Season’s Thoughts
The Gotham City Sirens break up, Supes is out of a job, Harley and Ivy move to Metropolis and Aisha Tyler appears. Whoa!
I’ll admit I wasn’t sure where they were going to take this season since many major events have already occurred inside Gotham. I won’t say I’m surprised they’re dipping their toes in Metropolis, but it wasn’t at the forefront of my mind. The sudden shift keeps things fresh.
I like the slice-of-life sections that showcase Harley and Ivy doing normal couple things. It helps ground them as characters. Harley mentioned that she was worried her spark with Ivy would fade away, which is a valid fear to have. This want for excitement by attending the Superman Gala in Metropolis is also something Harley would want to do regardless of her relationship status. She thrives off excitement.
The current state of Metropolis is the calm before the storm this season. I won’t spoil the end of “The Big Apricot,” but an iconic character rears their head. I said Supes was out of a job at the beginning of this post. Who knows? He may have a job again very soon. I need to make some phone calls for my neck appointment.
Kyra’s Take
I could’ve used more time with the Gotham City Sirens. The end of Harley Quinn Season Four set up this team dynamic as the Season Five focal point. The Sirens only get a flashback that lasts less than five minutes. That said, “The Big Apricot” is a return to form. Harley Quinn lost its way last season; it finished strong and that included the Gotham City Sirens’ introduction. I’ll take the trade-off of losing this team for Harley Quinn’s original creative team returning.
Furthermore, the Gotham City Sirens were destined to fail. Season Five didn’t waste any time. The show’s move to Metropolis makes sense. That same creative team has done a lot with Gotham City. They sprinkled in a couple of episodes under the sea (King Shark) and in Themyscira (Wonder Woman). A few characters like Lex Luthor hail from Metropolis, but we haven’t yet seen a Harley Quinn episode set in Metropolis.
The shift in cities reminds me of Archer midway through its run. The change for Archer was also needed. Hey! Aisha Tyler was in Archer, too. Tyler portrays Lena Luthor. During this episode, Lena has a positive bend. This could change; Lena Luthor’s morality is malleable. I can’t wait to see what Tyler will do with this role.
I’ll echo Season’s sentiment about the slice-of-life segments. Harley and Ivy may be one of the most relatable couples on television right now. I never thought I would say that, but it’s true. Harley and Ivy are one of the best television couples right now.
We haven’t yet seen Clayface, King Shark, or Bane this season, but each of these characters has been featured in Season Five’s promotions. With Superman gone, there may be more Gotham City transplants in the future. I don’t expect Metropolis to stay pristine.
I won’t spoil the ending either. Let’s just say that it looks like Harley Quinn Season Five will explore Superman’s rogues as much as it did Batman’s rogues in its previous four seasons, and that’s exciting.
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