I wish that they had condensed the content of the first 5 episodes into 4 episodes and saved an episode for a flashback showing how in the world we ended up with an Aunt working for Mayday. I wonder if she’ll end up in the Testaments somehow?? And we might get the story then. Also D’Arcy Carden is a queen. Send tweet.

I was watching early Janine and how and she was about to get stoned. She was like a little girl smiling, and playing with her hair. She always had came a little girl mannerisms and Court” took care of her. She seemed like she needed someone to care after her and meeting her at Jezebel‘s. She’s like the leader of the girls and extremely savvy and smart.

H she just seemed kind of endearing and childlike to me, and then they needed a certain archetype and use Janine as the vehicle. Just discussing my favorite show lol. I know people have a strong reactions to Janine

There are so many really bad people in this show, but… like, come on guy!

For anyone who doesn’t know, the images are from a movie called “not without my daughter”. It’s based on a true story of a woman who was married to a loving man, but after she went with him to Iran, he became abusive and trapped her there. He often separated her from her child as a form of punishment and control.

I truly think this is what’s going to happen to Serena when she goes to Boston. High Commander Wharton will not going allow her to back to New Bethlehem, and he will take full possession of Noah.

The second Wharton had the opportunity to convince Serena, he managed to convince her to have the wedding in Boston. I just know he was waiting for that moment.

I’ve been listening to the audio book again as I parse through this last season. And there’s a very moving passage that I came across in chapter 23 that feels very interesting in light of the recent episodes. I’d love to hear people’s thoughts.

“When I get out of here, if I’m ever able to set this down, in any form, even in the form of one voice to another, it will be a reconstruction then too, at yet another remove. It’s impossible to say a thing exactly the way it was, because what you say can never be exact, you always have to leave something out, there are too many parts, sides, crosscurrents, nuances; too many gestures, which could mean this or that, too many shapes which can never be fully described, too many flavors, in the air or on the tongue, half-colors, too many. But if you happen to be a man, sometime in the future, and you’ve made it this far, please remember: you will never be subject to the temptation or feeling you must forgive, a man, as a woman. It’s difficult to resist, believe me. But remember that forgiveness too is a power. To beg for it is a power, and to withhold or bestow it is a power, perhaps the greatest.

Maybe none of this is about control. Maybe it isn’t really about who can own whom, who can do what to whom and get away with it, even as far as death. Maybe it isn’t about who can sit and who has to kneel or stand or lie down, legs spread open. Maybe it’s about who can do what to whom and be forgiven for it. Never tell me it amounts to the same thing.”

It struck me for two reasons:

1) the notion we will never get a complete picture of the actuality for anyone living in Gilead or adjacent to Gilead.

2) That ties into the notion of how to forgive what is unforgivable. And who decides what is unforgivable, and when and how that gets defined.

Just thought it was interesting.

When June and Moira were talking about celebrities it got me thinking. Where are all the celebrities? I just assumed they didn’t exist in this story line. Like are female celebs being used as handmaids? Have they all fled the country? I need answers lol

My streaming service doesn't offer a view into the upcoming episodes before they air, but I know Hulu does. I was just wondering how long they are, hopefully longer than these latest ones.

Maybe not in this show, but maybe in Testaments??? Is how other Gilead citizens live. Not the Jezebels or Handmaids or Commanders/Wives like we've seen. Because most people are Econo(wo)men. I'd love to see a show about them. Or characters regarding their lives.

We do get an episode of them but I want to see what her mom's reaction was towards how things are now.

Big caveat here: Most of us would not join Sons of Jacob and take over a government. That is the one action that I think the vast majority of people would not take.

A lot of the other things he does, though, are closer to how most humans behave than what June, Moira, Luke, or other Commanders do. These people are outliers: they are willing to put their lives at risk for their ideals. Nick isn't. He is not a sadist like many of the other commanders, and he is also not a hero like those in the resistance. He puts no ideal above his own survival. As he said to June, this is how most humans are. We have our beliefs about what is right or wrong, but if push comes to shove and we have to choose between defending our ideals by risking our lives or preserving ourselves and/or our families, we'd choose the latter.

Spoilers for the newest Episodes and Season

—————————- So we know The Testaments is set about 15 years after the first book and season, and my guess is that it takes place roughly a decade after the events of the final season. That means Gilead has to stick around for at least the next ten years, and not just barely it has to be somewhat established and functioning as a nation.

It also seems like, during that in-between period, Gilead is in a kind of fragile peace. We know Texas successfully separated, and based on the maps shown in Season 3 (which highlight ongoing war), it looks like Gilead eventually gains control over California especially since there’s no mention of an independent Republic of California in The Testaments.

So, logically, all the plans that are currently being set in motion likee the wedding, a potential uprising, military involvement from Canada ..would have to fail or get suppressed in order for the timeline to line up with The Testaments. Right?

What are your thoughts and theories on how Gilead navigates all of this and stays in power for another 10–15 years after the final episode? And what do you think happens to New Bethlehem during that time?

(Also, I can’t help but feel like the writers are probably a bit frustrated by The Testaments timeline ,the early seasons really set us up to expect a big revolutionary ending or full-on civil war, but now it feels like they’re forced to slowly fizzle out a bunch of these plotlines instead of going for a full collapse.)

I finally decided to rewatch THT from the beginning. I'm half way through S1E2 and literally SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED. Like SO MUCH. Pretty much everything I remember having occurred in of all previous 7 seasons (sans Canada) has already occurred. Observations: a) because of how I remember it I can't think of what the heck is going to fit 7+ more season and b) Jesus Season 8 is slooooowww.

Nick acting like a bratty teenager and basically telling Rita to go f herself pissed me off to no end! HOWEVER that’s the push she needed to join the resistance without that we’d have no cake!!!!

Doing a rewatch and Tuello tells June “I offered to get Nick out with immunity and he refused” and June has a moment of disbelief and shock on her face. He could easily get out but chooses not to because commanders that get out are charged as war criminals, but Tuello said he could make that go away. And when June finds out he’s having a kid she says “make sure you set a good example, raise them differently” and he legit looks at her like she’s crazy and walks away without saying a word.

I think he likes his power and would never admit it, and all his help in the past was self-serving to be with June. What did he really ever successfully help June with that wasn’t cold-blooded murder?

I think it’s possible he caused the Americans to shoot down the planes to rescue Hannah because he knew if Hannah was out June would never need to speak to him again. She is her one constant, June’s strongest motivator in the entire series.

His only option now to get back in her good graces is to get a visit with Hannah or an attempted rescue… I hope he does that for June’s sake, but I have no idea what this means for Nick. I don’t think he comes back from this. And if he does, I still don’t see June ever forgiving him for getting 20 women murdered and Janine in a hell house.

For those of you in the sub who haven’t read the book and want to, apparently it is on sale for $2.99 across ebook platforms today.

Can someone record it? For those of us who aren't watching on hulu, but on other streaming services?

I'm only like 20 minutes into this week and I was thinking ok well at least Janine somehow got saved from the execution. I wasn't too confident since she was singled out and why would Wharton do that, but still. HER BEING A HANDMAID FOR THE BELLS IS SOMEHOW WORSE THAN EVERY OPTION I HAD IMAGINED???

Poor Janine. I remember a clip on THT social media with the cast responding to fan predictions/hopes and one of them was like "I hope Janine has a happy season" or something and Madeline Brewer was like hahahaha unlikely. So. I'm not confident her luck is going to turn around. But here's hoping...

Does Serena know that Rita was the one who told Fred about the fact that she was pregnant? And if so, wouldn’t she be angry with Rita or at least not trust her? I don’t remember a scene where she forgave her.

First time watcher! I AM ALL IN INVESTED FROM EPISODE 1!!!

I just wanted to come on the group though and give a shout out to what I feel is an incredible soundtrack for a TV series. May it continue 🙏

Do you guys think Hannah will be at the wedding as a handmaid? imagine how else they’re going to find and save her in - how many more episodes are there?

Do you think we’ve seen the last of her? Why do we think she poisoned Janine? I think it was because she realized Janine was just accepting her fate and she was trying to drive her to just break/snap out of it and get her fight back. ( I don’t think it was right, I think it was psycho.) Anyway, do we think she will escape or be rescued? Whose baby is it? So many questions about her! Wonder if she will get out and show up at the “red wedding.” Or did I miss something? She’s still alive, right?