Handmaid's Tale. EPISODE 10 (season 3). Channel 4, 11/08/19. UK pace. NO SPOILERS!

[OriginofSpecies]

This is the thread for Episode 10 (season 3) of The Handmaid's Tale.

We are watching on Channel 4, UK pace and have only seen episodes 1 - 9 so far.

Please, NO SPOILERS.

[AnotherEmma]

Mozzchops
I miss Nick's face too

[Roussette]

God I don't miss seeing Nick. He just mooched around the place trying to look moody. He was getting on my nerves.

[Binforky]

I dont think this episode was bad (except for the fridge bit) but I have become so bored during the rest of the series that I found it hard to get into.

I still find it annoying the way she gets away with everything from not having keeping her head down to the way she talks to the commanders it just seems silly. Plus I've said it before why so many close ups of her pulling the same face?

[Shakennotshook]

I've been rewatching season one, if an eye walked by she was terrified. This is very GoT season 8.

[inmyfeelings]

I like June . I think it was commendable how she consoled commander Lawrence despite her being on the receiving end of it yet again .

[RonnieScotts]

also find it comical how they march over to your the fridges, stick their heads in, (pick up a bottle, put it down) have a chat and then walk away without taking anything.

[beanaseireann]

RonnieScotts
You'd think the guards would notice

[MargoLovebutter]

Yes, even in a normal supermarket in normal times, you would notice 3 women standing talking into 3 fridges!!!!!!

[CruCru]

To be fair, at the end of season 1, June talked about how everyone was far less terrified than they had been.

[CruCru]

I’m rather expecting them to get caught trying to smuggle all the children out and end up on the Wall. Then the show can start following someone else.

[CruCru]

Or Canada sends most of the children back - they won’t have justification for keeping the children of Commanders when the biological mothers are still in Gilead. Turning up with busloads of children would cause a real diplomatic incident.

[EmpressLesbianInChair]

they won’t have justification for keeping the children of Commanders when the biological mothers are still in Gilead.

June would have to get confirmation from as many of the mothers as possible that they want their kids out. Although I'd guess at least some of them will ask to go too.

[CodenameVillanelle]

June has the information about where the children have been placed, their new names and their real mothers. She can send that information with them. I don't think Canada would send them back.

[Abraid2]

As said up thread, moving children who have been settled for five years in another family isn’t as simple as it sounds. They may have formed deep attachments to their new households. At the end of WW2 some Polish children who’d been kidnapped and places in childless German families were returned by well-meaning Allied agencies. The children were utterly traumatised. They didn’t remember their original families. 🙁

[getupgonow]

I wonder if they'll take the handmaids (birth mums) with the children, or the Marthas, so it's not too traumatic for them?

[Missteebeee]

Isn’t CL saying for June to leave and take Eleanor too to keep her safe?

June said yes to him but is still telling the other handmaids she isn’t leaving without Hannah

CL won’t like Eleanor being send off with strangers

[EmpressLesbianInChair]

CL won’t like Eleanor being send off with strangers

Just like Serena was assuming that June would stay with Nichole.

[AGnu]

I imagine either CL won't know until June comes back, or Eleanor will be in on the plan & tell him she's making her own choice for once. He can hardly deny her one chance to make her own decision after everything he's put her through! Well, he could... But he does seem to love her.

[BIWI]

I'm actually loving the change in June. She's energised but also slightly mad! Which she has also acknowledged herself. And in the household of CL, she does seem to have support now. There has been a clear shift of power, after the ceremony.

I thought it was hugely moving how June had to coach CL through the whole thing, and you could see how distressing it was for her too. But she realised how it was important, not just for her but also CL and Eleanor. As a household/family, they are now bound together.

And the bit with the Marthas, and the muffins, was brilliant. I loved the end bit - 'we're going to need a bigger boat'! At last, some positivity! Although goodness knows how they're going to do it. Which, I suppose, is setting up the next few episodes!

Brilliant.

[MotherOfSoupDragons]

I'm not convinced June acted through any concern for CL, more that she needs to stay where she is to carry out her (very loose) plan.

[missbattenburg]

Question that has been puzzling me...

Some women are wives because they are married to high ranking men. Got that.

Some women are handmaids because they are fertile and because they have behaved in a way Gilead doesn't approve of or because they are single (is that right?)

Some women are econopeople - they may be fertile also but are allowed to raise their own children, if married.

How are Marthas and Aunts chosen?

[CurbsideProphet]

Aunt Lydia was a social worker turned teacher who was childless and devout.

I'm pretty sure Martha's are infertile, but have experience in cooking / housekeeping. Cora said that she had her "tubes tied" but was lucky she could cook, as otherwise she would have been a jezebel.

[missbattenburg]

So are the Aunts voluntary then? Did Aunt Ludia CHOOSE to be an aunt I wonder?

Are all econopeople/women married? If you are adult and unmarried does that mean you are automatically forced into a role, such as martha or jezebel?

[EmpressLesbianInChair]

Are all econopeople/women married? If you are adult and unmarried does that mean you are automatically forced into a role, such as martha or jezebel?

Remembering when all women's bank accounts were transferred to their closest man, I'd guess that most women have to have a role in order to survive.

[BIWI]

I thought Cora had a son? I'm sure I remember her talking to June about him?