8 reasons why Hulu’s Harlots should be on your radar

Do you harbor an immense love for period dramas? Are feuding brothels in 18th century London right up your alley? What about strong, multi-faceted women exerting power amid a time when they were considered second-rate? Then Harlots on Hulu is for you! 

Now, I’ve been an avid fan of period pieces since high school. Discovering William Shakespeare‘s versatile works most likely lit that fuse. From there, I fell down the costume drama rabbit hole: Downton Abbey, Upstairs Downstairs, any BBC Shakespeare or Jane Austen adaptation – you name it, chances are I watched it.

Recently, I discovered the criminally underrated Harlots on Hulu. I knew this would be the start of a beautiful, albeit volatile, friendship. Bring on the Georgian era costumes! Bring on the drama! Bring on the political scandals! And, most importantly, bring on the feuding bawds. I was struck by how this series fires on all cylinders – everything from the writing, to the award-worthy performances, to the intricate costumes was top-notch.

Below, I’ve compiled a case for why you should be watching Harlots. I hope it compels you to give this series a shot.

Fierce female leads

The ladies of Harlots pull no punches when it comes to pursuing their objectives. Whether it be Margaret Wells fighting tooth and nail to bring Lydia Quigley to heel or Harriet Lennox establishing her own brothel, these women are the pinnacle of tenacity. Watching these characters battle to earn their place in a man’s world is simultaneously gratifying and heartbreaking. However, it’s a stark reality of the period in which they lived.

Women had to fight twice as hard to garner a seat at the table, regardless of profession. Probably my favorite Harlots episode to date is the Season 3 finale. There’s a montage detailing the victories of our female leads and how they triumphed over the men who would see them fall. It’s powerfully poignant. I felt an innate desire to cry out “We are women, hear us roar!” from the rooftops.

LGBTQIA+ representation 

I’m always tickled pink when costume dramas add LGBTQIA+ characters to their arsenal. It reminds us that love is expansive, and it has been moving beyond hetero-normative boundaries since the beginning of time. The issues of equality are not recent, and Harlots paints a visceral portrait of just how difficult it was for people to love who they loved.

For example (without giving away too much plot): there are two women who find love in Season 2. One is a harlot, while the other is the daughter of a preacher. Both from complete opposite sides of the proverbial tracks. However, what initially starts as a friendship blossoms into pure love. Of course, the latter’s mother disapproves of the union. In Season 3, we saw two men arrested for loving each other. While their punishment was thankfully stayed, this is proof positive of how cruel and unkind society as a whole was to the LGBTQIA+ community (and, in some places, still is). Harlots shows us that love of all kinds is beautifully unadulterated.

POC representation in an often white-washed time period 

Now, Harlots also represents people of color. We see Margaret Wells’ beau William North as a lettered and (for the most part) respected man about town. The aforementioned Harriet Lennox runs her own brothel composed entirely of gorgeous people of color.

Of course, Harlots also makes sure to highlight the struggles faced by people of color – namely, slavery. There’s a story arc in Season 3 involving North and his fight to end a slave trader ring in London. People of color were being sold into slavery and transported to America to work on plantations. North took to the streets in protest, and fought tooth and nail to remedy the situation. Again, a visceral portrait. However, seeing characters like North and Harriet stand up to their oppressors – fight to change the system – was altogether inspiring and tear-inducing. Good will always triumph over evil.

Fierce women behind the camera 

Harlots not only boasts a roster of talented female performers in front of the camera – they have equally talented women behind the camera as well. Every single episode is directed by a woman. The writing staff is comprised entirely of women.

Alison Newman and Moira Buffini created Harlots. You’d be hard pressed to find another show on television that has solely women at the helm. Hollywood, this is your wake up call: hire more women to write/produce/direct your stories. You’ll be all the better for it.

The costumes 

Alright, on a more materialistic note, the costumes on Harlots are envy-inducing. Beautifully and  intricately crafted works of art. My hat is forever off to the wonderful costume designers for creating pieces I want to wear today. Are we currently living in 18th century London? No, but that doesn’t mean I can’t pretend!

The story arcs

The writers of Harlots aren’t afraid to pen brutally honest story lines. Yes, there are prominent character deaths. There are wonderfully made LGBTQIA+ and POC stories. Complex, flawed women making tough decisions. Women parsing out the consequences of power. Women taking men head on and winning. Women taking men head on and losing. The ebbs and flows of life in general for these women during the 18th century.

It’s honest, raw and eye opening. Not to mention, darkly comedic. There are plenty of tongue-in-cheek scenes sprinkled amid the show’s darker moments. In short: the writing. It is good.

Women in positions of power 

Now, I touched on this topic earlier, but I feel it deserves its own section. Margaret Wells ran a brothel, which was passed on to Fanny Lambert and Nancy Birch. Lydia Quigley runs a brothel. Harriet Lennox runs a brothel. Nancy is a dominatrix who also runs a brothel. Emily Lacey? Owns a tavern and runs a brothel. Lucy Wells purchased a molly house.

The women run the world in Harlots. They hold the reins, pull the strings and orchestrate the chess pieces behind the men. These women are clever, possess street savvy and the ability to withstand society’s browbeating. It should remind women today that we have an innate power within us that we need only harness to gain what we want.

Multi-faceted characters 

What good are characters if they’re one-note? Certainly not realistic by any stretch of the imagination. The women and men of Harlots are complex creatures. Lydia Quigley is one of the best characters on television, in my humble opinion. Lesley Manville is phenomenal, injecting Lydia with nuance and vinegar. You want to hate her, but you also sympathize with her. One moment you’re longing for Lydia to meet the noose, and the next moment you’re rooting for her.

To me, that’s the mark of award-worthy acting and writing. You want your viewers to feel for these characters – perhaps even relate to them. Lydia is just a prime example of how Harlots is adept at churning out complex and beautifully broken characters. This alone is enough to draw anyone in – at least it was for me.

Now, this list isn’t the be-all and end-all. If you already watch Harlots, why do you love it? Sound off in the comments, folks!

Harlots Seasons 1-3 are currently streaming on Hulu.