Intro: Harley Quinn Season 3 Review
Editor's Note: Episodes 1-3 were screened for this review.
Where to Stream It: HBO Max (3 episodes premiere on July 29th, 2022 then weekly through September 15th)
Starring: Kaley Cuoco, Lake Bell, Ron Funches, JB Smoove, Alan Tudyk, Matt Oberg
It’s been more than two years since the season finale of Harley Quinn’s second season. Although it originated on the now-defunct streaming service DC Universe, the fan-favorite show has been carried over to HBO Max.
If the first three episodes are any indication, Harley and Ivy are going to have a raucous good time on their new streaming home. We finally get to see them together as an openly queer couple, free from toxic and unfulfilling past relationships (for the most part!).
It's Not for Kiddos, Puddin'
For the uninitiated, Harley Quinn is a TV-MA animated series that follows the misadventures of Harley and her supervillain friends. She has broken up with Mister Jay (aka Joker) and is now free to wreak havoc in Gotham City on her own.
The show feels as much like a follow-up to Bruce Timm’s DC Animated Universe as it does to a wild bit of comedic fan fiction. There’s violence, innuendos, and plenty of f-bombs to go around.
While the humor can feel at times a bit juvenile, the show’s absurdity and irreverence makes for a rollicking good time. It never takes itself too seriously. It’s here to have a good time and so should we the audience!
As a fan of the DC Comics characters, it’s particularly fun to see the show bring in many famous characters from across the multiverse. Some of the most memorable characters, however, are some of the more obscure- Kite Man, Sy Borgman, the Queen of Fables, and Poison Ivy’s talking plant named Frank.
What to Expect This Season
Season 3 begins two weeks after the season 2 finale. Harley and Ivy are on their honeymoon, traveling the world in Wonder Woman’s stolen invisible jet.
After a run-in with the Suicide Squad’s Amanda Waller, Harley decides to help Ivy with her long-desired plan to cover the world in plants. I mean… somebody has to fix climate change, right?
The first few episodes follow our characters as they get involved in various shenanigans.
We see them forced to work together with Batman and company to escape a deadly Escape Room created by the Riddler. There’s a pretty fun bit about Harley and Ivy’s nomination for Best Couple at the “83rd Annual Villy Awards.” Oh, and a subplot about James Gunn directing a biopic on the life of Bruce’s father, Thomas Wayne (James Gunn voices himself, of course).
The plot lines might play second fiddle to the meta jokes about DC characters and pop culture, but at least it always makes for a good laugh.
Final Thoughts: Harley Quinn Season 3 Review
As an absurdist adult animated sitcom, Harley Quinn nails the assignment. This season the humor is as sharp as ever, and if you’re a “Harlivy” shipper you’re in for a treat.
The show goes for it and takes no prisoners. It isn’t afraid to address topics that are danced around in other forms of comic book media like LGBTQ storylines or even, yes, Batman performing cunnilingus on Catwoman.
Whether you’ve been eagerly anticipating Harley’s third go-round or are starting your binge-watch for the first time, this show is a must for HBO Max subscribers looking for a good time in Gotham.
