DC Universe’s Harley Quinn is an electric, loud, and explosive ride, balancing action and emotions wonderfully. It’s a brilliant show that is just as crazy as its protagonist. While it is a comedy, it is not afraid to get serious.

The show is led by Justin Halpern, Dean Lorey, and Patrick Schumaker, with Kaley Cuoco as the lead. Lake Bell voices Poison Ivy, while Alan Tudyk voices both Clayface and the Joker.

Aesthetic

The artstyle is amazing, and it’s unique character designs move very well in front of the beautiful backgrounds. Each background builds the setting to a fantastical level. The settings tell so much about each of the characters. The posters of Batman in Barbara’s room show her Batman obsession, and Freeze’s dome reflects his loneliness. The hellish version of Gotham tells just how much the city had fallen. They are so detailed, yet simplistic, just like with the character designs. Mr. Freeze looked amazing, his design was the best on the show. The designs all match perfectly to the show’s style.

The jokes are meta and never get in the way of the flow of the show. The most notable one is of course the controversial “Snyder Cut” fandom reference. It showed a fan in a “Release the Snyder Cut” shirt and another in “The Last Jedi is not Canon” shirt. Initially, it brought outrage but later led to the creation of the shirt which brought about $2000 to charity. Other jokes range from the American healthcare system to an uncomfortable parody of “Under the Sea” based around poop. The music is great, commanding the tone for each scene, whether action or emotional. Each episode is a good length and it rarely feels like anything is missing.

The voice actors are top-notch, with each one bringing a unique voice to their character. Cuoco continues to bring a ton of flair to the role, and also nails the emotional parts. Bell has a softer presence that can slow down the show when needed. The rest of the cast remains great, but the newcomers exceeded expectations. Sanaa Lathan was perfect as Catwoman, her smooth voice sold the cat burglar’s extreme confidence. It was hilarious to hear DCAU veteran Michael Ironside reprise his role of Darkseid in a comedic fashion. He commands the scene every time he speaks, even when it might be something like “Darkseid is… late for a meeting”. Alfred Molina provides a cold voice to Mr. Freeze yet also brings out the character’s softer side. In larger roles, Jim Rash as the Riddler and Diedrich Bader did great as The Riddler and Batman.

Character

The strength of the show is easily its brilliantly written characters. Whether it is bringing unknown characters to a greater audience such as Doctor Trap, or reinventing old characters to fit the tone of the show, it works very well. From King Shark to Batgirl, everyone gets their moment to shine and show their value.

Bane remains one of, if not the, most entertaining and funny character. Harley’s dynamic with all of them is excellent, with each relationship is something special.

Most of the characters tend to exaggerate a cliché associated with the characters. Catwoman embodies everything about being smooth, while Superman is super cheesy.

Batman and Batgirl also got a lot of attention, as Batgirl is beginning her crime-fighting career and Batman attempts to rebuild himself. Batgirl brings a different type of energy to an already super energetic show. She is someone on the “good” side, but also corporates with Harley. The sisterhood she has with Harley and Ivy is very entertaining, and it also helps that Brianna Cuoco is actually Kaley Cuoco’s younger sister. 

Revenge

The season is really split into 2 halves. The first half is a loose adaptation of No Man’s Land, and Harley has to take down the Injustice League. Bane, Two-Face, Penguin and The Riddler took over Gotham and split it up amongst them. Harley chose to take revenge against them after they only offered her a small portion of the city. Each takedown was a whole lot of fun, whether it was Harley biting off Penguin’s nose, turning Riddler into a generator, or destroying Bane’s therapy prison. Penguin is killed by Harley after she is kidnapped for turning the goons against the Injustice League. That left 3 in her way to becoming the ruler of what became “New New Gotham”. Barbara, Harley, and Ivy took down Riddler and turned him into their own personal generator by having him run on a hamster wheel.

The show even took the tragic backstory of Mr. Freeze and did it dirty. First, they made fun of the New 52 retcon where Nora is not his wife, but a science experiment he became obsessed with. Harley had this mentality and so freed Nora which would have killed her, but Freeze sacrifices himself to save his wife’s life. This is an act of true love, which Harley may aspire to gain, but doesn’t know how to.

Her fast-paced takedowns lead to Two-Face and Bane getting desperate. All this time Batman had been recovering and trying to get back. He steals a high-tech armored Batsuit from Alfred and then gets beaten to a pulp by Bane. With him being out of commission again, he makes Barbara officially Batgirl, teaming her up with her father Jim Gordon. Jim had been depressed since Batman left and the city fell to the criminals. Barbara chooses to reveal her identity to him and reminds him of the man he once was, bringing out his redemption(and a Clayface hand tattoo). Her love for her father made him remember that he is “A damn good cop” and proceeds to beat Two-Face, finishing the Injustice League.

Love and Choice

Throughout this season Harley is searching for love, and the story is built around her as an active protagonist. She chooses to do things that make other things happen within the plot. The second half of the season is focused around her and Ivy’s relationship. At first, she wants the love of the people, which she attempts to gain through becoming a supervillain. After she and Ivy are captured into Bane’s pit things start to heighten in their relationship. It is at the pit’s talent show where Ivy lets out how her life drastically changed, by gaining friends and getting engaged, how she was able to leave her emotional pit. Ivy’s speech riles up the other inmates and Harley and Ivy escape and kiss.

While this is a huge moment for Harley, Ivy starts to push her away because she is set to marry Kite-Man. Harley is left empty, without love, and she falls down an emotional pit after escaping a literal one. Then she chooses to fill her pit by seeking power and pretending that she kisses people all the time at random. It is her choice to gain power from Darkseid who sees right through her. He basically gives her therapy before making her fight Granny Goodness for the power to control the Parademons. Harley wins and sets out to take over the world.

With the army, she could rule the world, but it would not fill the pit, it is not what she truly wants. It isn’t power, it’s love, intimate love with Ivy, someone who she can get personal with. She chooses to give up her power, and even though she loses her crewmate Dr. Psycho in the process, she does it for Ivy. Before she can tell her how she feels Kite-Man interrupts, making Harley realize that she also needs to be a good friend. She chooses not to be selfish even though it hurts herself. This leads to a trip to Theymescira for the bachelorette party where Harley and Ivy end up having sex not once, but twice and save the island from being sold to Lex Luthor. Ivy regards the sex they had as a mistake due to them being drunk and refuses to open herself to Harley. She chooses to stay with Kite-Man instead, leaving Harley once again in a pit.

After the events of the last season, Joker became sane and a suburban dad, dating a mother of two named Bethany, with no memory of his past. Similar to the White Knight comic where he became sane again. He worked as a bartender at Noonan’s Bar and later in Wayne Tower. The Joker-Harley dynamic has always existed in one form or another, always polarizing, but rarely in a positive manner. But as a sane man, he became someone that Harley could vent to about all her issues, mostly involving Ivy. He was someone who was comforting and attentive to her, something she rarely got to experience.

Dr. Psycho took control of the Parademons leading to an all-out war in Gotham, forcing Harley to realize that she has to clean up her own messes. She needs the Justice League back, which had been stuck in a fairy tale book that the Joker had, but as a sane man had no idea, forcing her to bring him back by pushing him into acid. A reignited Joker remembers that the book was at Bethany’s house where he read it to the children, a thought that horrifies him. Upon arrival, Bethany is freaked out that the person she had been dating was Joker, and gives them a fake book which ends up in a Parademon nest. After they see two Parademons snuggling together, Joker realizes that his relationship with Bethany was real love. He goes back and does the most uncharacteristic thing by admitting that he loved her. The Joker found love when Harley could not, but also urges her to go pursue her own love or else regret it forever. 

Dr. Psycho mind-controlled Ivy, who was trying to get married quickly to put her past behind her. The Justice League got rid of the Parademons, but Ivy used a love potion on them. It is Harley’s kiss that snaps her out of it, and she confesses her love to Ivy. She wants Ivy to be with her, even though it might tear them apart, but to do it because they bring out the best in each other. Unfortunately for Harley, Dr. Psycho broadcasts Ivy’s memory of Harley and her having sex to the whole city, including Kite-Man.

The Finale

The finale was everything Harley would want, a chaotic and emotional thrill. After not being commended by the mayor, Jim Gordon decides to raid Ivy’s wedding and take down all the villains. After escaping Arkham, Harley raids the wedding herself to try and stop Gordon. Ivy gets angry with her because Harley is a distraction to what should be Ivy’s day and kicks her out. Harley does not leave though and comes back to try and help, to do something for the person she loves. With Clayface belting out his voice for a Tim Burton look alike, she stops Gordon from arresting everyone and the villains lead a counter-attack.

After getting them away from everyone else, she offers to marry Kite-Man and Ivy, but Kite-Man turns her down with a “Hell No”. He knew that Ivy did not truly love him as he loved her. “I may be simple but I’m not a fool”. Instead of constantly being the joke, he chooses to stand up for himself and keep his own honor. He sacrifices some of his own happiness so that Ivy can have hers. He lets Ivy go to the person she truly loves, Harley.

Together Harley and Ivy drive away from the police and both open up. Both of them grow as people together, instead of denying their feelings and hurting others. They then share a kiss as they drive to new beginnings.

Love and choice define this season and Harley’s character. Harley chooses to seek out love and chase out Ivy even with the numerous obstacles in her way. She does it because love is precious and their relationship completes her. It’s this personal, real motivation that makes the show so spectacular.

Currently, there has yet to be a season 3 announcement, but this show definitely deserves more. The show does have a DC Fandome panel set for August 22 where hopefully an announcement will be made. Nevertheless, #RenewHarleyQuinn

9/10