Handmaid's Tale. EPISODE 7 (season 3). Channel 4, 21/07/19. UK pace. NO SPOILERS!

[OriginofSpecies]

Thread for Episode 7 (season 3) of The Handmaid's Tale.

We are watching on Channel 4, UK pace and have only seen episodes 1 - 6 so far.

Please, NO SPOILERS.

@agnu

There has been an outcry from some posters about referring to the book. It’s frustrating as some things can only be explained by referring to the book. Posters ask for more detail on some things but then go mad if you reply and mention something in the book.

I imagine the refugees find it easier to be with others who have gone through some of the same trauma as them. Moira definitely seems more resilient than Emily (so far). And both much more resilient than I would be!

Moira was "only" in Jezebels, whereas Emily did time in the Colonies and suffered FGM - maybe Moira would seem less resilient if she had been through that as well as multiple rapes. Although Moira always seemed a more robust character in any case, even in flashbacks and so on, so you can't really compare, and none of really knows how we'd react in such extreme situations.

Only just watched it.

Must get a smart tv if that means I can use subtitles on catch up.

I too am seeing Margaret at The Lowry.

Maybe we should all wear the MN scarf.

Can i say, I'm shaking my head in amusement/disbelief at the way this thread has gone. I missed all the deleted posts as I didn't watch the episode until late Monday evening.

In my mind a spoiler is just that. The reason we're having separate threads per episodes is an attempt to avoid the "OMG episode 6" that spoiled our enjoyment and rather took away the shock value of that particular episode.

Talking about the book, using that as a basis for speculation is fair game IMO as none of us know where Hulu is going to take us. There are possibly characters that died in the book and are still alive in the TV programme, but can't think of anyone, except one perhaps, but that particular character's journey on TV is now far removed from what happened to them in the book. Anyway, I'm rambling. I have seen there is now another thread for speculation re book and TV series.

This thread has taken a weird turn, and hopefully will be business as usual next week.

I must admit that after Clarissa and others treatment of Kenny, I was too scared to post on this thread in case I got told off for mentioning the book.

To be fair, I think Kenny had made a genuine mistake, apologised for it and got mumsnet to remove her posts that mentioned the book. But she got told several times to go away and that she wasn’t welcome to post on this thread. Really Nasty behaviour from some posters.

I don't understand.
I thought season 1 was based on the book. So in theory there are no spoilers from the book.
(I have watched it and read the book so I should remember but my memory is terrible.)
However, if the epilogue has been published it would contain potential spoilers and those of us watching the tv series would want to avoid reading it until the series has finished or we get bored of it which frankly I am already.
(Ten seasons?! TEN?!!!)
I realise I am probably being idiotic - the heat has melted my brain and that's my excuse - and I doubt anyone can explain it to me in case of spoilers 🙈

The epilogue is at the end of the book, it’s in the original book that was published in 1985. Anyone who has read the book will have read the epilogue. Series 1 finished at the end of the novel but didn’t include the epilogue.

It sounds to me like a lot of the posters on this thread haven’t read the book so consider mentioning what is in the epilogue to be a spoiler.

Oh I see.
I've read the book and completely forgotten the epilogue

@UrsulaPandress sounds like there'll be a few of us there

The tv series has moved so far beyond the novel that any mention of the epilogue is only speculation now, as there have been substantial changes anyway (Serena Joy in the novel is an older woman who wouldn't be fertile anymore, not a younger woman desperate for a baby).

I dont understand why people dont understand that this thread is about the tv series. As we know tv adaptations are rarely faithful to the books. Characters get left out or amalgamated.

It is totally differnet speculating of what was meant by a scene or what might happen based on the storyline and scenes viewed on screen.

Anyone who wants to do some sort of parallel comparison of a book with a tv / film adaptation is having a different discussion.

On the Poldark thread there has been a similar, why do you keep referring to the book this thread is about the tv series. It too is trying to imagine what happened to characters in a ten year gap.

But the point is, many if not most of those watching the tv series wont have read the book. or it was so long ago have forgotten it.

So I think it is a really good idea for those who want to do these lets compare the book to the tv series should have their own thread.

Although will admit I noticed a difference as someone watching the tv series I did notice the difference in plot, dialogue and politics after series one and wondered how useful it was to have some group of tv hack writers try to expand the story with out the understanding (and skill!) of the original author.

@stumbledin 100 percent. Becareful you might get branded as bully for pointing this out. Apparently they Co have made their own thread to discuss the book at least.

@stumbledin *they have made a thread based on the book. It's been a long day, sorry

I dont understand why people dont understand that this thread is about the tv series. As we know tv adaptations are rarely faithful to the books. Characters get left out or amalgamated.

Well it is a discussion about the TV series, but the only thing we ask is no spoilers, by which we mean we don't want people who are several episodes ahead to come on here and say X, Y and Z is going to happen. Not only have we previously had "OMG episode 6" but also spoilers about the series 2 finale were posted on the UK thread before it aired.

That's what we're talking about. A book published in 1985 (which includes the Epilogue) is not a spoiler about the TV series and it's natural, imo, for those who have read the book to want to draw parallels, discuss similarities and differences and yes, speculate on where things might be heading.

But unless someone has watched ahead of UK channel 4 pace and either deliberately or inadvertently reveals something that is coming up, it really cannot be called a spoiler.

@MaxieMoi no one told her she wasn't welcome. It's really not rocket science to not discuss anything that might spoil the book. You all need to seriously get a grip, it's quite shocking how sensitive some of you are! People said it several times to Kenny because they clearly couldn't understand "please stop talking about the book." I think that's pretty easy to interpret.

I didn't read what Kenny wrote BTW so I'm only basing my thoughts on the fallout from what they said.

@MaxieMoi *spoil the program. That includes conspiring what happened in the book to what may happen in the program

@OriginofSpecies you are absolutely right. No one got nasty with her, nor myself - I was labelled a "bully" because I asked her to please stop guessing what happens in the book may happen in the future episodes. It all got a bit unnecessarily messy

Kenny speculated what would happen to one character, based on what was in the epilogue and was ganged up on, bullies and told to go away.

You can see why we are confused. Especially as mumsnet hq removed all posts that referred to the book this afternoon, although they have reinstated them now.

@clarissa469

Kenny apologised and asked mumsnet to remove her posts that referred to the book. You continued to be rude to and about her. I consider your behaviour to be bullying.

@clarissa469

You explicitly told Kenny to “go away”.

Bullies? Very very sheltered people on here, wrapped up in cotton wool all there lives. It's a TV program? Stop spoiling it? It's really not that hard

@Ivy40 I may have done after she called me a bully. Looks like I forgot to tell you to go away too. Hope I haven't given you all ptsd. So dramatic

@Ivy40 if that's what you consider bullying I actually feel sorry for you & Kenny. Having you got something to be chatting about on your expert book thread? Thanks

@OriginofSpecies

Like you said, weird turn.