Harley Quinn – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Harley Quinn

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

show2019

28%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

R-rated Looney Tunes meets DC Comics—Harley breaks up with Joker and tries crime boss life with maximum violence, profanity, and adult chaos.

8.4/10

96%

8.3

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Harley Quinn

show

TV-MA, 2019

28%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

R-rated Looney Tunes meets DC Comics—Harley breaks up with Joker and tries crime boss life with maximum violence, profanity, and adult chaos.

8.4

96%

8.3

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8.4/10

96%

8.3

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Screenwise Verdict

Let's be crystal clear: this is NOT a kids' show just because it's animated. Harley Quinn is unapologetically adult entertainment—think Deadpool meets The Boys meets Batman, with constant F-bombs, graphic violence, sexual content, and dark themes.

That said, for adults (especially those who grew up with Batman: The Animated Series), it's actually clever, subversive, and surprisingly thoughtful about toxic relationships, independence, and identity. The LGBTQ+ representation is well-done, and the satire is sharp.

But if you're on Screenwise looking at this for your kids? Hard pass. This is date-night-after-kids-are-asleep content, not family viewing. The fact that it's animated will confuse younger kids who stumble across it, so keep it locked down in your streaming profiles. Save the DC content for kids and watch this one on your own time.

Age Fit

This is strictly 17+ content, and honestly better for college-age and adult viewers who can appreciate the satire and handle the graphic content. Not remotely appropriate for teens or younger.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

This is an adult animated series featuring a violent criminal protagonist, graphic violence, dark humor, toxic relationships (breaking free from the Joker), and profanity-laced dialogue. While Harley's journey toward independence has some positive themes, the overall tone is chaotic, crude, and models criminal behavior as entertainment. Not emotionally healthy for younger viewers.

Imaginative

Fresh, irreverent take on DC Comics lore that subverts superhero tropes with dark comedy and unexpected character development. The premise of Harley Quinn as a criminal 'Queenpin' with a ragtag crew offers creative world-building and original storytelling within the DC universe. Strong TMDB rating (8.3) suggests engaging, creative content that holds adult attention.

Safe

This is explicitly adult animation with graphic violence, strong profanity, sexual content, gore, and mature themes throughout. The show features a protagonist in an abusive relationship (even if she's leaving it), criminal activity glorified as humor, and content that would be highly inappropriate and shocking for children. While it has a kids mode available on some platforms, the show itself is definitively NOT safe for young viewers.

Enriching

Despite the mature content, the series explores themes of toxic relationships, independence, female empowerment, LGBTQ+ representation (Harley and Poison Ivy's relationship), and finding your own identity separate from an abuser. These are meaningful themes for mature audiences, but wrapped in extremely crude packaging. The satire of superhero tropes offers some media literacy value for adults who can contextualize it.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Sharp, subversive satire of superhero tropes that adults who grew up with Batman will appreciate
Explores leaving toxic relationships and finding independence—wrapped in extremely crude humor
Thoughtful LGBTQ+ representation with Harley and Poison Ivy's relationship
High-quality animation and voice acting with clever writing for mature audiences
Strong female characters making their own choices (even if those choices are crimes)

⚠

What to Watch For

This is TV-MA content—graphic violence, gore, constant F-bombs, sexual content throughout
Just because it's animated does NOT mean it's for kids—this is emphatically adult entertainment
Glorifies criminal behavior as comedy, which is fine for adults who get the satire but terrible modeling for kids
Themes of abusive relationships (Joker/Harley) that require emotional maturity to process
If your kid sees this by accident, you'll be having some conversations you weren't planning on

Conversation Starters

"What makes a relationship toxic, and how did the show portray Harley leaving the Joker?"
"How does this show use humor to comment on superhero stories we're used to seeing?"
"Why do you think the creators chose to make such a violent, adult version of these comic book characters?"
"What did you think about how female characters were portrayed compared to traditional superhero shows?"

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