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.

@JoJoandGreg

Yes there was an episode in series 1 where he was at the job centre and Commander Price was the job coach. Nick kept losing his jobs and Price offered him a job as a driver.

I thought Nick was being portrayed as an angry young man, someone who the system had failed. Exactly the type of recruit terrorist organisations look for.

(Unless of course he is CIA and was acting to infiltrate SOJ, as my friend thinks).

Maybe nick was an Incel in the Before Times

@RiaOverTheRainbow

Iirc the young girls had started menstruating and were being checked to see if their pelvises were wide enough to give birth.

Yes. They had 'flowered'. Yuk!

I thought Nick was being portrayed as an angry young man, someone who the system had failed. Exactly the type of recruit terrorist organisations look for.

Yes that's why none of his jobs lasted. And you're right, SOJ offered him something no one else could - a sense of belonging, people that 'card's about him.

Sorry 'cared' about him.

Listening to Eyes on Gilead & I’m going to give a warning. They are just focusing on the first two episodes but they also mention scenes from the series trailer so if anyone’s avoided watching that, better not listen.

I needed subtitles all the way through, so much whispering and murmuring.

Can I join in, I love THT. I've enjoyed reading through your comments, really interesting reading your insights into why June made Esther kill the guard/eye.

I'm not sure about the Jezebel's poisoning. What now for the women, didn't the commanders have drivers? Or if not, how will they pay for food and survive as refugees? Or will they use the cars to drive to Canada like Moira?

Also, I thought it was strange that Serena knew Fred used "a whore house", so the wives know? Isn't that a big deal?

Also, I thought it was strange that Serena knew Fred used "a whore house", so the wives know? Isn't that a big deal?

I think the wives would be expected to just accept that their husbands have ‘needs’.

Jezebel's is like a Gentleman's Club officially, isn't it? Entertainment, good food, plush environment.

I assumed Atwood modelled it on Kitty's that the SS used for espionage, but that hasn't been exactly it's role so far. Men with erections are foolish creatures, the Jezebel's could be strategically important women. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salon_Kitty

@EmpressWitchDoesntBurn

Also, I thought it was strange that Serena knew Fred used "a whore house", so the wives know? Isn't that a big deal?

I think the wives would be expected to just accept that their husbands have ‘needs’.

Do the commanders never have sex with their wives? Seems not but I must have missed that bit?

They do if there's a chance the wife could get pregnant! There is at least one pg commanders wife

@BroccoliRob seems a bit of a grey area. I remember in series 1 when Serena and Fred had sex after the fancy dinner for the Mexican delegates Fred made a comment about how they should stop. In a later episode he berated her for acting like a whore. However there was another Commander who got his wife pregnant and Fred made a comment about no handmaid for you. So perhaps if the wives can't conceive because either one of them is infertile perhaps they're not supposed to if the main goal of intercourse in Gilead is procreation.

[quote Crinkle77]@BroccoliRob seems a bit of a grey area. I remember in series 1 when Serena and Fred had sex after the fancy dinner for the Mexican delegates Fred made a comment about how they should stop. In a later episode he berated her for acting like a whore. However there was another Commander who got his wife pregnant and Fred made a comment about no handmaid for you. So perhaps if the wives can't conceive because either one of them is infertile perhaps they're not supposed to if the main goal of intercourse in Gilead is procreation.[/quote]
Thanks.

So although not made explicit, we can probably assume that "sex for pleasure" is considered a sin.

Yet the men who made the rules still have needs so they go to Jezebels......

Ha! Sounds so familiar

So although not made explicit, we can probably assume that "sex for pleasure" is considered a sin.

That's what I'm thinking because lust is seen as a bad thing in Gilead.

In the book, as I recall, Fred’s explanation was that men needed variety.

I wonder if there’s a ‘ceremony’ around sex for wives and husbands as well? Perhaps they track their cycle and have Fertile Period sex under a special sheet with a hole like nick and Eden, but lustful sex is frowned upon.

The conception board on here could teach them a thing or two about ttc - doing it once, once a month is not the most likely way to succeed!

Yes, sex once a month is a bad idea, you need to do it a few times before your fertile time to get rid of the old sluggish swimmers so the heathy fast ones are the majority during your fertile window.

I used to be on the TTC thread

Do you think those poor handmaids had to do the ritual more than once a month?

No I believe it was just once a month. And timed without use of ovulation sticks, though they must have existed! (Though possibly not when the original book was written).

Maybe any planning at all would have looked like lack of faith.

I was just kind of surprised that the brothel was common knowledge considering Warren had his arm removed (shudder) for having sex with Janine

But yes I guess the wives were just powerless

Thank you for recommending the podcast, it's great. Just listening about S3 to avoid spoilers!

@GoingGently

Thank you for recommending the podcast, it's great. Just listening about S3 to avoid spoilers!

You're welcome! I would miss loads if I didn't listen to EoG. I didn't get chance to listen to E1 and E2 on Tuesday, hopefully I will get time before Sunday.

@AlohaMolly

Do you think those poor handmaids had to do the ritual more than once a month?

3 nights a month during ovulation