She-Hulk is meant to be a different kind of Marvel show, more courtroom comedy than superhero drama. If the show is going to succeed at the balance it requires, it would do well to take inspiration from the Ant-Man movies, who are great at blending action and character-based comedy.

The Ant-Man movies aren’t perfect, but they do a better job of balancing the action and the comedy than most of the other Marvel films. In fact, Ant-Man is probably more of a comedy than a drama, something that can’t be said of properties like Thor or Captain America, or a least not the first two Thor movies. An argument could be made about Thor: Ragnarok. Even the sometimes sarcastic and amusing Iron Man exists within a dramatic setting. Fans laugh with Tony, but the situations the movie sets up aren’t comedic, in and of itself. This is the opposite of Ant-Man, where the setup is wholly comedic, with some more dramatic beats mixed in.

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A lot of it is down to not just Paul Rudd, an extraordinary comedic actor, but the team behind Ant-Man, and the supporting cast. The action beats are always clear in Ant-Man, and the movies don’t shy away from using the characters' abilities in impressive action sequences. But there’s always a hint of the actor's – and the character’s – personality built into the action. The movie recognizes how ridiculous the setup might all sound to people unfamiliar with the comics, and instead of trying to ignore that, it revels in it. The end result is that, even when Ant-Man fails, it’s a mostly enjoyable movie.

hope van dyne and scott lang in ant-man and the wasp

She-Hulk has already been set up in much the same way, more comedy than drama. These days, of course, most properties don’t stay in just one genre. Comedies can, and do have heartfelt moments, and dramas, particularly in the MCU, often introduce comedic elements. Still, the setup for She-Hulk seems to be for a completely different idea than what fans have seen so far in the MCU – TV shows included. WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki are very different properties, but neither of them can be considered to be wholly comedic.

The fact that Marvel is trying to show its range with the Marvel Disney shows is a good thing. The setup of WandaVision might have been hilarious at first, but it’s hard to argue the show was really going for comedy. Sam and Bucky’s banter was fun, but The Falcon and The Winter Soldier dealt with some very heavy themes. Loki seems to be going for big existential questions. She-Hulk can be something completely different, and that will help it stand out in a suddenly much more crowded landscape of Marvel TV shows.

Courtroom dramas, in general, haven’t been wholly comedic either, but they can be. Ally McBeal did it in the 90s. Boston Legal did it in the mid-200s. And She-Hulk has the advantage of a secret identity, and some hard-to-control powers to draw from when it comes to laughs. She-Hulk also has an actress of the caliber of Tatiana Maslany, who, though not precisely known for her comedic chops, has already proven she can play any character required of her, even if she has to play five at the same time, as she did in Orphan Black. Playing only Jennifer Walters and She-Hulk will probably feel like a breeze for Maslany.

She-Hulk

Scott Lang’s whole demeanor and the way Ant-Man dealt with a character who was coming out of jail, trying to do better for himself and his daughter, and still never veered into the morose are a very good mirror for what She-Hulk needs to do. It will be interesting to see them attempt to marry Jennifer’s job, and her wins and losses as a lawyer, to her She-Hulk persona. On paper, it sounds like it could be very heavy if dealt with in a straightforward way. But with humor as a basis and some heartfelt moments and good action sequences mixed in, She-Hulk could be the kind of groundbreaking shows that opens up the door for the MCU going forward. And, if the character and the show are successful, then it’s likely fans will see her make the jump to the big screen and bring more balance to the MCU as a whole.

There aren’t a lot of MCU properties that She-Hulk could draw from, as it attempts to set itself up as a legal comedy with a superhero at the helm. The Ant-Man movies are the best inspiration the people behind the show could find for the balance they will require if the show is going to work. Considering Ant-Man is going into its third movie, it might be up to She-Hulk to not just copy the tone but carry that tone in the MCU going forward. It’s something the MCU doesn’t really have in abundance, and there’s certainly an appetite for it.

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