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Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law

What’s the Story?

Reviewed byLucy Maher
Airing as part of the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim lineup, HARVEY BIRDMAN: ATTORNEY AT LAW follows the washed-up, B-list Hanna-Barbera superhero-turned-lawyer as he represents other classic cartoon characters who find themselves in legal jams. Harvey (voiced by Gary Cole) works at the prestigious firm of Snedden & Snedden under the tutelage of partner Phil Ken Snebben (Frank Welker) and Peanut (Thomas Allen), a crass, unpredictable legal secretary. In each episode, Harvey uses his expertise in the fields of copyright law, criminal defense, and litigation to defend clients like Scooby-Doo and Shaggy (busted for drug possession), Fred Flintstone (suspected of being in cahoots with the Mob), and the Jetsons.

Is It Any Good?

3

The main gimmick of Harvey Birdman is that cartoon characters can get into just as much trouble as their human counterparts. It's a clever concept, but the episodes often feel disjointed and feature characters doing silly, senseless things that don't have much to do with the main storyline.

Much of the adult-aimed humor will go over kids' heads, too. In one episode, for example, carefree Peter Potamus (Chris Edgerly) eats radioactive pellets that transform him into an obese, green "creature." He returns to his original state, but morphs again at the slightest hint of tension -- the "stress monster" metaphor will amuse adult viewers, but kids won't get it. Add that to the fact that the show presents beloved cartoon characters involved in some sketchy situations, and this one is best reserved for teens and up.

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