The first and second seasons premiered onDC Universe, before moving toHBO Max for its third season andMax for its fourth. A standaloneholiday-themed special episode premiered on February 9, 2023. In November 2023, the series was renewed for a fifth season, which premiered on January 16, 2025. A sixth season is in development.
The series follows the adventures ofHarley Quinn and her journey of self-discovery after breaking up with theJoker upon realizing that he never loved her. Harley intends to make a name for herself inGotham City's criminal underworld, starting with the formation of her own crew, which consists of her best friendPoison Ivy,Clayface,Doctor Psycho,King Shark, andSy Borgman.[1] During her attempts to prove herself as a competent villain, Harley faces her troubled past, gains self-confidence that helps her abolish the Joker's influence on her, and finds an autonomous identity.
In addition to the adventures of Harley's crew, the main storyline revolves around the relationship between Harley and Ivy. Having met inArkham Asylum when Harley was Dr. Harleen Quinzel and Ivy's therapist, the two developed a strong friendship that gradually deepened over the course of the series. They eventually realize they have feelings for each other despite Ivy's initial insecurity and her engagement withKite Man. After a series of misadventures, during which Harley proves her selfless love to Ivy and Kite Man breaks up with her in favor of Ivy's happiness, Harley and Ivy become a couple by the end of season two. Over later seasons, the pair experience what it is to be in a healthy romantic relationship with mutual support, honesty, and self-determination.[2]
As the series progresses, moreDC characters gain a bigger role in the story, primarily the members of theBat Family and members of theLegion of Doom as Harley and Ivy figure out their respective goals regarding those affiliations. Harley realizes she wants to help people rather than hurting them while Ivy discovers the true potential of her superpowers and develops asocial conscience.
Apart from Harley and Ivy, other members of Harley's crew begin to follow their own path; Clayface breaks out as an actor, King Shark becomes a father and the ruler of the Shark Kingdom, and Psycho starts his own self-helppodcast. Most of the seasons also contain a standalone episode that does not feature Harley or Ivy but focuses on one of the supporting characters, such as Joker,Batman, orBane.
On November 20, 2017, it was announced that the then-unnamedDC Universe had ordered 26 episodes ofHarley Quinn, a half-hour adult animated action-comedy series created and written by Justin Halpern, Patrick Schumacker and Dean Lorey. Executive producers were set to include Halpern, Schumacker, Lorey, and Sam Register with Jennifer Coyle serving as a producer. Production companies involved in the series were slated to consist of Ehsugadee Productions andWarner Bros. Animation.[27] The first season consists of 13 episodes of the initial 26-episode order.[28] Animation work is provided by NE4U, Digital eMation and Maven Image Platform in South Korea.[citation needed]
In June 2018, it was announced that the series would premiere in 2019.[29] In October, it was further mapped as an October 2019 premiere.[30] It was also reported thatKaley Cuoco would also serve as an executive producer for the series through her production companyYes, Norman Productions.[31]
It was revealed that a second season was produced and consisted of another 13 episodes.[32]
On September 18, 2020, three months after the second-season finale, it was announced that the series had been renewed for a third season, and would move toHBO Max.[33] In February 2021, series creator Patrick Schumacker announced that they had begun recording season 3.[34]
In June 2021, it was revealed that a planned oral sex scene between Catwoman and Batman in season 3 was cut by DC.[35] It was replaced by a scene of Batman not being good at giving Catwoman a foot massage.[36]
Schumacker stated the third season was more difficult to produce, but it will be much simpler not having to create two seasons back to back. Halpern has stated in an interview withEntertainment Weekly that season 3 will explore Harley's reaction to a half healthy relationship with Ivy as well as focusing more on Ivy's backstory as the previous two seasons were mainly focused on Harley.[37] Schumacker said that new writers from theLGBTQ+ community have been hired because of the direction of season 2 and that it is a priority to diversify the staff for season 3.[38] Schumacker also revealed that Dean Lorey would no longer be available to return as showrunner for season 3 and would be replaced by new co-showrunners Chrissy Pietrosh and Jessica Goldstein alongside him and Justin Halpern.[38] Composer Jefferson Friedman revealed there would be a musical episode coming, and also stated that he wanted to refresh the music to give identity for each character.[39] During an interview withDeadline Hollywood, Schumacker stated that his desire was to open season 3 on "an actualZoom, where the GCPD is just being berated by the city of Gotham for their ineptitude".[40] In February 2021, series creator Patrick Schumacker announced that they had begun recording season 3.[34]
AtDC FanDome 2021, Harley, King Shark, and Kite Man previewed some animatic footage from the third season, and announced it would be coming to HBO Max "sometime in 2022".[41]
A comic prequel to season 3 was first released on August 3, 2021, under the titleHarley Quinn: The Animated Series – The Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour by Tee Franklin (author), Max Sarin (cover art, penciller, inker), and Marissa Louise (colorist), in which Harley takes Ivy on a honeymoon where they face friends they've betrayed, their own feelings about how season 2 ended, and a few villains and heroes along the way. Commissioner Gordon tries to catch them repeatedly, causing Batman and Batgirl to worry about his sanity.[citation needed]
On August 9, 2022, it was announced that a fourth season is in development.[42] On August 31, 2022, HBO Max renewed the series for a fourth season with Sarah Peters promoted to executive producer and showrunner, since Halpern and Schumacker will be busy withKite Man: Hell Yeah!.[43] On October 7, 2022, it was reported that the series is getting a holiday special called "Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine's Day Special" which was released in February 2023.[44][45] On November 16, 2023, Max renewed the series for a fifth season,[46] for which, Lorey became showrunner again.[47]
People confirmed, on March 11, 2025, that a sixth season was in development.[48] Executive producer Dean Lorey toldCollider on March 22, 2025 that he hoped that they "stop one season before the wheels fall off." adding that they have "have a pretty wonderful idea for what Season 6 would be if we get so lucky" and that they are "excited to continue." He also said that they have "every intention of doing more" and are doing "a lot of work figuring out what that will be."[49] Previously, Lorey said that a sixth season would be "something very different...and...unexpected" and said that they "certainly plan to have more seasons."[50][51]
Alongside the series order announcement, it was reported that the producers of the series were expected to approachMargot Robbie, who portrays the character in theDC Extended Universe (DCEU), to reprise the role; but this was false. In an interview after the season 1 release, Halpern went on record saying Robbie was kept in the loop, but she was never interested in playing the role since she was filming and producingBirds of Prey at the time.[27] Other characters expected to be featured in the series includedJoker,Poison Ivy,Sy Borgman,Doctor Psycho,Malice Vundabar,King Shark, andClayface.[52][53][54]
In June 2021,Sam Richardson was announced as having joined the cast asSwamp Thing.[18][19] In March 2022, filmmaker–later co-chairman and co-CEO ofDC Studios,James Gunn announced he will voice himself in the show's third season; the showrunners contacted him on Twitter about making an appearance, knowing he was a fan of the show.[12][57] Gunn recorded his lines remotely, as he was directing his DCEU seriesPeacemaker inVancouver,Canada, while season 3 was being developed.[57] That same month,Harvey Guillén was cast to playNightwing.[58]
Jefferson Friedman composed the music for the series.WaterTower Music released the soundtrack album for season 1 on August 21, 2020. The season 2 album was released on the same day.[60]
In theDC Universe,Harley Quinn (Dr. Harleen Quinzel) andPoison Ivy (Dr. Pamela Isley) started as friends.[61] In the comics, Harley and Ivy would refer to each other as "Peanut" and "Pam-A-Lamb". The writers took notice giving them moments of birthday kisses and taking showers together making their friendship more intimate.[61] Harley Quinn's and Poison Ivy's relationship took a turn inGotham City Sirens when Harley whispers into Ivy's ear that the reason she "saves her" from the Joker is due to her romantic feelings for her, although the scene ends with Harley going back to Joker.[62] It was not until the 2013 Amanda Connor and Jimmy Palmiotti'sHarley Quinn comic series where they are shown in a romantic coupling instead of friendship.[62] Harley refers to Ivy as her "hot girlfriend" and the two are in an open relationship where they can pursue other partners while remaining dedicated to each other.[62] Outside the main universe, Harley and Ivy even got married inInjustice 2.[61]
In the May 15, 2020, episode "There's No Place to Go But Down" Harley Quinn saved her partner-in-crime, Poison Ivy; both kissed each other after they escaped from prison.[63] One critic who reviewed the episode stated that Harley and Ivy's romance was a "slow burn", adding that this love affair could turn into a "more realistic exploration of how it feels to fall in love with a friend or to have an awkward hookup with a workmate". Another reviewer, Sophie Perry, writing for a lesbian lifestyle magazine,Curve, noted howqueerbaiting has long endured in LGBTQ+ representation, noting howShe-Ra and Harley Quinn both had same-sex kisses, happening within stories which could have turned out to be "typical queerbaiting" but did not.[64]
In the Valentine's Day special, Clayface, a member of Harley's villain crew, asks himself how he identifies his sexuality and says that he's fluid. This was after he attempted to go on a date with a man named Jimmy, and fits with his tendency to morph into people of all genders with equal enthusiasm. In season 2, he shifted into a woman named Stephanie and dated a college student named Chad.[65][66]
The third episode of Season 3 brings another queer couple, introducingClock King asThe Riddler's boyfriend. Their relationship continues through the series, later getting engaged and then married.[67]
In 2021, the series was nominated for aGLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comedy Series.[68] The series was also nominated for several awards atAutostraddle's 4th Annual Gay Emmys, in the categories of "Best Episode with LGBTQ+ Themes" for the episode "Something Borrowed," and "Outstanding Animated Series".[69] The trailer for the show's third season, which came out in October 2021, was described as showing that the series is "for the gays".[70]
On December 8, 2019, the first episode was shown as a special presentation onTBS. Season 1 started airing onSyfy on May 3, 2020.[75] The series has aired onAdult Swim inCanada, with new episodes airing a week after their American premiere.[76][77] The series started airing onE4 in theUnited Kingdom andIreland on May 7, 2020.[78][79] The series debuted onHBO Max on August 1, 2020.[80][81] In the United States,Adult Swim'sToonami programming block aired a marathon of the first season on the night of August 7–8, 2021. On June 23, 2022, the series began airing onTNT.[82] InEastern Europe, the series became available on March 8, 2022, via HBO Max. The second season was available to stream on April 3, 2020, on DC Universe.[32]An original short featuring Harley answering questions from fans was released online duringDC FanDome in 2020.[83] The first three episodes of season 3 were released on July 28, 2022, on HBO Max, with the remaining seven episodes released weekly until September 15, 2022.[84] The fourth season premiered on July 27, 2023.[85][86] The fifth season premiered on January 16, 2025.[87]
The first season was released onDVD on June 2, 2020, and the second season was released on February 16, 2021, byWarner Bros. Home Entertainment. The first two seasons were also released onBlu-ray by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment under theWarner Archive Collection on February 16, 2021.[88] The third season was released on Blu-ray on September 5, 2023.
According to Reelgood,Harley Quinn has ranked among the top 30 comic book TV shows across all streaming services.[90] According to Parrot Analytics, since the pandemic began, the series has ranked among the top 10 most in-demand digital series in five months and ranked as HBO Max's 8th most in-demand series overall domestically.[90]
Harley Quinn has received critical acclaim since its release. OnRotten Tomatoes, the first season has an approval rating of 89% based on 37 reviews, with an average rating of 8/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "A strong voice cast and an even stronger grasp of what makes its titular antiheroine so beloved makeHarley Quinn a violently delightful—and surprisingly insightful—addition to the DC animated universe."[91] OnMetacritic, the season has a weighted average score of 82 out of 100, based on reviews from 7 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[92]
The second season has an approval rating of 100% based on 25 reviews, with an average rating of 8.6/10. The website's critics consensus states, "Harley Quinn maintains its frenetic energy and humor while doubling down on the shenanigans and giving its titular anti-heroine even more room to play."[93]
The third season has an approval rating of 100% based on 25 reviews, with an average rating of 8.8/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Who woulda thought? —Harley Quinn graduates from a ribald spoof into one of the most heartening additions to the DC canon in a diabolically clever and emotionally textured third season."[94] On Metacritic, the season has a weighted average score of 94 out of 100, based on reviews from 7 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[95]
The fourth season has an approval rating of 96% based on 23 reviews, with an average rating of 8.1/10. The website's critics consensus states, "Having settled into one of DC's most dependably entertaining series,Harley Quinn continues to be funny, quirky, and romantic."[96] On Metacritic, the season has a weighted average score of 81 out of 100, based on reviews from 5 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[97]
The fifth season holds an approval rating of 94% based on 16 reviews, with an average rating of 7.9/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Harley Quinn continues to grow, love and kill its way to the audiences' heart, proving it can't go wrong with a formula this good."[98]
Caroline Framke ofVariety wrote: "The animation feels like that of a typicalSaturday morning cartoon, but its acidic scripts and shocking bursts of gore reminds you thatHarley Quinn is taking full advantage of airing on a streaming service without censors. ... Sharp voice performances across the board from actors clearly relishing the chance to play in this world also prove too fun to resist. ... Most importantly, Harley gets to be an entire person all her own, as heartbreakingly naive as she is wickedly strange and funny."[99] Robyn Bahr ofThe Hollywood Reporter wrote: "It's one of the best surprises of the year. ... 13 zippy, violent and irreverent half-hour episodes. ... The writing is frequently uproarious, chock full of Millennial nostalgia and cerebral gallows humor (the former may be low-hanging, rapidly-perishable fruit, but at least the show knows how to embrace its audience)."[100]
Harley Quinn: The Animated Series: The Eat. Bang! Kill Tour: A 6-part series set between seasons 2 and 3 of the television series.[119]
Harley Quinn: The Animated Series: The Real Sidekicks of New Gotham Special: A 6 stories one-shot special set after season 3 of the television series.[120]
Harley Quinn: The Animated Series: Legion of Bats!: A series set after season 3 of the television series, where Harley Quinn joins theBat-Family, while Poison Ivy becomes Legion of Doom's leader.[121]
Harley Quinn: The Animated Series Vol. 1: The Eat. Bang! Kill Tour (ISBN 978-1-77951-664-0/EAN-5 52499, 2022-08-30[122]): IncludesHarley Quinn: The Animated Series: The Eat. Bang! Kill Tour #1–6.
Harley Quinn: The Animated Series: The Real Sidekicks of New Gotham Special (2022-08-30[123]): IncludesTawny Tawks,Double Date,Identity Crisis,Showtime!,Wild Rlde,Two Jokers.
Following the season 4 finale of Harley Quinn on September 14, 2023, it was announced that a spin-off series following the adventures ofKite Man and his girlfriendGolden Glider, titledKite Man: Hell Yeah! (originally known asNoonan's),[45] would officially premiere on July 18, 2024.[124][125] The first season ofKite Man: Hell Yeah! consists of ten episodes, with Oberg returning to voice Kite-Man.[126]
