The Handmaid's Tale returns for another season of murder, motherhood and mastermind. Vanshika Dhyani talks all things Gilead.
It is futuristic, it is dystopian. Some say it's a prophecy, others believe it to be a cautionary tale. Let’s talk about The Handmaid's Tale, and its relevance to modern society
Set in The Republic of Gilead—a theocratic, totalitarian state, The Handmaid's Tale is the story of a society that rests upon the pillars of religious fanaticism. The story follows Offred played by Elisabeth Moss —a handmaid—when she moves into the Waterford household.
The award-winning Hulu Original, based on the 1985 novel by Margaret Atwood first premiered on April 26, 2017. It is returning for yet another season of murder, motherhood, and mastermind on September 14, 2022, for the penultimate time.
The Handmaid's Tale is returning for another season of murder, motherhood and mastermind.
In this distant future, women and nature have both been exploited by man and a climate emergency resulting in declining fertility rates, sterility, and birth defects. The Rachel and Leah Centre, also known as The Red Centre, recruits and trains women to take on the role of Handmaids. These white bonneted and red robed women are property of a state that views them as expendable breeders. With every posting, a handmaid is matched with a high ranking official and his wife, for whom she births and nurses an offspring. The Handmaid is nothing more than a vessel to bring children of important men into the world.
While the first season closely follows the book’s narrative, the subsequent seasons build upon Atwood's world—Gilead as a society and Offred as a protagonist. Offred’s story is told through impactful cinematography, Emmy winning storytelling and sickeningly realistic on-screen presence, making for an immersive experience which is as thrilling as it is horrifying.
The Handmaid's Tale is for those who enjoyed The Man in the High Castle—a dystopian alternate reality, where the Axis Powers won World War II. Both shows are book adaptations, and are set in a strict authoritarian regime, with strong female leads. If you liked Elisabeth Moss in Invisible Man, you’d love her in The Handmaid's Tale. If you like survival stories, dystopian settings, and symbolism, then you will absolutely devour this series. Same goes for folks passionate about feminism, reproductive rights and climate justice.
The Guardian ranked The Handmaid's Tale 25th on the list of best TV series of the 21st century
If you’ve been on the fence about watching The Handmaid's Tale for the last 5 years, it is time to give it a shot. Unsurprisingly, the Guardian ranked The Handmaid's Tale 25th on the list of best TV series of the 21st century!
The show is fast paced, gripping and quite graphic, and does not make for an easy watch. Viewer discretion is advised.