Dope Girls
BBC
If you are currently working your way through your streaming services, trying to find something to watch, it turns out Hulu has a new series that’s starting out reviewing especially strong.
That would be Dope Girls, the series that originally aired on the BBC, but has now made its way to Hulu, and it currently has a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score from a limited number of critics. While this may sound like some sort of modern day drug-dealing drama, it’s the opposite. Rather, it chronicles a much different type of tale. Here’s the synopsis:
“As WWI ends, housewife Kate Galloway sets up a nightclub in Soho to support her daughters; Kate must contend with a dangerous gangster family and the police to survive.”
If you think you recognize the actress who plays Kate, you are almost certainly right. That is Julianne Nicholson, and while you may not know her name, if you have watched Hulu’s other big show this year, the now Emmy-nominated Paradise, you’ll know her as the (mostly) villainous Sinatra, the force of power behind the entire city. And she also got an Emmy nomination for that role.
Nicholson is recognizable from a slew of projects. She’s been in 13 movies and shows since 2020 alone, including The Outsider, Mare of Easttown, Blonde, The Amateur and Hacks, in addition to Paradise and Dope Girls. Dope Girls, however, is a rare chance where she’s been given the opportunity to lead a production, and clearly that has gone well.
Dope Girls
BBC
Dope Girls, the six-episode series, appears to be a one-and-done, based on a 1991 book, Dope Girls: The Birth of the British Drug Underground, written by Marek Kohn. Here’s what some critics are saying about the series:
- London Evening Standard: “The end result is something as desperately addictive, seedy and glamorous as the lives that these real women led. Say hello to your newest obsession; it’s certainly mine.”
- Daily Telegraph: “Dope Girls has the nerve to say there are more interesting female stories to tell.”
These are mostly UK outlets, so now that the show has made its way to Hulu, more reviews may start to come in, as might an audience score, as it doesn’t have one of those yet.
As for Nicholson’s main project, Paradise, that has been renewed for season 2 and is supposed to be out sometime in 2026. It was nominated for four Emmys: Best Drama, Best Lead Actor (Sterling K Brown), Best Supporting Actor (James Marsden) and Best Supporting Actress (Nicholson). I would be a little surprised if it won any of those, given how steep the competition is in the drama categories, but hey, this is a pretty big achievement for both a Hulu show and something in the post-apocalyptic genre. What were we talking about? Oh right, watch Dope Girls.
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