Movies

Forgotten ITV period drama with star-studded cast climbs Netflix’s top 10 as fans rush to watch it

BBG News

The period ITV drama “Harlots,” which features Lesley Manville and Samantha Morton, has been making a comeback on Netflix’s streaming rankings.

This drama, inspired by Hallie Rubenhold’s 2005 novel “The Covent Garden Ladies”, portrays the stories of two brothel proprietors, Lydia Quigley (Manville) and Margaret Wells (Morton), as they strive for a better future in 18th-century London.

Featuring Jessica Brown Findlay and Liv Tyler as secondary characters, the historical series ran for three seasons on both ITV Encore and StarzPlay until it was discontinued in 2019. However, it has been given a second chance with its addition to Netflix starting from July 1st.

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On Wednesday, 2nd of July, according to FlixPatrol, the period drama “Harlots” climbed to the 8th spot on the UK streamer’s charts. It managed to advance further on Thursday, 3rd of July, moving up two more spots to reach the 6th position.

The show was highly praised by critics as well. Rotten Tomatoes reported approval ratings of 92%, 100%, and 100% for its three seasons. Regarding the last season, the site’s general consensus was that the series had a delightfully cheesy atmosphere.

According to the AV Club, the show is bursting with actors enjoying themselves immensely as they shout out each other’s full names, city streets filled with treacherous twists at every turn, a joyfully mismatched soundtrack and intensely colorful costumes.

The Hollywood Reporter also gave a favorable review, stating: “[Harlots is] an engaging, intellectually stimulating drama that blends the eloquent dialogue of Shakespeare, the cold-blooded power struggles of Machiavelli, and the deep emotional resonance of Mario Puzo.

In a world filled with arson, executions, incest, brutal fist fights, secret brothels, and violent cults, the ability of Harlots to consistently engage its audience is a clear demonstration of its exceptional quality, as stated by The Guardian.

Since “Harlots” has returned to the music charts, Sandra Manville spoke with Digital Spy about her delight in embodying the complex character of Lydia. She expressed that she enjoys the fact Lydia was referred to as the “Lady Macbeth of brothel keepers,” finding it an intriguing role description!

Playing this character was a delightfully detestable experience, and I must admit, I truly relished it. In an unusual twist, I found myself enjoying being unkind! I adored it. I adored her audacity, her vivaciousness, her boldness, her in-your-face demeanor as Lydia.

Harlots is streaming now on Netflix.

The latest print edition from Digital Spy, titled “Oasis – Live in ’25”, is available! You can purchase it at your local newsstands or online for only £8.99.

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2025-07-04 14:49

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