# Harlots (2017)

> In 18th century London, brothel owner Margaret Wells fights to build a future for her daughters while running a house of prostitution.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/60904

## Facts

- Seasons: 3
- Episodes: 24
- Episode runtime: 47 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama, history
- Created by: Moira Buffini
- Network: ITV Encore, Hulu
- Cast: Samantha Morton, Alfie Allen, Bronwyn James, Jessica Brown Findlay, Ben Lambert, Eloise Smyth, Holli Dempsey, Lesley Manville
- TMDB rating: 7.6/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5761478/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: gritty, candid, bawdy, unsentimental, tense

## What critics say

Audience reception is positive overall, with strong praise for the period production and performances, though later seasons drew much lower ratings than the first.

## Synopsis

Harlots (2017-2019) is a British period drama series created by Moira Buffini. Set in 18th century London, the story follows Margaret Wells (Samantha Morton), a brothel owner who struggles to raise her daughters while competing with rival houses and navigating the city's social hierarchy. Charlotte Wells (Jessica Brown Findlay) and Lucy Wells (Eloise Smyth) anchor the family storyline, while Lydia Quigley (Lesley Manville) and Isaac Pincher (Alfie Allen) add layers of rivalry and ambition to the world of the trade. The engine of the show is the uneasy business of running a house of sex work in an era defined by money, class and male control, with each season built around shifting alliances, rival establishments and the costs of survival. Across three eight-episode seasons, the series unfolds as one continuing story rather than standalone episodes. Its tone is gritty and candid, with a bawdy, unsentimental register that pairs the trappings of costume drama with harsh social reality. Fans of Bridgerton, Gentleman Jack and Angels will find resonance in its period texture, female-led ambition and portrait of women negotiating power in a rigid society.

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