Harley Quinn, HBO Max’s irreverent adult animated comedy, continues to be one of the most well-written shows on television. Deeply funny yet delightfully poignant, Harley Quinn’s third season aired mid-2022 and continued to feature one of the best enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romances in the history of the trope. The couple at the show’s chaotic center? The high-energy antihero Harley Quinn (voice of Kaley Cuoco) and the plant-loving, ever-stoic Poison Ivy (voice of Lake Bell). In fact, thanks to “Harlivy,” the show is also incredibly well-suited to spawning a heartfelt-yet-appropriately-cynical Valentine’s Day special.
To borrow a word from Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special is “splendid” to say the least. The premise? The special, which drops on HBO Max on February 9, spotlights a few of our favorite series regulars as they try to find love (and lust) and celebrate the special occasion. (Emphasis on trying.) Plus, it’s cleverly punctuated by interviews with some of DC Comics’ most well-known couples, who tell stories of how they met and fell in love.
Over the opening montage, Harley waxes poetic about how Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to do unapologetically cheesy, romantic stuff for your partner. Harls can’t wait to give her girlfriend, Poison Ivy, the best Valentine’s Day ever — especially since it’s their first year as a couple. But Ivy rather stay in and binge a multipart docuseries about jazz.
The tree-hugging eco-terrorist tells Harley that Valentine’s Day is not only “egregiously wasteful” thanks to all the packaging from gifts and chocolate boxes, but “an annual mass genocide for roses,” too. Ever-persistent, Harley begs Ivy to partake in the day, saying she won’t bring it up again next year — at least not with as much gusto. Ivy relents, especially since Harley’s date night involves Mama Macaroni’s — the couple’s favorite Italian joint.
Elsewhere, Clayface (voice of Alan Tudyk) prepares for a date with someone who’s most likely a catfish, and very undeserving of Clayface’s tickets to Brett Goldstein’s one-man show — the Ted Lasso actor plans to polish his Emmy and read poetry, shirtless. Meanwhile, Bane (voice of James Adomian) is too afraid to swipe right on any potential date’s profiles. He’s lacking confidence, but doesn’t want to be alone on Valentine’s Day. Without giving anything away, Bane’s signature black spandex costume and mask get him mistaken for someone else, which leads him to make a surprising connection with a stranger.
And, in typical Harley fashion, our favorite agent of chaos gets upset when Ivy doesn’t outright call the incredibly elaborate, unwanted date night “the best” Valentine’s Day she’s ever had. Harley’s increasingly big-gesture attempts to be the best end up changing all of Gotham’s holiday plans. (Bane’s situation, in particular, changes in a big way.)
The 45-minute special takes the show’s strengths and puts them to great use. Generally speaking, some of Harley Quinn’s sharpest episodes take a setting — or event — and drop this ridiculous cast of characters into said moment, just to see how they’ll react, play off one another, and poke fun at the surrounding situation. Watching Gotham’s heroes and villains navigate love and lust is no different — a familiar premise with fresh, painfully accurate outcomes.
Packed with deadpan one-liners, novel observational humor, and jabs at both pop culture and DC Comics lore, Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special is reminiscent of cartoon holiday specials of the past — well, with 100% more raunchiness. And, beneath it all, the show continues to take an honest look at just how complex relationships can be. For starters, Harley Quinn suggests that even if you love someone a whole lot, you might need to reassess your approach.
Yes, Harley is well-intentioned when it comes to brightening Ivy’s day, but intentions aren’t everything. Ultimately, Harley and Ivy’s story continues to prove the importance of learning to love your person the way they want to be loved — even if that means nixing grandiose Valentine’s Day plans to stay in and marathon some of HBO Max’s excellent scripted (and non-scripted) offerings.
Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special drops on HBO Max on February 9. All three seasons of the show are available to stream now.