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 don't think Jezebels is common knowledge as such, but Serena probably had more info than most wives as she found the dress that June wore when Fred took her there and lipstick on her cloak, so Fred would've had to explain to an extent. Plus, Serena had a meeting with Moira in S3 where Moira said 'and he raped me too' or something along those lines.

I also imagine that, as Warren's 'relationship' with Janine came out in such a public way when she tried to commit suicide on the bridge, they had to make an example of him. The fact that all (or at least most) the Commanders use Jezebels is more hush hush, wink wink type of thing. Another element is that (from Gilead's perspective) the Handmaids have some sort of status and are sacred because they are fruitful, the ceremony isn't rape, it's god's way. The Jezebels have no such status, are 'unwomen' so raping them doesn't matter or warrant punishment.

@Witch you have reminded me of alot of things I had forgotten - the dress, Moira meeting, wow, I think you're completely right about making an example of Warren and Jezebel's being less known.

Oh god. I keep thinking about his arm! To me it's so creepy, surgically removing a healthy arm, a placing it on a kidney dish - worse than chopping it off with an axe or something. No sympathy for the man, I have to add though!

Didn't everything that Margaret Attwood wrote about in The Handmaids Tale happen somewhere in the world to women.

I can think of regimes where places like Jezebels exist (existed ).
Oh the hypocrisy !!!

@LadyEloise

Didn't everything that Margaret Attwood wrote about in The Handmaids Tale happen somewhere in the world to women.

I can think of regimes where places like Jezebels exist (existed ).
Oh the hypocrisy !!!

Yes I think so, which is horrifying.

THT has really made me think more about refugees and what they go through to escape.

Yes I read she was heavily influenced by events during the Iranian revolution

My friend works with refugees and it would absolutely shake you to your core to hear what some of them have experienced and escaped.

I can't even imagine @MotionActivatedDog,

im going back a bit but what would of happened to the wife and the children of the commander that went "missing" who was killed while fighting with June at Jezzabells ?

I assume that he 'officially' had a heart attack or something, as they won't openly acknowledge the Jezebels' existence. His widow probably had to remarry, as Wives couldn't be independent but with young children she couldn't go to some widows' retreat (I think that's where we saw Serena's mother living).

thanks,but there was no body left,i guess that the commanders made a story up about him dying

scary stuff how things could change for the women

Isn't Commander Wilmslow officially still missing? The thought it was maybe it was something to do with the Americans as it happened the same as Fred & Serena were arrested. The Marthas at Jezebels incinerated his body so he wasn't/will never be found.

No idea what will happen to the wife and children though,

ONE MORE SLEEP!

I'm so enjoying having a week between episodes. It's frustrating, I want to get on with the story, but this thread and the EoG podcast (thank you) has got me really engaged in the whole thing and it is far better than mindfulness.

@whatsthestory123

im going back a bit but what would of happened to the wife and the children of the commander that went "missing" who was killed while fighting with June at Jezzabells ?

Not sure if anyone has watched it but Commander Winslow's wife is the oldest sister from The Haunting of Hill House.

I think there are probably many instances of people going missing in Gilead, never to be seen again....

I'm going to have wave good bye to this thread, because for once I couldn't wait a week and I have binged the rest, previously on other seasons I couldn't manage more than one a week, but the last episode on Channel 4, left me thinking for days and I started thinking of my own ending, which I know would then spoil the actual ending because it wouldn't have been mine. So I bit the bullet before I ruined it for myself.

This thread is brilliant for annalise of each episode though so I'll still be reading, but can't post incase I inadvertently give something away.

@NewYearNewTwatName I can understand the temptation!
When you said you were thinking about your own ending, I thought things had taken a dark turn! Glad that's not what you meant!!

When you said you were thinking about your own ending, I thought things had taken a dark turn! Glad that's not what you meant!!

😂 oh no sorry! I didn't word it very well did I, i watched it all through the night, so I'm really tired and emotional at the moment, so clearly not thinking about what I'm writing.

Just finished watching Episode 9 ( second last )on RTE in Ireland.
I'm impatiently awaiting the Channel 4 viewers catching up for a discussion.
Nobody I know is watching it so I can't have a water cooler type discusdion.

LadyEloise when can you watch episode 10? as then you can come over to the spoilers thread for discussion.

The spoiler thread was running at the time of release on hulu so most of the thread isn't about the end, so if you wanted to read others thoughts up to episode 9 you could.

I think there are probably many instances of people going missing in Gilead, never to be seen again....

Yep, just like in any despotic regime. Scary stuff, when you stop and think about it all.

medium.com/@ashleymwalker/under-his-eye-the-handmaids-tale-as-a-reflection-of-nazi-germany-c45f2dcbaf42

I saw this yesterday, it's an interesting read. It refers to THT book and series 1 - so there are no spoilers.

Thank you NewYearNewTwatName.

Under his eye.

Checking in for the first time after seriously lurking on all the previous threads. Like a PP I enjoy these almost as much as the programme. Thought it was time to join in.

I got a wee buzz remembering it was Sunday and it was THT night.

I am wondering if June is heading back to meet Aunt Lydia. I can see it seems a stretch that she wouldn't be put on the wall but can you imagine if she had to go back to being a regular handmaid again? And what punishment would she get before that happened?
Maybe the would rather break her spirit and see her cowed rather than just kill her?

Can't wait!

I was really hoping this whole series would be June on the run but the ending last week suggests not. How on earth are the writers going to keep her alive? One thing that struck me as odd about Gilead in the tv series is the lack of propaganda. Regimes like this in the past have hammered people with it. Even if they didn't want people to read, I find it odd that there wouldn't be radio, tv, loudspeakers etc. It's a while since I've read the book but I think it mentioned Serena watching tv.