Harley Quinn Season 2 episode 1 (HBO Max)
“God bless the United States of America, and God help Gotham City.”
Originally posted 3/29/20.
Harley Quinn, the character brought to life by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini for
their excellent Batman: The Animated
Series, returns for the second season of her eponymous adult animated
online tv show on WBTV.com. Episode one, New
Gotham is written by Adam Stein and directed by Vinton Heuck.
After season one’s colossal climax, the cataclysmic toppling of the Joker’s (Alan Tudyk) tower has thrown Gotham City into chaos. The seismic ripples of that event will be felt far beyond this single episode. It is reminiscent of the Batman Family titles dealing with the repercussions of 1998’s Cataclysm event that led into the year-long No Man’s Land plotline that engulfed all of the Bat-related books.
Without spoiling too much, the sudden collapse of law and order as well as most of the city’s infrastructure has led to simultaneous societal collapse. The power vacuum at the top, formed by the events in the previous episode, leaves Harley (Kaley Cuoco) with a monumental decision to make, and with only Ivy (Lake Bell) to turn to for competent counsel.
This show bounces with energy and sly wit, amidst brutal, visceral violence. That dichotomy is reflected in some of the casting choices. King Shark (Ron Funches) encapsulates this perfectly, dealing out Funches-esque one-liners before biting people’s heads off. Clayface (Alan Tudyk) and Sy Borgman (Jason Alexander) shine as part of Harley’s misfit crew. Stein gave this episode’s villains some great dialogue to play with. Bane’s (James Adomian) near-unintelligible interactions with Two Face (Andy Daly), the Penguin (Wayne Knight), the Riddler (Jim Rash) and Mr Freeze (Alfred Molina) were quite funny. At the same time the ominous danger of such formidables is ever-present, simmering just beneath the surface of the comic diversions. James Gordon (Chris Meloni), the remnant of the woefully outmatched GCPD, is just straight-up crazypants. As Gotham City degrades around him, Gordon seemingly degrades with it.
This episode was solidly made, well drawn, quite well acted and a lot of fun to watch. The decisions made at the end will resonate down the road for these characters. New Gotham was a hoot.
After season one’s colossal climax, the cataclysmic toppling of the Joker’s (Alan Tudyk) tower has thrown Gotham City into chaos. The seismic ripples of that event will be felt far beyond this single episode. It is reminiscent of the Batman Family titles dealing with the repercussions of 1998’s Cataclysm event that led into the year-long No Man’s Land plotline that engulfed all of the Bat-related books.
Without spoiling too much, the sudden collapse of law and order as well as most of the city’s infrastructure has led to simultaneous societal collapse. The power vacuum at the top, formed by the events in the previous episode, leaves Harley (Kaley Cuoco) with a monumental decision to make, and with only Ivy (Lake Bell) to turn to for competent counsel.
This show bounces with energy and sly wit, amidst brutal, visceral violence. That dichotomy is reflected in some of the casting choices. King Shark (Ron Funches) encapsulates this perfectly, dealing out Funches-esque one-liners before biting people’s heads off. Clayface (Alan Tudyk) and Sy Borgman (Jason Alexander) shine as part of Harley’s misfit crew. Stein gave this episode’s villains some great dialogue to play with. Bane’s (James Adomian) near-unintelligible interactions with Two Face (Andy Daly), the Penguin (Wayne Knight), the Riddler (Jim Rash) and Mr Freeze (Alfred Molina) were quite funny. At the same time the ominous danger of such formidables is ever-present, simmering just beneath the surface of the comic diversions. James Gordon (Chris Meloni), the remnant of the woefully outmatched GCPD, is just straight-up crazypants. As Gotham City degrades around him, Gordon seemingly degrades with it.
This episode was solidly made, well drawn, quite well acted and a lot of fun to watch. The decisions made at the end will resonate down the road for these characters. New Gotham was a hoot.
Harley Quinn’s season two opens April 3rd.
Harley Quinn was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm.
https://fanboyfactor.com/2020/03/tv-review-harley-quinn-season-2-episode-1-new-gotham-dc-universe/
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