-what the HELL happened???

Seasons 1-3 was maybe some of the most compelling television I've ever watched. It was gripping, and so well written and beautifully shot.

Seasons 4-5 started to slow down for me a bit, but adding the political intrigue of Canada and refugee stories was interesting. Serena's redemption arc was compelling enough to buy into her character, and felt appropriately paced. I would have liked to have seen more of Emily. I think June's blind rage arc needed better writing, and kind of took over everyone else's stories, but hey, that's how trauma works sometimes. And the scream I scrumpt when what happened to Alma and Brianna happened.

Season 6... what is Season 6?? I don't know if the writing team changed, but all the symbolism feels heavy handed, the dialogue is canned, and I just felt... nothing watching it. Lawrence is reduced to a quip factory, Lydia's redemption arc comes out of nowhere, Janine's factory reset was so strange. Luke's arrest and the fall of Canada just get written away for convenience, as does Esther Keyes. I simply do not understand why the Nick romance continues after he willfully sells out to the authoritarian regime; like, there's love, and then there are Nazis. New Bethlehem does nothing but allow Serena to come back and interact with other characters.

There were some good moments. The Jezebel episodes felt like a return to form. June as someone who is coming out of her "dark night of the soul", watching all her friends descend into rage of their own was an interesting move (but underserved).

It just felt like a Man in the High Tower fanfic, and one from the bad seasons, and didn't feel like a delivery upon the premise of Season 1 as much as a frantic rush to tie up loose ends in such a way that it makes queues in a feelgood ending.

First time posting on this sub, wasn’t sure what to tag it. So far i’ve only seen The Testaments S1, and i’ve read the first couple chapters of THT and started reading TT but decided to wait until I read THT.
I haven’t seen any of the show.

I’ve seen the war mentioned in Testaments, and briefly in THT book.

who are they at war with, Canada? The remaining US states? simply Mayday? (Again, haven’t seen THT so honestly not sure just how powerful Mayday is yet.) random groups trying to take control of some land?

Do we even know?
I’ve heard of the Angel soldiers through TT book. Do only the Angels get sent to war, or is there another group fighting on behalf of gilead as well?

After a prayvaganza, which I guess only includes angels that have already fought for Gilead..?will the angels go back to war, or are they ‘retired’ from that duty?

so curious! let me know

the worlds economy depends a lot on the united states and with it in a civil war and then no longer existing. how would that effect the rest of the world?

I have been left wondering what happens to those girls? Do they become wives with handmaids, do they stay in the school? Do they become aunts? Maybe Martha’s?

What significance does Boston play? At times it feels like the capital of Gilead and then you realize Washington, D.C. is still pretty much the center of power.

Now, with Lawrence being the intellectual/philosophical father of Gilead, why is he not in the capital, but in Boston? Why isn't he a High Commander in the first place? Who are the people who lead Gilead? Who are the OG High Commanders?

And Serena fought for Gilead and helped implement it. Is she only a local force or why is she still in Boston? Then it is decided in Boston that she becomes an ambassador to Canada or whatever her role was.

Literally what the title says. Love this song but can’t find what episode it’s from

Ok so before i watched It , my sister did , and one day she was watching It while i was playing videogames , i was kinda like a backseat-viewer , in the sense that i was paying attention but also not quite because i wasnt into the show at the time.

So basically the specific scene im talking about is when june was talking to Lawrence on the scene before he makes her chose what handmaids will get to avoid the colonies.

And in my heard , i thought he was gilead.

Like look i thought the republic of gilead was called that because it's leader was called that way and i thought Lawrence was the Big supreme leader.

As you can guess i was very much wrong and you can imagine my surprise when i realized how stuff actually was once i watched It for real.

I just finished the show and these were some of the moments that made me LOL in the midst of all the misery. I know the show isn't intended to be funny but it certainly has its moments.

- When Fred was getting absolutely mauled and Serena was just sitting in her fancy little jail cell downloading Zoom. It also made me giggle when effectively some of the last words she ever said to him were "Yes Fred, we can Zoom."

- Aunt Lydia examining the Handmaids that had their mouths sewn shut in DC. What a dark moment but Ann Dowd can be so comedic without trying.

- Serena abruptly making a run for it and sprinting out of the fertility centre and away from the Wheelers. Very Dee in Its Always Sunny coded.

- Aunt Lydia on her scooter. All of it.

- CRYBABY! 👉🏼 CRYBABY! 👉🏼 CRYBABY! 👉🏼 CRYBABY! 👉🏼

I'm forgetting a lot so please share some of yours! Yvonne Strahovski should definitely try comedy next.

When he touches her and she pins his arms down, and then he says wait and she covers his mouth - did she just rpe him?!?

I’m sure this has been discussed to death already by many posts but right now re-watching the series and I’m on e7 of S3 currently and I don’t understand why… June keeps helping Serena or looking out for her especially in future seasons or tries to trust her when Serena only gave up Nichole because she lost her pinky

I’ve seen the entire show already have just decided to rewatch it, and I really liked the spinoff series with Hannah. I thought it was portrayed rather… well for a spinoff show cause most spinoff shows just suck.

Just watching June kill Serena would’ve been very cathartic because she was infinitely worse than Fred was.

Do you notice that even after escaping Gilead, she still wears her hair in a bun, even though the colour red, wings, etc gave her PTSD attacks? (S4 Ep 7)

Estou no início da 4ª temporada e preciso desabafar porque a terceira temporada me deu muita raiva. June já deveria ter morrido há muito tempo se não fosse o poder do protagonismo implacável dela.

No começo, a série dava medo de verdade. Gilead era um regime cruel, implacável e que não perdoava ninguém. Qualquer passo em falso e as Aias eram mutiladas, enforcadas ou mandadas para as Colônias. Mas na 3ª temporada, parece que a June virou uma semideusa intocável. Ela faz coisas sabendo que vai dar merda, anda por supermercados cheios de Olhos conspirando, planeja fugas e, quando é pega, só leva um puxão de orelha ou uma ameaça verbal. Cadê a seriedade e o perigo real?

O ápice do absurdo para mim foi a relação dela com o Comandante Lawrence. É literalmente o poste mijando no cachorro! O cara é um dos arquitetos de Gilead, um dos homens mais poderosos daquela porra toda, e a June xinga ele na cara dele, pisa em cima, faz o que quer, e ele aceita calado. Eu entendo o arco de redenção dele por causa da culpa com a esposa, mas a passividade dele com os abusos e a audácia da June foi forçada demais.

As leis de Gilead simplesmente não se aplicam a ela. Esse escudo de protagonista tirou o peso da opressão que a série construiu tão bem no início. Mais alguém se sentiu extremamente frustrado com essa invencibilidade dela nessa parte da história?

Sem spoilers da 4ª temporada, por favor!

So I am currently watching Handmaid's Tale after reading the book Handmaid's Tale. I'm at season 5 and I'm asking myself whether I should read or watch the Testaments frist after finishing The Handmaid's Tale. What are your preferences? :)

Just started watching the show.. and I’ve hated Serena.. I have tried to be neutral on her.. but the way she treats June.. women to women. PISSED ME OFF. Then how she treats her when they were speaking mother to “mother” as though June is less then ANGERED ME. Then June gave birth.. and Serena is out of her fucking mind pretending to be that babies mom.. the birthing scenes solidly boil my bones but Serena’s behavior makes me hate her even as an actor.. please tell me Serena gets her karma without ruining the show

Do not spoil anything... I just wanted to know if I'm the only one who is crying basically every episode. I'm in the middle v S3

Does anyone have a list of all the music used in both series? I also like to ask if you had found music separate from the two shows that’ll fit with them. Thanks.

Did they kidnap the handmaids or what? How were people slaves, not contacting home, etc. No healthcare? How did nobody see it on aerial footage, etc?

I feel sorry a little with Serena.

I know gasp. Shocking. wtf.

I know how it sounds, but i really do feel sorry for her, to a degree.

She is not a good person, like yeah, people can change, and i think by the end, she’s starting to do that. And yeah, maybe she can be forgiven for all of her crimes. but forgiveness does not erase the after effects of what they caused

ie. what happened to the first Offred.

But, i feel sorry for Serena to a degree as IMO i don’t think she fully understood what she was getting herself into by supporting the SOJs. Like, she’s really intelligent and like all that stuff. But i don’t think she fully understood the scale of what she was getting herself into.

She understood taht they wanted to create a new world order, which they did. but i think that she believed taht since she was the powerful lady, and like wrote a book which essentially outlined what Gilead would become, I think she assumed she’d be exempt from everything and would be allowed to carry on being a powerful lady. And then when she was stripped of everything, i think that kicked off my sympathy for her.

Now, I do not agree with everything she’s done. actually, i don’t agree with a lot of it. I don’t think a woman’s place is solely in the home. That is just not how the 21st Century should look. And i am not an evangelical Christian, so I don’t fully understand nor like the whole preachy 24/7 personality of evangelical Christians like Serena. Religion is a private thing, and should not be constantly paraded around.

That is just my opinion tho.

And it’s all of this is just my opinion. I don’t need everyone to agree that we should feel sorry for Serena. In fact, i expect a lot of you to not agree.

Who would you personally choose between Luke and Nick? I personally like Nick a little more so far. (currently on season 2 so I don't know if he gets better or not or if he gets worse) I kind of like Nick's chemistry with June. I don't see a lot of her chemistry with Luke actually kind of find him dull and boring so far I know he had put Moira and his family list and I'm glad that together even with the flashbacks of her normal life it seemed like Luke was kind of a bum but then again I don't know I'm only on season 2. You guys can give me spoilers I don't mind them.

So I started watching this show for the second time (past s1) just a few months ago and I heard that S4 was bad and I have to disagree. The first few episodes were slower but later on I appreciated really sitting outside of Gilead and seeing how the characters move. A couple of stray thoughts:

— It was so interesting seeing how everyone processes trauma differently - Moira with her activism, Emily with her head in the sand, Rita with her cleaning/serving (almost acting like she never left Gilead and was still a Martha), and finally June with her infectious rage.
— Watching the court testimony process and finally seeing that they would use June’s testimony to turn Fred into an asset and not rightfully send him to jail, was another reminder that the government only cares about women and their trauma and abuse to a point. And as June says, what Waterford could offer to them by speaking about all he knows about Gilead is worth more than her justice or Moira’s or every other handmaid or jezebel that he had ever harmed.
— The fanaticism around Fred and Serena and their growing cult in Canada was infuriating to see. How did the failed US gov’t not see how dangerous that was? Especially because that was the cause of their destruction just a few years ago.
— Unfortunately, Fred wasn’t scared into taking that deal with June because of her testimony. He was scared about the monster that he was a part of creating - Gilead - and how they could impact his new nuclear family.
— Serena, oh Serena. Just like the failed US government, her memory is short. To think that Fred could be brought to heel again and this time that you would have a say, that he wouldn’t turn again or that she wouldn’t use another limb or right. It’s baffling but I understand in her mind she had limited choices and I understand that she’s a victim too but I truly cannot wait for her downfall.
— I really don’t like the hinting of Tuello / Serena and what that could be especially in the rest of the series.
— Watching Luke and Moira day by day realize that June is no longer their June was heartbreaking to watch but for him to say, “you need to let it go” was insane.
— A couple of stand out scenes / episodes that are top of mind:
- June basically infecting Moira’s support group with the reminder that they have a right to their rage and the eventual take over of that group from Moira.
- “Do you understand me?!?!” June flipping the script and screaming at Serena while she’s kneeling, pregnant and imprisoned.
- “I will kill you!!” June flipping out on Tuello after finding out that Fred is going to be free.
- Aunt Lydia jumping back on the treadmill plotting to get her job / power back as the top femcel in charge (FIC if you will).
- Janine telling June that she’s not a mushroom in the milk compartment on the train.
- June asking Fred to choose between the gun or the whistle.

Tl;dr - Season 4 isn’t the best but it’s not bad. On to season 5 I go!

I’m rewatching the show and just finished S5 E1. Something I still don’t understand is how June can hate Fred even more than Serena.
Anyone who defends and justifies Serena’s actions but condemns Fred, you’re sexist. Plain and simple. I’m a woman, a mother, with a daughter, sisters, nieces. To defend vile women is beyond my comprehension, it’s so disgusting to me. Serena was never a victim, she was a co-author.

Serena has done far more horrible shit to June. She’s the one who told Fred to r@pe June to begin labor, she physically assaulted June more than once, she threatened Hannah and said “if my baby is fine, your baby is fine”. Serena also screamed, yelled, far more than Fred - right in Junes face.

Serena told June she couldn’t be around Nicole, Fred is the one who set up June breastfeeding Nicole and Serena was pissed. There’s plenty more differences between how Serena was far more evil towards June.

I’m by no means making claims or points to defend Fred. He was vile, he was evil, he was sick. I’m not discounting any of the shit he did. I’m just saying I feel Serena is a few notches higher due to her being the main abuser of June.

I don’t understand how June can feel such rage for Fred and not Serena too. I would’ve been wanting Serena in the woods, Fred next for sure, but Serena first. Then I know at the end of the series June and Serena are cool? I hate Serena. She did the absolute most towards June and instead of even splitting her rage evenly across the Waterfords she uses up all of it for Fred.

I just wish Serena would’ve been given more shit herself because she deserved it more than any other villain in the show.

ETA: I am speaking of the Waterfords and June only. Not the other wives, not the Aunts, not the other commanders. And while Fred has his own evil ways and that’s why he got what he deserved, Serena abused June far more often than Fred. She kept June in her room for weeks, she made Fred rape June, she threatened Hannah, she turned her back on June and Nichole and told Fred she wanted Nichole back in Gilead so Fred went off trying to do just that. Serena physically hit June more, she even hit RITA! Of all people, RITA! Serena wouldn’t even let June near Nichole until Fred talked her into it.

Serena was jealous and abusive. Fred was obsessed with June and abusive. He tried to win her over while he abused her. Serena just had disdain for June. There’s far too many biases bc Serena is a woman, no no no. She doesn’t get a pass for being a woman. Serena wrote that damn book “a woman’s place”, she helped Fred write the laws of Gilead, she happily took on her role as a wife as mentioned numerous of times. Serena isn’t a victim. She’s one of the women who chose her life. She had people supporting her, Fred followed her lead, Serena had the other wives looking up to her. A victim? No. An accomplice? Absolutely. She slapped June, got in her face screaming and hollering. I mean, seriously? To say Fred is more evil than June is simply a bias perspective.

Serena deserved to have the same treatment Fred got. Serena held June down every month while Fred raped her. Serena showed moments of normalcy? Well, so did Fred. Does that mean Fred should get a pass too? No.

Serena as a woman betrayed women. Serena wrote the first chapter. Serena also AGAIN antagonized June during Fred’s funeral, with Hannah. When did Fred ever threaten or antagonize June with Hannah? He didn’t. So what you say for one needs to go right back to the other too.

Whew. This has annoyed me for years since I very first watched this show and still seeing women defend Serena is quite gross to me. As a woman, I hate Serena.

Final edit - I have repeated myself in the comments to the same parroting points defending Serena. If you can’t see how Serena is just as much as a predator as the men, just like many of the other wives and aunts, then you’re sexist. You can’t condemn a system but cherry pick those responsible in the system as not responsible just because they’re a woman. Do some further research on the history of women co-signing mens shit. Serena is not a victim, she’s a predator. Fred is also a predator. They’re both equally disgusting for sure. Serena just abused June more and thus, my post saying she deserved the exact wilderness treatment as Fred. She didn’t deserve to keep her son. Serena loved Gilead, even Mark tried getting her to leave and she was hell bent on not abandoning her country which Tuello pointed out “you already did”. If you’re incapable of seeing clearly why Serena is just as to blame as the men then that’s because you have your own biases clouding the truth of the matter. That’s like saying Aunt Lydia is innocent bc they threatened her life if she didn’t become an Aunt. No way. We all have our choices we can make. I’d rather die than subject people to the torture Gilead did.

I’m done repeating myself, I’ve said what I said so I shut notifications off to replies. Everyone have a great day and please open your eyes to the systematic sexism at play. You’re not defending women, you’re justifying predatory people regardless of sex.

Go in grace 🤌🏽

The ones we hear playing in his house, or during montages, or written on the mixtapes? Honestly, love his music, I'm hoping someone has a playlist of this, or of songs with similar vibe. What years / genres are those?

I just finished The Testaments and can’t stop thinking about it… Both The Handmaid’s Tale series and The Testaments really stuck with me. Every episode gave me chills because I connected with almost every character.

I thought about reading the books once I found out they inspired the shows, but I also wondered how they might differ since adaptations often tweak the original story.

Do you think reading the books is worth it? Maybe for the experience alone?