Harlots

I started watching this, as I had no other series lined up, saw a trailer and quite like Samantha Morton as an actress. The first episode left me a little nonplussed, as I thought it seemed a little more lightweight than I was expecting. Perhaps even gratuitous and shallow. But I stuck with it, and by episode three was hooked. Easily as good as Peaky Blinders, which is high praise indeed from an avid watcher. The characters seem to develop well and the casting is excellent. The portrayal of the Bawds from both Samantha Morton and Lesley Manville are magnificent, and a superb supporting cast brings the piece to life. It seems odd that ITV in the UK have hidden this gem away as I can only assume that it is an expensive series to produce. A mainstream channel release is surely overdue, and a budget increase for the second series must be imminent.

Indulge yourself and watch this series!!! The rating doesn't do it any justice! I found that I became further enthralled as the show progressed. Brilliant acting, with a fabulous cast. A very well written series indeed.

..it's an interesting show.. part period piece.. part soft-core sex-soap.. but pretty much so far.. total fun.. and the cast across the board is pretty darn good, and with some very noteworthy leads.. the couple really jump out are Samantha Morton and Jessica Brown Findlay.. they both are just outstanding.. Morton has been around well before in numerous productions, always doing top-notch work.. as for JBF, this is a breakout role.. she is perfect and makes the absolute most of her character.. in today's world she'd be one of the highest paid, and most sought after hi-end escorts in the business.. after the first episode was not so sure how things would go.. but now seeing four parts, it's can't hardly wait for more.. to stay fresh they will need to remain very creative.. really hope they are up to the task.. it might be the worlds oldest profession, but throughout TV land, it's been one of the most difficult story-line genres to keep alive long term

Surprisingly addicting. Game of Throne-esque betrayal, alliances, bribery, coercion, corruption, politics, sex, and revenge.

Harlots surprisingly inspires empathy for the plights of the heroines - the brothel madam and her youngest daughter. You really root for the madam's struggle to keep her girls from harm and rise up through the ranks of brothels to move up in station and compete with the Queen of Whores.

Harlots touches on racial and class issues and even features the occasional gigolo, during a time in which one if five women in old London make their livings as whores. It shows how religious zealots, the law, and the masses can be manipulated as pawns in the political, carnal, racial, and socioeconomic power struggle that is the Game of Brothels...

Superficially, one might think that this show is a bawdy romp in Georgian England (18th century), but it is so much more. Written and directed by women, this show depicts the harsh realities for women during the 18th century, when they had few options but to be a man's property. Refreshingly, this show features women at center stage of the entire show, with men being the side characters that support the stellar female cast.

Rival whorehouses battle each other out to be the top house in London, with plenty of sharp tongued-lines, none-too-romantic depictions of sex, and here and there, hints of humor that break up this fierce drama. Sex is portrayed similarly as it is in HBO's "Girls": in all of its awkward and unromantic glory.

What will keep you watching is the secrets and twists, strong family ties, and heart-wrenching decisions that the women in this show have to make to survive. We are constantly reminded that no matter what, if women join men in marriage, they become legal property rather than human beings (strikingly similar message as found in The Handmaid's Tale, if I do say so). You sympathize with the characters who chose the path of harlotry as a bit of freedom and coin rather than be owned and controlled for the rest of their short lives. Overall, well-written, gritty, dark, but suspenseful and entertaining with a hint of humor.

Edit: That review was for season one, where they hinted a deeper romance between two women characters among other great storylines. Season two was great, but dropped the same-sex romance suddenly and inexplicably. Can't help but notice that sex scenes between men and women are graphic and plenty, but they shy away from showing more than women kissing each other as if we aren't allowed to see two women have sex because it's too risqué in 2019. Not fitting with the theme of the show AT ALL and makes me think there's some double standard there. Women's romantic relationships with each other are teased, never fleshed out. Wish they'd rethought that approach.

What also made me drop my review 3 stars is that in season 3, suddenly men are at the center of everything (two brothers who are new in town), and Charlotte, a feminist, empowered, bisexual, free woman gets hot and bothered for one of them, a man who treats women like property and is basically a misogynist, which makes no sense at all. The writers bombed this season hard, likely because they felt they needed to amp up the tension and drama and ran out of ideas. Also, a major character ends up leaving the show so they have to abruptly write that in. It was poorly done, and we didn't have enough of a powerful frontrunner to replace this character, so the rest of the season felt empty. I can understand why the show ended after season 3. Honestly, they should've ended it on a high note after season two rather than crashing and burning on the way out.