'Harlots' Season 3 Promises A Lot More Drama

Hulu subscribers feeling a little drained by The Handmaid's Tale are in luck because the streaming service premieres Season 3 of the very soapy and very fun Harlots on Wednesday, July 10. But these days it's hard to predict how long you'll be there because episode orders vary. I know you're wondering — how many episodes is Harlots Season 3?

There is no official word via Hulu, as the show's Season 3 page only has the premiere up. But IMDb's Harlots Season 3 episodes page says there will be eight episodes in total. This makes sense as the two previous seasons have each been eight episodes long as well. I want to know what to expect because in Season 2 the two rival Madams both fell from power in pretty intense ways.

Margaret Wells falsely confessed to murder to protect her guilty daughter. She was "spared the noose" but sent to America to live the rest of her days as a servant. Her former rival Lydia Quigley was committed to a mental institution by her son, who wanted her out of the way so he could steal her fortune.

Margaret and Lydia aren't coming back into power anytime soon it seems. So what's in store for Season 3? According to TV Insider, Margaret's oldest daughter Charlotte steps in to run her mom's brothel. Her youngest, Lucy, buys Lydia's estate with the intent to turn it into a "molly house," or male brothel.

The two women won't always be in competition with each other, but there are new brothers in town to take care of that. Harlots newest cast members Alfie Allen and Ash Hunter play the Pincher brothers. Isaac and Hal — played by Allen and Hunter respectively — are co-owners of a tavern called "Saracen’s Head." Someone looking to hire a sex worker might also grab a drink, as the tavern is actually just a way for the brothers to conceal their sex work business.

According to The Hollywood Reporter it seems the brothers will mostly contend with Charlotte, and unfortunately they fall from her good graces quickly. "Charlotte likes Isaac immediately when he comes to her bawdy house because he's from the streets, like her," Harlots co-creator and executive producer Moira Buffini told TV Insider. "But he makes the mistake of duping her. Charlotte won't take being duped, so the battle is on."

As for Hal, love or at least lust is in the air with sex worker Emily Lacey (Holli Dempsey) who THR described as "fiery." Something tells me that love affair is going to hit a few snags before it ever turns sweet.

No one has time to become too wrapped up in their own pleasure. Lydia may have been sent away against her will, but according to THR she'll be trying to exert power over the sex work business even from her bed at the institution.

I'm exhausted just thinking about all of the drama. It's so much to pack into just eight episodes. But I don't think Harlots fans will be disappointed at all.