The Testaments - Handmaids Tale Sequel has started on Disney + ***contains spoilers***

[EineReiseDurchDieZeit]

It seems pretty good so far, Gilead through a Young Adult gaze.

Anyone watching ?

I agree. She's gay with neon lights on her forehead 🤣

Tbh I thought it was pretty obvious? Obviously, it would be too dangerous to be overt but why did you think that she is so desperate not to be married and leave the safety of the plums?

Well in the book it's because her father is sexually abusing her which is plausible in this story too but either/both could be the reason

She's been taken by mayday right? They were not eyes and garth took her out to them...

But Agnes Dad said he called the Eyes and Paula backed him up?!

Oh my gosh that was such a good episode! I think both girls are silly to think becca would get away with murder. Now wondering whether they were women / mayday who took Becca

They were definitely not Mayday. Agnes's eyes need to open and this must be the way.

I wonder who tells Agnes about June? A few episodes ago it was made clear that at this stage she didn't know about June being her Mom.

I loved it how Aunt Lydia arranged the salvaging for after the wedding and the girls messed it all up. She knew Daisy was lying as well.

I thought it was obvious Becca is in love with Agnes too. She always looks as though she's about to kiss her 😂

I don't know what it is but I forget Agnes is Hannah and I just can't see it! I just can't reconcile it in my brain that it's meant to be the same person.

Oh. My. Word. What an episode.

Whoever took Becca was female. I think Garth said he called 'the eyes' so Agnes' Dad thought he'd done the right thing.

It couldn't be more obvious that Becca is in love with Agnes, or at least she thinks she is.

I’m wondering about Agnes dad (McKenzie?) he seems to be pretty un-Gilead…perhaps fed up with the regime after so many years? The way he talks to Agnes always seems very caring and a bit regretful and sceptical of the regime generally. A bit like Commander Lawrence perhaps, he’s sad at what it has become? Maybe he’s turned to Mayday which would explain why they are harbouring a mayday operative in their house in Garth?

I’ve not read the book (I’m taking it on hols in a couple of weeks) but I thought the same about McKenzie. I particularly noticed last week the ‘I guess we need to follow the science’ and ‘we need to shift societal norms’ comment because although the girls look older, I’m guessing they’re all around 14 (at the most) starting menstruation? He’s obviously deeply uncomfortable about the ages at which the girls are being married off now his daughter is involved.

I was also suspicious about ‘The eyes’ and their body shape.

She must remember something because on THMT she wrote her name Hannah.

She did remember in THT, but here she doesn't seem to be. She was ever so confused when her stepmother said something about her rebellious streak coming from her mother.
The writers said that Agnes wrote Hannah, but she didn't know what it meant. Girls in Gilead aren't taught to read or write. June and Luke must have taught her to write Hannah. This is the only thing she can write. Personally I think it is rubbish.

I just wish you were all right and Becka was with Mayday.

I’ve read the book which has a different reason as to why she doesn’t want to marry (as she’s being abused by her dentist father too) . So I was blinded by that I suppose.

I guess I have a different viewing experience as someone who hasn’t read the book… I often find that TV adaptations of a book I’ve read end up irritating me so I’m enjoying this series without any expectation. Possibly this will change after my holiday when I’ve read it!

I think both THT and the Testaments are such a visual treat, beautifully shot.

Visually beautiful, fantastic acting and disturbing. I am really enjoying it.

Just caught up, poor Becca.

It’s turning out to be a brilliant series. Everything is so beautiful and the contrast of Agnes having such a beautiful bedroom, a girls dream, but they are actually living a nightmare.

The naivety of the plums and how distressing it must be to be sold a lie all of your life. They are so innocent yet they’ve also been brutalised.

The only people who benefit from Gilead society is sexually deviant men and peadophiles.

Yes it has been made clear Becca is in love with Agnes.

I think the girls are older than 14 and just get their periods later but I'm not sure it's said explicitly and hard to say as they're so sheltered.

I may have said but I don't know how Agnes could have thought that was a good idea. Then again not sure what they could have done once Becca murdered her father. They couldn't have hid her or actually run away very easily.

Another thing: why do we think Daisy has now shared she's starter menstruating? I wondered if it was to get to the dentist because, when told she was going there, she was surprised she was going already.

Also you see how Becca is pushed over the edge all episode. She's getting further for Agnes then Daisy gets her period and she realises Agnes and Shu knew. Then to find out her father had done what he's done, she may have seen this as what got between her and Agnes as well as he's hurt the person she loves.

I liked when Daisy couldn't remember what to say to announced the period and they all laugh like it's a relaxed family bbq.

I do wonder why the girls are getting their periods so late in the testaments though, cos in Handmaids tale, if you remember, when June had to stay in the hospital until the other handmaids baby was born (can’t remember her name), the baby was in the incubator, and a group of girls walk by, younger than the plums.

the doctor explicitly states they are there for their menarche exam

I don't really remember but I just googled and apparently Hannah is 14. Not sure if they're all the same age. Isn't the actress who plays Hannah actually around 25?

Sorry for all the posts but I just watched the latest episode again.

Other things I noticed

• the interaction between Lydia and Vidala when Judd comes over and she is dismissed
• Daisy almost seems happy to be announcing her period
• I didn't fully understand Agnes reaction when she arrived home
• when Becca came to Agnes and Agnes bathed her it seemed like all she wanted all along was to please her and be with her
• becca and Garth had a nice interaction and it seemed they might have some kind of friendship starting
• i couldn't align this with him handing her over to "the eyes" if that's who they were although I'm not convinced they were

Well I was not expecting that! Poor Becca.
Yes it's been obvious she loves Agnes all along, that was why she doesn't want to get married (to a man).
I assumed her father was abusive but they just didn't say or show it.
Those "eyes" were definitely woman shaped, and the long coats were quite dress-like.

The fertility crisis is presumably caused by things like pollution and food additives which Gilead has worked hard to get rid of.
That’s why their girls are more likely to be fertile than foreign girls. They are still affected to some extent, however, and one result of this is that menarche starts later. It’s science fiction - just roll with it!
I would have said Agnes and the other girls were more likely to be about 16 years old, especially if Daisy is the same age as she was sexually active in Canada. Also, it’s easier to accept they’re about 16 than 14 as the actresses are all adults in real life.
I think Daisy had to look happy to have started her period - it’s very much what’s expected of her (being fertile is the most important thing for a woman in Gilead.)
Agnes’ panic attack was a bit confusing - it’s not clear if she was reliving the trauma of the dentist’s sexual assault or if she is beginning to understand that something about Daisy is a bit awry - she did accuse her of not being a real pearl girl. It would be very scary for her to realise someone might be a spy of some kind, but who knows? I expect we will find out what that was about at some point.
Garth had no choice but to hand Becka to the eyes or he would have exposed himself. We’ll find out who they really were next week I should think!

@Foxytights The fertility crisis is presumably caused by things like pollution and food additives which Gilead has worked hard to get rid of. That’s why their girls are more likely to be fertile than foreign girls. They are still affected to some extent, however, and one result of this is that menarche starts later. It’s science fiction - just roll with it!

Sorry not sure what this part of your post was a reply to but yes I think that's the case and I'm looking forward to next week. It's unusual to watch something and have to wait a week for the next one but I'd have binged it all in a weekend otherwise!