Harley Quinn is a nonstop joy, one of the most pleasant pop-culture surprises of quarantine

The Muse

Now available for widespread consumption on HBO Max, the DC Universe series "looks like so many DC animated properties, but it announces itself as being its own ridiculous thing practically immediately," says Rich Juzwiak. "The opening scene takes place on a yacht where rich white dudes are partying. Harley smashes one guy’s leg, the Joker impersonates another by wearing his face as a mask (there’s no shortage of gore here), and there’s a prominent golden shower joke. As compelling as Harley’s arc as female supervillain learning independence after being mistreated for years is made to be, the joy of Harley Quinn comes in what feels like an infinite reserve of quick jokes and random asides, such as her eventual crew member Dr. Psycho getting canceled for calling Wonder Woman the C-word, or an extended bit when another member of her team, Clayface, loses his hand and it becomes an anthropomorphized cuddly pet companion to Police Commissioner Gordon, who’s a disheveled disaster of a man in this rendering." ALSO: Harley Quinn was made so much more compelling by ditching the Joker.