Birds of Prey
Birds of Prey poster
Created by	Laeta Kalogridis
Starring	see below
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	13
Production
Executive producer(s)	Mike Tollin Brian Robbins Shawn Levy
Running time	1 hour
Broadcast
Original channel	The WB
Original run	October 9, 2002 – February 19, 2003
External links
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

Birds of Prey was a drama television series produced in 2002. The series, which was developed for television by Laeta Kalogridis for The WB, is loosely based on the DC Comics series, Birds of Prey. Orders Accipitriformes     Cathartidae     Pandionidae     Accipitridae     Sagittariidae Falconiformes     Falconidae A bird of prey or raptor is a bird that hunts its food, especially one that preys on mammals or other birds. ... Promotional image for Birds of Prey, featuring Ashley Scott as the Huntress This is a copyrighted promotional image. ... Mike Tollin (born in Havertown, Pennsylvaniais the best town in teh world in 1956) is a movie director and producer. ... Brian Robbins (born November 22, 1963) is an American actor and producer. ... Shawn Adam Levy (born 1967) is a Canadian director and actor. ... The Warner Bros. ... is the 282nd day of the year (283rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... [[Media:Italic text]]{| style=float:right; |- | |- | |} is the 50th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Television drama series is a genre that deals with generally non-epic situations in a serious, dramatic manner. ... A television program is the content of television broadcasting. ... The Warner Bros. ... DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ... Birds of Prey is a comic book published by DC Comics that features the adventures of a group of female superheroes who are based in Gotham City (and later Metropolis). ...

Despite initially high ratings^{[citation needed]}, viewership quickly began to fall and the series was cancelled. In total, thirteen episodes were produced. Rating is a means of classifying things in different categories. ...

Characters

• Helena Kyle/Huntress - (Ashley Scott)

The daughter of Bruce Wayne, and Selina Kyle. She is half-metahuman, and possesses cat-like abilities inherited from her mother (also a metahuman in the Birds of Prey continuity): 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 Selina was murdered as an act of revenge by the Joker. After this she was taken in by Barbara, who raised and trained her.

• Barbara Gordon/Oracle - (Dina Meyer)

Shot by the Joker as revenge for Batman's dismantling of his criminal operation, Barbara is paralysed and forced to give up her life as Batgirl. To compensate she becomes Oracle, using her expertise in computer hacking and weaponry to fight crime, calling upon Huntress to handle the field work she's no longer capable of doing. By day Barbara is a teacher at New Gotham High, but by night she fights crime from her secret lair in the New Gotham clocktower.

• Dinah Redmond - (Rachel Skarsten)

Also a metahuman, Dinah is drawn to New Gotham, and Helena and Barbara, by visions of the tragedies that befell them on the night of 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, the ability to move objects with her mind. 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.

• Detective Jesse Reese - (Shemar Moore)

A detective that encounters Huntress while investigating a rash of bizarre suicides. He is simultaneously drawn to her and disapproving of her disrespect for the law. Nevertheless the two are thrown together by cases involving metahuman abilities. Reese's father is Al Hawke, head of a powerful crime family and sworn enemy of Carolyn Lance, Dinah's mother.

• Alfred Pennyworth - (Ian Abercrombie)

Faithful Butler to the Wayne family. In Batman's absence he transfers his services to Helena and Barbara, and is often present at the clocktower, 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.

• Dr. Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn - (Mia Sara)

A psychiatrist Helena is ordered to see after being convicted of vandalism while chasing a thief. Unbeknowst to Helena, or the other Birds of Prey, she was the lover of the Joker, 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, one called upon by the authorities to work with violent and dangerous felons, Quinzel is herself insane, using her contact with the criminal world to mastermind her revenge. Sara did not mirror Arleen Sorkin's Batman The Animated Series performance of a New York City-style accent when voicing the character, utilizing a more mid-Atlantic sound. During times of Quinzel's insanity, Sara used a distinct inflection in her voice, evident in the finale, Episode 13.

The Huntress is a superheroine from DC Comics. ... Ashley Scott Ashley McCall Scott (born July 13, 1977) is an American actress. ... Metahuman is a term to describe superhumans in the DC Universe. ... Joker card, lower left. ... Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics and related media. ... Dina Meyer (born December 22, 1968 in Queens, New York) is an American film actress. ... Batgirl is a DC Comics superhero. ... Rachel Skarsten as Dinah Lance Rachel Skarsten (born April 23, 1985, Toronto) is a Canadian actress of Norwegian origin, musician (piano), athlete and dancer. ... Warning: This is NOT a scientific article. ... Black Canary is a fictional character, a DC Comics superheroine. ... Batman and Superman, two of the most recognizable and iconic superheroes. ... Shemar Franklin Moore (born April 20, 1970 in Oakland, California) is an Emmy Award-winning American actor and former male fashion model with Irene Marie Models, best known for his role as Malcolm Winters on The Young and the Restless, which he originally played from 1994 to 2002, and is... Alfred Pennyworth is a fictional supporting character in the DC Comics Batman series. ... Ian Abercrombie (born September 11, 1936 in London) is an English actor. ... Harley Quinn (real name Dr. Harleen Quinzel) is a fictional character in the animated series Batman: The Animated Series, as well as the DC Comics Batman series and its spin-offs, and subsequently in various Batman-related comic books. ... Mia Sara (born June 19, 1967) played Ferriss girlfriend Sloane in Ferris Buellers Day Off. ... Arleen Sorkin (b. ... The animated Batman shoots his grappling gun from a rooftop in a scene from the episode On Leather Wings. Batman: The Animated Series is an acclaimed animated television series adaptation of the comic book series featuring the DC Comics superhero, Batman. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ...

Recurring characters

• Wade Brixton - (Shawn Christian)

The guidance counsellor at New Gotham High. He and Barbara meet in the Pilot and subsequently begin a relationship.

• Gibson Kafka - (Robert Patrick Benedict)

A metahuman with perfect photographic memory. He can recall every taste, sight, sound and smell he has ever experienced and knows, to the second, the amount of time that has passed since he last saw someone. He is the proprietor of No Man's Land, a bar and safe house for metahumans. He first appears in the third episode, Prey for the Hunter.

• Detective McNally - (Brent Sexton)

A New Gotham detective and partner of Jeese Reese. He is skeptical of all things strange and unexplainable. He first appears in the Pilot.

In addition, Mark Hamill reprises his role from Batman: The Animated Series as the voice of the Joker for the brief appearances of the villain in the Birds of Prey pilot[1]. (Actor/stuntman Roger Stoneburner appeared as the Joker on-camera[2]; Hamill's voice was dubbed over Stoneburner's performance.) Quick Facts Shawn Christian was born on December 18, 1956, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. ... Pilot is the first episode of The WB television series Birds of Prey. ... Rob Benedict also Robert Patrick Benedict is an American stage and screen actor born in Columbia, Missouri. ... Prey for the Hunter is the third episode of The WB television series Birds of Prey. ... Pilot is the first episode of The WB television series Birds of Prey. ... Mark Richard Hamill (born September 25, 1951) is an American actor and voice actor. ... The animated Batman shoots his grappling gun from a rooftop in a scene from the episode, On Leather Wings. ...

Plot outline

The series is set in New Gotham City, several years after it has been abandoned by Batman, with Barbara Gordon, and Helena as the Huntress, having taken over his war on crime. The two are joined by Dinah (after she assists them in defeating Larry Ketterlly, a version of the Scarecrow), Alfred Pennyworth, who serves Helena as heir to the Wayne estate, and Detective Jesse Reese, a police officer confronted with crimes and abilities he cannot explain. Look up Gotham in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... It has been suggested that Scarecrow in the DC Comics Animated Universe be merged into this article or section. ...

A central feature of the series is the concept of metahumans: Individuals born with powers that cannot be explained, such as Helena and Dinah. No two metahumans have the same ability (or set of abilities) and there exists a whole sub culture of metahuman society that the outside world knows nothing about.

It is this world that Detective Reese is drawn into, reluctantly teaming up with Huntress and the Birds of Prey to defeat metahuman criminals. At first, he is disapproving of Helena's vigilantism, even trying to arrest her, but eventually he realises there is a need for the Birds of Prey to take down criminals the police can't handle.

During the course of the show, the Birds of Prey often find themselves confronted with schemes masterminded by Dr. Quinzel, though they are unaware of her involvement until the final episodes of the series. Her 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.

Episodes

• 101- Pilot (airdate: October 9, 2002)
• 102- Slick (airdate: October 16, 2002)
• 103- Prey for the Hunter (airdate: October 23, 2002)
• 104- Three Birds and a Baby (airdate: October 30, 2002)
• 105- Sins of the Mother (airdate: November 6, 2002)
• 106- Primal Scream (airdate: November 13, 2002)
• 107- Split (airdate: November 20, 2002)
• 108- Lady Shiva (airdate: November 27, 2002)
• 109- Nature of the Beast (airdate: December 18, 2002)
• 110- Gladiatrix (airdate: January 8, 2003)
• 111- Reunion (airdate: January 8, 2003)
• 112- Feat of Clay (airdate: February 19, 2003)
• 113- Devil's Eyes (airdate: February 19, 2003)

There exists an unaired original pilot, in which the role of Harleen Quinzel was played by Sherilyn Fenn. Pilot is the first episode of The WB television series Birds of Prey. ... is the 282nd day of the year (283rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Slick is the second episode of The WB television series Birds of Prey. ... is the 289th day of the year (290th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Prey for the Hunter is the third episode of The WB television series Birds of Prey. ... is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Three Birds and a Baby is the fourth episode of The WB television series Birds of Prey. ... is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Sins of the Mother is the fifth episode of The WB television series Birds of Prey. ... is the 310th day of the year (311th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Primal Scream is the sixth episode of The WB television series Birds of Prey. ... is the 317th day of the year (318th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Split is the seventh episode of The WB television series Birds of Prey. ... is the 324th day of the year (325th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Lady Shiva is the eighth episode of The WB television series Birds of Prey. ... is the 331st day of the year (332nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Nature of the Beast is the ninth episode of The WB television series Birds of Prey. ... is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Gladiatrix is the tenth episode of The WB television series Birds of Prey. ... is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Feat of Clay is the twelfth episode of The WB television series Birds of Prey. ... [[Media:Italic text]]{| style=float:right; |- | |- | |} is the 50th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Devils eyes is the thirteenth and final episode of The WB television series Birds of Prey. ... [[Media:Italic text]]{| style=float:right; |- | |- | |} is the 50th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Unaired Pilot is the original version of the first episode of The WB television series Birds of Prey. ... Sherilyn Fenn (born Sheryl Ann Fenn[1] on February 1, 1965 in Detroit, Michigan) is an Emmy and Golden Globe award nominated American actress and filmmaker, best known for playing Audrey Horne on the cult TV series Twin Peaks, for her roles in Ruby, Of Mice and Men, Boxing Helena...

Series history

The series is loosely based on elements from a number of different comic books and continuities.

This version of The Huntress, as the daughter of Batman and Catwoman is closest to the original version of the character, though neither that character, nor the current Post-Crisis version possess the super powers the Birds Of Prey version does. The characterisation of Catwoman as a metahuman, with her own set of enhanced abilities, is closer to the film Catwoman, released several years after this series, than anything presented in the comics, where none of the women to use the name have had special abilities. Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a DC Comics fictional superhero who first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939. ... Catwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics Batman franchise and created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane. ... The Huntress is a superheroine from DC Comics. ... The Huntress is a fictional character in the DC Universe. ... Catwoman is a 2004 film directed by Pitof and released by Warner Brothers on July 23, 2004. ...

Barbara Gordon's paralysis and subsequent donning of the mantle of Oracle however, and the notion of the two characters as a team, comes from the graphic novel The Killing Joke (which has a scene very similar to one of the opening moments of the first Birds of Prey episode) and subsequent Birds of Prey comics. Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics and related media. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Oracle is a fictional character, the nom de guerre of a superhero appearing in the publications of DC Comics. ... Cover to Batman: The Killing Joke. ... If you are looking for other meanings of the term, refer to Bird of prey (disambiguation). ...

The concept of Bruce Wayne giving up his alter-ego and going into seclusion after the death of a loved one is somewhat similar to The Dark Knight Returns and the destruction of Gotham City (as indicated by the constant references to "New Gotham") was also a storyline (No Man's Land) featured in the comics. The map of New Gotham shown at the beginning of the pilot is identical to one used in the "No Man's Land" story line. No Man's Land is also the name of the metahuman bar featured in the show. The premiere issue of the series Spoiler warning: The Dark Knight Returns (known as DKR by fans) is a superhero comic book story published by DC Comics between 1985 and 1986, starring Batman. ... This article is about the fictional place. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this comics-related article or section may require cleanup. ...

Declining ratings led to the show's cancellation, but as several episodes of the thirteen episode order were yet to be filmed, the producers were able to wrap up the story lines in the last three episodes.

The theme song is Revolution by Aimee Allen from her CD I'd Start a Revolution If I Could Get Up in the Morning (album never released by Elektra Entertainment)

See also

• Aquaman
• Justice League of America
• The Flash
• The Fantastic Four

Aquaman (also known as Mercy Reef) is a television pilot developed by Smallville creators Al Gough and Miles Millar for The WB Television Network, based on the DC Comics character Aquaman. ... Justice League of America is an unsuccessful TV-pilot based on the characters of The Justice League. ... The Flash was a live action CBS television series from 1990-1991 that starred John Wesley Shipp as the superhero, The Flash, and co-starred Amanda Pays. ... The Fantastic Four is an unreleased low-budget feature film completed in 1994. ...

Footnotes

External links

• Birds of Prey Archive Community
• "Birds of Prey On DVD" Campaign
• Birds of Prey Online
• Gotham Clock Tower
• Oracle Heaven