Birds of Prey (TV series)
Birds of Prey is an American superhero television series that was developed by Laeta Kalogridis. The series aired on The WB from October 9, 2002 to February 19, 2003 and is loosely based on the DC Comics series of the same name. The series takes place in a Gotham City abandoned by Batman.
The initial trailers for the series and its opening credits used footage of Michael Keaton and Michelle Pfeiffer from Batman Returns. The suits from the Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher Batman films were used in the series. Additionally, artwork featuring the Burton incarnations of Batman and Catwoman was commissioned to promote the series as a TV Guide cover, but ultimately went unused, as the show was cancelled before the artist finished the piece.
The series debut garnered ratings of 7.6 million viewers, but the series was canceled after ratings fell sharply in subsequent weeks. Thirteen episodes were produced and aired in total.
Synopsis
The series is set in New Gotham City, several years after it has been apparently abandoned by Batman. In his absence, Oracle and the Huntress have taken over his war on crime. The two are joined by Dinah Redmond, a telepath ; Alfred Pennyworth, who serves Helena as she is heiress to the Wayne estate; and Detective Jesse Reese, a police officer confronted with crimes and abilities he cannot explain.A central feature of the series is the concept of metahumans: individuals born with powers that cannot be explained. No two metahumans have the same abilities, and there exists a whole subculture of metahuman society that the outside world knows nothing about.
Detective Reese reluctantly teams up with Huntress and the other Birds of Prey to defeat metahuman criminals. At first, he disapproves of Helena's vigilantism, even trying to arrest her, but eventually he realizes there is a need for the Birds of Prey to take down criminals the police cannot handle.
During the course of the show, the Birds of Prey often confront schemes masterminded by Dr. Harleen Quinzel, though they are unaware of her involvement until the final episode of the series. Quinzel's attempts to discover what Helena is hiding, and the duplicitous nature of their therapy sessions together, form a large part of the series arc, beginning in the pilot episode and being resolved in the series finale.
Characters
Main
The daughter of Batman and Catwoman. She is half-metahuman, with cat-like abilities inherited from her mother : enhanced agility, strength, healing and a sixth sense for danger, as well as the ability to shift her eyes to a feline form. This change is usually triggered by strong emotion, but can also be used to grant Helena enhanced night vision. She was raised by her mother without ever knowing who her father was until the night Catwoman was murdered in cold blood on the street, right in front of her by an unknown assassin hired by the Joker. After this, she was taken in by Barbara Gordon, who raised and trained her.By day, Barbara is a teacher at New Gotham High, but, by night, she fights crime from a secret location in the New Gotham Clocktower. Originally one of Batman's apprentices and the daughter of his trusted ally Police Commissioner James Gordon, Barbara was shot by the Joker as revenge for Batman's dismantling of his criminal operation, leaving her paralyzed and forced to give up her life as Batgirl. She began using her expertise in computer hacking and weaponry to fight crime and renamed herself he Oracle. She maintains her superhero contacts and calls upon Huntress to handle the field work she is no longer capable of doing. Barbara works to develop a cybernetic implant for her spine in the hope that one day she will regain her mobility.
Also a metahuman, Dinah is drawn to New Gotham and to Helena and Barbara by visions of the tragedies that befell them on the night of the Joker's revenge. She proves herself to the two and is taken in as a member of their team, with the condition that she train in the use of her metahuman abilities. In addition to her precognitive dreams, Dinah is a touch-telepath, able to read the thoughts of anyone she comes in physical contact with and later manifests the power of telekinesis. During the course of the series, Dinah discovers that her mother is actually Carolyn Lance, the Black Canary, also a metahuman and legendary superhero, who gave Dinah up for her own safety when she was a child after she did not display any metahuman potential. Unbeknownst to Carolyn, Dinah's abilities manifested while in the care of her foster parents, who reacted with fear and physical abuse towards the young Dinah. This prompted her to run away where she was found by Barbara Gordon. The discovery of Dinah's relation to the Black Canary leads Oracle to believe that she may also have inherited her mother's hypersonic ability, although it is never demonstrated. Under Barbara and Helena's tutelage, Dinah becomes a skilled combatant.
- Shemar Moore as Detective Jesse Reese-Hawke
Faithful butler to the Wayne family, Alfred transferred his services to Helena and Barbara in Batman's absence, and is often present at the clock tower, taking care of their day-to-day needs. He shares a close bond with Barbara, often listening to her problems or giving her advice on personal situations, whether she wants to hear it or not. He secretly remains in contact with Batman, updating him on the status of the Birds, in particular, that of Helena.
A psychiatrist Helena is ordered to see after being convicted of vandalism while chasing a thief. Harley Quinn was Joker's lover and accomplice prior to his incarceration, unbeknownst to Helena and the other Birds of Prey, and has come to seek her revenge on New Gotham for what it did to her 'Mr J'. Though she presents herself as a respectable professional, once called upon by the authorities to work with violent and dangerous felons, Harleen Quinzel is herself insane, using her contacts with the criminal world to mastermind her revenge.
Recurring
- Shawn Christian as Wade Brixton
- Brent Sexton as Detective McNally
- Rob Benedict as Gibson Kafka