, whether he is in a business suit, or in his 'mustard and ketchup' devil suit. We also remember how much of a ladies' man Matt is when he gets out of it. This character needs no introduction. He has had a long history in the comic books, and a number of seasons on Netflix, so we know who we're getting, and despite some expected artistic licence, is still the same person we know and love. He represents the constant we measure a hero by, and Leap-frog doesn't make the grade.

But it's Jen's show. By Episode 7, Jen has finally learned to embrace She-Hulk as part of herself. She has now earned the confidence to don her super suit which she does. She-Hulk, the superhero, runs off to rescue her client, Leap-frog, from an unknown assailant. But She-Hulk's first ever attempt at being a superhero is embarrassing. She picks a fight with the wrong person, causing much collateral damage in the process. Jen underestimates her control over her She-Hulk persona. For She-Hulk in fight mode, the ends justify the means. She tears up a parking lot, hurls an expensive car and wrecks several others while fighting Daredevil. Par for the course for a Hulk, but irresponsible and willful damage of property for a lawyer. Which is why Jen chooses to talk Leap-frog out of breaking any more laws, while Daredevil fights off the goons.

Needless to say, Jen's most special ability is to invoke Murphy's Law upon herself. She attends a gala for 'Female Lawyer of the Year' hosted by... the organiser's name is never mentioned, but it is a shady operation. The host makes some backhanded compliments about the recipients, and the award is condescendingly handed out like participation trophies to a number of notable female lawyers. Jen is, of course, a recipient though as far as we've seen, she hasn't won a single case yet this entire season. Very sus. It's a trap! Intelligencia makes its move, publicly exposing the cloned contents of Jen's phone along with revenge porn of her and Josh, provoking her to Hulk out in view of her family and her legal fraternity, thus fulfilling another of Bruce's predictions that the world will see her as a monster. Compared to the Matt Murdock hero constant, She-Hulk falls off the charts at this point. But it's because we've seen Jen deconstructed and reconstructed as a person over several episodes that this new transformation into monster Hulk is devastating.  

This season started with Jen on the outside of Blonsky's cell as his lawyer. It has taken Jen on a journey in which her credibility as a lawyer diminishes step by step until, inevitably, she will see life from the inside of a Hulk-proof cell. Will this be Jen's Uncle Ben moment? I don't know, but one prediction of Bruce's remains unfulfilled: being a Hulk puts a target on those she loves. Perhaps episode 9 could end in tragedy, and no one will be laughing then.

A deeper dive into She-Hulk 1X7: 'The Retreat'

The show has been criticized for being 'man-hating', and of pushing a 'female' agenda, but episode 7 clarifies that it is doing neither. It's not because of a simple inclusion of a few identifiable 'good' guys whom we'll probably never see again. There's a much stronger undercurrent, the foundations of which have become more apparent since the previous 'wedding' episode.

First, this show is very good at manipulating the audience through misdirection, and pushing, not an agenda, but emotional buttons. Episode 6 looks like it's a wedding. It is, rather, a look at Jennifer Walters as a high school student, but without breaking the timeline via a flashback to over a decade ago. No offence to Tatiana Maslany, but she would not pass off as a high school student if she were surrounded by a teenage cast.

A high school reunion would have been too obvious, but a wedding is the perfect occasion to bring all her high school friends back together and treat Jen like they used to way back then. Lulu is the queen bee who doesn't want anyone else to steal attention from her, while her 'mean girls' entourage continue to dump on Jen, who back then would have been happy to get any attention at all. Despite their age, Lulu and friends are written as high schoolers, with their obsession over boys (Lulu only wants to know about Jen's dating status), and her friends still talk about Team Edward or Jacob, which is what they would have been talking about a decade or so ago. Titania shows up as the school bully, and the fight is as juvenile as the characters they are symbolically playing. At the end, the bully defeats herself, which is usually how it plays out. And worst of all, no Daredevil in sight! Audience response: the wedding episode sucks. It's a horrible wedding because it doesn't feel important to the MCU storyline, and why tease DD when he's not going to show up? Rawr!

The show also occasionally brings up online sh*tposts from supposedly "hateful man babies", which are roughly analogous to people in our real world who identify themselves as 'incels'. The impression is that the show is making fun of its own of insecure, comic book reading, male fanbase, and that is a fantastic misdirection that draws the ire of the audience. Yes, the show is baiting the audience to hate it. In that red mist, what we overlook is that Jen, too, can be considered a female incel. Jen is unpopular, nerdy, and bullied in school. In adult life, she is insecure, unable to get a date, and seemingly defines herself by the lack of men in her life. The few who do date her put her down, none interested in a second time. These are all traits that resonate with people who identify as 'incel'.

Jen is plausibly about to give up dating when she meets Josh who likes Jen for Jen, and not for She-Hulk. But after a few dates, Jen, um, opens herself up to him, and he ghosts her immediately after. Jen's experience at Blonsky's 'Summer Twilights' retreat in episode 7 explains much of this show's philosophy, showing us how meta it gets. The emotional state that Jen is in when she joins Blonsky's therapy group mirrors ours by this time. Like Jen who ignores the group to look for a phone signal, we've also got better things to do than watch this boring show, but since it's on we'll just put it in the background. We've been promised an MCU fest, but we got an awful 'lawyer show' which has little 'lawyering' and a lot of one whiny woman griping about how unfair life has been for her. When Jen identifies the Wrecker in the group, she feels as attacked by him as we feel attacked by whatever agenda this show's been pushing that isn't to our liking. We feel as betrayed by the 'M-she-U' for making us watch this garbage as Jen feels betrayed by Josh ghosting her.

So what do we do? Do we, like Jen, instinctively Hulk out and immediately rage on the Internet, pouring out our hate and disappointment at this poorly written TV show? Do we make personal attacks on the female writers who care nothing for the source material and are themselves probably drunk, depressed, and are pushing a 'woke' agenda? Or do we sit in the 'calming chair' and work through our personal issues, and the real issues that this show raises for us to think about?

Like, can we spend time to listen to what another human being has to say about their pain, instead of valuing them only for how much they entertain us, make us laugh, or enact our revenge fantasies on our behalf? Can we empathise with them, accept them for themselves, and support them, instead of wishing She-Hulk would hurry up and punch something, but ignore Jen because her life is uninteresting?

And speaking to those in the audience who are feeling as lonely as Jen, She-Hulk is to Jen what Josh is to, well, someone who identifies as an incel. Josh is attractive, confident, successful, able to strike up and continue a conversation with their target, even from a cheesy pick-up line. But in the closing flashback, the show asks if we really want to be that guy, to use another human being and leave them confused and emotionally devastated once we've got what we want from them? Instead, the show assures us that there are people who will accept us for who we are, even if they look weird, or smell, or may even have attacked us once before. They may be awkward in how they express themselves to us, but their support is heartwarmingly genuine, if we, in return, accept them for who they are.

The huge MacGuffin in the room is Hulk blood, which @HulkKing is after. This group, I believe, is hiding behind a 'hateful man baby' mask. Their agenda is not against women, but against super-powered individuals, and it's just that She-Hulk is coincidentally a woman whom they are targeting. We don't know yet if this group wants to create more Hulks with Jen's sample, but this show has been hugely successful at making a lot of its audience Hulk out at their keyboards. How better to create an immersive narrative that encourages mass audience participation illustrating IRL the very themes it wants to raise for discussion? It can't get more meta than this. 

She-Hulk 1X7: laying it bare

I wonder how many items of clothing Luke Jacobson made for Jen? Nikki mentioned a business suit and a supersuit in the previous episode. In this episode, Jen for the most part seems to be wearing a casual ensemble comprising a light top and capris. Jen is called on by Blonski's parole officer to check on Blonski's inhibitor which has malfunctioned. Jen goes as Blonski's lawyer and also as the parole officer's muscle, so it's the perfect opportunity to showcase an outfit that caters to both contingencies.

Jen is still exploring her duality in this episode. She may have embraced her inner Hulk, but it's still not yet a comfortable fit. Her trip to Blonski's meditation retreat plays around with this discomfort as we know from the previous episode that there are elements that wish to do her harm. On the premises there is neither phone nor WiFi connection to the outside world, suggesting that she is cut off with no backup if something untoward should happen to her. The parole officer makes no effort to hide his paranoia and flees immediately after his mission is easily completed.

Jen wants to leave too, but two superpowered brawlers wreck her car while they are working out their issues with each other. With no signal and no transport Jen is trapped under suspicious circumstances. What if the whole visit was set up by the Intelligencia as phase two of their plan? Could Jen possibly fight off a handful of low-grade powered villains led by the Abomination if that is their plan? When the Wrecker shows up unexpectedly, Jen recalls him as the leader of the Wrecking Crew which attacked her in episode 3, and as She-Hulk proceeds to do some wrecking of her own. Blonski is able to calm her down and gets her to sit in on their group therapy session before too much damage is done.

Within the circle, the men share their vulnerabilities openly. Blonski maintains an atmosphere of trust which eventually allows the only masked member of the group, Porcupine, to remove his mask to reveal... no one we know. In this safe space, Jen feels comfortable to open up about her insecurities with her She-Hulk persona, saying that it 'feels like cheating' as she has the ability to whip out this huge advantage over other people to get ahead. She also opens up about Josh whom she had been dating for a week, slowly building enough trust to finally be intimate with him and immediately after he ghosts her. Saracen, the wannabe vampire blurts out that perhaps Josh was only after her blood -- an innocent statement that should set off alarm bells for us.

When the tow truck finally arrives, Jen is able to leave Blonski's retreat unharmed, and has made some new friends. The obvious threat has proven to be not only harmless, but also enriching for her. But in a flashback to Josh and Jen's last night together, Josh carries out phase ONE, and reports his success to @hulkking. The person Jen was most openly vulnerable with turns out the be her biggest betrayal. Which leaves phase two open: if not for piercing She-Hulk's impenetrable skin, then the gigantic needle from the previous episode is for whom? Since Bruce is off planet, my guess would be the Abomination.

A note about the recent lack of post-credit scenes: The post-credit scenes in the first four episodes were frivolous fun moments that had little to do with plot advancement. These final scenes have since become incorporated into the main storyline, and serve as a clear transition to the next episode.

Finally, going by the pattern of Jen's Luke Jacobson wardrobe, I'd expect to see her in her business suit next. It won't be until the final episode of this season that Jen is fully incorporated enough, mind and body, to wear her supersuit, and in so doing bear the mantle of a superhero at last. Which probably means no Matt Murdoch appearance next week either. I'm fine with that. I'm here to watch She-Hulk, not Daredevil. I know whose show this is.

She-Hulk 1X6: the clothes maketh the woman

People watching SH:AaL are disappointed that the show hasn't featured huge, monumental showdowns with the fate of worlds in the balance. There have been no jaw-dropping set-pieces, no inspirational moments, no stakes worth beating people up for. True. It's not that kind of show. So far, the series has dealt with internal conflict within the body and mind of Jennifer Walters as to who is in control of that very same body and mind. But now that that conflict has been largely resolved, we expect that we would be moving on to larger, more consequential conflicts within the MCU environment... but it was still not to be in this episode. Episode 6, aptly entitled "Just Jen", takes us on a much deeper dive into the person of Jennifer Walters -- who Jen is at the very core of her being.

Jen is whisked away from courtroom drama and into a wedding celebration. Jen reluctantly accepts the invitation to be a bridesmaid at her high school friend's nuptials, not because she wants to, but because she doesn't know how to say 'no'. She arrives like a superstar in her glamorous Luke Jacobson designed party outfit, and takes everyone's breath away. Lulu the bride, is of course pissed and makes Jen promise to revert to just Jen for the wedding. Feeling bad, Jen doesn't say 'no'. When Lulu's wedding planning staff quit on her for being a Bridezilla, she imposes all the staff chores to Jen -- general cleaning duties, and ironing the groomsmen's shirts -- while everyone else continues to enjoy the party. Jen is even assigned to walk with a canine partner down the aisle, while everyone else has a human partner. This story piles on aggravation after aggravation to make Jen Hulk out, but Jen resolutely stays just Jen. Even when her courtroom nemesis, Titania, makes an appearance as a wedding guest, Jen simmers internally, but doesn't boil over.

Bruce is wrong about what triggers the Hulk in Jen. Rage and fear may trigger his 'other guy' to come out, but Jen's trigger is different. It's not that she has more control, it's that she's a pushover. She avoids conflict and making a scene. She sucks it all up because she is submissive and compliant. We'll revisit this point later.

Having changed out of her Luke Jacobson, she wears the uniform of the other bridesmaids, which seems like she is one of them, but because the cut is She-Hulk sized, Jen once again looks puny and bully-able. It's likely that this was also the type of relationship she had with Lulu and her entourage all through high school. Jen may have been taken advantage of, but at least she had friends.

Not being able to stand up for herself is probably the reason she wants to be a lawyer. In this profession, she can stand up for others who can't stand up for themselves. Her business suits are armour that give her the confidence that Lawyer Jen has, that just Jen does not. This motivation is also why Jen is so reluctant to give up being a lawyer to train as a Hulk on Hulk beach with Bruce. Jen is invested in the totality of being Jennifer Walters: Attorney at Law, and becoming She-Hulk:Attorney at Law challenges her self-identity irrevocably. If the show hasn't been interesting for some viewers, it's probably because Jen avoids that conflict until the last straw culminating in episode 5. There is no superhero show if there is no conflict to resolve.

The 'B' story strongly parallels the 'A' story. It gives Nikki the opportunity to truly shine as a negotiator. We've already seen her negotiate with Pug, and the boba cafe barista in episode 5, but in episode 6, she negotiates a complex divorce case involving Mr Immortal, who has run out of several marriages by faking his own death, thus getting away from unpleasantness and alimony. Like Jen, Mr Immortal also pathologically avoids conflict, but by actually killing himself, then resurrecting and taking on a new identity once the messy paperwork has been settled.

In reviewing Mr Immortal's latest suicide attempt in a video posted online, Mallory and Nikki discover Intelligencia, a website dedicated exclusively to cancelling She-Hulk. Some posts on this site even go so far as to target her with death threats. This group is likely to be her new antagonist, taking her conflict from internal to external, moving forward.

The slap fight Jen has with Titania is a bridge between these two conflicts. Titania provokes Jen to become She-Hulk at the wedding. We learn that Titania is not a bully as she has no quarrel with Jen, but she views She-Hulk as competition for the attention of her 'Titaniacs'. The fight is for very low stakes, and it's quickly over when Titania accidentally faceplants herself and she literally 'loses face' in front of an Instagramming crowd. What we learn about just Jen is that her transformation into She-Hulk is not as seamless as confident Lawyer Jen's. Just Jen has to put in some effort to make that transformation, even 'forgetting' how to do it on her first attempt. It's not that she is in that much control over her 'other guy', but rather that her threshold for engaging in conflict is so high that it takes a lot of energy to work herself up that much.

Edit: Another way we could read Jen 'forgetting' how to turn is that she manipulates Titania into standing in front of her so that when She-Hulk does her ground-stomp, the shockwave hurls Titania onto the dance floor into full view of everyone. Since Titania wants to destroy She-Hulk in public, She-Hulk brings the fight to the public instead of keeping the battle outside where no one's watching. It's a tactical move showing how much meek just Jen needs to wear her She-Hulk persona when she needs to literally put her foot down.

The episode ends with an organisation that is active on Intelligencia, putting a plan in motion to kill She-Hulk, or at least steal her blood with a huge-bore needle... probably made of vibranium? Todd was asking some very suspicious questions before calling her a 'specimen' in episode 4. But if this needle is the 'next' phase, what could the previous phase be? It's heartwarming that after Jen's Kamikaze courtroom session in episode 5, someone called 'Josh' would be equally interested in both just Jen and She-Hulk. But who else would have better access to Jen's entirely penetrable human skin? But unlike Mr Immortal, Jen/She-Hulk won't be resurrecting if this group of 'hateful man babies', as Mallory describes them, gets its way.

And in the meta, this show, unlike just Jen, is clearly spoiling for a confrontation with the real world's She-Hulk hating mob. In making them an antagonistic character for She-Hulk to fight, the show not only breaks the 4th wall, but drags them in, potentially provoking a war both on-screen and off. It's the show saying 'we know you're trolling us on social media out there. You want to cancel us? Bring it, bros!' That is some meta-sh*t!

She-Hulk Season 1 mid-season review

The true persistent villain in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law has been literally in our face for the first 5 episodes of Season 1. Her name is Jennifer Walters.

Until the end of Episode 5, She-Hulk is denied by Jen, repressed by Jen, and emerges only to be taken advantage of by Jen, whether it's for her new job, or for protection from thugs, or to get dates. Because Jen fears the destructive potential that She-Hulk represents, Jen adamantly controls She-Hulk, an ability she is so proud of and throws in Bruce's face right in the beginning, in Episode 1. But control over 'the other guy' is not what Bruce is teaching her to do. Jen's training montage begins on Hulk's beach resort, but it continues all the way through to episode 5 once she learns Bruce's main lesson: to integrate both halves into a singular being he calls, 'Smart Hulk'. It's a name other people called him, and it stuck, so now he proudly owns it.

Smug Jen, however, believes control over her Hulk self is enough, and so the first half of the series focuses not on the rise of She-Hulk, but on the complete and utter destruction of Jennifer Walters as an Attorney at Law, gradually degrading her courtroom status episode by episode from confident Assistant DA to an intimidated plaintiff who can't even speak at her own counter-suit against Titania for a frivolous trademark infringement. Even 'genius' cousin Ched gets to 'explain her own area of expertise', Trademark law, to her, and she knows she deserves it for her rookie mistake.

Simultaneously fighting Titania to regain her She-Hulk name, and accepting to wear the same clothes that 'suit' both personas in episode 5 is a huge step in reconciling Jen and She-Hulk. When a severely humbled Jen acknowledges the she and She-Hulk are one and the same, she finally relinquishes the 'Jennifer Walters: Attorney at Law' title -- which she insists on calling her 'lawyer show' -- and comes to terms with the 'She-Hulk: Attorney at Law' title, which is the actual title of the series.

Just as Donny Blaze in episode 4 uses 'cheap human tricks' to bamboozle his unimpressed audience, this show revels in using similar tricks of misdirection, such as the Wrecking Crew, their mysterious boss, and Titania, to hide the chief antagonist in plain sight. Jen Walters, a.k.a. She-Hulk is her own worst enemy.

This show has picked up a lot of largely undeserved negative comments from a section of its viewing audience. They view it as episodic, and lacking in a clear direction as each episode seems to deal with inconsequential issues with no major overarching threat that needs to be dealt with. But they are missing the woods for the trees. Perhaps this show is simply too clever for its own good, but under the hood, it's one of the most consistently and tightly-written pieces of meta-fiction I've ever watched on TV. Really looking forward to the remaining 4 episodes in which, I expect, the real superhero-lawyer show begins.

She-Hulk 1X5: Own the name

It's taken 5 episodes and the exact half way mark of a 9 episode series for its title to truly be "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law". Jennifer Walters had previously insisted that her human persona would be the main interest, and it's taken up till now for that persona to finally relinquish control of the narrative and let the rightful titular character, She-Hulk, take over.

Over five episodes, we have watched Jen's human persona being systematically destroyed, at least as far as the "Attorney at Law" title goes. By episode 5, Jen Walters is a client of the law firm she works for, and not even representing herself is the smart move. From prospective DA, to defence lawyer, to character witness, to client making a counter-suit over her own identity, the normal human being she wants to be is visibly shrinking smaller and smaller, just as the character is disappearing into the bland, oversized, corporate suit that She-Hulk wears to work.

To win her case, Jen must prove that she had consistently used the name 'She-Hulk' to identify herself before Titania trademarked it for her cosmetics line. In the previous episode, Jen had used the name She-Hulk to get dates on her dating app, and suffered some very awkward encounters. But despite how badly their dates ended, the guys prove decent enough to testify on her behalf. Their testimonies make it painfully clear that the dates only happened because she presented herself as She-Hulk in name and appearance, meaning that Jen's human persona would not have been as successful. The way Jen humiliated Dennis in court in episode 3, she suffers the same humiliation fourfold here, the undertext being that Jen couldn't get a date to save her life.

Sidenote: Just because we, the TV audience, see human Jen portrayed by the delightfully lovable Tatiana Maslany, the people of MCU Earth-616 probably see a different person, perhaps somewhat more akin to a mousy corporate drone with zero charisma and no appeal. Anyway...

The 'B' story involves Nikki and Pug embarking on a hilarious and embarrassing quest to find She-Hulk a tailor who makes apparel for an exclusive superhero clientele, further underscoring that Jen Walters doesn't dress herself well, either for work, or her social life. It takes some convincing, but Luke (MCU version of Edna) is intrigued by the challenge of making a suit that fits both Jen's tiny frame and She-Hulk's statuesque one. The secret isn't Spandex, but stretch wool, and lots of it. When both 'A' and 'B' stories connect, it's when Jen has won her case and her name, She-Hulk, back from Titania, and is fully prepared to embrace her She-Hulk persona instead of constantly denying and rejecting it. Her new outfit will fit both personas as needed, and hopefully make her look good, whichever persona is wearing it. Luke's genius will only be revealed in the next episode, presumably, so we can only speculate at this point.

Human Jen isn't gone. She, after all, comes up with the winning legal strategy, and is brave enough to character assassinate herself so that She-Hulk can come to life and have agency -- rather than be treated like "a thing that happened" to her -- and the show's title can make sense moving forward. Episode 5 is likewise brave enough to endure fan backlash by 1) having no fan-favourite cameos, and 2) no end credits sequence, suggesting that the show is now confident enough to stand on its own.

Still, we are teased with Luke hastily covering up a familiar horned helmet that's been negligently left exposed. Perhaps the highly anticipated cameo from the trailer is on his way at last!

She-Hulk 1X4: Dennis Bukowski is all of us

There's a repeating pattern in the first four episodes of She-Hulk. Whomever is made the butt of the joke in the odd numbered episodes, Jen becomes in the subsequent episode.

In the first cycle, Jen makes fun of Bruce, then becomes Bruce in the next episode. In the second and current cycle, Jen gleefully takes a huge dump on Dennis for believing that Megan Thee Stallion would date him, but Jen Walters can't even pull herself a mediocre date when she uses a similar dating app in episode 4. Not only that, but the date she does get is too interested in his phone to pay attention to the woman in front of him, and even skips out on paying for their drinks when he cuts their date short. While Dennis rates himself a 'New York 10, and an LA 11' Jen gets an impersonal, in her face (though not to her face) rating of '6, maybe'.

The point episode 4 raises is that everyone is as ridiculously self-entitled and delusional as Dennis, and this fantasy disappoints us when we wake up and see reality for what it is. Let's start with Jen. Seeing as she is having no joy matching anyone at all, she tries her luck using She-Hulk as her profile. Instant success! So many men think they have a shot at dating this fantasy woman, and the ones who do are treated with Jen/She-Hulk's subjective disdain. No one except this hunk of a doctor, who listens to her more than talks about himself piques her interest.

The rest of this episode's cast are living a fantasy too. Failing magician, Donny Blaze, aspires to create real magic. His meagre stint at Kamar-Taj has given him enough magic and a sling ring to do parlour tricks, though he is messing with powers he has no comprehension of. He unwittingly unleashes a demonic infestation, and only when confronted with the reality of how dangerous his powers are does he agree to at least abide by the terms of the injunction brought against him by Wong.

Wong's fantasy is more mundane. He wants to use American law to put an end to Donny Blaze's irresponsible use of real magic. Here we see the first indications that current laws that govern human behaviour are inadequate when governing superhuman activity. Actually, no. We already saw that in shapeshifter Runa's chaotic mockery of the legal process in the previous episode. And in any case, is Wong even entitled to bring a lawsuit against an American citizen? Because 1) is Wong an American citizen himself? and 2) isn't Wong a fugitive from the law for admitting to breaking Blonsky out of his secure facility? There's a difference between real entitlement and self-presumed entitlement.

As for She-Hulk's dream date, he is unbelievably patient when she is suddenly called to an emergency just when they are about to She-Hulk smash! He reads feminist literature while he waits. Such a dream. But when he wakes up and is confronted with the reality of the very human Jen Walters who has kindly made him breakfast, he's outta there. 'Hot doctor' turns out to be just a fantasy for Jen, as She-Hulk is for him.

It's possible that this fantasy theme extends to She-Hulk haters as well. Everyone thinks they understand She-Hulk (and Hulk) better. Everyone knows they can write a better screenplay, keeping better faith with the bi-syllabic monstrosity we all know and love. Everyone knows that they can write more compelling, even more "rousing" courtroom drama than Jessica Gao and her team can, and they even have their fanfics pinned to their refrigerator doors to prove it. But the reality is that it's not their scripts but Gao, et. al.'s they get to watch on DisneyPlus, which proves to be the most galling. This idea is summed up in the closing scene of this episode in which Titania is suing She-Hulk for the use of the 'She-Hulk' moniker as Titania claimed legal copyright over the name first. It's a way for the writers to break the 4th wall from our side to say that they may not be better writers, but Marvel picked their pitch first. Sorry, everyone else!

Madisynn brings quite a contrast to the other characters in this episode. She may be stoned and drunk out of her mind, but she is tuned into reality like no one else, having no fantasies of her own. Donny Blaze unintentionally sends her on this fantastic journey via the portal he opens, not caring what's on the other side, but she just goes along for the ride accepting the reality of all the bizarreness around her, even treating the pact she made with a demon so that she can go home as matter of fact. That she Netflix and chills with Wong later is oddly sweet. She makes no judgements about the company she keeps, and though she annoys him, Wong gives us a glimpse of his human side, watching TV with a date. They are the only couple in this episode who are really together, while the others, including Jen, are really only in it for themselves.

She-Hulk 1X3: Controlling the narrative

Ep 3's linchpin moments are when Jen no longer insists on having her 'lawyer show' but instead just tries to remind us that despite several characters who keep reappearing, it's still Jen's show. Ever supportive, in a later scene, bestie Nikki underscores that Jen needs to 'take control of her narrative'.

Easier said than done, though. She-Hulk has become a media sensation and everyone is running with She-Hulk, while Jen's story goes on the backburner. Despite securing Blonsky's parole release, the media cares nothing of Jen's triumph, but instead presses her on rumors about her Avengers status and her origin story (the "Mafia hit" being a callback to She-Hulk's actual origin story from the comic books). When Jen takes Nikki's advice to control her narrative on a TV news channel, all she is asked about is She-Hulk's diet and exercise regimen. At this point, is this show still about Jennifer Walters?

In her first 4th wall break of the episode, Jen is in her car but suddenly takes her hands off the wheel to talk to the audience. By now, she knows she is symbolically and literally not in control, and despite being in the driver's seat, she really is just a passenger on her show. Jen is also somewhat resigned about her story branching off into Dennis Bukowski's lawsuit, breaking the 4th wall once again at her favourite bar to observe that the two story threads are reintegrating. When Pug asks her to testify on Dennis' behalf, she gladly agrees as she has a story to tell about Dennis that she does have control over. This story will have an impact but, ironically, Jen will be telling it not as a lawyer, but as a character witness.

But many other characters in this episode too have lost control of their narratives. After all, everyone is the hero of their own story. Dennis was 'delusional' enough to believe he was dating Megan Thee Stallion. He regains control by suing Runa, shapeshifting Light Elf from New Asgard for impersonating the latter, hoping to get back the money he had spent on her. Megan Thee Stallion makes an appearance in the courtroom, a victim of identity theft, hoping to see justice done. Runa, believes she has 'diplomatic immunity', defends her actions as  'role play', and impersonates both Dennis and the Judge in a desperate attempt to overturn an unfavourable outcome when the case clearly turns against her. And Wong's story to save Blonsky at his parole hearing inadvertently gets Wong in trouble with the law.

Which brings us to the Wrecking Crew, a gormless quartet of criminals themed as construction workers, wielding powered weapons of some kind. Believing they have a chance to rob Jen on a dark street, they meet She-Hulk instead, much to their regret, 'nuff said. We'll circle back to them in a bit.

Like Jen, none of these characters' narratives they tell themselves lead them to their desired outcome. That's because their narratives are incongruous with their realities. Jen lies to herself that she will regain her 'normal, anonymous' life once 'this is over'. Dennis lies to himself that he is 'a NY 10 and an LA 11'. Megan Thee Stallion is a victim of Runa's lies, while Runa flat out lies. But the Wrecking Crew are lied to! Clearly, some mystery villain knows the power of Hulk blood and wants to get hold of some as part of perhaps a grand scheme to control the overarching narrative, but that's a story for another time.

If there is one narrative that does result in a desired outcome, it's Blonsky's. Blonsky claims to be reformed, and has his Abomination self well under control. The parole board, seeing a demonstration of such control approves his release. Could it be that Blonsky told the truth, and as such got the outcome he wanted? And would that mean Wong somehow lied, seeing as his story backfired?

Perhaps there is one more winner in this episode: the meta narrative. It preempted the IRL She-Hulk internet hate, giving the audience a laugh at the toxic comments aired and posted on the in-show interviews of, uh, persons with a beef against female versions of superheroes. Remember the rumor that She-Hulk got her powers after a botched Mafia hit which was the story in the comics? The TV show reminds us that it's a very different entity from the comics, and what the traditionalist fandom wants, they're not going to get. Reflecting negativity and hate back at itself is really an effective way to control the narrative.