The Handmaid’s Tale (UK pace, so no spoilers from the US/Israel/Aus please)

[Ivy40]

This is a new thread where we can refer to the original book, published in 1985 (including the epilogue). Everyone is welcome to speculate on how the writers will get us from the book (end of series 1) to the epilogue (we’re assuming this will be series 10). Plus any other interesting plot developments that you have noticed.

No spoilers from the US/Israel/Aus etc please, as we in the UK are 2-3 episodes behind. We don’t want to KNOW what happens next, we just enjoy speculating and enjoy the plot development.

The basics:
Margaret Atwood wrote the Handmaid’s Tale in the 1980s, it was first published in 1985.

She said that she didn’t use anything that hadn’t happened in real life.

Series 1 finished at the end of the book.

There is an epilogue though.

Hulu have said that there will be 10 series.

We are assuming that series 10 will be the epilogue.

That means that Hulu have a lot of creative licence in series 2-9, as long as what they create leads to what we know is the epilogue.

Margaret Atwood is a consultant writer on the tv series.

The Testaments are being released in September 2019, written by Margaret Atwood. Set 15 years ahead of the ending in the original book and will be the stories of 4 different narrators, not June’s story. MA said that she based the Handmaid’s Tale on Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, so we’re expecting “A Wife”s Tale”, “A Martha’s Tale” etc.

There's no way they can drag this out for another 7 series, no way 🤦‍♀️

@Ginger1982

Ha! I think the only way they can do it is if we start hearing about Gilead from other characters, so A Martha’s Tale, A Wife’s Tale etc.

I’m hoping June’s story will be wrapped up this season, where else can they go with it?

In the epilogue I'm sure it mentions those escaping Gilead being turned back at the border, as Canada wasn't an ally, but didn't want to be an enemy (from what I remember). It makes me worry for Emily.

That map is great. Is the red a stronghold of anti Gilead Americans? It would be great if Moira travelled there to help. Maybe even Emily will find out she's being taken back to Gilead and will escape there too.

I really want to see more of the resistance within econo families / marthas.

I don't know how the June saga could be ended - either she dies or escapes to Canada and leaves Hannah behind? I really don't think her story will end this series. June is worth too much to Hulu, as we want to keep watching her try to succeed.

"Also, the dance / ball in this week’s episode? Was that supposed to show that those in charge have different rules from everyone else? Like we see with Middle Eastern royal families. Although I think Atwood wrote the book whilst living in Eastern Europe during Communism so she might have been alluding to some of the communist regimes - rulers living in luxury whilst everyone else was in the breadline."

All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

I’m wondering if June escapes this season and works with the resistance from Canada or the remaining US. So she’s still in it but we can move on and hear from other characters.

One thing that bugs me is why do the refugees stay in Canada? Are they not American citizens anymore so can’t go to the remaining USA in Alaska and Hawaii?

@origin
Is that George Orwell?

June said (to Nick?) after deciding not to escape with the baby that she knows she's going to die in Gilead. I'm not sure she's aiming to rescue Hannah, she just can't leave without her.

@motherofsoupdragons

Yes, I’m not sure if there are many happy endings in this.

As @CurbsideProphet said though, June is valuable to Hulu.

I’m rather expecting that June will end up on the Wall at the end of this series. Then maybe it will move to someone else - maybe Cora?

I suppose it depends on whether or not the show is built around Elisabeth Moss and therefore they keep her or whether it's bigger than 'no one star' so we move on to other people.

@Ivy40 yes that's right. From Nineteen Eighty-four.

Who's Cora?

It's Animal Farm not 1984.

Cora is the Martha at the Lawrence's?

I think that Elisabeth Moss will be in it for at least another season.

I hadn't thought about refugees moving to Hawaii. I wonder if they stay in Canada to be geographically closer to loved ones trapped in Gilead? Or maybe Hawaii is strict on who can go there to protect themselves.

It depends whether the refugees are Gileadean or American, I suppose.

If they’re American they should be able to travel freely to the remains of the USA.

The Gileadeans don’t encourage their citizens to travel so they wouldn’t have Gileadean passports. When Serena went to Canada to see Nicole she went on a cargo plane, I wondered if they’d got rid of passenger planes as they didn’t really need them anymore.

If they’re sticking to the novel, the epilogue says that Gilead lasts decades and we’re only in the early Gileadean period. I think we’re moving into the mid Gileadean period where things get stricter.

Also, I think we’re about 4-5 years in to Gilead, based on June’s placements. 2 years pre Waterfords, 2 years with the Waterford’s and a new placement with the Lawrence’s. Plus she had some training at the Red Centre first.

Apologies, posted before I’d finished typing....

I don’t think June brings Gilead down anytime soon, despite all the PR about revolution. She might do something revolutionary or cause a local rebellion.

It's Animal Farm not 1984.

Of course . The heat has addled my brain!

Season 4 of The Handmaid's Tale has been announced.

Very mixed feelings about that!

I'm fully expecting the 10 series. THT is worth billions of revenue to Hulu. I'm just hoping that the story moves away from Nichole and Serena. I want to time to move on and see how Gilead is defeated, as I presume it didn't happen overnight - even in tv world that would be extreme!

Another 7 series of June looks for Hannah won’t be worth watching.

I’m pinning my hopes on them moving the story to other narrators.

Just to say in the book it says that Junes mother was sent to the colonies it was shown on a video at the red center. You don't last long out there so I don't think she will be making a come back.

I am rereading the book at the moment but i think I will skip ahead to the epilogue as there is much said here that I don't remember.

Another 7 series of June looks for Hannah won’t be worth watching.

Or even another 7 series of June's looks to camera won't be worth watching.

I'm wondering whether the downfall of Fred will be linked to Nicole's parentage. The Waterford's are not the baby's parents - it would be simple to prove that, but, it would raise a LOT of questions.

I don't for a minute believe Nick is not someone the Swiss can work with. I think they are protecting their plant by not telling June anything - she's got a big gob.

I thought Hannah's Martha was executed because June and Mrs Lawrence went to the school - it was the Martha who gave June information.

Thanks for the thread.