When it comes to adaptations, the MCU has done a great job, but even with all the budget in the world, it's impossible to create identical versions of the comics. While this is often a source of discontent, it's also an excellent opportunity to bring new things to the Marvel Multiverse. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is a great example of this dichotomy.
Created by Jessica Gao, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law deviates a bit from the comics. This creative freedom has allowed the series to introduce new characters and relationships to the MCU, but it has also robbed of certain things the fans wanted to see. Ultimately, it's up to every fan to choose if these changes have made the series worse or better.
10 Nikki Ramos Was Created For The Show
Portrayed by Ginger Gonzaga, Nikki Ramos works as a paralegal for Jennifer and is also her best friend. She's a queer, intelligent woman who wants to see Jennifer come out of her shell, either as She-Hulk or as Jen. Nikki is definitely one of She-Hulk's biggest allies.
Like many other characters – Phil Coulson, Darcy Lewis, Erik Selvig – Nikki is an original MCU character. She's an amalgam of many friends She-Hulk has had in the comics, like Jill Stevens or Louise Grant, who also worked for Shulkie. Fans still wonder if there's more to Nikki than meets the eye.
9 Pug Doesn't Seem To Be Interested In Jennifer
One of the main storylines of She-Hulk, by Dan Slott and Juan Bobillo, includes Augustus Pugliese's eternal crush on Jennifer. While Pug spends the whole series in love with her, She-Hulk only considers him as a friend. This leads Pug to use magic to forget her feelings with the help of Morgan Le Fay, one of the best sorcerers of Marvel.
Since Josh Segarra was first cast as Pug, fans thought he and Tatiana Maslany would share a "will they? won't they?" arc, just like in the comics. However, as of episode seven, Pug has been nothing but a friend, ally, and co-worker to Jennifer. There's still the possibility he will confess his feelings in the following episodes, but nothing points in that direction.
8 Mallory Book Is She-Hulk's Ally From The Beginning
Known as The face that never lost a case, Mallory Book is Jennifer Walters' ultimate rival inside Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg, and Holliway. Ruthless, ambitious, and very smart, she hates the attention Jennifer gets for being a Hulk and the way her chaotic life tends to mess with their work at the office. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law hired Renée Elise Goldsberry for this role, but they gave her a slightly different connection to Jennifer.
For starters, she isn't one of She-Hulk's villains. In the series, Mallory is still annoyed at Jennifer's attitude towards life, but she also chooses to be her ally, especially as two of the few women in the office. This newly made connection acknowledges how difficult it's for women to stand out in a male-led environment.
7 Titania's Origins Aren't Tied To Doctor Doom
Created in 1984 by Jim Shooter and Mike Zek, Mary MacPherran was a short and scrawny girl who grew bitter due to the bullying, always dreaming of having superpowers. During Secret Wars, she was given super strength by Doctor Doom, who turned her into Titania.
Given that Titania was primarily created as Doctor Doom's minion, fans were hyped when Marvel Studios announced Jameela Jamil would play the role, seeing it as a sign that this villain would join the MCU soon. However, as of episode seven, Titania's super strength hasn't been explained. Likely it will have nothing to do with Doom.
6 The Series Isn't As Focused On Jennifer's Law Career As The Comics
For a show called She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, this series spends very little time in court. The first episodes did focus on Jennifer's career and how it got affected by her She-Hulk's powers, but after her case as Emil Blonsky's defendant, the series strayed far from a legal comedy.
This is probably because the series attempts to show Jennifer's origin story as a hero, but fans of the comics are disappointed. Especially because modern runs like Dan Slott's or Charles Soule's tend to prioritize her job as a superhuman lawyer over anything else. Fans would have loved to see this on the series, but they don't lose hope for the future.
5 She-Hulk's Love Life Isn't As Successful As It Is In The Comics
Since she was first introduced in the Marvel universe, She-Hulk has been a symbol of female liberation. Although many She-Hulk comics have aged poorly due to their sexism, Jennifer's sexuality and extroversion when Hulked out are core to her personality.
This is something She-Hulk: Attorney at Law has failed to explore. Episode four, "Is This Not Real Magic?" briefly explored Jen's love life, but after a series of disappointing dates, Shulkie stopped trying. Now, with the reveal that Josh is a villain, things will be even more disappointing for her.
4 Won't Abomination Be A Villain Like In The Books?
There were mixed reactions when Marvel Studios confirmed that Tim Roth would reprise his role as Abomination on She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. On the one hand, this finally ties Ruffalo's Hulk to The Incredible Hulk for good, but on the other, what will Emil Blonsky do in a comedy series? Especially considering he's an anti-hero at best in the comics.
As it turns out, Blonsky has been an excellent addition to the show. As a reformed villain with seven life partners and a retreat center, his bizarre life fits perfectly with She-Hulk: Attorney at Law humor. However, fans are still curious about his change of heart. While some believe this is it for him, others think he's the real villain of the series.
3 Jen Hasn't Fully Embraced She-Hulk (Yet)
Given that She-Hulk gave Jennifer the confidence she lacked in her regular life, it wasn't difficult for her to embrace her Hulk persona. In fact, current runs, like Dan Slott's, have put her through an identity crisis where she prefers to stay as She-Hulk than be "punny Jennifer."
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law didn't have Jennifer accept She-Hulk as easily. Starting from her name, which she doesn't like, Jennifer has spent the whole series coming to terms with the fact that being a gamma being has new pros and cons in her life. Hopefully, she will embrace her true power soon.
2 The Show's Meta-Humor Hasn't Reach Slott's Levels
One of the things She-Hulk: Attorney at Law takes directly from the comics is its metafictional humor. From the very first episode, Jennifer talks to the audience, references the fact that she's in a TV show, and even influences its structure — like commanding a Previously On moment. This, of course, comes straight from Byrne's run Sensational She-Hulk, in which Jen often communicated with the author and the reader.
While this already makes She-Hulk: Attorney at Law stand out from other series, it's still far from the metafictional dimension Slott eventually added to his She-Hulk run. His 2004 series goes beyond fourth-wall breaking and has comics serve as legal precedents in court, which puts the series in a perpetual loop where comics are inside comics that are inside comics. This is still missing from the series.
1 Jen Didn't Turn Into She-Hulk Due To A Blood Transfusion
Marvel Studios is no stranger to changing its hero's origin stories. She-Hulk isn't an exception. In the comics, she becomes a gamma being after her cousin Bruce gives her a blood transfusion after being the victim of a mob hit. However, during "A Normal Ammount of Rage," the first episode of the series, Jennifer becomes a Hulk when she touches Bruce's blood while trying to help him during a car accident.
According to Jessica Gao, the series' writer, this change was likely made because a mob hit "didn't go with the vibe of the show." Since She-Hulk: Attorney at Law was always planned as a comedy, it makes sense that this kind of murder attempt is too dark for the show.