Birds of Prey is available now on DVD and digital. The series can be streaming on DC Universe in North America.
Synopsis
The Birds seek a cop killer that is able to liquefy himself and discover a hidden agenda involving arms shipments. Unknown to them the mastermind is right under their beaks.
Review
When Birds of Prey returned for its second episode the show looked a little different. Aspects of the pilot (reviewed here) had been retooled in response to both the leaked pilot and the network’s reaction. Gone is the more outlandish Huntress (Ashley Scott) costume and the cat-like sound effects and in their place are aspects more akin to other superhero fare of its era.
“Slick” marks the series really trying to strike out on its own, fully aware of the limitations place upon it by its production company (Warner Bros.) and its cinematic counterpart.
There’s a concerted effort to craft an original villain and Silas Weir Mitchell does his best to give Huntress and Detective Reese (Shemar Moore) a run for their money. Writers Laeta Kalogridis (Alita: Battle Angel) and Melissa Rosenberg (Jessica Jones) also make it abundantly clear they have hit on something special with Mia Sara’s portrayal of Harley Quinn.
Sara provides an anchor point to the world of DC Comics and is delightfully evil every moment she is on screen. At this point in history fans are only acquainted with Quinn from Batman: The Animated Series and her relatively fresh jump to the comics as she was is yet to become the pop culture icon she is today.
Sara and the writers had plenty of scope to creative an original interpretation of the character and by the series finale we’ll learn just what they are able to do.
Here Sara is still finding her feet. Chewing at the scenery but with a gleeful performance which befits a more adult version of the character. Not enough legacy is afforded to her version of the Clown Princess of Crime.
Countering Harley, but also providing a link to the comics is Barbara Gordon (Dina Meyer). Whilst Ashley Scott provides the muscle as Helena and Rachel Skarsten brings a youthful energy, Meyer is the heart of the series alongside Ian Abercombie as Alfred.
This episode reuses some footage which was originally scrapped from the pilot (and available in the unaired version). This footage slightly convolutes Barbara’s story as it attempts to craft a romance for her and Wade (Shawn Christian). In the original pilot the pair were seen breaking up, leaving Barbara alone due to her dedication to “the mission”. This retooled version instead offers the character a chance at romance, a chance which the writers don’t seem to quite know how to handle.
Birds of Prey is very much of its era. A show which puts strong, female leads at its core but finds itself bound by convention and unable to break free. “Slick” is a typical example as it pairs Harley in the shower with a naked Slick and traps Helena in an overtly sexualised encounter with Reese in a sauna.
It makes for sexy viewing and shows off just how attractive the series leads are but in the #MeToo era this type of storytelling would never fly (bird pun!).
The episode culminates in a fiery take-down of Slick which is all about getting to see Ashley Scott wielding a flame thrower. Whilst there are hints of character throughout this episode is really all about laying the re-tooled ground work and creative a spectacle within a 45min episodic-TV format.
But look carefully enough and Birds of Prey will give you a glimpse of the kind of heavily serialised storytelling which is now common place in genre TV. Given it’s DNA, Birds of Prey stands alongside Smallville and Buffy as one of the trailblazers of serialised TV.
Verdict
Though not as impactful as the pilot, “Slick” is an interesting glimpse into the type of genre storytelling which was all over network television in 2002. Entertaining and heavy on the action but a little too light on character.
6/10
Birds of Prey stars Ashley Scott as Helena Kyle/Huntress, Dina Meyer are Barbara Gordon/Oracle, Rachel Skarsten as Dinah Redmond, Shemar Moore as Detective Jessie Reese, Mia Sara as Dr Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn and Ian Abercombie as Alfred Pennyworth.
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