The Handmaid's Tale - Hulu Original (**Spoilers**)

Just finished. The best tv series Ive ever watched hands down

kunst nugget

Yeah, just finished it there too. Can't think of any tv show that had a better first season.

Agent Coulson

Alexis Bledel

will be returning as a series regular for season 2.

Slydice

Well, I can't imagine how dark that could go. I can make a few guesses though!

ixoy

Just finished it there, having watched it over the last few weeks. It was excellent, far better than I thought it would be and, come those TV awards, easily my pick for Best New Show (and hopefully can throw in a vote for Moss too).

The cast was very strong, hitting some real lump-in-throat moments. Moss, who I'm a fan of, has done her strongest work here. The scene in the finale when she sees her daughter and goes from sadness to fury at Serena was as good as any I've seen this year.

I think the manner in which it's filmed really helped - great soundtrack and a sort of edgy camera work that really grounded it. It made it feel all too plausible. Downbeat for the most part sure, but there's always that glimmer of hope.

Agent Coulson

Margaret Atwood herself wants Drake to have a cameo in season 2.

sporina

I have a query about episode 5 - faithful.. why did Offred initiate getting it on with Nick? Did I miss something?
Please no spoilers for future episodes as I am watching behind time
thanks

Slydice

sporina wrote: »

I have a query about episode 5 - faithful.. why did Offred initiate getting it on with Nick? Did I miss something?
Please no spoilers for future episodes as I am watching behind time
thanks

At this point in the show, my thinking had been one or a combination of:
- She saw his gun. Working access to the gun seemed a good idea as it would give her a lot of options for action.
- She wanted to exercise some control over her life given she was now a prisioner in most other aspects of her life.
- She wanted to exercise some control over Nick and thought he might bond with her through sex.
- She wanted sex.

sporina

Slydice wrote: »

At this point in the show, my thinking had been one or a combination of:
- She saw his gun. Working access to the gun seemed a good idea as it would give her a lot of options for action.
- She wanted to exercise some control over her life given she was now a prisioner in most other aspects of her life.
- She wanted to exercise some control over Nick and thought he might bond with her through sex.
- She wanted sex.

ok...

thanks..

but does anyone actually know the answer for defo? i have the feeling that i (we) missed something

Slydice

sporina wrote: »

ok...

thanks..

but does anyone actually know the answer for defo? i have the feeling that i (we) missed something

Do you want to know about future episodes?:)

sporina

Slydice wrote: »

Do you want to know about future episodes?:)

no! like i said - did i miss something previously? i don't get her initiation ?

heldel00

The scene in the finale when she sees her daughter and goes from sadness to fury at Serena was as good as any I've seen this year.

^^^ I'm shaking my fist here at you Ioxy for that little nugget of info!

sporina

heldel00 wrote: »

The scene in the finale when she sees her daughter and goes from sadness to fury at Serena was as good as any I've seen this year.

^^^ I'm shaking my fist here at you Ioxy for that little nugget of info!

thanks for the spolier - though i glanced over it mindlessly

whatever99

sporina wrote: »

I have a query about episode 5 - faithful.. why did Offred initiate getting it on with Nick? Did I miss something?
Please no spoilers for future episodes as I am watching behind time
thanks

Good reasons in the earlier post on this. I also think she fancies him too.

Slydice

sporina wrote: »

no! like i said - did i miss something previously? i don't get her initiation ?

I don't think you missed anything previously.

In the novel, she falls for Nick. Hence her "cheating on Luke" thought. Having read the novel prior to watching the show I never questioned why she went to Nick. I thought it was implied.

youngblood

I imagine the finale of the series whenever it happens will include the

epilogue, which when I was reading it was totally unexpected and kinda took me by surprise.......

sporina

Deleted User wrote: »

In the novel, she falls for Nick. Hence her "cheating on Luke" thought. Having read the novel prior to watching the show I never questioned why she went to Nick. I thought it was implied.

for those of us who have NOT read the book - was it implied in the tv show? i know that she squeezed his arm after she saw the gun when they were performing the "ceremony"

PS is the tv series meant to be exactly like the book? maybe or maybe not.. not all are

sporina

sporina wrote: »

for those of us who have NOT read the book - was it implied in the tv show? i know that she squeezed his arm after she saw the gun when they were performing the "ceremony"

PS is the tv series meant to be exactly like the book? maybe or maybe not.. not all are

Perhaps it was not implied, it was impossible for me to see this as I already knew.

Many parts of the show are the same as the novel. There is far more in the show. It deviates from the storyline but not enough to ruin it in any way.

Jobs OXO

I wonder the name Offred does it have a double meaning i.e. "Off Red" ???

Marje

Jobs OXO wrote: »

I wonder the name Offred does it have a double meaning i.e. "Off Red" ???

The Handmaids are all referred to by names that signify the Commanders they serve: Offred is Of Fred, Ofglen for Of Glen

Jobs OXO

Marje wrote: »

The Handmaids are all referred to by names that signify the Commanders they serve: Offred is Of Fred, Ofglen for Of Glen

Eh yes I know that. They also wear red. Rebellion against the red = Off Red

StringerBell

Really loved this, didn't realise it had only began in April when we started watching and am now gutted we will be waiting so long to see a new season, this binge watching thing does have its drawbacks

StringerBell

Jobs OXO wrote: »

Eh yes I know that. They also wear red. Rebellion against the red = Off Red

What you suggest makes no sense. Of Glen alone puts an end to it.

kunst nugget

StringerBell wrote: »

What you suggest makes no sense. Of Glen alone puts an end to it.

It does make sense. I think Margaret Atwood called her principal character Offred specifically for the reason the poster stated. It's a subtle play on words.

Jobs OXO

StringerBell wrote: »

What you suggest makes no sense. Of Glen alone puts an end to it.

Whoosh

Marje

Article written by Margaret Atwood

When I first began “The Handmaid’s Tale” it was called “Offred,” the name of its central character. This name is composed of a man’s first name, “Fred,” and a prefix denoting “belonging to,” so it is like “de” in French or “von” in German, or like the suffix “son” in English last names like Williamson. Within this name is concealed another possibility: “offered,” denoting a religious offering or a victim offered for sacrifice.

The modesty costumes worn by the women of Gilead are derived from Western religious iconography — the Wives wear the blue of purity, from the Virgin Mary; the Handmaids wear red, from the blood of parturition, but also from Mary Magdalene. Also, red is easier to see if you happen to be fleeing. The wives of men lower in the social scale are called Econowives, and wear stripes. I must confess that the face-hiding bonnets came not only from mid-Victorian costume and from nuns, but from the Old Dutch Cleanser package of the 1940s, which showed a woman with her face hidden, and which frightened me as a child. Many totalitarianisms have used clothing, both forbidden and enforced, to identify and control people — think of yellow stars and Roman purple — and many have ruled behind a religious front. It makes the creation of heretics that much easier.

Jobs OXO

Marje wrote: »

Article written by Margaret Atwood

Oh Jesus, are you being deliberately obtuse or do you just look at things one dimensionally? Just google it !

http://www.123helpme.com/the-red-symbol-in-the-handmaids-tale-preview.asp?id=223873

"Everything correlated with the handmaids is red; Offred’s own name, for instance, which so distressingly epitomizes dualism can be read as "Of Fred," signifying her ownership to her commander-yet furthermore can be read as "Off Red,” suggesting off with the red dress, symbolizing her yearning for nonconformity from the red dress and all the afflictions correlated with red in her life- blood, death and violence, which have come to “define” her."

https://www.google.ie/amp/io9.com/5848749/puns-puzzles-and-easter-eggs-in-margaret-atwoods-the-handmaids-tale/amp

"At first glance, the puns and references are the sort of things that English essays are made of. After describing the body-concealing dress and wimple-like head coverings that Offred is forced to wear, she notes "Habits are hard to break." Or, later, she describes women as "We were the people who were not in the papers. We lived in the blank white spaces at the edge of print." Why? Because they're marginalized. Or the way that everything about the Handmaids is red, and the rebellious narrator is "off-red"

sporina

watched the episode 6 and think i just have to watch it rather than over thinking it.. so will unfollow this thread until i have finished the series - thanks

Mr E

Jobs OXO wrote: »

Oh Jesus, are you being deliberately obtuse or do you just look at things one dimensionally? Just google it !

No need for the attitude. We're all friends here. Try and keep it civil, thanks.

E mac

Five episodes in have to say it's a hard watch in parts but definitely one of the best shows around at the moment/ all year.

Colser

I recorded it last night and just watched it now,best episode so far imo ..great show and I think next week is the last of the series .

E mac

Yep ten episodes this season.

Colser

E mac wrote: »

Yep ten episodes this season.

Do you know how many seasons are being made?

E mac

I've no idea. Season two is happening but having not read the book nor finished the season I don't know how much of the book is in season one or will be in season two. I'm just enjoying it episode by episode!

Also Starring LeVar Burton

E mac wrote: »

I've no idea. Season two is happening but having not read the book nor finished the season I don't know how much of the book is in season one or will be in season two. I'm just enjoying it episode by episode!

Everything in the book has been included in Season One, so Season Two is a continuation of the novel.

Harry Palmr

I look forward to series two after just ending series one on Channel Four tonight.

Series
Series
Series

Psychologeeee

Just finished this and thought it was spectacular!

I'm really disappointed that I didn't realise there was a book prior to the series! I would have loved to read it first, but I'll still give it a go!

johnpatrick81

Also just finished it. Definitely one of the best new shows in recent years. Moss is fantastic in it.

Neyite

Psychologeeee wrote: »

Just finished this and thought it was spectacular!

I'm really disappointed that I didn't realise there was a book prior to the series! I would have loved to read it first, but I'll still give it a go!

I'm re-reading the book after the series and it's easier to visualise the book now.

Cubik

I wonder if people who read the book first time after watching the series are destined to be disappointed?

The book is brilliant in my opinion - one of my favourite books ever (ditto Oryx & Crake by the same author - another disturbing vision of the future) but the television series does flesh it out an enormous amount (including adding brand new bits) so my suspicion is that those who read the book may wonder "Why didn't A and B happen?"

Agent Coulson

It was a big winner at the TCA Awards last night.

BailMeOut

How do I see this? I believe C4 showed it recently but does not show up under catchup?

Surreptitious

Wow, what an ending. I will admit to the odd tear

Surreptitious

BailMeOut wrote: »

How do I see this? I believe C4 showed it recently but does not show up under catchup?

It's been too long now I'd say for catch up.

Agent Coulson

Well it deservingly won all the big awards at the Emmys last night and Hulu also became the first streaming site to win best drama award.

Glebee

Watched the first episode last night after it been on my to watch list for a while and thought it was fantastic. Questions in do I keep watching or stop and read the book????

kunst nugget

Glebee wrote: »

Watched the first episode last night after it been on my to watch list for a while and thought it was fantastic. Questions in do I keep watching or stop and read the book????

I read the book and while it is fantastic, I think the series does a better job as it really gives a great insight into the foundation of Gilead.

Slydice

Sketch starts at 0:50

bodhrandude

Series 2 apparently is going to have 13 episodes, looking forward to it.