The Handmaid's Tale Season 2 (UK Pace) - thread 2

[CruCru]

Hi all

Here is the next thread for those who are watching The Handmaid's Tale Season 2 on Channel 4. Please don't put any spoilers on this - the other thread (for those in other countries who are watching ahead of the UK) is www.mumsnet.com/Talk/telly_addicts/3239228-Handmaids-Tale-Season-2-SPOILERS-VIEWING-AHEAD-OF-UK-SREENING.

What could Luke be doing though?

I guess at first he was constantly at the embassy, haranguing people. But it’s been over 3 years for him, I understand his enthusiasm would be waning somewhat. Enthusiasm is the wrong word, sorry. I guess I mean he might becoming depressed, losing hope.

I would imagine there’s be a sort of grieving process that has been happening for him too. I could see myself going through phases of fighting followed by times where I enter some sort of low period/denial/not able to get of the sofa type thing.

It’s early in the series, I think we should cut him a little slack for now until we see more.

"What could Luke be doing though?"

I have no idea, I just want him to be doing it.

He's probably doing exactly what anybody else would be doing in reality, he's basically a refugee with no power, in a foreign country, having to fit in with their red tape, and without contacts back in Gilead and no idea if June or Hannah are alive or not.

Obviously Moira knew up to the point of her escape, but things change very quickly in Gilead and people are killed on whim for the most flimsy reasons.

So I know it's unfair but I can't help it, I want to see him fight for them, even though realistically there's not a massive amount he can personally do.

Is it wrong for me to want to see some kind of retribution against the men of Gilead in an episode?

So far, we've seen acts of resistance. The killing of the Aunt who was sent to the colonies was an act of retribution. But I think the only death of a man who was a member of Gilead was when there was an escape attempt in a car.

There's been no scenes just of the Mayday network discussing plans. I wonder if there is a 'fighting' resistance or if it's just resistance trying to get people out and to fight back in a subtle way.

Do the people in Gilead know the reality of Gilead? Is there underground papers being printed to let people know what is happening?

The little glimpse into the econowives was interesting. Their stories and lives would be fascinating. What are the children being taught? What do they know? What are they being told?

I've been wondering what happened to Omar and Heather. I can't help thinking that their son gave it away, especially because of the scene when he looked back at the window. Awful to think what will happen to them.

I thought that episode was very well done.

I actually knew what was going to happen because I've been reading the spoilers but found it so tense all the same.

Regarding Nick and Luke and what they should/shouldn't be doing, I think that's the beauty of this story, the characters are flawed, they are real. There are no heroes in this tale. Just people trying to survive.

Do we know the timescale - ie when Gilead was establisjed?

just checking in, found it very gripping yesterday...

Do we know the timescale - ie when Gilead was establisjed?

Do you mean when in terms of the internal timescale, Aridane? I think the current storylines are around three and a half years since the establishment of Gilead. If you mean what dates, when Atwood wrote it she set it in the near future, so Gilead would have been established in an alternative 2010-20 decade.

Re June not being punished because she's pregnant. Aunt Lydia showed her exactly what they do with pregnant women who won't submit when we saw the pregnant woman tied up. As long as the life inside of her is okay, they'll do what they need to. Being pregnant, she has protection from violence and execution, but the alternative isn't exactly desirable.

Yes I don't think June will end up being tied up waiting to give birth surely from a plot point of view as then it is so bleak for the main protagonist that the story wouldn't be able to evolve essentially. June would have to be helped to escape (again) and I don't think Mayday is active enough to achieve this.

I would also like to see some of the Gilead commanders etc being taken down a notch or two and would like some further insight into how the rest of the world views the situation. We had a tiny morsel with the Mexican delegation in series 1 and other than receiving refugees, not much from Canada.

I think June will end up back with the Waterfords, but not because of Serena Joy - as she now has no power because she is a woman and we've already seen a bit of a back story on her in series one. June will have to go back, IMO, because everyone thinks the baby is Fred's and he is a relatively powerful man in the regime.

The question will be whether or not Nick can try and get her out again.

Just saw this tweet from hatie Katie about a man in US who just won his case. He refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple.

Katie Hopkins
Katie Hopkins
@KTHopkins
·
4 Jun
More powerful than freedom TO.. is freedom FROM. One man bravely defended American’s freedom from fascism. And he did it with a cake. We applaud the moral courage of Jack Philips. #SupremeCourt

Is Katie a Gileadean?

I think Fred is going to get his soon. The book mentions purges of the commanders and Fred has been flouting rules all along. There was the scandal of the former handmaid, as well as him arguing for leniency for Janines commander. Now June is causing trouble. I think Serena would throw him under a bus if she ended up with a baby.

Did anyone hear Book Club on Radio 4 this afternoon? Margaret Atwood was on talking about Handmaids Tale - brilliant questions and answers!

I loved it. Just got in the car to pick DD up and was quite giddy at my timing.

Ooo, I have a theory about Moira not wanting to 'receive' in the sex scene... what if she had suffered FGM after her escape attempt as a handmaid, like Emily did, and that is the reason she didn't want to?

Found the stuff in Canada really interesting and opened my eyes a bit to the reality of being a refugee. These people are broken and exhausted with so many aspects of their lives damaged and unresolved, yet there are still so many who berate them for not immediately leaping up to find jobs and accuse them of 'using up' resources (housing, services etc) 😔😠

Place marking to read later.

hollybolly I listened to the Margaret Atwood R4 interview on iPlayer, it was really interesting and some insights as to where she was coming from with some of the story lines.

I really hope the commanders get their retribution. But I think we'll be waiting a long time unfortunately

I didn't like episode three that much ... found it all a bit unrealistic that people are on trains go by about their daily business like nothing has happened . What are those women doing exactly ? PP mentioned charitiy dinners and childcare - I very much doubt they had disposable income for charity dinners and there are no children to mind. And way more women than men - a man every five metres doesn't come close to the hoards of women walking everywhere.
Also, the lack of dialogue between nick and June is starting to get to me .

Can someone explain how June found the plane in the middle of nowhere sand how she knew where and when to meet them ? I was distracted so may have missed something .

Omar told her the plane came just after nightfall.

She took Omar's map (and looked at it on the train )

Only a tiny number of them will have children though, because of the infertility epidemic that underlay the rise of Gilead.

Oops sorry Sherazade, just realised I misread your post.

sherazade I presume that if they didn't go about their daily business then they will get shot by one of the many men with big guns.

I think the econowives will be carers, cleaners, cooks, sewing machinists making uniforms. I expect it is unpaid work as technically women weren't allowed jobs. But in a misogynistic society 'women's work ' would be less valued and with all the men as guardians they would probably be expected to do those roles for the good of Gilead.

I think a lot of men will have been deployed to the war and the borders.

What else can they do other than go on with their daily business? People adapt and do what they have to to survive.

I love this series but I’m gutted June didn’t escape. Although, it would be largely dull if she were free I suppose.