Handmaid's Tale

[Viin]

On Hulu.

I've only watched one episode so far, but it seems to be very close to the books. Anyone else watching?

[Tale]

It's called The Handmaid's Tale, not Handmaiden's. I haven't watched yet, but I will.

Sci-fi scenario: Dystopian future USA ruled by totalitarian religious zealots, where human fertility has become rare. Women have no rights, and fertile women are kept as property (handmaids) by the wealthy male rulers: Trailer.

[Tale]

Finished this. It's great.

[Korachia]

Yeah it's very decent entertainment.

My girlfriend really digs it, because of it's very clear political stance, which suits her socialist/feminist worldview. I have to admit that the whole setup sometimes goes a little too much over the top a few times for my taste. Especially the season's ending.

[Tale]

It's horrifyingly great near-future dystopian sci-fi that is accidentally super-relevant in the Trump era.

Just yesterday, there was a news story about massively declining sperm count in western men, and Trump excluded "gender traitors" (Handmaid's Tale terminology) from the military.

I was more affected by the troubling scenes than my wife, despite the worst things happening to women. In these times, it cuts deep to watch fiction about what the worst men could do with absolute power.

[Tale]

I've watched the first six episodes of season 2.

It's still amazing. Very gritty and difficult viewing at times, but seriously good dystopian TV drama.

You can't go through grim event after grim event without a payoff at the end... and we got one in episode 6.

[Rasix]

I've watched the first six episodes of season 2.

It's still amazing. Very gritty and difficult viewing at times, but seriously good dystopian TV drama.

You can't go through grim event after grim event without a payoff at the end... and we got one in episode 6.

That was amazing. Also, the follow up was pretty satisfying as well. The scene in Loaves and Fishes was very touching.

The level of quality that they are maintaining is incredible.

[Tale]

Episode 11 of season 2 is one of the greatest episodes of television. Gotta win an Emmy.

[Tale]

Just watched the finale. Was yelling at the TV "FUUUUCK! NO. DON'T! FUUUUCK. DON'T!"

[Cyrrex]

Anyone watching season 3?  I continue to be hugely impressed by this show.

[Tale]

Missed your post until now. Yes I watched season 3 and it ended awesomely.

Seasons 1 and 2 were some of the best TV I've watched. Season 3 was beautifully shot and designed and layered, but the plot meandered all over the place. Sometimes it was like they glued together a series of beautifully made scenes, a bit like a Tarantino movie, and didn't tell enough story between them.

But I am still fully on board. If you're not watching this, it's the epic near-future dystopian sci-fi show you're missing.

[Cyrrex]

In my mind, I think of this series as "Trump Administration:  the Second Term."

You are right about the meandering plot of S3, but I still thought it was great.  And like at the end of S2, I am left wondering....are they done?  I mean, there is more story left to tell, but....

[eldaec]

Missed your post until now. Yes I watched season 3 and it ended awesomely.

Seasons 1 and 2 were some of the best TV I've watched. Season 3 was beautifully shot and designed and layered, but the plot meandered all over the place. Sometimes it was like they glued together a series of beautifully made scenes, a bit like a Tarantino movie, and didn't tell enough story between them.

But I am still fully on board. If you're not watching this, it's the epic near-future dystopian sci-fi show you're missing.

To my mind the plot is broken now. The instant retribution visited on extras compared with the Teflon of main characters is starting to show.

But well enough put together that it is great despite this.

[Sir T]

Well there is the minor problem that Atwood is publishing a direct sequel to the Handmaids tale book, called The Testaments, tomorrow Sept 10th. That means that the show has gone off in a different direction to the original story.

Now this may or may not create a problem, but it is a factor in that the show will lose its "officialness."

[Tale]

Well there is the minor problem that Atwood is publishing a direct sequel to the Handmaids tale book, called The Testaments, tomorrow Sept 10th. That means that the show has gone off in a different direction to the original story.

Now this may or may not create a problem, but it is a factor in that the show will lose its "officialness."

It won't because Atwood herself is on board with MGM and Hulu and they have just announced a Testaments TV adaptation.

In interviews last week, she said the show sometimes frustrates her and she yells at the showrunners. She said that the plot cannot have June staying in Gilead much longer. Showrunner Bruce Miller has said they will combine the two worlds.

[eldaec]

I mean, OK, but the plot also cannot take June out of Gilead.

[Tale]

Hulu in the US just dropped the first 3 episodes of Season 4 early.

It's been a long wait due to covid, but from the trailers this season appears to change direction towards armed resistance against Gilead, rather than June remaining a handmaid. They've had the benefit of the sequel novel The Testaments released in the meantime (set long after the series timeframe) to guide the story forward.

Doesn't begin in Australia untll Thursday (on SBS/SBS On Demand).
Edit: aaand SBS dropped it early too.

[Tale]

Seems nobody but me likes to talk about it, but season 4 finished yesterday and the ending was outstanding.

I spent the whole season going "what the fuck, where are you taking this, writers?" and then the final episode totally landed it; "here's where we're taking you".