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''Harlots'' is a British-American
period drama
A historical drama (also period drama, costume drama, and period piece) is a work set in a past time period, usually used in the context of film and television. Historical drama includes historical fiction and romances, adventure films, and swas ...
television series created by
Alison Newman and
Moira Buffini and inspired by ''The Covent Garden Ladies'' by British historian
Hallie Rubenhold. The series focuses on Margaret Wells, who runs a
brothel in 18th-century London and struggles to secure a better future for her daughters in an unpredictable environment.
The series premiered on 27 March 2017 on
ITV Encore
ITV Encore was a British drama pay television channel in the United Kingdom that was owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. The channel was exclusive to Sky's digital satellite platform, Sky Go, Now TV, and Sky Store.
The ...
in the United Kingdom, and on 29 March 2017 on
Hulu in the United States. It was subsequently renewed for a second series that premiered on 11 July 2018 in the United States, and on 14 February 2019 in the UK via on-demand service
StarzPlay
Starz (stylized as STARZ since 2016; pronounced "stars") is an American premium cable and satellite television network owned by Lions Gate Entertainment, and is the flagship property of parent subsidiary Starz Inc. Programming on Starz consis ...
, to which it moved after ITV Encore closed. On September 24, 2018, ''Harlots'' was renewed for a third season, which premiered in the United States on July 10, 2019, and in the UK the following day.
On June 10, 2020, it was reported that Hulu had cancelled the series after three seasons. After this, the
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acquired the UK rights to broadcast all three series, with the first two episodes of the first season aired on
BBC Two on 5 August 2020.
Plot
In 1760s London, women's opportunities for economic advancement are either through marriage or sex work. The city's brothels are run by canny and determined businesswomen, such as Margaret Wells and Lydia Quigley, but there is a new morality on the rise. Religious evangelists demand the closure of brothels, and police are happy to launch brutal raids.
The show revolves around Wells' determination to improve her life and the lives of those in her "family" by moving her brothel to Greek Street in Soho to serve a wealthier clientele in Georgian society. Her move to Greek Street puts her into direct conflict with a rival madame, Lydia Quigley, for whom she had previously worked. Quigley operates an elite brothel in Golden Square that serves rich, influential people.
Cast and characters
Main
*
Samantha Morton
Samantha Jane Morton (born 13 May 1977) is an English actress and director. Known for her work in independent cinema, she is the recipient of numerous accolades, including a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe Award, as well as nominations for two ...
as Margaret Wells, the intelligent and strategic
madam of an up-and-coming brothel who is determined to improve her fortune; a former sex worker of Lydia Quigley's
*
Lesley Manville
Lesley Ann Manville (born 12 March 1956) is an English actress known for her frequent collaborations with Mike Leigh, appearing in the films '' Grown-Ups'' (1980), '' High Hopes'' (1988), '' Secrets & Lies'' (1996), ''Topsy-Turvy'' (1999), ''A ...
as Lydia Quigley, the ruthless madam of a posh brothel with clients from the judiciary, nobility, and upper echelons of Georgian society
*
Jessica Brown Findlay as Charlotte Wells, the eldest daughter of Margaret Wells and a witty courtesan who is coveted by society's elite
*
Eloise Smyth as Lucy Wells, the youngest and favoured daughter of Margaret Wells, and a reluctant sex worker who earns an arrangement with Lord Fallon
*
Dorothy Atkinson
Dorothy Caroline Atkinson (born 1966) is an English actress and singer. She has appeared in several plays by playwright Alan Ayckbourn and in films by Mike Leigh, including ''Topsy-Turvy'', ''All or Nothing'', and ''Mr. Turner'', which premiere ...
as Florence Scanwell, a religious zealot who opposes sex work and becomes a pawn for Lydia Quigley
*
Pippa Bennett-Warner
Philippa Elaine Fanti Bennett-Warner (born 23 July 1988) is a British actress. She was nominated for an Ian Charleson Award in 2010 for her performance as Cordelia in Michael Grandage's production of ''King Lear'', and long-listed for Best Actr ...
as Harriet Lennox, a former slave of Nathaniel Lennox (a former lover of Margaret Wells) who is brought to England as his wife and mother of two children, and becomes a sex worker for Margaret Wells
*
Kate Fleetwood
Kate Fleetwood (born 24 September 1972) is an English actress. She was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance as Lady Macbeth in '' Macbeth'', which first opened at Chichester Festival Theatre and was transferred to the West End and Br ...
as Nancy Birch, a longtime friend and neighbour of Margaret Wells, whose sex work specialty is bondage and domination
*
Holli Dempsey
Holli Dempsey (born 11 May 1990) is an English actress and comedian. She played Vicky in Ricky Gervais’s ''DerekDerek's Ladies Kerry Godliman And Holli Dempsey'Derek's Ladies Kerry Godliman And Holli Dempsey Reveal What Kind Of 'Office' Ric ...
as Emily Lacey, a fiery, opinionated and impulsive sex worker who deserts Margaret Wells for what she believes are better prospects at Lydia Quigley's brothel. Emily is the love interest of Charles Quigley
*Douggie McMeekin as Charles Quigley, the inept son and aide of Lydia Quigley who takes a liking to Emily Lacey (season 1–2)
*
Edward Hogg as Thomas Haxby, the estate manager of the house where Sir George Howard has Charlotte Wells live (season 1)
*
Richard McCabe
Richard McCabe (born William McCabe; 18 August 1960) is a Scottish actor who has specialised in classical theatre. He is an Associate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC).
Career
McCabe is an Associate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare ...
as Justice Cunliffe, a judge in the employ of the Spartans, a shady society of elite gentlemen pursuing pleasure, rape and murder (season 1)
*
Danny Sapani as William North, the loving partner and common law husband of Margaret Wells, and a father figure to Charlotte and Lucy, who was born a free Black man in England to a woman who was a slave
*
Hugh Skinner as Sir George Howard, an aspiring Member of Parliament who has an arrangement with Charlotte Wells to receive her exclusive services (season 1)
*
Sebastian Armesto
Sebastian Felipe Xavier Fernández-Garcia Armesto (born 3 June 1982) is a British film, television and theatre actor. He is the son of the historian Felipe Fernández-Armesto.
Career
Television and film
Armesto played Charles V, Holy Roman Emp ...
as Josiah Hunt (season 2)
*
Liv Tyler
Liv Rundgren Tyler (born Liv Rundgren; July 1, 1977) is an American actress, producer, singer and former model. She began a modeling career at age 14. She later decided to focus on acting and made her film debut in ''Silent Fall'' (1994); she ...
as Lady Isabella Fitzwilliam (season 2–3)
*
Julian Rhind-Tutt
Julian Alistair Rhind-Tutt (born 20 July 1967) is an English actor, best known for playing Dr "Mac" Macartney in the comedy television series ''Green Wing'' (2004–2006).
Early life
Rhind-Tutt was born in West Drayton, Middlesex, the youngest o ...
as Harcourt Fitzwilliam, Marquess of Blayne, the Archon of the Spartans (season 2-3)
*
Anna Calder-Marshall
Anna Calder-Marshall (born 11 January 1947) is an English stage, film and television actress.
Personal life
Calder-Marshall was born in Kensington, London, and is the daughter of the novelist and essayist Arthur Calder-Marshall and documentary ...
as Mrs. May, a retired bawd, once the mistress of Lydia Quigley's late father, who acts alternatively as a mother-like figure to Lydia, as well as being her casually cruel corruptor and tormentor (season 2-3).
*
Daisy Head
Daisy May Head (born 7 March 1991) is an English actress. She played Grace in the American drama series '' Guilt'', Amy Stevenson in BBC One's drama '' The Syndicate'', Kate Bottomley in the third season of Hulu series '' Harlots'' and Genya Sa ...
as Kate Bottomley (season 3), a young woman sent to an insane asylum by her conservative family when they catch her in the climax of sexual passion with a boyfriend. In the asylum, Kate develops an unlikely mother-daughter bond with Lydia Quigley.
Recurring
*
Francesca Mills as Cherry Dorrington, a sex worker with dwarfism (series 2-3)
*Roy Beck as Mr. Abbadon
*
Rosalind Eleazar as Violet Cross, a Black sex worker and adept thief who works for Nancy Birch
*
Rory Fleck Byrne as Daniel Marney (series 1)
*
Tim McInnerny
Tim McInnerny ( ; born 18 September 1956) is an English actor. He is known for his many roles on stage and television, including as Lord Percy Percy and Captain Darling in the 1980s British sitcom ''Blackadder''.
Early life
McInnerny was bor ...
as Lord Repton (series 1)
*
Fenella Woolgar
Fenella Justine Therese Woolgar (born 4 August 1969) is an English film, theatre, television and radio actress. She is known for her roles in the films ''Bright Young Things'' (2003) and '' Judy'' (2019). She is also well known for appearing i ...
as Lady Repton (series 1)
*
Con O'Neil as Nathaniel Lennox, a plantation and slave owner who is a former lover of Margaret Wells (series 1)
*Bronwyn James as Fanny Lambert, a full-figured and good natured sex worker for Margaret Wells
*Jordon Stevens as Amelia Scanwell, the daughter of Florence Scanwell
*
Alexa Davies as Betsey Fletcher, a sex worker who works for Nancy Birch (series 1)
*
Poppy Corby-Tuech
Poppy Colette Corby-Tuech (born 1987) is a British actress. She is known for portraying Prudence in the E! soap opera '' The Royals'', and for her role as Vinda Rosier in ''Fantastic Beasts''.
Early life
Corby-Tuech was born to Michel Corby-Tuec ...
as Marie-Louise D’Aubigne, a French-speaking sex worker in Lydia Quigley's house who decides to work for Margaret Wells (series1)
*
Josef Altin
Josef Altin (born as Yusuf Altın; 12 February 1983) is a British television and film actor who had the role of Pypar in the HBO fantasy TV series ''Game of Thrones''. Other notable performances is his role as Ekrem in ''Eastern Promises'' and ...
as Prince Rasselas, a molly boy who is an informant for Lydia Quigley (Series 1-2)
*Jordan A. Nash as Jacob Wells North, the young son of Margaret Wells and William North
*Ellie Heydon as Anne Pettifer, one of Lydia Quigley's girls
*
Steven Robertson
Steven Robertson (born 1 January 1977) is a Scottish actor who stars as Detective Sandy Wilson in the BBC One adaptation of Ann Cleeves's ''Shetland'', filmed near where Robertson was born and brought up. He portrayed Michael Connelly, a young ...
as Robert Oswald
*Timothy Innes as Benjamin Lennox, the eldest child from Nathaniel's former marriage
*Ziggy Heath as Sam Holland
*
Hannah Dodd
Hannah Dodd (born 27 April 1992) is an Australian Grade IV equestrian and 1.0 point wheelchair basketball player who represented Australia in equestrian at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, coming 11th and 12th in her events. Switching ...
as Sophia Fitzwilliam, Lady Isabella's daughter who was conceived when her mother was raped by her brother (Series 2-3)
*Ben Lambert as Lord Fallon, an aristocrat who takes an interest in Lucy Wells.
*Gerard Monaco as Mr. Armitage
*Sean Hart as Sir Christopher Rutledge
*Amy Dawson as Mary Cooper (series 1)
*Eleanor Yates as Lady Caroline Howard, the wealthy wife of Sir George Howard who uses his dalliances to her advantage. (series 1)
*Lottie Tolhurst as Kitty Carter, a sex worker for Margaret Wells
*Eric Kofi-Abrefa as Noah Webster (season 2)
*
Angela Griffin
Angela Mellissa Griffin (born 19 July 1976) is a British actress and television presenter who has been active on British television since the early 1990s. She is best known for portraying the roles of Fiona Middleton in the ITV soap opera '' ...
as Elizabeth Harvey (Series 3)
*
Tom Fisher as Dr. Swinton (Series 3)
*Lex Shrapnel as Lord James Croft (Season 3)
*
Jack Greenlees
Jack Greenlees is a Scottish actor, known for his roles as Craig Cooper in the BBC One Scottish crime drama television series ''Shetland'' (2016), as Justice Stuart Knox in the British-American period drama television series '' Harlots'' (2019) ...
as Justice Stuart Knox, new Justice in town. (Series 3)
*Aidan Cheng as Fredo Harvey (Series 3)
*
Alfie Allen
Alfie Evan Allen (born 12 September 1986) is an English actor. He portrayed Theon Greyjoy on all eight seasons of the HBO fantasy series '' Game of Thrones'' (2011–2019), for which he received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Out ...
as Isaac Pincher (Series 3)
*
Ash Hunter as Hal Pincher (Series 3)
*
Luke Elkins as Young Boxer (Series 3)
Guest
*
Stephen Beckett as Mr. Lynch
*
John Lynch as Jonas Young
*Michael Simkins as Justice Poulson
*
Nicola Coughlan as Hannah Dalton
Notes
Episodes
Series 1 (2017)
Series 2 (2018)
Series 3 (2019)
Production
Development
On 26 May 2016, it was announced that
Hulu and
ITV had given the co-production a programme order for a first series consisting of eight episodes. The series was set to be written by Moira Buffini and based upon an original idea by Buffini and Alison Newman. Directors were expected to include Coky Giedroyc and China Moo-Young. Lawrence Till was set as producer, with Alison Owen and Debra Hayward also on board to executive produce alongside Alison Carpenter, Buffini, and Newman. Production companies involved with the series include Monumental Pictures.
On 27 July 2017, it was announced at the annual
Television Critics Association
The Television Critics Association (TCA) is a group of approximately 200 United States and Canada, Canadian television television criticism, critics, journalists and columnists who cover television television programme, programming for newspapers, ...
summer press tour that the programme had been renewed for a second series. On 23 April 2018, it was announced that the second season would premiere in the United States on 11 July 2018.
On April 12, 2019, it was announced that the third series was set to premiere in the United States on July 10, 2019.
Casting
Alongside the initial series order announcement, it was confirmed that the series would star
Samantha Morton
Samantha Jane Morton (born 13 May 1977) is an English actress and director. Known for her work in independent cinema, she is the recipient of numerous accolades, including a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe Award, as well as nominations for two ...
,
Lesley Manville
Lesley Ann Manville (born 12 March 1956) is an English actress known for her frequent collaborations with Mike Leigh, appearing in the films '' Grown-Ups'' (1980), '' High Hopes'' (1988), '' Secrets & Lies'' (1996), ''Topsy-Turvy'' (1999), ''A ...
, and
Jessica Brown Findlay.
On 7 July 2016, it was announced that Eloise Smyth had been cast in a series regular role.
On 16 October 2017, it was announced that
Liv Tyler
Liv Rundgren Tyler (born Liv Rundgren; July 1, 1977) is an American actress, producer, singer and former model. She began a modeling career at age 14. She later decided to focus on acting and made her film debut in ''Silent Fall'' (1994); she ...
was joining the main cast in series two.
Filming
Principal photography for series one was expected to commence in June 2016 in London.
The majority of filming took place at
Langleybury Mansion,
Kings Langley,
Hertfordshire.
Chiswick House
Chiswick House is a Neo-Palladian style villa in the Chiswick district of London, England. A "glorious" example of Neo-Palladian architecture in west London, the house was designed and built by Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington (1694– ...
was used to replicate 18th-century London for the series, and additional scenes filmed at
Historic Dockyard Chatham.
Reception
All three seasons have been received positively by critics. On the
review aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
website
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, the series holds an approval rating of 94% with an average rating of 7.08/10 based on 48 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "''Harlots'' uses its titillating subject matter to draw the viewer into a deeper drama about the intersection of survival, business, and family."
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
, which uses a weighted average, assigned the season a score of 74 out of 100 based on 17 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews."
The second series holds an approval rating of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 11 reviews, with an average rating of 7.83/10. The site's critics' consensus reads: "''Harlots'' maintains its lavish grit and holds an 18th-century mirror up to our contemporary world of troubling gender-based suffering."
The third series holds an approval rating of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 10 reviews, with an average rating of 7.31/10. The site's critics' consensus reads: "Delightfully uncomfortable, ''Harlots'' continues to push boundaries, but never at the expense of its deliciously campy fun." Metacritic reports a score of 77 out of 100 based on 4 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harlots (TV Series)
2017 British television series debuts
2019 British television series endings
2010s British drama television series
Hulu original programming
ITV television dramas
Television series set in the 18th century
Television shows set in London
Television series by ITV Studios
Television shows based on books
English-language television shows
Prostitution in British television