by Mike Hilty, Contributing Writer
Batman: The Animated Series debuted 30 years ago this month. The legacy it’s left is immense, not just for animated TV shows but also for television as a whole. It ushered in a brand new era of comic books, not just for DC, but for Marvel as well. The animation style made it a treat for kids, but also gritty enough for adults to enjoy as well. It spun off some amazing movies like Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm and Batman: Sub-Zero. Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill are arguably the greatest Batman and Joker combination we’ve ever seen. They were so loved that when the best Batman video games came out in Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City, both felt extra special because they had both Conroy and Hamill come back to play their roles. Perhaps one of the most enduring legacies of Batman: The Animated Series is the creation of Harley Quinn. She’s one of DC’s most enduring characters, and is now featured in comics, movies, and even television.
Harley Quinn, created by Justin Halpern, Dean Lorey, and Patrick Schumacker, chronicles Harley Quinn (voiced by Kaley Cuoco) as she breaks up with the Joker (Alan Tudyk) and sets to make her own mark on Gotham City. She teams up with Clayface (Tudyk pulling double duty), Dr. Psycho (Tony Hale), and King Shark (Ron Funches), while partnering frequently with fellow super villain Poison Ivy (Lake Bell). Harley Quinn season three is 10 episodes and is streaming on HBO Max.
Before we get into what actually happens in season three, let’s try to catch-up on what happened in the previous season.
A slight heads-up for people who haven’t watched the show yet. Although this is a cartoon, it is definitely not for kids. It’s super violent and has really strong language. I had a bit of whiplash when I first started watching it, but it fits in so well together. There are some trigger warnings about trauma and violence, but they are minor. That’s my opinion, of course, so take everything with caution based on your own needs.
Harley Quinn is a refreshing breath of fresh air in the vein of Peacemaker, and it’s something I really like. It’s truly for adults and discusses some great adult themes. This season deals with trauma in a really inventive way. In perhaps one of the best (if not the very best) episode of the series titled, “Batman Begins Forever,” it helps explore Bruce Wayne’s trauma due to his parent’s death. It even takes advantage of Harley’s background as a psychologist to help her in this situation.
I don’t think Cuoco is getting enough credit for the work she’s doing in Harley Quinn. She really seems to be having the time of her life in this role and relishing any chance for quippy jokes, toilet humor, and bad language. She really does it all with this role: comedy, drama, action, anger, everything you could ask for with the Harley Quinn character. I really think Cuoco deserves much more recognition for what she’s bringing to the table with this role. Harley is going through a real change in terms of what she wants to do with her life, as well as figuring out where her and Ivy truly stand together.
In turn, I really think the relationship of Harley and Ivy is the strongest asset for this show. They’ve been through a lot together, and I really think the show does a great job showcasing how hard they have to work to make their relationship work. Props also should go to Bell for her amazing job as the slightly more down-to-earth Poison Ivy. She goes through spurts where she showcases just how villainous she can be, while also showcasing why using plants to “help” the planet is the right path to go. A certain theme of this season involves Ivy’s search for her friend Frank (J.B. Smoove). It really goes to show just to what lengths she will go to protect the plants.
Like the other seasons of Harley Quinn,it’s steeped in rich Batman mythology, while also exhibiting some great cameos and Easter eggs. There are a bunch of different Batman-related things that are introduced this season, including appearances from the Bat family, as well as appearances from other villains as well. There’s another DC hero that gets an appearance in this season that not only felt organic, but it was nice to see someone different for a nice change of pace. Clayface, King Shark, and even Dr. Psycho get some great moments this season, too.
This season does struggle with balancing the main storylines and giving people enough time to flourish together. It’s tricky to balance storylines involving Harley Quinn by herself, Harley and Ivy, Harley and her team, Ivy by herself, and many others. The tone shifts a lot this season as well, which can feel at times like whiplash, when it goes abruptly from one storyline to another. The cast is ballooning out to where it’s getting too big, and if the end is any indication of where the show is going, it’s only going to get bigger. As much as I enjoy watching the Joker on screen, he feels a little out of place — he’s the person who was horrible to Harley, yet they’re still trying to keep around. It feels a little odd that they keep pushing him towards the forefront.
Harley Quinn is refreshing for DC, especially for an animated show. I’m glad that it will be continuing, and it will truly stand on its own moving forward. The bandwidth for the show is starting to get thin, as this season also had three episodes fewer than the previous two seasons. I hope that DC remedies this for the following season. I will be eagerly waiting for more of this character, and am hoping that more people find their way to watch it, because it’s a great addition to DC’s portfolio.
Score: 8/10
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