Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Harley Quinn’ Season 5 on Max, Where Super Power Couple Harley And Poison Ivy Take On Metropolis 

The ten-episode fifth season of Harley Quinn on Max kicks off with Harley (Kaley Cuoco) and Poison Ivy (Lake Bell) in Gotham City, taking a break from fighting adversaries to enjoy some quality time as a couple. But while their romance has never been stronger, the break from mayhem is momentary, because new adventures and craziness await them in the gleaming streets of Metropolis. Harley Quinn, developed as an adult-animation series by Justin Halpern, Patrick Schumacker, and Dean Lorey, has always treated the DC Universe as its plaything, with familiar pieces and personalities from comics and other media put into a blender, plus the addition of a bunch of curse words. And that’s the delightful MO again as season 5 begins, which also introduces Aisha Tyler as Lena Luthor and Stephen Fry as Brainiac.  

HARLEY QUINN – SEASON 5: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT? 

Opening Shot: In Gotham City, Harley (Cuoco) and Ivy (Bell) differ on dinner plans as a Batman doll circles the drain, petty crime runs rampant, and rats the size of city buses feast. “I love you with the passion of a thousand suns,” Ivy tells Harley. “But have you lost your goddamn mind?”

The Gist: Recent endeavors of of Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy have included jaunts to the Moon – where there was a big crack in it, and where Harley saved Superman (James Wolk), but like he ever thanked her – and the founding of a new team, the Gotham City Sirens. But as Harley Quinn season 5 opens, a flashback reveals how egos and infighting between Harley and Ivy and Catwoman (Cherise Boothe) and Barbara Gordon (Briana Cuoco) made the Sirens a “spectacular flameout.” And speaking of Superman, he will be honored at a gala to open his new museum in Metropolis, an event Harley says they need to attend. Quick! To the evening gowns! She really wants that thank you for saving the life of the Man of Steel.

Unlike Gotham, which is described in Harley Quinn as reeking of piss, Metropolis is a pristine landscape of skyscrapers and wide avenues. (Ivy says it could use more greenery.) And at the museum, along with encountering a Superman who feels underutilized in a crime-free city, Harley and Ivy meet Lena Luthor (Tyler) who’s currently dating Bruce Wayne (Diedrich Bader). Lena swears she’s nothing like her supercriminal brother Lex (Giancarlo Esposito). She’s all about being a philanthropist, and having a full head of hair. Lena quickly latches onto Ivy, who she brings into her organization to work on greenspace initiatives, while Harley encourages the forlorn son of Krypton to take a little time for himself. “Metropolis may not need Superman, but you know who does? Superman.”

The constant through all of this? Harley and Ivy can’t keep their hands off each other. Even flying trapeze-like on aerial silks, in pursuit of a little fun-loving chaos, is reason enough to revel in the mutual comfort of their relationship. Living in Metropolis is fresh, new, and just adds more zeal to their life together. But what if the cleanliness of the city’s streets, the omnipresent security drones known as automatons, and even Lena Luthor’s welcoming tone are a front for something a lot more sinister? Harley’s bat and Ivy’s vines aren’t going to be in storage for long.     

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special elaborated on the evolution of Harley and Ivy’s relationship. Kite Man: Hell Yeah! recently premiered as the first official Harley Quinn spinoff, and features the main voice cast from Harley in recurring roles. And James Gunn’s tweaks to the DCU recently debuted with Creature Commandos, which also features Harley Quinn co-developer Dean Lorey as showrunner.

Our Take: First of all, Harley Quinn is just funny. Before anything else, it’s the series having a blast riffing on and sometimes ripping to shreds entire swaths of DC Universe lore, and the rapid-fire pace of jokes and asides that define the Harley Quinn-Poison Ivy dynamic, that make each 25-minute-long episode of Harley feel full to the brim. Add to this an incredibly deep cast of voice actors – Alan Tudyk, Andy Daly, Quinta Brunson; the list is long and distinguished – and Harley has realized a universe of its own making, one not overly concerned with propping up fan service connectivity. 

Honestly, that’s refreshing. With so many characters in this thing that we know from other iterations – heavy hitters like Harley herself, Superman, Batman, and Bane – it’s exceedingly fun that they all exist as who they are here, in this specific adult-animated world. And this is embodied most effectively in Harley and Ivy, who Kaley Cuoco and Lake Bell voice as a loving and very cool couple who have their own internal thing going on, separate and apart from all the mischief-making, supervillainy, and fantastical occurrences that are part of their everyday. It  feels so important how, when they’re about to bounce from someplace, Ivy will be like, “Come on, Harl.” It’s organic, this kind of language, and emphasizes the best of Harley Quinn. Just because it’s a cartoon doesn’t mean a relationship must only exist in CG.   

Sex and Skin: Whenever they aren’t getting it on, Harley and Ivy have a couples’ habit of making many cheeky references to getting it on, and it’s all pretty adorable. 

Parting Shot: Harley and Ivy are psyched to move to Metropolis, and a new condo in a building developed by Wayne Enterprises. But watching them is a villain much less psyched about the roots they’re putting down. They skew his “perfection meter” big time.  

Sleeper Star: Harley Quinn loves to crowd in any characters from the DC comics roster it can, however it can, and season 5 is no exception. You’ve got Riddler (Jim Rash) and his boyfriend, Clock King (James Adomian). King Shark (Ron Funches), plus his rambunctious brood of shark children. Adomian’s ever pitiable, always lovable Bane. Even Krypto the Superdog makes an appearance. 

Most Pilot-y Line: Harley and Ivy’s romance isn’t messy. It’s just surrounded by messy. Take it away, Harley! “We don’t need ‘em! We don’t need anybody! Because we’re Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, Gotham City’s bestest, most titillatingest, most excitingest couple ever! Ah shit, I got cream cheese on my good hoodie.”

Our Take: Stream It! Season 5 of Harley Quinn keeps the hilarity coming at a rapid-fire clip, concocts a whole host of new misadventures for its main duo – this time with Metropolis under threat – and expands on and strengthens Harley and Ivy’s love story in ways well worth shipping. 

Johnny Loftus (@glennganges) is an independent writer and editor living at large in Chicagoland. His work has appeared in The Village Voice, All Music Guide, Pitchfork Media, and Nicki Swift.

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