Episode 52 Review
Harley Quinn
Before it could begin, the partnership between Lois Lane and Harley Quinn comes to a quick end but luckily another partnership dissolves and the skull mystery is no more. What's the best way to warn Metropolis about the threat of Brainiac? Newspapers? TV interview? Social media? A musical! In "Bottle My Heart", it's up to Clayface, Bane, Harley Quinn, and Frank The Plant to spread the message of impending doom but a new mystery stops things dead in their tracks.
The straw that breaks the camel's back with Lois could only have been Harley Quinn and she does it in record time before the title card. Lois managing to get a punch in on Harley was amusing. And if that's not enough, Lois quits the Daily Planet over a retraction Harley demands of Perry who she quickly figures out is Clayface. But I mean, when all is said and done, the real Perry will be back and so will Lois be back talking about her Pulitzer thus restoring status quo. Though what will unemployed Lois do is an intriguing notion. Superman's not around and she is no longer at the place she's come to know better than her own home.
The second partnership that comes to a head is Brainiac and Lena. He's finally had enough of her and well her throwing Koko's bones at him in frustration would do it. Why of all people did he choose Lena to consult about humans and what's going with her that she would accept a deal to rule a city. With this same person thought to tell the truth about Brainiac's plan to a newspaper agency and goes along with a quickly written play about the four hour truth session she just gave. So Metropolis is gonna get bottled. I thought it was funny that Lena was the only one who didn't like the play and even Vril stopped working to watch it. And now we have a potentially more dangerous Brainiac, a Brainiac who knows he's crazy and alone
It only could have been Harley or Ivy who would see through Clayface's acting and put it to good use. In this case, Harley uses it to blackmail Clayface to retract the headline she's 48 years old to hilarious effect. But effectively links up the two sets of stories and 'reunites' Harley and Ivy with Clayface and Bane heading into the season finale. Well, those who didn't like the faux murder mystery last week now have a true murder mystery to solve. The logical theory is Floronic Man survived somehow and killed Frank to get revenge against Ivy. At this point there's no one else other than Andy Serkis's agent who would want to kill Frank. Though I would not put it past this show to reveal there is no killer and that Frank died of a delayed reaction to the nuclear fallout at La Planta Franca Resort & Spa or he copulated himself to death. Regardless of what happened, JB Smoove's delivery of Frank's final words, "I love you... Mom" was soul crushing but well done. And now we have a potentially dangerous Ivy, crazy from grief.
The frenetic speed at which this season presents a new story then quashes it in the next episode is starting to have a noticeable affect on the show being able to stay on its feet. The episode was already unruly from swiftly connecting Harley, Ivy, Frank, Bane, Clayface, and Lena on a shared trajectory but just characters breaking down left and right left a lot to be desired. By the time the curtain rises to a dying Frank, as tragic as that is, the audience is exhausted and throwing their arms up in the air that now there's yet another crisis and mental breakdown on the horizon, this time with Ivy.
Rest in Power, Frank.
Rating: 9.3 out of 10