Birds of Prey

I was called by a beautiful friend of mine who was frantically trying to tell me to switch the channels over to the new program BOP.

I am clearly in her debt. I loved the show.

I work in a video store and i am constantly reviewing movies and watching older ones. I am a huge fan of the comics and the movies as well.

The whole concept of Batman leaving and the daughter coming up the ranks. Bat Girl being the 'leader'. Its fantastic. The music, the graphics and the villains were great.

I don't understand why people come on to say that it was bad. I understand that the series didn't last very long but i believe the idea will be picked up again and enhanced even greater.

If there is a survey for people that enjoyed this movie and would pay to see it again...put me on it.

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

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.

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.

Based on a long running DC comic title (recently canceled after 15 years) this show had a such a short run (about 3 months) prior to its cancellation that it was only just beginning to gather a little industry buzz when it went off the air for good. I was curious to see the show, since I am a fan of the comic book, but the strong female characters and sharp writing of the book are not as evident here. Ron Koslow, one of the main writers of Beauty and Beast, executive produced the series and the show had some similar elements: a slick looking urban fantasy setting, an underground of 'freaks' (in this case 'metahumans') hidden from the eyes of normals, and slightly cartoonish villains, with every episode following a mystery-adventure formula as the main characters try to discover the identity of this week's creep, while taking time out every so often to agonize over their life choices. Somehow the formula works less well here. The mystery villains are often a little too obvious, the well-choreographed fight and stunt scenes get a little repetitive, and the progress of the character arcs is so terribly slow that little happens from week to week. Clearly the producers envisioned a 3 to 5 year run and worked to keep things in check early on, but the slow arc makes things a bit tedious. Plus the early cancellation meant that the series cut off in the middle of nowhere, which made the overall structure of the piece just that much worse. Still, the main actresses (Ashley Scott and Dina Meyer) are good and the whole production is attractive to look at, so it's an okay time-waster provided expectations are kept low. Buffy it's not, but it's not bad. Rates about 6.5/10...