''The Handmaid's Tale'' is an American

dystopian A dystopia (from Ancient Greek δυσ- "bad, hard" and τόπος "place"; alternatively cacotopiaCacotopia (from κακός ''kakos'' "bad") was the term used by Jeremy Bentham in his 1818 Plan of Parliamentary Reform (Works, vol. 3, p. 493). ...

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...

created by Bruce Miller, based on the 1985 novel of the same name by Canadian author

Margaret Atwood Margaret Eleanor Atwood (born November 18, 1939) is a Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, teacher, environmental activist, and inventor. Since 1961, she has published 18 books of poetry, 18 novels, 11 books of non-fiction, nin ...

. The series was ordered by the streaming service

Hulu Hulu () is an American subscription streaming service majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, with Comcast's NBCUniversal holding a minority stake. It was launched on October 29, 2007 and it offers a library of films and television serie ...

as a straight-to-series order of 10 episodes, for which production began in late 2016. The plot features a

dystopia A dystopia (from Ancient Greek δυσ- "bad, hard" and τόπος "place"; alternatively cacotopiaCacotopia (from κακός ''kakos'' "bad") was the term used by Jeremy Bentham in his 1818 Plan of Parliamentary Reform (Works, vol. 3, p. 493). ...

following a Second American Civil War wherein a theonomic,

totalitarian Totalitarianism is a form of government and a political system that prohibits all opposition parties, outlaws individual and group opposition to the state and its claims, and exercises an extremely high if not complete degree of control and regul ...

society subjects fertile women, called " Handmaids", to child-bearing slavery. The first three episodes of the series premiered on April 26, 2017; the subsequent seven episodes were released every Wednesday. In July 2019, the series was renewed for a fourth season, which premiered on April 27, 2021. In September 2019, it was announced that Hulu and

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...

were developing a sequel series, to be based on Atwood's 2019 novel ''

The Testaments ''The Testaments'' is a 2019 novel by Margaret Atwood. It is the sequel to ''The Handmaid's Tale'' (1985). The novel is set 15 years after the events of ''The Handmaid's Tale''. It is narrated by Aunt Lydia, a character from the previous novel; A ...

''. In December 2020, ahead of the fourth season premiere, the series was renewed for a fifth season, which premiered on September 14, 2022. In September 2022, ahead of the fifth season premiere, the series was renewed for a sixth and final season. ''The Handmaid's Tale''s first season won eight

Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...

s from 13 nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series. It is the first show produced by Hulu to win a major award as well as the first series on a streaming service to win an Emmy for Outstanding Series. It also won the

Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

for Best Television Series – Drama.

Elisabeth Moss Elisabeth Singleton Moss (born July 24, 1982) is an American actor. She is known for her work in several television dramas, earning such accolades as two Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards, which led ''Vulture'' to name her the ...

was also awarded the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Drama Series.

Plot

In a world where

fertility rates The total fertility rate (TFR) of a population is the average number of children that would be born to a woman over her lifetime if: # she were to experience the exact current age-specific fertility rates (ASFRs) through her lifetime # she were t ...

have collapsed as a result of

sexually transmitted diseases Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also referred to as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and the older term venereal diseases, are infections that are spread by sexual activity, especially vaginal intercourse, anal sex, and oral sex ...

and

environmental pollution Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, th ...

, the

, theonomic government of Gilead establishes rule in the former United States in the aftermath of a

civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

. Society is organized by power-hungry leaders along with a new, militarized, hierarchical régime of

religious fanaticism Religious fanaticism, or religious extremism, is a pejorative designation used to indicate uncritical zeal or obsessive enthusiasm which is related to one's own, or one's group's, devotion to a religion – a form of human fanaticism which cou ...

and newly created

social class A social class is a grouping of people into a set of Dominance hierarchy, hierarchical social categories, the most common being the Upper class, upper, Middle class, middle and Working class, lower classes. Membership in a social class can for ...

es, in which women are brutally subjugated. By law, women in Gilead are forced to work in very limited roles, including some as natal slaves, and they are not allowed to own property, have careers, handle money, or read. Worldwide

infertility Infertility is the inability of a person, animal or plant to reproduce by natural means. It is usually not the natural state of a healthy adult, except notably among certain eusocial species (mostly haplodiploid insects). It is the normal state ...

has led to the

enslavement Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

of fertile women in Gilead determined by the new régime to be

fallen women "Fallen woman" is an archaic term which was used to describe a woman who has "lost her innocence", and fallen from the grace of God. In 19th-century Britain especially, the meaning came to be closely associated with the loss or surrender of a w ...

, citing an extremist interpretation of the

Biblical The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...

account of

Bilhah Bilhah ( "unworried", Standard Hebrew: ''Bīlha'', Tiberian Hebrew: ''Bīlhā'') is a woman mentioned in the Book of Genesis.For the etymology, see describes her as Laban's handmaid, who was given to Rachel to be her handmaid on Rachel's marria ...

. These women often include those who have entered marriages following divorce (termed "adulteresses", as divorce is not recognized under Gileadian law), single or unmarried mothers, lesbians (homosexuals being termed "gender traitors"), non-Christians, adherents of Christian denominations other than the "Sons of Jacob", political dissidents, and academics. These women, called Handmaids, are assigned to the homes of the ruling elite, where they must submit to ritualized rape (referred to as "the ceremony") by their male masters ("Commanders") in the presence of their wives, to be impregnated and bear children for them. Handmaids are given names created by the addition of the prefix Of- to the first name of the man who has them. When they are transferred, their names are changed. Along with the Handmaids, much of society is now grouped into classes that dictate their freedoms and duties. Women are divided into a small range of social categories, each one signified by a

plain dress Plain dress is a practice among some religious groups, primarily some Christian churches in which people dress in clothes of traditional modest design, sturdy fabric, and conservative cut. It is intended to show acceptance of traditional gender ...

in a specific color. Handmaids wear long red dresses, heavy brown boots and white coifs, with a headcovering surrounded by a larger white

coif A coif () is a close fitting cap worn by both men and women that covers the top, back, and sides of the head. History Coifs date from the 10th century, but fell out of popularity with men in the 14th century."A New Look for Women." Arts and ...

(known as "wings") to be worn outside, concealing them from public view and restricting their vision. June Osborne, renamed Offred, is the Handmaid assigned to the home of the Gileadan Commander Fred Waterford and his wife Serena Joy. The Waterfords, key players in the formation and rise of Gilead, struggle with the realities of the society they helped create. During "the time before", June was married to Luke and had a daughter, Hannah. At the beginning of the story, while attempting to flee Gilead with her husband and daughter, June was captured and forced to become a Handmaid because of the adultery she and her husband committed. June's daughter was taken and given to an upper-class family to raise, and her husband escaped into Canada. Much of the plot revolves around June's desire to be reunited with her husband and daughter and the internal evolution of her strength to its somewhat darker version.

Cast and characters

Main

as June Osborne / Offred / Ofjoseph #2, a woman who was captured while attempting to escape to Canada with her husband, Luke, and daughter, Hannah. Because Luke is divorced, their union is considered adulterous in this new society. June is considered an adulteress and their daughter, Hannah, is deemed illegitimate. Due to June's fertility, she is made a Handmaid to Commander Fred Waterford and his wife Serena Joy, and is called "Offred"; later she becomes handmaid to Commander Joseph Lawrence and is called "Ofjoseph". *

Joseph Fiennes Joseph Alberic Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes (), known as Joseph Fiennes, is an English actor of film, stage, and television. Journalist Zoe Williams observed that "he seemed to be the go-to actor for English cultural history". Fiennes is particu ...

as Commander Fred Waterford (seasons 1–4), a high-ranking government official, and June's first master. Both he and his wife were instrumental in Gilead's founding. *

Yvonne Strahovski Yvonne Jaqueline Strzechowski (born 30 July 1982), known professionally as Yvonne Strahovski (), is an Australian actress. Primarily noted for her roles in dramatic television, she has received numerous awards and nominations, including two Pri ...

as Serena Joy Waterford, Fred's wife, and a former conservative cultural activist. She appears to have accepted her new role in a society that she helped create. She is poised and deeply religious, but capable of great cruelty and is often callous to June. She is desperate to become a mother. *

Alexis Bledel Kimberly Alexis Bledel ( ; born September 16, 1981) is an American actress and model. She is known for her role as Rory Gilmore on the television series ''Gilmore Girls'' (2000–2007), and Emily Malek in ''The Handmaid's Tale (TV series), The ...

as Dr. Emily Malek / Ofglen #1 / Ofsteven / Ofroy / Ofjoseph #1 (seasons 1–4), a former university professor in

cellular biology Cell biology (also cellular biology or cytology) is a branch of biology that studies the structure, function, and behavior of cells. All living organisms are made of cells. A cell is the basic unit of life that is responsible for the living and ...

and initially June's shopping partner. Although June is initially wary of her, it is revealed she is not as pious as she seems, and the two become friends. Emily is involved with and first informs June of Mayday, an underground resistance movement. She has a wife and son living in Canada. * Madeline Brewer as Janine Lindo / Ofwarren / Ofdaniel / Ofhoward / Ofjoseph # 3, a Handmaid who entered the Red Center for training at the same time as June, and considers June a friend due to her kind treatment. Initially non-compliant, Janine has her right eye removed as a punishment. She becomes mentally unstable due to her treatment and often behaves in temperamental or childlike ways. Before Gilead, Janine was a waitress and had a son, Caleb, who unbeknownst to her was killed in a car crash after the takeover. *

Ann Dowd Ann Dowd (born January 30, 1956) is an American actress. She has played supporting roles in numerous films, including ''Green Card'' (1990), ''Lorenzo's Oil'' (1992), ''Philadelphia'' (1993), '' Garden State'' (2004), '' The Manchurian Candidate' ...

as Aunt Lydia Clements, a woman in charge of overseeing the Handmaids in their sexual re-education and duties. She is brutal and subjects insubordinate Handmaids to sadistic physical punishment, but she also cares for her charges and believes deeply in the Gileadean mission and doctrine. She appears to have a soft spot for Janine and even goes so far as to address her by her given name on occasion. Before Gilead, she was a family court judge, and afterwards, an elementary school teacher. * O-T Fagbenle as Luke Bankole, June's husband from before Gilead. Initially, June believes he was killed, but it is later revealed that Luke managed to escape to Canada. *

Max Minghella Max Giorgio Choa Minghella (born 16 September 1985) is an English actor, film producer, director, and screenwriter. He is known for his roles in the films ''Syriana'' (2005), ''Art School Confidential'' (2006), ''Elvis and Anabelle'' (2007), '' ...

as Commander Nick Blaine, Commander Waterford's driver and a former drifter from Michigan who has feelings for June. June and Nick develop an intimate relationship and she eventually discovers that he is an Eye, a spy for Gilead and that he played a significant role in the Gileadean takeover. In season 3, he is promoted to Commander. *

Samira Wiley Samira Denise Wiley (born April 15, 1987) is an American actress. She is best known for her starring role as Poussey Washington in the Netflix comedy-drama series '' Orange Is the New Black'' (2013–2019) and as Moira in the Hulu dystopian dr ...

as Moira Strand, June's best friend since college. She is already at the Red Center when June enters Handmaid training but escapes before being assigned to a home. She is recaptured and becomes "Ruby", a Jezebel. She seems to have given up hope of ever being free, but on meeting June again regains the conviction to escape to Canada. *

Amanda Brugel Amanda Brugel (born March 24, 1978) is a Canadian actress. Born and raised in Pointe-Claire (a suburb of Montreal), Quebec, she made her acting debut in the drama film ''Vendetta'' (1999). This was followed by roles in the comedy film '' A Diva's ...

as Rita Blue (season 2–present, recurring season 1), a housekeeper at the Waterford house, who becomes one of June's closest allies. She had a son named Matthew, who died fighting in the civil war when he was 19 years old. *

Bradley Whitford Bradley Whitford (born October 10, 1959) is an American actor and producer. He is best known for his portrayal of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman in the NBC television political drama ''The West Wing'' (1999–2006), for which he w ...

as Commander Joseph Lawrence (season 3–present, guest season 2), the founder of the Colonies and architect of Gilead's economy. He is on and off with Mayday. *

Sam Jaeger Samuel Heath Jaeger (born January 29, 1977) is an American actor and screenwriter. Life and career Jaeger was born in Perrysburg, Ohio, the son of LeAnne (née Graening) and Charles Jaeger. He is the youngest of four children. He graduated from ...

as Mark Tuello (season 4–present, recurring season 3, guest season 2), an operative of the U.S. Government whom Serena encounters in Canada.

Recurring

* Jordana Blake as Hannah Bankole, June and Luke's daughter. After being taken, she is given a new family and renamed Agnes MacKenzie. *

Ever Carradine Ever Dawn Carradine is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Tiffany Porter and Kelly Ludlow on the ABC television series ''Once and Again'' and '' Commander in Chief'', respectively and as Naomi Putnam and Janet Stein on the Hulu ...

as Naomi Putnam, Commander Putnam's wife. She has no sympathy for Handmaids and only sees her baby as a status symbol. * Stephen Kunken as Commander Warren Putnam (seasons 1–5), a High Commander and the first known Commander of Janine. *

Tattiawna Jones Tattiawna Jones is a Canadian television and theatre actress. She comes from Manitouwadge Manitouwadge is a township in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is located in the Thunder Bay District, at the north end of Highway 614, east of T ...

as Lillie Fuller / Ofglen #2 (seasons 1–2), who replaces Emily in the position after Emily is captured by the Eyes. She warns June away from breaking the rules and does not wish to upset the status quo, but this is because she believes her life as a Handmaid is better than the difficult, impoverished life she led prior to Gilead, rather than out of religious piety. *

Nina Kiri Nina Kiridžija ( sr-Cyrl, Нина Кириџиjа; born September 3, 1992), known as Nina Kiri ( sr-Cyrl, Нина Кири), is a Serbian Canadian actress, best known for her role as the handmaid Alma in the first five seasons of the Hulu se ...

as Alma / Ofrobert (seasons 1–4, guest season 5), another Handmaid who trained at the Red Center with June, Moira, and Janine. She is frank and chatty and often trades gossip and news with June. She is also involved with Mayday and becomes one of June's first contacts with the resistance group. *

Bahia Watson Bahia Watson (born May 15, 1992) is a Canadian actress and playwright, best known for her recurring role as Brianna/Oferic in the television series ''The Handmaid's Tale''. She grew up in Carman, Manitoba, the daughter of a Canadian father and a ...

as Brianna / Oferic (seasons 1–4, guest season 5), another local Handmaid who is friends with June. She is Dolores' shopping partner. *

Jenessa Grant Jenessa Grant is a Canadian actress. She has played the characters Mud in ''Orphan Black'', Ofsamuel in ''The Handmaid's Tale (TV series), The Handmaid's Tale'' and Aylee in ''Reign (TV series), Reign''. She also portrays Faith Seed in the video ...

as Dolores / Ofsamuel (seasons 1–2, guest season 3), a local Handmaid with a friendly and talkative nature. She is Brianna's shopping partner. * Edie Inksetter as Aunt Elizabeth, a fellow Aunt who works closely with Aunt Lydia at the Red Center. *

Robert Curtis Brown Robert Curtis Brown (born Robert Nelson Brown, April 27, 1957) is an American television, film, and stage actor. Early life Brown was born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and was raised in Yardley, a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The mi ...

as Commander Andrew Pryce (seasons 1–2), a Commander who is one of the leading members of the Sons of Jacob and is in charge of the Eyes. *

Kristen Gutoskie Kristen Gutoskie is a Canadian actress. She is known for her roles as Katie Frank in ''Containment'', Rachael in '' Beaver Falls'', Seline in ''The Vampire Diaries'' and Molly Hendricks in ''Lethal Weapon''. Biography Kristen Gutoskie has been ...

as Beth (seasons 1 and 3, guest season 4), an award-winning chef before the rise of Gilead, formerly a Martha at Jezebel's, and later a Martha in the Lawrence household. *

Erin Way Erin Way (born September 13, 1987) is an American actress. She is known for her role as Kat in the Syfy drama series '' Alphas''. She joined the show in the third episode of the second season. A former ballet dancer, Erin Way started acting ...

as Erin (seasons 1–3), a young, apparently mute woman who was being trained to become a Handmaid but managed to escape to Canada with Luke. * Krista Morin as Rachel Tapping (seasons 1–2, season 4), an official at the United States Consulate in Canada. *

Clea DuVall Clea Helen D'Etienne DuVall (born September 25, 1977) is an American actress, writer, producer, and director. She is known for her appearances in the films ''The Faculty'' (1998), '' She's All That''; '' But I'm a Cheerleader''; ''Girl, Interrup ...

as Sylvia (season 3, guest seasons 2 and 5), Emily's wife. *

Cherry Jones Cherry Jones (born November 21, 1956) is an American actress known for her roles on screen and stage. She has received various accolades for her performances in television and theatre including three Primetime Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, thr ...

as Holly Maddox (season 2–3), June's mother, an outspoken feminist. * Sydney Sweeney as Eden Blaine (née Spencer) (season 2), a pious and obedient young girl who is married off to Nick. *

Greg Bryk Gregory Michael Bryk (born 19 August 1972) is a Canadian film and television actor. He has appeared in numerous films and television series and is best known for his reoccurring roles in '' ReGenesis'' (2004–2008), '' XIII: The Series'' (2 ...

as Commander Ray Cushing (season 2), a fellow Commander who later replaces Commander Pryce's position. * Rohan Mead as Isaac (season 2), a young Guardian assigned to the Waterford home. *

Julie Dretzin Julie Dretzin (born May 24, 1968) is an American actress and audiobook reader. She made her professional acting debut in the 1993 Broadway production ''The Sisters Rosensweig''. Her roles in the television series ''Breaking Bad'' (2010) and ''The ...

as Eleanor Lawrence (seasons 2–3), the mentally unstable wife of Commander Lawrence. * Amy Landecker as Mrs. Mackenzie (season 5, guest season 3), Hannah's placement mother in Gilead. * Ashleigh LaThrop as Natalie / Ofmatthew (season 3), a devoted Handmaid whose loyalty to Gilead causes divisive tensions amongst her peers. * Sugenja Sri as Sienna (season 3, guest season 4), a former radiology student and a new Martha in the Lawrence household. *

Jonathan Watton Jonathan Watton is a Canadian actor. He is best known for playing the role of List_of_Murdoch_Mysteries_characters#Dr._Darcy_Garland, Darcy Garland in ''Murdoch Mysteries''. He has a recurring role in The Handmaid's Tale (TV series), ''The Handmai ...

as Commander Matthew Calhoun (season 3–present), the assigned Commander of Natalie/Ofmatthew. * Charlie Zeltzer as Oliver (seasons 3–4), Emily and Sylvia's son. *

Christopher Meloni Christopher Peter Meloni (; born April 2, 1961) is an American actor. He is known for his television roles as NYPD Detective Elliot Stabler on the NBC legal drama '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' for its first 12 seasons and its spin-off ...

as High Commander George Winslow (season 3), a High Commander stationed in Washington, D.C. *

Elizabeth Reaser Elizabeth Ann Reaser (born July 2, 1975) is an American film, television, and stage actress. Her work includes the films ''Stay'', ''The Family Stone'', '' Sweet Land'', '' Against the Current'', '' The Twilight Saga'', ''Young Adult'', and '' Ou ...

as Olivia Winslow (season 3), the wife of High Commander Winslow. * Mckenna Grace as Esther Keyes (season 4–5), a farmer and the teenage wife of an older Commander. *

Zawe Ashton Zawedde Emma "Zawe" Ashton (; born 25 July 1984) is a British actress, playwright and narrator. She is best known for her roles in the comedy dramas '' Fresh Meat'' and ''Not Safe for Work'', the Netflix horror thriller film ''Velvet Buzzsaw'' ...

as Oona (season 4), an aid worker in Toronto and Moira's new girlfriend. *

Jeananne Goossen Jeananne Goossen (born January 3, 1985) is a Canadian actress. Early life Goossen was born on January 3, 1985, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Goossen was raised in a middle-class family, to a Chinese mother and a Canadian father. Goossen studied b ...

as Aunt Ruth (season 4), a high ranking Aunt who is desperate to replace Aunt Lydia as leading Aunt in their district. * Natasha Mumba as Danielle (season 4–present), a former handmaid. * Victoria Sawal as Tyler (season 4–present), a former handmaid. * Amanda Zhou as Vicky (season 4–present), a former handmaid. * Carey Cox as Rose Blaine (season 5), the daughter of a High Commander in Washington, D.C. and Nick’s new wife. *

Jason Butler Harner Jason Thomas Butler Harner (born October 9, 1970) is an American actor. Life and career Harner was born in Elmira, New York and grew up in suburban Northern Virginia, where he saw a handful of plays at Washington, D.C.’s Arena Stage. His mid ...

as Commander Mackenzie (season 5), a High Commander and Hannah’s placement father. * Rossif Sutherland as Ezra Shaw (season 5), Serena's personal Gileadan bodyguard in Canada. *

Genevieve Angelson Genevieve Rose Angelson is an American actress, best-known for playing Indigo on '' The Afterparty'', Patti Robinson on ''Good Girls Revolt'', and Ruth on '' Flack''. Early life and education Angelson was born in New York City to lawyer and busin ...

as Alanis Wheeler (season 5), an affluent Canadian who idolizes Serena and who is a driving force behind the rise of Gilead in Toronto. *

Lucas Neff Lucas Neff (born November 7, 1985) is an American actor best known for his lead role in the Fox sitcom ''Raising Hope'' (2010-2014). Most recently, he starred in the CBS sitcom ''Carol's Second Act'' (2019) and co-starred as Duncan on '' Monste ...

as Ryan Wheeler (season 5), Alanis' husband.

Guest

Jim Cummings James Jonah Cummings (born November 3, 1952) is an American voice actor. Since beginning his career in the 1980s, he has appeared in almost 400 roles. Cummings has frequently worked with The Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros., including as th ...

as Burke (season 1), an Eye who interrogates June. * Zabryna Guevara as Mrs. Castillo (season 1), an ambassador from Mexico who visits Gilead to see the effectiveness of the regime. * Christian Barillas as Mr. Flores (season 1), Mrs. Castillo's assistant. * Rosa Gilmore as Zoe (season 1), the daughter of a US army soldier and the leader of the group of survivors whom Luke encounters after being separated from June and Hannah. * Tim Ransom as Mr. Whitford (season 1), a friend of June's mother who helps June, Luke, and Hannah attempt to cross the border. *

Marisa Tomei Marisa Tomei ( , ; born December 4, 1964) is an American actress. She came to prominence as a cast member on ''The Cosby Show'' spin-off ''A Different World'' in 1987. After having minor roles in a few films, she came to international attention ...

as Mrs. O'Conner (season 2), a Commander's wife who is exiled to the Colonies as punishment for committing a sin of the flesh. *

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (; born July 15, 1986) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Black Manta in the superhero films ''Aquaman'' (2018) and ''Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom'' (2023), Bobby Seale in the Netflix historical legal drama ' ...

as Omar (season 2), a man who helps June attempt to escape Gilead. *

John Carroll Lynch John Carroll Lynch (born August 1, 1963) is an American character actor and film director. He first gained notice for his role as Norm Gunderson in '' Fargo'' (1996). He is also known for his television work on the ABC sitcom '' The Drew Carey ...

as Dan (season 2), Emily's boss at the university where she worked. * Kelly Jenrette as Annie (season 2), Luke's ex-wife. *

Rebecca Rittenhouse Rebecca Rittenhouse (born November 30, 1988) is an American actress. She has played Cody LeFever in the ABC prime time soap opera ''Blood & Oil'', Dr. Anna Ziev in the Hulu romantic comedy series ''The Mindy Project'', and Maggie in the '' Into ...

as Odette (season 2), a doctor, and Moira's deceased fiancée. *

Laila Robins Laila Robins is an American stage, film and television actress. She has appeared in films including ''Planes, Trains and Automobiles'' (1987), ''An Innocent Man'' (1989), ''Live Nude Girls'' (1995), ''True Crime'' (1999), ''She's Lost Control'' ( ...

as Pamela Joy (season 3), Serena's mother. * Deidrie Henry as Lori (seasons 3–4), a Martha who Nick uses for intel in Gilead. * Sarah McVie as Lena (season 3), a Swiss diplomat negotiating the hostile conflict between Gilead and Canada over Nichole. * Emily Althaus as Noelle (season 3), a young single mother whose son Aunt Lydia taught before the rise of Gilead. *

Laura Vandervoort Laura Dianne Vandervoort (born September 22, 1984) is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her roles as Sadie Harrison in the CTV teen drama series ''Instant Star'', Arla "The Bolt-Gun Killer" Cogan in the Syfy supernatural drama series '' ...

as Daisy (season 4), a Jezebels worker who aids June. * Alex Castillo as Dawn Mathis (season 4), the Waterfords' defense attorney. *

Reed Birney Reed Birney (born September 11, 1954) is an American actor. Birney is known for his performances on stage and screen often acting on and off Broadway. Birney gained acclaim in 2016 for his role in '' The Humans'' winning the Tony Award for Best F ...

as Lieutenant Stans (season 4) a Gilead officer who interrogates June. * Omar Maskati as Steven (season 4), the leader of a resistance group in Chicago. * Carly Street as Iris Baker/Aunt Irene (season 4), a former Aunt who attempts to make amends with Emily. *

Christine Ko Christine Ko (born August 3, 1988) is a Taiwanese-American actress, known for her roles as Emma on the CBS sitcom '' The Great Indoors'', Mandy on ''Upload'' and Emma on ''Dave''. Before her success in America, she had a brief career in Taiwa ...

as Lily (season 5), a former Martha who is now a leader in the Canada-based resistance movement. In the second season,

Oprah Winfrey Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954), or simply Oprah, is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and philanthropist. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', br ...

has an uncredited appearance as a newsreader on a car radio.

Episodes

Production

's straight-to-series order of ''The Handmaid's Tale'' was announced in April 2016, with

set to star. Based on the 1985 novel of the same name by

, the series was created by Bruce Miller, who is also an executive producer with Daniel Wilson, Fran Sears, and

Warren Littlefield Warren W. Littlefield (born May 11, 1952) is an American television executive. Born in Montclair, New Jersey, Littlefield attended Montclair High School and graduated from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York, where he was award ...

. Atwood serves as consulting producer, giving feedback on some of the areas where the series expands upon or modernizes the book. She also played a small cameo role in the first episode. Moss is also a producer. In June 2016,

Reed Morano Reed Morano (born April 15, 1977) is an American film director and cinematographer. Morano was the first woman in history to win both the Emmy and Directors Guild Award for directing a drama series in the same year for the pilot episode of The H ...

was announced as director of the series.

, and

joined the cast in July 2016.

, Madeline Brewer, and

were cast in August 2016, followed by O-T Fagbenle and

in September 2016. In October 2016,

joined the cast, and

was added in January 2017. Filming on the series took place in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

Mississauga Mississauga ( ), historically known as Toronto Township, is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is situated on the shores of Lake Ontario in the Regional Municipality of Peel, adjoining the western border of Toronto. With a popul ...

Brantford Brantford (Canada 2021 Census, 2021 population: 104,688) is a city in Ontario, Canada, founded on the Grand River (Ontario), Grand River in Southwestern Ontario. It is surrounded by County of Brant, Brant County, but is politically separate with ...

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...

Burlington Burlington may refer to: Places Canada Geography * Burlington, Newfoundland and Labrador * Burlington, Nova Scotia * Burlington, Ontario, the most populous city with the name "Burlington" * Burlington, Prince Edward Island * Burlington Bay, no ...

, Oakville, and

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

, from September 2016 to February 2017. Hulu released the first full trailer of the TV series on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

, on March 23, 2017. The series premiered on April 26, 2017. On May 3, 2017, ''The Handmaid's Tale'' was renewed for a second season which premiered on April 25, 2018. Moss told the news media that the subsequent episodes would cover further developments in the story, filling in some of the unanswered questions and continuing the narrative already "finished" in the book. The second season consists of 13 episodes and began filming in fall 2017. Alexis Bledel returned as a series regular. Showrunner Bruce Miller stated that he envisioned 10 seasons of the show, stating, "Well, you know, honestly, when I started, I tried to game out in my head what would ten seasons be like? If you hit a home run, you want energy to go around the bases, you want enough story to keep going, if you can hook the audience to care about these people enough that they're actually crying at the finale." Season 2 was filmed in Ontario, primarily in Toronto, but some scenes were shot in Hamilton and Cambridge. On May 2, 2018, Hulu renewed the series for a third season, which premiered on June 5, 2019. Season 3 started production in Toronto in October 2018. Scenes for season 3 were also filmed in Cambridge and Hamilton, Ontario as well as in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

Season 3 saw the show's long-serving Director of Photography,

Colin Watkinson Colin Watkinson is an English cinematographer. He won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour) for " Offred", the pilot episode of ''The Handmaid's Tale'', and was nominated in the same category ...

, make his directorial debut with the episode "Unknown Caller". Cambridge, Ontario was nominated by the

Location Managers Guild International The Locations Managers Guild International (LMGI) is a professional organization of location managers, location scouts, assistant location managers, and affiliated business members, such as film commissions, location services, vendors, and filmin ...

for "Outstanding Film Office" for their work on this season. This was the first time that a Canadian Film Office was nominated for this honor. On July 26, 2019, the series was renewed for a fourth season. Season 4, consisting of 10 episodes, began production in March 2020, with Elisabeth Moss filming her directorial debut, but work had to be halted after only a few weeks, due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

. In June 2020, Hulu announced that the fourth season would premiere in 2021. Production on season 4 resumed in September 2020 and wrapped on February 25, 2021, with Moss having directed three episodes. On December 10, 2020, ahead of the fourth season premiere, Hulu renewed the series for a fifth season. Season 5 started production in Toronto in February 2022 and continued through July 2022. In May 2022, Alexis Bledel departed the series ahead of the fifth season, and stated, "After much thought, I felt I had to step away from ''The Handmaid's Tale''". On September 8, 2022, ahead of the fifth season premiere, Hulu renewed the series for a sixth and final season.

Broadcast and release

The first three episodes of the series premiered on April 26, 2017; the subsequent seven episodes were released on a weekly basis. In Canada, the series is broadcast weekly by

CTV Drama Channel CTV Drama Channel (formerly known as Bravo) is a Canadian English language specialty channel owned by Bell Media. The channel was founded as the Canadian version of the U.S. channel Bravo (which is now owned by NBCUniversal) on January 1, 1995 ...

and the streaming service Crave; the first two episodes premiered on April 30, 2017. In Scandinavia, the series is available on

HBO Nordic Home Box Office (HBO)—originally established on November 8, 1972, as a premium cable television network in the United States—has, since 1991, expanded into a family of international pay television channels presently owned by Warner Bros. Di ...

. In the United Kingdom, the series premiered on May 28, 2017, on

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...

. In New Zealand, the series was released on the subscription video on demand service

Lightbox A lightbox is a translucent surface illuminated from behind, used for situations where a shape laid upon the surface needs to be seen with high contrast. Types Several varieties exist, depending on their purpose: * Various backlit viewing d ...

on June 8, 2017. After satellite service provider

Sky The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from outer space. In the field of astronomy, ...

acquired Lightbox and merged it into its streaming service

Neon Neon is a chemical element with the symbol Ne and atomic number 10. It is a noble gas. Neon is a colorless, odorless, inert monatomic gas under standard conditions, with about two-thirds the density of air. It was discovered (along with krypton ...

on July 7, 2020, Neon acquired the distribution rights to the series in New Zealand. In Australia, the series premiered on the TV channel SBS's video streaming service

SBS on Demand SBS is a national public television network in Australia. Launched on 24 October 1980, it is the responsibility of SBS's television division, and is available nationally. In 2018, SBS had a 7.7% audience share. As of 2022, SBS is the lowest ...

, on July 6, 2017. The series also released on the subscription video on demand service Stan on December 12, 2018. In Ireland, the series premiered on February 5, 2018, on

RTÉ2 RTÉ2 is an Television in the Republic of Ireland, Irish free-to-air television channel operated by public service broadcaster RTÉ. It was launched in 1978 as the Republic of Ireland's second television channel. History In the 1970s, the Iri ...

, with a showing of the first two episodes. RTÉ also became the first broadcaster in Europe to debut Season 2, Season 3 and Season 4 following its broadcast in the US and Canada. In Brazil and Latin America, the series premiered on March 7, 2018, on

Paramount Channel Paramount Network is a brand of several television channels operated by Paramount International Networks that showcase the Paramount Pictures film catalogue, and selected TV series from Paramount Global's television productions. The channel was ...

. In India, the series premiered on February 5, 2018, on

AXN AXN is a pay television channel owned by Sony Pictures Television, which was first launched in September 1997 in Asia. Local versions have since been launched in several parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Funded th ...

and ran for the first two seasons before moving to

Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, streaming and Renting, rental service of Amazon (c ...

for Season 3, which made all three seasons available for viewing on January 31, 2020. In Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, the series premiered on September 15, 2018, on

HBO Asia HBO Asia is the Asian division of HBO, based out of Singapore. It was originally launched on 1 May 1992 as MovieVision, later rebranding on 1 June 1995 to its current name after being purchased by Home Box Office, Inc. The Singapore-based broad ...

through

HBO Go HBO Go is a partly-inactive authenticated video on demand of the pay television service HBO. The service allowed subscribers to HBO via television providers to access its programming on-demand via the HBO website, mobile apps, and digital media p ...

. The first season was released on Blu-ray and DVD on March 13, 2018, the second season on December 4, 2018, and the third season on November 19, 2019, by

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment 20th Century Studios Home Entertainment (commonly referred to as 20th Home Video, or 20th Home Entertainment, formerly known as 20th Century-Fox Video, CBS/Fox Video, Fox Video, and 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment) is a home video label of Wa ...

. The fourth season was released on DVD only (no Blu-ray) on April 5, 2022, by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

Reception

Critical response

''The Handmaid's Tale'' was ranked as the 25th and 38th best TV series of the 21st century by ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' and ''

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...

Plot

Cast and characters

Main

Recurring

Guest

Episodes

Production

Broadcast and release

Reception

Critical response

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

Awards

See also

References

External links