Review: Birdgirl “Shoot From The Foop”

Overview:

Sebben & Sebben’s continued efforts to micromanage Judy reach a fever pitch at the Judy Ken Sebben Leadership conference. Judy’s public image gets diluted and skewed beyond recognition, which leads to the CEO finding solace and empowerment through an unusual source of support. Judy feels like she’s finally started to actualize the perfect, purest version of herself, it just might have to come at the expense of an artificial intelligence takeover that enslaves all of humanity. NBD.

Meanwhile, the cat’s in the cradle with Dog with Bucket Hat as he wrestles with the possibility that his cherished pet iguana may be at death’s door.

Our Take:

Branding is a crucial concept that the characters in Birdgirl are well-acquainted with since they’re cogs in a relentless corporate machine at Sebben & Sebben. Judy is someone who’s especially cognizant of the power of branding since she’s the Sebben of Sebben & Sebben and her name is literally on the line with each new product they churn out. Judy is curiously able to find a level of anonymity that removes herself from this constant scrutiny when she becomes Birdgirl since her failures while costumed are at least not linked to her name. In the workplace, Judy can’t escape so easily or just grappling hook away from culpability. 

Branding is omnipresent in Birdgirl, but “Shoot From the Foop” is an episode where more than Judy’s brand–but also her face and identity–are exploited to manipulate others. Consumers enter a tacit agreement whenever they purchase something from a corporation, but Judy experiences misappropriation on a newly personal level after her image is used to peddle false leadership lessons to aimless thirty-somethings. Judy struggles with the responsibility that now falls on her as she suddenly becomes the face of a movement. Judy is forced to view herself in this fabricated fashion, which pushes her into an identity crisis. Judy explores who she really is after she’s presented with so many versions of what she is not. Birdgirl has been rich in episodes that build up and break down Judy’s character, but “Shoot From the Foop” feels fresh and more personal than past crises.

“Shoot From the Foop” continues the trend of consistent, character-driven stories that make up season two of Birdgirl. It’s satisfying to get an episode that puts Judy front and center after several episodes that prioritize the series’ supporting cast. Judy has still been effective in small doses and the driving force for most installments, but an episode like “Shoot From the Foop” becomes more effective when it falls at this place in the season instead of coming first or second. The series continues to build upon its strong foundation with eccentric storylines that are rooted in real anxieties. There’s no doubt that the final two episodes of this season will follow suit.

We are strong. We are Judy.