Our hero’s journey continues as Harley and Ivy set their sights on The Riddler. Mr. Nigma can generate both power and water in his prison-style university expertly branded Riddle U. How is he doing it? Can our heroes replicate his process? What is tuition like at this institution? So many questions, a few answers are provided. It’s time for some grown-ass women to pose as bright-eyed 20-somethings as they infiltrate the Riddler’s base.
Episode 2 is a mixed bag of good and not-so-good. As the series goes on, more characters are being introduced, which makes juggling our existing cohorts more difficult. Need specifics? Let’s get into this week’s Five Thoughts.Minor spoilers ahead
1. Who is still in Gotham at this point in time?
It has been months since Gotham was carved up by the supervillains. Who is sticking around inside the city? Why does anyone live in that city to begin with? I feel like I keep harping on this, and the short answer is “because” but honestly, how are people still there. There is an establishing shot of what is left of Gotham, and you can describe it as “not much.” Where are all these people living now that a vast majority of the buildings are rubble? I have so many questions.
I am starting to think Gotham is DC’s version of Silent Hill. If you haven’t played this video game series, Silent Hill is a fictional town that traps its inhabitants and periodically morphs into a hellscape. Sound familiar? These poor Gotham folks simply can’t leave due to some supernatural curse. There are hundreds of people literally banging on the gates of Riddle U. Walk to Metropolis!
2. How does Ivy hide her green skin?
They gloss over this fact, but how is Ivy caucasian all of a sudden? Is it makeup like Harley? If the movie White Chicks has taught me anything, it’s that covering up your own skin color with makeup transforms you into a monster. Harley can get away with it because her base color is paperwhite due to her crazy chemical bath. Ivy, however, is a healthy shade of green. Trying to lighten that color will just make her look ill. My color theory bells were chiming the entire time. Perhaps it’s magic, or she uses photosynthesis to drain the green from her dermis. I don’t know, and I am basically making excuses for a cartoon character. What else am I suppose to do?
3. The B story went nowhere fast (in a badass car)
I love me a good side story. Especially one with King Shark, but the road trip to grab a water purifier with Dr. Psyco was less than satisfying. To top it off, it was all for nothing, which is never good. I did appreciate the reference to “Chicago Typewriters,” but the whole bit felt like filler. The kind of B plot with no payoff. At one point, King Shark gets riddled with bullets and simply shakes it off. Is that a thing sharks can do? I refuse to look it up. Also, Bane’s serum makes people enormous and bulletproof. This is news to me. He must have changed his formula. To top it off, King Shark and Psycho are now Bane Boys. Are you allowed to be part of multiple supervillain groups? Is it akin to a freelance gig? These are the things I need to know!
4. I am the Bat…
Barbara “Babs” Gordon makes her Harley Quinn debut this episode, and she is as Bat Girl as you want her to be. My daughter watched the hell out of DC Super Hero Girls on Netflix, and their portrayal of Bat Girl is very similar to this one. She’s spunky, driven, and ready to do what is right at a moment’s notice. Her chance encounter with Harley and Ivy awakens the hero inside of her. Bab’s is on the path to the Bat. With Wayne out of commission, it looks like the ladies are going to have to clean up Gotham.
Bat Girl has entered the chat.
5. Gordon Watch 2020: Week 2
Time to check in on our down and out Commissioner. Can this be considered his rock bottom? Sharing a dorm room with your daughter is not how anyone should live. This goes back to my initial question, who is still in Gotham. Gordon should have taken his daughter out of the city a long time ago. Perhaps regroup in Central City or Metropolis. Get his life together, build a super cop army, and take back Gotham. Instead, they just settled into the collapsed city and took shelter within a supervillain’s makeshift prison. That is rock bottom thinking.
Then tack on the fact that he is mostly nude the entire time we see him in that confined space with her daughter, and we can conclude things are pretty rough for the guy. However, now that his daughter is masquerading as a vigilante bat, maybe he will be inspired and take up the mantle of Batman. One can dream.
The wrap-up
Three down, three to go. So far, Penguin, Joker, and Riddler are out of the picture. Only Two-Face, Bane, and Mr. Freeze to go. That does seem like a murderer’s row of problems. But the show isn’t called Harley Quinn for nothing. It’s for SEO. And because she can handle anything the writers throw at her. Stay safe in there, Hyenas. Check you next week for a brand new Five Thoughts!
