She-Hulk episode 3 continued to have fun, bringing some much needed humor into the MCU and even featuring a cameo appearance from world-renowned rapper Megan Thee Stallion. As the series continues however, the sexist criticism surrounding some of its content continues to build. Fortunately, the writers predicted this might be the case, and had the perfect comeback…
Writers got their own back at sexist critics in She-Hulk episode 3
She-Hulk has been well-received critically, though the Marvel show certainly has its fair share of detractors. Among the many valid criticisms — issues with its writing, its treatment of Bruce Banner’s Hulk, and its CGI to name a few — there have also been a number of detractors who simply don’t approve of another female-led Marvel project. This resulted in Phase 4 of the MCU being given the derogatory label of “M-She-U,” as despite Marvel having almost solely featured male-led projects prior to Phase 4, the new focus on its female characters was somehow too much for those who have already received three phases of male superheroes in the MCU.
The She-Hulk writers clearly predicted that the show would fall victim to this sexist criticism, as they poked fun at those very people throughout episode 3. A montage showing sexist tweets and real social media posts left on Marvel’s actual Instagram, complaining about how many women were now becoming superheroes, successfully predicted some of the criticisms that would be levied at this series.
Then there was the media interview that Jen eventually agreed to towards the end of the episode. After a short conversation about the origin of the She-Hulk moniker, the host pivoted the conversation to her diet and exercise routine, much to her surprise. We heard her gasp as the news channel went to an ad break. This was potentially a reference to the viral video of Scarlett Johansson responding to sexist questions and comments throughout her various Marvel press tours:
She-Hulk has seen sexist backlash since its release
She-Hulk has its fair share of earnest critics, though there are many who have slammed the show simply because it has a female lead. Like Ms. Marvel before it, the series was review bombed on IMDb before it had even been released, with many giving it a 1-star rating before having even watched it.
Sexism amongst fans of the MCU isn’t something new, though increased significantly following the 2019 movie release of Captain Marvel, with actress Brie Larson being subjected to an onslaught of online abuse. It’s clear that while Marvel Studios is slowly breaking down some barriers when it comes to representation, a minor yet vocal share of their audience still has some catching up to do.
She-Hulk continues with new episodes every Thursday on Disney Plus.
In other news, The Wrecking Crew joined the MCU in She-Hulk, and here’s how She-Hulk episode 3 may have teased a third Hulk coming to the MCU.
