The Handmaids Tale

[eloisesparkle]

I know I'm a little late to the party but I didn't bother taping this when first on.
It's now being shown on an Irish channel and have taped it.
I watched the first episode - Season 1.
Gosh it's dark.
Depressing too- do I really want to spend another 5/6? hours watching the series ?
Your opinions please.

[Allthebestnamesareused]

It is quite dark but very well acted - a proper dystopian drama.

[Saralyn]

It is pretty dark and tough to watch. But also so, so good.

I would say it is worth it. And there is hope as well, in between the darkness.

[BBQsAreSooooOverrated]

It is dark but very good and there's a 2nd series coming soon.

[PhelanThePain]

I didn’t enjoy it. I know it wasn’t supposed to be an enjoyable programme but I didn’t come away with a feeling of time well spent after watching. I haven’t read the book(s?) though which may have affected my appreciation of it.

[eloisesparkle]

Thank you.

[thedevilinablackdress]

Best thing I've seen in ages.

[mycelialnetwork]

Definitely worth watching. I think it helps if you have read the book, although the series doesn't follow it exactly.

Best bit of telly from last year without a doubt. Can't wait for season 2.

[iheartmichellemallon]

It is very dark & haunted me too but only because I could easily see how that could happen & I appreciated how it made me think. I'd definitely recommend watching it.

[BeverlyHillsBillie]

You absolutely do want to stick with it. It's fantastic.

[Cmcc2206]

I haven't seen the programme but I am reading the book just now - it's a hard read

[iheartmichellemallon]

I read the book after watching the TV show - think I'd have struggled with the book if I'd not watched it first.

[mizu]

Best thing that was on TV last year, keep watching. So good. I'm a bit biased though as the book is one of my favourites.

[ShotsFired]

@eloisesparkle
Depressing too- do I really want to spend another 5/6? hours watching the series ?
Did you know everything that happens in THT was based on a real event in this world? That is what is depressing. And terrifying.

Your opinions please.
After Ep1 I was a bit like you, but it reeled me in with increasing horror about how "easy" it all was to happen. There's a flashback bit where the women are all let go from their jobs, and then their bank accounts are frozen. I mean, both those things are so trivial to make real.

I would recommend you invest the time in the rest of the series, if only as a salutary reminder of what could be (has been). Absolute worst case you hate it, but I'm sure you have spent equivalent time doing other things you hate more...

[icelolly99]

I've read the book recently but not see the TV series. I definitely recommend the book.

[Kinraddie]

Keep watching. It's fantastic TV. Elizabeth Moss is brilliant in it.

[Luckystar1]

It is absolutely incredible. I think every woman should watch/read it. It really, really impacted me. It’s hard to watch but utterly excellent.

[TroubledLitchen]

I’ve read the book, stupidly on a flight when I’d left my 3 month old for the first time and cried pretty much the entire flight at the sheer horror of it. It’s a brilliant book but so disturbing I couldn’t bring myself to watch the tv adaptation, even though I love Elizabeth Moss.

[eloisesparkle]

ShotsFired - what real event ?

[TroubledLitchen]

GardenGeek - can you explain the connection to the SS and nazi Germany? Super interesting and I see the thematic comparison but Margaret Atwood is Canadian, born in 1939 and the novel was published in 1985. Did she spend time in East Germany and do you mean the Stasi instead of the SS perhaps? I’m actually really interested to know so would appreciate it if you could elaborate

[endofthelinefinally]

I thought she based the book on Afghanistan?

[TroubledLitchen]

I definitely got that it’s a feminist interpretation of dystopia, and a response to the reemergence of conservative politics, particularly in America in the 1980s, plus there are obviously some Puritan influences in there too.

I assume the real events refer to the pre-Gilead period as being the 1960s and 70s, like the mother is supposed to have taken part in the women’s lib movement and there are references to Roe/Wade where doctors who have previously performed abortions are killed.

It’s definitely one of those books that stays with you, so interesting to know if she was also influenced by events in Germany and/or Afghanistan.

[ihatetosay]

KEEP WITH IT just brilliant