Review: Birdgirl “The Wanky” ; “Rejuvification”

Overview:

Birdgirl is back and it begins with an important look inward for the employees of Sebben & Sebbeb. In “The Wanky,” Judy’s cherished childhood toy returns to her life, but its true purpose shines a light on a major area of Judy’s existence that’s gone overlooked for too long. Gillian finds herself with a comparable level of stress in “The Rejuvication” after unexpected responsibilities fall into her lap. Judy and Meredith’s absence from the office puts Gillian in Charley’s orbit for a very specific task that tests her in new and messy ways.

Our Take:

Birdgirl was one of the most hotly anticipated Adult Swim programs of 2021 and while it’s proven itself to be no Harvey Birdman, Attorney At Law, it’s also made a strong case for why that’s not a bad thing. Birdgirl took some time to find its footing, but it concludes its first six-episode season with some confident episodes that better figure out what the show’s voice. Season one ended with the Bird Team collectively finding themselves as both a team and as individuals and this season continues to build upon this energy rather than regress back to old habits. 

Like many of the episodes in the first season of Birdgirl both “The Wanky” and “The Rejuvication” shift somewhat grounded premises into heightened absurdity during their final acts. This simple toy storyline and the literal perversion of Judy’s childhood transforms into a generational scheme to wipe out perverts and feels akin to an evil plan from out of Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law. For a moment the Bird Team even get to do their best impression of the Avengers once the consequences of the Wanky evaporate society. It’s like if the “dusting” of individuals from Thanos’ snap in Avengers: Infinity War was triggered by masturbation. Judy’s repressed lifestyle turns out to be everyone’s key salvation. This resolution is a little messy and convenient, but it eventually gets to where it needs to with Judy’s character. It’s actually quite sweet that she makes one last attempt to escape by pleasuring herself in her Birdgirl attire, but in the end she confronts this as herself. She’s the superhero. 

On that note, Birdgirl and company are barely in their superhero states during the first episode and it’s even less prevalent in the second episode. This divide works, but also feels intentional on the show’s part as it moves even further away from the superhero theatrics except when it’s only necessary.

Season two of Birdgirl could have gone in many directions, but it’s encouraging that these episodes present moving stories where the characters actually grow and improve upon themselves. These two episodes weren’t designed to be put together as a double bill, but they’re successful in this regard and comment upon similar themes and subject matter through the various Bird Team’s character deficiencies. At the same time, Judy’s storyline with the toymaker in “The Wanky” and Gillian’s time with Charles, the fellow Attendant in “The Rejuvication,” feel reminiscent of the types of the surreal stories that Mike Tyson Mysteries would tell, which is never a bad thing. Birdgirl will only soar higher if it continues to accentuate its eccentricities.