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* InsultingFromBehindTheLanguageBarrier: Marie-Louise, a Frenchwoman living in London, frequently insults people to their faces in French, even her clients while she's having sex with them, but most of the other characters have no idea what she's saying. Subverted when she does this to Lydia in front of her son Charles knowing that he can understand her. Charles nervously gives his mother a TactfulTranslation.
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* PimpingTheOffspring:
** Justified and deconstructed. Margaret Wells is a brothel madam who employs her own daughters, Charlotte and Lucy, and the first episode sees her auctioning off the latter's virginity. While the show spends a lot of time showing how this negatively affects the sisters, Margaret is framed as brutally pragmatic rather than outright monstrous. In the harsh, intensely misogynist world of 18th-century London, there aren't many employment opportunities for women and marriage puts them at the mercy of a husband who may turn out to be abusive, feckless, or both. Margaret genuinely believes that prostitution is the best option for her daughters because they can make their own money while retaining a degree of freedom. Furthermore, Margaret is dealing with the trauma of [[TheChainOfHarm being sold to a madam by her own mother]] when she was a little girl. Margaret initially views herself as a good parent [[WantsAPrizeForBasicDecency because she didn't abandon her kids and provided for their material needs]], but over time [[HeelRealization she does come to see the faults of her parenting]]. Her relationship with her daughters is complicated, especially with TheUnfavorite Charlotte, but the three of them deeply love each other regardless.
** Subverted. Elizabeth Harvey operates a molly-house (secret brothel for gay men) where her son Fredo works. However, Fredo is a willing adult and part-owner of the business rather than an exploited child. [[DeliberateValuesDissonance Because homosexuality is a capital crime in this setting]], molly-houses are one of the very few places where gay men can meet each other for romantic/sexual encounters. Elizabeth opens the molly-house specifically so Fredo can have a safe place to express his sexuality and puts herself at great risk to hide his secret. Therefore, she is portrayed as an OpenMindedParent and MamaBear, not as an abuser.
** Justified and deconstructed. Margaret Wells is a brothel madam who employs her own daughters, Charlotte and Lucy, and the first episode sees her auctioning off the latter's virginity. While the show spends a lot of time showing how this negatively affects the sisters, Margaret is framed as brutally pragmatic rather than outright monstrous. In the harsh, intensely misogynist world of 18th-century London, there aren't many employment opportunities for women and marriage puts them at the mercy of a husband who may turn out to be abusive, feckless, or both. Margaret genuinely believes that prostitution is the best option for her daughters because they can make their own money while retaining a degree of freedom. Furthermore, Margaret is dealing with the trauma of [[TheChainOfHarm being sold to a madam by her own mother]] when she was a little girl. Margaret initially views herself as a good parent [[WantsAPrizeForBasicDecency because she didn't abandon her kids and provided for their material needs]], but over time [[HeelRealization she does come to see the faults of her parenting]]. Her relationship with her daughters is complicated, especially with TheUnfavorite Charlotte, but the three of them deeply love each other regardless.
** Subverted. Elizabeth Harvey operates a molly-house (secret brothel for gay men) where her son Fredo works. However, Fredo is a willing adult and part-owner of the business rather than an exploited child. [[DeliberateValuesDissonance Because homosexuality is a capital crime in this setting]], molly-houses are one of the very few places where gay men can meet each other for romantic/sexual encounters. Elizabeth opens the molly-house specifically so Fredo can have a safe place to express his sexuality and puts herself at great risk to hide his secret. Therefore, she is portrayed as an OpenMindedParent and MamaBear, not as an abuser.
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* DidYouActuallyBelieve: When he discovers [[spoiler: Emily lied to him about being pregnant]], Charles orders her out of his home. When Emily says the house belongs to her, Charles scoffs, "did you think my mother would be stupid enough to put the deeds in your name?"
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* CrapsackWorld: The show pulls no punches in depicting London in the middle of the Georgian era as this, with vast wealth inequality, women with little to no rights (ironically prostitutes actually have ''more'' rights than married women, at least when it comes to income and personal property), slavery, and an aristocracy that's effectively above the law.
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* CrapsackWorld: The show pulls no punches in depicting London in the middle of the Georgian era as this, with vast wealth inequality, women with having little to no rights (ironically prostitutes actually have ''more'' rights than married women, at least when it comes to income and income, personal property), property and their children), slavery, and an aristocracy that's effectively above the law.
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* FakeAlibi: [[spoiler:Lord Fallon stabbed Amelia in an alley, but when the police came to question him, his mistress Lucy lied by saying he was with her at the time. Lucy believed Fallon was innocent and was horrified when she realized the truth. To matters worse, Lucy's mother Margaret took the fall for Sir George's murder so Lord Fallon couldn't blackmail her by threatening to pin the murder on Lucy herself. After her confession, Margaret told the police what Fallon did, which is why they knew to question him. She thought that by doing so, [[TakingYouWithMe she would ensure Fallon was executed at the cost of her own life]], not expecting Lucy to cover for him. Josiah Hunt faked Margaret's execution, but Lucy didn't know that. She believed that by lying for Fallon, she caused her mother to [[SenselessSacrifice die in vain]]]].
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* SatelliteFamilyMember:
** Harriet has two children who are in danger of being sold into slavery in the Americas, so she [[SingleMomStripper becomes to sex worker]] to earn enough money to buy their freedom. Once she accomplishes that, she stays in the sex industry to fund their education. Her kids don't matter to the story outside of that.
** Sophia's significance to the story comes from being the illegitimate daughter of Isabella and [[spoiler:her brother Harcourt]]. Sophia was conceived when the latter raped the former, and her existence was kept a secret for many years. She is unwittingly brought into the power struggle between her parents, with her mother trying to keep her safe and her father trying to use her as a pawn once he finds out about her.
** Harriet has two children who are in danger of being sold into slavery in the Americas, so she [[SingleMomStripper becomes to sex worker]] to earn enough money to buy their freedom. Once she accomplishes that, she stays in the sex industry to fund their education. Her kids don't matter to the story outside of that.
** Sophia's significance to the story comes from being the illegitimate daughter of Isabella and [[spoiler:her brother Harcourt]]. Sophia was conceived when the latter raped the former, and her existence was kept a secret for many years. She is unwittingly brought into the power struggle between her parents, with her mother trying to keep her safe and her father trying to use her as a pawn once he finds out about her.
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* SparingThemTheDirtyWork: Lucy stabs George Howard when he [[AttemptedRape tries to rape her]]. He doesn't die right away, but it's obvious that he will as he lays bleeding out in the Wells' house. Lucy's [[MamaBear mother]], Margaret, smothers Howard so when officials inevitably look into it, his death will be her crime and not Lucy's.
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Adult Fear is now a disambig
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* AdultFear:
** [[spoiler: Margaret's younger daughter stabs a man in self-defense while he tries to rape her, so Margaret kills him and arranges for the body to be disposed of. Unfortunately, then her elder daughter is blamed for the murder]].
** Harriet's children were never formally freed by her late husband and she struggles to earn enough to buy their freedom before they're separated from her forever.
** [[spoiler: Amelia]] getting stabbed in an alley just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Her mother almost faints when she gets the news.
** When Margaret realizes that [[spoiler: Lucy's keeper Lord Fallon is a serial killer. She tries to warn her daughter, but Lucy doesn't believe her and insists on staying with him. Lord Fallon then reveals to Margaret he knows that Lucy killed George and threatens to have Lucy hanged if Margaret exposes him]].
** [[spoiler: The Greek Street brothel]] gets set on fire in the season 3 premier, and [[spoiler: Fanny]] becomes hysterical when she realizes her daughter is inside. No one dies in the end, but now their home and livelihood has been destroyed.
** In season 3, [[spoiler: Charlotte's death, and her family finding her still-warm body]].
** [[spoiler: Anne]] being forcibly separated from her newborn son by his father.
** [[spoiler: Margaret's younger daughter stabs a man in self-defense while he tries to rape her, so Margaret kills him and arranges for the body to be disposed of. Unfortunately, then her elder daughter is blamed for the murder]].
** Harriet's children were never formally freed by her late husband and she struggles to earn enough to buy their freedom before they're separated from her forever.
** [[spoiler: Amelia]] getting stabbed in an alley just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Her mother almost faints when she gets the news.
** When Margaret realizes that [[spoiler: Lucy's keeper Lord Fallon is a serial killer. She tries to warn her daughter, but Lucy doesn't believe her and insists on staying with him. Lord Fallon then reveals to Margaret he knows that Lucy killed George and threatens to have Lucy hanged if Margaret exposes him]].
** [[spoiler: The Greek Street brothel]] gets set on fire in the season 3 premier, and [[spoiler: Fanny]] becomes hysterical when she realizes her daughter is inside. No one dies in the end, but now their home and livelihood has been destroyed.
** In season 3, [[spoiler: Charlotte's death, and her family finding her still-warm body]].
** [[spoiler: Anne]] being forcibly separated from her newborn son by his father.
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* CassandraTruth: When Margaret realizes that [[spoiler: Lucy's keeper Lord Fallon is a serial killer. She tries to warn her daughter, but Lucy doesn't believe her and insists on staying with him. Lord Fallon then reveals to Margaret he knows that Lucy killed George and threatens to have Lucy hanged if Margaret exposes him]].
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* CrimeOfSelfDefense: [[spoiler: Margaret's younger daughter stabs a man in self-defense while he tries to rape her, so Margaret kills him and arranges for the body to be disposed of. Unfortunately, then her elder daughter is blamed for the murder]].
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* CrapsackWorld: The show pulls no punches in depicting London in the middle of the Georgian era as this, with vast wealth inequality, women with little to no rights (ironically prostitutes actually have ''more'' rights than married women, at least when it comes to income and personal property) slavery, and an aristocracy that's effectively above the law.
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* CrapsackWorld: The show pulls no punches in depicting London in the middle of the Georgian era as this, with vast wealth inequality, women with little to no rights (ironically prostitutes actually have ''more'' rights than married women, at least when it comes to income and personal property) property), slavery, and an aristocracy that's effectively above the law.
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* CrapsackWorld: The show pulls no punches in depicting London in the middle of the Georgian era as this, with vast wealth inequality, women with little to no rights (ironically prostitutes actually have ''more'' rights than married women) slavery, and an aristocracy that's effectively above the law.
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* CrapsackWorld: The show pulls no punches in depicting London in the middle of the Georgian era as this, with vast wealth inequality, women with little to no rights (ironically prostitutes actually have ''more'' rights than married women) women, at least when it comes to income and personal property) slavery, and an aristocracy that's effectively above the law.
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* CrapsackWorld: The show pulls no punches in depicting London in the middle of the Georgian era as this, with vast wealth inequality, women with little to no rights, slavery, and an aristocracy that's effectively above the law.
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* CrapsackWorld: The show pulls no punches in depicting London in the middle of the Georgian era as this, with vast wealth inequality, women with little to no rights, rights (ironically prostitutes actually have ''more'' rights than married women) slavery, and an aristocracy that's effectively above the law.
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* CrapsackWorld: The show pulls no punches in depicting London in the middle of the Georgian era as this, with vast wealth inequality, women with little to no rights, slavery, and an aristocracy that's effectively above the law.
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* JerkWithAHeartOfJerk: Benjamin Lennox establishes himself as firmly this when he frees Harriet... but without her children - his half-siblings - whom he keeps as his slaves while casting her out, knowing that that would hurt her the most.
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* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: The Prince, despite being an immature fop, is ultimately willing to listen when confronted with proof of what Harcourt did and not only banishes him from court but tells him in no uncertain terms that if any of the women who testified against him are hurt he will personally make sure that Harcourt hangs.
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* VillainousBreakdown: Harcourt has a spectacular one when the Prince not only banishes him from court (destroying his reputation) but also makes clear that if Harcourt does anything to hurt the women who testified against him then he will personally make sure that Harcourt hangs. Since the Prince is higher on the food chain, he has the power to actually carry out his threat, meaning that Harcourt can't do a damn thing.
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Your Cheating Heart is an index, not a trope.
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* YourCheatingHeart: Margaret kicks Harriet out of her house after she begins to suspect that William is sleeping with her, and William leaves out of anger than Margaret would show so little trust in him.
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* {{Dominatrix}}: Nancy
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* {{Dominatrix}}: NancyNancy and, occasionally after some training from Nancy,[[spoiler: Lucy]]
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* PlatonicCoParenting: Discussed. Kitty tries to convince her friend Fanny that they, along with Harriet, should leave the Wells brothel and start their own. One of the benefits would be that they could all raise their children together. Margaret had forced Kitty to sent daughter away and planned to do the same to Fanny once her baby was weaned. [[spoiler: Sadly, Kitty is murdered by the end of the episode, but Fanny is eventually allowed to keep her daughter]].
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* TheChainOfHarm: Mrs. May abused Lydia when she was younger, who in turn abused Margaret and Nancy. While Nancy has already broken the chain by the beginning of the series, Margaret struggles not to replicate Lydia's actions. She does do some pretty awful things to her girls, but it never reaches the same level as what Lydia did to her. [[spoiler: Margaret eventually manages to break the chain too and when her daughters become bawds, they're considerate and thoughtful to the sex workers who work for them]].
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** [[spoiler: Anne]] being forcibly separated from her newborn son by his father.
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* LoveTriangle: [[spoiler: Margaret has been in a relationship with Will for years, but she returns in season 4 with a new husband named Jonas]].
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* ObliviousGuiltSlinging: [[spoiler: Hal praising Emily for her loyalty and swearing he loves her, completely unaware of the role she just played in his brother's death]].
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** [[spoiler: Unfortunately appears to be played straight in season three episode three, with Charlotte's fall from the upper story of Lady Fitz's house.]]
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** [[spoiler: Unfortunately appears to be played straight in season three episode three, 3x03, with Charlotte's fall from the upper story of Lady Fitz's house.]]
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** Subverted with Molly Cooper. Margaret's girls hold a wake for her, but afterwards Lydia has Molly's body stuffed under the floor of Margaret's new house.
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** Subverted with Molly Mary Cooper. Margaret's girls hold a wake for her, but afterwards Lydia has Molly's body stuffed under the floor of Margaret's new house.
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** In season 3, [[spoiler: Charlotte's death, and her family finding her still-warm body]].
* AlwaysMurder: Even though [[spoiler: Charlotte's]] death was actually an accident, everyone automatically assumes she was murdered.
* AntagonistInMourning: [[spoiler: Lydia and Isaac after Charlotte's death]].
* AlwaysMurder: Even though [[spoiler: Charlotte's]] death was actually an accident, everyone automatically assumes she was murdered.
* AntagonistInMourning: [[spoiler: Lydia and Isaac after Charlotte's death]].
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* DueToTheDead:
** Subverted with Molly Cooper. Margaret's girls hold a wake for her, but afterwards Lydia has Molly's body stuffed under the floor of Margaret's new house.
** [[spoiler: After her murder, Kitty is mourned by those who knew her. Margaret sews her throat back together so her body will be presentable for the funeral. The other girls pitch in to support her daughter. Fanny even [[DeadGuyJunior renames her own daughter Kitty]] in her honor. And a good part of season 2 is devoted to finding Kitty's killer and bringing him to justice]].
** [[spoiler: After Charlotte's death, Isabella organizes an elegant wake to honor her. Everyone attends, and even ''Lydia'' comes to genuinely mourn her]].
** Subverted with Molly Cooper. Margaret's girls hold a wake for her, but afterwards Lydia has Molly's body stuffed under the floor of Margaret's new house.
** [[spoiler: After her murder, Kitty is mourned by those who knew her. Margaret sews her throat back together so her body will be presentable for the funeral. The other girls pitch in to support her daughter. Fanny even [[DeadGuyJunior renames her own daughter Kitty]] in her honor. And a good part of season 2 is devoted to finding Kitty's killer and bringing him to justice]].
** [[spoiler: After Charlotte's death, Isabella organizes an elegant wake to honor her. Everyone attends, and even ''Lydia'' comes to genuinely mourn her]].
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* TheLostLenore: [[spoiler: Isabella is horrified after finding Charlotte's body and organizes Charlotte's wake in Isabella's own home, class divisions be damned. Isaac is also devastated after Charlotte's death, and even curls up on her bed to cry]].
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* OutlivingOnesOffspring: [[spoiler: Margaret finds Charlotte's body after her fall]].
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* ReplacementGoldfish: After the death of [[spoiler: Charlotte]], her lover [[spoiler: Isaac]] steals one of her dresses and forces Rosamund to put it on before he has sex with her.
* ScreamingBirth: Anne, after becoming Lord Fitzwilliam's mistress, gives birth to his son half-way through season 3 and screams the whole time. He's so annoyed that he throws a vase out of sheer frustration.
* ScreamingBirth: Anne, after becoming Lord Fitzwilliam's mistress, gives birth to his son half-way through season 3 and screams the whole time. He's so annoyed that he throws a vase out of sheer frustration.
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* WhereDaWhiteWomenAt: Will and Margaret. Hal and Emily. Both of these are loving, healthy relationships.
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** [[spoiler: Unfortunately appears to be played straight in season three episode three, with Charlotte's fall from the upper story of Lady Fitz's house.]]
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* CallBack: Lydia giving Kate a pair of yellow shoes before her debut as a harlot in season 3 recalls Margaret doing the same for Lucy in season 1.
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* DistractedByTheSexy: Charlotte sleeps with Isaac to district him while Nancy sneaks into his brothel and robs him.
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* DistractedByTheSexy: Charlotte sleeps with Isaac to district distract him while Nancy sneaks into his brothel and robs him.
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* DeathByChildbirth: Lydia's mother died giving birth to her and she was left with her abusive father.
* DistractedByTheSexy: Charlotte sleeps with Isaac to district him while Nancy sneaks into his brothel and robs him.
* DisposingOfABody: After [[spoiler: George Howard is killed by Margaret and Lucy, Will and Nancy dumps his body in a river]].
** In season 3 [[spoiler: Emily]] helps her keeper get rid of the body of a man he had tried, but failed to save before anyone suspected him of murder.
** In season 3 [[spoiler: Emily]] helps her keeper get rid of the body of a man he had tried, but failed to save before anyone suspected him of murder.
* DoubleEntendre: Lucy, Elizabeth, and Fredo advertise their "tailoring business" (actually a front for a mollyhouse) by having Lucy wears men's clothing and perform a strip tease in a public square, all the while alluding to gay sex.
* GreatEscape: Lydia and Kate escape Bedlam by tricking a doctor into sexually assaulting Kate in front of visitors, grabbing the keys, and fleeing during the ensuing panic.
* HouseFire: [[spoiler: Isaac Pincher sets Charlotte's brothel on fire in retaliation for reporting him to the police for running a bawdy house]].
* MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate: The doctors at Bedlam perform all kinds of dubious "treatments" on their patients. One doctor outright sexually assaults Kate under the guise of curing her.
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* PetTheDog: When new patient named Kate is brought kicking and screaming into Bedlam, Lydia gives her advice on how to survive in there.
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* PetTheDog: When new patient named Kate is brought kicking and screaming into Bedlam, Lydia gives her advice on how to survive in there. Later, when they make their escape, Lydia makes sure to free the other prisoners rather than save her own skin.
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* PetTheDog: When new patient is brought kicking and screaming into Bedlam, Lydia gives her advice on how to survive in there.
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* PetTheDog: When new patient named Kate is brought kicking and screaming into Bedlam, Lydia gives her advice on how to survive in there.
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** [[spoiler: The Greek Street brothel]] gets set on fire in the season 3 premier, and [[spoiler: Fanny]] becomes hysterical when she realizes her daughter is inside. No one dies in the end, but now their home and livelihood has been destroyed.
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* BedlamHouse: Lydia's stay in Bedlam is a nightmare. The doctor treating her decides to spin her around really fast to "revive her nerves".
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* {{Elopement}}: [[spoiler: Sophia]] runs off with a servant in the season 3 premier.
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* OpenMindedParent: Elizabeth Harvey opens a mollyhouse (brothel for gay men) because her son is gay. She wants him and other gay men to have a place to be themselves.
* PetTheDog: When new patient is brought kicking and screaming into Bedlam, Lydia gives her advice on how to survive in there.
* PetTheDog: When new patient is brought kicking and screaming into Bedlam, Lydia gives her advice on how to survive in there.
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* DefiledForever: One of the recurring problems of the series is that, if a woman is raped, particularly by a man of wealth and status, ''she'' is ruined in the eyes of society, while the perpetrator trots off without punishment. And if the victim was a woman of color, a lesbian, poor, a sex worker, or some combination thereof? Absolutely nobody cares. Of course, none of the sympathetic characters think this way -- but they're stuck in an endless fight against a world that does.
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* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain:
** Lydia Quigley is a racist, condescending to a woman with dwarfism, and a FemaleMisogynist, to boot. She specifically only wants a flock of "white swans" in her house. By contrast, the sympathetic Margaret employs women of all shapes, sizes, and colors, and has no issue with homosexuality.
** The Spartans are absolutely rabid misogynists and {{Social Darwinist}}s of the worst kind.
** Lydia Quigley is a racist, condescending to a woman with dwarfism, and a FemaleMisogynist, to boot. She specifically only wants a flock of "white swans" in her house. By contrast, the sympathetic Margaret employs women of all shapes, sizes, and colors, and has no issue with homosexuality.
** The Spartans are absolutely rabid misogynists and {{Social Darwinist}}s of the worst kind.
