Harley Quinn’s sexy season 3 puts the important things like love, trust, and Poison Ivy first

In its first two seasons, the show set its antiheroine free of the toxic relationship that has long since become a relic of HarleyQuinn's past and imagined a world where villains like Clayface and King Shark aspire to more than terrorizing the city. The third season of Harley Quinn is an example of how a show can become much stronger by letting its main character play a supporting role in stories that aren't always about them.

It is refreshing to see how committed the third season is to building on the events of the second season finale that saw Harley and Poison Ivy together. By leaving Kite Man at the altar for Harley, Poison Ivy was given the chance to be honest about her feelings. Harley was able to understand her desire for growth and change as a result of her pursuit of Ivy. The mellowing of their relationship is something the series never frames as a sign of danger.

There isn't any trouble in paradise or that either of the women has second thoughts about each other. Harley, a psychotic clown, can be a bit much, and Ivy, an acerbic misanthrope, needs a bit of breathing room to think about what she wants out of life. The show kicks off by putting Ivy at the center of a season-long arcs about her status as one of DC's most popular characters, because Harley's love for Ivy is so strong.

There was a time when Poison Ivy's existed somewhere in the middle of being a garden variety villain and an unstoppable powerhouse capable of world domination. The show leans more into the spin on Ivy as a way of showing you just how much of an impact Harley's love has on her, and the show's careful handling of their relationship feels like an intentional acknowledgement of early concerns about queerbaiting. Harley and Ivy are good to and good for one another, and Harley holds their love up as an example of a messy, emotionally satisfying relationship.

By keeping its supporting cast relatively tight this season, HarleyQuinn is able to dig into the personal lives of Batman, Batgirl, and Nightwing as the city prepares for the future. One of the funnier things about the show is that it is still from a villainous perspective that is unsympathetic to DC's heroes. The Bat- family might be happy if Jim Gordon is elected mayor. Because Jim is an irresponsible cop who drinks on the job and drives his loved ones away, his shift to politics introduces a dark note that contrasts well with Batgirl's journey to prominence this season.

The show uses Catwoman to deliver a number of its most stinging and insightful observations both about Bruce Wayne and her own standing within DC's various properties. Many of this season's biggest laughs come from its heady meta-narratives.

This season acknowledges how long since she first appeared in Batman: The Animated Series, Harley has become part of the canon. As different creative teams took a hold of the character, they would transform and evolve wildly. Unlike other Harley-centered projects that feel like they exist in spite of one another, HarleyQuinn's third season embraces the expansiveness of the Harley brand and presents it as her being a multi-dimensional person. When the animation doesn't match up with the delivery of the show's dialogue, it sometimes feels a bit of a downgrade. This sort of thing doesn't stop this season of HarleyQuinn from being good by any stretch of imagination, but it is noticeable when so much else about the series is firing on all cylinders.

When it seems like this season is shifting gears to focus on being the most interesting story about the politics of the city, HarleyQuinn's third chapter is already wrapping up. The case for the follow-up to this finale leaves open the possibility for it to be one of the best superhero shows out this year.

Tony Hale, Tom Hollander, Sam Richardson, and Rachel Dratch are also actors. On July 28th, the third season of the show will be on the cable channel.