The Handmaid's Tale S4 at C4 pace (no spoilers from Hulu subscribers)

[Faircastle]

A thread for those watching Season 4 of the Handmaid's Tale on Channel 4 starting this evening. There's another thread for those who have already streamed it via Hulu, so it would be good if we could keep this one free of spoilers for episodes beyond those Channel 4 has broadcast.

I'm confused - where is June?

She left the farm and Janine was Red Commander and they were to get decent shoes for Esther because it was a long walk.

June went to the fancy Jezebels.

Then she was in the front of the van with the Eye and arrived at a white house with all the lights on - was that the new safe house that the woman in the dressing gown told her about? So she was expecting to meet the rest of the HM there? But, there has been a shoot out because the Eyes know that the HM are supposed to be there, but they only have June? So we can assume Janine etc are either hiding or are about to walk into a trap?

I think I need to watch it again!

Also, that image of June with all the lasers on her, that was a lovely bit of direction.

Oh, and it looks like Luke isn't quite as wet as I thought he was. That's a relief. Good to see him having a bit of oomph.

I think I might have to watch again. Maybe put my phone away and concentrate this time

@vivariumvivariumsvivaria

I'm confused - where is June?

She left the farm and Janine was Red Commander and they were to get decent shoes for Esther because it was a long walk.

June went to the fancy Jezebels.

Then she was in the front of the van with the Eye and arrived at a white house with all the lights on - was that the new safe house that the woman in the dressing gown told her about? So she was expecting to meet the rest of the HM there? But, there has been a shoot out because the Eyes know that the HM are supposed to be there, but they only have June? So we can assume Janine etc are either hiding or are about to walk into a trap?

I think I need to watch it again!

Wasn't it the farmhouse they were at? The guardians had returned but somehow the handmaids got out first, but they won't be heading to the safe house as June hasn't had a chance to tell them about it

Of course I hope it really was the former, and that he's fine.

I hope it was the former. He's a complicated character. I like his acts of resistance (listening to banned music etc). Although he was one of the architects of Gilead, I don't think he knew what it would become. Unlike Serena though, he refuses to partake in acts of cruelty (no ceremony in his house, for example).

but they won't be heading to the safe house as June hasn't had a chance to tell them about it

I thought she had, because she was telling them her new plan to kill the commanders before they went, they were trying to talk her out of it when Esther walked in and they all went silent and then also she must have told Esther because Esther begged her to take her with her and she told janine to make sure Esther had good shoes for the long walk. They all knew the plan to get to the safe house.

Was Cmdr Lawrence the brains behind the financial workings of Gilead? Or something else?

Current series is a yawnathon. Stands to reason that it was never going to be as gripping as previous series.

Beeeep I thought it was, I couldn't tell because I don't remember seeing the farm house from the front. I only remember wooden buildings, but, she'd only know something was up if she was familiar with the building.

I thought they were back at the farmhouse too, which is why June realised something was up

Maybe they returned to the farmhouse then June went back to jezebels after sharing the safe house location? I must have missed that if so?

I found this recap on you tube.

I think poisoning the commanders wasn’t a good move by June, puts the jezebels at risk and delayed the departure from the farm

@UhtredRagnarson

Was Cmdr Lawrence the brains behind the financial workings of Gilead? Or something else?

Yes they said he was the architect of the Gilead economy. Which imo must make him some kind of a genius, if he can make that function, so no wonder the regime doesn’t want to lose him.

@CurbsideProphet

Have you listened to Eyes on Gilead for E1 and 2 yet? I've booked some time out to (ahem) work on a report in my office tomorrow evening 😁.

@TheCountessofFitzdotterel

He was a highly acclaimed professor. I remember discussing him on here last season, one of the reasons he was sympathetic to Emily and wanted to get her out. I think the general opinion was that he had designed a theoretically sound economy but hadn't taken into account human feelings and actions.

@OverByYer

What was the purpose of poisoning the commanders at the brothel? Just to kill them? I thought it was a means to help the Handmaids escape? I found it really confusing this evening

I thought the commanders were having a jolly weekend “before Chicago” so I assume whatever was being planned to go on in Chicago would be seriously impeded if half the commanders supposed to be there didn’t turn up, don’t know if Chicago was a military or government initiative but either way dead commanders are not an asset.

@Faircastle

What if it's something about Gilead itself that is reducing the fertility? And that's why she was able to get pregnant when she left?

(I realise that is far-fetched, but just throwing it out there)

I thought the premise was that global things like pollution had reduced general fertility to the degree that when the Mexican delegation came they said no live children had been born for a number of years.

Rather disturbingly it appears that fertility is reducing in many places in the world. Margaret Attwood must have a crystal ball....

Yes they said he was the architect of the Gilead economy.
Which imo must make him some kind of a genius, if he can make that function, so no wonder the regime doesn’t want to lose him.

Thank you! Yes this would explain why they maybe turned a blind eye to come of his job conformity.

non conformity

When I first read the book in the late 80s it was classified as Science Fiction as it would have been far removed from life then. However has time has gone on, especially in recent times with Covid/ Trump/ extreme religious beliefs there are some elements that have become our reality. Margaret knew.

That recap on YouTube is really helpful, thank you x

I found the scene with Nick in has really played on my mine today.
Him so crisp and clean and powerful, contrasted with June looking... well....err like she'd been through hell and back. I was half expecting her to shoot him.

Does he really still love her? the slight hand movement sort of suggested it, is he still part of the resistance or perhaps enjoying his position and all it entails?

the rest of last nights episode was a bit There is no way that Nick could possibly keep her alive, Gilead have killed people for far far less than what June has being doing through out it all.

and surely people above Nick know the connection between him and June, so any leniency from Nick regarding her is got to cause suspicion.

I agree- it isn’t buyable that nick can protect June.

I don’t know, it might be but the plotting would have to be good!

This might be a bit of a stretch, but if those guardians are all from a different district(?) than June was in originally, could nick saying ‘where are the handmaids?’ And saying I’m trying to keep you alive… is he going to try and make out like she is a Martha at the farm and not June Osborne escaped handmaid? So she might be interrogated by those guardians but she wouldn’t necessarily be carted off to aunt Lydia because she ‘isn’t’ a handmaid?