The following contains spoilers for the first three episodes of Harley Quinn Season 3, currently streaming on HBO Max.
One of the most refreshing aspects of the Harley Quinn TV show is how competent it's been at detailing a gory, R-rated story featuring some of DC's most iconic characters. As Harley and Poison Ivy went about forging their bond, they raised a lot of hell, evidenced by their "Eat. Bang! Kill," tour. Not to mention their cohorts -- King Shark, Clayface and Frank -- also caused a lot of chaos in their endeavors, like a true dysfunctional family would.
The show even had Doctor Psycho using the c-word in the past, poking fun at itself and reminding fans there was a cheeky way to blend comedy and violence in ways the DC Extended Universe struggled to achieve. Through this balance, this series made it easier for fans to accept The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker as adult properties at a time when the live-action movies seemed to be moving towards a more inspirational, family-friendly style. However, as Season 3 kicked off, Harley Quinn exposed a major bit of hypocrisy due to one Batman scene getting left on the cutting room floor.
This has to do with the Bat having oral sex with Catwoman, which co-showrunner Justin Halpern admitted got nixed by the higher-ups last year. Despite having major leeway, they couldn't depict The Dark Knight going down on Catwoman because, according to superiors, the heroic Batman doesn't do that. In addition, toy sales were used as an excuse as to why this couldn't be depicted. Instead, the Bat was seen massaging Catwoman's feet, asking if he should continue in Season 3's third episode, "The 83rd Annual Villy Awards."
From their positioning, while she was on her phone chatting with Ivy about keeping her Cat-lair in order, it was clear this scene was set up for the Bat to explore their relationship in an unfettered sexual manner. But the problem is, this axed scene would have actually fit the brand of the show. After all, Harley's been maiming, killing and cursing enemies all over Gotham at a time when DC has been positioning her as a hero, yet the Bat has to remain a boy scout. It doesn't add up because Jim Gordon -- another heroic figure in the mainstream DCU -- is a drunk wreck, making toxic decisions. Not to mention the first episode in Season 3, "Harlivy," also had a fake Harley in a dirty movie going down on a fake Ivy. Which begs, if a version of Harley's allowed to do that, why is the Bat off-limits, and why is oral sex, well, bad?
It's such a weird stance, which is why the likes of Val Kilmer and Zack Snyder questioned the rule, as well as fans who petitioned for the moment to happen. What makes it worse is WB already crossed the line with the Bat years ago when he had sex with a younger Batgirl in The Killing Joke's animated adaptation, which was super-gross as she looked up to him as a father-figure. This shapes an inconsistent hypocrisy, further compounded by DC's Black Label also moving quickly to censor a nude Batman in Batman: Damned -- which left fans wondering what the heck are the rules for the Bat.
Seeing as many female superheroes are drawn near-nude or with revealing costumes, it felt like rules were bent for a hero who, by no stretch of the imagination, has been pure. Thus, a natural sex act in a mature series shouldn't have been an issue. Ultimately, Harley Quinn was the perfect territory to be raunchy with Bruce and Selina, who've had passionate sex in the mainstream books. Yet for some reason, in an adult show that kids aren't allowed to watch, oral sex is somehow forbidden in a constant shifting of the goal posts, which somehow makes it okay for women to embrace their sexual side, but in the Bat's case, it's taboo. It's a backward, misogynistic and objectifying mentality that really shouldn't be happening in 2022, especially in a show that touts itself as no-holes-barred, open, diverse and all for gender equality.
New episodes of Harley Quinn stream Thursdays on HBO Max.