DC Universe (later HBO Max/Max) adult animated comedy following Harley Quinn’s journey from Joker’s sidekick to independent villain and eventual anti-hero. Voiced by Kaley Cuoco, the series (2019-present) blends raunchy humor, ultra-violence, and surprising emotional depth with DC Comics deep cuts.
Harley and Ivy Romance
The show’s defining arc was Harley and Poison Ivy’s slow-burn romance, culminating in their relationship becoming canon in Season 2 (2020). The kiss scene trended worldwide and was celebrated as major LGBTQ+ representation. Their relationship evolved from friendship to romance organically, becoming the emotional core of the series.
R-Rated DC Comedy
Harley Quinn embraced its TV-MA rating with graphic violence, profanity, and sexual content — Batman gets graphically injured, characters die brutally, and the humor is aggressively adult. The show satirized superhero tropes while respecting DC lore, featuring deep-cut characters like Kite Man (“Hell yeah!”) and King Shark.
Critical Success
The series won praise for its writing (Justin Halpern, Patrick Schumacker), voice cast (Alan Tudyk as Joker/Clayface, Lake Bell as Poison Ivy), and feminist themes. Season 3 and 4 continued exploring Harley’s growth and the Bat-family dynamics. The show proved DC could succeed in adult animation after years of failed attempts.