Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law

Lore & Background

The series features ex-superhero Harvey Birdman working for a law firm alongside other cartoon stars from 1960s and 1970s Hanna-Barbera series. His clients are primarily characters from the same era, and his former nemeses often appear as opposing attorneys. The show uses a surrealist style of comedy, with brief, rarely-referenced jokes and heavy parody of classic television animation, including clips or specially created scenes mimicking the original animation styles.

Reader's Guide

Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law is significant as the first Adult Swim series to maintain continuity throughout its run, bridging the gap between Birdman and the Galaxy Trio and the new attorney premise in the episode 'Turner Classic Birdman.' The show was Adult Swim's most expensive original series at the time due to its use of digital ink and paint. Its legacy includes a special, Harvey Birdman: Attorney General (premiered October 15, 2018), and a spin-off, Birdgirl (premiered April 4, 2021). The series was named the 91st-best animated series by IGN in 2009, praised for its clever parody and homage to classic animated characters.

Did You Know?

• The pilot first aired as a sneak peek on Cartoon Network on December 30, 2000.
• The series officially premiered on Adult Swim on September 2, 2001, the night the block launched.
• The theme song is an edited version of 'Slow Moody Blues' written by Reg Tilsley.
• A video game based on the series was released for PlayStation 2, Wii, and PlayStation Portable on January 8, 2008.
• Despite common belief, Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law was not the first adult animated production produced by Cartoon Network Studios.