(knocking)
- What's up, New York?
I can't wait for you guys to see my new show on DC Universe.
- [Jesse] DC Universe may not come close to rivaling
Netflix or Amazon in terms of the sheer amount
of exclusive content, but there's quite a lot to be said
for the quality-over-quantity approach.
So far, DCU's selection ranges from solid, Titans,
to excellent, Young Justice: Outsiders,
to literally one of the best shows of 2019, Doom Patrol.
Harley Quinn keeps the hot streak going.
It's a far more slapstick and raunchy alternative
to rest of DC's animated line,
but one that also gets Harley in a way
not every adaptation does.
- [Harley] Oh, is that the logo?
I like it.
(exciting music)
- [Jacki] If the constant stream of f-bombs
and gratuitous violence doesn't make it apparent,
Harley Quinn is not connected to Batman: The Animated Series
or any other DC Animated project.
Instead, the series sees Kaley Cuoco take over the role
as she explores Harley's long, uphill battle
to break free of Mr. J and establish herself
as a solo player on the supervillain scene.
The series shows a bizarre hodgepodge of influences.
It's probably most directly comparable
to the New 52 Harley Quinn comic
from writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Connor.
But there is also a whiff of Batman: The Brave and the Bold
to the show, and not just because Diedrich Bader
reprises the role of Batman.
- I will bash their (beep)-ing heads in!
- There's no fun in Arkham, Quinn.
- [Jacki] Harley Quinn has a similarly
whimsical sense of humor, lovably spoofing DC characters
both major and minor.
At some point, the question becomes
whether the R-rated humor and violence
actually adds anything to the series.
The novelty of seeing Harley and Alan Tudyk's Joker
curse with reckless abandon
and brutally dismember their enemies quickly wears off.
The pilot is funny, but often in spite of the cursing,
rather than because of it.
- Anybody feel that (beep) but me?
- [Jacki] Just because DC Universe
has fewer content restrictions
doesn't mean the envelope always needs pushing.
Fortunately, the series gets enough right
in both its humor and its portrayal of Harley
that this becomes only a minor concern.
Lighthearted as the tone is,
there's still a clear focus on Harley as a survivor of abuse
slowly rediscovering her independence.
Echoes of a pre-Joker self shine through,
a voice of reason trying to impose some semblance of order
on a deranged mind.
Harley is still depicted as a villain
rather than an antihero
she's essentially become in the comics,
but a sympathetic one nonetheless.
And it helps that she reserves her lethal antics
for the worst citizens of Gotham.
Even better, the pilot makes it clear
how much the friendship between Harley and Poison Ivy
will be a driving force in the show.
This is almost Ivy's show as much as Harley's,
with Ivy trying to break through
Harley's rose-tinted glasses
and make her see how much a Joker-free life has to offer.
Their relationship is easily the most endearing part
of the show, and that evolving relationship
looks to be just as important to the bigger picture
as Harley's quest for professional respect.
For many Harley fans, the most pressing question is
whether Kaley Cuoco makes for a worthy Harley.
That's one area where the series
may need a little more time to prove itself.
Cuoco certainly brings plenty of energy and enthusiasm
to the role, but it's difficult not to judge all newcomers
against the gold standard that was Arlene Sorkin
and Tara Strong.
Moreover, a Harley Quinn without a Jersey accent
is always going to sound odd.
There may just need to be an adjustment period
over the course of a few episodes.
(intense music)
Harley Quinn is shaping up to be another worthy addition
to the slowly-growing DC Universe library.
While the show's more R-rated elements feel superfluous,
the wacky humor and the deep portrayal of Harley
and her relationship with Poison Ivy
do more than enough to justify a watch.
If you've ever wondered what an adults-only version
of Batman: The Brave and the Bold might be like,
this is your show.
- Can we do that again?
- No.
- [Jacki] For more TV reviews, check out what we thought
of Titans and Doom Patrol.
And as always, be sure to follow and subscribe to IGN
wherever you like to watch.
- What does IGN even mean anyway?
It means whatever you want it to mean.