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The latest HBO Max show, Velma, is getting some positive and some hateful responses from viewers. Going by the ratings and the trolling, the series looks like a failure, even though the second season has already been announced.
The show’s strong female protagonist reminds one of the MCU’s She-Hulk series. She-Hulk had made some drastic mistakes to attract trolls, as did HBO’s Velma. It is not easy to portray a balanced and resilient female lead who is relatable to the fans. It takes serious thinking and writing to present such a character. This spin-off seems to have failed miserably.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law had an average Rotten Tomatoes rating of 2.2/5, while Velma has garnered 2/5 so far. She-Hulk had more fans in favor of the show than Velma. This article analyzes the common blunders the two shows committed and lost out on audience love.
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Disclaimer: This article reflects the author's personal views.
Failed emotional hook, shallow characters, and 3 other mistakes both Velma and She-Hulk made
1) Both the shows failed to have an emotional connection with the viewers
Viewers need to relate to the characters and get emotionally involved with them. She-Hulk failed to achieve this because she constantly blamed The Hulk for her situation throughout the series. Fans love The Hulk and hated when she insulted him.
The HBO series has caustic and aggressive characters who lack EQ. Viewers are unable to get emotionally connected to any of the characters. Velma and Daphne seem to be in combative mode, Norville is too ambitious, and Fred is too entitled. None of the characters come out as balanced or normal.
2) Both series have shallow characters that do not grow properly into the story
The surrounding characters in She-Hulk – Titania, Lulu, Wong, and Jon Bass – were not developed properly. They seemed to come and go as and when the plot demanded, leaving a disconnect from the storyline.
On the other hand, Velma has woven the characters into the storyline but failed to give them a grounded development. Fred, Daphne, Norville, and the rest of the supporting cast are portrayed through the interpretation of the titular character. This gives the characters a half-baked image that is not well-rounded. As such, the audience does not identify with or feel for them.
3) Uninteresting characters waste the potential to engage fans
In She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, two attractive characters – The Abomination and Daredevil – were badly presented. The Abomination had the potential to be a dreaded villain, but the series failed to keep up with that reputation. Daredevil, on the other hand, deserved more footage but was sidelined.
In Velma, all the main characters have been misrepresented as against the original Scooby-Doo stories. In an attempt to make them more contemporary, the characters have been reduced to rage-filled teens with disturbed personal lives.
Fred has been destroyed as an entitled, parasitic white American. “Shaggy” Norville is not as calm and laid-back as he was in the original series. Most fans have found these representations unexciting.
4) The lead personality in each series is filled with mindless rage
The story’s protagonist is expected to have suppressed anger that they learn to tame and come to terms with. That is what makes them heroes, different from common people. That is what The Hulk did. But, She-Hulk couldn’t come to terms with her rage until the end, though she claims to have better control in one episode. This made her character seem flat.
Velma has a disturbing past and personal life in the new HBO Max series. The titular character keeps spewing caustic remarks and insulting venom at everyone on the show. The inner rage seems mindless and repetitive without any valid reason. Fans expect the lead personalities to take charge of their issues, so the story moves forward.
5) Both the shows handled negative criticism poorly
How a show handles negative feedback ensures its connection with the media and fans. MCU writers for She-Hulk kept incorporating, ridiculing, and projecting trolls on the show. Not only did it keep highlighting the poor response, but it also ignored the positive feedback from fans.
On the other hand, the Velma series kept ignoring viewers’ expectations and responses. The executive producer and lead cast member, Mindy Kaling, said she didn’t care if fans were upset with race-swapping and other changes. Despite poor ratings, the team continues to claim that the show is a hit.
Can the two shows be considered flops?
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is not a completely flopped show. It is part of the MCU series of movies and shows leading up to their Phase 6 finale. Velma is a spin-off from the Warner Brothers show Scooby-Doo. It is not connected to any larger project.
She-Hulk picked up from The Hulk as a parallel storyline. However, the HBO Max series is the origin story of the four Scooby-Doo lead characters. It is important that it stays true to the original traits, which didn’t happen. This makes it an irreversible failure.
