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Harley Quinn - the "Adult" Animation

Started by Consignia, July 03, 2020, 04:45:10 PM

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Consignia

Just finished watching the first series of this. Was surprised a thread hadn't been created for this, and I was debating whether Comedy Chat or Picture Box would have been the better fit for it. On balance, I think it's more clearly a comedy, so here it goes.



For the uninitiated, it's an "adult"[nb]I hate this term, but it's clearly trying to differiciate it from older Batman cartoons aimed at children. Teen would be a fairer description[/nb] animation[nb]Why can't they just call them cartoons?[/nb] about the comedic misadventures of the eponymous Batman villain and her crew. It's framed around Harley breaking up with her abusive partner in crime, the Joker, and trying to make her own way as bad guy in her own right.

At first I was a bit apprehensive about it, only really checking it out since it was advertised alongside Rick and Morty. I'm not really a fan of comic book stuff, so there wasn't much appeal there, and it is chock to the brim with references to the DC universe many of which that aren't part those Arkham games went over my head. Luckily there's more to the series than that.

The first episode failed to really win me over. It was putting clear water between the previous cartoons by filling to the brim with swearing[nb]although apparently "cunt" is a word too far[/nb] and over the violence. As result it felt a bit try hard, and many of the jokes fell flat. Indeed, the series never really shakes of this, but it does get a lot better.

It really does get going once we are introduced to wider cast and world. It shows it self as very silly existence, allowing for loads of gags and once it finds it feet it does bring the laughs. For example, Clayface is chronic thespian who's over-acting throws the spanner into many evil plans.

Overall, it's worth a watch if you like watching these sorts of cartoons. It's not super amazing, and could see why people would be turned off, but it's generally quite amusing.

The question is, does anyone here rate it?

madhair60

I've heard similar that it gets better after episode 1 - I saw a bit of ep 1 and it was very "we can say fuck and shit, so we will do so constantly".

Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth

I like it. The violence and swearing are indeed a bit juvenile (although the latter never hurt Curb Your Enthusiasm's reputation) but I think the abusive relationship plotline makes it more than just some tedious edgelord rubbish. Plus, it's bright, colourful and fun. It's refreshing to see Batman treated like the nonsense it actually is.

The cast is very good, with Alan Tudyk being a particular standout (as usual - fingers crossed he never gets #cancelled).

It makes me mildly sad that Donald Glover's Deadpool cartoon never got made.

j_u_d_a_s

Yeah really enjoyed this as it got further into its first season. Genuine affection for its lead characters and the DC universe as a whole while poking good natured fun at it. After seeing Rick and Morty disappear firmly up its own arse, this was breath of fresh air. It's a real looker too which proves that animated comedy doesn't have to look fuck ugly to work. Gonna get to work on the 2nd season when I can find it... *taps nose*

Poirots BigGarlickyCorpse

Maybe I'll give it another try. I couldn't get past the first episode of "swearing and violence will make up for weak writing". I have a feeling I would have loved it 15ish years ago.

Blumf

It's good fun, but a little try-hard (as said, it gets better, but never fully clears), and the deconstruction pales in comparison to the Venture Bros. That said, you'd have to be a real misery guts not to enjoy the show.

Solid 8/10.

Ant Farm Keyboard

I'll give it a chance, especially as I'm getting some "Axe Cop"/"Venture Bros" vibe due to the cast of talented comedians, and the weird notion of continuity this show seems to have. But I still have 70 episodes from Batman The Animated Series to watch first.

Marner and Me

Quote from: Ant Farm Keyboard on July 04, 2020, 02:58:23 PM
I'll give it a chance, especially as I'm getting some "Axe Cop"/"Venture Bros" vibe due to the cast of talented comedians, and the weird notion of continuity this show seems to have. But I still have 70 episodes from Batman The Animated Series to watch first.
You watching that too? I'm on the 2nd series, each one is massive. Tbf I think there are a lot of filler episodes however it is enjoyable.

Thursday

Interesting - I hadn't seen this thread, happened to watch this today by chance and had the same exact thought that it was very try-hard with the swearing and violence. I do like the general premise behind it, and there did seem to be a warmth there, so might continue to give it a chance if it does get better.

Moribunderast

I watched the first season but found myself struggling to be bothered by the end and didn't try to keep up with the second. It's okay, occasionally has some nice lines and I do like most of the cast but I'd echo that it felt a bit try-hard with swearing and "edginess" often taking the place of wit and good writing.

vainsharpdad

I'm boycotting this.

If you're going to be wise enough to cast Kaley Cuoco as Harley Quinn, you really must do it where I can see her in costume:

Thursday

6 episodes in now and yeah I am enjoying it a lot more now. Swearing and some other attempts to be egdy do continue to just feel so out of place though.

It's a fun show, very colourful, surprising amount of warmth. Feels like they gave the final draft of a script to teenage boy. It's just at odds with the general tone of the rest of the humour.

idunnosomename

I mean the 90s animated Batman is probably the best balance the franchise has ever got between the gothic drama and the camp of a billionaire who avenges his parents by dressing up as a flying mammal. i've been impressed by the animation style I've seen of this so tempted to track it down.

"it was a big rock"

Thursday

First series is on 4od at the moment.

SteveDave

We rinsed this earlier this year (I think) after I downloaded it to show my superhero obsessed son. There's 3 Fs and a C in the first minute of the first episode so I turned it off and watched it without him.

I loved the Joker
Spoiler alert
getting annoyed when he discovers that Bruce Wayne is Batman and demanding to know "WHERE'S MA GODDAMN ELECTRIC CAR BRUCE?!"
[close]

sirhenry

I really enjoyed this, but then again I'm a sucker for a lesbian love story. Especially when told against a backdrop of vast amounts of blood spattering, a city descending into anarchy, vaginal ice sculptures, interdimensional contract killers, using the Batsignal to broadcast amateur porn over the city and Alan Tudyk having so many roles that he ends up playing scenes against himself. Call me old fashioned, but that's what I call entertainment.

Dewt

Quote from: SteveDave on July 14, 2020, 11:28:29 AM
We rinsed this earlier this year (I think) after I downloaded it to show my superhero obsessed son. There's 3 Fs and a C in the first minute of the first episode so I turned it off and watched it without him.

I loved the Joker
Spoiler alert
getting annoyed when he discovers that Bruce Wayne is Batman and demanding to know "WHERE'S MA GODDAMN ELECTRIC CAR BRUCE?!"
[close]
*logs on to tell you how to raise your son*

AsparagusTrevor

I've just finished this, started it as a bit of vulgar fluff to chuck on TV and ended up really enjoying it, fully invested in the characters and story arcs. I agree it doesn't start too promising, seemingly trying too hard to be edgy but once it settles it has a lot to love. Behind the violence and swearing it has a lot of heart.

The Venture Bros comparisons are warranted, it has a similar feel to it, from deconstructing and running with the daftness of the premise, to all the absurd bureaucracy behind the scenes.

Thursday

Yep, it's not as smart as Venture Brothers, but the fact that it's got Batman and other DC characters kind of helps make up for it.

Watched the first few over the weekend. Liked the first ep, but really loved it from the second ep onwards. Fast and loose, just the way an adaptation should be, but also faithful to the Caped Crusader's and Rogue Gallery's various iterations.

Great to see Kite Man (hell yeah!) in action. And I bloody love that the show keeps the Tom Hardy Bane voice but makes him a big dim lug. The quick-cut flashback to where he got the idea to blow up Gotham Stadium (and its callback later in the same ep) had me creasing.

g0m

Quote from: Thursday on July 20, 2020, 09:47:57 AM
Yep, it's not as smart as Venture Brothers, but the fact that it's got Batman and other DC characters kind of helps make up for it.

The venture brothers had batman.


Gulftastic

I've watched both seasons and enjoyed it lots. I was glad that they gave Harley and Ivy the ending that DC were too chicken shit to give them in the comics.

Custard

Watching the first season, and count me in as another fan. It consistently has me hooting, and I think that's mainly down to the rock solid voice cast. Kaley Cuoco and Alan Tudyk are especially excellent

The constant pricking of the grimdark DC balloon is very funny in itself, and it's done genuinely brilliantly. The pisstake of Bane's voice never fails to get me chuckling, and I wonder what Tom Hardy would make of it

Jason Alexander also seems to be having fun with his character, and Wanda Sykes was great as a psychopathic villain about 7 episodes in. Harley's crew of misfits are excellent also

It's not an amazing show by any means, but it's very enjoyable to watch and there's usually at least three good laffs per episode, which for me is more than a lot of comedy series these days

Thursday

Bane is in season two quite a bit, and to me it feels like a thing where they found the voice James Adomian does so funny they wanted to use him more, and if that's the case I'm completely with them.

dead-ced-dead

It's an easy, below the belt gag, but I love the digs at the two whiny fanboys.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEXTBf5NTpU

Also, anything about Jim Gordon's failing marriage is really funny.

SavageHedgehog

Quote from: dead-ced-dead on August 26, 2020, 11:29:52 PM
It's an easy, below the belt gag, but I love the digs at the two whiny fanboys.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEXTBf5NTpU

You say that, but the guy in the anti-Last Jedi shirt seems quite nice, even reasonable, with a soothing voice. Makes you wonder what they're trying to say...

dissolute ocelot

If you enjoy this, it's maybe worth checking out Teen Titans Go To The Movies, which is a neat animated DC superhero movie spoof currently free on Amazon Prime about wannabe superhero Robin (yes, that one) and his band of improbably-superpowered teens. It's more firmly aimed at kids (in a Lego Batman way) but features similar DC cameos, lots of dissing Batman and Marvel, and some genuinely funny jokes.

SavageHedgehog

Yeah, the child-friendly side of DC Animation has been poking good natured fun at the grimdark world of DC, while utilising some of the unfashionably goofy mythology of the past, for quite a while now.

MojoJojo

Yeah, my kids got into Teen Titans Go recently and I was surprised that's it's pretty good.

..for awhile, then it runs out of steam and becomes boring filler. Definitely went on too long. Probably not helped by Cartoon Network going a bit mad about it:



But the film is probably a good place to sample it.

MojoJojo

I see from that Suicide Squad trailer that the shark guy wasn't just made up for this. And perhaps unsurprisingly all the characters are originally from the comics.

Not sure what I feel about that. I think I preferred it when I thought they were new characters. Admittedly there are so many obscure DC supers out there there isn't much reason to make new ones up but it feels a little sad somehow. Harley herself was first introduced in a cartoon.