DISCLAIMER: This recap of Harley Quinn Season 4 Episode 3, “Icons Only,” contains spoilers. Proceed at your peril.
Welcome back, Harlivy lovers! “Icons Only,” this season’s third episode, is all about Vegas, baby. While it’s a fun outing stuffed to the gills with the show’s signature irreverent charm and biting humor, it’s my least favorite of the season so far. I’ve missed our core group spending time together. Season 4 has felt lacking in that regard. At least we got a taste of it in “Icons Only.” Clayface has been woefully underutilized thus far. However, I hope we’ll get more of him as the season continues. I’m sure we will. I’ve missed his flair for the dramatic.
That said, what I did like about “Icons Only” is Harley’s continued character development and the different facets of Harlivy’s relationship. This episode is undoubtedly more character-driven than action-driven. Harley’s internal struggle to be her new hero self in a sea of villains is compelling. Ultimately, she ditches her alter ego, “Hargret,” in favor of being herself, someone trying to be better than she was yesterday. I love that.
Additionally, Harlivy’s wholehearted support of each other is so sweet. It’s a breath of fresh air. Ivy’s subtle hesitation at the end indicates we might get some conflict down the line, but it won’t be enough to break them up. Admittedly, I’m all for drama.
Ready to delve into “Icons Only”? Let’s get to it.
RELATED: Check out our recap of Harley Quinn Season 4 Episode 2, “B.I.T.C.H.”
We open with Harley (Kaley Cuoco) and Ivy (Lake Bell), trying to schedule time to be adorable girlfriends together. Ivy suggests they hang out at Lex Luthor’s hotel in Las Vegas. They can catch the start of Clayface’s Vegas residency. While it might not look good if Harley is seen partying it up with the baddies as a bona fide hero, our girl doesn’t care. She just wants to hang out with her girlfriend.
Once they arrive in Vegas (which has less asbestos than Blüdhaven), Ivy and Harley check into their lavish hotel room. Ivy asks their concierge if there are still tickets for Clayface’s opening show. She laughs, claiming it’s been sold out for months. Well, that stinks. After she leaves, Harlivy plan their stay. Harley gets texts and phone calls from Batgirl, which she promptly ignores. While Ivy seems content with doing villainous things, Harley hesitates, seemingly thinking about her newly established hero image. She suggests they go to the M&M store. How exciting.
Later, after some shopping and a safe trip to the M&M store, our girlfriends run into King Shark (Ron Funches) and his very pregnant wife Tabitha (Mary Holland). Tabitha treats our King like sh*t, but he waits on her hand and foot (Fin?). Harley notices Tabitha lighting a cigarette, and she voices how the latter shouldn’t be smoking while super pregnant. That doesn’t end well.
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Ivy and Harley are now spectators for gladiator-type fights between villains. One of the losers of said fights becomes the main course for Starro. (Hey! I haven’t seen that dude since The Suicide Squad.) Ivy calls Nora (Rachel Dratch) and asks her to find tickets for Clayface’s show. Snowflame (James Adomian) taunts our Harls, claiming she’s too “good” to wreak havoc as a baddie. Harley throws Snowflame into the pool but pulls him out after seeing he’s struggling to swim. Harley excuses herself while mini Starros give Ivy a pedicure.
Suddenly, Clayface (Alan Tudyk) makes his grand entrance at the pool area of Lex’s hotel. Clayface loves his fans. They dote on him. He and Ivy have a strained reunion. She claims she has tickets to his show, even going so far as to name random seats. There’s definitely unresolved tension between them. Harley waltzes into a club, where Bruce Wayne deejays virtually from prison. Incensed, Harley storms into the bathroom to cool off. How can Bruce do shady things behind bars while she’s judged for dating the Legion of Doom CEO?
That’s when Harley realizes that heroes have alter egos. The general public doesn’t know Bruce Wayne is Batman because he dresses up. Whereas she’s herself, well, all the time. Harley steals a short pink wig from one woman vomiting in the toilet. She dons the wig and sunglasses, changing her name to “Hargret.”
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Now with a newfound sense of confidence, Hargret saunters into the hotel. She does all the fun stuff Harley wishes she could do. Ivy approves. They hatch a plan to get those coveted Clayface tickets. Harley seduces Snowflame as Hargret. He invites her into his hotel room. Ivy barges into the room and secures Snowflame to his bed with her vines. They learn Snowflame doesn’t have tickets for the show — he planned to steal them from a fan who won them. Harley sticks a chocolate grenade in his mouth before they depart.
Meanwhile, King Shark finds the ingredients for a special gumbo that Tabitha craves. He listens to a catchy tune that outlines these ingredients. You can even sing along with King Shark by reading the lyrics on your screen! I can’t wait for the Kidz Bop version of this song. Next, Harley and Ivy are dressed as bellhops to steal the tickets. While in the elevator, they get all hot and bothered. It’s time for a quick sex sesh before committing theft.
Then, they notice Clayface’s special fan is a young boy who uses a wheelchair. Harley doesn’t feel comfortable stealing from a child who’s clearly sick. Suddenly, said child morphs into none other than Clayface. Clayface confronts Ivy. He knows she doesn’t have tickets to the show. He accuses her of ignoring the emails he sent her, reminding her of his residency. Suddenly, the two get into an all-out brawl in the hotel lobby.
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Harley tries to keep the hotel patrons safe from Clayface and Ivy’s fight. She successfully subdues them both, even tying up Ivy to prevent her from attacking Clayface. A couple of mini Starros hand Harley her phone. She sees another text from Batgirl, who offers an ear if Harley wants to talk about the “big decision” she’s supposed to make. Clayface tries to take his ire out on Harley. Thankfully, she stops him by reminding him that anger gives him wrinkles. He has a show to do, after all.
Meanwhile, Tabitha goes into labor during a magic show. King Shark finds a trio of shark doulas who assist with the birth, along with the magician who stops his own show. Even Harley and Ivy help out. Tabitha pushes out all nine sharks. Unfortunately, the runt doesn’t appear to be breathing. Thankfully, he coughs up the card from the magician’s last act before Tabitha went into labor. Amazing.
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One of the doulas transforms into Clayface. Of course he was gonna be there for his buddy’s big event. He offers free tickets to his show for all of King Shark’s kids. How sweet. King Shark asks Harley and Ivy if they’ll be godmothers to his children. They wholeheartedly accept. Tabitha decides to return to the sea. She takes the oldest child and leaves the other eight to King Shark. She thinks he might be a good dad after all.
After the birth, Ivy and Harley get food and bond over how ugly King Shark’s kids are. They giggle over the photos they took. That evening, Harley reveals she’s going to move into Wayne Manor for a while to live with the Bat Family. She needs to fully commit to being a superhero. Ivy understands, so long as it’s temporary. It’s essential they support each other in their career endeavors. Harlivy 4eva!
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Do you think Harley will acclimate to her new Bat Fam surroundings? Is Ivy truly okay with Harley living with her enemies, even if it’s only temporary? Will we get some King Shark domesticity scenes as he tries to raise eight kids? Will Clayface’s ego bite him in the ass? Only time (and more episodes) will tell.
Harley Quinn streams new episodes every Thursday on 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.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
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