Well, let me start off by saying…WOW! Harley Quinn definitely has shock value, but I am not sure if it is going to keep it afloat.
I will say this much it earns its R rating from the start. Language, violence, blood, and gratuitous innuendos are EVERYWHERE in episode 1! I am not entirely sure what I witnessed. Animation wise it was good. It was not that chibi style that everyone seems to be resorting to these days. Clean transitions and awesome effects.
The voice casting was on point as well. I was on the fence about Kaley Cuoco as Harley, because let’s face it no one will ever touch Arleen Sorkin or Tara Strong, but she was not too bad. Her lines in this episode seemed to be more on the shock value for the 1st episode type. However, the episode did, in fact, have some character development. Lake Bell plays Ivy who plays the Teller to Harley’s Penn for lack of a better term. Bell’s one-liners as Ivy were timed perfectly and well played. Diedrich Bader reprises his role as Batman and he too has some nice one-liners, as he is more of the comic relief. The biggest surprise casting was Alan Tudyk playing Joker. Although once you realize it is him, you can tell he played it like the Doom Patrol’s Mr. Nobody.
The episode played out like an issue of Harley. Breaking the 4th wall within her head and having events play out the way her wacky mind thinks. The way they portrayed Batman and Gordon really proved the point that the comic was a HUGE inspiration to this series. There were a ton of nods to Batman lore from Joker’s monologue about Gordon (hinting at The Killing Joke), and Riddler’s trap (hinting at Batman Forever’s final scene).
This show is NOT for kids, as most of the other DC Universe programs it is definitely adult orientated. I am willing to give this series a chance as I did laugh at the jokes but I am not sure if the SHOCK humor and vulgarity will carry it. The only saving grace is that there is some character and plot to the episodes and that has me feeling pretty good.
JQ gives Harley Quinn episode 1 a 7.8 out of 10.
Harley Quinn premiers exclusively on the DC Universe on November 29th!
Brian Isaacs - Executive Editor / Publisher 
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