''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, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed ...
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, ...
. 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 seri ...
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
The "Second American Civil War" is an umbrella term used by academics in order to reclassify historical eras of significant political violence in the history of the United States as a "civil war" or, more commonly, to discuss the potential outbre ...
wherein a
theonomic
Theonomy, from ''theos'' (God) and ''nomos'' (law), is a hypothetical Christian form of government in which society is ruled by divine law. Theonomists hold that divine law, particularly the judicial laws of the Old Testament, should be observed ...
,
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 were developing a sequel series, to be based on Atwood's 2019 novel ''
The Testaments''. 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 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 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, the ...
,
the
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 ...
,
theonomic
Theonomy, from ''theos'' (God) and ''nomos'' (law), is a hypothetical Christian form of government in which society is ruled by divine law. Theonomists hold that divine law, particularly the judicial laws of the Old Testament, should be observed ...
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 polic ...
.
Society is organized by power-hungry leaders along with a new, militarized, hierarchical régime of
religious fanaticism and newly created
social classes, 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 st ...
has led to the
enslavement 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 ...
, 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 marr ...
. 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 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
*
Elisabeth Moss 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 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 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 as Dr. Emily Malek / Ofglen #1 / Ofsteven / Ofroy / Ofjoseph #1 (seasons 1–4), a former university professor in
cellular biology 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 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
Olatunde Olateju Olaolorun "O-T" Fagbenle (Yoruba: ''Ọlátúndé Ọlátẹ́jú Ọláọlọ́run Fágbénlé''; born 22 January 1981) is an Emmy-nominated English actor, writer, and director. He has appeared in several films, stage, and ...
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 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 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 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 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 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 Hul ...
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, Ontario, Canada.
Filmography
Film
Television
References
External links
*
Living people
Actresses from Ontario
Canadian television actres ...
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 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 as Brianna / Oferic (seasons 1–4, guest season 5), another local Handmaid who is friends with June. She is Dolores' shopping partner.
*
Jenessa Grant 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 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 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 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, Interrupt ...
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, th ...
as Holly Maddox (season 2–3), June's mother, an outspoken feminist.
*
Sydney Sweeney
Sydney Bernice Sweeney (born September 12, 1997) is an American actress. She first gained attention for appearing in the television series ''Everything Sucks!'' (2018), ''The Handmaid's Tale'' (2018), and ''Sharp Objects'' (2018). In 2019, she w ...
as Eden Blaine (née Spencer) (season 2), a pious and obedient young girl who is married off to Nick.
*
Greg Bryk 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 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 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 as High Commander George Winslow (season 3), a High Commander stationed in Washington, D.C.
*
Elizabeth Reaser as Olivia Winslow (season 3),
the wife of High Commander Winslow.
*
Mckenna Grace
Mckenna Grace (born June 25, 2006) is an American actress. She began acting professionally at the age of six, with her earliest roles including Jasmine Bernstein in the Disney XD sitcom '' Crash & Bernstein'' (2012–2014) and Faith Newman in t ...
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 (TV series), Fresh Meat'' and ''Not Safe for Work (TV series), Not Safe for Work' ...
as Oona (season 4), an aid worker in Toronto and Moira's new girlfriend.
*
Jeananne Goossen 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 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 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 ''Mons ...
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 t ...
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 as Omar (season 2), a man who helps June attempt to escape Gilead.
*
John Carroll Lynch 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 as Odette (season 2), a doctor, and Moira's deceased fiancée.
*
Laila Robins 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 as Daisy (season 4), a Jezebels worker who aids June.
* Alex Castillo as Dawn Mathis (season 4), the Waterfords' defense attorney.
*
Reed Birney 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 as Lily (season 5), a former Martha who is now a leader in the Canada-based resistance movement.
In the second season,
Oprah Winfrey has an uncredited appearance as a newsreader on a car radio.
Episodes
Production
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 seri ...
's straight-to-series order of ''The Handmaid's Tale'' was announced in April 2016, with
Elisabeth Moss set to star.
Based on the 1985 novel of the same name by
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, ...
, the series was created by Bruce Miller, who is also an executive producer with Daniel Wilson, Fran Sears, and
Warren Littlefield.
Atwood serves as
consulting producer
A consultant (from la, consultare "to deliberate") is a professional (also known as ''expert'', ''specialist'', see variations of meaning below) who provides advice and other purposeful activities in an area of specialization.
Consulting servic ...
, 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 was announced as director of the series.
Samira Wiley,
Max Minghella, and
Ann Dowd joined the cast in July 2016.
Joseph Fiennes,
Madeline Brewer, and
Yvonne Strahovski were cast in August 2016, followed by
O-T Fagbenle
Olatunde Olateju Olaolorun "O-T" Fagbenle (Yoruba: ''Ọlátúndé Ọlátẹ́jú Ọláọlọ́run Fágbénlé''; born 22 January 1981) is an Emmy-nominated English actor, writer, and director. He has appeared in several films, stage, and ...
and
Amanda Brugel in September 2016. In October 2016,
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 Hul ...
joined the cast, and
Alexis Bledel was added in January 2017.
Filming on the series took place in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most pop ...
,
Mississauga,
Brantford,
Hamilton,
Burlington,
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 beca ...
,
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 C ...
, from September 2016 to February 2017. Hulu released the first full trailer of the TV series on
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and 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 Google, and is the second most ...
, 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. Season 3 saw the show's long-serving Director of Photography,
Colin Watkinson, make his directorial debut with the episode "Unknown Caller". Cambridge, Ontario was nominated by the
Location Managers Guild International 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 identified ...
. 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 __NOTOC__
Crave or Craving may refer to:
Entertainment and media Companies and services
* Crave (streaming service), a Canadian video-on-demand streaming service
* Crave (TV network), a Canadian linear pay TV service operated in conjunction with ...
; the first two episodes premiered on April 30, 2017.
In Scandinavia, the series is available on
HBO Nordic. 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 on June 8, 2017. After satellite service provider
Sky 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 krypt ...
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, on July 6, 2017. The series also released on the subscription video on demand service
Stan
Stan or STAN may refer to:
People
* Stan (given name), a list of people with the given name
** Stan Laurel (1890–1965), English comic actor, part of duo Laurel and Hardy
* Stan (surname), a Romanian surname
* Stan! (born 1964), American author ...
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.
In India, the series premiered on February 5, 2018, on
AXN 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 subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming and rental service of Amazon offered as a standalone service or as part of Amazon's Prime subscription. The service p ...
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 through
HBO Go.
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 ...
. The fourth season was released on DVD only (no Blu-ray) on April 5, 2022, by
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc. (formerly known as Warner Home Video and WCI Home Video and sometimes credited as Warner Home Entertainment) is the home video distribution division of Warner Bros.
It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Video ...
.
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
A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background.
Newspapers can cover a wide ...
'' and ''
BBC'', respectively. On the
review aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
website
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wan ...
, the overall series has an approval rating of 83%. While on
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
, another aggregator website, it has an average score of 81 out of 100.
Season 1
On
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wan ...
, 94% of 259 reviews are positive for the first season, with an average rating of 8.65/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Haunting and vivid, ''The Handmaid's Tale'' is an endlessly engrossing adaptation of Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel that's anchored by a terrific central performance from Elisabeth Moss."
On
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
, the season has a weighted average score of 92 out of 100 based on 41 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".
Daniel Fienberg of ''
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly large ...
'' called it "probably the spring's best new show". Jen Chaney of ''
Vulture
A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North a ...
'' gave it a highly positive review, and wrote that it is "A faithful adaptation of the book that also brings new layers to Atwood's totalitarian, sexist world of forced surrogate motherhood" and that "this series is meticulously paced, brutal, visually stunning, and so suspenseful from moment to moment that only at the end of each hour will you feel fully at liberty to exhale".
There was much debate on whether parallels could be drawn between the series (and by extension, the book it is based on) and American society during the
Presidency of Donald Trump
Donald Trump's tenure as the List of presidents of the United States, 45th president of the United States began with Inauguration of Donald Trump, his inauguration on January 20, 2017, and ended on January 20, 2021. Trump, a Republican Party ...
. Comparisons have also been made to the
Salafi
The Salafi movement or Salafism () is a reform branch movement within Sunni Islam that originated during the nineteenth century. The name refers to advocacy of a return to the traditions of the "pious predecessors" (), the first three generat ...
/
Wahabbi extremism of
ISIS
Isis (; ''Ēse''; ; Meroitic language, Meroitic: ''Wos'' 'a''or ''Wusa''; Phoenician language, Phoenician: 𐤀𐤎, romanized: ʾs) was a major ancient Egyptian deities, goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughou ...
, under which enslaved women of religious minorities are passed around and utilized as sex objects and vessels to bear new jihadis.
Season 2
On Rotten Tomatoes, 89% of 340 critics have given the season a positive review, and an average rating of 8.35/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Beautifully shot but dishearteningly relevant, ''The Handmaid's Tale'' centers its sophomore season tightly around its compelling cast of characters, making room for broader social commentary through more intimate lenses."
Metacritic assigned the season a weighted average score of 86 out of 100 based on 28 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".
Some critics perceived the second season's depictions of violence as excessive. ''
The Atlantic
''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science.
It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...
''s Sophie Gilbert wrote: "There came a point during the first episode where, for me, it became too much." Lisa Miller of ''The Cut'' wrote: "I have pressed mute and fast forward so often this season, I am forced to wonder: 'Why am I watching this'? It all feels so gratuitous, like a beating that never ends." ''
The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally.
It was f ...
''s Rebecca Reid admitted she had an anxiety attack watching an episode of the show.
Season 3
For the third season, Rotten Tomatoes reports that 82% of 301 reviews are positive, and the average rating is 6.9/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "''The Handmaid's Tale''s third season reins in its horrors and inspires hope that revolution really is possible – if only the story would stop spinning its wheels and get to it already."
Metacritic compiled 14 critic reviews and an average score of 68 out of 100, signifying "generally favorable reviews".
Kelly Lawler of ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virg ...
'' gave it a positive review, scoring it three out of four stars. She claimed it is an improvement over the second season, "that rights many – though definitely not all – of Season 2's wrongs." Overall, she wrote, "The new season is more propulsive and watchable, although it doesn't quite reach the heights of that first moving season. But ''Handmaid's'' regains its footing by setting off on a new path".
Daniel Fienberg of ''
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly large ...
'' wrote a generally positive review, praising Elisabeth Moss's performance and the cinematography, but criticized the plot "that has become frustratingly repetitive". Overall, he wrote, "Still occasionally powerful, but rarely as provocative".
Season 4
On Rotten Tomatoes, the fourth season earned positive reviews from 70% of 46 critics, with an average rating of 7/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Elisabeth Moss is better than ever, but scattershot plotting and an overbearing sense of doom may prove too grim for some viewers to really enjoy ''The Handmaid's Tale''s fourth season."
According to Metacritic, which collected 18 reviews and calculated an average score of 62, the season received "generally positive reviews".
Kristen Baldwin of ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cult ...
'' gave it a "C+" grade and wrote that the series "delivers on some long-delayed promises, but ultimately it's too little, too late." Matthew Gilbert of ''
The Boston Globe
''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' wrote, "the dystopian drama has exceeded the natural lifespan of its story, as it plows forward with nothing new to say, tinkling cymbals and sounding brass." In a more positive review from Jen Chaney of ''
Vulture
A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North a ...
'', she wrote, "Thankfully, season four finally regains some momentum and forward motion. Based on the eight out of ten total episodes made available to critics, this is the best ''The Handmaid's Tale'' has been since its first season."
Season 5
On Rotten Tomatoes, the fifth season earned positive reviews from 81% of 27 critics, with an average rating of 7.55/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "''The Handmaid's Tale'' has lost its urgency after spreading its once-arresting premise thin in a season focused on vengeance's consequences, but the women of Gilead are still played with compelling exactitude."
On Metacritic, it received an average score of 63 out of 100, based on 7 reviews, indicating "generally positive reviews".
Critics were given the first eight episodes of the season to review. Writing for ''
IGN'', Tara Bennett gave it a "good" score of 7 out of 10 and wrote in her verdict: "''The Handmaid's Tale'' remains the canary in the coalmine of TV shows
.. Elisabeth Moss continues to give a livewire performance as former handmaid/now Canadian refugee June Osborne.
..But overall, the series continues to suffer with very measured storylines that can't seem to recapture the kinetic energy of the first two seasons." Abby Cavenaugh of ''
Collider'' graded it with a "B-" and said, "Season 5 is full of scarce highs and really low lows, lots of heavy-hitting drama, and emotional scenes. Some of the biggest events of this season lead to some pretty uncomfortable viewing, but viewers who stick with it will be rewarded with some huge moments that will have repercussions for the final season."
Awards
See also
*
List of original programs distributed by Hulu
Beginning in 2011, streaming service Hulu began to produce its own original content. The first production released was the web series '' The Morning After'', a light-hearted pop-culture news show. In 2012, Hulu announced that it would begin ai ...
*
Sex and sexuality in speculative fiction
References
External links
*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Handmaid's Tale, The
2017 American television series debuts
2010s American drama television series
2010s American LGBT-related drama television series
2020s American drama television series
2020s American LGBT-related drama television series
Dystopian television series
English-language television shows
Hulu original programming
Lesbian-related television shows
Nonlinear narrative television series
Post-apocalyptic television series
Rape in television
Television shows based on Canadian novels
Television series by MGM Television
Television shows filmed in Toronto
Television productions suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Television shows set in Massachusetts
Television shows set in Toronto
Television shows set in Washington, D.C.
Works about sexism
Works about totalitarianism
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series winners
Primetime Emmy Award-winning television series
Best Drama Series Golden Globe winners
Television series based on novels