Harley’s gunning for #1!
The Joker has kicked Harley to the curb, but Harley has decided that it is her chance to make her own mark in the crime world. With her own crew, her own base, and a shot at getting in the Legion of Doom, everything is coming up Harley! Being a woman and supervillain is not as easy as it seems…Harley is fighting an uphill battle to ditch the sidekick moniker. Despite everything stacked against her in the male dominated super-villain society, Harley’s biggest problem might be herself.
Harley Quinn—Season 1 is a DC Comics animated comedy superhero series. The season was released on the DC Universe network but was moved to HBO Max after the network buyout. The adult series was well received by critics and fans.
BFF?
Harley Quinn was a character that was overdone. She exploded out of Batman: The Animated Series, and she was everywhere. There were cosplayers, comics, and spin-offs…it felt like Harley was kind of being crammed down fans throats and taking any mystique the character had away. With a so-so Suicide Squad movie and a sketchy track record, I didn’t know if I’d love this Harley Quinn series…but it turned out to be a lot of fun.
The series is definitely not for children. It takes the idea of an adult cartoon and amplifies it in a way that is almost annoying. When you start the show, it feels like every other word is the f-bomb and the swearing almost feels like a cover for weaker writing. It takes a while to get past this and develop the characters. Once it does however, the series has a lot of heart.
The crew is all here!
Though it doesn’t take place in the DCU proper, it kind of feels like some bizarre funhouse mirror extension of Batman: The Animated Series, Justice League, and Superman: The Animated Series. It is extreme and played as a joke, but the overall character “tones” is right…just amplified. It is able to play both on the parodies of these characters and manages to somehow nail them at the same time.
The series gets a great cast to fill out the role with Kaley Cuoco stepping into the boots of Harley Quinn (ironically her Big Bang Theory costar Melissa Raunch played her in the Batman and Harley Quinn movie). The series really boosts her relationship with Poison Ivy (played by Lake Bell), but Ivy’s tie to Matt Oberg’s Kite Man proved to be one of the more popular aspects of the series. Alan Tudyk, Ron Funches, Tony Hale, Jason Alexander, Giancarlo Esposito, Wanda Sykes, Christopher Meloni, Jacob Tremblay, Jim Rash, Tisha Campbell, Sean Giambrone, Will Sasso, Wayne Knight, and Diedrich Bader among others help fill out the cast.
Hell Yeah!
The series also has some great animation that plays with absurdity of Harley Quinn. Harley Quinn is madness embodied (like the Joker) and some of the visuals (like the Harley Quinn Highway) are great examples of that. Like the characterizations however, it doesn’t feel outside the range of something you’d see in Batman: The Animated Series (or at least later parts of that show).
Harley Quinn—Season 1 takes some getting used to but once you dive in and accept the world it is presenting, it is a lot of fun. It falls in the vein of Rick and Morty (but not as smart), and it is a worthwhile entry to the DC animated universe. With so many options out there, I don’t know how long Harley Quinn will run or if it should run for a long time…but I’ll probably be watching regardless.
Harley Quinn—Season 1 Complete Episode Guide:
“Til Death Do Us Part”
1.1 Til Death Do Us Part Release Date: 11/29/19
Joker has left Harley Quinn to rot in Arkham Asylum for a year despite her claims that Joker is planning to marry her. When Poison Ivy stages a breakout and takes Harley Quinn, Harley realizes that her co-dependence on Joker has become problematic.
“A High Bar”
1.2 A High Bar Release Date: 12/06/19
Harley has decided to make herself a master criminal and get an invitation to the Legion of Doom. Harley’s plan involves making a big splash by breaking into a Legion event, but discovers herself at the Bar Mitzvah of Penguin’s nephew Joshua. Desperate to give herself a name, Harley goes on a secret robbery mission while Poison Ivy sets out with Kite Man to get the antidote to her poison when children are exposed to it.
“So You Need a Crew?”
1.3 So, You Need a Crew Release Date: 12/13/19
Harley decides she is lacking the attention she needs to get into the Legion of Doom because she doesn’t have a “crew”. Visiting Maxie Zeus and the Queen of Fables, Harley realizes that recruiting other villains who are down on their luck is the answer. With her new back-up in Clayface and Doctor Psycho, Harley must decide her first target…and revenge is the name of the game!
“Finding Mr. Right”
1.4 Finding Mr. Right Release Date: 12/20/19
Now with a team, Harley realizes she needs an arch-nemesis with King Shark called in to help with her online search. With her eyes set on Batman, Harley discovers herself in battle with Robin. Robin’s attempt to capitalize on his fight with Harley Quinn leads Harley to try to expose publicly that Robin is NOT the nemesis she wanted.
“Being Harley Quinn”
1.5 Being Harley Quinn Release Date: 12/27/19
Poison Ivy’s landlord Borgman has evicted her and now Harley and her team are on the search for a new headquarters. Unable to make a decision, Harley gets stuck inside her own head, and Doctor Psycho, Poison Ivy, Clayface, and King Shark are going on a rescue mission inside of Harley’s subconscious to find her. Harley discovers an event of her past isn’t what she remembers.
“You’re a Damn Good Cop, Jim Gordon”
1.6 You’re a Damn Good Cop, Jim Gordon Release Date: 01/03/20
Harley’s raid of Wayne Enterprises leads to a strange device being taken, but Clayface’s arm being left behind. An internet blogger called the Cowled Critic insinuates that Poison Ivy and Dr. Psycho are a couple leading them to search to stop the rumor. Jim Gordon finds himself without Batman to talk to and discovers a new friend…but also a potential lead.
“The Line”
1.7 The Line Release Date: 01/10/20
The Queen of Fables is being released from imprisonment in the tax code book…and Harley’s happy to have her friend back. Despite warnings from everyone that the Queen of Fables is unbalanced, Harley brings her in a heist…and the blood will flow! Plus, Poison Ivy goes on a date with Kite Man…and doesn’t want to be seen.
“L.O.D.R.S.V.P.”
1.8 L.O.D.R.S.V.P. Release Date: 01/17/20
Harley has received her dream…a nomination for potential membership in the Legion of Doom! As the Legion courts Harley, Poison Ivy learns from Lex the real reason for the invite and that it could destroy her relationship with Harley. Dr. Psycho finds the headquarters rocked by strange noises and learns what Sy Borgman has been hiding in the basement.
“A Seat at the Table”
1.9 A Seat at the Table Release Date: 01/24/20
Harley is in the Legion and finds her relationship with Poison Ivy strained. When Joker invites Harley out for the evening, Harley questions if she is finally going to be treated as an equal. Clayface, Dr. Psycho, and King Shark learn that they are at the ranks of “henchmen” and are recruited by Bane for a revenge mission.
“Bensonhurst”
1.10 Bensonhurst Release Date: 01/31/20
With her crew quitting and Ivy not returning her calls, Harley heads where she leas suspected…home! Unfortunately, someone is gunning for Harley’s dad and Harley could get caught in the crossfire. Meanwhile, Ivy is held prisoner by Scarecrow who has plans of his own for Ivy.
“Harley Quinn Highway”
1.11 Harley Quinn Highway Release Date: 02/07/20
Ivy has to get the crew back together when she learns Ivy has been taken by Scarecrow, but Scarecrow’s special Ivy toxin could reveal Ivy’s true feelings toward Harley.
“Devil’s Snare”
1.12 Devil’s Snare Release Date: 02/14/20
Scarecrow’s Ivy toxin has turned everything in Gotham on end as the Justice League tries to come in to stop the madness…unfortunately, Scarecrow has a secret ally that could end the Justice League’s plans, but something else is also lurking in the wings.
“The Final Joke”
1.13 The Final Joke Release Date: 02/21/20
Joker has made his move to topple the Legion of Doom and take over Gotham after murdering Poison Ivy. Harley’s out for revenge and her biggest hope could be an unlikely team-up…with Batman!
Related Links:
Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn (2020)
