Not your father's Batgirl
Yes, I was late to the Buffy party, but I made it. For the last couple of years it's been the only series I watch. (Yes, that means I don't watch whatsisname.)

But I may have to add a second hour to my weekly television quota this fall. Everything I've heard about Birds of Prey has been encouraging. Often, when adapting comic book characters to movies or television, Hollywood treats its source material with thinly-disguised contempt, borrowing little more than a name or two. The sheer depth of background that is reportedly making its way into "Birds of Prey" is staggering. From the May 25 Comics Continuum:

Both the Huntress and Black Canary will be metahumans in The WB's Birds of Prey television series.
Ashley Scott plays Helena Kyle, the Huntress, who is the daughter of Batman and Catwoman. She is extremely athletic and can adjust her vision. Sent by the courts to deal with anger management, Helena is counciled by Dr. Harleen Quenzel, aka Harley Quinn.
Rachel Skarsten plays Dinah Lance, the Black Canary, whose powers are psychic. As a child she "sees" Barbara Gordon being shot by the Joker and seven years later travels to New Gotham to see "a couple of people I knew, or knew about, anyway."
Dina Meyer plays Barbara Gordon, aka Oracle, the former Batgirl left in a wheelchair by the Joker's shooting. She runs the Birds of Prey from a clocktower, with high-tech computer gadgetry.

And more, from May 27:

Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, is killed early in the episode, with her daughter Helena watching over her. Helena becomes the Huntress and discovers that Batman is her father.
Batman himself actually appears, very briefly, as he tackles the Joker in what appears to be their final confrontation. Batman does not talk and is seen from behind from Batgirl's point of view.
Later, the Joker shoots Barbara Gordon in her apartment, causing the injury that paralyzes her and restricts her to a wheelchair. The Joker is voiced by Mark Hamill.
Alfred is seen helping Barbara in the Clocktower. He mentions he is taking care of Wayne Manor.
Sherilyn Fenn plays Dr. Harleen Quinzel, aka Harley Quinn. She is a psychiatrist counseling Helena but she has more ominous agendas.

And here is a grainy screen capture of Dina Meyer, in costume as Batgirl, in flashback. (She's no Yvonne Craig, but who is?)

There's still plenty of opportunity to get it wrong -- but by looking for ways to include the characters' existing history rather than starting over with similarly-named ciphers, and for casting Mark Hamill and Sherilyn Fenn, they've earned a trial viewing or two.

(As long as I'm being a comic book geek, here's a screenshot of Kirsten Dunst from Spider-Man that I haven't seen available anywhere else -- and the accompanying story.)