The Handmaid's Tale Season 2 (UK Pace) - thread 5 - SPOILER ALERT

[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

Still on catch up. Big mistake! Don’t think I can cope with watching this alone. This episode is so dark. I need my sisters! 💜🍷

I think the expectation was very much that both she and Isaac would recant. I don't think the authorities expected to have to go through with it, but she gave them no choice. Brave girl.

Was that her mother sitting near June?

Bloody hell.

No idea where this will go now!

Emily is key. June's in check mate for a while.

So cruel 🙁

Yes agree that if Eden had repented she may have escaped execution.. But as not proven fertile she'd have been off to colonies.
Yes tgat was her mother and younger sister I think sat near June.
Ughhh also wasn't Fred crowing over his new bigger office just grim

I think the recant your sins stuff ...

Well I think in some ways it was a show, they wanted them to recant and then save them (albeit without an eye or a hand) and show that Gilead is forgiving

OR

They wanted them to beg for their lives and THEN still kill them

I don’t think Fred does believe that beyond his default narcicist narrative. I dont think he thinks he is helping June and Eden, I don’t think he goes that deep into the thought process. He does it from a calculated perspective, to suit his own ends and then the narcicist script kicks in with “I’m kind to you, I helped you, and this is how you repay me”

Yes, those were Edens parents and sister

No idea where this will go now!

Me neither! And my predicions are always wrong anyway so won't even try! Or maybe I will!

I’m getting a bit tired of the long close-ups of June’s face. I could do with less of that and more of the story moving along.

Commander Lawrence's House... Are those stolen paintings? I thought I recognised at least one in passing.

I wonder if he is a bit of a tribute to the nazi thieves that 'collected' art etc from the houses of people they had murdered.

theredjellybean I agree, Eden's characterisation feels clunky to me too. Assume it's a way to enable June access to Holly and therefore possible opportunity for escape... here's hoping anyway

Have we decided what it was all about in the last episode with Nick supposedly being shot?

Yes the Nick getting shot thing wasn't explained was it?

I don't think for a second that Serena is thinking of the future of her child. I'd imagine she feels immune and therefore her child would be. My impression was that she had obviously had a few conversations with Eden and was sad that her husband had ultimately sought her death. It is ultimately going to be all about her as there has never been any evidence of empathy or kindness without her own gain.

Does anyone know the significance of Serena’s bible quote at the end, just before she let June breastfeed?

I feel that Serena Joy is almost a non- character in that she has no identity left. Perhaps that's what happens when you have been so cruel to so many people. I have zero sympathy for her. I wonder if the fact that she is young and attractive affects people's perception of her.

I actually thought this was one of the saddest episodes and that's saying something in THT. Eden had never even experienced freedom. She was very brave and true to herself at the end.

I’m still baffled by the total focus/obsession with having a child. Moreso what it does to the wives who don’t get a baby. Imagine serena a handmaids never produced a baby. What would her life revolve around? She can’t work, read, write. She wouldn’t have a child to care for or knit for. Her life would consist of her greenhouse and watching other women pretend to be in labour. What would that do to a person?

Yes I think a person would slowly go mad in that situation SisterNotCisTerf.
I do blame June a bit for Eden's demise. Maybe she would have run away anyway but we don't know.

Well it's clearly already done it to Mrs Lawrence - so there's your answer. I suspect he keeps her hidden for her safety not out of cruelty as she would surely end up in the wall

whirlwindhugs I assumed the paintings were done by Mrs Lawrence. The commander mentioned that she was a professor in fine art (or something like that) just before asking Emily what field she used to be in.

Yes I assumed he was protecting her from what Gilead would do to a woman ranting about the evils of Gilead. Poor woman.

Eden died at 15 and in love, maybe better than a lifetime in that evil regime.
I thought the bible verse was about revenge/protection against anyone hurting the young, but I didn't hear it too well (and darent google!)

I watched the last 2 episodes in succession and cried the whole way. I have a dd who loves me to the point ofobsession (a week.in Greece characterised by:"I'm sitting by mummy") so the sheer cruelty of having to watch someone else with YOUR baby, takes my breath away.

Dh would like the hive mind to wonder where all the male babies are and if all female offspring is a twist.