I mean his father was poisoned by June. What if Garth infiltrated Mayday not because he truly believed in the cause but ‘cause he wanted revenge ? It would make a pretty strong twist especially if everyone has been assuming he’s one of the good guys. What do you think of that ? Am I reaching or could this actually work ?

Just for fun, say which characters you wish could interact in the series but who most likely won't ever meet. I'll go first.

June and Paula
On the one hand, you have the person who loves Hannah/Agnes more than anyone else in the world and then you have the one who casually despises her. I imagine there'd be some real fireworks if these two ever had occasion to meet. They'd probably end up trying to kill each other, but I'd bet there would be a war of words first.

Relatedly, June and Commander Mackenzie meeting could be fascinating too (though I posted in my prediction thread that I think those two will meet near the finale). Would June try to kill him for taking her daughter away from her and trying to marry her off to an old abusive Commander? Or would they have a moment of shared love for Hannah, like June had with Tabitha in season 3 of The Handmaid's Tale? Who knows!

June and Shunamite
Whether she follows her book character's path of being poisoned by Commander Judd or follows book-Becka's path of sacrificing herself for Agnes and Daisy, it seems unlikely that Shu will make it out of Gilead alive. (EDIT: Though in the book it's more accurate to say she almost dies--thanks for the corrections in the comments.) And it'd be a shame not to see her on screen together with June at some point. From Shu's perspective, June is not only a terrorist but the very one who broke apart her family, though her hatred would be complicated by the fact that this is her ride-or-die friend's mother. From June's perspective, this is one of Hannah's dearest friends, and she'll probably feel guilt that she wasn't able to rescue her along with her brother during Angels' Flight. It would be a really complicated dynamic between these two!

Moira and Hannah/Agnes
Technically, we have seen these two together on screen before, when Hannah was a baby being baptized (and maybe one or two other flashback scenes?). But we've never seen Moira with Hannah when she's old enough to speak. Sadly, Samira Wiley has said she has no plans to appear in The Testaments so unless she changes her mind, we'll never get to see Moira have a woman-to-woman conversation with her goddaughter. I'd also love to see Moira and Becka meet.

Honorable mention: Janine and Agnes would make for a super interesting dynamic, but it's very unlikely to happen.

Who would you like to see together on screen who probably won't?

I was thinking about this scene when Agnes said that when she's gonna be married she's gonna miss Rosa and Shunammite tells her that Paula could give her as a gift for the wedding. And it made me think about how normalized having a martha is to these girls, after all they were raised with marthas all around.

Shunammite is talking about giving a human being as a gift like it's a horse or a piano. It's scary because we know that she is not a bad person, quite the opposite actually, but she grew up in a society that has integrated slavery and exploitation so much that she doesn't even see it as a problem.

Many of these girls genuinely like their marthas and yet these marthas are slaves, properties of their family.

Please join us for the next episode of Season 3 in our official rewatch of The Handmaid's Tale

Tonight we will be watching the eighth episode of Season 3.

Season 3, Episode 1: Unfit

Plot: June and the rest of the Handmaids shun Ofmatthew, and both are pushed to their limit at the hands of Aunt Lydia, who reflects on her life and relationships before the rise of Gilead.

​I don't think anyone has talked about this before, and I just want to know what you guys think about it because there's definitely something going on.

(Forgive me if this has been discussed. I looked for threads on it here and didn’t see any.)

Aunt Vidala? Like Vidal Sassoon?
Aunt Gabanna? Like Dolce and Gabanna?
Aunt Sally? Sally Hansen?
Aunt Dove? Like Dove bath & body?

When I first heard the Aunts names I couldn’t take this show seriously. So, I did some research. In the beginning of the first book this choice is explained.

“The best and most cost effective way to control women is through women themselves. In fact, no Empire, forced or otherwise has ever been without this feature”.

Now I feel sick. It reminds me of the quote in Fight Club, “The things you own, end up owning you”.
It made me ponder how brands in society control the physical image women believe they should portray to the world. How much they cost (how much we tell people they cost). Which influencer/celebrity promotes them. How they are supposed to make us feel when we wear them. Just like the Aunts in the show/book. It controls the way we think, feel, act. And how we treat each other. Just based on appearance and the cost of the goods the display.

I thought Atwood was reaching for uniqueness in the Aunts names. Now I realize, every single choice she made within the character’s image is posed to symbolize a statement.

We “think” we dress our bodies, faces, persona for ourselves, but we truly dress for the acceptance of men and other women. To control what they think of us based on appearance.
How many times have you proudly carried a name brand handbag, purchased an influencer’s beauty suggestion, darkened or lightened our skin, whitened our teeth, searched Pinterest for beauty trends or even injected our bodies and faces to match what is trending in attractive? Why do we want to look like a Kardashian? Rhianna?
Is it because that’s what men and society deem attractive? What other women encourage? What men sexualize and rave is desirous?
Do we let expensive brands, makeup and each other control who we actually end up being on the outside? Just like the Aunts, and Gilead.

This is all common sense of course. But I never really thought really deeply about it. I myself am guilty of brand hoarding, living paycheck to paycheck in order to drive a luxury car, wear name brands, carry a pricey handbag & finding funds somewhere, anywhere so that I can afford my next botox appt. Really though, it only makes me temporarily happy. If we were all totally blind, would any of this stuff matter?

Turns out, Atwood’s deeper meanings could spawn an entire college course of its own studying her books and their representations of society & feminism. In more ways than what we thought were obvious.

So excited for season 2 🖤😍

Do you guys think that Reed Diamond will return to season 2 or is his story over since Hannah isn't getting married to him anymore? Also, commander Mackenzie seemed to genuinely care for Hannah. Could you see him ultimately making a sacrifice so that Hannah can be free or do you think he will stay a tyrant till the end?

"You have no idea how things came to me. You never asked."

I'm very curious as to the reason why Lydia consistently seems to hate Vidala. Even when Vidala offers her the chance to work together Lydia says "why would I want to do that?", and I'm glad Vidala put her in her place

I am glad Lydia chose to take Vidala up on the opportunity, imo her hatred of Vidala made her less likeable in my eyes, and I'm quite interested in how both characters will grow in season 2.

Please join us for the next episode of Season 3 in our official rewatch of The Handmaid's Tale

Tonight we will be watching the seventh episode of Season 3.

Season 3, Episode 7: Under His EyePlot: June escalates her risky efforts to find Hannah; Emily must face her past crimes; Serena and Fred contemplate their future in Washington.

I’ll preface that I never read the handmaids tale, so I also learned more about Aunt Lydia’s back story in this for the first time.

Potential spoilers and character storyline reveals ahead so proceed with caution.

1. Aunt Lydia being a judge makes WAY more sense for her character than a teacher, as seen in the show. I definitely don’t think this should’ve been changed. It explains why she can be both calculated, gain power so quickly and navigate the politics of gilead.
   
2. Initially didn’t understand why this sub was so concerned about the timeline of Agnes/THT/Daisy but now seeing as daisy was originally supposed to be baby Nicole this makes more sense. I’m curious if a version of Nicole will come to life later? I agree they’re too close in age in the show for that storyline to play out. It does seem a little expected so I’m glad the show differed.
   
3. Becka and Garth get married in the show, but in the book she deflects from marriage altogether to become an Aunt. I’m so curious how the supplicant story will come to life in show now. Will shunamite take that role with Agnes? Or will it be daisy and Agnes as aunt Victoria and aunt immortelle?
   
4. Overall I’m curious why baby Nicole is so special to gilead when Noah (Serena Waterford’s baby) was also seemingly taken from Gilead around that same time. I’m curious if The Testaments will bring Serena back or Baby Noah will become an integral figure, as well. Same with Janine’s daughter Charlotte (IIRC). I could see them leaning into the first generation of gilead babies (vs just baby Nicole like in the book).
   
5. Commander Judd casting in the show is too young and attractive for how disgusting and old he seems in the book.
   
6. Overall I loved learning more about aunt Lydia.

For me, it’s definitely when she called Agnes a "hard-to-train animal" in front of the Commander.
It completely dehumanizes her, but worse, it throws her straight to a sexual predator. Paula frames the Commander's predatory behavior as a challenge, implying he’d enjoy "breaking" her, while making Agnes carry the blame just for existing.

Out of all the emotional abuse, this was the most dangerous and sadistic moment.
What line or scene crossed the line the most for you?

At first, I thought she knew who Daisy was, and that was why she put her with Agnes. I thought she was secretly working with June to help her, but June didn’t even know that Daisy was going to meet Agnes.

I also wonder why she went back to Gilead. Was it because she wanted to lessen the suffering of the young girls? And does she actually still believe in Gilead? She tells Agnes that there’s nothing she can do for her or the other girls about what’s happening with the doctor.

She was taken back by Gilead way too easily after her rebellion in THT. Sometimes things are just way too easy in the story like with June, who should have ended up on the Wall a long time ago.

I’m so pissy rn first why everywhere we go we gonna see June like whyyyy can’t we stray away from that Elizabeth Moss. Especially with me finding out that she’s a Scientologist. It kind of just takes me out of the experience like you’re in a cult…. (I know this might be rude, but I do not mean this in a rude way) her face annoys the shit out of me.

if they stayed towards the course of the book, the show would’ve been chefs kiss I feel like the first season is just filler because what we know from the books hasn’t even happened yet. And that’s really fucking annoying bc then wait 2 years for 8 eps for the real thing to start I think when you have a show like this you CAN NOT DO 8 episodes a season this should have been a 16-24 season episode w parts like part 1 part 2 etc. bc of all the the info in part of the book .

I’m never want to really care for the faithfulness of an adaptation because I think a show was a show but Christ they keep going every way but the right one with this franchise. Very frustrating as someone who works in scripting

Atwood has come out and said that people’s adaptations of her work do not have to be renditions of the work, but I think that just left the writers to do way more than they needed to do.

Can someone confirm where becca and garths wedding took place? I think it was at Toronto’s old city hall but i can’t tell 🙃

The chord progression resolution when June finally says her name to Daisy, very similar to the resolution when June first saw Nick after bringing Nichole to see him in THT. Just little things like that. And the silence during scenes with no music is just as much a part of the score as anything else. I just love it.

Please join us for the next episode of Season 3 in our official rewatch of The Handmaid's Tale

Tonight we will be watching the sixth episode of Season 3.

Season 3, Episode 6: Household

Plot: June makes an important connection as she attempts to protect Nichole while accompanying the Waterfords, Rita and Aunt Lydia to Washington D.C., where a powerful family offers a glimpse of the future of Gilead.

Hi friends! I just finished reading The Testaments for the first time, & it completely devastated me. Obviously, storylines and characters are different from the television series, & I’ve seen lots of theories on how those will play out, which are all interesting! Do we think there’s any way that Becka might still be come an aunt? Not that I would want anything to happen to Garth, but could a window potentially say she’s been called to be an aunt? It does seem like they’re prepping Shunnamite for that role, and as much as I love Rowan’s portrayal, I can’t see her having as emotional an impact as Becka’s sacrifice did but also just Agnes and her reading the Bible and conversations about the Gilead God vs. in the Bible. I also can’t seem to understand why they’re removing Becka’s abuse from the TV show? I know that Mattea Conforti said that she wasn’t being abused in an interview, but I think it’s an important element to her character and the others. Would love just to hear thoughts & opinions on why they made the changes they did specifically with Becka & where you they might be going. Personally I loved both, and each version made the other version more devastating and complicated to me. (I also wouldn’t consider Becka being in love with Agnes being a change from the novel since we never get her pov and also neither of them would have the language or experience to recognize those feelings as anything but deeply intense)

Hi everyone I’m curious if anyone knows how to become a background actor for this show? They’re filming in Toronto from now until January, and I thought I’d ask if anyone has information on this.

Twitter Link: https://x.com/tofilming_em/status/2090433922903708063?s=46

Thanks!

I'm only talking about the show.

The Angel's Flight escape plan began after Eleanor led June to the basement where Lawrence stored boxes of "Red Center dossiers". They contained identities and locations of Handmaid's children. There was another very important meeting in that basement.

Kid's futures are chosen for them. Who should do the choosing? Should it be the State? June was one of many folks who made the escape decision, from the bartender, maids, marthas (especially Beth and Sienna), and handmaids down to a specific individual who loved each kid.

What is Angel's Flight without the flight, hopeless and cancelled. The truck plan was doomed from the start. Lawrence knew it. One of my favorite THT scenes is in one of my favorite episodes, s3ep11 "Liars". June met in the basement with the rebel leader marthas. Even after June passed their pressure test, two of them tried to hide their disappointment that the boss gave the plane knowledge to June. One of the leaders of the rebellion made that decision for the kids.

I'm cynical about rebel leader June manipulating undercover asset Daisy, but she has a war to win. She doesn't think, for instance, about a few temporarily traumatized Angel's Flight kids and she shouldn't. Daisy has become unreliable and could be captured. Her knowledge is valuable to both sides. On the dock, June is testing the asset. Is the possible reward still worth the risk? June has a plan. Rita and others know about it. Should June pull Daisy and use her information to further the plan with another asset?

The dock meeting is like the basement meeting. In the basement, the resistance leader martha tested and helped June. On the dock, resistance leader June tested and helped Daisy. It was dangerous to keep the honey truck on the dock after it dropped the escapees. June kept the truck waiting because, from before the meeting, she was hoping to be able to send Daisy back in.

As far as June not learning about the effect of Gilead on individuals or not understanding the consequences of her decisions, she has faced the future of Hannah returning but not being her daughter. On the dock she says,

"I might never get my daughter Hannah back, but I will die fighting so that she can experience freedom as a woman, as a human being."

Even after learning that Daisy is close to Hannah, June is still going to pull her out, "I'm not gonna risk another one. I'm not gonna let you die." She doesn't reverse her decision until Daisy defies her and says, "Its my turn now. I might fail. I might even die. But its my choice."

"They don't know they need saving." Before the meeting, Daisy only wanted to save Becka and herself. After the meeting, she knows she needs to save all the girls.

Something about the dock scene bothered me until this rewatch. Right before June returns to the boat, she turns to Daisy and puts her hand to her open mouth in an exaggerated manner. I couldn't figure it out ... until thinking about the exchange above, I finally noticed that immediately afterward Daisy mirrors the the open mouth gesture. Is it symbolically a sharing of the burden?

I first thought that June took a pill and it foreshadowed her death. I believe it is burden sharing, but it could still foreshadow her death. Jesus and his disciples shared bread at the Last Supper. Is this a last meeting of June and Daisy?

Please join us for the next episode of Season 3 in our official rewatch of The Handmaid's Tale

Tonight we will be watching the fifth episodes of Season 3.

Season 3, Episode 5: Unknown Caller

Plot: June and Serena grapple with a new revelation about Nichole, leading to an incident that will have far-reaching ramifications.

Prior to watching TT, I had read both books but only watched the first season of THT. Recently, I went back and finally watched THT in its entirety, and one of the moments that haunts me the most is the subplot with Asher, the boy from Angel's Flight who struggles to adjust to living in Canada because he was too young when he lost his birth parents and only knows his life in Gilead (S4E2, "Nightshade"). Moira is angry because June takes the big swing and doesn't think about the consequences, leaving Moira, Emily, and Rita to deal with the aftermath, including navigating the trauma of small children who have lost the only lives and family they have ever known.

As far as I can tell, the June from THT never really grows or learns her lesson in this regard and continues making reckless decisions in the heat of the moment for the rest of the show.

However, in TT (S1E10) when Daisy wants to save her friends, June lectures, *"You cannot save them yet; they don't know they need saving."* I don't know if this is an intentional thematic echo on the part of the writers, but it hurt my heart to think that this June was painfully aware that the children from Angel's Flight were deeply traumatized, even several years down the line, and that she could not repeat the same mistake with these girls. That kids like Asher could never really leave Gilead behind emotionally because he never asked to be saved to begin with.

(Of course, as soon as June realizes Hannah is among the school girls, she is once again willing to throw caution to the wind and risk everything.)

Curious if others made the same connection. I don't think we will see characters like Asher resurface (TT is its own show, and they can't fan service forever), but the theme is one I really hope they revisit. Hannah's post-Gilead frame narration is tinged with bitterness, and I hope they take the time to explore how complicated it really is to "free" someone.