The Handmaids tale

[DumbledoresArmy]

Anyone else planning on watching this at 9pm on channel 4?

My boyfriend didn't get it either. I actually got (silently) cross with him last night for a) failing to be moved by it and b) not really getting why I found it so terrifying or seeming to see how it could so easily happen.
They should make it compulsory reading/viewing/discussion material in secondary schools I think...not just for English language students but social studies or whatever it's called now...

In the book (I know, I know), if you didn't have a husband, the money in your account was transferred to your nearest male relative. I think I remember Moira saying she was going to either marry one of her male gay friend, or have him pretend to be her brother?

I think it's really sad that men watching don't find this horrifying. DP isn't particularly interested in watching, which is also annoying me.

I've been watching this - they have added quite a few bits in that aren't in the book but it does capture the essence of the book I think.

Thanks CoolCarrie.

I find it utterly horrifying but compelling to watch. Dh watched it with me for the first time yesterday and he got what happened to Ofglen.

So disturbing but sadly the reality in some countries.

My husband bowed out last week because he said it was too bleak after the London Bridge/Borough Market attacks. This gives me some confidence that he 'gets' it. That said, he fell asleep last night about 2/3 of the way in. I have been prompted by this thread to see what he makes of it - more discussion required.

I've been watching with my 18 yo DS and he was getting very angry about it last night. Maybe because he's gay so has a lot of "gender traitor" friends. He's also atheist and mentioned the stupid things people do in the name of god.

I was quite surprised at how strongly he felt as he's normally a self-centred teen. We did have a discussion about how these things have actually happened somewhere in the world.

I think you have to be a woman to really get it, tbh

My dad bought me my copy when it came out. He totally got it

He totally got it well,you know,as much as a man can.... you might have a point Anyfucker

My DP hasn't watched yet - will report back any findings in due course.

Jazz Jennings is a charmer

I was also really chilled by Luke saying ' dont' worry i will look after you' to June/Offred last night.

Firstly because it could be interpreted as either 'dont' worry you have a man who obviously is the superior person as now deemed so by the state and i will take care of all those pesky things like your money..so you do not have to worry your pretty little head'

or he meant it ' dont' worry this is all wrong and i will help you and womenkind sort it out. i wont let this happen to you or any woman'

Luke's character i think is very interesting fleshed out in the TV adaptation, he is not coming accross as much of a feminist and like many on here have said about their DHs he does not seem very bothered about what has happened.

For me I do not worry so much about how apparently easy it is for this scenario to occur so quickly ..it is a slow insidious creep that worries me.....as much was made in the second episode about how June/Luke'Moira did not do anything until it was too late and june ponders this..

The scenes last night with Serena Joy being so nice to Offred when she thought she was pregnant , brought me to tears, i know she is in many ways one of the nasty characters but her desperation to have a child was so acutely caught in those scenes and i think she wanted Offred to share her joy , so much did she want a baby she couldnt let herself see that that would mean Offred losing one...

Serena Joy has a lot of mixed emotions and as much fear and guilt as Offred, as we will find out .....

oh and another thing, last night they mention how congress was wiped out and this was pinned on terrorists , and that is why martial law was introduced...and then there is reference to it not being terrorists..so a hidden coup ? I cannot recall that much detail in the book as to how the state of Gilead came about ? have i forgotten that bit ?

I did like the tweaks with Serena to really hammer home WHY this horrific system is happening. The utter desperation and need to play along that all women are totally focused on fertility. The happiness from martha, the mood change in serena, janine's mania then reducing Offglen medically to the same basic equation because she "dared" to have happiness outside pregnancy and childbirth. Awful terrifying and compelling.

The state of Gilead Offred only learns small things (suggestion of a coup, soilders who aren't the military) but it is sudden and then. BAM! All communication/ rights fall under control. Most of her story is about life and reality.

Also the explosion after the demo made me think of the bit in the book where they wonder if terrorism is really happening or is a front (as they mentioned in the episode too). I wondered if the explosion rather than the slaying of protesting women would be in the press

But for those who have read the book we know that what happened to Ofglen was realistic. And it was the men who were leading her to her punishment and the men who did the punishment. But of course it's all the women's fault. Big strong men eh?

And I got that it was a protest against the rights of LGBTQ community. Men murdered specifically because they were an abhorrence to the new world. Women subdued physically and medically to make them comply. This is still happening.

Spoiler alert on the book Please do not read further.

But the book is not based on 'facts'. It is the thoughts of Offred. It's part of a discussion on what had happened. I like that the TV series has filled in the blanks.

i seem to remember from the book that explosions were detonated at the protest from behind the protestors so the state could claim it was a terrorist attack

Where are the children? Are they being 're-educated' and brought up by people who have the views desired by the State?

basically yes....and if you recall we see the little girls in the first episode in pink long dresses with similar head wear to the handmaids comign out of school, june stops to watch and thinks she sees Hannah

Help! I've just watched episode 2. WTF is going on? I feel like Ive missed an episode. Where has the other handmaid gone. What's so funny about the Scrabble game and what's with the driver?Ive read the book but years ago now. It's brilliant.

The men who I know who watch it and totally get it are both gay too

During WW2, children were kidnapped from various families in occupied countries and given to families who were Nazi and SS families so they could be brought up in that type of family.

Assuming they were Aryan - Nordic looking.

@Rinkydinkypink - the thing about the scrabble game is that the Handmaids are not allowed to read anything - that is why the supermarket just had pictures on the cans etc, and why even the bible is kept under lock and key, and only read by the Commander.

I assume this is partly because women don't need education in order to have babies, and partly because education was what led to them getting all uppity Before, and wanting to control their own fertility and have careers.

Scrabble is allowing Offred to read and spell.

I won't tell you what happened to Ofglen, because that is explained in the next episode (and has a totally different explanation in the book).

The driver, Nick, might be the establishment spy (an Eye) in the household, or might be sympathetic towards Offred - that is a part of the story that is still developing.

Incidentally, if you don't want to know what has happened to Ofglen, until younhave seen episode 3, don't read this thread because there are spoilers in here.

Thank you