Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law
| Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law | |
|---|---|
| File:HarveyBirdmanTitle.png Title | |
| Created by | Michael Ouweleen Erik Richter (based on characters created by Hanna-Barbera) |
| Starring | Gary Cole Stephen Colbert Peter MacNicol Thomas Allen |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| No. of seasons | 4 |
| No. of episodes | 39 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Running time | 12 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | Cartoon Network |
| Release | December 30, 2000 – July 22, 2007 |
Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law is a comedic American animated television series created by Williams Street that airs on Cartoon Network during its Adult Swim late night programming block. The series' pilot first aired in 2000, followed by an episodic series in 2001. The show revolves around the day-to-day activities of the Sebben & Sebben law firm (the name of which is a play on "7&7", an alcoholic beverage), which is staffed mainly by superheroes and other characters featured in 1960s-era animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera, particularly Birdman and the Galaxy Trio.
The show itself was produced by Cartoon Network and Turner Studios. It first debuted in September 2001, coinciding with the debut of Adult Swim.[1]
Premise
Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law features ex-superhero Harvey Birdman as an attorney working for a prestigious law firm along-side other cartoon stars from 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoon series, such as Blue Falcon and Peter Potamus. Although he is most often portrayed as a criminal defense attorney, Harvey serves other roles (such as as a civil litigator) when the plot calls for it.
Similarly, Harvey's clients are primarily composed of characters taken from Hanna-Barbera cartoon series of the same era. This roster includes some of the studio's most popular stars, such as Fred Flintstone, the Scooby-Doo gang, the specially-created members of the Super Friends, and other lesser-known characters such as Ding-a-Ling (sidekick of Hokey Wolf) and the Funky Phantom (from the short-lived series The Funky Phantom). Many of Birdman's nemeses featured in his former cartoon series also became attorneys, often representing the opposing side of a given case.
While the series remains faithful to its premise, it also uses a surrealist style of comedy, featuring characters, objects, and jokes that are briefly introduced and rarely (if ever) referenced thereafter. Also, because the series relies heavily on pop culture references to classic television animation, Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law constantly delves into parody, even featuring clips of these series, or specially-created scenes which mimicked the distinctive style of the animation being referenced.
Because of this approach, continuity is largely disregarded, though occasionally hinted: it is strongly implied that Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law is a sequel of sorts to Birdman and the Galaxy Trio. Instead of rigid plot structure, much of the humor is derived from the fact that superheroes and supervillains are given more realistic and human qualities; for example, Birdman's former nemesis Reducto, a mad scientist who carries a shrink ray, is now "Myron Reducto," an obsessive-compulsive and paranoid attorney who carries a shrink ray. Also, several of the plots revolve around exploring theories that fans have posited for some time about classic Hanna-Barbera characters, such as Benton Quest and Race Bannon being homosexual lovers or Shaggy and Scooby-Doo being stoners.
Although the first season is animated using traditional cel animation, the remaining seasons are animated using Adobe Flash. The reason for the switch was that the animation studio was having difficulty maintaining the fast pace of the show, and thus the production of episodes slowed down due to constant re-takes. By animating the series at Turner Studios in Atlanta, Georgia with Flash, not only were problems corrected faster, but production costs were much lower. Some animation was also done for the show at Bardel Entertainment in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Characters
Sebben & Sebben
| Description |
|---|
| Harvey Birdman starred in the Hanna-Barbera show Birdman and the Galaxy Trio in the 1960s. He gets strength and power from sunlight, and grows weak if kept away from the sun for too long. His superpowers include flight, the ability to create a shield of solid light, and the ability to shoot destructive energy beams from his fists. These powers are thought to stem from the crest on his helmet, though Harvey isn't entirely sure of the crest's true role in his powers. He has since retired from his superhero job and is now working for the law firm of Sebben & Sebben. Harvey is 6'6", and has large wings growing out of his back, genetically inherited from his father. His clients consist of other Hanna-Barbera characters of the past and present. He has a correspondence diploma in law (although this was most likely shown as a joke), and "LLM" is displayed after his name on his business cards, indicating that he is a Legum Magister. |
| Avenger, a large purple eagle, is Harvey's old sidekick, now serving as his legal secretary. Avenger sits on a perch on Harvey's desk, and sleeps in a canary cage in the office at night. Avenger's tasks usually involve taking dictation or filing. Avenger is badly hindered by his inability to speak (except in the episode "Mufti Trouble", where Avenger temporarily developed the ability to speak), even though it is clear that he can understand, or at least perceive, the meaning in the speech of other characters. Avenger can type and write English by claw, and Harvey seems to understand every "caw" he says. |
| Debbie is Harvey's secretary; although she is clearly seen in a few episodes, she's usually presented as just a voice on Harvey's intercom. It's implied that she hates her job, and that Harvey greatly relies on her. First appearances: "Bannon Custody Battle" (voice only), "X, the Exterminator" (full appearance). |
| Peanut was hired by Harvey to be his legal clerk; this character is modeled after Birdboy, who appeared in several episodes of the original Birdman cartoon. Unlike Birdman, Peanut's powers are not natural; his wings are metal or wooden, and his shield and energy beams come from "power bands" on his wrists. In most cases, he is unnervingly cool and calculated, often in extreme contrast to the goings-on around him, but can often be seen working behind the scenes towards uncertain or explicitly seedy ends. He has an ongoing rivalry with Avenger, and he speaks Japanese and Spanish. First appearance: "Shaggy Busted." Quotes |
| Phil Ken Sebben was the president and co-founder of the law firm Sebben & Sebben. Back when Birdman was a superhero, Phil was Harvey's boss, code-named "Falcon Seven." He was recognizable by his blonde hair, an eyepatch, and a dark suit. He co-founded the firm with twin brother Bill when they were 26 (they were distinguishable by the fact their eyepatches are on opposite eyes). He has a habit of laughing twice whenever he says a double entendre or a non sequitur. He has numerous vision problems; it is implied that he is blind in the eye not covered by his eyepatch, and he states that he "sees everything 3 feet to the left" of where they really are, and must account for this fact. First appearance: "Death By Chocolate." Quotes |
| Peter Potamus works at the law firm of Sebben & Sebben as a lawyer. The former star of Peter Potamus and His Magic Flying Balloon, he has taken the role of annoying co-worker, as well as an accomplished lecher and glutton. He often uses the catch phrase, "Did you get that thing I sentcha?" He takes this catchphrase to a personal level (he gets upset when someone doesn't get the thing) and to almost a spiritual level (whenever he is portrayed as a god, the catchphrase is almost the whole focus of the religion). Potamus is often unexpectedly caught having sex with women in the office, often on a desk, followed usually by a quick "What the-", or the occasional "Mein Gott," German for "My God." He has a love/hate relationship with Judy Ken Sebben, and later in the series he acquired the ability to transform into the savage "Incredible Hippo" when angrily provoked. Mysteriously, he had fingers up until late in season 3, after which they were replaced by flat, fingerless hands. First appearance: "Deadomutt, Part 1." Quotes |
| Antonio de Ribera Garcia Azul Falcón ("Blue" to his friends) is a Spanish lawyer who is very charming and popular. Also known as the superhero Blue Falcon, Falcón was first introduced as a new partner in the Sebben & Sebben firm. Falcón often relies on his sidekick Dyno-Mutt. He has a penchant for giving away "expensive and beautiful" silk clothing, which is often a cue for throwing an impromptu party (upon which he yells "Now, we make PARTY!"). An incompetent lawyer, he was later demoted to a men's room attendant in the Sebben & Sebben building. First appearance: "Deadomutt, Part 1." Quotes |
| Judy Ken Sebben is Phil's daughter, who seems to be very interested in Harvey's work as a lawyer. She takes on the alter ego of Birdgirl (who appeared in one episode of the original cartoon) and attempts to integrate herself with the "Bird Team"; however, her over-eagerness and clumsiness grates on Harvey, and he only begrudgingly accepts her role as his "sidekick." Birdgirl's actions seem to hearken back to the action TV shows of the '60s and '70s, often using campy full-screen sound effects like "Punch!" and "Wham!", similar to the original Batman series; she also gave Harvey's inconspicuous sedan a complete overhaul, changing it into the Birdmobile (akin to the Batmobile, complete with "recirc rocket"). She has a habit of speaking her inner monologues regarding her secret identity out loud and often into a public address system. Her father Phil is oblivious to the fact that "Birdgirl" is really his own daughter, and flirts with her inappropriately in their encounters when she is wearing her mask. Judy also assisted Peter Potamus in controlling his transformations into the "Incredible Hippo" with grinding, sexually enticing yoga exercises. First appearance: "Birdgirl of Guantanamole." |
| Bear is a recurring pantomime character who appears randomly throughout each episode, often at the end joining in with the laughter of the rest of the cast. Bear's actual role at the law firm is unclear, commonly believed to be a lawyer/bartender, and his presence among the employees seems to often go unnoticed or unmentioned by the others. He is often seen randomly assisting the others in various bizarre tasks, including skeet shooting and digging a large hole with Peanut in the middle of Harvey's office. He sometimes comments by smiling and releasing an inquisitive-sounding "Awr?" First appearance: "Very Personal Injury." The bear was designed by Vincent Waller, an animator and storyboard artist who worked on Ren and Stimpy and other John Kricfalusi projects, as well as SpongeBob SquarePants and Duckman. Ouweleen describes the bear as "the most zen creature on Earth." When you look at that serene face, you can't help but agree. He's the calm eye of the storm at the center of the Sebben and Sebben hurricane; the fuzzy lynchpin of the Birdman universe. |
Rival lawyers
| Description |
|---|
| Myron Reducto is an attorney at Freezoid, Zarog & Skon, and is one of Harvey's most common courtroom opponents, as well as one of Birdman's closest friends. He is a small man with green-tinged skin, and brandishes a raygun that shrinks its target. He and Birdman were once enemies but seem to have put aside their differences, clashing only on a professional level, often having lunch together and even carpooling. He is highly obsessive compulsive and prone to occasional paranoid and/or conspiracy theorist monologues, particularly about people who are smaller than he is, like Inch High, Private Eye or Atom Ant. He drives a new Mini Cooper, and his political views have been suggested to be Libertarian. Some of Reducto's common catch phrases are "Back off!", "I'll make you teensy!", "I'll make you fun size!" and "I will shrink you!" Quotes First appearance: "Very Personal Injury." |
| Vulturo is another one of Harvey's former villains turned rival lawyers. His primary set-back is a speech impediment that he seems entirely unaware of; he has a thick, pompous accent and though he will often start talking in a normal voice, he soon trails off into incomprehensible gibberish. This seems to have little effect on his success rate as a lawyer. He lives in an underground lair, somewhat similar to the Batcave. His original assistant, Dirth, was a robotic vulture. First appearance: "Bannon Custody Battle." |
| Evelyn Spyro Throckmorton is a villain/lawyer with tendencies toward the dramatic. Fancying himself as a thespian, he stages theater, spoken word plays, and opera in the courtroom as oral arguments. He often talks above witnesses, occasionally questioning them in foreign languages. First appearance: "Shaggy Busted." |
| Stan Freezoid is another villain/lawyer, whose main ability is freezing. His personality and demeanor as a lawyer is that of a stereotypical ambulance chaser, though Reducto says he is "the best criminal defense guy in the business." His business suit appears to be painted onto his robotic form. Of all the rival lawyers, he is by far the least eccentric and most level-headed. He usually seems rather benign, but he has an explosive temper when ignored, often threatening, "I'll freeze your ass!" He is a Name Partner at Freezoid, Zarog & Skon. First appearance: "Deadomutt, Part 2." |
| M!!!butu is an African Witch doctor that often appears during chaotic scenes yelling in mock-Zulu and jabbing a spear. His name is pronounced "Mmm *click*click*click* mmbutu", and he is a member of the board and Freezoid, Zarog & Skon. First appearance: "Bannon Custody Battle." |
| M!!!butu Junior is M!!!butu's son. He is identical to M!!!butu, but is slightly shorter. He is a master of voodoo arts and is quite nifty with a blow dart. First appearance: "Grape Juiced." |
Court
| Description |
|---|
| Judge Mentok the Mindtaker is a former enemy of Birdman, but now is a court judge who often hears his cases. He has various psychic powers including: teleportation, telepathy, hypnotism, precognition, and telekinesis — all referred to as "mind taking" — but he rarely uses them for anything beyond sophomoric mischief. He has been given the personality of a flamboyant stage magician; because of this, he often predicts the outcome of the cases he presides over before they have even started. He often makes an entrance, such as appearing in a cloud of smoke or from a bolt of lightning. Mentok's gavel is a brain on a handle, which squeaks when struck. He also seems to enjoy annoying the courtroom's bailiff, while the bailiff just ignores him and stares forward with a blank expression. During his time on Earth, Judge Mentok has been a mufti, a sex trade worker, a Cossack, and an EST instructor. First appearance: "Shoyu Weenie." Quotes. |
| Judge Hiram Mightor was a Hanna-Barbera superhero of the Sixties known as Mighty Mightor, one who lived in prehistoric times and got his powers from a magic club. He uses such a club as a gavel of sorts and speaks with a Southern accent (as opposed to the cartoon from which he is derived). He dresses in traditional judge's robes and wig. Mightor is always coughing up various objects, including a squirrel, a clown car, a miniature Yngwie J. Malmsteen, and a much smaller version of himself and his judge's bench (which also coughs up another judge's bench). He has a problem remembering people's names, often mangling Birdman's name into "Mister Birdbath," "Mr. Bumnuts," "Beanbag," "Mr. Buttermilk," or "Bootylicious." On a few occasions, when a double entendre is made in a court case about something related to male genitalia, the scene will briefly cut to Mightor in a setting holding a long object upwards, while swirling it around slightly and saying, "Deedle-deedle-dee." First appearance: "Bannon Custody Battle." |
| The Bailiff is the court's bailiff. His main function is to announce the arrival of the judge, and Mentok in particular often has the Bailiff announce him in a particularly grand fashion. In later episodes, he became a mute character, referenced by Mentok saying "Oh, you don't talk." Whenever someone in the court makes a vague, usually unintentional innuendo to male genitalia, the Bailiff immediately zips his pants. First appearance: "Shoyu Weenie." |
Others
| Description |
|---|
| X the Eliminator is an enemy of Birdman's who was originally commissioned by the organization F.E.A.R. to obtain Birdman's (alleged) source of power — the Crest on Birdman's helmet (actually a departure from the source material - in the original cartoon, he was hired to eliminate Birdman outright; returning with the crest was simply proof that he had done it). His failure to do so has, over several decades, turned him into a stalking fanboy with a love/hate relationship with Birdman. X's tool of choice is an ungainly silver death console with a telescoping laser emitter that uses obsolete vacuum tube technology. X often misses opportunities to attack Birdman with his death console because it takes a long time to recharge after he fires it. X is never seen out of his hooded costume; at one point he got plastic surgery because he was under the impression Birdman wouldn't notice him because of the way he looked, but it made no visible difference in his appearance. He frequently shows up at Birdman's office to eliminate him, but Harvey's secretary Debbie almost always mistakes him for hired help. X is shown to live in a small room which is filled with Birdman memorabilia. According to the credits of the episode of his first appearance, one of the voiced characters is known as "X's Wife," so it is possible that X is in fact married. His room, mannerisms and initial introduction, however, lead the viewer to believe that he lives with his mother. First appearance: "X, the Exterminator." |
| Gigi is a recurring character, first appearing as a physical trainer in a gym. She's has at least ten husbands and frequently philanders with male characters on the show, except for Harvey (despite his being one of her husbands). She usually calls him "Harry" or "Henry." She is based on the character Gravity Girl (hence the name: G.G.= Gigi) from the original Birdman and the Galaxy Trio; her Galaxy Trio teammates Vapor Man and Meteor Man have occasional cameos as her current/former casual boyfriends, Vince and Terry. First appearance: "Trio's Company." |
| Apache Chief is a small-time superhero and former member of the Super Friends, whose power is enlarging himself to immense size. Apache Chief once hired Harvey to represent him in a case where he spilled hot coffee on himself and burned his genitals, losing the ability to enlarge. As a fellow third-string superhero, Harvey often comes to Apache for advice. First appearance: "Very Personal Injury." |
| Black Vulcan is a small-time superhero who was once a member of the Super Friends. His power is that of lightning, which he sums up as, "Pure electricity... in my pants." He used to insist upon being called "Supervolt," but has since accepted "Black Vulcan" as his super-moniker, although he insists he got the name because of racism. In most of his appearances, he or another character says some variation on the phrase, "In my pants." First appearance: "Very Personal Injury." Quotes |
| Zardo is a former enemy of Birdman, having given up his life of crime/villainy apparently to be a homemaker and best friend of X the Eliminator. He has a mace in place of a left hand, is never seen without his bullet-shaped helmet (through which only his eyes can be seen), and speaks with a vaguely foreign-sounding accent. Zardo also has characteristics of fanboyism, but much toned down compared to X. He also seems to be the voice of reason with X. First appearance: "X Gets the Crest." |
| Alexander The Bartender is the man behind the counter at The Birdcage, a bar Harvey frequents with his friends. Oddly, he appears to be a former agent of F.E.A.R., an organization that was determined to destroy Birdman in his superhero days. First appearance: "Very Personal Injury." |
| Mr. Fezz is a man from somewhere around Arabia. He is a short bald man, wearing a red fez, a pink vest, and white pants. He usually steals Harvey's stuff, such as his stapler. First appearance: "Grape Juiced." |
| Elliott the Deadly Duplicator is a villain from Birdman's superhero days who continues to be his enemy. First seen (in this series) in the background during Murro the Marauder's civil suit against Harvey, Elliott later became a recurring character who's determined to destroy Birdman. He wears a pair of glasses that fire a ray which instantly creates living, thinking duplicates of whomever it's aimed at; the duplicates and the original often have difficulty determining which of them is which. He works for a duplication service company, rides solo on a bicycle for two, and lives in a house that has two of everything, including chimneys. First appearances: "Harvey's Civvy" (non-speaking cameo), "Identity Theft" (speaking role). |
Cast and crew
Main cast
Crew
|
Guest appearances
|
Episodes
In production order. Repeats on Adult Swim show the episodes in this order, as do the DVDs. Because of this the premiere dates, on the right, are out of order.
Volume 1: 2000-2004
EP01 - Bannon Custody Battle - December 30, 2000 (season 1)
EP02 - Very Personal Injury - September 23, 2001 (season 1)
EP03 - Shaggy Busted - July 7, 2002 (season 1)
EP04 - Death By Chocolate - July 14, 2002 (season 1)
EP05 - Shoyu Weenie - July 21, 2002 (season 1)
EP06 - The Dabba Don - July 28, 2002 (season 1)
EP07 - Deadomutt, Part 1 - May 25, 2003 (season 1)
EP08 - Deadomutt, Part 2 - June 1, 2003 (season 1)
EP09 - X, the Exterminator - June 8, 2003 (season 1)
EP10 - SPF - May 9, 2004 (season 2)
EP11 - The Devlin Made Me Do It - April 25, 2004 (season 2)
EP12 - Trio's Company - April 18, 2004 (season 2)
EP13 - High Speed Buggy Chase - May 2, 2004 (season 2)
Volume 2: 2004-2005
EP14 - Back to the Present - May 16, 2004 (season 2)
EP15 - Blackwatch Plaid - January 1, 2004 (season 2)
EP16 - Grape Juiced - May 30, 2004 (season 2)
EP17 - Peanut Puberty - June 6, 2004 (season 2)
EP18 - Gone Efficien... t - June 13, 2004 (season 2)
EP19 - Droopy Botox - July 18, 2004 (season 2)
EP20 - Guitar Control - November 2, 2004 (season 2)
EP21 - Booty Noir - July 24, 2005 (season 3)
EP22 - Harvey's Civvy - July 31, 2005 (season 3)
EP23 - X Gets the Crest - August 7, 2005 (season 3)
EP24 - Birdgirl of Guantanamole - August 14, 2005 (season 3)
EP25 - Beyond the Valley of the Dinosaurs - August 28, 2005 (season 3)
EP26 - Evolutionary War - September 4, 2005 (season 3)
Volume 3: 2005-2007
EP27 - Turner Classic Birdman - August 21, 2005 (season 3)
EP28 - Free Magilla - September 11, 2005 (season 3)
EP29 - Return of Birdgirl - September 18, 2005 (season 3)
EP30 - Mindless - September 25, 2005 (season 3)
EP31 - Identity Theft - October 23, 2005 (season 3)
EP32 - Sebben and Sebben Employee Orientation - October 16, 2005 (season 3)
EP33 - Mufti Trouble - October 2, 2006 (season 4)
EP34 - Incredible Hippo - October 9, 2006 (season 4)
EP35 - Babysitter - October 16, 2006 (season 4)
EP36 - Birdnapped - October 23, 2006 (season 4)
EP37 - Grodin - October 30, 2006 (season 4)
EP38 - Harvey Birdman, Juror in Court - July 15, 2007 (season 4)
EP39 - The Death of Harvey - July 22, 2007 (season 4)
DVD releases
| DVD name | Release date | Ep # | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volume One | April 12 2005 | 13 | This two disc boxset contains the first 13 episodes of the show ("Bannon Custody Battle" through "High Speed Buggy Chase") in production order, along with commentaries on selected episodes, deleted scenes, and other special features. |
| Volume Two | October 10 2006 | 13 | This two disc boxset contains the next 13 episodes of the show ("Back to the Present" through "Evolutionary War") in production order, along with commentaries on 9 episodes, additional footage and other special features. |
| Volume Three | July 24 2007 | 13 | This two disc boxset contains the final 13 episodes of the show ("Turner Classic Birdman" through "The Death of Harvey") in production order, along with special features. |
Video Game
A video game based on the series has been announced for the PlayStation 2[2], Wii[3]and PlayStation Portable[4] video game consoles.
It is being developed by High Voltage Software (developers of Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude) and published by Capcom. Featuring the same game mechanics of Capcom's Ace Attorney trial simulation series, it was due to be released in November 2007,[2] but has since been pushed back to sometime in early 2008.[5]
See also
References
- ^ "Harvey Birdman Finale on Adult Swim". Animation World Network. 2007-07-12.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Unknown parameter|dateaccess=ignored (help) - ^ a b Onyett, Charles (2007-07-12). "E3 2007: Harvey Birdman Preview". Retrieved 2007-08-06.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Kim, Alicia (2007-09-04). "WII(tm) TAKES THE CASE – HARVEY BIRDMAN, ATTORNEY AT LAW(tm) COMES HOME TO ROOST ON THE LATEST NINTENDO VIDEO GAME SYSTEM". Retrieved 2007-09-24.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Baity, Naquan (2007-08-01). "Move Over Phoenix Wright, PSP Has Harvey Birdman on the Case!". Retrieved 2007-08-06.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Bergfeld, Carlos (2007-10-22). "Did You Get That Thing I Sent You? No, Not Until 2008 (Harvey Birdman Delayed)". Shacknews. Retrieved 2007-10-22.
External links
- 2000 television program debuts
- 2007 television program series endings
- 2000s American television series
- Animated television series
- Crossover fiction
- Fictional lawyers
- Adult Swim original programs
- Television spin-offs
- Williams Street Studios series and characters
- Flash cartoons
- Fictional characters who can fly
- Legal television series