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When DC announced their own streaming service, they did not announce a ton of content for it. They announced Titans, Star Girl, Swamp Thing, and Doom Patrol in live action, as well as the animated Harley Quinn show with Kaley Cuoco in the lead instead of having Margot Robbie reprise her role from Suicide Squad. The response to the announcement was lackluster, however once the show came out in 2019, it was praised for its unique approach to the character, fantastic dialogue and understanding of not just the titular character, but the wider DC Universe as well, and the comical level of ultraviolence that was unlike a lot of other adult animated television. The third season of Harley Quinn picks up where the first two left off and continues the story with the same comedic sensibilities.
Warning: The following content contains spoilers for those who aren’t caught up with the show.
Season two ended with Poison Ivy leaving Kite Man at the altar on their wedding day to run away with Harley and start a relationship together. Season three picks up right where this ends, with Harley and Ivy on a honeymoon of sorts that ends when Harley gives Ivy the gift of letting Ivy call the shots and pick their next mission. After some coaxing, Ivy decides to go back to one of her older plans that never got off the ground: remaking the world with prehistoric plants to a world before humans ruined it. Returning cast include Clayface, this time working for James Gunn (playing himself) who is making a biopic of Thomas Wayne, King Shark, Joker, Batman and the rest of the Bat-family (Damian Wayne’s Robin, Batgirl, and Nightwing) Catwoman, and other characters from all over the DC Universe.
The show does not pull punches and there are very few (maybe one big one that made headlines last year) lines that they cannot cross. The first three episodes poke fun at Batman and his relationships with those he works with including Catwoman, the relationship between the Gotham Police Department, the Mayor of Gotham City, and the people of Gotham, and even taking shots at real world people and events. Even with all the comedic aspects, the earnestness with which the writers handle the characters is never lost, and Harley continues to be defined by her own actions and not just her relationships, whether the relationship is with Joker or with Ivy. Bane’s recurring role is also hilarious, with some of the show's best one-off jokes continuing to come from him.
This show is very much not for children on just about every level. It contains explicit sexual content, not nudity or anything like that but the jokes and other comments are explicit. The violence is gory and bloody which is unique for animation, and there is a ton of cursing and other explicit language. Batman may be in the show a lot and he may be voiced by Diedrich Bader who voiced him in Batman: The Brave and the Bold on Cartoon Network, but this show is for adults.
People who may not be up to date on the first two seasons should definitely go back and watch them, however that is not a requirement to enjoy and understand this show. The show does begin with a recap that explains everything the viewer needs to know, especially since season two aired back in 2020. This is a worthwhile show to watch, and since each episode clocks in at a half hour, it is not a huge time commitment for the viewer.
Final Rating: 9.5/10
