Handmaid's Tale. EPISODE 5 (season 3). Channel 4, 07/07/19. UK pace. NO SPOILERS!

[OriginofSpecies]

Nice early thread to start the discussion for Episode 5 tonight.

We are watching Channel 4, UK Pace.

We have only seen episodes 1 - 4 so far.

Please, NO SPOILERS.

Is it me or is soooo difficult to hear at times ?? Wish I knew how to put the subtitles on

I've just checked on eBay - there are over 1000 results when I search for "cassette walkman" including 1 fully functioning one within 5 miles of me. If my wife was trapped in an oppressive regime & managed to smuggle a tape out to me, I'd be messaging that seller & getting my hands on the walkman tonight!

My TV remote has a small button marked SUB which turns on the subtitles.

I was worried the necklace was some kind of tracking device! Serena could have been so helpful in Canada.

If it’s sky, it’s the yellow button for subtitles (I think? Or maybe the blue one?)

If it's a newish telly there will be a button for subtitles and it's simple to turn on and off.

I hate subtitled films (DH loves them!) but I have to put them on for HT, when I watched 2 episodes on catch up and couldn't, I missed so much!

I’m just watching now out of habit too...that last scene was quite frankly ridiculous. I so want to love it again. The Emily escape episode I thought was great but been a bit turgid since then. More Commander Lawrence and less of the bloody Waterfords please! And I want more Nick too.

I watched on my iPad this week and was so much easier to see and to hear!

Do you remember the heady days of series 1 when it was so tight and we had so much confidence in it? We used to say everything single thing was said/done/put there for a reason. Not like that now.

I don't understand Serena, I never have. One minute I think she's good, the next not. I've never understood why she was in favour of Gilead in the first place when it reduced her to what she now is.

I was hoping she'd claim asylum too.

You could see how Luke viewed Serena - that is how others in Canada would have seen her. There'd be no clapping in the hospital for her.

@Ginger1982, I assume it's because Serena didn't think the rules would apply to her given she was instrumental in setting it up, so it's actually backfired on her badly.

So true Motherofsoupdragons, it really seems to have lost its way. Just shows how priceless good writers are.

The one thing I would say is that I'm quite liking the slight ambiguity that was introduced in June's new walking partner in the last episode. Everything we've seen so far about her has been totally pious and pro-Gilead, but the conversation between her and June in the last episode, when they were talking about their babies I think, showed that perhaps she isn't as pious as she first appeared.

I seem to remember being slightly disappointed in the first series as to how quickly June and Emily trusted each other and started talking openly. In the book, I think it was more of a slow-burn and June realised she was an ally. I love the "it's a lovely may day" (quoting from memory, so realise this might not be exact) bit in the book, which I don't think was quite replicated on screen.

The conversation between her and June in the last episode, when they were talking about their babies I think, showed that perhaps she isn't as pious as she first appeared.

She’s lost three babies to Gilead already. Maybe the piety is her coping mechanism - like when June briefly withdrew into it.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/telly_addicts/3638101-Handmaids-Tale-EPISODE-6-season-3-Channel-4-14-07-19-UK-pace-NO-SPOILERS?watched=1

^ new thread for tonight.