TV Review Catch Up 1

I have a big backlog of reviews though the number of TV shows I have something to say is not as bad as the stories, books or films. So here are two TV shows I watched earlier this year.

1. Harley Quinn

Harley Quinn is the Joker’s girlfriend. As this cartoon begins he uses her to avoid being captured by Batman, swears that she will not spend a night behind bars, then changes that after checking his calendar to that she will not spend more than one night behind bars.

Several months later her friend Poison Ivy leads a breakout from Arkham Asylum, bringing Harley with her. As the series goes on Harley comes to the realisation that the Joker is an abuser, but still measures herself against him, and also against the Legion of Doom. Eventually she realises that her friends are more important.

She’s violently insane and hilarious, as is the cartoon.

Watch This: If foul-mouthed and gruesomely violent jokes ranging from broad slap-stick through character driven relationship comedy and the subversion of genre movie tropes through to poking fun at minutae of DC Comic lore sounds like fun
Don’t Watch This: If a woman coming slowly to the conclusion that her abuser shouldn’t dominate her every waking moment through a series of bad taste supervillain plots sounds stupid

2. What We Do In The Shadows Season 2

More vampire comedy. This season explores some of the other supernatural beings in America – a necromancer, witches, a troll – as well as some vampire hunters. All of these are ridiculous and/or kind of half-arsed. Colin Robinson, the energy vampire, gets promoted at work, becomes super-powerful, then gives it up because it isn’t worth it, this after one episode where the others discuss their origins and he says “Even I don’t know what my deal is.”

The fact they’ve all been sentenced to death by the vampire council comes up a couple of times, but other vampires turn up to hassle them just generally (Lazlo owes rent from a room in San Diego in the 19th century, goes on the run to avoid paying and/or a duel).

If there’s a throughline it’s Guillermo, Nandor’s familiar, and Nandor finally showing some loyalty, and Guillermo having to confront and embrace his heritage as a vampire slayer. Which is mostly handled as farce, but with some actual pathos hidden in the cracks.

Watch This: It’s funny
Don’t Watch This: It’s not quite as clever and insightful as I hoped after the first season