DISCLAIMER: This recap of the Harley Quinn episode “Another Sharkley Adventure” has spoilers. Prepare to enter The Green and proceed at your peril.
Welcome back, queenpins of crime! It’s hard to believe we only have three episodes left of the season. “Another Sharkley Adventure” finally shines a light on King Shark, whose presence is sorely lacking from Season 3. Harley also goes on a mission sans Ivy, and as much as I adore Harlivy, it’s nice to bring the focus back to Harley for a hot minute.
Ready to delve into “Another Sharkley Adventure”? Let’s get to it.
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Ratcatcher Is F*cking a Rat?
We open with Ivy (Lake Bell) making herself sick by delving into The Green one too many times to search for Frank. Harley (Kaley Cuoco) encourages her GF to take it easy. Ivy has a clear picture of Bruce Wayne in her visions, standing over poor Frank (J.B. Smoove) as he cries out for help.
Harlivy wonders if they could gain access to Bruce via Selina (Sanaa Lathan), but she explains that when she dumps someone, it’s for good. She severs all contact.
Despite knowledge of that, Bruce incessantly sends Selina gifts, including a dazzling tiara. He also cordially invited her to attend his next gala, “The Martha Wayne Foundation for Exotic Cats Charity Gala.” Yes, it’s a bit clunky. He’s trying to win back his lover!
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Harley muses whether she could corner Bruce at the gala. Ivy offers to accompany her, but Harley insists she stay home and get some much-needed rest. Selina refuses to attend, leaving King Shark (Ron Funches) and Clayface (Alan Tudyk). King Shark tells them about his father’s passing and how he must return home to refuse his late dad’s crown. Meanwhile, Clayface has to be Billy Bob Thornton somewhere because that’s who he is now — ole BBT (not Big Bang Theory).
Bruce Is in His Wonderwall Phase
Later, we see Bruce (Diedrich Bader) in Strugglesville, a.k.a. his Batcave. While wading through the waters of deep post-breakup melancholy, Bruce arms himself with an acoustic guitar. I swear on the TV gods, if he starts playing Wonderwall…
Nightwing (Harvey Guillén) and Batgirl (Briana Cuoco) comfort their disheveled leader. Batgirl proposes they investigate a sketchy situation that smacks of Jervis Tetch’s, a.k.a. Mad Hatter, involvement. However, Bruce harbors zero interest in anything besides apathy.
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Meanwhile, Harley prepares to embark on a solo mission. She complains of the constant stream of texts she receives from Batgirl, who seems keen on striking a friendship. Ivy encourages Harley to get in and out and to let her know if things go pear-shaped.
The Martha Wayne Foundation for Exotic Cats Charity Gala
At the gala, Harley scuffles with an older woman to get the latter’s dress for the occasion. Next, we see King Shark at home for his father’s funeral. He walks alongside his brother, Brother Prince Shark (Gary Anthony Williams). Prince Shark wears their dad’s carcass around his neck. During the proceedings, the offer of the crown goes to King Shark, as he’s next in line to the throne. However, KS doesn’t want it, so he passes said crown onto his little brother.
While the audience celebrates the new ruler, Prince Shark (now the king) turns to King Shark (still a prince) and expresses his excitement about selling the kingdom. Uh-oh.
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Then, Harley runs into Batgirl on an elevator, and the latter attempts to stop the former from doing anything nefarious. They duke it out briefly, and Batgirl learns that Harley has been getting her texts. The elevator opens a few times to unsuspecting gala guests, a few of whom don bunny heads and suits. The menacing bunnies knock our duo unconscious.
Selina tries to fend off Ivy’s rapidly growing vines as they seize hold of her cats. Just another day that ends in “y”!
Selling It All/Mad as a Hatter
Later, King Shark tries to persuade his newly crowned brother not to sell their ancestral homeland to the highest bidder. Unfortunately, Prince Shark already has a buyer with whom he’s negotiating. Prince Shark dredges up the past, chastising our fave land shark for leaving him to care for their father.
Meanwhile, Harley and Ivy wake to find they’re at the whim of none other than Mad Hatter (Griffin Newman). The mean bunnies are, naturally, his goons. Mad Hatter explains how his new insidious headgear will hypnotize the masses.
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MH finally recognizes Harley after she tells him her name. He releases her, citing that she’s a villain like him. Harley leaves Batgirl to Mad Hatter’s devices.
Who Are You?
While in the elevator, a vision of Harley as a psychiatrist appears on the golden button panel. She helps our Harls work through her complex feelings, diving into full-on therapy mode. Is Harley still a villain? Does she consider Batgirl to be one of her friends? Should she save the young woman? A disgruntled Harley decides to save her new friend.
Next, we see Prince Shark sitting with a buyer, Ocean Master (also Tudyk), who’s Aquaman’s brother. Ocean Master is a sworn enemy of King Shark’s family, but he’s got the cash. Suddenly, KS chomps his way through the side of the wall, hellbent on convincing his bro not to sell the home that’s been in their family for thousands of years.
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Later, Mad Hatter pours poison into some teacups. He spins a teapot, and when it lands on someone, they must drink their tea. If they die, it is (obviously) poisonous. One of Mad Hatter’s goons keels over after guzzling his tea. Mad Hatter urges Batgirl to consume her beverage, but she refuses. MH subdues Batgirl and places his mind control hat on her head.
Saving the Day
Thankfully, Harls saves Batgirl before she takes a sip of her potentially poison-laced tea, and the pair take on Mad Hatter and his remaining lackeys. They seamlessly kick all the ass together. Batgirl claims she knew Harley would return and that she’s gone soft. Harls, irritated, kills Mad Hatter to prove she’s still a baddie at heart.
Next, a drunken Bruce Wayne spots who he believes is Selina donning the tiara. However, it’s Harley, and she kidnaps him because, duh.
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Fighting Away
King Shark and Prince Shark engage in a bloody battle, culminating in the latter’s death. KS sobs over his brother’s lifeless body, asserting he didn’t want it to end this way. Aw, I don’t like it when my baby KS is in pain.
Meanwhile, Harley returns home with a bag of unconscious Bruce Wayne. Ivy, still entangled in her many vines, is taken aback at the sight. Time to torture a Bat!
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“Another Sharkley Adventure” is a fun installment in the Harley Quinn universe. It won’t make my top 10 list, but it’s a decent half-hour of lighthearted escapism that delves into Harley’s perpetual internal struggle between light and dark. Is she still a villain, or is she slowly morphing into an antihero? After all, our Harls has evolved over the past three seasons. I believe she’s a mixture of both, a.k.a. she’s a human being.
My only gripe with this season is the lack of ensemble missions. I miss Harley, Ivy, King Shark and Clayface together! Here’s hoping the final episodes of Season 3 return to the show’s roots in that manner without losing focus on Harley.
Do you think Bruce will give up Frank’s location? Will King Shark have to rule the kingdom since he killed his brother in battle? Will Batgirl listen to Harley when she says that “LOL.” ends a text convo? Join me while I continue recapping Harley Quinn, only on Geek Girl Authority.
Harley Quinn drops new episodes every Thursday on HBO Max.
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
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