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Dean Lorey just might be one of the hardest-working executive producers in the industry. In the past year, he served as showrunner for James Gunn’s Creature Commandos and “Harleyverse” spin-off Kite Man: Hell Yeah!, both while gearing up for his return to Harley Quinn, which he co-created with Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker (Abbott Elementary).

While all three were still executive producers on the show, they handed the showrunner reins over to series writer Sarah Peters (Ghosted) for Season 4, which was admired by critics (including this one) but proved to be polarizing among the fandom. Lorey told TV Line that he “wanted to get the old gang back together and get a little back to basics” with a fifth season that’s “a bit more focused.” 

Major spoilers ahead for Harley Quinn seasons 1-4, and minor spoilers for the first season of Kite Man: Hell Yeah!

In season 4, we followed Harley Quinn (Kaley Cuoco) and Poison Ivy (Lake Bell) as they navigated their new jobs. While the couple had many cute moments together, the two spent much of the season dealing with their issues separately. Harley was determined to fit into the Bat Fam but eventually realized being a hardcore hero wasn’t her thing. Suppressing her natural villainy led to sleep-killing Nightwing/Dick Grayson (Harvey Guillen).

Ivy was temporarily the CEO of the Legion of Doom, made a powerful frenemy in Talia al Ghul (Aline Elasmar), and had her own realization that she’s not cut out for corporate life.

The crew took a back seat for the season; King Shark (Ron Funches) and his bride Tabitha had a litter of baby sharks, one of which Tabitha took home with her, leaving the rest with their father. Clayface (Alan Tudyk) was largely absent, except for an episode that showed him at his Vegas residency being oddly antagonistic towards Ivy. 

Bane (James Adomian) went on a bizarre pasta adventure in Italy and did little else. Joker (Alan Tudyk) seemingly got bored with his governmental duties as mayor and reverted back to villainy. He missed his days as the Clown Prince of Crime and shot Batgirl/Barbara Gordon (Briana Cuoco), paralyzing her from the waist down (à la The Killing Joke). 

Bruce Wayne (Diedrich Bader) spent the season behind bars at Blackgate, serving time for tax evasion (and DJ-ing). But in the finale, he simply decided to leave, just as Alfred Pennyworth (Tom Hollander) was finally transferred to be with him. 

Kite Man (Matt Oberg) was absent from season 4 because he was too busy with his own show. Kite-Man, Hell Yeah! premiered in July 2024 and centered on him and his new girlfriend Golden Glider (Stephanie Hsu) and their joint business venture with Noonan’s. The main threats looming over Gotham were Lex Luthor (Lance Reddick), Helen Villigan (Judith Light), and Darkseid (Keith David), all of whom sought after the Anti-Life Equation. The finale teased Brainiac’s signature Skull Ship, which takes us into the long-awaited season 5. 

Harley Quinn season 5 reunites us with Harlivy, the “bestest, most titillating-est, most exciting-est couple ever,” rocking velour tracksuits and enjoying their lack of responsibilities. With the Bat Family disbanded Gotham is in disarray with giant rats scaling buildings.

The first episode ties up some loose ends from season 4 like Joker being impeached for, you know, shooting Barbara. We also get a flashback to the short-lived Gotham City Sirens. However, it takes a few episodes before we get a definitive status on Nightwing post-Lazarus Pit. 

Harley convinces Ivy to visit Metropolis, which looks like a clean utopia (kinda like Oasis Landing in Sims 3). With Lex Luthor in jail, we’re introduced to his younger sister Lena (the always fabulous Aisha Tyler), who also happens to be Bruce Wayne’s current girlfriend. She loves the chaos Harlivy brings to the perfect city of tomorrow and offers Ivy the chance to add some greenery among the shiny buildings, giving the couple a solid reason to postpone going back to Gotham. 

This new setting means Lois Lane (Natalie Morales) and Superman (James Wolk) play a bigger part in the series than before. Unfortunately for Lois, the Daily Planet goes through some changes when Bane and a disguised Clayface join the newsroom. King Shark drops his rambunctious offspring off at their godmothers’ new Metropolis penthouse, with Shaun (Kimberly Brooks) being the biggest menace who becomes attached to Harley and Ivy. 

That’s right. King Shark, Clayface, and Bane all live in Metropolis. And while they have their own subplots, the crew (sans Dr. Psycho and Sy) spend a lot more time together. In Kite-Man, Bane reconnected with Betty (Casey Wilson), his dominatrix valentine from A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special. They adopted Goldilocks (Carla Delaney), a former resident of Queen of Fables’ storybook, who bonded with Bane when he was forced to babysit her. 

Some characters didn’t make a return, including Dr. Psycho (Tony Hale), Nora Freeze (Rachel Dratch), Talia al Ghul, and Two-Face (Andy Daly). I was disappointed that Batgirl and Jim Gordon (Christopher Meloni) only had brief appearances. However, we get plenty of newcomers to the Harleyverse, including Ivy’s former professor Jason Woodrue (John Slattery), a key figure in her and Frank the Plant’s (JB Smoove) origin story. But this season’s big bad is Brainiac (Stephen Fry), a green humanoid obsessed with perfection, along with his white alien monkey Koko (Phil Lamarr). 

While Harley Quinn’s fourth season was a blast, co-creator and showrunner Dean Lorey remedied its shortcomings with a return to form in season 5. Harley and Ivy, along with their crew, still have a healthy balance of familiarity and growth, along with all the absurdity and wild antics. The show remains one of DC’s best animated projects, especially with Lorey at the helm. 

Harley Quinn Season 5 premieres January 16 on Max, followed by one new episode weekly through March 20.

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