She-Hulk: Attorney used Better Call Saul as the main point of reference, showrunner Jessica Gao has revealed.
Speaking exclusively to TechRadar ahead of the Disney Plus show, Gao spoke about how the blockbuster Netflix franchise made a big impact on the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) franchise, which will debut on August 18.
We asked Gao what inspired She-Hulk: Attorney at Law plots, themes and overall vibes, and she told us how Better Call Saul, as well as Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s award-winning comedy Fleabag, helped her in her initial victory. hearts and minds of the Marvel Studios executive team.
“When I presented the show, the two touchpoints I used were Fleabag and Better Call Saul,” Gao revealed. “With Fleabag this is what it is about a woman [navigating life]how hard and real it felt with its feminine motives, as well as with the elements of breaking the fourth wall.
“Better Call Saul was also a great inspiration as he skillfully blends humor and legal drama. But it also has some really exciting action-oriented stories that happen outside the courtroom. There are many interesting things that are happening outside the courtroom that are more interesting or equal to what is happening inside. ”
It’s a good thing Gao used Better Call Saul as the main inspiration for Marvel Studios’ first legal comedy and drama project. Netflix’s six-season series has just ended, and its final episode aired on August 15 on AMC (in the US). passing the torchlight of a TV law show between one blockbuster series and another potentially popular one.
Fleabag and Better Call Saul weren’t the only series Gao and her writing team used as benchmarks for the MCU Phase 4 project. Further developing what inspired She-Hulk’s acting debut, Gao also listed the popular HBO show Max and somewhat surprising FX TV drama as guides to tell a story that revolves around the main character who is a lawyer.
“The next show we talked about is Insecure,” Gao continued. “Not only because the character of Molly [played by Yvonne Orji] is a lawyer, but because of how [the show features] wonderful depictions of complex female friendships.
And finally, The People v OJ Simpson: American Crime Story. I thought this show did an amazing job showing the ins and outs of the process, all the things that were going on outside of it, and how it affected everything in rehearsal. It was really wonderful.
With so many similarly-set TV shows to draw inspiration from, the legal aspects of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law should be grounded in reality, even if it’s a superhuman lawyer-centered series. And without revealing too much, this is definitely something that shows up in the latest TV lineup from Marvel Studios. We’ve seen the first four episodes of She-Hulk, and the show does a good job of capturing the intricacy and morality at the heart of court cases, albeit wrapped in superhero clothes.
You’ll be able to read more about our thoughts on She-Hulk’s debut in the MCU later this week in our review of these first episodes, and learn more about the show’s development in our exclusive chat with Gao and director Kat Coiro.
In the meantime, find out when She-Hulk: Attorney at Law will make its Disney Plus debut, or read why Coiro can’t tell you where the series fits into the MCU timeline. Alternatively, learn how to watch Marvel movies in order or check out the movies and TV shows that will make up Marvel Phase 5.