It's amazing that this story was able to be adapted into one of the most talked about shows of the decade. I read the book, and I found it 85% world building and 15% actual plot. As I read it, I found it extremely teachable, something we'd be taught in school. My school was big on dystopian societies and rebuilding governments, Watership Down, Alas, Babylon, Lord of the Flies, A Tale of Two Cities, Les Misérables, The Scarlet Letter, 1984, and I thought why wasn't The Handmaid's Tale one of them? Especially in a time when it's scarily relevant? And it's now an award-winning series.
The first season follows the book, my guess they never intended to go beyond one season. It sets up this world where America has fallen and Christian radicals have taken over.
Offred serves as a Handmaid to a high ranking Commander. As she endures her living situation, she recalls past memories of the time before to keep her sane. She remembers her husband and their child, and she wonders where they'd be. She also recalls her suffragette mother, whom she's sure she's dead. Meanwhile, she engages in a dangerous relationship with Commander as well as the driver, who is also a secret Eye. With the Commander she is drawn to the time before when women had more freedom. She engages in luxuries that many, including her, took for granted: playing Scrabble, reading Cosmo, applying face cream. With Nick, the driver, she feels the companionship she once had with Luke. Every night she's with him, she wishes it would last forever, and when they weren't together, she longs for him at night.
Seasons two and three are more action based with many plot twists that often lead nowhere because the Handmaids' plans, to overthrow their leaders, get foiled by some nosy neighbor, or Serena Joy reminds Offred that she's in charge, or that Offred changes the plans last minute. It makes it frustrating that she is all about trying to sticking it out as a Handmaid, then she's given an opportunity to break out, but she can't leave without her daughter, but her daughter disappears, so she decides to break out the other children, but she stays behind for some God forsaken reason. It makes you rethink about staying committed to the show that can't stay committed to the plot.
I guess what keeps us committed is often Offred's flashbacks are filled with people who question her relationship with Luke as well as her mothering her daughter, like when she doses her up with Benedryl so June could send her to school sick. Aside from that, the characters established as evil robots in the show are given origin stories showing them once human, like Aunt Lydia. I think that may have to do with the publishing of The Testaments, which she plays a major role in.
Season four is coming soon, and producers believe they can go forever. Maybe not with Offred/June in the lead, but the world of Gilead is constantly building, so there are plenty of stories to be told. I don't know, you can do so much world-building before it starts becoming tiring. Ahem, Marvel. But, I anticipate Season four's arrival.
I hope you liked this. Be sure to subscribe and leave a comment about what you thought or if you want to recommend a movie or TV show for me to review. Thank you for reading. I'll return next week with another movie. See you then.
Season 1
Released on Hulu: April 26 - June 14, 2017
Rating: TV-MA
Stars: Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Alexis Bledel, Madeline Brewer, Ann Dowd, O. T. Fagbenie, Max Minghella, Samira Wiley
Directors: Reed Morano, Mike Barker, Floria Sigismondi, Kate Dennis, Kari Skogland
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94% Certified Fresh
IMDb Score: 8.5/10 (Average)
Awards
Primetime Emmy Awards
Season 2
Released on Hulu: April 25 - July 11, 2018
Rating: TV-MA
Stars: Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Alexis Bledel, Madeline Brewer, Ann Dowd, O. T. Fagbenie, Max Minghella, Samira Wiley, Amanda Brugel
Directors: Mike Barker, Kari Skogland, Jeremy Podeswa, Daina Reid
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89% Certified Fresh
IMDb Score: 8.5/10 (Average)
Awards
Primetime Emmy Awards
Released on Hulu: June 5 - August 14, 2019
Rating: TV-MA
Stars: Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Alexis Bledel, Madeline Brewer, Ann Dowd, O. T. Fagbenie, Max Minghella, Samira Wiley, Amanda Brugel, Bradley Whitford
Directors: Mike Barker, Amma Asante, Colin Watkinson, Dearbhla Walsh, Daina Reid, Deniz Gamze Ergüven
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81% Certified Fresh
IMDb Score: 8.1/10 (Average)
The first season follows the book, my guess they never intended to go beyond one season. It sets up this world where America has fallen and Christian radicals have taken over.
Offred serves as a Handmaid to a high ranking Commander. As she endures her living situation, she recalls past memories of the time before to keep her sane. She remembers her husband and their child, and she wonders where they'd be. She also recalls her suffragette mother, whom she's sure she's dead. Meanwhile, she engages in a dangerous relationship with Commander as well as the driver, who is also a secret Eye. With the Commander she is drawn to the time before when women had more freedom. She engages in luxuries that many, including her, took for granted: playing Scrabble, reading Cosmo, applying face cream. With Nick, the driver, she feels the companionship she once had with Luke. Every night she's with him, she wishes it would last forever, and when they weren't together, she longs for him at night.
Seasons two and three are more action based with many plot twists that often lead nowhere because the Handmaids' plans, to overthrow their leaders, get foiled by some nosy neighbor, or Serena Joy reminds Offred that she's in charge, or that Offred changes the plans last minute. It makes it frustrating that she is all about trying to sticking it out as a Handmaid, then she's given an opportunity to break out, but she can't leave without her daughter, but her daughter disappears, so she decides to break out the other children, but she stays behind for some God forsaken reason. It makes you rethink about staying committed to the show that can't stay committed to the plot.
I guess what keeps us committed is often Offred's flashbacks are filled with people who question her relationship with Luke as well as her mothering her daughter, like when she doses her up with Benedryl so June could send her to school sick. Aside from that, the characters established as evil robots in the show are given origin stories showing them once human, like Aunt Lydia. I think that may have to do with the publishing of The Testaments, which she plays a major role in.
Season four is coming soon, and producers believe they can go forever. Maybe not with Offred/June in the lead, but the world of Gilead is constantly building, so there are plenty of stories to be told. I don't know, you can do so much world-building before it starts becoming tiring. Ahem, Marvel. But, I anticipate Season four's arrival.
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I hope you liked this. Be sure to subscribe and leave a comment about what you thought or if you want to recommend a movie or TV show for me to review. Thank you for reading. I'll return next week with another movie. See you then.
Season 1
Released on Hulu: April 26 - June 14, 2017
Rating: TV-MA
Stars: Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Alexis Bledel, Madeline Brewer, Ann Dowd, O. T. Fagbenie, Max Minghella, Samira Wiley
Directors: Reed Morano, Mike Barker, Floria Sigismondi, Kate Dennis, Kari Skogland
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94% Certified Fresh
IMDb Score: 8.5/10 (Average)
Awards
Primetime Emmy Awards
- Outstanding Drama Series - Winner
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Elisabeth Moss) - Winner
- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Ann Dowd) - Winner
- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Samira Wiley) - Nominated
- Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Reed Morano) - Winner
- Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Kate Dennis) - Nominated
- Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (Bruce Miller) - Winner
- Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (Alexis Bledel) - Winner
- Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series (Russell Scott, Sharon Bialy & Sherry Thomas) - Nominated
- Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour) (Colin Watkinson) - Winner
- Outstanding Period/Fantasy Costumes for a Series, Limited Series, or Movie (Ane Crabtree & Sheena Wichary) - Nominated
- Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary or Fantasy Program (One Hour or More) (Julie Berghoff, Evan Webber & Sophie Neudorfer) - Winner
- Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role (Brendan Taylor, Stephen Lebed, Leo Bovell, Martin O'Brien, Winston Lee, Kelly Knauff, Zach Dembinski, Mike Suta & Cameron Kerr) - Nominated
- Best Television Series (Drama) - Winner
- Best Actress (Television Series Drama) (Elisabeth Moss) - Winner
- Best Supporting Actress (Series, Miniseries, or Television Film) (Ann Dowd) - Nominated
Released on Hulu: April 25 - July 11, 2018
Rating: TV-MA
Stars: Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Alexis Bledel, Madeline Brewer, Ann Dowd, O. T. Fagbenie, Max Minghella, Samira Wiley, Amanda Brugel
Directors: Mike Barker, Kari Skogland, Jeremy Podeswa, Daina Reid
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89% Certified Fresh
IMDb Score: 8.5/10 (Average)
Awards
Primetime Emmy Awards
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Elisabeth Moss) - Nominated
- Outstanding Supporting Actor in Drama Series (Joseph Fiennes) - Nominated
- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Alexis Bledel) - Nominated
- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Ann Dowd) - Nominated
- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Yvonne Strahovski) - Nominated
- Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Kari Skogland) - Nominated
- Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (Bruce Miller) - Nominated
- Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Daina Reid) - Nominated
- Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (Bruce Miller & Kira Snyder) - Nominated
- Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (Kelly Jenrette) - Nominated
- Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (Samira Wiley) - Winner
- Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (Cherry Jones) - Nominated
- Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series (Sharon Bialy, Sherry Thomas, Russell Scott & Robin D. Cook) - Nominated
- Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour) (Colin Watkinson) - Nominated
- Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes (Ane Crabtree & Natalie Bronfman) - Nominated
- Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic) (Burton LeBlanc, Talia Reingold & Erika Caceres) - Nominated
- Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More) (Mark White, Elisabeth Williams, Martha Sparrow and Caroline Gee) - Winner
- Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More) (Elisabeth Williams, Martha Sparrow & Rob Hepburn) - Nominated
- Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series (Wendy Hallam Martin) - Winner
- Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One-Hour) (Joe Morrow, Lou Solakofski & Sylvain Arseneault) - Nominated
- Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role (Stephen Lebed, Brendan Taylor, Kelly Knauff, Kelly Weisz, Kevin McGeagh, Anderson Leo Bovell, Winston Lee, Xi Luo and Cameron Kerr) - Nominated
- Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (Bradley Whitford) - Winner
- Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (Cherry Jones) - Winner
- Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour) (Colin Watkinson) - Nominated
- Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour) (Zoë White) - Nominated
- Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes (Ane Crabtree & Natalie Bronfman) - Nominated
- Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) (Adam Taylor) - Nominated
- Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series (Wendy Hallam Martin) - Nominated
- Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More) (Elisabeth Williams, Martha Sparrow & Robert Hepburn) - Winner
- Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour) (Joe Morrow, Lou Solakofski & Sylvain Arseneault) - Nominated
- Best Actress (Television Series Drama) (Elisabeth Moss) - Nominated
- Best Supporting Actress (Series, Miniseries or Television Film) (Yvonne Strahovski) - Nominated
Released on Hulu: June 5 - August 14, 2019
Rating: TV-MA
Stars: Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Alexis Bledel, Madeline Brewer, Ann Dowd, O. T. Fagbenie, Max Minghella, Samira Wiley, Amanda Brugel, Bradley Whitford
Directors: Mike Barker, Amma Asante, Colin Watkinson, Dearbhla Walsh, Daina Reid, Deniz Gamze Ergüven
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81% Certified Fresh
IMDb Score: 8.1/10 (Average)
Awards
Primetime Emmy Awards
- Outstanding Drama Series - Nominated
- Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (Bradley Whitford) - Nominated
- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Samira Wiley) - Nominated
- Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (Alexis Bledel) - Nominated
Creative Primetime Emmy Awards
- Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series (Sharon Bialy, Sherry Thomas, Russell Scott and Robin D. Cook) - Nominated
- Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes (Natalie Bronfman, Helena Davis Perry and Christina Cattle) - Nominated
- Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling (Paul Elliot and Ewa Latak-Cynk) - Nominated
- Outstanding Contemporary Makeup (Non-Prosthetic) (Burton LeBlanc and Alastair Muir) - Nominated
- Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More) (Elisabeth Williams, Martha Sparrow and Robert Hepburn) - Winner
- Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role (Stephen Lebed, Brendan Taylor, Leo Bovell, Rob Greb, Gwen Zhang, Marlis Coto, Stephen Wagner, Josh Clark and James Minett) - Nominated
(Click here to view more awards for "The Handmaid's Tale".)
I read an article entitled CAN JUNE JUST DIE ALREADY . It's hard to watch bc S1 ended like the book did. And the testaments are set 15 years later. And they aren't June's story, but she does show up. So no she can't die. But what WAS she doing for the next decade?? I guess she could fake die. So then whose story gets told instead? I cant cheer for Serena. Nick is a freakin' mess. I despise Aunt Lydia, but she IS the testaments and that show is already comimg. Which handmaid would you want to follow next? They've built June up so much, there aren't many strong leads to follow? As much as I love Janine, I wouldn't tune in for her weekly perils. Unless this show has some mega spin skills. As far as I have seen, they don't.
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