In the world of animation, seasonal renewals tend to be weighed and hashed out at broadcast networks well ahead of time, which is why it wasn’t so baffling when Fox gave four-season renewals to its most-watched toon lineup. Things aren’t always quite so uniformly planned on the streaming side, however, which leads to situations like fans of Kaley Cuoco’s Harley Quinn wondering for more than a year whether or not we’ll get to see her and Poison Ivy getting hardcore again (in all the ways) for Season 6.
News about the fan-beloved animated series, streaming via HBO Max subscription, has been all but non-existent for a while now, with far more attention going to other upcoming DC TV shows that are more directly connected with James Gunn’s DCU. (Alan Tudyk is the unicorn talent who voices Clayface in both animated worlds.) Thankfully, ScreenRant took the question straight to Cuoco herself. Not so thankfully, her update wasn’t quite the “Everything’s done” response that I’d hoped for.
Promoting her twisty new mystery Vanished (streaming with a Peacock subscription), revealed that the showrunners have yet to receive a Season 6 renewal from the bosses at HBO Max. Which isn’t to stay anyone involved is lacking in interest or loyalty, just that no firm decisions have been made that would allow the cast to get back to recording vocals. According to the Big Bang Theory vet:
If we can get [Season] 6 done — I know that everyone wants to do it — if we can get that done, we are going to do it. That is a huge goal.
If this were just about any other animated series, I’d think that the writing was on the wall, presumably spray-painted in Joker’s handwriting, as far as its fate being sealed. Generally speaking, no news isn’t good news by way of in-limbo TV shows, and more often than not, extended waits for answers result in cancellations and disappointment.
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However, as noted earlier, decisions for animated shows are usually handled sooner rather than later, and that includes the decisions to cancel them. So I’d think if HBO Max execs weren’t at all interested in possibly producing more episodes, they would have pulled the plug already on Harley and refocused more on DCU series. It’s possible the long wait in this case is more about putting distance between this series and Todd Phillips’ box office-bombing Joker sequel and other Harley appearances. (Such as the revised version for the Caped Crusader series.)
Kaley Cuoco knows that there are fans out there waiting for news, and points out that she considers herself in that same fandom, so she's just as hopeful as we are. Although I guess getting paid to do it might affect that viewpoint. No matter, she shared this:
There is a core fanbase for this show and people love it, and I tell people too — I’m like, ‘You’ve got to watch it. It’s some of the best writing I have ever read.’ I’ll never forget when they gave me the first episode, however many years ago, when the guys were like, ‘What do you think of this?’ And I remember reading it, and I was like, ‘Are we allowed to talk like this?’ It was so racy and so insane. That has been another total joy.
For all that some fans are hoping to see Margot Robbie reprise her DCEU Harley Quinn for James Gunn, I'd love a reality where Cuoco gets to wear the pigtails and makeup in live-action, even if just for a weirdo crossover moment in one project or another.
Keep the faith, puddins, and hopefully good news will come! If it doesn't, though, I may not ever forgive whoever would be responsible for putting a stop to James Adomian's A+++ Bane voice. Ever.
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