Birds of Prey Review – “Slick”

The second episode felt much like the first, in my opinion. What about your opinion?

Cast

Dina Meyer as
Oracle/Barbara Gordon.
Ashley Scott
as Huntress/Helena Kyle.
Rachel
Skarsten
as Dinah Lance
Shemar Moore as
Detective Reese
Ian
Abercrombie
as Alfred Pennyworth
Mia Sara as Harley
Quinn

Written by Laeta
Kalogridis
and Melissa Rosenberg.
Directed by Michael Katleman.

Original Airdate


Slick

originally aired on Wednesday,
October 16, 2002.

Synopsis

The ladies try to prevent the murders of police officers protecting
shipments of weapons.

High Point

The combat with both action heroes. That was well directed, and very
well paced.

Low Point

Maybe I’m just not familiar enough with the comic book Alfred, but
giving him dialogue with the phrase “piss them off” just seemed wrong.

Other Comments

Gee, do you think they’re hoping to appeal to horny teenage males?
The lengthy shots of the showering Harley Quinn were gratuitous,
especially since there was no sense of any real danger to her, and his
appearance was so predictable. Similar comments can be made about the
sauna scene. I like looking at these women as much as the next guy,
but they could at least try to work that stuff in without messing with
the episode pacing.

Also, I hope that’s not the regular theme song. I can’t say that I
liked it, or even that I think it suits the rest of the show.

The Review

This was not a particularly original episode. The villain was
a lot like Hydroman (of Marvel comics; I’m not a DC buff, but they’ve
probably got someone similar over there.) The relationship
developments were predictable, not because we know the characters, but
because that’s the way these character types always seem to relate. I
give it 3 out of 6.

The effects were decent. The water looked like water, but it
looked like it was constantly flowing into a person’s face, even
though the size of the water body never actually changed. The motion
of the batarang was excellent, as was the wire fighting. I also have
to give them credit for the decent blending of real shots and the CGI
cityscape. I give the effects 4 out of 6.

The story was fairly well done. The character development
was nice, although the changes in the character interactions should
have been spread over a few more weeks. This seemed too sudden. The
intentions of the villain were well handled, too. I give the story 4
out of 6.

The acting was good but not great. These actors and
actresses haven’t quite settled into their roles yet, but they’re
coming along. The guest star was believable in his character’s only
dimension. I give the acting 4 out of 6.

The emotional response this produced wasn’t particularly
impressive. I don’t know the heroes well enough to really care for
them yet, and I never thought that Harley Quinn was in danger for a
moment. (They’ve obviously got plans for her, so they wouldn’t bump
her off with a freak of the week in the second week.) There were
moments of laughter, and stirrings of other responses (see “Other
comments”,) but there was nothing here that really got me enthralled.
I give it 3 out of 6.

The production, apart from the opening theme music, was of
very high quality. Tight pacing (apart from the scenes already
mentioned,) well chosen camera angles, and well chosen mid-episode
music helped hold the show together. I give it 5 out of 6.

Overall, it was an entertaining second episode that helped
justify keeping the team together, even if that aspect did feel
forced. I enjoyed it, but probably wouldn’t watch it as a rerun. I
give it 4 out of 6.

In total, Slick receives 27 out of 42.

5 replies on “Birds of Prey Review – “Slick””

  1. Please kill Harly Quinn soon
    Her acting and character are both just bad. She’s so EVIL and she’s PLOTTING to TAKE OVER THE WORLD! BWAHAHAHAHAH! Give me a break. In a TV show or movie, the characters need to be more believable than they would in a comic. Look at the batman movies. The Joker, Catwoman and the PEnguin were all really well done, well scripted and well acted. Two-face and the Riddler got to be a bit much, but were tolerable, and Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy were just terrible.

    I like the idea of the Superfriends not knowing who the big-bad-guy is, but I think the audience knows too much, and her acting needs major toning down. She seems to have no other motivation than to be evil. We almost got a hint about it that she’s pissed that the Joker is locked up, but why not work towards breaking him out, instead of taking over New Gotham?

    Anyway, I’m also having a hard time believe than Huntress goes from chewing out Dinah and totally not trusting her to completely believing in her just because she clonked some bad guy on the head. I think overall the writing needs to be toned down and made a lot more subtle. Like Smallville.

  2. not bad
    The first police officer they showed dying sure didn’t last long, it was like a 30 second drowning.

  3. Finding it’s footing
    Like Smallville and to be honest just about any sci-fi endeavor, this show will need at least a season to get it’s bearings and develop a following. I see lot’s of potential here and really hope they get the time they need to pull the show into focus.

    There were some funny lines though, like Helena greeting everyone with “Hello superfriends!”. The show isn’t trying to be too serious and thus becoming a mockery of itself.

    I think they’re getting the need for cheesecake out of either some odd need to compete with Enterprise or because the last super heroine show on the air was Black Scorpion. Either way, it’s a little juvenile and will hopefully fade some as the show gets comfortable with itself.

    IMHO, the most attractive character on the show so far is Oracle/Barbara Gordon, perhaps the least likely to do any cheesecake.

  4. CatGirl/Cop relationship?

    Overall, I liked the episode… there were certain things that I didn’t like, but most were nits.

    What I don’t understand is why they’ve decided to start a CatGirl/Cop relationship so soon into the series (or was I just seeing too much into the hints?). From the preview for next weeks episode, it looks like whatever relationship is/was brewing between them is going to be nipped in the bud, but that brings me back to my point (if I have one). Why are they laying all of this stuff on so soon?

  5. “Slick”; Ick!
    As a newly subscribed member to this board I have to say I am incredibly disapointed with the first two episodes of this series. This second one moreso than the first.

    The premise that there is a battle between good and evil after dark and the police are completely unaware of it is one point among a few I had a problem with. The introduction of the super powered trio of heroines wrestling with crimefighting vs personal life has already been done in another series with a little more success. Still, I watched and got a few chuckles.

    This second episode seemed forced. Villian of the week “Slick” attempts to rob arms shipment, is stopped by officers, goes to kill officers so as to not be stopped on the second try, then is banished by all too convenient flamethrower a thug just happens to bring with them.

    I did enjoy the irony of the huntress seeking Dr. Quinn’s services for anger management and the fact that Oracle lets the youngest member of the team tell them more of her background even though she already had found it showed patience and wisdom in the character.

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