‘Harley Quinn’ is one of the most hysterical, heartwarming, and engaging shows to come out of the modern DC Cinematic Universe. It burst onto the television scene in epic grandiose fashion in a way the titular villainess would be proud of, immediately wooing audiences as a well-crafted piece of writing right out of the gate. The show had everything people loved about the titular character, but in a deeper and more thoughtful way than DC fans had ever seen before. It was loud, cerebral, crass, hysterical, witty satire that tackled celebrity culture, the beauty of budding relationships, and the fascinating evolution of, and occasionally very thin line between, good and evil. It made a name for itself as a truly remarkable work of art. Now, five spectacular seasons later, it shows no signs of stopping.
Things to do:
- Subscribe to The Hollywood Insider’s YouTube Channel, by clicking here.
- Limited Time Offer – FREE Subscription to The Hollywood Insider
- Click here to read more on The Hollywood Insider’s vision, values and mission statement here – Media has the responsibility to better our world – The Hollywood Insider fully focuses on substance and meaningful entertainment, against gossip and scandal, by combining entertainment, education, and philanthropy.
‘Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special, released back in 2023, delivers on all fronts: it’s essentially the characters’ usual ridiculous antics cranked up to eleven. In the special, specifically, three of the characters take control of the narrative. Harley Quinn is as chaotic and foul-mouthed as ever, proving to be just as frustrating as she is adorably sincere. Ivy is bothered by literally everything, and Bane (a main player this time around) is his usual neurotic, over-talkative self. All of these idiosyncrasies are put to the test in this special when Harley uses a potion that produces dangerous side effects on Gotham citizens. Because it’s like the show, the special has all the elements that make the series a must-watch. This includes the voice acting, scripting, and, of course, the characters themselves.
The Writing Checks Multiple Boxes
The script is one of the best things about the show, and the Valentine’s Day Special is no exception. The first element of its script to heap praise onto is the structure. Like Harley herself, the plotline is a rollercoaster. She wants to give her girlfriend, Poison Ivy, the best Valentine’s Day ever. Unsatisfied with Ivy’s conclusion that it was only “great”, she meets with a villain to buy a love potion to spice things up in the bedroom, not realizing that it would also give everyone in Gotham the same cartoonishly lustful feelings towards each other. Naturally, mayhem in Gotham ensues. Meanwhile, Bane is having an existential crisis before bumping into a woman who might just be his perfect romantic match. These two plotlines are terrific mainly because they are built around the characters being themselves in all their comedic glory. The conflicts play directly into the characters’ making choices based on their flaws, how they normally handle problems, and the things that bother them.
WATCH THE TRAILER of the Film and the Revolution: ‘Can I Go Home Now?’
The Children Around the World Continue to Ask the question
The second part of the script is the writing itself. The jokes are always top-tier in ‘Harley Quinn’, and the special has them in spades. The humor’s greatest strength is that it’s incredibly varied, ranging from character choices to vocal deliveries to well-written set-ups and punchlines to even Brett Goldstein. The variety makes it very easy to laugh. On top of that, it showcases an incredible knack for switching to sincerity. One moment will be filled with Harley complaining about how her credit score is shot from attempting to continually outdo celebrations for her ex, and the next will involve Ivy sweetly talking Harley down from her self-created mountain of despair.
The Voice Acting is the Closest Thing to Perfection in an Animated Show
Of course, what gives all of these interactions the realism it needs is the immaculate voice acting. It never gets boring listening to the characters vent their frustrations and gush about each other, and this is in no small part due to the voice actors. Ivy and Harley have an especially dynamic relationship that forces Kaley Cuoco and Lake Bell into extremely nuanced emotional territory. The two characters go through everything together, and the emotions in their voices reflect this perfectly. Harley has a childish need to outdo herself and her expressions of love for others at every turn. Cuoco adjusts to this accordingly, and, as a result, injects mischievous giddiness into Harley’s voice that is equal parts adorable and annoying. Ivy is a newly reformed misanthrope who is just starting to turn a new leaf. Lake Bells provides Ivy with responses that are often terse and filled with seething annoyance at most things besides Harley and Mama Macaroney’s.
On display in this special are virtuoso performances that are examples of some of the best voice acting in animation today. Very few animated sitcoms can pull off voice acting that sounds so purposeful and yet so candid. They may as well be real people having real conversations and speaking lines with the same amount of confidence and ease.
Related article: Why Queen Elizabeth II Is One Of The Greatest Monarchs | Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of United Queendom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland (Video Insight)
Related article: – Want GUARANTEED SUCCESS? Remove these ten words from your vocabulary| Transform your life INSTANTLY
Related article: ‘Harley Quinn’ Season 3 Invites You To The “Eat, Bang, Kill” Tour – Hollywood Insider
The Characters’ Personalities are Consistent, and because of this, they Feel Real
The best part of the special is the characters themselves. After an Ivy-centric third season, this episode returns to Harley being the central focus. Namely, her trademark inability to just let imperfect things go. The series as a whole writes characters with amazing consistency: the things that they like, dislike, are afraid of, are good at, and are bad at stay relatively the same. Harley has never been quiet about any of her feelings throughout the show, causing her to be impulsive and jump the gun on many decisions. Just as it would probably occur in real life, this has both made Harley’s life way easier and way harder. It has the capacity to move her relationships forward, and the capacity to damage relationships she cares about. This acts as a weakness before it acts as a strength in the Valentine’s Day special. Much to Harley’s disappointment, Ivy tells her that the day was “great” and not “the best Valentine’s Day ever.” When she finds a rushed remedy before thinking too much about it, Gotham citizens end up in mortal danger. However, this same impulsiveness turns into a strength later in the episode when she’s the first one to come up with a solution. It can help her think on her feet in a way that a lot of other people can’t. It’s all a perfect example of how real these characters feel, and how their psychologies are incredibly well-written.
Since the release of the Valentine’s Day special, ‘Harley Quinn’ has only continued to grow stronger. Seasons 4 and 5 pushed the story into even bolder territory, further exploring Harley and Ivy’s relationship while expanding Gotham’s wild ensemble of heroes and villains. With a sixth season already in development, the series shows no signs of slowing down, proving it remains one of DC’s sharpest and most entertaining animated projects. ‘Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special’ is available for streaming on HBO Max.
Directors: Jennifer Coyle, Cecilia Aranovich
Writers: Dean Lorey, Justin Halpern, Patrick Schumaker
Actors: Lake Bell, Kaley Cuoco, Brett Goldstein, Janet Varney, John Stamos, Tyler James Williams, Rachel Dratch
By Zachary DePiore
Click here to read The Hollywood Insider’s CEO Pritan Ambroase’s love letter to Cinema, TV and Media. An excerpt from the love letter: The Hollywood Insider’s CEO/editor-in-chief Pritan Ambroase affirms, “We have the space and time for all your stories, no matter who/what/where you are. Media/Cinema/TV have a responsibility to better the world and The Hollywood Insider will continue to do so. Talent, diversity and authenticity matter in Cinema/TV, media and storytelling. In fact, I reckon that we should announce “talent-diversity-authenticity-storytelling-Cinema-Oscars-Academy-Awards” as synonyms of each other. We show respect to talent and stories regardless of their skin color, race, gender, sexuality, religion, nationality, etc., thus allowing authenticity into this system just by something as simple as accepting and showing respect to the human species’ factual diversity. We become greater just by respecting and appreciating talent in all its shapes, sizes, and forms. Award winners, which includes nominees, must be chosen on the greatness of their talent ALONE.
I am sure I am speaking for a multitude of Cinema lovers all over the world when I speak of the following sentiments that this medium of art has blessed me with. Cinema taught me about our world, at times in English and at times through the beautiful one-inch bar of subtitles. I learned from the stories in the global movies that we are all alike across all borders. Remember that one of the best symbols of many great civilizations and their prosperity has been the art they have left behind. This art can be in the form of paintings, sculptures, architecture, writings, inventions, etc. For our modern society, Cinema happens to be one of them. Cinema is more than just a form of entertainment, it is an integral part of society. I love the world uniting, be it for Cinema, TV, media, art, fashion, sport, etc. Please keep this going full speed.”
More Interesting Stories From The Hollywood Insider
– Want GUARANTEED SUCCESS? Remove these ten words from your vocabulary| Transform your life INSTANTLY
– A Tribute to Martin Scorsese: A Complete Analysis of the Life and Career of the Man Who Lives and Breathes Cinema
– Do you know the hidden messages in ‘Call Me By Your Name’? Find out behind the scenes facts in the full commentary and In-depth analysis of the cinematic masterpiece
– A Tribute To The Academy Awards: All Best Actor/Actress Speeches From The Beginning Of Oscars 1929-2019 | From Rami Malek, Leonardo DiCaprio To Denzel Washington, Halle Berry & Beyond | From Olivia Colman, Meryl Streep To Bette Davis & Beyond
– In the 32nd Year Of His Career, Keanu Reeves’ Face Continues To Reign After Launching Movies Earning Over $4.3 Billion In Total – “John Wick”, “Toy Story 4”, “Matrix”, And Many More
Zachary DePiore graduated from Ohio University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Communications. He’s loved writing his entire life, from creating picture books when he was seven to learning how to write copy, scripts, audio stories for radio and more in college. The Hollywood Insider’s dedication to combining deft storytelling and positivity made him realize that this had to be his next step forward. Some of his hobbies include traveling, tv shows, and movies. His favorite show is Avatar: The Last Airbender. As of right now, he’s a charity fundraiser in Cincinnati.
Zachary DePiore graduated from Ohio University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Communications. He’s loved writing his entire life, from creating picture books when he was seven to learning how to write copy, scripts, audio stories for radio and more in college. The Hollywood Insider’s dedication to combining deft storytelling and positivity made him realize that this had to be his next step forward. Some of his hobbies include traveling, tv shows, and movies. His favorite show is Avatar: The Last Airbender. As of right now, he’s a charity fundraiser in Cincinnati.
