The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu

[adidas]

This interview with the actress who played Natalie was excellent imo. It gave me a lot more understanding.

And - again imo - if I need to read an interview to have a good understanding, the show isn’t doing its job.

Or am I just dumb? Is it being too ‘subtle’?

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a28351905/handmaids-tale-ofmatthew-ashleigh-lathrop-interview/

Edited July 15, 2019 by adidas

[Blahblah]

1 hour ago, adidas said:

This interview with the actress who played Natalie was excellent imo. It gave me a lot more understanding.

And - again imo - if I need to read an interview to have a good understanding, the show isn’t doing its job.

Or am I just dumb? Is it being too ‘subtle’?

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a28351905/handmaids-tale-ofmatthew-ashleigh-lathrop-interview/

Not dumb. If you need outside information to understand a TV show, someone somewhere isn’t doing their job properly. Especially in this case where we have all been watching since the beginning, and most of us had already read the book, so had the basics already.

Not sure I agree that the reason June is being kept around is to help get Nichole back (as per the interview). The Waterford’s are demanding parental rights to Nichole. As far as anyone officially knows, Fred is Nichole’s biological father. If June was out of the picture, wouldn’t he have an even greater claim to Nichole?

 

[adidas]

I wonder if - because they intercepted June’s tape to Nick and the Swiss said they knew Nick was Nicole’s father - they’re going to follow up on that storyline soon. They kind of dropped that one.

Spoiler for next episode, based on the trailer for it:

Spoiler

It shows that OfMatthew is in hospital and June says she won’t leave until the baby is born. So Natalie must be in a coma, not dead.

 

[adidas]

Sometime in the last few days I watched a hilarious video of someone doing June staring into the camera for the end scene - I can’t remember where I watched it, but if anyone comes across it can they please post a link for me? I wish I’d saved it. I need to show it to my sister.

I’ve searched my history but no luck. 

[Hane]

Re Aunt Lydia’s backstory: Before working as a teacher (a more traditionally “feminine” career), she said she worked in family law. Could she, as a “true believer” in the social  structure that turned into Gilead, have voluntarily given up her career as a lawyer? Regarding the abortive sex scene with her principal: My take was that he stopped things not mainly because of religious/morality reasons, but because he was still missing his wife, and Aunt Lydia felt so stricken by his rejection that she morphed it into sick feelings of guilt. 

I’ve mentioned before that I have some issues about the series’ takes on racism and ecology. In Fred’s scenes with the Mexican delegation, he waxes rhapsodic about all the green initiatives Gilead has undertaken, whereas in the novel, such things don’t even seem to be on Gilead’s radar (of course, in the book, we’re limited to Offred’s restricted worldview).

I cannot conceive of a Gilead that wouldn’t be explicitly racist—such an ultra conservative theocracy would almost have to be. So I wasn’t awfully surprised when the Aunts, in this episode, were arranging Handmaid assignments, and AL mentioned that a certain couple didn’t want a Handmaid of color.  I’d have been more surprised by all the interracial children assigned to white Gilead power couples, but we’re aware that so many white people who claim they “don’t see color” are in fact racist themselves.

I had problems with the storyline that sent June, Emily, and the other Handmaids to the Colonies. Why jeopardize good breeding stock by sending them to a dangerously toxic environment, even if the objective was to scare them into compliance?

 

Edited July 17, 2019 by Blahblah
Remove quote box

[Blahblah]

14 hours ago, Hane said:

I had problems with the storyline that sent June, Emily, and the other Handmaids to the Colonies. Why jeopardize good breeding stock by sending them to a dangerously toxic environment, even if the objective was to scare them into compliance?

 

I have problems with many things that are done to Handmaids given that the future population is entirely dependent on them.  

I can’t recall seeing any pregnant Wives. It’s implied that many are older, or that the husbands are infertile, but surely there would be at least a few Commanders & Wives who can conceive.

[Dreadcrumbs]

On 7/16/2019 at 12:51 PM, Hane said:

I’ve mentioned before that I have some issues about the series’ takes on racism and ecology. In Fred’s scenes with the Mexican delegation, he waxes rhapsodic about all the green initiatives Gilead has undertaken, whereas in the novel, such things don’t even seem to be on Gilead’s radar (of course, in the book, we’re limited to Offred’s restricted worldview).

I cannot conceive of a Gilead that wouldn’t be explicitly racist—such an ultra conservative theocracy would almost have to be. So I wasn’t awfully surprised when the Aunts, in this episode, were arranging Handmaid assignments, and AL mentioned that a certain couple didn’t want a Handmaid of color.  I’d have been more surprised by all the interracial children assigned to white Gilead power couples, but we’re aware that so many white people who claim they “don’t see color” are in fact racist themselves.

The show's race issues have become even more glaring this season. I scoffed when "handmaid of color" was said by one of the Aunts. The couple that doesn't want one? They wouldn't say "of color" and we all know it.

I think with interesting that with all of the environmentally conscious things we see on the show, we see in this last episode that they use disposable scalpels in the hospital. Where are they getting them or all of the raw materials needed to produce them? I don't have an issue with the show's version of Gilead being "green", but I have an issue with the inconsistencies and logistical issues.

[Hane]

20 hours ago, Blahblah said:

I have problems with many things that are done to Handmaids given that the future population is entirely dependent on them.  

I can’t recall seeing any pregnant Wives. It’s implied that many are older, or that the husbands are infertile, but surely there would be at least a few Commanders & Wives who can conceive.

In one episode, a young black Commander is congratulated on his wife’s new baby, and it’s mentioned that he and his wife had no need for a Handmaid. (I was kind of happy that this situation of prestige happened to a young person of color.) In tonight’s episode, girls of the elite class who have entered menarche are at the hospital with their mothers to determine whether they’re fertile, hence eligible for marriage to young Commanders. 

All that said, am I alone in thinking tonight’s episode was a dud? A lot of nothing happened (except for June doing yet another thing that should have put her on the wall) that somehow wound up with her deciding what her mission would be.

[Blahblah]

@Hane I do vaguely remember that now. Thanks!

And yes, nothing much happens. This show is the tv equivalent of a snail.

[adidas]

Posting without reading any other replies - I’m only 10 minutes into today’s episode. 

In a place where they can’t perfoem CPR on a baby born with a cord around its neck, how can they keep a brain dead woman gestating on life support? 

The difference in medical care isn’t making sense to me.

[adidas]

So we have a teeny tiny preemie baby which can be saved with top notch medicine - but we can’t do CPR. Ugh. 

Apart from that, I liked this episode. 

[Blahblah]

Drove me nuts trying to work out why the actor playing the Doctor was so familiar. Finally figured out it was Billy from Ally McBeal (Gil Bellows). Yes, I’m that old.

[danvillebelle]

If they don't pick up the pace soon they're going to lose me.

I fell asleep watching this episode.

[Dreadcrumbs]

13 minutes ago, danvillebelle said:

If they don't pick up the pace soon they're going to lose me.

I fell asleep watching this episode.

I didn't feel sleepy because I was so dumbfounded, amused, and aggravated.

I may have nearly shouted, "PREACH, JANINE!"

But you're right about the pace.

[THERetroGamerNY]

I really am starting to wish this series had ended with just a second season. It’s starting to develop problems, for me, and I keep saying I hope they wrap the series up this season...

I have a bad feeling they are going to jump the shark and run it into the ground. ?

[Dreadcrumbs]

Just now, THERetroGamerNY said:

I really am starting to wish this series had ended with just a second season. It’s starting to develop problems, for me, and I keep saying I hope they wrap the series up this season...

I have a bad feeling they are going to jump the shark and run it into the ground. ?

I don't just have a feeling about that. I know they will.

[THERetroGamerNY]

Just now, Dreadcrumbs said:

I don't just have a feeling about that. I know they will.

I wish you were wrong, but... yeah.

I mean, the end of the 2nd season was honestly REALLY strong, and she SHOULD have left. When she didn’t I almost expected her to return to the home and say, “I can’t leave without my daughter... and a third season”. It just felt SO contrived to me.

[Dreadcrumbs]

1 minute ago, THERetroGamerNY said:

I wish you were wrong, but... yeah.

I mean, the end of the 2nd season was honestly REALLY strong, and she SHOULD have left. When she didn’t I almost expected her to return to the home and say, “I can’t leave without my daughter... and a third season”. It just felt SO contrived to me.

Yeah. That was before June became such a tedious, loathsome character for me. She could have gone with them and fought for Hannah in the relative safety of Canada beside Luke and Moira. That wouldn't have been cowardly or weak, but smarter than staying in an open air slaughterhouse where none can be trusted.

[Blahblah]

8 hours ago, THERetroGamerNY said:

I really am starting to wish this series had ended with just a second season. It’s starting to develop problems, for me, and I keep saying I hope they wrap the series up this season...

I have a bad feeling they are going to jump the shark and run it into the ground. ?

Oh the shark has already been jumped.

[TuringMachine]

I know I'm in the minority here but I actually didn't mind that June stayed. I thought it fit well with her first escape attempt where she kept thinking about how she was abandoning hannah, and when she saw Hannah and Hannah was all "why didn't you try harder".  Plus I imagine she's thinking if Hannah could be helped from Canada, Luke would have done it already. 

I actually thought this episode was an improvement over the rest of the season. Finally June seems to be gearing up for some revolution. I swear if next episode has her waver again Imma through stuff at my TV though.

I agree the baby from last episode seemed inconsistent. Gilead has generally been shown to have good medical care, but yeah why couldn't they do cpr on the baby?

[Mama Mia]

On 7/18/2019 at 7:54 PM, TuringMachine said:

 

I agree the baby from last episode seemed inconsistent. Gilead has generally been shown to have good medical care, but yeah why couldn't they do cpr on the baby?

It’s one of my main complaints about the show in general. They have excellent medical care, but still have the very rare pregnancies and deliveries be given incredibly little care at all! They could keep all their ritualistic aspects If they wanted- but there’s no way they wouldn’t have all the high tech delivery / newborn interventions immediately available at EVERY birth. 

[Dreadcrumbs]

Based on this week's trailer, it looks like June might be getting Commander Lawrence killed (or otherwise taken care of).

ETA: I don't trust June to not be somehow involved. I could be wrong, though.

Edited July 22, 2019 by Dreadcrumbs

[SilverBeach]

Lawrence decided not to do the ceremony on his own, likely because he knew his wife couldn't take it. Not June's fault if he finally gets in trouble, although I was pretty much done with June after she gave up an opportunity to escape with Holly. After previously trying so hard to escape. I'm tolerating this season, but the writing is very meh and everyone is pretty much over EM's facial expressions. She is overacting in many scenes. Waterford is obsessed with June and wants her back. Crazy.

[Dreadcrumbs]

1 hour ago, SilverBeach said:

Lawrence decided not to do the ceremony on his own, likely because he knew his wife couldn't take it. Not June's fault if he finally gets in trouble, although I was pretty much done with June after she gave up an opportunity to escape with Holly. After previously trying so hard to escape. I'm tolerating this season, but the writing is very meh and everyone is pretty much over EM's facial expressions. She is overacting in many scenes. Waterford is obsessed with June and wants her back. Crazy.

Well no, it's not June's fault, but I could see her tattling because she thinks it might be beneficial for her to do so. Or just because she's hellbent on vengeance.

Lawrence might be Gilead's architect, but if I were in June's shoes, you would have to give me one hell of an incentive to tell.

[TuringMachine]

Israeli trailer:

Spoiler

 

 

50 minutes ago, Dreadcrumbs said:

Well no, it's not June's fault, but I could see her tattling because she thinks it might be beneficial for her to do so. Or just because she's hellbent on vengeance.

That doesn't seem likely to me at all. She needs commander Lawrence as an ally, and after last episode it looks like she's finally thinking big picture.  No, this reads more to me like Fred is on a power trip.