REVIEW: ‘Harley Quinn’ Season 5 Episode 2 — “Back To School”

Poison Ivy (Lake Bell) gets the major spotlight in Harley Quinn Season 5 Episode 2, “Back To School.” So much so that the B-plot with Harley (Kaley Cuoco) is lackluster — unnecessary, even — in comparison, however, the episode could be considered darker than its usual fare without the Harley babysitting King Shark’s kid’s bit. Aside from some glaring inconsistencies concerning the premiere, it’s another strong episode that further sets the stage for what’s going to be overarching plot developments. As Harley and Ivy adapt to their new lives in Metropolis, their old lives seem to find ways to follow them.

The past follows Harley and Ivy at varying extreme levels. Harley’s plot in Harley Quinn Season 5 Episode 2 deals mainly with the typical chaos of the series. King Shark (Ron Funches) arrives for a date in Metropolis and saddles Harley with his hoard of children. In a hilarious aside, he remarks that it doesn’t count as babysitting if those watching his children are their godmothers. Harley is stuck watching the terrors destroy her new, lavish apartment, and Sean, the most turbulent of the bunch, is relentless in his adolescent destruction.

Harley gets a reprieve when Lena Luther (Aisha Tyler) calls and invites her and the army of children to a birthday party and an elusive club. Of course, Harley is determined to be a part of it. Bane already is, yet another Gotham transplant. By the end of the episode, Harley is a member despite the blood spilling due to Sean’s inability to stop himself. The storyline is fine because Harley has to watch over kids with less impulse control than her, but it grows tiresome. The funniest part is that she clearly bonds with Sean, who sticks behind after the rest of the sharks have been picked up by King Shark at the end.

Betrayal leads to the birth of Poison Ivy.

But the main storyline in Harley Quinn Season 5 Episode 2 deals with Ivy. Or, more pointedly, the origin story of how Poison Ivy came to be. It’s amazing that five seasons in, this is the first time we’ve really delved into her greater backstory. Ivy arrives for her first day as a team member of the Metropolis Green Initiative, only to see a face from her past, Dr. Jason Woodrue (Jason Slattery).

Jason Woodrue is a significant character for Poison Ivy, previously teaching her as her professor when she was still known as Pamela. “Back to School,” through a series of flashbacks, reveals the two and their relationship back when she was a student of his. We learn that her transformation resulted from his betrayal when he tried to steal her discovery — her creation of Frank — by poisoning her. Her only chance at survival is to inject herself with the same serum that created the human and plant hybrid. And thus, Poison Ivy was born.

What’s interesting in her reuniting with Woodrue is how timid Bell plays Ivy. It’s in such direct contrast to her typical bravado and instantly sells us on the trauma and insecurity that he represents. By the time she takes her revenge, forcing him to endure the same fate he would’ve left her to, it’s expected but still triumphant. Or, at least, it feels as much in the moment. Before the episode ends, we see Ivy as she lies in bed, reflective and seemingly upset, though we don’t know if it’s about her “killing” Woodrue or all the feelings that her seeing him dug up.

Harley Quinn Season 5 Episode 2 is a mess of competing tones.

Harley Quinn Season 5 Episode 2 ends on a major cliffhanger as we realize that Woodrue might not be as dead as Ivy had hoped. Instead, it seems as if he’s made his transformation into Floronic Man, a notable villain from the DC Universe.

The Poison Ivy storyline works and gives greater insight into a character we already know. However, it makes the divide of storylines all the more abrasive in how they contrast. Understandably, the writers would want to maintain a sense of levity while digging into Ivy’s more upsetting storyline. But the humor almost undermines the severity of her moments. It would’ve been better to give more time to Ivy and less to Harley and allow the main storyline to drive the pacing.

Her storyline also highlights a seemingly enormous plot discrepancy. In the Season 5 premiere, one of the most significant developments is the new security robots that patrol Metropolis to maintain peace, making Superman obsolete. Where were they when the sharks wreaked havoc at the club, resulting in people being maimed? Is there a loophole since animal services end up being sent after them? It will be interesting to see if they reappear in Episode 3 or if they’re simply a plot convenience to allow Superman to disappear from the storyline while they’re in Metropolis.

Harley Quinn Season 5 Episode 2 is partially strong, though it needed to be confident in its main storyline. Ivy’s backstory is suitably tragic and helps define her character. It would’ve been even better if the show didn’t feel the need to force the broader comedy of Harley’s plot into it.

Harley Quinn Season 5 Episode 2 is out now on Max, formally HBO Max.

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