‘Harley Quinn’ Season 4, Episode 8 — Funny Filler
by Frank Martin
It seems weird to go from an episode focusing so much on Harley (Kaley Cuoco) and Ivy’s (Lake Bell) relationship to one that doesn’t feature them at all, but that’s exactly what Harley Quinn does. It’s unclear what the point of the episode was even if it explained how the apocalypse started. It also gave some minor characters the chance to shine in the spotlight. However, an explanation for the apocalypse could have been done in an episode with Harley and Ivy. Also, minor characters have had plenty of opportunity to shine in this show previously. So in the long run, this episode pretty much feels like filler.
After Harley and Ivy return to the present, they realized they were actually six days in the future and the apocalypse had already started. The story then jumps back in time to show how it began. Lex Luthor (Giancarlo Esposito) is in the middle of a nervous breakdown and devises a ray gun that he believes will save the planet. Unfortunately, the gun comes approximately ten feet short of reaching Earth. Meanwhile, Nora Fries (Rachel Dratch) gets trapped in the Legion of Doom’s headquarters following an assault from Luthor. She creates an explosion that accidentally extends Earth’s atmosphere, thus allowing Luthor to hit the planet and trigger the apocalypse.
With Harley and Ivy missing, the show’s main source of characterization is essentially gone. Nora is really comic relief, so having her be the protagonist for an entire episode feels like a waste. However, the real driving force behind this episode’s characterization comes from Bane (James Adomian), who travels to Italy to repair a pasta maker in the hopes of grabbing Nora’s attention. He fails miserably, but in the process he bonds with an old woman who teaches him the art of pasta making. There is even a hilarious scene where Bane’s venom tubes are hooked up to olive oil. In the grand scheme of the series, this episode was certainly filler from a plot and character standpoint. But the jokes are always hilarious, so at least it’s still good entertainment.
Harley Quinn streams Thursdays on Max.