At the start of the episode, Charlotte Wells (Jessica Brown Findlay) tries to come to grips with the situation at hand. Nancy (Kate Fleetwood) checks on Lucy (Eloise Smyth). William (Danny Sapani) arrives with Jacob (Jordan Nash) and Jack Lively (Alex Sawyer). Jack is a brawler. Harriet (Pippa Bennett-Warner) agrees to let Charlotte and her girls stay with her for the time being. Kate (Daisy Head) speaks with Lydia (Lesley Manville). Lydia claims that women only have their men’s power. Kate learns that the doctor intends to perform a revolutionary procedure on her.

Emily (Holli Dempsey) spends time with Chadwick. She asks about ways to spend her money. She is told about investing. She also learns that Chadwick is going to be refereeing a duel soon. Isabella (Liv Tyler) learns that Sophia has run away with the footman, Turner. She orders her servants to search the town for them. Charlotte tries to get Armitage to arrest Isaac (Alfie Allen) for arson. However, she can’t prove it so there is nothing he can do. Elizabeth and Fredo wait for Lucy. She doesn’t show. They decide to stock the house on their own. Cherry (Francesca Mills) tells Emily about Charles running away.

Emily agrees to let Cherry sell skin in the pub. Charlotte confronts Isaac. Will enters and begins choking Isaac. Hal (Ash Hunter) pleads with him to stop. Will eventually does. Outside, Will tells Charlotte that they can rebuild. He believes that he can make money on Jack. Emily tries to convince Hal that his brother is trouble. Hal defends him. Isabella goes to the brothel. She speaks with Nancy about her problem. Nancy insists that everything will be fine. She doesn’t believe Sophia will be ruined. Fredo and Elizabeth visit Salabat. It seems that Elizabeth wants to get him involved in their new business.

Charlotte finds Lucy cleaning up the brothel. She tells her sister that she needs her. Charlotte shares a drink with her girls. Jack continues flirting with Rani. Harriet tells them that they’ve lost Nell. She was taken by men. People have been snatching girls off the streets at night. Jack is upset with it. William tells him to use that fire to fight. Fredo goes on the hunt for boys. He finds a young man to join him at the brothel. A horrible procedure is performed on Kate. Salabat tells Elizabeth about a ship going astray. The ship’s cargo was lost. Fredo shows off the new recruits. He is worried that Salabat might be trouble. Kate tells Lydia about the procedure. The man told her that it would cure her.

Lucy finally meets up with Elizabeth. She tells them about her sister’s house. She also admits she has a plan to get customers. Emily learns that the duel went wrong. Chadwick has a body to get rid of. Emily agrees to help. Cherry sells condoms. She tells Nancy about her new business. Cherry tells Nancy where the Pinchers keep their gold. Emily tells Hal about Chadwick’s investment advice. Hal is worried because it is too risky. Hal seems willing to help get rid of Lord Drummond’s body. Drummond was an admiral. Harriet and Fanny (Bronwyn James) watch the Pincher pub from a distance.

Hal leaves with Emily. One of the girls is sent to follow them. Cherry gives them a sign that all is good. Fredo asks Lucy who the house belonged to before. She tells him that it belonged to a white wigged witch. Cherry gives them the sign and they move out. Drummond’s body is dealt with. Lucy, Elizabeth, and Fredo create a distraction outside the pub. Charlotte sneaks inside. Isaac spots her. They speak about feelings briefly. Outside, Elizabeth tells the crowd about the Harvey Wells Tailoring House. They spot James Croft. Fredo is told to get him into their cloth. Isaac and Charlotte begin making out. They head upstairs together. Charlotte’s girls move in.

Nancy goes downstairs. Hal agrees to keep Chadwick’s problem a secret. Emily and Hal start heading back towards the pub. It becomes a rush against time. Hal becomes suspicious when he sees Lucy and the others outside. Nancy finds the money. Lucy keeps Hal busy outside. Nancy makes a break for it. Nancy gives the signal to escape. She makes it outside. She shows Fanny and the others the money. Isaac doesn’t want to let Charlotte go. He apologizes to her before she rushes off. Charlotte returns to her girls and they leave. Lucy rides away on her horse. Hal enters the pub and finds out what has happened. He is angry.

William goes to work finding a fight for Jack. He tracks down John Kelly (Tom Christian). Kelly knows all about Lively’s losses. John agrees to be there if William can set up a fight. Fanny and the others celebrate at home. They hear a knock at the door. It is William and Jack. William is not happy with what the girls have done. He is worried that things are only going to get worse. Isaac and Hal realize that they were screwed. Kate tells Lydia that they need to believe that they’ll leave Bedlam. William goes to Hal. He tells Hal that Charlotte has the money. If he wants to see it again, he should do as she says. Charlotte goes to Isabella. She asks about Sophia. Isabella asks what Charlotte wants.

Lydia is next up. She is worried it will kill her. Kate interrupts. It seems that Lydia and Kate might be planning their escape. Meanwhile, Rani and the others entertain their guests. Harriet learns that Jack knows Latin. He grew up in a white house. Lydia tells Doctor Furrows that the other doctor wants the guests moved to the treatment room. He does as she requests. Kate goes through the procedure again. She encourages the doctor to remove the restraint. He does so. Kate steals his keys. The guests catch Dr. Swinton pleasuring himself and Kate. Kate and Lydia use the distraction to escape. They release the others as well. Lydia and Kate exit onto the streets.

Hal and Isaac meet with Charlotte. Charlotte pretends she doesn’t have the money. She insists she was with Isabella all evening. Isabella wonders how Isaac and Hal got into her house. They suggest that the men broke in. Charlotte agrees to return the money except what they owe her. She’ll rebuild the house and they leave the room. She wants them to stay away from her girls and family. Kate is surprised by what she sees in London. Isabella gives Charlotte a gift for her triumph. Isabella receives news of her daughter. Sophia has married Turner. Charlotte insists that might not be so bad. They end up kissing. Emily wants another less from Chadwick.

He shows her a piece of paper. Elizabeth gets romantic with Salabat. He tells her to marry him. She isn’t the marrying type. Lydia and Kate go to Elizabeth. Lydia is surprised to see Lucy inside. Elizabeth tells Lydia about Charles and his problems. Lydia is not happy that a Wells has taken over her house. Catherine wonders where they should go. Lydia says there is only one place left. Emily speaks with Hal. She recalls how he got the pub in the first place. Emily shows him two guns she obtained from Chadwick. She believes they can make more money. When Hal asks how, she says America. Lydia tries to find shelter for herself and Catherine.

Lucy confesses that Elizabeth and Fredo helped Charlotte settle a score. Elizabeth wants to play a game. She really just wants to know more about Lucy. Fredo gets his first client. Isaac confronts Charlotte. He tells her that she wins. Then, he follows her. Lydia and Kate settle in. Lydia plays with tarot cards. Something she sees makes her happy.

 

Harlots Review

I thought this episode of Harlots was pretty good. I still believe there is too much going on at once though. I wasn’t sure William would return. He did and he brought Jack with him. It is becoming character overload. Nevertheless, the episode was still entertaining. I am not convinced that things are settled between Charlotte and Isaac. That could get worse in the future. I figured Lydia would find a way out of Bedlam sooner rather than later.

Now, it is time to find out what she is going to do. That should be pretty interesting. The episode scores a 7.5 out of 10. Catch up with previous recaps of Harlots before you leave!