Based on 3 seasons, 24 episodes · through August 28, 2019
Harlots is a historical drama series set in London during the eighteenth century. The show follows Margaret Wells, a tough brothel owner who tries to run a successful business while raising her daughters. She faces a fierce rivalry with Lydia Quigley, who runs a high-class brothel for wealthy men. The series has a gritty, dramatic tone as the characters navigate a dangerous city. Viewers will easily notice the strong feminist themes and focus on female empowerment. The series is produced and directed by women to show the story from a female perspective. It features several prominent queer characters and romantic relationships between women. The casting is highly diverse, with multiple main characters of color. The dialogue often critiques the patriarchy and highlights issues of class, race, and systemic oppression.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Harlots.
Woke representation / casting
The show features prominent diversity in its main cast. This includes major Black characters like Harriet Lennox and William North. More importantly, it features strong queer representation, which adds extra weight. Several main characters are gay or bisexual. The show highlights multiple romantic relationships between women, including love stories between Violet and Amelia, and Charlotte and Lady Isabella.
80%
Woke political dialogue
Although set in the past, the characters speak using very modern political ideas. They talk a lot about female body rights, unfair treatment of women, and the struggles of race and class. The script has many lines about women taking back their power from men.
70%
Identity-driven story themes
The entire plot centers on modern feminist and queer themes. The story is about women trying to survive and gain power in a world run by corrupt men. The focus on women loving women and fights against racial injustice makes identity politics a huge part of the narrative.
85%
Western institutional / cultural critique
The show heavily criticizes old Western systems. It portrays the law, the rich noble class, and the church as corrupt tools. It shows them as systems that wealthy men use to abuse women and poor people. Traditional marriage is shown as a bad deal for women, and religious leaders are shown as hypocrites.
85%
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant. The show is an original drama inspired by a historical list of people rather than a remake of a famous fictional book or a biography of highly famous historical figures.
0%
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
There were some complaints from traditional viewers. They disliked the modern feminist message, the modern music, and the diverse casting in an old setting. However, because the show aired on smaller networks, these complaints did not become a massive national debate.
35%
Creator track record context
The main creators of the show are Moira Buffini, Coky Giedroyc, and China Moo-Young. All of them have a clear history of making feminist films and shows, supporting diversity, and highlighting queer themes in their work.
80%
Production
