Common Sense Media Review
Queer-friendly but gory animation has sex, language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Harley Quinn
What's the Story?
HARLEY QUINN (voiced by Kaley Cuoco) is tired of her abusive boyfriend, the clown prince of crime—the Joker (Alan Tudyk). After he leaves her behind one too many times, Harley breaks up with him and vows to take her revenge by becoming one of the greatest supervillains Gotham has ever seen. Harley, with the help of her best friend, Poison Ivy (Lake Bell), recruits a crew of other villain misfits in order to rise to the top. Her greatest obstacle proves to be not any superhero, but rather the glass ceiling.
Is It Any Good?
With sex, drugs, blood, and guts galore, this action-packed adult comedy isn't appropriate for younger DC fans. Though Harley Quinn is well-paced, empowers women, and normalizes bisexuality, that doesn't cancel out the characters' crass humor and violent natures.
Older teens may enjoy seeing Harley take down the sexist supervillains who try to keep her "in her place," but it's harder to watch innocent people, including children, get thoughtlessly slaughtered. The goal of overcoming a male-dominated society is a noble one, but this series pushes that theme a little too far, sidestepping ethics in the process.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about toxic relationships and how they're portrayed in Harley Quinn. In what ways is the Joker abusive? How is Harley affected by her relationship with him? What steps does she take to rediscover herself? What are some resources that help people leave an abusive relationship?
How is violence used in this show? Is there any justification for the characters' violent behavior? Do you believe shows like this one desensitize viewers to violent images in a damaging way?
Harley works to break the glass ceiling by becoming Gotham's greatest female supervillain. Why might this be important for other female villains in the series' universe? What examples of a glass ceiling have you witnessed in the real world?
Harley is in a caring, long-lasting relationship with another woman. Why is it important to see nuanced queer relationships on-screen?
TV Details
- Premiere date : November 29, 2019
- Cast : Kaley Cuoco , Lake Bell , Alan Tudyk
- Networks : DC Universe , Max
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Superheroes , Adventures , Friendship
- TV rating :
- Last updated : November 30, 2025
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