'Harley Quinn and the Joker: Sound Mind' Podcast Takes Different Look at DC Villain's Origin Story (Review)

For those who know about Batman's story, the Joker is his biggest rival. And whenever the Joker is around, Harley Quinn is not far behind since they are lovers. The Joker and Harley Quinn's love story begins with them meeting at Arkham Asylum when Quinn was working there as a psychologist known as Dr. Harleen Quinzel and is manipulated by The Joker. But in the Spotify Orginal podcast series Harley Quinn and The Joker: Sound Mind, Quinzel is the one in control of the relationship, which makes the series very compelling. 

The series, which is seven episodes long, focuses on Quinn using The Joker to get what she wants, which is getting money to pay for her father's operation to save his life. Quinn, who is voiced by Christina Ricci, is a psychologist right out of grad school who wants to help patients her colleagues have written off. She takes on The Joker (also known as Patient J) and realizes he stands out from the rest because of his ability to manipulate. The interesting thing is Quinzel is too smart to fall for his tricks but knows if she wants to save her father, she needs him to do something that will change her forever and Gotham City forever.

Ricci as Quinzel makes you wonder how she would look as a live-action Harley Quinn since she has a strong presence and makes you believe that she really is the troubled doctor. Ricci is compassionate but also aggressive, which are notable traits of Quinzel/Quinn. 

Billy Magnussen voices the Joker and has a presence that's more of Joaquin Phoenix's version of the villain in the 2019 film Joker, which is not a bad thing in this case. With the Joker being a more humane character in the podcast series, Magnussen has the challenge to play a different type of Joker who is more of a romantic, which is not like what you've seen with Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight or Jack Nicholson in Batman.

And yes, Batman/Bruce Wayne is featured in the series and is voiced by Justin Hartley. Over the years, there have been so many versions of Batman/Wayne on TV and in films, and Hartley's version fits right into the rich playboy type. He is all about business and has a strong interaction with Quinzel that makes you think about the entire Batman story. 

Harley Quinn and The Joker: Sound Mind gives Quinn a different origin story fans have been waiting for. She is one of the younger characters in the Batman universe since she was first introduced in 1992 in Batman: The Animated Series and has become of of the more popular characters in the DC world. With each episode being 26 minutes or less, the series moves fast and never has a dull moment. And with the way Harley Quinn and the Joker: Sound Mind ends, it's a series that could continue for a few more seasons and will not disappoint.