Though she may have started as The Joker’s right-hand gal in Batman: The Animated Series, Harley Quinn has become one of the most popular female comic book characters of all time. She’s received her own stand-alone comic series as well as a breakout onscreen personification with Margot Robbie’s performance in Suicide Squad and more specifically, Birds of Prey. But the best exploration of her character development may be in DC Universe’s animated series Harley Quinn.
Having just wrapped its 13-episode first season on the DC Universe streaming service, the series has received glowing reviews from fans of both the Batman franchise and its favorite funny lady. Kelly Cuoco brings a dynamic performance to Harley in a way that makes her relatable while still maintaining her zany integrity, and without being in The Joker’s shadow. It uses amusing plots to tell serious stories with emotional resonance far beyond its silly appearance.
WAYS IT IMPROVED HER CHARACTER: MADE IT DARKER
For those fans that grew up watching Batman: The Animated Series where Harley Quinn first debuted, watching the DC Universe animated series may be jarring. This Harley Quinn is darker, more sadistic, and certainly more suggestive (the way she puts a bomb in her mouth, for instance).
It allows for Harley to have more depth, not because “grittier equals better storytelling,” but because part of the identity of The Joker was steeped in his ability to wax and wane between the truly horrific and the completely hilarious, and Harley deserves the same treatment. She isn’t just a joke this time around - she gets to land the punchline.
WAYS IT DIDN’T: THE GRAPHIC VIOLENCE
Batman: The Animated Series was aimed at younger audiences, and therefore had to commit to a more light-hearted side of Gotham and its inhabitants. Even with limitations in place, it managed to create the neo-noir aesthetic and sensibilities that most Batman fans associate with all aspects of the franchise.
The over-the-top nature of the violence in Harley Quinn is effective until it isn’t. Obviously certain aspects beg for wild abandon, especially coming from The Joker, but there’s a limit to how many people need to explode in a shower of guts and body parts. The graphic violence starts to lose its veracity when it’s over-saturated.
WAYS IT IMPROVED HER CHARACTER: SHE’S NOT A SIDEKICK ANYMORE
The foundation of the series is based on Harley Quinn bounding out from behind The Joker’s shadow and becoming the main star of the show. Her character development isn’t dependent nor related to his, and the struggles and victories she experiences are her own, without her being reduced to a sidekick role.
In fact, this Harley has no problem crushing Mister J’s legs and leaving him to die a cripple, flouncing off to find her own way in the world without his approval. The animated Harley of the ’90s would never have thought herself capable of making it in Gotham without her Clown Prince, but this Harley is her own Queen.
WAYS IT DIDN’T: HER EMULATION OF THE JOKER
Unfortunately, one of the ways in which Harley Quinn sets out to get over The Joker is to be just like him. She plans huge heists, causes a lot of chaos, and eventually gets noticed by The Batman. It makes sense - she wants to be considered a supervillain in her own right, and join the Legion of Doom.
While this is just the first season, and viewers can be expected to see Harley Quinn find more of her own persona as time goes on, it seems for now Harley is confined to beating Joker at his own game. As the series goes on, Harley will need to bring her own twisted version of mayhem to the table, or else she is still living in the Joker’s shadow.
WAYS IT IMPROVED HER CHARACTER: ADDRESSING SEXISM
Ever since she first premiered in Batman: The Animated Series, Harley Quinn has been a sexually charged character, and even The Joker demoralized her for being good for nothing but her looks. She was never seen as intelligent, even when she proved herself, and she suffered from the same sort of sexism that has dogged female comic book characters for decades.
It’s refreshing when characters confront these issues In-Universe, addressing them naturally such as when Harley has trouble recruiting goons for a heist but a D-level supervillain like Kite Man has no problem. The progression of Harley from a cowering victim to a stalwart survivor who doesn’t take any guff feels natural.
WAYS IT DIDN’T: NO ORIGINAL STORYLINE
Harley Quinn’s New 52 comic series, as well as her appearances in Assault on Arkham have all explored her abusive relationship with the Joker. It has become, to her detriment, her defining narrative lens at this point. She’s a survivor of a toxic relationship but she hasn’t yet moved beyond it.
The story has already been explored in great depth, especially in the Birds of Prey film. As Harley Quinn progresses, Harley will need to be less defined by her trauma, and more defined by her next big character development. She deserves a unique story that’s wholly original, not the same ground that’s already been covered.
WAYS IT IMPROVED HER CHARACTER: FRIENDSHIP WITH POISON IVY
One episode of Batman: The Animated Series featured Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn as roommates, with the former trying to console the latter after a particularly brutal falling out with the Joker. Harley eventually went back with him, but in this series, she accepts Ivy’s advice and kicks him to the curb.
Their friendship feels like it has an emotional core, and provides stability for a variety of intimate conversations the two share woman to woman. The series doesn’t shy away from the pair talking candidly about adult themes or their sexual appetites, which not only feels empowering but makes them seem like real people.
WAYS IT DIDN’T: NO REPERCUSSIONS
While it isn’t canon in this particular version of Harley Quinn’s history, in the past she’s been responsible for torturing a young Tim Drake, yet as an accomplice she almost never receives punishment for her crimes. The Joker has, but Harley seems to skirt any repercussions because of her likable character.
The series implies that because of her abusive relationship, she’s worthy of redemption, without having to pay for all of the numerous crimes she helped commit. Having her suffer consequences would add a further layer of dimension to her character and probably make her even more likable.
WAYS IT IMPROVED HER CHARACTER: HER OWN PERSPECTIVE
One of the most refreshing and unique aspects of the series comes from the perspective it’s told in. To Harley Quinn, the Joker is her lame ex, Bane is a lumbering goofball, and Clayface is a misunderstood but insightful villain, resulting in characterizations to match. Harley Quinn’s perspective allows for different aspects of their personalities to emerge, regardless of if they’re accurate.
While Harley begins the series with Poison Ivy as her main ally, she acquires her own team of supporters, including Clayface, Dr. Psycho, and King Shark. Viewers get to see lesser villains depicted in more nuanced ways as Harley builds her own little evil supergroup that becomes more like her family.
WAYS IT DIDN’T: MAKING JOKER A MAIN CHARACTER
Alan Tudyk admirably fills the clown shoes left vacant by veteran voice actor Mark Hamill, who made voicing The Joker an institution beginning with Batman: The Animated Series and multiple other incarnations since. Since the series has an R-rating, Tudyk can make Joker even more dastardly and wicked than ever before.
Unfortunately, having Joker be such a major presence in the series, beyond simply being Harley’s crappy ex-boyfriend, means he pulls a lot of focus from her storyline. He’s a major character, a member of the Legion of Doom, and still dominates the screen. It seems no matter what she does, Harley can’t escape her worst nightmare.
