The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu

[adidas]

Anyone else hungry for muffins?

[danvillebelle]

Just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in...

 

[danvillebelle]

I loved June's "at least it wasn't you" right in Fred's face.  I said out loud "AW HELL YEAH" (and my dog looked at me like I was crazy). 

[adidas]

Ooohhhh gosh I just saw the Israeli trailer for next week’s episode. It is not available on YouTube in the US but has been posted in reddit if anyone is keen to see it. Obviously there are massive spoilers. 

[Dreadcrumbs]

I was pleasantly surprised by this week's episode. Stuff really happened and it looks like the plot is back on track.

I'd also really like a muffin. ?

[AliceInFundyland]

3 hours ago, Dreadcrumbs said:

I was pleasantly surprised by this week's episode. Stuff really happened and it looks like the plot is back on track.

I'd also really like a muffin. ?

I agree. Lot of complicated emotions happening there.

I miss Moira. I was so delighted to see her again after she left OisTNB. Samira Wiley has the best smile ever! It is infectious. I love her. Possibly even to a girl crush level. We need her to be in 50% more episodes.

 

[Blahblah]

I’m still mad at them making me wait for So. Many, Boring. Episodes. for a glimmer of a plot.

And it’s an unrealistic plot at that. Muffins and scones as a messaging system? Really? Nobody in charge notices a never ending stream of Martha’s delivering baskets of muffins?

And I am thoroughly sick of EM and her staring and over-acting. That scene in Commander Lawrence’s office where she was trying to break into the filing cabinets looking all bug-eyed and shifty was like a fourth grade drama class. And not even a good fourth grade drama class.

[samurai_sarah]

2 hours ago, Blahblah said:

And I am thoroughly sick of EM and her staring and over-acting.

Amen! It's so annoying. Every other actress on the show does a better job, conveying emotions via facial expression. EM makes me wonder if she's mentally reading through the Yellow Pages.

There are so many great performances in that series, but EM is either suffering from a bad script or just not that great. I suspect it's both. Samira Wiley however is absolutely stellar. You can see the light in her eyes dying, you can tell when she's putting on a front and quietly despairs, but she doesn't need a voice-over to get that across.

I suspect that EM's character is supposed to be a blank canvas onto which we can all project ourselves, but it doesn't work for me. Most of the time, she makes me mildly irritated and wonder what a better actress could have done with the part. Personally, I'd want Samira Wiley playing June. Or maybe Sarah Gadon ("Belle", "Alias Grace").

But that's me. And since I have no influence on casting, writing, directing or acting, watching EM staring into the distance is what we get.

[Blahblah]

@samurai_sarah Samira Wiley just lights up the screen. She needs more air time. Can’t see EM letting that happen sadly.

And I still can’t get past the irony of EM/$cientologist being in this show about a brainwashed religious cult. I can’t stand Tom Cruise because he is nasty and smug and EM gives me the same vibes. Like she’s absolutely convinced that she is superior in every way and is graciously bestowing her awesomeness on the rest of us. 

[samurai_sarah]

1 minute ago, Blahblah said:

@samurai_sarah Samira Wiley just lights up the screen. She needs more air time. Can’t see EM letting that happen sadly.

And I still can’t get past the irony of EM/$cientologist being in this show about a brainwashed religious cult. I can’t stand Tom Cruise because he is nasty and smug and EM gives me the same vibes. Like she’s absolutely convinced that she is superior in every way and is graciously bestowing her awesomeness on the rest of us. 

Yes to all of that. I want to see more Samira Wiley!

And I don't buy EM's defence of Scientology. Maybe fellow Scientologists think she's awesome, but every time she meaningfully stares into space, I think about where I fall on the side of the "Pizza Hawai" spectrum. Still not sure if I approve of pineapple on pizza, but the smug Scientology thing does less for me than pineapple on ham.

[Mama Mia]

I liked this episode, I like the way June tried to reassure the Lawerences that they had no option but to do the ceremony, and how everyone’s emotions played out.  

Fred, man, just got Serena back and he’s already completely fucking it up. What a dick.

and Christopher Meloni in anything is wonderful- and I love how they named his wife Olivia !

— So something that occurred to me— they set up this whole society based on Handmaids- but wouldn’t that be a solution that only lasted 20 ish years? They were taken proven fertile women who were undesirable in some way- and giving them to “good” high-status couples to make more babies. But those babies would all grow up to be commanders/wives. Where would New Handmaids come from? 

 

Edited July 26, 2019 by Mama Mia

[AliceInFundyland]

The thing is, I really like EM in Mad Men. Quite a bit. She played off Jon Hamm and the other male cast members quite well. I don't think I knew she was Scientologist then. I have watched the show several times. I am not changing my mind on that. She's good. She expressed a range of emotions and her character evolved and grew up.

I don't know what is going on with her and this role and the entire situation as expressed above. She has also had a failed marriage in the intervening years.

I have to wonder if she might have questions of faith. Or if it's simply writing. Or a miscast. Or all. The range of moods that June is supposed to be cycling through is unbelievable.

 

[Dreadcrumbs]

7 hours ago, samurai_sarah said:

Amen! It's so annoying. Every other actress on the show does a better job, conveying emotions via facial expression. EM makes me wonder if she's mentally reading through the Yellow Pages.

There are so many great performances in that series, but EM is either suffering from a bad script or just not that great. I suspect it's both. Samira Wiley however is absolutely stellar. You can see the light in her eyes dying, you can tell when she's putting on a front and quietly despairs, but she doesn't need a voice-over to get that across.

I suspect both. Good actors can really make a bad script suck less.

@Blahblah I've been thinking about the muffin/scone communication system and yeah it's not very realistic. It almost feels like they're trying to shove more iconography into a series that is already full of it. I have a feeling muffins are going to get the Eggos treatment but it won't be as fun and tolerable. This is The Handmaid's Tale, not Stranger Things.

[AliceInFundyland]

Speaking of Scientology (since this is the most relevant thread)

Just finished Ruthless, by Ron Miscaviage, father of David.

Whoo boy. Every time you think you can't learn more about that mess - the cracks get deeper.

We need to separate these people from the rest of the world.

[TuringMachine]

On 7/25/2019 at 1:48 PM, adidas said:

Ooohhhh gosh I just saw the Israeli trailer for next week’s episode. It is not available on YouTube in the US but has been posted in reddit if anyone is keen to see it. Obviously there are massive spoilers. 

I am so impatient to see where that goes! I am really worried that Serena is going to get custody of the baby. The show is weirdly sympathetic to her even though she is truly awful. Plus I still haven't gotten over the whole "call her Nichole" BS.

If June does manage to get some kids out I hope Charlotte is one of them.

I would like to throw Bradley Whitford in as doing an amazing job in that last episode.

[Blahblah]

2 hours ago, TuringMachine said:

I am so impatient to see where that goes! I am really worried that Serena is going to get custody of the baby. 

Of course she will. They have a bazillion seasons to fill up. That kid will be handed back and forth more than a joint at a college party.

[TuringMachine]

The full synopsis of episode 11 is posted on reddit. I dunno if it's legit or not, but it certainly seems to line up with the Israeli trailer.

[Dreadcrumbs]

It's abundantly clear that June needs to leave the lifting to the Marthas. They're a large, cohesive group and they know how to get shit done.

Godspeed.

[AliceInFundyland]

https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/7/31/20746415/the-handmaids-tale-season-3-episode-11-liars-recap-jezebels

 

Great conversation about all of the things happening in this episode and this season.

[TuringMachine]

1 hour ago, AliceInFundyland said:

https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/7/31/20746415/the-handmaids-tale-season-3-episode-11-liars-recap-jezebels

I agree with their assessment that Jezebels is too glamorous in this episode, It felt a lot more skeevy in season 1, but I disagree with the interpretation that June just lucked into murdering without consequence. I'll preface by saying I believe the martha network and mayday are supposed to be separate things (though probably work together). What I think this plot was supposed to show is the contrast between the female led martha network and the male led mayday. Mayday's attempt at getting June out was messy an unsuccessful, but the martha clean up scene ran like a well oiled machine.  

[Dreadcrumbs]

24 minutes ago, TuringMachine said:

I agree with their assessment that Jezebels is too glamorous in this episode, It felt a lot more skeevy in season 1, but I disagree with the interpretation that June just lucked into murdering without consequence. I'll preface by saying I believe the martha network and mayday are supposed to be separate things (though probably work together). What I think this plot was supposed to show is the contrast between the female led martha network and the male led mayday. Mayday's attempt at getting June out was messy an unsuccessful, but the martha clean up scene ran like a well oiled machine.  

Lawrence handing June the gun suggests he knows there will be consequences for her. I think it's a matter of how soon. But how much what will happen will have to do with Winslow's disappearance, is the question, I think. The Marthas do a brilliant job cleaning up and disposing of the body and I don't know if the authorities in Gilead would be able to uncover much forensic evidence.

I do agree that Jezebels wasn't skeevy enough in this episode. In the past, it oozed skeeviness.

I have to disagree with the following:

Quote

But the TV show has always shot Jezebel’s to be flattering, glamorous, and even aspirational. In season one, we got June’s magically heat-styled Veronica Lake hair and her gorgeous beaded flapper dress. In this episode, the camera can’t resist a lingering pan over June’s legs when she struts down the hall in her high heels, like, “Look how sexy and empowering!” It all feels like we’re meant to be enjoying ourselves at Jezebel’s, instead of being grossed out by it, which only means that everything feels much, much grosser than it otherwise would have.

I dunno about the writer, but I was pretty grossed out by the one Jezebel dressed like a little girl. Oh, and the one commander licking a Jezebel's stump in the elevator...

I understand thinking that the place itself is a bit too nice looking, though. It could look a lot trashier.

[TuringMachine]

8 minutes ago, Dreadcrumbs said:

Lawrence handing June the gun suggests he knows there will be consequences for her. I think it's a matter of how soon. But how much what will happen will have to do with Winslow's disappearance, is the question, I think. The Marthas do a brilliant job cleaning up and disposing of the body and I don't know if the authorities in Gilead would be able to uncover much forensic evidence.

I was pretty unclear what Lawrence was referencing when he said they'd be coming for us.  Seems unlikely that anyone will come for June immediately. It'll be a little bit before anyone realizes he's dead, then I imagine Fred and Serena would be suspects since the timing of their trip. I thought maybe Lawrence was referring to his loss of status and escape attempt?

[Dreadcrumbs]

Just now, TuringMachine said:

I was pretty unclear what Lawrence was referencing when he said they'd be coming for us.  Seems unlikely that anyone will come for June immediately. It'll be a little bit before anyone realizes he's dead, then I imagine Fred and Serena would be suspects since the timing of their trip. I thought maybe Lawrence was referring to his loss of status and escape attempt?

Thinking about it a little more, it seems like he's giving June the gun because he knows that he's toast and isn't ever leaving Gilead alive, so he'd best give her the gun while he can. And maybe that is because he can see her surviving longer, thus having a real need for a gun??

He might just be a wee bit paranoid and think that it's not just him and Eleanor they're coming for. Granted, when they come for the Lawrences, they will probably scrutinize the household.

No matter the case, he thinks June needs a gun.

[Hane]

On 7/26/2019 at 1:18 PM, Mama Mia said:

 

— So something that occurred to me— they set up this whole society based on Handmaids- but wouldn’t that be a solution that only lasted 20 ish years? They were taken proven fertile women who were undesirable in some way- and giving them to “good” high-status couples to make more babies. But those babies would all grow up to be commanders/wives. Where would New Handmaids come from? 

 

There’ll always be women whose marriages are rendered invalid or ended by the state. And remember the episode where June tried to escape dressed as a Martha and hid with the Econo-couple? The husband was executed, their child was taken away, and the wife was made a Handmaid.

And, despite the fertility problems in Gilead, there’ll always be women who have “forbidden” sex, get pregnant, have their children taken away, and then are made into Handmaids because their fertility has been proven and they’ve been deemed unworthy of marriage.

[SilverBeach]

2 hours ago, Dreadcrumbs said:

the one commander licking a Jezebel's stump in the elevator...

This should have been behind a spoiler, that scene really upset me.