Shotgun Wedding

Shotgun Wedding is the seventeenth episode of the first season of The Joker Blogs. It was first uploaded on Youtube on April 10, 2010.

Plot Summary
At the start of the video, cameraman Jack Ryder is signing the wedding guest book. As he pans the camera around the room while guests linger about, he asks a male guest if he thinks he is a bad cameraman. The man shrugs and walks off, to which Jack protests that he has an internship with GCN (Gotham Cable News). Later, he films two other guests as they prepare to give well-wishes to the bride and groom, Harleen Quinzel and Guy Kopski. The man questions if the camera is even recording, and the woman spots a blinking light which she assumes means it is working. Jack says they can start now and he will rerecord again just in case. The woman and man congratulate Harleen and Guy on their wedding and hope they will have fun in Metropolis. Jack praises the guests and thanks them, telling them to enjoy the wedding. The woman notes the camera may still be recording, but Jack insists it is off.

Jack moves onto the priest who will be marrying the couple at the altar. In the background, Harleen's maid of honor Pamela Isley is seen talking to another guest. The priest talks about how wonderful marriage is since Gotham is a city in shambles. The camera appears to stop recording and begins recording again when the priest asks Jack if he is actually listening. The priest introduces himself as Father McHale and talks to the camera as if he were speaking to Harleen and Guy, saying that it's amazing they will be getting married. Jack zooms the camera onto Pamela as McHale prattles on, until McHale berates him for staring at Pamela's chest. McHale continues on, instructing Harleen and Guy not to be like this joke and instead they should stay married and love each other.

Next, Jack films Quincy Sharp, a co-worker of Harleen's who got his internship at Arkham because of her. The camera view slides onto Guy who is busy on a phone call. The call goes unanswered and Guy leaves a message for Garrett, his brother and best man, who has yet to show up. Guy asks Garrett to bring the rings and call him when he gets his message. Jack jokingly points at the door and waves goodbye to Guy's freedom. He reminds him that's what happened at the bachelor party at the Iceberg Lounge last night. Guy is surprised he remembers what happened there and suggests it's best they don't mention it. He asks how Jack is doing with the filming. Jack is confused why everyone keeps asking that and insists he can handle it. Guy tells him to save enough tape for the actual wedding ceremony. Jack promises there will be enough for the wedding ceremony as well as for after the ceremony, too. Guy looks disgusted by the dirty joke and reprimands him for it before leaving to talk to Father McHale. Continuing to film other wedding guests, Jack records a blonde man who simply says, "Hi. Congratulations." He gets directions from the man in order to find the bathroom. Jack turns off the camera shortly after he goes in.

When the camera is on again, Jack is hiding behind clothes as he films Pamela sitting nearby in the dressing room as Harleen, in her wedding gown, is assessing herself in the mirror. Harleen has a pensive expression on her face. Pamela gets up to help tighten her gown in the back. She tells Harleen that she looks beautiful and that although the dress is breathtaking, it doesn't clear up the fact she is nervous. Pamela suggests Guy is nervous too, but Harleen doesn't respond. She then says she slept with Guy last night to calm him down, to which Harleen quips that it's fine because she poisoned her champagne. They both smile at each other as they are both clearly joking around. Pamela thought she wasn't listening, and Harleen reveals everything is happening really fast and she can't believe she will be packing tomorrow. Pamela doesn't think she has to pack a lot for her honeymoon, however, Harleen is talking about the move to Metropolis, her work, her family, and even Pamela who she will be leaving behind. Pamela considers it's better if she leaves as the town isn't big enough for the two of them and it's too late to back out now. Harleen quickly says she wasn't backing out but that Pamela needs to find a guy too. She suggests Guy's brother Garrett. Pamela refuses, though Harleen thinks she can find someone suitable among the wedding guests. Pamela asks for at least no politicians and that she wants to catch the bouquet. As Harleen starts to say she won't be throwing it at her, Jack knocks into one of the metal hangers, alerting the women to his presence. Pamela annoyedly confronts him for filming them. Jack tries to play dumb but Pamela tells him to get out, all while Jack tells her that he is single. Before slamming the door in his face, Pamela calls him a creeper.

Later on, Jack pours some champagne for Helen, Dr. Hugo Strange]'s wife. Helen ponders if the champagne is supposed to be for after the wedding. Jack says things are taking too long and at this rate, there won't be a wedding. Helen calls him quite the romantic, and Jack asks about how her water bed is working out for her. Helen is shocked and questions him on how he knows about it. When Hugo comes, she accuses him of telling people about their water bed. Hugo realizes the video from his therapy session with the Joker must be on the internet and he walks off fuming over it. Helen gives Jack a murderous look as he continues filming her long after Hugo is gone.

Now running low on tape, Jack asks the next two guests to make their message short. Quincy starts by singing Harleen's praises as he wouldn't have gotten the internship at Arkham without her help and that he thinks the world of her. He expresses regret that they couldn't have gotten to know each other better over the last few months and he'll miss her. Quincy tells her he wishes this wasn't happening, in that she wasn't getting married to someone else. The camera moves to the left to show Guy has heard Quincy. Jack awkwardly tells Quincy that's enough, but Quincy tries to squeeze in another message by declaring he loves Harleen, just before Jack stops recording.

Harold, Harleen's father, is seen next. He is talking to a red-haired man about how he'll have to get used to not having his daughter around. A brown-haired man cuts in, telling Harold it's getting late and he cannot stay after all. Jack asks Harold how it feels to be the father of the bride. Harold says it's exhausting and apologizes as he cannot comment at the moment. He goes to ask Guy what the hold-up is, and Guy tells Harold that Garrett is not answering his phone before noticing with dismay that some of the guests have started drinking the champagne. Father McHale checks in with Guy about being ready and tells him to take his time. Harold suggests it's not such a bad idea to go ahead with the ceremony without the best man. Guy decides to start ushering people into the chapel so they can begin.

Guy tells another guest to get everyone into the chapel in 5 minutes. Suddenly, a man off-camera calls Guy's name. The camera shifts to show Dr. Thomas Elliot has arrived late believing the ceremony already took place, but Guy tells him they haven't started yet. A slightly drunk Hugo calls the other guests to gather around as he questions Thomas about what it's like to work at the new Gotham Memorial Hospital. Thomas takes Hugo's champagne to make a toast to the bride and groom with a quote from Aristotle, "Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies." After Guy instructs everyone to head for the chapel, he stays behind to thank Thomas for putting a good word for him at Star Labs, the place he'll be working once he and Harleen move to Metropolis. Helen leaves her drunk husband behind, telling him she'll be waiting in the car. Thomas warns Hugo not to try to one-up him ever again, and Hugo insinuates he has very powerful friends in Gotham. Undeterred, Thomas says so does he, to which Hugo walks away. Jack, who was present for the tense exchange, lies about the camera not being on.

As the ceremony starts, Pamela gives Harleen her bouquet of flowers before Harold joins his daughter for the walk down the aisle. Father McHale begins speaking just when Jack stops filming. When the camera is on again, Guy and Harleen are each asked by Father McHale to confirm their "I do"s. McHale then asks the guests if there is anyone in objection of their union, only to be brutally shot. Jack whirls the camera around in the direction of the shot, revealing the Joker with his shotgun. Harold tries to talk the Joker down but the Joker knocks him out before circling around to Harleen who is attempting to hide behind Guy.

Upon hearing the Joker call himself the best man, Guy demands to know what he did to Garrett. The Joker explains Garrett killed himself, coyly remarking he was "shocked" though Garrett was probably more shocked than him. He monologues about how it's not a wedding without a best man and in the old days, the best man would stand in if something happened to the groom. A palpitating silence follows, only for the Joker to shoot Guy point-blank in the stomach. Harleen screams and tumbles down along with Guy's body. The camera shakes as Jack falls from shock, with the film recording the guests fleeing the room and the Joker's face as he watches them before turning back to Harleen, whose bloody hand is trying to staunch Guy's wound. Guy reaches up to touch her face before he chokes out a few breaths and dies. Harleen freezes in shock before her eyes meet the Joker's. He tells her it's going to be okay and then holds her wrists in place while she struggles to free herself. She gives him a death glare as he insists that she is not ready for a relationship. He grabs her face and begins closing the distance between their lips when the sound of shattering glass startles him.

The lights go off, and as the Joker tries to find who is stalking him in the dark, the Batman runs past the chapel entrance. The Joker fires a shot at him, and the Batman hurls a batarang which the Joker dodges before fleeing into the basement. However, Batman kicks the door in, sending the Joker sprawling onto the ground. Batman pins him against the wall and rasps that he has been watching him. The Joker humors him with the fact many people have (because the videos are on Youtube) and they're all rooting for him instead of Batman. Batman punches him, which only makes the Joker laugh and quip that they should seal the deal and get married. Batman wonders if it was a mistake to let him live, and the Joker dares him to do it if he thinks it will help, though the only difference between them is one bad day.

Suddenly, a gunshot rings out, incapacitating the Batman who passes out. The shooter is revealed to be Harleen. She keeps the gun trained on the Joker, but he eggs her on by putting the end of the gun in his mouth. When Harleen doesn't shoot, the Joker angrily clutches the sides of her face, telling her she can't do it as he is the only thing she has left to hold onto. He implies she didn't want to go through with the wedding anyway or she wouldn't have gotten so close to him. Furthermore, he questions what did she think was going to happen when an obsessed patient like him broke out of Arkham and she still went with the wedding. The Joker shakes her, suggesting it might as well been an invitation. He asks if she was trying to make him jealous or perhaps she too has a method behind the madness. When he proposes she practically pulled the trigger that killed Guy, Harleen shoots him in his left arm. The Joker holds his arm in pain but still manages to get another word in, telling her that he understands she had to make everything look convincing. Stone-faced, Harleen sits down next to him and asks if he knows what they say about payback. She whispers, "It's a bitch, puddin'", before using the gun to smack him in the face. The Joker topples over but pulls himself up, commenting that at least now he can cut the wedding cake. He flicks open his switchblade but then sees both Harleen and the Batman are now gone. He irritatedly grumbles, "Women," before noticing Jack is still there. Jack begs him not to kill him. The Joker says he needs the tape and then makes a grab for it. The camera goes to static.

Characters

 * Scott McClure as Joker
 * Kira Westberg as Harleen Quinzel
 * Brianna Lucas as Pamela Isley
 * Matthew Pitner as Guy Kopski
 * Sebastian John Hull as Jack Ryder
 * Michael Chappo as Father McHale
 * Steven Molony as Batman
 * Al Odden as Harold Sharp
 * Maxwell Hesch as Quincy Sharp
 * Paul Vonasek as Dr. Hugo Strange
 * Jenna Halvorson as Helen Strange

Production Notes

 * The thank you message on the wedding tape said:
 * "The bride and groom would like to thank the father of the bride, Harold Quinzel for all of his support.  The ceremony will be performed by Father McHale of St. Swithun's Catholic Church. A special thank you to Jack Ryder, for taking the time to film the ceremony. The bride would like to thank the maid of honor, Pamela Isley for all of her help. The groom wishes to thank the best man, his brother Garrett Kopski. Also in attendance with honorable mention are doctors Thomas Elliot and Hugo Strange, along with his wife Helen, and Quincy Sharp, a co-worker of the bride.  We hope you have enjoyed this life-changing event as much as we did!"
 * The wedding guest book contains the signatures of both Scott McClure and Andrew DeVary, the episode writers of The Joker Blogs.
 * The character of Dr. Thomas Elliot is played by Scott McClure, who also portrays the Joker.

Event Chronology

 * The events of "Shotgun Wedding" occur after "Get Me To The Church On Time" and before "Three Minutes To Midnight".

Episode Connections

 * Why Garrett is unable to answer Guy's call is due to the events of "Killing Kopski".
 * Harleen mentioned in "Artistic Merit" of her plans to leave Gotham for Metropolis after getting married.
 * Dr. Hugo Strange curses the Joker for the water bed incident. This was seen in "Hypnotized".
 * The Joker broke out of Arkham Asylum in "BRB".
 * The Joker's line, "Is there a method to the madness?" is the same question Harleen asked him in "Therapy Begins".
 * What Joker does with the wedding tape is seen in "Three Minutes to Midnight". The same episode shows what he does after leaving Harleen's wedding.
 * Jack Ryder's fate after the wedding is revealed in "Staff Verification".

Multimedia Connections

 * There are several hints at Harleen Quinzel's future identity as Harley Quinn:
 * Harleen's hair has blonde highlights in it and she is wearing a lip ring
 * After Pamela slams the door in Jack's face, a poster of a woman dressed in a harlequin-style costume is seen
 * Before smacking the Joker with the gun, Harleen calls him "Puddin'"
 * Several characters from the DC Comics universe appear:
 * Pamela Isley, who is best known for her trademark red hair and green outfits
 * Jack Ryder, who ironically was called a "creeper" by Pamela
 * Thomas Elliot
 * Quincy Sharp from the Batman: Arkham Asylum videogame appears, although his role in The Joker Blogs is vastly different.
 * Batman's line, "I am starting to think it was a mistake letting you live," references the Joker's fate at the end of The Dark Knight, where Batman saved his life rather than let him die.
 * The Joker's line, "You wanna know the only difference between you and me? One. Bad. Day.", refers to the Joker's famous "One Bad Day" monologue from the 1988 DC Comics graphic novel, The Killing Joke.