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 ?

Oooh I thought it was good! I was worried as well as I really enjoyed the book - well actually the audio book and Ann Dowd (aunt Lydia) is one of the narrators if anyone is interested 😂

Yes this has been great so far!
I don't think Daisy in the series can be the same Daisy in the book as the girls are the same sort of age. In the book Daisy arrives when Agnes is in her early twenties. Also we are seeing June in the series and she's not in the book directly at all - I don't think she would be meeting Daisy directly if she was the same as in the book. I think it's a shame that they have made this change but I am reserving judgement until I see how they manage it.

There are some really specific parts left out which change it quite significantly - the abuse by Becka’s dad which is more overt and terrible for Becka in the book. The timeline in general and the existence of June doesn’t really work.

But I love the characters of Agnes, Shaunnamite (she is excellent!), Becka is playing the stress and fear extremely well and I think Paula is more 3D than the book as well. Aunt Videla is also excellent.

Im enjoying it a lot, the underlying sense of menace is there very well.

Just watched the three that are out and really enjoying it so far! Just frustrated with the fact the girls are about the same age when we know that isn't the case!

Boycotting as Margaret Atwood has anti woman views

I don’t know how they will account for it given how they dragged THT out over years but in the book timeline there would’ve been just a few years between them

I think it’s excellent so far. Agree the timeline is tricky.

I think (as with THT) that the art direction is absolutely incredible. In E03/the Judd’s House, is the painting she wants to swap out a Van Gogh? It’s hard to see on my phone. I think the mother and child painting that reminds her of her mother is a Mary Cassatt. Such good touches. And the whole way the tour was filmed reminded me a bit of Selling Sunset or an Instagram post and also the bit in Mona Lisa Smile where Kristen Dunst shows off her linen closet.

Agree Commander Judd is giving Fred. DH can never remember plot details (or faces) and thought it WAS Fred. 🙄

Just watched the 3 episodes - think it’s brill! I’ve not read the book so nothing to compare to, but loving this!

It was a nice surprise to see June as didn’t think she’d be in this one having read the book.
I can’t remember why Agnes has a different mother though? I don’t think we really saw her parents in THT did we? But looks like the original was Tabitha but she died?

Yes it seems the original Mrs Mackenzie has died but I don't remember that from THT

I'm confused about how Daisy can be one of the rescued children, be the same age as Agnes/Hannah and have no idea that she was adopted. By the time the rescue flight left Hannah was about 6? So Daisy would also have been 6. A 6 year old would have clear memories of her gilead life even if not her pre gilead life.
We know from the testaments that Hannah doesn't remember her early life and family but she was about 3 when she was stolen I think.
I do think it's a shame they have messed with the timeline. I feel like it was done to have June play a major role in the story. They could have done that without changing Daisy.

That's from the testaments too

Do you mean from the book?

I've read it but don't remember that. May need to re-read but it will confuse me if I do that now!

Yes it's in the book. We should probably consider whether book spoilers are ok on this thread!

I’m ok with Book Spoilers if you’re on this thread you’ve either read it or you’re choosing just to watch in which case it doesn’t matter

Ok, just watching a YouTube commentary video. Daisy was placed with her adopters when she was a baby. So couldn't be one of the angels flight children as she's too young. And also cannot be Nicole because she's too old. Which baby was smuggled out of gilead as a baby who would be the same age as Hannah? In fact that's impossible because Hannah was 3 when gilead started.
🤨

If we're allowing book spoilers, and I'm remembering correctly...

Daisy is Nicole. She was placed with adoptive parents so Luke/June could fight with Mayday. Or maybe to keep her safe I'm not sure.

But that doesn't work in the tv show as the 2 girls appear to be the same age.

I think it's brilliant, much better than I hoped for. Great acting from the young women.
I'm terrified for Daisy and my skin is still crawling from the scene where Agnes/Hannah has to announce her period to her father.

@TakeTheCuntingQuichePatricia their ages are only wrong because THT was dragged out over many years as a series. Their difference in age in the books would be 2-3 years

I get confused about the ages as they varied so wildly from the books to the tv series!
I thought it was a bigger gap in the books as well though. The Waterfords were June's 2nd posting? Plus time at the Red centre. So if Hannah was 3 at the start then the gap would be more like 5 years?

I haven't read either of the books for a few years though so could be remembering wrong.

Yeah @TakeTheCuntingQuichePatricia it’s woolly and it may become a clear plothole

There are 7 years between Nicole and Hannah in the testaments. There is a big time jump between the part of the story we are at now with Hannah getting her period, and when Daisy joins as a pearl girl. Margaret Atwood wrote it to fit with the TV timeline which makes it super confusing why the show has messed with it.

I think it’s best not to compare as it’ll mess with our heads too much - just watch & enjoy it as a (semi!) standalone. Great start!

I’m watching, I really enjoyed the first 3 episodes.

It is very confusing with the timeline and Daisy/Nichole. I read the book and Daisy was Nichole, in the series she even looks like June. But it can’t be because Daisy is too old.

i wondered whether perhaps Daisy could be Janine’s daughter Charlotte (Angela), but I don’t think that would work.

I think Daisy is Nicole, in the series too and they will just expect us to not notice there should be about 10 years between them.
They can't make her another character it would be a different story completely