Note my review of Aqua Teen Hunger Force for an example of how random, insane, and oddball situations in a cartoon can be completely hilarious. Keep that in mind when I say this about Harvey Birdman. I have seen quite a handful of episodes of this show, and nothing elicited so much as a chuckle out of me. I realize this show is supposed to be a parody of old cartoon characters and cliches, but half the time the humor comes off rather dry instead of wacky. It almost seems like it tosses out random stuff just for the sake of randomness itself. By the time an episode is over, my most common response is a raised eyebrow and the words "Ooooooooookaaaaaay?" Unlike Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Harvey Birdman doesn't have the color in the characters to back up the random weirdness.

Another show on Adult Swim which abosultely smuthers itself in the word random. It seems people at that network makes stuff only funny themselves or to a limited audience.I am going to admit, I do find the show amusing.However,those laughs are mostly little snickers. At times, it feels like a profesionally written, coherent, sit-com.Then,it just slams right into a brick wall of random and shadders into peices.There are simply too many shows like this on Adult Swim to give it even a 2.5 rating. And it seems to be getting worse with even more poorly animated and written shows like 12 0z. mouse.However, there has beena glimmer of hope with The Boondocks. A show that actually is intelligent AND funny.Yes,this was a rant. But seriously, is there really anything anything to break down and examine ?

Heheheh.

What can I say about this show?

I think it's flat-out hilarious! I'm currently watching it on Adult Swim and most episodes make me laugh really hard. Big plus for it having characters from old cartoons by the Hanna-Barbara company and mixing hints of today's pop culture and society. Plus the series does a nice job of keeping the retro style alive in the series with the music, visuals, and animation. Rock on.

Yes, some episodes are boring and confusing, but most episodes are chuckle-heavy. This is worth at least seeing a couple of episodes, but if you start to get confused, check out some of the classic H-B series before watching more or some things will remain hard to understand.

Three stars from me!

Harvey Birdman is a very silly show. Even sillier than 'Sealab 2021', which employs the same concept of satirising 1960's Hanna Barbera cartoons. Harvey Birdman is pretty funny, though I must admit the charm wears off rather quickly.

All the same, it's hard not to like a show that manages to parody The Flintstones and The Sopranos in the same episode, at the same time. 'Harvey Birdman' only turned up recently on Australian TV, unfortunately sandwiched in the middle of the otherwise execrable 'Happy Tree Friends', and has become an instant cult favourite. Unfortunately, due to the extent that I detest most of the rest of the segments which it gets shoved in amongst, I haven't caught many episodes and am going to order the DVD set which comes out in April 2005.

(edit. I now have the boxed set, and have to admit to being a little disappointed. Not all the eps are that good)

Harvey himself is the old Birdman superhero character from the 60's, and his clients consist of cartoon characters from the same era - Hanna Barbera must have just sold them the rights to use every one of their characters and given them free reign. This leads to court cases involving Shaggy and Scooby Doo being busted for possession, The Jetsons sueing The Past for global warming, and Scrappy-Doo being hurled out of the frame (a couple of moments there which some of us have waited decades to see!)