TV Review: Harlots (BBC) – Season Three

Originally premiered on ITV Encore in July 2018, Harlots was recently picked up by BBC, with the three series airing from August-November 2020. Written, directed and produced by an all-female team, the series is created by Moira Buffini and Alison Newman and based on The Covent Garden Ladies by Hallie Rubenhold. The 18th-century drama is set in London and follows brothel owner Charlotte Wells (Jessica Brown Findlay) as she fights back against the new pimps in town, Isaac (Alfie Allen) and Hal (Ash Hunter), Lucy Wells (Eloise Smyth) as she joins forces with the new owners of the town’s molly-house, Elizabeth Harvey (Angela Griffin) and her son Fredo (Aidan Cheng), while Lydia Quigley (Lesley Manville) continues to suffer the abandonment of her family and the experimental treatments of her doctors as she befriends the young Kate (Daisy Head).

TV Review: Harlots (BBC) – Season Two

Originally premiered on ITV Encore in July 2018, Harlots has recently been picked up by BBC, with the first series airing from the beginning in August 2020, and the second continuing in September 2020. Written, directed and produced by an all-female team, and created by Moira Buffini and Alison Newman, the 18th-century drama is set in London and follows brothel owner Margaret Wells (Samantha Morton) and her two daughters, Charlotte (Jessica Brown Findlay) and Lucy (Eloise Smyth). Continuing from the drama of series one, Margaret and Nancy (Kate Fleetwood) must race to find witnesses to give evidence against Lydia Quigley (Lesley Manville), as Charlotte settles into life at Quigley’s house while secretly plotting against her.

TV Review: Harlots (BBC) – Season One

Originally premiered on ITV Encore in March 2017, Harlots has recently been picked up by BBC, with the series airing from the beginning in August. Written, directed and produced by an all-female team, and created by Moira Buffini and Alison Newman, the 18th-century drama is set in London and follows brothel owner Margaret Wells (Samantha Morton). As well as her two daughters, Charlotte (Jessica Brown Findlay) and Lucy (Eloise Smyth), Maragaret also runs her business from the family home. But when it is attacked by rival Lydia Quigley (Lesley Manville), a war breaks out over the city’s most profitable commercial activity: sex.

Film Review: Phantom Thread

Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread is set in 1950s London and follows renowned couturier Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) who lives with his sister, Cyril (Lesley Manville). Together, they are the centre of British fashion. Woodcock is a bachelor who sees women come and go in his life, providing inspiration and companionship until he someone better comes along. His latest muse is Alma (Vicky Krieps), a strong-willed woman who soon disrupts Woodcock’s once controlled and planned out life as she becomes a fixture in The House of Woodcock.