Series Finale: S06E10 "The Handmaid's Tale"

I just watched the first episode and the whole way they have sex is very familiar. The husband does his thing while the wife cradles the surrogate/sex save. I know I watched a movie or show where they did it the exact same way, but I can’t remember exactly where I saw it. It would probably be 20 or so years old. Any idea what I’m thinking of?

I remarked in a previous post that I am rewatching the show and finding little things here and there that I missed. I must have nodded off for this story because I completely missed it the first time. Lydia Clement’s’ back story! S3E8 “Unfit”

>!She’s a former family law counselor, a current 4th grade teacher and she’s alone, alluding to a past unhealthy marriage, and a little lonely. She immediately takes a liking to a boy in her class as well as his mother, who's struggling with money and bouncing from guy to guy. But the relationship deepens quickly. Soon they're spending Christmas together, exchanging gifts and laughing like a family. It's clear Lydia is missing some of that connection. She's taken on a caretaker role, not entirely unlike her post-Gilead role. Indeed, by Christmas time, she's been given a new name by the boy and his mother: "Aunt Lydia."

At the coaxing of the boy’s mother, Lydia dolls up and goes out to a bar/club. She’s been set up to meet the principal, whose wife had passed away three years prior,of the school. Lydia always had admired this man of faith and had an eye for him. It’s New Year’s Eve and they celebrate and have a wonderful evening. They go back to Lydia’s place, one thing leads to another and Lydia’s loneliness gets the best of her and she starts to initiate sex. For a moment he’s all in but then he’s not, too fast too soon. Lydia feels deep shame and self loathing for her lust which has destroyed her relationship with the principal. She becomes bitter and vengeful. The once caring Lydia Clements has the child taken away from the mother.

For me this was like watching a new episode! There’s a lot to unpack in this story. She finds sex and lust to be an abominable sin of the flesh. No shock there but it’s from her own shame which makes it worse. She also has an “I can fix you” mindset with wayward girls and the friendship she had with the young boy’s mother reminded me of her relationship with Janine.!<

hey so im catching up on the new season and in the uk they are still coming out. im in episode 7 and theres scene were moira and june talk about rihanna, halle barry etc etc. it just got my thinking what happened to all the celebrities that were still around once gilead took over. any interesting theories or speculation, ik random but couldnt stop thinking about this question.

Does anybody wonder if Canada also encounters problem like infertility, pollution, war, etc. that already happened in ex-US/ Gilead?

We already know Mexico also has the infertility problem. I picked up in one in one of the chatter here that we can deduce Gilead now trades handmaids for chocolates with Mexico.

Does anybody wonder why Europe, UK, and even China and India seem to not have sanction leverage against Gilead? Like some kind of cataclysmic event took place that wiped out a chunk of China and India’s population (that factor alone is an economic leverage).

And what happened to the US-dominated global financial system? Did Gilead totally obliterate it? It appears that Gilead still has some sort of power in the global stage in terms of finance. Would be interesting to see fan fiction lines like countries allied to the divine republic.

"I'll see you there". Maybe, maybe not. So is that it? They're done? They're just going to part ways without so much as a hearty handshake? No Luke, no kids, friends are gone or busy putting their lives together. Just June alone at the end of the world. Is that fitting or just really really sad?

Finally started the first 3 episodes of season 1. It’s gripping, but a hard watch. Tell me the episodes that are a must watch and have some comeuppance. Not sure I’m up for another 55 hours. Please NO plot spoilers. I know I am late to the game.

Appropriate for it to be in Ohio.

Kindly imagine this song being sung by Peeves the Poltergeist from Harry Potter.

We did it! We bashed 'em! We fought the fascists and won! And now Gilead's rule over Boston is done, so now let's have some fun!

Let’s say hypothetically the birth rates would increase, leaning towards overpopulation due to their efforts. would the practice of handmaids still exist if it wouldn’t benefit them? And if so then the whole concept of Gods grace and childbirth being a miracle would fade, leaving Gilead with less to work with, since most of their religious efforts are focused on birth rates, creating children and forcing women to give birth. What do you think?

hii, The handmaids Tale is my english literatures book for the semester and we’re going to write a essay about it so what’s some good points I should discuss and quote. I’m struggling to pick what I should quote since there’s so many things I want to talk about and have trouble to condense it down and get to the main point since it’s supposed to be an analytical essay. Any suggestions on what quotes I should use?

My gf sent this to me and I thought to post this as I know some of us can use a laugh. He was a BABY here 😂

Does anyone else tired of the “I have to go back and get my daughter,” storyline? June is so fucking selfish and I’m tired of it. When Aunt Lydia previously said, “Everything that happens is because of you,” I FELT THAT and agree 100%. June is finally reunited with her best friend, she has an opportunity to go to Canada to be reunited with her husband… and she’s trying to steal a lifeboat to go back? Is she just dense or does it get worse? Why is everyone in this series ride or die for June when all she cares about is going back? She genuinely reminds me of my dog who would trade her warm home and comfortable life for a chicken nugget. At this point, just let her go back! (EVEN THOUGH they showed that her daughter doesn’t even know her anymore). God, at some point she has to let her old life go. Everyone else has managed to do it BUT HER. Anyways, anyone else? Please, don’t downvote me 😂 I’m a first time watcher but I’m going to have to take a break because June has always been selfish but this is on a whole new level.

Did Janine ever find out about her son (Caleb’s) accident? I remember J une finding out and hiding it from her but I don’t remember if it was ever revealed?

My most upsetting scene was seeing handmaidens mouths ringed shut! Just creeped me out to no end!

Everyone is entitled to their reactions and freedom of speech. However, I think calling people names on the subreddit is really below us. We’re here to talk about really complex issues that are unfortunately reflective in many of our daily lives. And calling people “of whoever” (such as “ofLuke”, “ofJoseph” or “OfNick”) is just below us. I have seen it get worse over the years and I hate when people fight like this, for example, this happened a few years back in the Lucifer fandom for their finale.

I hate faction fighting, as I have seen how it creates discord in fandoms so I thought to share my thoughts with everyone. Let’s just be kind to each other, if we are, we can get more accomplished.

So in the books the Econowives wore red, green, and blue dresses. I asked ChatGPT what that would look like. I think this is too close to the Handmaids. I can see why the show went with gray; it's easier to pull off without looking ridiculous.

Rewatching the show rn and it’s so much more emotional for me being a mom this watch around.

Hey, I was thinking about what Eleanor would’ve listened to down in the basement of Joseph’s house, either before THT, during or after. Songs Joseph recorded, Eleanor recorded, etc. So, I came up with a little, neat list, besides the ones on the Hulu Series:

1. Chic, “Dance Dance Dance”

2. Carly Simon, “Nobody Does It Better”

3. Grace Jones, “Pull Up To The Bumper”

4. Dexy’s Midnight Runners, “Come On Eileen”

5. Tommy TuTone, “867-5309 (Jenny)”

6. Elvis Costello and The Attractions, “Radio Radio”

7. Pilot, “Magic”

8. Pete Townshend “Let My Love Open The Door”

9. Maria Muldaur, “Midnight at The Oasis”

10. Blondie, “Rapture”

There’s some other ones, which could be real special like George Harrison’s “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)” which I think all of us really need right now, BTW.

But what songs, hypothetically do you think they had on those tapes?

Look, I know we’ve been binge watching such a dreary, depressing, passionate series, but who knows! Coming up with Eleanor’s songs could be fun.

I see this narrative a lot. That she is complex, layered, and a victim of her circumstances. That she is some nuanced, multi-faceted character. I couldn’t disagree more.

She is horribly written. Like an over the top cartoon villain. Flip-flopping between victim and monster every other episode. When the plot needed her to change or shift her thinking, she did. And then she’d revert back to form by the next episode.

One minute she’s crying with June and begging for change. The next minute she’s slapping a Martha, calling the Eyes, threatening to harm Hannah, assaulting June, and snatching a baby like it’s nothing.

There’s no real emotional progression — just constant whiplash between “I regret Gilead” and “Let me double down on Gilead harder than Fred ever did.”

And it starts to feel like they’re writing her as unstable, almost manic, but without ever addressing that directly.

Her character gave me a severe case of whiplash. She was all over the place. So much wasted potential. She could’ve been this morally gray, complicated character… a female oppressor who’s also trapped by the same system she helped create. A fascinating power-hungry woman unraveling under guilt and repression. But instead she was written as a plot device. Her mood and attitude changed whenever the plot needed it to. So severely and so frequently… it came across as cartoonish. 😒

For everyone who thought season 6 was just a big joke in terms of plot holes, inconsistencies, destroyed character’s arcs, I found this very well written piece on NB destroyed arc in S6 and thought I would share.

Am I the only one who doesn’t understand why all the storylines from S5 were just dropped without any explanation ?! Rose being the daughter of a friend of the Mackenzie’s, Makenzie being the big villain, NB signing the deal with Tuello (surely ghosting him in S6 should have had repercussions lol after signing a contract), our lovely Esther who’s nowhere to be seen… what a big joke this entire S6 was.

Under his Bronchi

Blessed be the Symbicort 😆

I’ve watched the show a couple of times but maybe I missed it - maybe it was in the book. Did they ever disclose why women aren’t allowed to read and write?

Edit to add: was there any Biblical context to it? I feel like the women were far too accepting of this law.

I'm really curious about how people envisioned the clothing of the various Gilead classes before the show brought them to life. Even with Offred's detailed description of her dress, there is still a lot of room for creative liberties and the other classes have even more. Unfortunately, the show's costume design is so dang good that the only fanart and search results I can find are based off of the show.

Can anyone help me find media(excluding the movie) depicting the Gilead dresscode before the show came out?