Handmaid's Tale s3ep1. Channel 4. 9pm 9/6/19 UK pace. NO SPOILERS. *edited by MNHQ as per OP's request*

[OriginofSpecies]

I thought I'd start a thread for discussing series 3 episode one of The Handmaid's Tale to be shown on Channel 4 at 9pm on 9th June 2019.

Please NO SPOILERS for those who have already watched it.

I don't know, if it wasn't for Nick Serena wouldn't have had a baby at all. I think she's probably fairly grateful.

I am the confused poster who missed several elements of episode 1, and I still don't know how that happened! We were watching on catch up, I wonder if the tape in the telly got tangled (joke).

I disagree Another. Serena was saying "fuck you" to Fred by calling the baby Nicole. It's June who wants to honour the father's name, not Serena.

Loved the scene where Emily got to hospital and she got applause. Cried pretty hard.

But I thought of the terrible abuse that other refugees receive despite having small children and crossing dangerous waters. Such a contrast.

"Serena was saying "fuck you" to Fred by calling the baby Nicole."

Really? I'm not at all convinced, but it's an interesting theory.
I know it's all fiction anyway but Serena wanted a baby so badly, her love for the baby did seem to be pure and strong, that I struggle to imagine that her primary motivation in naming the baby would be to spite Fred. Spite has no place in naming a child, even in Gilead.

I wonder if the question about Nicole's name will be asked in an interview or Q&A with the writers - hope so.

Ah - i hadn't even thought about the baby's name being Nicole.

Glad the series is back - am intrigued to see what will happen.

I wonder what Luke's reaction will be to the baby, as he believes the baby is the result of his wife's rape.

Shit, I hadn’t even thought of that.

If there is a separate thread for the next episode, could it have UK PACE, NO SPOILERS in capitals in the title?

IIRC when Serena told Fred she was naming the baby Nicole she said it in such a way that it implied to him who the baby's real father was, so it was a fuck you moment.

Yes Luke will have trouble coming to terms with the baby whether he knows the truth or not. Option 1: his wife was raped and this baby was the result/ rapists child. Option 2: she was consensually sleeping with nick because she had feelings for him and this is their child. Neither option will be easy for Luke to cope with.

Interestingly, Nicole means “victory of the people”.

I always assumed that Fred knew that Nick was the real father. June and Nick don't really do a good job of keeping it secret IMO. I think he just chose to overlook it.

Just about to watch episode 3. Has only one been aired in the UK?

Just about to watch episode 3. Has only one been aired in the UK?

Yes. Which is why this thread is only talking about episode 1 - so PLEASE no references to either episode 2 or 3!

Oh Fred definitely knows Nick is the father. There's that scene when June tells him he'll never know what it's like to have his own 'flesh and blood' (I remember cheering!).

I hadn't thought of the Nick/Nicole thing either. So obvious now you've said!

@arganlady yes only one - no spoilers please!

@OriginofSpecies do you think you could ask HQ to put UK PACE NO SPOILERS in the thread title?

I asked DH how he'd feel, although none of us can ever really know I guess. But he said he'd be happier knowing the baby was Nick's. That despite all the horrible circumstances, I had known love and there had been somebody who was good to me and who loved me. It would be hard to come to terms with, yes. But he'd understand that there was a point when I realised I'd never make it out of 'that shit hole'

It's uncharacteristically soppy of him to speak like that, and he genuinely looked a bit upset at the thought of it.

I think we should password protect this thread to stop posters coming on who are ahead of us watching!

I think Luke needs to get a grip if he struggles with this baby. He hasn't been through a tenth of what June has.

I think we should password protect this thread to stop posters coming on who are ahead of us watching!

It’s tempting!

Did anyone else wonder if the clapping etc when Emily arrived in the Canada hospital was a bit unrealistic. Without sounding pessimistic the Western world in recent years hasn't been that warm towards refugees in general.

@KitKat1985 I thought they were clapping as she escaped with the baby.....

Just hopping in to advise on your thread title. I suggest putting channel 4 uk pace only because there are some in the uk (northern Ireland) that have access to irish tv so will have been able to see two episodes. Also not everyone outside the uk will know what episode you guys are up to so by naming the channel it might help a little with that confusion but it would have been easier channel 4 to have shown a double episode like every other country seems to have done

Thanks Dulra. CHANNEL 4 UK PACE NO SPOILERS sounds good then.

I seriously considered hiding all the HT threads this time to avoid spoilers but I really don’t want to have to.

Im in NI and was tempted to watch on RTE but I much prefer watching along with a MN thread so I’m being very good and sticking to CH4.

Re the clapping, I think attitudes to refugees are very variable. In Europe in recent years there have been people welcoming refugees at railway stations with flowers and sweets as well as sadly resentment and hostility. It wouldn't surprise me if the staff of a hospital were pro.