Hulu has cancelled period drama Harlots and freshman thriller Reprisal, it was confirmed on Wednesday.
Based on The Convent Garden Ladies from Hallie Rubenhold, with Moira Buffini (Jane Eyre) and Alison Newman (EastEnders) developing for television, Harlots chronicled the rivalry between 18th century Victorian madams Margaret Wells (Samantha Morton) and Lydia Quigley (Lesley Manville) as they fought for turf, clients, and respect in a rapidly changing London.
In addition to Morton and Manville, the series starred Jessica Brown Findlay (Downton Abbey), Liv Tyler (The Leftovers), Eloise Smyth (The Frankenstein Chronicles), Dorothy Atkinson (Pennyworth), Pippa Bennett-Warner (Maxxx), Kate Fleetwood (Les Miserables), and Holli Dempsey (Derek).
From Josh Corbin (StartUp), Reprisal followed a relentless femme fatale (Abigail Spencer) who, after being left for dead, sets out to take revenge against her brother and his bombastic gang of gear-heads.
In addition to Spencer, the series starred Rodrigo Santoro (300), Mena Massoud (Aladdin), Rhys Wakefield (True Detective), Madison Davenport (Sharp Objects), Gilbert Owuor (Goliath), David Dastmalchian (The Dark Knight), W. Earl Brown (Deadwood), Craig Tate (12 Years a Slave), Wavyy Jonez (Unsolved), Shane Callahan (Outsiders), and Rory Cochrane (Argo).
With the cancellation of Harlots and Reprisal, Hulu’s drama slate includes The Handmaid’s Tale, Castle Rock, Into the Dark, Light as a Feather, and Wu-Tang: An American Saga. Among the hour-longs ordered but yet to premiere are Marvel’s Helstrom, about children of a notorious serial killer who hunt the dregs of humanity; Carlton Cuse’s take on Douglas Adams novel The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy; horror anthology Monsterland; Syrian civil war drama No Man’s Land; and Nicole Kidman limited series Nine Perfect Strangers.
