Harley Quinn season 5 premiere: Let the shenanigans begin!

HBO Max’s Harley Quinn may have taken a longer-than-normal hiatus, but their return didn’t miss a beat. The season started by quickly giving fans a recap of what happened to the Gotham City Sirens then moved into the theme of the episode. This was a smart move. If the Gotham City Sirens won't be a major part of the season, there's no point in dragging this on. Plus, we got to see Harley bash some skeletons with a bat.

With no reason to stick around and Harley wanting a thank you from Superman for saving his life (season 4 finale), it was time for Harley and Poison Ivy to spread their wings and move out of Gotham. It was so bad that even Bruce Wayne left his hometown (more on that later). Then, things get into the normal HarlIvy shenanigans and what the major storylines will be in this season.

This episode was everything you could have wanted. Viewers got to see how Harley and Ivy have been over the last year and that they aren’t immune to normal relationship issues like feeling stagnant. Thankfully, they still know how to use their love language to communicate (their love language being acts of kindness to one another and violence towards others). It’s refreshing that the creative team knows what the fans came to see from DC Comics’ best power couple. We want jokes, sexiness, and relationship growth.

Beyond HarlIvy we see where the show is going for other characters. For example, the trailer and the season finale of Kite Man: Hell Yeah showed that Brainiac was coming. However, fans of the comics probably knew that Brainiac already infiltrated Metropolis before he revealed himself. The drones helping out in Metropolis bear his mark (the three circles in the triangular shape). What fans didn’t know is that sending in the helper drones may have been part of Brainiac’s plan.

Brainiac’s drones know how to stop all crime before it happens. They're so thorough that they allow Harley and Ivy to steal the special surprise because the easiest way to stop them is to let them win. Without any crime. Superman feels lost. With the advice from Harley Quinn, Superman decides to take a vacation to outer space. Without the Man of Steel, there’s no one to protect Earth from Brainiac. Just like he likely planned.

Lastly, we should pay close attention to Lena Luthor (who’s voiced by the great Aisha Tyler). She says that she’s not like her brother, but, come on, she’s a Luthor. Even if she’s on the up-and-up, that won’t stop Harley from being suspicious. If that happens, it will lead to a conflict between her and Ivy since Lena put Ivy in charge of making Metropolis more green. However, since that's been a thing for the last couple of seasons, it's doubtful it'll happen again so soon.

Things to watch out for

• There’s no way we won’t see Barbara Gordon again right? She left too abruptly and it wasn’t pleasant. Plus, she’ll eventually learn that Harley killed Dick Grayson and want revenge.
• Dick being Red X is too obvious, so hear me out. What if Red X is Barbara Gordon with an upgrade that lets her walk again?
• How long until Lena Luthor finds out that Bruce Wayne is Batman? What am I thinking? She probably already knows. 
• When will Luthor get out of prison? He’s the richest man on the planet in a universe with extremely loose laws. It wouldn’t be shocking if he was released in episode 2.
• Do Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy invite their crew to Metropolis or do they just show up? I’d guess the latter.

What did you think of the season 5 premiere of Harley Quinn? Let us know on the Bam Smack Pow Bluesky, Instagram, and Twitter.