The Handmaid's Tale - Hulu

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Deesky, Apr 29, 2017.

  1. fluffskul

    fluffskul Would rather be at a concert

    Location:
    albany, ny
    I think given Nick's role as a "Guardian" and an "Eye," combined with his ability to get June ::almost:: out of Gilead without the Commander or anyone else (besides maybe Serena?) having suspicion of his involvement has demonstrated that the viewer can assume Nick is exceptionally resourceful, and thrives moving around in the shadows.
     
  2. Serena: "I wont betray my country"
    USA (in exile) government representative: "but you already have"

    My favorite exchange in the whole series so far...
     
  3. John B Good

    John B Good Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    NS, Canada
    I found the second season rather boring for the first couple of episodes, but it has become absorbing again.

    Couple of minor problems - Although this is fantasy-horror show, and not always logical, I am wondering whether Canada is suffering the same widespread sterility that Gilead is dealing with? And if not, why not. And a diplomatic mission with one man and his and wife and driver...

    I can see Margaret Atwood's values and intelligence everywhere in this second season, with plots and developments that are not from the novel.

    I'm really liking a lot of the background music and would be interested in a variety of it on a cd.
     
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  4. Deesky

    Deesky Forum Resident Thread Starter

    It's fiction (though increasingly less-so), but it' isn't fantasy. Also, I don't think there have been massive lapses in logic within the universe, including the diplomatic trip.
     
  5. Aggie87

    Aggie87 Gig 'Em!

    Location:
    Carefree, AZ
    That's a good question about Canada/sterility. My assumption would be that they are having the same issues, as it wouldn't make sense to be geographically specific to the former U.S.

    So my second assumption is that Canada is working to address it (wasn't that maybe mentioned in some discussion they had with Waterford?), but doesn't resort to anything remotely like Gilead. People are allowed to live freely as they always have, there. At least it appears that way.
     
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  6. fluffskul

    fluffskul Would rather be at a concert

    Location:
    albany, ny
    There have been signs the sterility issue is everywhere.. the foregin diplomats that visit the Waterford house in season 1 seemed poised to trade with Gilead...and its mentioned that Gilead will be offering handmaids as tradable goods. Even after June tells the diplomat "They rape us." Which I believe is the firs time the word "rape" is used in the series.

    And in season 2, the man who meets with Serena says they have been breaking ground with research and helping solve the sterility crisis. Gilead has already decided to take an unscientific religious approach to the problem however, and isn't listening to what Canada and what's left of America is doing.
     
  7. Deesky

    Deesky Forum Resident Thread Starter

    That's right. The US has descended into fascism and rebranded as Gilead, while Canada has remained a liberal democracy. I wonder if other major Commonwealth countries have also retained their democratic principles.
     
  8. Very good post. I think you're spot on.

    Note how Fred was relying on her, 100%, before Gilead. He was almost a simpering, limp noodle. But O' how the tides turned in favor of the patriarchs when Gilead was founded. This turned Serena into nothing but Mrs. Waterford.

    There she is now, holding out for a child, who, yes, is a real child, but the child represents more of an idealistic idea of what motherhood truly is.

    The baby won't cure Mrs. Waterford's ills.
     
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  9. F_C_FRANKLIN

    F_C_FRANKLIN Forum Resident

    Well if there was ever any doubt about *any* redeemable qualities Mr. Waterford may have had before, Episode 10 squashes that idea. The last 1/2 was such a masterclass in how the mind of an manipulative, Sadistic Control freak really operates.
     
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  10. Deesky

    Deesky Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Wow, ep11 was heartbreaking. Spoilers...

    The first early sign was seeing Emily's despair at the store as June desperately tries to inject some hope into her. Later, we see a shocking rape scene of June by Waterford as a means of inducing labor, while Serena holds her down. And if that weren't bad enough, June is momentarily reunited with her daughter who initially doesn't recognize her, but later does and has some difficult questions for June. It's such an emotional scene, capping off an affecting hour of television and ending with an unexpected twist.

    Great stuff and superb performances.
     
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  11. hybrid_77

    hybrid_77 Forum Resident

    Location:
    New England
    I haven't seen it yet but have been reading spoilers. This season has 13 episodes but at least one British site was calling this episode the season finale, which it isn't. Is it? I hope not.
     
  12. GentleSenator

    GentleSenator what if

    Location:
    Aloha, OR
    oh crap i thought this was the finale and was going to jump in here to complain about how ridiculous it was as one. i'm glad now to know it wasn't.
     
  13. fluffskul

    fluffskul Would rather be at a concert

    Location:
    albany, ny
    13 episodes this season.
     
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  14. GentleSenator

    GentleSenator what if

    Location:
    Aloha, OR
    i'm not pumped to see where they take it with so much time left. the first season ended perfectly.
     
  15. hybrid_77

    hybrid_77 Forum Resident

    Location:
    New England
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  16. GentleSenator

    GentleSenator what if

    Location:
    Aloha, OR
  17. Note that the way it's looking now, the season might end as it began, with June alone.

    On another note:

    Have y'all noticed that there's no fat handmaids? There's hardly an overweight person in all of Gilead as far as I've seen.

    Certainly they wouldn't discriminate against heafty women if they could pop out babies like a Pez dispenser, would they?
     
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  18. Deuce66

    Deuce66 Senior Member

    Location:
    Canada
    As if June hasn't suffered enough already...that episode was punishing, Waterford needs to die a very slow, painful, agonizing death, evil incarnate that one.
     
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  19. Deesky

    Deesky Forum Resident Thread Starter

    A very nice personal and intimate episode. Spoilers...

    I bet the showrunners just couldn't help themselves playing a gag - little red riding hood June staring down the big bad wolf! :D Also we're starting to see an irreparable rift between Serena & Fred, given their exchange in the house. Speaking of the house, they sure don't build garage doors anymore the way they used to!

    Right at the end there, I'm sure I heard a car door being closed outside, so I'm guessing in the next ep June will either find herself back at the Waterfords' or, now that the baby is born, she might be sent off to the next household. I would rather she go back to the Waterford household as then she can be involved with whatever the fallout is between Serena and Fred.
     
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  20. NettleBed

    NettleBed Forum Transient

    Location:
    new york city
    The whole episode was very silly and filled with problems such as this. Also: how lax does security have to be where protesters get to have a full conversation with the people that they are heckling, before they are eventually taken away? That whole scene with Luke and the commander was so cringe-worthy.

    This season hasn't been outright bad or anything, but it's fairly clear to me that the people making it were doing a lot better when they had source material to follow.
     
  21. Deesky

    Deesky Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Maybe not all countries are as militant and intolerant as Gilead is and tthey still retain the right for citizens to protest without being jackbooted into submission.

    Boy, I completely disagree, this season has been terrific and just as enjoyable (if I can put it that way) as season one.
     
  22. misterdecibel

    misterdecibel Bulbous Also Tapered

    I've been fearing that she may yet be sent off to the colonies and an unfortunate reunion with her mother. Does being a proven child-bearer secure her future, or has Gilead got what they needed from her and now they can toss the troublemaker out?
     
  23. Leviethan

    Leviethan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    My thoughts during the show: "Connect the car battery to the garage door opener!", "Saw off that shotgun so it's easier to shoot and conceal!!", "Kill the Waterfords and take their car!!"
     
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  24. NettleBed

    NettleBed Forum Transient

    Location:
    new york city
    So much of that throughout the show. With this show, you pretty much have to accept all the logical inconsistencies and unrealistic/unbelievable situations that they construct or just stop watching, because it doesn't seem like it's going to get any better in these areas.
     
  25. matthew2600

    matthew2600 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    I'm no authority on this show but I download it for my girlfriend and I thought the live version of Hungry Heart made no sense. It's wasn't quite the Sopranos Don't Stop Believin' move.
     

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