Harley Quinn season 2, episode 6 review: When Harley met Joker

Harley sees a new Joker in the latest episode of Harley Quinn season 2. No, Ivy, you can’t kill him!

Previously, on Harley Quinn season 2, there was actually no Harley and her gang. This episode was all about Batman’s return to Gotham City.

You’d assume that he would come back and bring order back to Gotham. Not even close. Batman failed miserably. Thankfully, Batgirl and Alfred (dressed as the vigilante Macaroni) were there to stop Bane from killing him. Granted, Batman’s legs were facing in directions they shouldn’t. The good news is Batman stopped being stubborn and allowed Batgirl to help him while he recuperated.

There’s 100% more Harley Quinn in this week’s episode, “All The Best Inmates Have Daddy Issues”.

Commissioner Gordon update! Gordon is back in his uniform and prepared to take Gotham back from the criminals! Unfortunately he didn’t get his codpiece that shoots a mini-rockets that he asked Bruce Wayne for.

“When a tower of his own image crushed him to death.”

This all begins with Harley Quinn seeing Joker at the bar she and Poison Ivy are at. Actually, it starts with a game of F, Marry, Kill. Somehow that leads to them seeing someone who looks like Joker. Ivy didn’t agree until she saw a pic of the bartender with Joker makeup. And, of course, she  creates a plant ninja star because she wants to kill him. But Harley doesn’t want him dead – especially after they found out that he’s with a woman who has kids.

Harley thinks Joker’s changed and she can prove it. How? With a flashback to when Harley was a psychiatrist of course!

We all know this show was silly, but the opening flashback is something else. It begins with her walking into a room where Harvey Dent (before he was Two-Face) and Jim Gordon shirtless and having a pushup competition (Gordon is always shirtless). When Harvey wins, Gordon challenges him to another round – except, this time, squats.

Whoever came up with the idea for the flashback to start like this is a genius. On top of the push-ups, Harvey Dent was the stereotypical politician who only cared about votes – so that made this even more hilarious.

“Hello, puddin’.”

When The Joker and Dr. Harleen Quinzel finally meet in this flashback, the first thing Joker actually says is, “Hello, Puddin’.” We think he’s talking to Harley, but he thinks it was his lunch.

Harley tries to get Joker to tell her where the bomb is but he refuses. He says the speakers weren’t working (there were no speakers). Harley goes into Joker’s cell to, “Get on his level” which leads to a fight. One where we see that Harley had the fighting skills before she became Joker’s right-hand woman. This was the first, but not the last time they met in this episode.

The story of how they met may have been the same, but they added a really nice twist. First off, Harley wasn’t a damsel in distress here. She was tough, smart, and had no problem telling someone to **** off whenever she needed to. Second, as much as this episode was about Joker and Harley’s first meeting, it was equally about her and Poison Ivy’s first encounter as well.

She was the first human to be unselfishly nice to Ivy. Because of that, Ivy saved her life from Harvey Dent (who’s just the worst). It was actually a beautiful story of how their friendship began.

“You came up with ‘Two-Face’?!”

A terrific comeback from the previous Harley Quinn-less episode. The idea of waiting to tell the story of the two most important relationships in Harley’s life was great. Too early, and it seems forced. Too late and viewers won’t care.

More from DC Universe

• James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy casts more major DC characters
• New Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom trailer pushes Arthur to his limits
• 7 actors who could replace Ezra Miller as The Flash in the DC Universe
• Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will have a battle pass (and that’s a bad sign)
• Harley Quinn renewed for a fifth season on Max (and it’s well-deserved)

With everything that’s happened in Harley and Ivy’s life recently, you have to appreciate how they met. They started by caring and helping each other and it’s continued that way ever since. It’s really sweet… in a psychotic killing people with plants kind of way.

Another beginning so-to-speak that we see in the episode is that of the relationship between Batman and Gordon. Gordon has been obsessing over Batman for years. It was borderline creepy. Well, not as creepy and needy as he is now. Pretty close though. Gordon was so consumed that he was willing to let the city blow up and ride in the backseat of the Batmobile in an incredibly uncomfortable position.

Questions about Quinn:

Will Joker remember who he is and go on a killing spree?

Better question, are we certain that this is Joker? The laugh doesn’t mean anything with this show.

Harvey Dent was a jerk way before he became Two-Face. Just, wow.

There was a disappointing lack of Kite Man (Hell yeah). Yes, that was mentioned just to say that.

You never know what you got ’till it’s gone. I miss King Shark too.

What did you think of this week’s episode of Harley Quinn? Let us know in the comments below.