Since 2019, one of HBO’s sleeper hits has been the (adult) animated seriesHarley Quinn, which is set to return forSeason 4in 2023. Created by Justin Halpern, Patrick Schumacker, and Dean Lorey,Harley Quinn: The Animated Seriescenters on a Harley Quinn who’s done with her abusive ex, Joker, and eager to dominate Gotham’s criminal scene without that clown in tow. But, as it turns out, Harley is more of an anti-hero than a criminal mastermind.
In Season 1 of the series, Harls puts together a crew of misfits. While lovable lackeys likeClayfaceand King Shark aren’t violence-adverse, they certainly aren’t “evil” either. One of Harley’s partners-in-crime is Poison Ivy, a self-described eco-terrorist who met Harley in Arkham, when she was stillHarleen Quinzel. Across the series’ first two seasons, a slow-burn friends-to-lovers romance blossoms between Harley and Ivy. It’s not only explored in the show, but in a few comic-book tie-ins, includingHarley Quinn: Legion of Bats!, a must-read series for fans eagerly awaitingHarley QuinnSeason 4.
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Is Harley Quinn Season 3 The End?
When Season 3 opens, the pair are wrapping up what Harley has dubbed the “Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour,” and realizing that, despite their love for each other, their relationship still requires work. Harley is almost too supportive — in that clingy way — and Ivy still has trouble opening up. When Harlivy return to Gotham,Poison Ivy gets a turnto lead the team’s mission; she wants to grow a bunch of plants and let them reclaim Gotham. Meanwhile, Harley finds herself in a supporting role.
Of course, Batman gets in the way of Ivy’s plan — though not in the way viewers would expect. Joker, meanwhile, becomes something of an ally, taking on the role of supportive step-father and socialist mayor of Gotham. At the end of the season, Ivy has proven her chops as a villain, and she and Harley have made it through miscommunications and misadventures. And Harley? After a sort-of friendship crops up between her and Batgirl (a.k.a. Barbara Gordon),she proves herself to be… an ally to the Bat Family? It’s an unexpected but inevitable kind of twist — one that will surely be a blast to watch unfold inHarley QuinnSeason 4.
Is Harley Quinn Continuing on HBO?
So, will there be aHarley QuinnSeason 4? The short answer: yes. In August of 2022, on the heels of Season 3’s release, the series’ creators confirmed that a fourth season was greenlit. So, when can fans watchHarley QuinnSeason 4? That answer is a little more complicated. For now, the vague answer from the powers-that-be is “sometime in 2023.” The lack of clarity probably stems from HBO Max’s rebrand; the platform has become Max, thanks to the Time Warner-Discovery merger.
That same merger led to a slew of show cancelations, programs being removed from HBO Max, and more. ButHarley Quinnfans have no reason to worry. DC Entertainment content — well, aside from the frustratingly unreleasedBatgirl(2022) film — has remained pretty much intact. A few existing shows, likeTitansandDoom Patrol, are wrapping up, likely to make way for James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DC cinematic universe. Given that theHarley Quinncrew released a 2023 Valentine’s Day special, set between the third and fourth seasons,it’s safe to say that Season 4 is still on the way.
Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special, Explained
Released ahead of the titular holiday,Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Specialcenters on a very real issue: one partner loves the holiday, while the other loathes it. The same is true for Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy. While Harley is determined to give Ivy the best Valentine’s Day ever, Ivy wants nothing to do with the holiday — a.k.a. the largest annual mass genocide of roses.
Harley’s need to go big stems from her own insecurities. If Ivy is her true love, then their shared holiday has to be The Best — no exceptions. What Harley doesn’t realize? She’s already shown Ivy all the love and support, perhaps at a time in her life when the eco-terrorist needed it most.
Clayface, meanwhile, gets to thebottomof a peculiar kind of love, while Bane takes a series of awkward missteps in his quest to spend the day with someone special. All of it leads to agiantmistake for Bane — one made worse byHarley’s shenanigans, of course. AsHarley Quinnfans have come to expect, there’s plenty of raunchy humor, but also a depth that’s so refreshing, too.
Still, the divide between Harley and Ivy’s approach to Valentine’s Day underscores that the two have some growing (and communicating) to do, which lays the groundwork for the pre-Season 4 comic book series,Harley Quinn: Legion of Bats!
Written by Tee Franklin, who also penned the pre-Season 3Harley Quinn:Eat. Bang! Kill. Tourspin-off comic series,Harley Quinn: Legion of Bats!is set between the third and fourth seasons of the show. At the end of Season 3,Harley Quinnlands an unlikely spot on the Bat Family team. Poison Ivy, meanwhile, is recruited to lead the Legion of Doom.
Told across six parts,Legion of Bats!is full of the drama fans know from the show. Namely,Harley and Ivy, ever afraid to hurt each other, aren’t honest about their respective new roles — a tension that’s only compounded when someone from Ivy’s past comes onto the scene. Franklin does an impeccable job of capturing the characters’ voices, making the comic book series a must-read for fans, especially ahead ofHarley QuinnSeason 4.
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