at The WB
18 out of 23 people found the following review useful: In Defense of "Birds of Prey", 14 October 2002 Author: Gravity06 from Florida, USA
There are those comix purists who will complain that BoP violates "continuity". If the truth be known, that which constitutes "continuity" is in the eye of the beholder (At last count, there are over five -- and counting --different Batman "continuities" [Movie Batman, "Batman: The Animated Series", "Batman Beyond", "Justice League", "The Dark Knight", etc.] ). At last count, Superman has over EIGHT different continuities (radio show, TV shows ["Superboy", "Smallville", etc.], and countless cartoon incarnations -- in addition to the comics). This is to say nothing of the pre- and post-"Crisis" versions of each of these characters.There are so many different versions of Batman and Superman and different eras that trying to please each and every comic fan out there is a nightmare and an impossible task for a screenwriter. There are some people who want to see this version and some who want to see this era and if the writers mix them up then all hell breaks loose in Comix Fandom. To attempt to satisfy the whims of each individual fan is to ask for trouble.While the critics are marking off their checklists and tabulating how well BoP adheres to its "source material", they're missing out on a fun show peopled with some quirky and interesting characters (The Huntress holds the singular honor of being TV's first superhero to see a therapist on a regular basis!)."Birds of Prey" is best enjoyed when judged on its own merits. In my opinion, it's a fun show that deserves a chance to come out from under the shadow of its comic book origins.
14 out of 17 people found the following review useful: A great series that should have stayed., 2 April 2004 Author: ksveit from California, USA
I liked this show. It's too bad it didn't last very long. I liked the matrix-like action sequences, the dialog, the twists and turns that each episode took. It's a bummer that the last episode was such a cliffhanger (of course they usually are). It's true the meta-human thing was a bit unrealistic, but they had to play with things a little to make it so that it wasn't too much a copy of other Batman stories. I would have liked to see Dina's character more developed as she discovered her abilities. I would have liked to see Oracle get the use of her legs back if possible. It would have been neat to see if the Alfred character would develop further. Of course the Huntress character had a lot of development options. I wish they'd bring this show back. I don't care what all of the negative people might say, I liked it and miss it a lot. I wish somebody could do something to bring it back.
13 out of 17 people found the following review useful: Really Really Good, 27 November 2004 Author: Goh Mifune from United States
There is a lot to say about this show, there really is. I remember watching this show when it first came on, the premise had intrigued me, and I was a comic book fan, so I was really alienated by watching a show with barbara gordon, it really is like watching Batman Beyond or the TAS or even the movies when comparing to the comics, but this is by no means a bad thing. Just as every reviewer has, the plot is about Batman and Catwoman, Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle's child and her affiliation with her mentor/ best friend Barbara Gordon who is now Oracle and the new addition to the team Dinah Lance, which so far it feels like an Elseworlds BOP comic, and that is exactly how it plays out. It revels in the mythology, but adding or taking anything away from it. For instance, the Catwoman and Batman portrayed are obviously Batman Returns material, which by all means isn't bad. Unless you're a fan of the mythos as presented in post-1986 DC, then you may have to adjust, for in reality it is an assembly of many things, No Man's Land's Earthquake for instance, but none of this bad, by all means it is far from it.As a show, this is where things get interesting. It has a strong plot, good acting and writing, just about everyone agrees that Barbara Gordon is played very faithfully by Dina Meyer and so is Ian Abercrombie's Alfred Pennyworth. The show boasts a solid soundtrack, very solid in fact, the opening song "Revolution" and the final one'd "All the Things She Said" and "A Sorta Fairytale" are more than perfect fits. Visually it very dark leather clad everything in black cg Gotham which isn't bad, it has more of a cinematic touch for its 40 minute episodes.The cast is great, actors and characters, but all in all, any good story has a fantastic ending, and boy does this show deliver, it delivers more than any show I have ever seen in fact, great pacing, and circular storytelling that is nowhere near trite, you easily you begin to believe in, cheer on for these character. You begin to love and hurt along with them.I would actually be remiss not to point out the performance of both Harley Quinns, Mia Sara is fantastic, very visual and has a look, and Sherilynn Flynn who most likely would've been subtle, which may have worked equally as effective.In the end, Birds of Prey was a great show, not just a good one, but a great one, maybe someday, we'll get to see what happens next to Batman's little girl all grown up.
15 out of 22 people found the following review useful: Batman's legacy didn't last., 22 November 2002 Author: mack3175 from Metairie, Louisiana
I was sorry to hear that this show was cancelled. I really felt this would be has good as Smallville. But I guess not. Despite silly dialogue. This show was great. It also had great female leads, especially the lovely Dina Meyer. The cartoon Batman Beyond started out good, but fell out of the top ten after two seasons. Note to the female leads in Birds of Prey. I'm sorry to hear about the show, and good luck on future projects.
10 out of 13 people found the following review useful: A comic book fan...., 12 October 2002 Author: emma_peel from US
The show had a good start. Some comic book fans are groaning because they strayed from the comic book storyline. Most are glad to see that the series exists.Dina Meyer gave a strong performance as Barbara Gordon. She was a believable leader of the crime fighting trio. The other characters still need to settle in their new roles a bit. Ashley Scott has a good start with her Huntress metahuman abilities. She had decent fight scenes. Dinah (Rachel Skarsten) will probably draw in younger viewers to the show.Harley Quinn is a character that should be used like in the Batman cartoon, otherwise this is a waste of a character. Mia Sara's portrayal is too sinister so far. It left me asking when the Harley Quinn we know and love will pop up. Possibly, this might happen when she sees the Joker? (I wonder what Kevin Smith thinks....)Kudos for using Mark Hamill as the voice of the Joker.I like that Batman is hidden in the shadows, because it builds up mystery for the dark knight. This is not the "Batman" show. Its about characters that have a connection to Batman and Gotham City.I'm hoping Birds of Prey gets a chance this season to build up its storyline. This WB show probably has the ability to knock UPN's Buffy out in the same timeslot. Its is fresh and probably has a following started already. (Its also filling the void leftover from the cancellation of Witchblade).I will be tuning in next week....For those who don't follow the comic books:1. Barbara's reason for being in a wheelchair was shown almost like it was in the tradepaper back "The Killing Joke". The Joker was trying to drive her father, Commissioner Gordon, mad not Batman.2. In the Birds of Prey comic, Huntress is Helena Bertinelli. Her family was gunned down by a rival mob organization. The Batman/Catwoman story was used to pull in viewers who were not familiar with the charaters. (Its possible that this was mentioned in an alternate comic book timeline). They've tamed down her outfit (like the Xmen movie) to make it less "comical" and more "real world".3. Dinah Lance was the Black Canary, who is the third member. The Dinah Lance in the tv series is a bit young. This will probably be explained in a future episode.....4. Don't expect to see much of Batman, he's not a main player in the comic book series. He's more of a guest star.If you want to know the real deal, get "Black Canary/Oracle/Huntress: Birds of Prey" Book 1 if you still can.....
4 out of 4 people found the following review useful: Interesting take on the old legend, 11 October 2002 Author: NileMaiden from Oregon
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
****Spoilers ahoy! ****For those of you whose only preception of Batgirl was the "Batman and Robin" version, featuring the blonde-haired, deliverer of bad comebacks "Barbara Wilson" (Alicia Silverstone), this new WB series "Birds of Prey" should be a welcome breath of fresh air. Based on the hit comicbook series, BoP presents us with an alternate Gotham City, a world in which Batman is mysteriously absent. His protege, Barbara Gordon, one-time Batgirl and computer genius, strives to follow in his vigilante footsteps. After suffering a crippling injury at the hands of the Joker, Barbara assumes a new identity: Oracle, an all-seeing, all-knowing force of justice. Utilizing her vast computer knowledge, she patrols Gotham virtually, battling the forces of evil.Aiding her on this quest, is Helena Kyle, the daughter of Batman (Bruce Wayne) and Catwoman (Selina Kyle). Taken in by Barbara after her mother's brutal murder, Helena is Oracle's eyes and ears in New Gotham. Though she seems to enjoy a solid butt-kicking and the occassional pithy retort, the Huntress is considerably more laid-back than her mentor and frequently demands a reminder for why she and Oracle bother with crimefighting in the first place.Dinah Lance, a naive teenager from a quiet Midwestern background, later journeys to Gotham, pursuing the two figures from her childhood nightmares. Believing her premonitions to be real despite her mother's skepticism, she arrives by bus and quickly finds herself at the mercy of the dangerous city. The Huntress appears just in time to rescue her and Dinah recognizes her as one of the women from her dreams. Her gift allows her to see and feel what others do when she comes in physical contact with them, and due to this, she is able to follow the Huntress back to Oracle's clocktower, thereby discovering their secret identities.I was very impressed with the flashback sequences, the appearance of Batman and Batgirl, battling the Joker together. Dina Meyer is delightful in her portrayal as Barbara Gordon, believable in both her no-nonsense valor and quiet tenderness. It's a pleasure to finally see a correct interpretation of Batgirl/Oracle hit the screen. And though the BoP series features the Earth 1 version of the Huntress (quite unlike the more commonly known Helena Bertinelli), the stray from today's continuity is not altogether unpleasant. Helena Kyle broods admirably, yet is not as dark, violent, and angsty as her Earth 2 counterpart. Ashley Scott's chemistry with Shemar Moore (Detective Reese) will also be fun to follow.My only complaint would be the casting for the lovable psychopath Harelyquinn. Though it's probably too early to nitpick, Mia Sara seems an unlikely choice in both appearance and personality for the young and bubbly Harley. I suppose we'll have to see her in action before passing a final judgement. But other than that, BoP grants us access to a whole new Gotham, fiercely protected by a new trio of superheroines. Hopefully, the producers will leave some room for the old; favorites like Nightwing, Robin, and Spoiler would make for delicious gueststars ;)
5 out of 6 people found the following review useful: A good show cut down before it had a chance., 26 October 2003 Author: highman73
While not a dead on comic adaptation,and far from ideal effects and stories,Birds of Prey set out to give viewers a good comic related action show and was succeeding,as the Thousands of unhappy and protesting fans that wrote and emailed the WB prove. While not without its flaws,the show had good action and good plots for the medium.Enjoyable acting ,fast pace,and effects consistent with tv action/fantasy.As to the comic fans who are rabid over the differences:while we'd all love to see it,no comic based movie or tv show has ever been a perfect adaptation.File it away to alternate realities if you must,but be open minded.Just because Star Wars Episodes 1-3 Made most of it's "history" bunk doesnt mean Timothy Zahn's Heir to the Empire books were any less enjoyable The WB and Fox both owe their very existence to shows that didnt take off immediately,Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Married With Children come to mind and they are not the only ones.Yet in recent years both networks have developed a "better ratings now" philosophy that insults viewers and television industry people alike.Any show that isnt cookie cutter crap or an instant hit with whatever demographic they are aiming for is quickly eliminated,almost unerringly,giving no time to grow a large and loyal fanbase(like the aforementioned shows did).But fanbases do exist for these shows and are kept alive via the internet,and word of mouth.Given another year for people to tune in and a little tweaking this show could have been another Buffy like hit,but sadly it wasnt to be.So remember kiddies:tape those first runs,the show might not make it to reruns
5 out of 6 people found the following review useful: A good effort, a shame it didn't last, 29 November 2002 Author: johnnysugar from Minneapolis, MN
OK, I'll admit it...I'm a sucker for women kicking butt. Xena...Buffy...Witchblade...I love all those shows. I was never familiar with the "Birds of Prey" comic book, mainly because I have a disdain for anything with the DC Comics logo on it, so I was relatively unfamiliar when I tried out the series pilot. Free of the fanboy adherence to over-analyze everything in a comic book adaptation, I was highly entertained.The story is this: Batman and Catwoman have a child, Helena (Ashley Scott), who Batman is unaware of. Catwoman raises Helena until the day she is murdered by a henchman of the Joker while Helena watches helpless. At the same time, Barbara Gordon (aka Batgirl, played by Dina Meyer) is shot by the Joker, paralyzing her from the waist down. Batman skips town in distress. Barbara takes Helena in, who we discover has "metahuman" abilities (replace that with "mutant" and you have the X-Men), and Helena becomes the Huntress, defender of New Gotham. The two take in Dinah (Rachel Skarsten), a teenage runaway who has an ever-expanding array of psychic powers including precognition and telekinesis. Of course, all of this is explained at the beginning of each episode by Batman's ever-present butler Alfred (Ian Abercrombie)."Birds of Prey" is shot beautifully, each episode featuring theatrical-quality cinematography...in wide-screen no less! The special effects are above average for network television, easily the equal of established shows like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel." Dina Meyer is fantastic, easily conveying the complexities of a superheroine now confined to behind-the-scenes work, humbled by her own arrogant youth. Ashley Scott has the right attitude for her role, and she seems to get better with each episode. Rachel Skarsten is only mediocre, however, as the budding superhero, and she seems to have studied her Buffy tapes way too much. Mia Sara is also surprisingly effective in the role of Harley Quinn, Joker's vengeful girlfriend intent on destroying New Gotham...and masquerading as Dr. Harleen Quinzell, Helena's court-appointed anger management therapist (and, no, this isn't a spoiler since it's discovered in the first episode). The plots and scripts for "Birds of Prey" are standard superhero fare, however, but care has been taken to keep episodes consistent, and there is an average level of quality the episodes always reach.As superhero movies/TV shows go, this one is far above average...it's certainly better than the odious "Mutant X" and the horribly sanitary "Smallville". The producers seem to have taken a cue from Bryan Singer, whose adaptation of the X-Men stands as one of the best comic adaptations of all time: be faithful, but be accessible. Without pandering to the rabid Internet fanboys or to the legions of teenage girls who just want to see Tom Welling with his shirt off, "Birds of Prey" is a fine piece of entertainment...fun without being silly, dramatic without being ponderous. And people who've never read a comic in their life can watch it without editor's notes.As I write this, of course, the WB has canceled this show. It's a shame, really, because with a full season and even a second one, the show could have developed into something great...remember, even "Buffy" (my favorite show) wasn't that great until 2nd season. But there's always the movies...8 out of 10.
5 out of 6 people found the following review useful: Another fresh look at the Batman Formulae, 10 October 2002 Author: Techtite from New York
Birds of Prey is set years after Batman's final victory against The Joker; a battle with a terrible price. Catwoman was killed, and Batgirl (Dina Meyer) was confined to a wheelchair for life. Batman disappears...apparently, too stricken with grief to continue. In his absence, Barbara Gordon (Batgirl) becomes "The Oracle," acting as the eyes and ears of her protégée, The Huntress (Ashley Scott). The Huntress has a personal vendetta against the criminals of Gotham; she's Catwoman and Batman's daughter. So continues the Bat-legacy.Enter `bird' #3: Dinah Lance (Rachel Skarsten), a young psychic who arrives to Gotham to explain the strange dreams she's been having. Of course, comic book buffs will know that Dinah Lance is the name of The Black Canary, thereby completing the "Birds of Prey" trio. However, for now, she's just a young novice, learning to be a super-heroine as the series progresses...While comic-purists whine about comic-book inconsistencies, there is a lot to love about this "alternate" Bat-city. For one, their arch-nemesis is Harley Quinn (Mia Sara), who was once The Joker's main squeeze. The premiere also had the fun of Mark Hammil as the voice of the Joker, which he performs as brilliantly as he did in the cartoons. Best of all, though, is how The Huntress' eyes turn into feline slits before a fight; it may not be like The Huntress of comic lore, though who cares? It's a cool shot, plain and simple.Regardless, some comic purists insist there is no way Catwoman and Batman had a child. What's the alternative, kiddies? That the rumors about Batman preferring the company of young boys are true.? Of course he and Selena Kyle were more than `just friends,' as we've seen in movies, TV, the comics, and even the cartoons. So yeah one thing led to another and Huntress was born. It could happen. Accept it.Of course, you can never tell what series will be accepted by younger audiences. Back in the 1970's, "The Six Million Dollar Man" lasted four seasons, while "Bionic Woman" lasted only two; go figure. In today's pop culture, will a young Superman in "Smallville" be considered cooler than Batman's daughter in "Birds of Prey"? If so, that's a shame. There is a lot to like about this series. I look forward to seeing Birds of Prey as long as it lasts. I hope that's a long while.
8 out of 13 people found the following review useful: Batman's legacy lives on., 13 October 2002 Author: mack3175 from Metairie, Louisiana
First there was the cool cartoon series Batman Beyond. Now there is Birds of Prey, it's seven years in the future. Barbara Gordon/Batgirl(the lovely Dina Meyer) is now in a wheal chair, after being shot by the joker. But still fights crime has The Oracle, and also has help from Helena Kyle(Ashley Scott) who's the daughter of Batman And Catwoman. And also the help from Dinah Laurel Lance(Rachel Skarsten) who has ESP abilities. I liked the first episode. I hope this will be on the air for at least five seasons. It has great action, and great special effects. Ashley Scott is great, she is like part Catwoman,part Trinity from The Matrix. Dina Meyer is also great. If you are a Batman fan , then you'll this show.
Add another review
