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'Harlots' season 3 finale review: Happy endings worry us about the future of Hulu show

The best, most cathartic moment in the series, however, was probably seeing Harcourt’s death. Five women – his sister, the mother of his child, his pimp, the young woman he pimped and the young woman he tried to rape – collectively brought about his downfall.

Season 3 of ‘Harlots’ ended on a spectacular note on Wednesday, August 28, and after the momentary happiness, it inspired a lot of sadness and fear. Why you ask?

Well, we have known Hulu's ‘Harlots’ to be many things, but cathartic has not been one of them. In the season finale, which we now fear could be the series finale, we saw many loose ends getting tied up, and many questionable characters getting their redemption.

Quigley (Lesley Manville), for example, started her moral uphill climb at the beginning of the season, and not only did she win everything that she had lost, she earned something – a conscience. She not only decided to stop sending young women Harcourt’s way to be killed, but she also saved Lucy (Eloise Smyth) from debtors’ jail and more or less agreed to share her house at her brothel.

Emily (Holli Dempsey), who put all her stakes on love this season, realized that the man she thought loved her, was an abuser and a manipulative slave trader. However, instead of acting on her impulses, she waited for the right moment to send him away – for a long time – and took what was rightfully hers - her business, her tavern, her bawd-ship. You cannot help but respect her journey.

Lucy is out of prison, Nancy (Nate Fleetwood) is out of danger and potentially absolved of her guilt, and has a romantic interest in Lady Fitz (Liv Tyler). More tied up ends come with Will (Danny Sapani) saving his friends and others from slave trade, Lady Fitz getting her daughter back, and Fanny (Bronwyn James) embracing her role as the new bawd.

The best, most cathartic moment in the series, however, was probably seeing Harcourt’s death. Five women – his sister, the mother of his child, his pimp, the young woman he pimped and the young woman he tried to rape – collectively brought about his downfall. Poetic justice isn’t a satisfying enough term to describe what it felt like, to see him beaten by the very creatures he despised and looked down on, women.

It was a spectacular end to a spectacular season, but we definitely wish for the show’s return with new stories, and bigger problems for the Harlots, all of which they are more than equipped to overcome.

Hulu, if you’re paying attention, greenlight season 4 already!