Harley Quinn: Monarchs

There are two things here - either this is happening or it's not.

At first when I saw the headline for Swiss actress Lara Pictet to play Harley Quinn in a web series named Monarchs I was like cool, it's not Margot Robbie and this one's actually pretty. Again, still don't get the hype over Margot's looks. Maybe people like that but to me, she's just another Hollywood blonde but with squinty eyes and a penchant for ruining my favourite characters and flashing her (word here used generously) bits.

Honestly, people hack into celebrities personal photos and release sensitive ones - you know, illegally, and they are forced to defend themselves for their private actions/called sluts or worse. Then on the other hand, we have Kim Kartrashian and Maggot Robbie making a living off showing their nekkid selves and no one has an issue? Smells wrong.

ANYWAY - there's not much about this series but some pages say it's a new web series that is DC inspired and they're hoping DC will pick it up officially.


The concept of the show is basically a 'how this person became this villain' origin stories series.




Here's what some interviewers have posted about it - nothing official from DC yet.

The Fan Carpet  Marc Jason Ali 

The 23-year-old Geneva born beauty also landed a role in a new web series called Monarchs, which is a DC Comic inspired show based around the villains of Gotham City and their rise to power. Lara plays Dr Harleen Quinzel (Harley Quinn). DC comics are releasing their very own online streaming channel and the show’s producers are planning on pitching Monarchs to them. Teasers will be released this year.

You landed the role of Harley Quinn in Monarchs, how does it feel to be joining the universe in that way?

Oh my gosh so exciting, especially because this project is, weirdly it’s never been done before from the point of view of the villains so we’re really working on the trigger points of who where they before they became the villains and their process through that and it’s really such an exciting project for me because I get to go through Harley Quinn’s process from Dr. Harleen Quinzel to Harley Quinn and take the audience with me on that journey.


What was the research like? Because obviously, Harley was a creation on the animated series first and then made her way into the comics and there’s been a couple of iterations of her, most recently Margot Robbie was Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad and there was a short lived series called Birds of Prey and she was one of the main girls in that. Was it like just a case of reading all the material that you could get your hands on?

Yeah so I’m still in the process of reading some comic books, because her character changes so much from different comic books to the [animated] series to Margot Robbie’s interpretation of her, all the while keeping her sort of extreme personality, her physical (?) changed a lot, so it’s just a matter of reading as much material as I can and finding a little bit of everything that I can put into my interpretation while putting Lara’s qualities of Harley Quinn into her.

I mean Margot Robbie did such an amazing job and I mean Suicide Squad is such an amazing and huge production, we hope ours will have just as much a big effect, but obviously Margot Robbie is Margot Robbie, so wow it’s difficult to do something and do a character without thinking “I’m going to be compared” and I can’t compare myself to that, I’m going to do my own thing while keeping the little interpretations and the essence that the other people have brought to Harley Quinn to(o).

Absolutely couldn’t agree more with that way, because obviously you don’t want to do like a copy of what’s come before you and make it your own.

Everyone does a character differently. I mean if you walk into an audition room for the same character they’ll be ten girls that look exactly the same but you give them the same sides and every single type of girl will do a different interpretation of it and from a casting director point of view I can’t even imagine being on that other side of the desk and watching how everyone comes up with their own different choices and it must be really interesting.

Female First  Daniel Falconer Dec 8th 2017

What can you tell us about your DC-inspired web-series Monarchs and taking on the role of Harley Quinn?

The DC-inspired web-series Monarchs [that] I’m currently working on is one of the projects I am most thrilled about. The story is being portrayed from the villains’ point of view, which is quite a change, because we don’t get to see the anti-hero’s story. Being able to represent Dr. Harleen Quinzel and her drive to becoming Harley Quinn is a beautiful challenge, as I get to understand who she was and take the audience with me on her journey. I just hope to do [the character] justice for all the DC Comics fans and the rest of the strong cast we have.

A bit too much prior actress butt kissing but apart from that she seems genuine and at least interested in the role not to mention her interest in current affairs.
When it comes out, I'll check it out but I gotta say the outfits concern me.

I don't want to be judgey pants here but damn, did Harleen Quinzel steal Harry Potter's glasses or what? Looks like Harley Quinn has branched out from "roller derby" to the next pop culturey sport - Patriotism Powered Pro-Wrestling.

My main issue is that somehow... despite everyone wanting to emulate Harley Quinn.. the further away we're getting from an ACTUAL harlequin. I mean, I'm not expecting the full body suit but shit, at least make it more black and red or incorporate some sort of playing card theme.





There's a tiny set of red diamonds on her black tube top.. the rest is just what else did they have at Supre/Hot Topic/the two dollar store that looks vaguely punk enough?

Again, I'll reserve full judgement until I've seen the show - being fully aware of costuming budgets I don't want to me rude but it seems ridiculous to have this suited, formal Joker next to booty-shorts Mcpunk pop girl.

It just... makes me think of a pimp and his whore, a college senior hitting on a high school girl, or a dad taking his rebellious teenage daughter out. They don't compliment each other, they don't have a theme and they don't mesh together visually to the effect that Joker looks sooo much older than Harley to the point it's creepy.






I've always been aware that the Joker is (naturally) older than Harley, even though they're both sort of ageless in the comics. Joker is from the 1940's and Harley was created in the 90's. Gotham City Sirens alluded to this gap a bit - with a few throwbacks to old gimmicks and sidekicks but no timestamps. Another comic showed that pre-Joker Jack paid off a younger Harleen's college fees etc.

There are so many ways they could have redesigned this outfit and make it 'newer' and at the same time more reminiscent of what she's supposed to be, what her name literally means.
No, it doesn't mean "I'm totally crazy!" or "I found our spare hair dye!"

I mean, can you imagine Captain America NOT wearing the red, white and blue?
Batman - forgoing any bat imagery? Poison Ivy changing her theme from green fronds to booty shorts and knuckle dusters? Black Widow changing from her spider themed spy-tech to using a baseball bat because she's so edgy?

No, you wouldn't see that because it's stupid and defeats the purpose of their alter ego.
It may have happened in an elseworlds or a one off, but they always go back to their theme.
Someone at work asked me who the character on my tea cup was (classic Harley) and had no idea that the Suicide Squad version wasn't the original.
I honestly don't think people understand what a harlequin is anymore, and that makes me sad.