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Harley Quinn, Season 2, Episode 6 Review

One of the best things to come out of the DC Animated Universe was that it gave us Harley Quinn and her amazing origin story. “Mad Love” remains a DC classic that reminds us all that the Joker is the biggest jerk in fiction. At least he was in Harley Quinn, until Harley and Ivy dropped him in a vat of acid that wiped his memories and made him a normal Joe. However, when the two girls discover the now normal Joker at a bar, the two debate on whether or not they should kill him. Harley says they shouldn’t because she thinks people can change and recounts how she first met Joker and Ivy.

Rather than be just a rehash of “Mad Love” and it showing how toxic Joker was for Harley, this episode subverts this. Yes, Joker is in it (rocking the Heath Ledger look, no less,) and we see hints of how Harley’s relationship with him will turn out. However, the main plot point is how Harley and Ivy became friends. Seeing how Harley was probably the first person to treat Ivy with any form of respect is genuinely sweet to watch. As a result, it looks like Harley proved her point.

I understand that Harley doesn’t want to hurt Joker if he’s now normal, but this is still Joker. Now that we know he’s back, we know it’s only a matter of time before he remembers everything and goes back to being the Clown Prince of Crime. It’s his idea of fun, which is why he won’t change. Ivy even proves it by poking some holes in Harley’s story. Firstly, she gave up on humanity because humanity treated her like garbage; a lot of people would do that. Secondly, a sob story Joker told Harley in the past was something he stole from Ivy.

So, afterward the episode ends with Harley and Ivy being captured by Two-Face, and Mr. J’s repressed memories leaking to the surface. I’m betting that by the time the season ends, Joker will be back causing chaos. 

I Give “All the Best Inmates have Daddy Issues” a 4.5/5

Stray Observations

• It was fun seeing what everyone looked like in the past. Riddler had all his hair, Gordon was in good shape, and Joker looked he did in The Dark Knight. 

• Harley’s the one who coined the name “Two-Face”, but can she get royalties for that? 

• This isn’t the first time Joker’s gone normal. When it looked like Batman died, he went sane. As soon as he came back, he went crazy again. 
• Also, Jason Todd existed in this universe, but Joker killed him years ago. No word if he comes back.

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Harley Quinn Season 2, Episode 1 Review

In hindsight, I really wish that I had reviewed the first season of DC Universe’s R-rated show, Harley Quinn. I wound up binge-watching this weeks ago and fell in love. I love the zany characters. The over-the-top violence is hilarious without feeling gratuitous. Most of all, though, I love how the show self-parodies the hero-villain dynamic in comic books. It’s like The Venture Bros crossed with South Park. So when Season Two came out on DC Universe earlier today, I vowed to review the whole season. Buckle up, buttercup, because this is going to be amazing.

Welcome to New Gotham

At the end of last season, Gotham laid in ruins and anarchy ruled. The Justice League’s trapped in a book, the Legion of Doom’s gone, Joker’s an amnesiac nobody, and Batman’s missing. Taking a page from the No Man’s Land story of the 90s, the President decides to bail on Gotham and throws it out of the USA.

Meanwhile, Harley wants to revel in all she’s accomplished: she took down the Joker and became the top hyena in the New Gotham. She just goofs around and has fun, thinking she can rest on her laurels as everyone knows she’s on top. Which is a rookie mistake!

What Harley fails to realize is that order and chaos are cyclical. Once the anarchy wears off, new players will rise and start to restore order. Harley doesn’t realize this, though, because of one key problem. She learned how to be a criminal from the Joker, and without even realizing it, she’s emulating his “agent of chaos” style of villainy. Even her solution to shutting down the other major villains in Gotham is very Joker-esque. Convincing all the henchmen to become their own villains causes more chaos, but it doesn’t last long.

Harley’s failure to take charge comes back to bite her when the other villains freeze her in a block of ice for two months. As a result, Penguin, Two-Face, Mr. Freeze, Bane, and the Riddler divy up New Gotham. Once Ivy and Harley’s Crew bust her out, she’s back to square one. Well, not entirely. She kills Penguin in a very over-the-top manner. Now she’s gunning for all the other villains.

Poor, Poor Gordon

Meanwhile, we get a hilarious subplot involving the show’s haggard version of Jim Gordon. He’s trying to hold out hope that Batman will come and save them, but everyone around him is jumping ship. The police join the villains, Robin’s no help, and his wife divorces him. It’s sad to see, but also hilarious at the same time. As for whether Gordon actually gives up in this New Gotham remains to be seen. As we see in the trailer, this season will see the introduction of Batgirl. Maybe Gordon’s daughter will be what lights a fire in her dad again. Or not.

Oh, and Batman’s still alive.

Welcome to New New Gotham

In short, the new season of Harley Quinn manages to hit the ground running and doesn’t stop. And if the Penguin’s brutal death is anything to go by, then no one in this season will be safe! Though, to be fair, the finale to last season saw Joker kill Scarecrow, so I’m not surprised Penguin bit it. Here’s hoping even more people die in the most insane manners possible.

Speaking of which, I enjoyed watching the violence going on in the background of the show as everyone in New Gotham fends for themselves. Two dogs were fighting over one man’s arm, while two thugs were fighting over the other one. It’s morbid and dark, but also hilarious and I hope to see more of it.

With everything that’s going on in the world, I think that we need a good laugh. Hopefully this season of Harley Quinn will give us just that while we wait for COVID-19 to die. Fingers crossed!

I Give “New Gotham” A 4/5

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