Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Harley Quinn season 5, episode 1Harley Quinnseason 5 might not have been talked about much before its release due to the focus on James Gunn’sDC Universe, but I have to say it will likely turn heads. I’m a fan of the show and the expanded universe it has created, which now includes aKite Man spinoff series. That kind of worldbuilding, presenting a lived-in world from the start full of established heroes and villains, is exactly what Gunn is going for with the DCU, andHarley Quinncould teach the franchise some lessons.
Harley Quinn
Cast
Harley Quinn is a 2019 animated series focusing on the titular character’s evolution after severing ties with the Joker. As she seeks to establish herself as an independent force in Gotham City’s criminal underworld, the film explores her journey toward becoming Gotham’s criminal Queenpin.
While I enjoy the show, I need to preface this by saying thatHarley Quinnseason 4 was my least favorite season of the DC series. So I started to ponder whether it had much more left to do. WithKite Man: Hell Yeah!being an excellent spinoff that brought old and new characters to the franchise, I felt like other such spinoffs could be the franchise’s future. However, I’m glad to sayHarley Quinnseason 5 is so good that I’m now confident the show can go on for many more seasons.
Harley Quinn Season 5 Premiere Sets The Tone For The Season
Harley & Ivy Take One Last Look At Gotham City
Season 5 starts by saying goodbye to Gotham City. It was fun to explore one ofDC’s most iconic locationsover four seasons. In that time, the animated series brought exciting new takes on classic DC characters, such as a hilarious Jim Gordon and the whinier Bruce Wayne. The season 5 premiere does not take much time to move the show from Gotham to Metropolis, but before it does, the series has time to bring back a few fan-favorite characters prior to moving in a new direction.
Harley, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, and Barbara Gordon united in a cemetery and discovered Nightwing’s body was stolen.
One of the things I most wanted to see in the show is the Gotham City Sirens. The DC Comics team was teased back inHarley Quinnseason 4’s finale. Harley, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, and Barbara Gordon united in a cemetery and discovered Nightwing’s body was stolen, with Selina Kyle suggesting the four call themselves the Gotham City Sirens and deciding to find out what happened to Nightwing.Harley Quinnseason 5, episode 1 starts by making that come true and, in hilarious fashion, they fail in their mission and findSuicide Squad’s Enchantress.
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The flashback to a year ago was handled well, and it was a quick way of giving fans what they wanted while also explaining how Harley and Ivy can leave the Gotham City Sirens behind after the season 4 team-up tease. I also found The Riddler and Clock King exciting; they are a funny couple and I like to see how competitive Harley and Ivy get when around them. A brief and fun exchange with the duo serves to show Harley and Ivy they are in a rut.
Moving To Metropolis Makes Harley Quinn Feel Fresh
Superman & Other Classic DC Characters Appear
Harley and Ivy’s arguments about going to Metropolis are good. Not only were the characters in a rut, but the show was as well. Over four seasons,Harley Quinndid pretty much all it could do in Gotham City due to the show’s wild ideas. While they initially plan to make a quick trip to Metropolis, with Harley intending to get Superman to thank her for saving his life, it makes sense the characters decide to extend their stay. I was excited to see that Bruce Wayne would stay despite the show’s move to Metropolis.
Lena Luthor made her name well-known in recent years due to her live-action appearances in the Arrowverse’s Supergirl series, and she replaces Lex in the animated show.
While the character is not as serious and dark as Batman normally is,Harley Quinn’s Bruce is a fun take on the hero. His continued role in the series is also given more depth due to the person he’s dating. Season 5’s move to Metropolis allows the animated series to explore more characters from Superman’s corner and one of them happens to be Lex Luthor’s sister.Lena Luthoris a well-known name now after her live-action appearances in the Arrowverse’sSupergirl, and she replaces Lex in the animated show.
Lena, if she is anything like her brother, promises to be an interesting character to keep an eye on as the season goes on. Besides the two, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen also appear, while the Man of Steel himself deals with an identity crisis. I like the setupHarley Quinnwent for with the hero, as Harley uses her psychiatrist skills to help Superman, with the hero deciding to take a sabbatical thereafter. With Superman gone, Harley and Ivy will keep Metropolis safe, and Brainiac’s debut poses a major threat for season 5 to unravel.
Harley Quinnseason 5’s premiere is now streaming on Max, with weekly episodes released each Thursday.
