The following contains spoilers for Gotham Knights Season 1, Episode 9, "Dark Knight of the Soul," which debuted May 23 on The CW.
Gotham Knights has certainly crafted an alluring mystery with the Court of Owls in its debut season. They're responsible for Bruce Wayne's murder and framing his adopted son, Turner Hayes, and the Knights for the crime. While the teens go on the lam, the show finds time to weave webs of romance.
It's typical of The CW to add drama and warmth as the heroes try to crack the case. Interestingly, there's a powerful queer romance arc brewing between Harper Row and Stephanie Brown. Unfortunately, Gotham Knights keeps going the love triangle route, which feels like a complicated, muddled mess.
Gotham Knights Keeps Pushing Turner Hayes as a Third Wheel
The Harper and Stephanie banter is cute, given how much they were at each other's throats early on. Episode 9, "Dark Knight of the Soul," kicks it up a notch with Stephanie learning how to be sexy from Harper to acquire Owls data from a construction crew. Their flirting hits an all-time high, with Cullen later warning his sister not to get hurt.
However, the show keeps avoiding this arc by not having Stephanie and Harper discuss their feelings. It's a very slow burn, filled with wistful glances, However, right when fans think the conversation will happen, Turner gets inserted into the scene. It makes no sense considering he already has romantic tension with the Joker's Daughter Duela.
There's also the fact Stephanie explicitly stated she considers Turner a brother. Given these existing plot threads, inserting Turner into Harper and Stephanie's narrative feels forced. There's no need for the triangle, which the preview for Gotham Knights Episode 10 hints will persist. A poisoned Turner is spotted kissing Stephanie, but regardless if it's a hallucination, it distracts from the show's strongest relationships. That's him and Duela, and a Harper who doesn't think she's good enough for the wealthy Stephanie Brown.
Gotham Knights Is Wasting Stephanie and Harper's Potential
Clearly, there's extra nuance to Harper and Stephanie, plus the added caveat of queer visibility. The CW has been more inclusive, progressive and focused on representation over the years. But fans have questioned the long-term investment and genuine air following the end of shows like Batwoman. Thus, Gotham Knights is a shot at linking back into that diverse energy by focusing more on Harper Row, one of the more openly bisexual members of the Bat-family in the comics.
Unfortunately, by inserting Turner as a third wheel, Harper's shine feels like it's cut short. Young Justice has already short-sold Harper with her crush on Halo, so Season 1 of Gotham Knights should have made up for that. Leaning in with no ambiguity would also fit the semi-risque modern CW, which pushes the envelope with series like Riverdale. As for Stephanie, her queer arc with Cassandra Cain was also underplayed in the 2021 DC Comics mini event, Future State. Thus, Gotham Knights presents a grand opportunity for Stephanie to showcase her true self.
Given how both Harper and Stephanie have common ground in terms of having abusive parents, and wondering about their place in the world, it's a huge chance to use their love to help them uncover their destinies. Harper is all in on being a hero. By spending time together, Stephanie can figure out if she wants in as well, or if the possibility of losing a new family will scare them both. Ultimately, their love can elevate the show and the concept of what it means to risk everything as a vigilante, so hopefully Gotham Knights gets a bit more fearless as it awaits renewal.
Gotham Knights airs Tuesdays at 9 pm on The CW.