Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law

I finally got done watching the entire run of Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law. I first stumbled unto it while channel-surfing between commercials during one of those long, cold nights in Bemidji and I couldn't quite figure out how Birdman became a lawyer and all the other 1960s and 70s Hanna-Barbera (HB) characters (basically, old school cartoons lah) became his clients and why some of the voices sounded vaguely familiar.

A couple of years later, I downloaded the entire series for the heck of it to see what it's about. And blog about it since the video game's out (friend Ivan thought that it was only merely a game until I told him that it's based on the show).

Turns out it's not an officially sanctioned (by HB) project. It's a parody with a surrealist streak. It's like the Simpsons but on Cartoon Network with HB characters. Whatever you thought you knew about these characters is seriously challenged. But in a funny way.

Having watched waaayy too much HB cartoons when I was 12, I pretty much still remember all these characters, and I was amused by how they've "evolved" here.

Basically it's about Birdman who retires as a superhero and decides to defend for justice in the courtroom instead as Harvey Birdman: well meaning, bumbling lawyer. Despite wearing a suit and tie, he still has on his mask, wings and yellow shoes. His sidekick Avenger is now his legal secretary, who can type (in English), file and take dictation despite the lack of fingers. I still have no idea how Birdman understands Avenger when all it ever says is "CAW!".

He also a "team" of sorts: Peanut (his legal clerk) and Birdgirl (aka Judy Sebben, daughter of Phil Ken Sebben). Birdman's boss is randy, one-eyed Phil Ken Sebben (Falcon 7), who owns Sebben and Sebben. I think the character's hilarious and another plus for me was that he's voiced by Stephen Colbert.

The villains are also either his opponents in court or his friends.

As far as the plot goes, you can't expect much, but I'm a sucker for hidden references and innuendo. I'd get the DVDs if I could.