Review: Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special

Following the success of the first three seasons of Harley Quinn on the DCUniverse and then HBOMax and before season four debuts, DC has released a double-length Valentine’s Day special for the show. Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special is an organic continuation of the relationship between Harley and Poison Ivy while delivering the same comedy one would expect from the show.

Picking up after season three ends, Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special follows Harley Quinn who wants to throw a special Valentine’s Day celebration for Poison Ivy now that they’re together. As an environmentalist, Ivy does not like Valentine’s Day but relents as Harley begs for one chance to show her a perfect Valentine’s Day. Meanwhile, Clayface goes off on a date with a person off a dating app while Bane makes an unconventional connection with a woman as he wanders the streets of Gotham lonely.

Without going too deep into the narrative later in the episode, which takes a fantastic turn that beautifully subverts expectations while still staying in line with the characters and comedic beats that one would expect from this show. Harley is endearing and layered, making her scenes shine through, even when she can be a little abrasive or annoying. Her chemistry with other DC characters that populate this world (which does not get enough credit for feeling like the Justice League cartoon on Cartoon Network from the early-2000s but for adults) is fun and makes for some great comedic beats.

While King Shark does not have much to do in the episode, Bane kind of takes the screentime that would have been filled by King Shark’s adventures. That said, as Bane has continued to expand his role in the show and have some of the best comedic moments in smaller scenes, he does have a strong subplot that dovetails in nicely with the A-plot. At the same time, the Clayface bit does start funny but slowly devolves as it goes on longer into the scenes which could probably be dropped for time over the course of the special.

Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special
is an excellent expansion of the lore of Harley Quinn while viewers wait for season four to arrive. It has great comedic moments and a wide range of characters that will keep viewers engaged as the episode unfolds. If someone enjoys DC this is definitely a must-watch for them.

Final Rating: 9/10

Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special debuts on HBOMax on February 9th, 2023.

Disclaimer: This review is based on a screener of the program provided by Warner Brothers/Discovery at no cost.