The Death of Harvey
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| The Death of Harvey | |
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| Network | Adult Swim (Cartoon Network) |
| Premiere date | July 22, 2007 |
| Starring | Gary Cole Stephen Colbert Thomas Allen Chris Edgerly Peter MacNicol John Michael Higgins Paget Brewster Maurice LaMarche Neil Ross Phil LaMarr Frank Welker |
| Music composed by | Michael Kohler |
| Writer(s) | Michael Ouweleen Erik Richter |
| Director(s) | Richard Ferguson-Hull |
| Episode navigation | |
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"The Death of Harvey" is the seventh episode of Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law season four, and the thirty-nine and final overall. It aired on July 22, 2007 on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block. It was written by series creators, Michael Ouweleen and Erik Richter, produced by Evan W Adler, and directed by Richard Ferguson-Hull. In 2018, the series was given a "reunion special" with Harvey Birdman: Attorney General.
The questionable jury of Harvey's past cases requires him to do them all over, which leads to the original: Nitron. But taking Nitron down is not the job of an attorney, but the job of a superhero: Biiiirdman!!!!!
Detailed summary
Memorable quotes
Birdgirl: See that guy? There? Remember you sent him that thing?
Potamus: That guy? I didn't send him nothin'. I keep a very detailed list of things sent and/or received, and I specifically remember sending him no thing.
Birdgirl: Well, you did, and he got it. But he didn't tell you.
Potamus: What? Nobody could be that cruel.
Birdgirl: Oh, yeah, he got it, and he was laughing about it. "Hey, everybody, I got that thing, but I'm not gonna in any way acknowledge receiving it."
Harvey: As an attorney, I swore to uphold the truth. As a superhero, the truth is mine to uphold.
Richter: Wait? What?
Characters
Organizations
- Sebben & Sebben
- Birdteam
- Shoyu Weenie
- KPHIL
- Sebben Laboratories (mentioned)
Locations
- Earth
- United States
- Washington, D.C.
- Sebben & Sebben offices
- Boobies
- Courthouse
- Javalux
- Duplication Services
- Banana factory
- Lobster factory
- Clown car factory
- KPHIL station
- X the Eliminator's residence
- Flicks-A-Lux
- Birdman residence
- South Dakota
- Las Vegas (mentioned)
- Washington, D.C.
- Canada
- Newfoundland
- Port St. Charles
- Pouch Cove
- Newfoundland
- Caymans
- Chile
- United States
- Space
Objects
- Superhero Sidekick Handbook
- Birdlocator
- Birdarang
- Stitcholuxe
- Carpetluxe
- Death Pounder
- Gone with the Wind
- Crotchmaster 6
- Jerry Bruckheimer's Guide to Home Movies
- Modern Men of Stunt
- Ol' Dirty Carny (billboard)
- Bronzoluxe Tanning Crème (mentioned)
- Soundolux
Vehicles
- Bus
- Birdmobile
- Speed Buggy
Production
Development
Filming
Phil being hit by a blimp is reused from the previous episode, "Juror in Court".
Music
The music was composed by Michael Kohler.
Release
Dates are in order of release:
- United States: July 22, 2007 on Adult Swim (Cartoon Network)
Behind the scenes
- The episode title is a reference to "The Death of Superman" arc by DC Comics. Nitron is a parody of Doomsday, who was able to kill Superman. In the former, their confrontation leads to both of their deaths, while in the latter, Nitron and Harvey die for different reasons.
- This episode is double the length of a regular episode.
- It begins with a recap of the aforementioned previous episode.
- Phil was believed to have been killed in "Babysitter."
- The blimp advertises a bald eagle logo associated with The Colbert Report, hosted by Stephen Colbert.
- Port St. Charles seems to be a parody of Cape St. Charles.
- When Birdgirl tears off Harvey's suit to get to his superhero costume, she also finds he's wearing his ballgown from "Evolutionary War," a Starfleet-like top from Star Trek: The Original Series, and Charlie Brown's t-shirt.
- Potamus can still turn into "the creature" after his consumption of Atom Ant's radioactive droppings in "Incredible Hippo." The creature is a parody of the Incredible Hulk from Marvel Comics. Potamus also says to Nitron he wouldn't like him when he's parched, which is a paraphrase of Bruce Banner's line, "You wouldn't like me when I'm angry," before he would transform into the Hulk in the 1970s/1980s The Incredible Hulk TV series.
- Harvey refers to the Bronzoluxe Tanning Crème he used in "SPF."
- Richter and Ouweleen have cameos just after Birdman makes his final nonsensical speech, which the former questions.
- The way the Bear leaves Harvey's wake is a parody of the ending of the sitcom Cheers.
Errors
- Harvey's 38 cases don't include Hair Bear presumably because that ended in a mistrial.
- The billboard says "Old Dirty Carny" when it's supposed to be Ol' Dirty Carny.
- Peanut is wearing his sweater vest when operating the crane.
- A callback to "The Dabba Don" shows Quick Draw's decapitated head but his death was contradicted, as he's alive in this episode and "Guitar Control."
Legacy
- Harvey's death and resurrection is the plot of Harvey Birdman, Attorney General.
- Birdgirl quickly repeating "Oh, my God" is used in the theme song to the spin-off Birdgirl.
Critical reception
Home availability
- In the United States:
- July 24, 2007: Warner Home Video releases Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law: Volume Three on DVD.
- In Australia:
- August 6, 2008: Madman Entertainment releases Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law: Volume Three on DVD.
- November 28, 2012: Madman Entertainment releases Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law: The Complete Cases on DVD.
- In the United Kingdom and Ireland:
- December 7, 2009: Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law: Seasons 1,2 & 3 on DVD.
- April 12, 2010: Revolver Entertainment releases Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law: Volume Three on DVD.
