REVIEW: ‘Harley Quinn’ Season 5 Loses Steam

Despite the constant hilarity due to some witty writing and vocal deliveries, Harley Quinn Season 5 can’t keep the momentum it set at the start of the season. The premier promised major shakeups as Harley (Kaley Cuoco), in a fit of monotony-inspired anxiety, decides she and Ivy (Lake Bell) should uproot their lives in Gotham and move to Metropolis.

Initially, this is a fresh idea and makes narrative sense, as Gotham has become a literal sinkhole. However, as Season 5 progresses, it becomes apparent that Gotham is necessary for the characters and the series’ identity. But perhaps the biggest takeaway is that, after five seasons, it may be time for the series to call it on a high note rather than overstay its welcome.

This isn’t to say that Harley Quinn Season 5 is bad. For the most part, it’s enormously enjoyable, with hilarious jokes and some genuine upsets, such as Frank’s death and Brainiac’s backstory. The series finds its sweet spot when the sprawling ensemble comes together, such as in the fantastically funny “Big Pasta Dinner,” which sees Bruce (Diedrich Bader) and The Joker (Alan Tudyk), of all people, bond over parenting woes while in a sauna. The series thrives in silliness.

It’s why characters like Bane (James Adomian), Clayface (Tudyk), and the regular roster of supporting faces like Bruce and Joker work so well. The series utilizes their existence for big, broad jokes that wouldn’t make sense with their personalities in any other iteration. Here, Bane and Clayface can take over the Daily Planet while producing a musical about Brainiac (Stephen Fry), and no one bats an eye. Is Bruce Wayne being a dejected sad sack over another recent breakup? Of course.

The series should never try and break Harley and Ivy apart.

The series has set such a specific timbre for itself that we don’t question the relentless lunacy. This is what makes it such a fun week-to-week series because even if we can predict what will happen to the characters, we can’t predict what will come out of their mouths next.

That dialogue-driven unpredictability saves Harley Quinn Season 5 as it tries to bog itself down with excessive plot and dramatics. While Ivy is a supporting character and one-half of the central romance, she doesn’t always work in solo plots. Or, instead, her solo plots are usually the least interesting. And while Season 5 dives into her backstory, it ultimately fails to strike an emotional chord as Bell is ill-equipped to voice the necessary distress.

Ivy is the major flaw in many of the worst storylines. If it’s not Bell’s limited performance, it’s the writing that uses her as a tool to drive the plot forward, such as when she and Harley fight for an episode. For the most part, the series has avoided any forced tension between the two, eschewing the belief that once a couple gets together in a TV series, the show becomes dull. Instead, it’s their fight that gives way to frustration and boredom.

Lena (Aisha Tyler) explains that she seeks to split them up as they’re most powerful together. It’s true and something that the show should never forget. Yes, couples fight, but this was a convoluted effort to separate them before bringing them back together before the lackluster finale.

Brainiac is a necessary addition to Harley Quinn Season 5. 

Beyond some forced narrative friction, Harley Quinn’s Season 5 also saw some stumbles in the animation.  DC animated series have always been a pivotal strength to the universe. Typically, Harley Quinn meets the high bar set by other series in the DC universe’s legacy. Yet there are inconsistent character designs (Ivy in particular), and action scenes lack the finesse they used to have. Some of this is expected — the longer an animated show runs, the less budget it seems to have. But a more decisive direction would’ve been able to smooth over any inconsistencies or flat animation.

This is where Metropolis offers a momentary reprieve. While it doesn’t serve as the richest storytelling ground for these characters, it does allow the animation to stretch and play with different moods and styles, opting for a minimalism not utilized in Gotham. The episode detailing Brainac’s history also allows for more creativity as it sets the tone for intergalactic travel and the character’s intrinsic loneliness, with haunting colors complimenting the story it tells.

The performances remain another strong aspect (aside from some), and Tyler is excellent as Lena Luther. She’s so good that it’s a shame Lena is a relatively one-note villain. However, the voice actors and their commitment to the deliveries allow Harley Quinn to continue to shine, even if the story itself is losing momentum.

Harley Quinn Season 5 is fun but lacks an edge that previous seasons have. As the momentum stalls and the characters begin to cycle through old thematic hurdles, the story loses its hook. We watch for the one-liners and see just how James Adomian and Alan Tudyk will deliver them. But the story needs a major overhaul if it plans for another season. Simply relocating wasn’t enough.

Harley Quinn Season 5 is available now on Max, formerly HBO Max. 

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