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.

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.

I wonder how Martha's assignment to households works. Is a household who is allowed to have a Martha required to fill in paperwork and request one?

Can they choose the Martha they get, or does the state just assign them one? I would guess that the ''best marthas'' (for example those who were chef in their past life) would be assigned directly to high commanders' households.

Is there a special state service that manages the martha system (affectation, formation etc...) ?

We saw a flashback of when June arrived at the Waterfords' house, but I would have really liked to see a flashback of when they received Rita, how they reacted, especially Serena, about having what is, in the end, their own domestic slave.

(First time watching) I thought the scene at the end of the episode, with the children landing in Canada, was really beautifully done. Other than maybe Rebecca seeing her dad being slightly cliché, I didn't think anything was under or overdone.

I liked adding in Luke hoping to see Hannah.

I love the handmaids and Marthas who stayed behind to throw rocks as the distraction.

🥹😭 one moment out of so much horror… do we only get one moment of hope ahhhhh

This book has been on my tbr for so long and I've really been wanting to watch the show too so my question is which format is better for the experience.

Sorry if this has been brought up before!!

I just finished watching The Handmaid's Tale for the first time, and one thing that puzzles me is the episode where June is in Washington and sees how the Handmaids are treated there. I genuinely felt claustrophobic watching how they’ve put rings in the mouths of all the women—I mean, how do they even eat?
And how are they supposed to give birth if they aren’t allowed to scream? It’s repulsive! But this is barely mentioned again after she leaves; I thought it would at least be brought up in Canada—the fact that they’re being treated in such a horrific way. It feels as if she is shocked and repulsed about it when she is there but then it’s completely forgotten.

Anyone else disappointed / confused that this doesn’t get mentioned more?

Edit: Also sorry if bad english, not my first language.

My thoughts almost through season 5:
-Luke is annoying af in season 5
-How tf can they afford such a nice home in Toronto?

I have been watching for the first time since past days. I am on season 4 ep 6ish. I could understand season 1...and then 2. But oh god does she ever get a break!

I am on season 4. I am tired.

The show is great though, very realistic..so realistic that its depressing. I changed my password to unlock my locked for months account so i can say this to somebody who has seen the show.

No spoilers please.

I can’t stop watching this show. I’m addicted. I’m in love with Nick and June’s love story. Please don’t spoil what happens to them.

Did anyone notice the change in voice of June? Her voice over voice changed as well as her speaking voice. I could tell cause I haven’t stopped binge watching the show since I started.

This show is depressing as hell but it throws glitter and hope every now and then. It’s like a toxic relationship. I’m so reeled in.

What really got me hooked the most is Nick and June’s relationship especially their strong sexual tension in Season 1?!?!?. (Again please don’t give me hints as to what will happen to them.) Romance in a fucking dystopian shit is just chefs kiss!!

Does anyone else find it comical that people keep talking about Hawaii like it would be a good place for refugees to go?

I watched this series up to Season 5 and then stopped. Recently I picked it back up, watched Season 6, and finally finished it.

This post isn’t really about this season in particular. It’s about a broader pattern I’ve noticed. In a lot of recent series, female and minority characters almost always get a redemption arc by the end. It’s as if they aren’t allowed to simply be bad or evil, because that seems to be a privilege reserved for white men.

Did we really need Lydia and Serena to end up as good people?

This show hits different when you know you would have ended up as a handmaid. I got divorced, and am remarried with a healthy baby. I’m not totally sure what would happen to my husband, either the colonies or on the wall I assume?

Anyone else handmaid material? if not, what role would you be forced to play in Gilead?

Istg, for June, every episode is just suffering on top of suffering on top of suffering. I continuously wish for the death of Lydia and the Waterfords. And Nick annoys me so much. Why haven't they still ran away. Okay-okay, I know it's very difficult. SHE ALMOST MADE IT BUT THE FUCKING GARAGE DOOR DID NOT OPEN.

This show is killing me. I just can't. UGHHHHH

The happiest moment of the show was when Emily ran over that guard. I wish she had hit more of them. Pls tell me it's gonna get better in future seasons. I see s3ep11 is something to look forward to, WHICH IS AN ENTIRE SEASON AWAY FROM ME

That short reunion with Hannah was just too brutal

And I'm just wondering can someone please tell me if Serena ends up getting better right now I can't stand her and Nick's wife is ugly

How do you see the difference between the TV series and the book? I watched the TV series first, and when I finished the book I thought, ‘Okay, is this everything?’

My feeling is that the series’ direction did such a good job of expanding on what was presented in the book. The book is great, but since this is the first time I’ve watched an adaptation before reading it, I think the TV series gave us something extra.

I'm currently on S3E9, where Offmatthew is in hospital. I don't like her very much, but I do feel for her character a lot, having had at least 4 pregnancies (unsure if she had any children before) and knowing she can't keep any of her children.

I know that's the case for most of the handmaids, but it must be so incredibly horrible to know that as someone more "fruitful" you're going to be in high demand to be used as an incubator, churn out so many more babies than average and to just have them dotted all over town.

Not to mention how much her circumstances end up resembling Adriana Smith's horrific story last year.

Sei lá eu sinto que teria sido interessante já que ela é lésbica, sei que temos a emily mas a emily nunca entregaria o show que a moira entregaria, moira iria tramar e planejar como june fez

This is a German version of The Handmaid’s Tale, by Fischer in Frankfurt am Main, what was West Germany, back in April 1989.

Interestingly, the phrase we know from the book is different. In Latin, it’s Hirundo maleficis evoltat, which means “The Swallow Flies Away from Sorcerers.” Neat.

FINALLLYYYYYYYYY

Estou na segunda temporada da série e cheguei à conclusão de que seria impossível as aias gerarem bebês psicologicamente saudáveis com os níveis de estresse crônico nos quais elas vivem desde que o regime tomou conta.

Os altos níveis de cortisol no organismo delas causaria todo tipo de problema físico e mental aos bebês antes mesmo de eles nascerem.

Se já estava difícil antes e mulheres normais tinham apenas 20% de chances de gerar um bebê saudável, isso SE conseguissem engravidar, mas tinham suas casas, conforto, tranquilidade e queriam aqueles bebês, imagina agora que todos os bebês são frutos de estupr*, não ia nascer 1 saudável, não tem como.

Eu acabei de terminar o 8 episódio da temporada 3, e tô com sentimentos mistos com relação a Natalie e a June. Sei que a Natalie foi uma cuzona com a fatalidade da Martha e afastou Hannah ainda mais da June. Mas a vingança da June com ela é mais um ato egoísta do que uma luta de sobrevivência propriamente pra alcançar Hannah. Tô com dó da Natalie, pq assim como algumas tem suas maneiras de sobreviver em Gilead, acredito que a devoção dela a Gilead era um escudo para sua sanidade, a June basicamente cutucou o escudo até quebrar e matou uma como ela, enquanto quem deveria continua vivendo com a morte das aias.

This is the first time I'm properly committing to the show. The only other time I've watched was YEARS ago when it first came out and I think I got through series 1 but found it too slow.

I'm definitely more invested than before and I will continue with it, but I'm now on S3E1 and remembering why I struggled with it so much before.

It's so slowwww. Not the story line. Literally slow. All the slow motion shots, the close ups, how long it takes June to finish her sentences, how longgggg she waits to move or run or complete an action.

I know she wants to stay for Hannah and I do get that as a motive but now she's got two kids without a mum and she was wasting time for Emily. She has no sense of urgency and she doesn't seem to think about anyone else.

I have been watching the whole series on and off for half a year now. I grew really attached to the characters and their devastating story lines. Although I very much preferred the first two season I was also still hooked throughout the later ones.

I knew the show had to come to an end but the ending we got in season 6 has left me extremely unsatisfied.

A) Hanna.

I know Gilead is a totalitarian regime and it would almost be an impossible task to get a commanders daughter out safel, but wasn’t that the whole point of the show? My heart just aches deeply for both her parents who have tried so hard but could never succeed.

B) Nicks storyline.

I never thought he was a good guy, he is a very morally gray character. He always just kept to doing what kept him and June safe. Still, I found his ending did not do the character justice they had taken so much time to build. I have no problem with him dying in the end but the way in which his death was executed felt like such a betrayal to the loyalty his character had shown in the previous seasons. I would’ve much preferred if he had died protecting June or Holly/ Nicole. Maybe I read him wrong?

Also June dismissing him in front of Serena in the very last episode felt so untrue to her character? I was sure she still loved him and grieved him despite of the choices he has made. Writing her character to be so cold in the end towards him felt like she was not honoring all the risks he had taken for her which is so unsatisfying to witness and truly makes me sad.

Anyways, I’m just having a hard time coping with the Series coming to an end in general and on top leaving me with such devastating feelings towards the characters. It’s just hard watching something for such a long time and then not agreeing with the writers choices :/

It makes me wish I had never started the show in the first place.

I want to feel happy again in my own life and not be so distraught thinking about fictional characters.

Could anyone share their personal experience and give advice on how to cope with these feelings/ thoughts?

Thank you a lot.

I started watching the handmaids tale and I don’t know if I’m the only one that experienced it but I’m starting to get worried for the future.

i know Atwood didn’t make anything up in some sense but I’m starting to realize how possible it is for this to come reality, not in the same way as in the show (because it’s fiction) but when you really think about it we’re slowly being fed this ideology from the media.

maybe I’m just really paranoid but if anyone can lighten me or share their opinions I’m open.

In season 3 episode 7 of the handmaid's tale Eleanor says to June:" it's hard not to imagine what my own daughter might look like" or something like that. In earlier episodes Joseph tells Emily "loosing a child is like loosing a limb" so maybe knowing what Gilead was going to be like he managed to send his daughter to Canada, to safety.