IR TV Review: HARLEY QUINN - EPISODE 7 (“Another Sharkley Adventure”) [HBO Max-S3]

After last week's inherent side episode on the texture of Joker's would-be sitcom (which cooly enough is not as interesting as Harley's journey), the pair ends back from New Orleans while the search for Frank by Poison Ivy leads on. With Episode 7 of Season 3 entitled "Another Sharkley Adventure", the main story is not as interesting as the basis on the side progression where Harley needs to go out and do something on her own protecting Ivy. It is sometimes in these moments where the creators do some really interesting stuff characterwise. One sequence in an elevator with Harley after an encounter and circumstance with Batgirl and some bad guys is quite dynamic psychologically. Harley has a dominant personality completely obliterating the other at most times which shifts at specific moments.

The thing is that there is a slight aspect of dread, then empathy and then brutality which is a place that really can only be done without losing the audience sometimes in animation. The King Shark side story is a little more off-balance and not as on-point but is still brutal nonetheless. These are characters with major issues but the key is to make them relatable while still being cartoonish. The Bruce Wayne approach has its uniqueness too in what it is showing between Selina and him because the pendulum swings in an unexpected way. This episode is not the best of the bunch simply because it is so schizophrenic but its character beats are wonderfully strong which continues to keep the show interesting. B+

By Tim Wassberg