Episodes:
"Sins of the Mother"
Airdate: 11/06/02
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"Sins of the Mother" 1.5 - Original Airdate: 11/06/02
  
Written by Melissa Rosenberg & Hans Tobeason
Directed by Jeff Woolnough
So, this was the episode that arguably, everyone seemed to be waiting for. Once it was revealed that Dinah would be a regular on the show, fandom cried for the Black Canary. And I have to admit, I thought Lori Loughlin did a good job.
I was a little disappointed we didn't get to see the Canary in costume, but I realize that for a TV audience who doesn't know anything about the characters, that fishnet stockings and high heels might seem a tad out of place. Perhaps if the Canary returns to Birds of Prey they can put her in Dinah's suit from the early issues of the Birds of Prey comic, since that seemed a tad more practical.
The use of the "canary-cry" was nice, though I'd rather we saw it a bit more, since there seemed to be quite a bit of build-up towards it in the dialogue. The visuals of the cry were well done, and I really hope the Black Canary reappears, or at the very least, that Dinah starts using the codename.
The Black Canary appeared to die at the end of the episode, which doesn't matter much in the world of science fiction, unless you see the body, and even then it's not a certainty. If Hawke can survive that explosion, then surely the Canary can. Although, in all fairness, the original Canary did die in the comics, and they may try to be following that timeline in a way.
I'll get to Hawke in a moment, but I should note that I found it very interesting that Dinah's father went unmentioned, and I hope this means that the show runners are mulling over whether or not to bring in Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow, as Dinah's mother. They could even bring in Queen's prot�g� Arsenal (sorry, Speedy is just too dated) as a love-interest for Dinah.
Now, onto Hawke. I thought Stephen McHattie's performance was well nuanced. The slight southern 'twang' brought something to the character. I have to admit, I was prepared to be disappointed, since Hawke seemed like an interesting character, but as the episode went on I was prepared to write him off. It seemed too much like he was going to die at the end of the episode. However he survived, and the last-minute revelation that he's Detective Reese's father insures that he'll show up later.
Did I mention how unexpected it was that Hawke was Reese's father? I kind of picked up on it during their conversation, but even then, when I heard that Reese's father was a Gotham crime boss, I wouldn't have suspected it would be Hawke, race aside.
The special effects were a little cheesy, and I would have liked to have seen Barbara in action, but this episode was good overall. I like that the show isn't just going to do the "Harley sends bad guy to fight Helena" scenario over and over. And as much as I like Alfred, I'm glad he doesn't show up every week. It makes the character a little more interesting if he helps the Birds out, but isn't there if the plot doesn't call for it.
This was a good episode, and I can't wait for the next comic-fest episode featuring Lady Shiva, in a few weeks.
WB Summary for "Sins of the Mother"
"LORI LOUGHLIN ("FULL HOUSE") GUEST-STARS AS BLACK CANARY
Barbara (Dina Meyer) and Helena (Ashley Scott) learn the truth about Dinah and Dinah learns the truth about her own past when her mother, Carolyn Lance (guest star Loughlin), comes to New Gotham in search of the daughter she abandoned years before. Dinah is shocked to learn that Carolyn was once Batman�s prot�g�, Black Canary. Meanwhile, Helena learns that Detective Reese (Shemar Moore) has family issues of his own when he becomes secretive about a ruthless gangster. Jeff Woolnough directed the episode written by Melissa Rosenberg and Hans Tobeason."
TV Guide Summary for "Sins of the Mother"
"A rush of conflicting emotions hits Dinah when her biological mother, Carolyn Lance (Lori Loughlin), shows up in New Gotham---and orders her daughter to give up crimefighting. Meanwhile, an organized crime boss acts on his vendetta against Carolyn."
Comicology for "Sins of the Mother"
In DC comics, Dinah Lance, the Black Canary, is the daughter of the original Black Canary, who was a heroine in the 1940s. The original died some time ago, but passed on her mantle to her daughter. The Black Canary's powers include her oft-used Canary Cry.
Ratings for "Sins of the Mother"
11/06/02 - 4.1/6
87 (tie) out of 127 programs for that week, 5th in it's timeslot (out of 6)
12/11/02 - 2.7/4
?? out of ??? programs for that week, 5th in it's timeslot (out of 6)
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