The villains are most definitely in charge.
What They Say:
After Gotham is declared no longer part of the United States, the newly formed Injustice League try to seize control of the city away from Harley in the season premiere episode.
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
With the second season of Harley Quinn coming in fast, just a month or so more than when the first season ended, it just feels crazy. Realistically, look at how the world has changed since this came out in mid-February 2020 to now, the first week of April 2020. The show ended its season with Gotham essentially in ruins and it opens here with the President declaring that Gotham is no longer a part of the United States after what happened there. That basically makes it a somber moment for most but Harley feels like it’s the best thing ever as anything goes in this brave new world. And she’s embracing it with her two hyenas and the bumper car that she’s able to use to get around town.
Amusingly, Harley’s place is now being checked in by goons for the Penguin and Two-Face as they declare that this place is their property. This provides Harley with the opportunity to change things as she convinces the goons of the main villains that they can do better on their own like she did, which has them turning on their former bosses. It adds a lot more chaos to the mix and Harley’s even able to inspire a lot of regular folks to turn into enjoying the craziness with wanton destruction. There’s nothing like a good goon rebellion to put some fear into the big villains who need their supplicants. It’s an amusing twist to everything that’s been going on but also feels like a natural evolution for it considering what Harley’s story has been.
Gordon, amusingly, is trying to do what he can to fix things but facing plenty of problems since Batman has gone missing. I do love that Damian shows up but in an adjusted Batman outfit that’s way too big for him. Gordon does try to bring some law and order back but even a number of his officers have gone to the other side with several working for Bane. It’s a nice contrast to seeing how the villains have completely taken over and even Harley is taken out of the picture briefly, which is what sets up the back half with her group doing their best to free her from being frozen. That Harley is more dangerous as a block of ice than as her normal self is definitely one of the more hilarious and grisly moments of the show that happens during the attempted escape.
In Summary:
With the show passing about two months over the course of this episode with the Injustice League coming to the forefront after the goons are beaten down, New New Gotham is in a very dark place with it carved up by all the main villains. It’s definitely a fun look at things in seeing how an isolated Gotham might unfold in a hyperviolent comedy kind of way and it delivers plenty of good material with laughs, violence, and more. The show hasn’t lost a beat when it comes to how it works but it has elevated things to a new level so that it’s not just more of the same – which wouldn’t have been bad at all. But now we get the humor, weirdness, and violence looked at in a new way and I’m excited to see what’s next.
Grade: B+
Streamed By: DC Universe
