Harley Quinn (2019 - 2020)

Harley Quinn review by Mark McPherson - Cinema Paradiso

During a time when superhero media continues to plow its way into the mainstream, having something like Harley Quinn is a refreshing change of pace from the typical superhero outings. It does away with a lot of convention, plays with the Batman mythos in a flexible/fun way, and has a real bite to a series that wants to be more than just DC’s most adult cartoon to date. No, this is not the same Harley Quinn from her origins in Batman: The Animated Series. The series creators know this and they don’t care. Even better, they actively tell you they don’t care by essentially giving a big old middle finger to the stuffy fans who have been chanting “Not My Batman” for every iteration that has followed the gold-standard Animated Series. Yeah, this is not that Batman. It’s something even better.

For starters, Harley Quinn is taken in a much different direction. Rather than continuing to be the punching-bag lover of The Joker who just can’t bring herself to end such a toxic relationship, Harley soon comes to the realization that her love will never truly be returned. Poison Ivy, her friend by Arkham association, helps guide her out of that mindset and it’s not easy. Sure, by the end of the first episode, Harley has a new outfit, a new motivation, and an aim for making herself a standout solo villain. But getting rid of The Joker won’t be that easy since The Joker isn’t through with her either. Abusive relationships rarely end when one side breaks it off and the entire first season does a great job showcasing the heartbreak and mental anxiety that comes with trying to sever ties.

Harley’s initial quest is to be inducted into the illustrious Legion of Doom villain agency as she believes it’ll give her the clout she needs to be taken seriously and be loved. However, it’s ultimately the lesser villains who she first views as stepping stones that become more of her family. The likes of the eccentric Clayface, disgraced Doctor Psycho, charming King Shark, and cantankerous Sy Borgman all grow on her as allies that will be more than likely to come to her aid than the scrutinizing and stuffy organization of the LOD. More importantly, however, they’ll give her the emotional support that she so desperately craves.

I don’t want to make this arc for her character make it sound like the show is some melodrama of relationships because it is far more than that. The show is ridiculously funny in how it satirizes the DC Comics universe in more ways than one. Commissioner Gordon is portrayed more as a drunk with an unhealthy obsession with Batman and a troubled life at home. Bane is given a more ridiculous voice than he had in The Dark Knight Rises and leans into being more of a gentle giant who grows agitated for not being taken seriously. The most interesting revision is for Kite Man, a D-list villain who soon forms a romantic relationship with Poison Ivy that is a mix of pity and admiration for his tenacity amid his cornball nature.

The voice cast is just a riot, especially with Diedrich Bader reprising the role of Batman from The Brave and the Bold, finding just the right level of dead-pan and straight-man humor. Kaley Cuoco brings Harley to life with exuberance and fury. Lake Bell gives Poison Ivy the perfect level of snark. Alan Tudyk works his magic yet again by melting into the roles of the easily annoyed Joker and the over-the-top Clayface. Some of the castings is just dead-on where I can’t imagine anybody but Wayne Knight voicing Penguin or Giancarlo Esposito voicing Lex Luthor. I also couldn’t stop laughing when Michael Ironside reprises his powerful role of Darkseid and repeats a lot of cynical slang with a serious tone (“S my V?”).

And, yes, the show more than earns its adult rating. The show is overflowing with gore where characters are decapitated, tortured, melted, gored, and ripped apart into piles of bloody mush. The language is a profanity of soup of characters constantly talking about sex and cursing out each other. But, really, the show is more commendable for the writing being about adult topics rather than just being adult peppering. Harley and Ivy both have real issues that take different shapes each season with relatable situations, whether it’s trying to assert yourself in the workplace or trying to plan a wedding.

The bottom line is that Harley Quinn is a ridiculously funny show and takes more risks than anything else DC Comics has ever shoved into theaters or streaming services. It plays with the universe in a refreshing manner and subverts so much of convention that even the most nitpicky fan has to get a laugh or two out of such absurd writing. It’s also a fearless series in that it’s aware of the nostalgic and toxic fans, even holding up a mirror to them in one of the most meta episodes that dogs on the obsessive fan in a manner I honestly haven’t seen as vicious since Animaniacs with the “Please, Please Get a Life Foundation.” There’s a lot of adult animated TV series and even postmodern superhero series but Harley Quinn manages to be the best of both worlds.