[7.3/10] It’s nice to get an episode like this one that gives us a little more insight into why Harley is the way she is, via getting a look at her family. A mother who denies her Harley’s accomplishments and only cares about her daughter marrying well, a father who uses undermines his daughter’s accomplishments and talents to try to erase his gambling debts, and a dysfunctional relationship between the two of them that sets the self-destructive blueprint for Joker and Harley together -- you can see the damage Harley is overcoming with every choice she makes.
Granted, it’s not the funniest material. There’s an amusing homage to Married with Children, and some shockingly dark humor with the murder of grandma and grandpa, but for the most part, this is a lot of cheap Jersey humor, with a minor dose of antisemitism to boot. The laughs aren’t really there in the main story.
But maybe they shouldn't be? This is about as dark a story as there’s been on Harley Quinn, which is saying something! Even if you clock Harley’s dad, Nick, as bad news from the jump, you feel so bad for Harley here. Her being resistant to his bullshit, only to have him weirdly make up for sabotaging her gymnast career to save his thumbs, only to then turn around and try to collect the bounty on her, is a hell of a gut punch. The fact that the mom Harley still cares for is on board with it, and embarrassed about her daughter, is the twist of the knife.
It’s harsh as hell, but maybe in a way that's necessary, to remind Harley what she’s getting away from and who her real family is. The reunion with the Quinzels is a bitter and dark one, but it underscores how shitty Harley’s childhood and family life were, in an exaggerated but stark way that most shows shy away from.
The rest of the episode is enjoyable. Ivy bantering with the part time goon/kindergarten teacher who’s responsible for minding her is some good Venture Bros.-esque humor. The whole saga of a random dandelion getting to Frank the Plant who collaborates with his “pot guy” to get Harley to save Ivy is a fun bit and a good reminder of where Harley’s real support system lies. The fact that it’s Penguin’s nephew who put the hit out on Harley is a funny bit of continuity, and the kid’s interactions with Bane are hilarious. And the twist that it’s Scarecrow who’s “harvesting” Ivy is intriguing.
Overall, a critical episode for Harley’s backstory and her psyche, and not necessarily an especially fun outing given the darkness, but which I appreciate given how unflinching it is about the terrible home life Harley ran away from.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2024-01-05T01:31:14Z
[7.3/10] It’s nice to get an episode like this one that gives us a little more insight into why Harley is the way she is, via getting a look at her family. A mother who denies her Harley’s accomplishments and only cares about her daughter marrying well, a father who uses undermines his daughter’s accomplishments and talents to try to erase his gambling debts, and a dysfunctional relationship between the two of them that sets the self-destructive blueprint for Joker and Harley together -- you can see the damage Harley is overcoming with every choice she makes.
Granted, it’s not the funniest material. There’s an amusing homage to Married with Children, and some shockingly dark humor with the murder of grandma and grandpa, but for the most part, this is a lot of cheap Jersey humor, with a minor dose of antisemitism to boot. The laughs aren’t really there in the main story.
But maybe they shouldn't be? This is about as dark a story as there’s been on Harley Quinn, which is saying something! Even if you clock Harley’s dad, Nick, as bad news from the jump, you feel so bad for Harley here. Her being resistant to his bullshit, only to have him weirdly make up for sabotaging her gymnast career to save his thumbs, only to then turn around and try to collect the bounty on her, is a hell of a gut punch. The fact that the mom Harley still cares for is on board with it, and embarrassed about her daughter, is the twist of the knife.
It’s harsh as hell, but maybe in a way that's necessary, to remind Harley what she’s getting away from and who her real family is. The reunion with the Quinzels is a bitter and dark one, but it underscores how shitty Harley’s childhood and family life were, in an exaggerated but stark way that most shows shy away from.
The rest of the episode is enjoyable. Ivy bantering with the part time goon/kindergarten teacher who’s responsible for minding her is some good Venture Bros.-esque humor. The whole saga of a random dandelion getting to Frank the Plant who collaborates with his “pot guy” to get Harley to save Ivy is a fun bit and a good reminder of where Harley’s real support system lies. The fact that it’s Penguin’s nephew who put the hit out on Harley is a funny bit of continuity, and the kid’s interactions with Bane are hilarious. And the twist that it’s Scarecrow who’s “harvesting” Ivy is intriguing.
Overall, a critical episode for Harley’s backstory and her psyche, and not necessarily an especially fun outing given the darkness, but which I appreciate given how unflinching it is about the terrible home life Harley ran away from.