Harley Quinn airs new episodes Friday’s via DC Universe, the series will air in the UK on E4.
Synopsis
If she’s to defeat Psycho’s army, Harley needs Joker’s help finding Fables’ storybook that’s holding the Justice League inside. The book is in the worst place possible… Joker’s ex-girlfriend’s house. But when she learned she was dating an evil mastermind, she threw the book out of the house only for it to get snatched up by a curious ParaDemon. Harley and Joker must track the book down, and on their adventure, both come to the realization that they must fight for their respective true loves. Meanwhile, Psycho and Riddler prepare for their master plan calling on Darkseid for help. And Kite Man and Ivy make last minute wedding preparations.
Review
When I reviewed last week’s episode of Harley Quinn (read here) I pointed out that it felt like the series was kicking in to overdrive ahead of it’s finale. “Dye Hard” galvanised the series overarching story of the battle for Gotham and put it at the centre of the show. In doing so Harley Quinn sidelined the on going will-they-won’t-they between it’s two leads.
This week the series continues to hurtle towards the battle for Gotham but is also able to cleverly work Ivy (Lake Bell) and Kite Man (Matt Oberg) back in to the story.
We hear your questions on social media every week and we know that you’re desperate to see Harley (Kaley Cuoco) and Ivy together. But it seems the series is working towards a different conclusion. One where none of its leads and up in a particularly happy place.
For Ivy and Kite Man, this week’s episode is about finalising plans for their upcoming wedding. It’s not hard to guess that the wedding will be the central focus on the season finale but we’ve got a lot of story to get through first.
Plans for their wedding include a huge fondue fountain (yes please) and a beautiful outdoor venue. But those plans are scuppered when ParaDemons crash the marquee and kidnap the wedding planner. Cue one incredibly angry Ivy wearing an incredibly expensive Vera Wang wedding dress.
Once again the series implies the excellent method of separating its leads before circling them back around to each other at its climax. This week pits both Ivy and Harley against Doctor Psycho (Tony Hale). Who would have thought I’d ever been writing that Psycho was the big bad here!?
Upsetting the balance of the core cast has really shaken up the show and made it even more exciting to watch. At this stage it’s our go-to series the minute it’s released each week which, amongst the huge TV landscape, is really saying something.
For Harley, this week’s episode is about coming full circle. With Joker (Alan Tudyk) back on the scene and in his purple suit, she’s on the hunt for the Book of Fables to help free the Justice League. She’s got Mista J at her side and Batman (Diedrich Bader) on her tail so this episode is all about moving fast.
Some quick exposition tells us more about what the humanised Joker was up to for the six months following the destruction of his tower. He had a girlfriend, step-kids, a puppy and a happy life. But, at first glance, that’s now all gone with him returned to his old state of being.
Exactly as I had hoped, the episode takes their relationship in to new territory. Harley now has the power, helped by a bomb in Joker’s head, and she needs him to accomplish her mission. I loved seeing them presented this way and I hope that it continues to play out in a way that leaves on good ground to share Gotham moving forwards as Joker is a great character to have on the show.
”A Fight Worth Fighting For” circles back around to Harley and Ivy in the most imaginative way possible. One which I hadn’t seen coming and certainly sets the show up for an incredibly exciting penultimate episode next week. An episode which is sure to have far ranging repercussions on the duo’s relationship.
Verdict
“A Fight Worth Fighting For” continues to push the series second season towards its endgame. At this point is there anything the series can’t do?
9/10
Harley Quinn stars Kaley Cuoco as the voice of Harley, and she’ll be joined by Lake Bell, Alan Tudyk, Ron Funches, JB Smoove, Jason Alexander, Wanda Sykes, Giancarlo Esposito, Natalie Morales, Jim Rash, Diedrich Bader, Tony Hale and Chris Meloni.
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