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''The Handmaid's Tale'' is an American
dystopian A dystopia (from Ancient Greek δυσ- "bad, hard" and τόπος "place"; alternatively cacotopiaCacotopia (from κακός ''kakos'' "bad") was the term used by Jeremy Bentham in his 1818 Plan of Parliamentary Reform (Works, vol. 3, p. 493). ...
television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed be ...
created by Bruce Miller, based on the 1985 novel of the same name by Canadian author
Margaret Atwood Margaret Eleanor Atwood (born November 18, 1939) is a Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, teacher, environmental activist, and inventor. Since 1961, she has published 18 books of poetry, 18 novels, 11 books of non-fiction, ...
. The series was ordered by the streaming service
Hulu Hulu () is an American subscription streaming service majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, with Comcast's NBCUniversal holding a minority stake. It was launched on October 29, 2007 and it offers a library of films and television series ...
as a straight-to-series order of 10 episodes, for which production began in late 2016. The plot features a
dystopia A dystopia (from Ancient Greek δυσ- "bad, hard" and τόπος "place"; alternatively cacotopiaCacotopia (from κακός ''kakos'' "bad") was the term used by Jeremy Bentham in his 1818 Plan of Parliamentary Reform (Works, vol. 3, p. 493). ...
following a
Second American Civil War The "Second American Civil War" is an umbrella term used by academics in order to reclassify historical eras of significant political violence in the history of the United States as a "civil war" or, more commonly, to discuss the potential outbr ...
wherein a theonomic,
totalitarian Totalitarianism is a form of government and a political system that prohibits all opposition parties, outlaws individual and group opposition to the state and its claims, and exercises an extremely high if not complete degree of control and reg ...
society subjects fertile women, called " Handmaids", to child-bearing slavery. The first three episodes of the series premiered on April 26, 2017; the subsequent seven episodes were released every Wednesday. In July 2019, the series was renewed for a fourth season, which premiered on April 27, 2021. In September 2019, it was announced that Hulu and MGM were developing a sequel series, to be based on Atwood's 2019 novel '' The Testaments''. In December 2020, ahead of the fourth season premiere, the series was renewed for a fifth season, which premiered on September 14, 2022. In September 2022, ahead of the fifth season premiere, the series was renewed for a sixth and final season. ''The Handmaid's Tale''s first season won eight
Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
s from 13 nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series. It is the first show produced by Hulu to win a major award as well as the first series on a streaming service to win an Emmy for Outstanding Series. It also won the
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...
for Best Television Series – Drama. Elisabeth Moss was also awarded the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Drama Series.


Plot

In a world where fertility rates have collapsed as a result of sexually transmitted diseases and
environmental pollution Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, th ...
, the
totalitarian Totalitarianism is a form of government and a political system that prohibits all opposition parties, outlaws individual and group opposition to the state and its claims, and exercises an extremely high if not complete degree of control and reg ...
, theonomic government of Gilead establishes rule in the former United States in the aftermath of a
civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...
. Society is organized by power-hungry leaders along with a new, militarized, hierarchical régime of religious fanaticism and newly created
social class A social class is a grouping of people into a set of hierarchical social categories, the most common being the upper, middle and lower classes. Membership in a social class can for example be dependent on education, wealth, occupation, inc ...
es, in which women are brutally subjugated. By law, women in Gilead are forced to work in very limited roles, including some as natal slaves, and they are not allowed to own property, have careers, handle money, or read. Worldwide
infertility Infertility is the inability of a person, animal or plant to reproduce by natural means. It is usually not the natural state of a healthy adult, except notably among certain eusocial species (mostly haplodiploid insects). It is the normal st ...
has led to the enslavement of fertile women in Gilead determined by the new régime to be
fallen women "Fallen woman" is an archaic term which was used to describe a woman who has "lost her innocence", and fallen from the grace of God. In 19th-century Britain especially, the meaning came to be closely associated with the loss or surrender of a ...
, citing an extremist interpretation of the
Biblical The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of ...
account of
Bilhah Bilhah ( "unworried", Standard Hebrew: ''Bīlha'', Tiberian Hebrew: ''Bīlhā'') is a woman mentioned in the Book of Genesis.For the etymology, see describes her as Laban's handmaid, who was given to Rachel to be her handmaid on Rachel's ma ...
. These women often include those who have entered marriages following divorce (termed "adulteresses", as divorce is not recognized under Gileadian law), single or unmarried mothers, lesbians (homosexuals being termed "gender traitors"), non-Christians, adherents of Christian denominations other than the "Sons of Jacob", political dissidents, and academics. These women, called Handmaids, are assigned to the homes of the ruling elite, where they must submit to ritualized rape (referred to as "the ceremony") by their male masters ("Commanders") in the presence of their wives, to be impregnated and bear children for them. Handmaids are given names created by the addition of the prefix Of- to the first name of the man who has them. When they are transferred, their names are changed. Along with the Handmaids, much of society is now grouped into classes that dictate their freedoms and duties. Women are divided into a small range of social categories, each one signified by a
plain dress Plain dress is a practice among some religious groups, primarily some Christianity, Christian churches in which people dress in clothes of traditional modest design, sturdy fabric, and conservative cut. It is intended to show acceptance of trad ...
in a specific color. Handmaids wear long red dresses, heavy brown boots and white coifs, with a headcovering surrounded by a larger white coif (known as "wings") to be worn outside, concealing them from public view and restricting their vision. June Osborne, renamed Offred, is the Handmaid assigned to the home of the Gileadan Commander Fred Waterford and his wife Serena Joy. The Waterfords, key players in the formation and rise of Gilead, struggle with the realities of the society they helped create. During "the time before", June was married to Luke and had a daughter, Hannah. At the beginning of the story, while attempting to flee Gilead with her husband and daughter, June was captured and forced to become a Handmaid because of the adultery she and her husband committed. June's daughter was taken and given to an upper-class family to raise, and her husband escaped into Canada. Much of the plot revolves around June's desire to be reunited with her husband and daughter and the internal evolution of her strength to its somewhat darker version.


Cast and characters


Main

* Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne / Offred / Ofjoseph #2, a woman who was captured while attempting to escape to Canada with her husband, Luke, and daughter, Hannah. Because Luke is divorced, their union is considered adulterous in this new society. June is considered an adulteress and their daughter, Hannah, is deemed illegitimate. Due to June's fertility, she is made a Handmaid to Commander Fred Waterford and his wife Serena Joy, and is called "Offred"; later she becomes handmaid to Commander Joseph Lawrence and is called "Ofjoseph". *
Joseph Fiennes Joseph Alberic Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes (), known as Joseph Fiennes, is an English actor of film, stage, and television. Journalist Zoe Williams observed that "he seemed to be the go-to actor for English cultural history". Fiennes is particul ...
as Commander Fred Waterford (seasons 1–4), a high-ranking government official, and June's first master. Both he and his wife were instrumental in Gilead's founding. * Yvonne Strahovski as Serena Joy Waterford, Fred's wife, and a former conservative cultural activist. She appears to have accepted her new role in a society that she helped create. She is poised and deeply religious, but capable of great cruelty and is often callous to June. She is desperate to become a mother. *
Alexis Bledel Kimberly Alexis Bledel ( ; born September 16, 1981) is an American actress and model. She is known for her role as Rory Gilmore on the television series ''Gilmore Girls'' (2000–2007), and Emily Malek in '' The Handmaid's Tale'' (2017–2021) ...
as Dr. Emily Malek / Ofglen #1 / Ofsteven / Ofroy / Ofjoseph #1 (seasons 1–4), a former university professor in
cellular biology Cell biology (also cellular biology or cytology) is a branch of biology that studies the structure, function, and behavior of cells. All living organisms are made of cells. A cell is the basic unit of life that is responsible for the living and ...
and initially June's shopping partner. Although June is initially wary of her, it is revealed she is not as pious as she seems, and the two become friends. Emily is involved with and first informs June of Mayday, an underground resistance movement. She has a wife and son living in Canada. *
Madeline Brewer Madeline Kathryn Brewer (born May 1, 1992) is an American actress. She is known for her role as Tricia Miller in the Emmy award-winning series ''Orange Is the New Black'' (2013), her role in '' Hemlock Grove'' (2014–2015), and her lead role a ...
as Janine Lindo / Ofwarren / Ofdaniel / Ofhoward / Ofjoseph # 3, a Handmaid who entered the Red Center for training at the same time as June, and considers June a friend due to her kind treatment. Initially non-compliant, Janine has her right eye removed as a punishment. She becomes mentally unstable due to her treatment and often behaves in temperamental or childlike ways. Before Gilead, Janine was a waitress and had a son, Caleb, who unbeknownst to her was killed in a car crash after the takeover. * Ann Dowd as Aunt Lydia Clements, a woman in charge of overseeing the Handmaids in their sexual re-education and duties. She is brutal and subjects insubordinate Handmaids to sadistic physical punishment, but she also cares for her charges and believes deeply in the Gileadean mission and doctrine. She appears to have a soft spot for Janine and even goes so far as to address her by her given name on occasion. Before Gilead, she was a family court judge, and afterwards, an elementary school teacher. *
O-T Fagbenle Olatunde Olateju Olaolorun "O-T" Fagbenle ( Yoruba: ''Ọlátúndé Ọlátẹ́jú Ọláọlọ́run Fágbénlé''; born 22 January 1981) is an Emmy-nominated English actor, writer, and director. He has appeared in several films, stage, and ...
as Luke Bankole, June's husband from before Gilead. Initially, June believes he was killed, but it is later revealed that Luke managed to escape to Canada. * Max Minghella as Commander Nick Blaine, Commander Waterford's driver and a former drifter from Michigan who has feelings for June. June and Nick develop an intimate relationship and she eventually discovers that he is an Eye, a spy for Gilead and that he played a significant role in the Gileadean takeover. In season 3, he is promoted to Commander. * Samira Wiley as Moira Strand, June's best friend since college. She is already at the Red Center when June enters Handmaid training but escapes before being assigned to a home. She is recaptured and becomes "Ruby", a Jezebel. She seems to have given up hope of ever being free, but on meeting June again regains the conviction to escape to Canada. * Amanda Brugel as Rita Blue (season 2–present, recurring season 1), a housekeeper at the Waterford house, who becomes one of June's closest allies. She had a son named Matthew, who died fighting in the civil war when he was 19 years old. * Bradley Whitford as Commander Joseph Lawrence (season 3–present, guest season 2), the founder of the Colonies and architect of Gilead's economy. He is on and off with Mayday. *
Sam Jaeger Samuel Heath Jaeger (born January 29, 1977) is an American actor and screenwriter. Life and career Jaeger was born in Perrysburg, Ohio, the son of LeAnne (née Graening) and Charles Jaeger. He is the youngest of four children. He graduated from ...
as Mark Tuello (season 4–present, recurring season 3, guest season 2), an operative of the U.S. Government whom Serena encounters in Canada.


Recurring

* Jordana Blake as Hannah Bankole, June and Luke's daughter. After being taken, she is given a new family and renamed Agnes MacKenzie. * Ever Carradine as Naomi Putnam, Commander Putnam's wife. She has no sympathy for Handmaids and only sees her baby as a status symbol. *
Stephen Kunken Stephen Michael Kunken (born c. 1971) is an American actor. He is known for the roles of Ari Spyros on Showtime's '' Billions'' and Commander Putnam on Hulu's '' The Handmaid's Tale''. His film work includes work with Martin Scorsese, Steven Spie ...
as Commander Warren Putnam (seasons 1–5), a High Commander and the first known Commander of Janine. *
Tattiawna Jones Tattiawna Jones is a Canadian television and theatre actress. She comes from Manitouwadge Manitouwadge is a township in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is located in the Thunder Bay District, at the north end of Highway 614, east of Th ...
as Lillie Fuller / Ofglen #2 (seasons 1–2), who replaces Emily in the position after Emily is captured by the Eyes. She warns June away from breaking the rules and does not wish to upset the status quo, but this is because she believes her life as a Handmaid is better than the difficult, impoverished life she led prior to Gilead, rather than out of religious piety. *
Nina Kiri Nina Kiridžija ( sr-Cyrl, Нина Кириџиjа; born September 3, 1992), known as Nina Kiri ( sr-Cyrl, Нина Кири), is a Serbian Canadian actress, best known for her role as the handmaid Alma in the first five seasons of the Hulu se ...
as Alma / Ofrobert (seasons 1–4, guest season 5), another Handmaid who trained at the Red Center with June, Moira, and Janine. She is frank and chatty and often trades gossip and news with June. She is also involved with Mayday and becomes one of June's first contacts with the resistance group. * Bahia Watson as Brianna / Oferic (seasons 1–4, guest season 5), another local Handmaid who is friends with June. She is Dolores' shopping partner. *
Jenessa Grant Jenessa Grant is a Canadian actress. She has played the characters Mud in ''Orphan Black'', Ofsamuel in '' The Handmaid's Tale'' and Aylee in '' Reign''. She also portrays Faith Seed in the video game ''Far Cry 5 ''Far Cry 5'' is a 2018 fir ...
as Dolores / Ofsamuel (seasons 1–2, guest season 3), a local Handmaid with a friendly and talkative nature. She is Brianna's shopping partner. * Edie Inksetter as Aunt Elizabeth, a fellow Aunt who works closely with Aunt Lydia at the Red Center. * Robert Curtis Brown as Commander Andrew Pryce (seasons 1–2), a Commander who is one of the leading members of the Sons of Jacob and is in charge of the Eyes. *
Kristen Gutoskie Kristen Gutoskie is a Canadian actress. She is known for her roles as Katie Frank in ''Containment'', Rachael in '' Beaver Falls'', Seline in ''The Vampire Diaries'' and Molly Hendricks in ''Lethal Weapon''. Biography Kristen Gutoskie has been ...
as Beth (seasons 1 and 3, guest season 4), an award-winning chef before the rise of Gilead, formerly a Martha at Jezebel's, and later a Martha in the Lawrence household. *
Erin Way Erin Way (born September 13, 1987) is an American actress. She is known for her role as Kat in the Syfy drama series ''Alphas ''Alphas'' is an American superhero drama television series created by Zak Penn and Michael Karnow. It follows ...
as Erin (seasons 1–3), a young, apparently mute woman who was being trained to become a Handmaid but managed to escape to Canada with Luke. * Krista Morin as Rachel Tapping (seasons 1–2, season 4), an official at the United States Consulate in Canada. * Clea DuVall as Sylvia (season 3, guest seasons 2 and 5), Emily's wife. * Cherry Jones as Holly Maddox (season 2–3), June's mother, an outspoken feminist. *
Sydney Sweeney Sydney Bernice Sweeney (born September 12, 1997) is an American actress. She first gained attention for appearing in the television series '' Everything Sucks!'' (2018), '' The Handmaid's Tale'' (2018), and ''Sharp Objects'' (2018). In 2019, she ...
as Eden Blaine (née Spencer) (season 2), a pious and obedient young girl who is married off to Nick. *
Greg Bryk Gregory Michael Bryk (born 19 August 1972) is a Canadian film and television actor. He has appeared in numerous films and television series and is best known for his reoccurring roles in ''ReGenesis'' (2004–2008), '' XIII: The Series'' (2 ...
as Commander Ray Cushing (season 2), a fellow Commander who later replaces Commander Pryce's position. * Rohan Mead as Isaac (season 2), a young Guardian assigned to the Waterford home. * Julie Dretzin as Eleanor Lawrence (seasons 2–3), the mentally unstable wife of Commander Lawrence. *
Amy Landecker Amy Lauren Landecker (born September 30, 1969) is an American actress. She is known for her role as Sarah Pfefferman on the Amazon comedy-drama series '' Transparent'' (2014–2019), as well as her supporting roles in films ''Dan in Real Life'' ( ...
as Mrs. Mackenzie (season 5, guest season 3), Hannah's placement mother in Gilead. * Ashleigh LaThrop as Natalie / Ofmatthew (season 3), a devoted Handmaid whose loyalty to Gilead causes divisive tensions amongst her peers. * Sugenja Sri as Sienna (season 3, guest season 4), a former radiology student and a new Martha in the Lawrence household. *
Jonathan Watton Jonathan Watton is a Canadian actor. He is best known for playing the role of Darcy Garland in ''Murdoch Mysteries ''Murdoch Mysteries'' is a Canadian television drama series that premiered on Citytv on January 20, 2008, and currently airs o ...
as Commander Matthew Calhoun (season 3–present), the assigned Commander of Natalie/Ofmatthew. * Charlie Zeltzer as Oliver (seasons 3–4), Emily and Sylvia's son. * Christopher Meloni as High Commander George Winslow (season 3), a High Commander stationed in Washington, D.C. * Elizabeth Reaser as Olivia Winslow (season 3), the wife of High Commander Winslow. *
Mckenna Grace Mckenna Grace (born June 25, 2006) is an American actress. She began acting professionally at the age of six, with her earliest roles including Jasmine Bernstein in the Disney XD sitcom ''Crash & Bernstein'' (2012–2014) and Faith Newman in t ...
as Esther Keyes (season 4–5), a farmer and the teenage wife of an older Commander. *
Zawe Ashton Zawedde Emma "Zawe" Ashton (; born 25 July 1984) is a British actress, playwright and narrator. She is best known for her roles in the comedy dramas '' Fresh Meat'' and ''Not Safe for Work'', the Netflix horror thriller film ''Velvet Buzzsaw'' ...
as Oona (season 4), an aid worker in Toronto and Moira's new girlfriend. * Jeananne Goossen as Aunt Ruth (season 4), a high ranking Aunt who is desperate to replace Aunt Lydia as leading Aunt in their district. * Natasha Mumba as Danielle (season 4–present), a former handmaid. * Victoria Sawal as Tyler (season 4–present), a former handmaid. * Amanda Zhou as Vicky (season 4–present), a former handmaid. * Carey Cox as Rose Blaine (season 5), the daughter of a High Commander in Washington, D.C. and Nick’s new wife. * Jason Butler Harner as Commander Mackenzie (season 5), a High Commander and Hannah’s placement father. * Rossif Sutherland as Ezra Shaw (season 5), Serena's personal Gileadan bodyguard in Canada. *
Genevieve Angelson Genevieve Rose Angelson is an American actress, best-known for playing Indigo on '' The Afterparty'', Patti Robinson on ''Good Girls Revolt'', and Ruth on '' Flack''. Early life and education Angelson was born in New York City to lawyer and busin ...
as Alanis Wheeler (season 5), an affluent Canadian who idolizes Serena and who is a driving force behind the rise of Gilead in Toronto. *
Lucas Neff Lucas Neff (born November 7, 1985) is an American actor best known for his lead role in the Fox sitcom ''Raising Hope'' (2010-2014). Most recently, he starred in the CBS sitcom ''Carol's Second Act'' (2019) and co-starred as Duncan on ''Monster ...
as Ryan Wheeler (season 5), Alanis' husband.


Guest

*
Jim Cummings James Jonah Cummings (born November 3, 1952) is an American voice actor. Since beginning his career in the 1980s, he has appeared in almost 400 roles. Cummings has frequently worked with The Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros., including as t ...
as Burke (season 1), an Eye who interrogates June. *
Zabryna Guevara Zabryna Guevara (born January 12, 1972) is an American actress. She is known for playing the role of Melania Ortiz in ''3 lbs'' and Sarah Essen in '' Gotham''. Guevara is also a theatrical actress and in 2013 held the role of Yazmin in the awar ...
as Mrs. Castillo (season 1), an ambassador from Mexico who visits Gilead to see the effectiveness of the regime. * Christian Barillas as Mr. Flores (season 1), Mrs. Castillo's assistant. * Rosa Gilmore as Zoe (season 1), the daughter of a US army soldier and the leader of the group of survivors whom Luke encounters after being separated from June and Hannah. * Tim Ransom as Mr. Whitford (season 1), a friend of June's mother who helps June, Luke, and Hannah attempt to cross the border. * Marisa Tomei as Mrs. O'Conner (season 2), a Commander's wife who is exiled to the Colonies as punishment for committing a sin of the flesh. *
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (; born July 15, 1986) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Black Manta in the superhero films ''Aquaman'' (2018) and ''Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom'' (2023), Bobby Seale in the Netflix historical legal drama ' ...
as Omar (season 2), a man who helps June attempt to escape Gilead. *
John Carroll Lynch John Carroll Lynch (born August 1, 1963) is an American character actor and film director. He first gained notice for his role as Norm Gunderson in '' Fargo'' (1996). He is also known for his television work on the ABC sitcom '' The Drew Carey ...
as Dan (season 2), Emily's boss at the university where she worked. *
Kelly Jenrette Kelly Jenrette is an American actress. She is known for her roles on ''Grandfathered'' and '' Manhunt: Deadly Games''. She received a Nomination Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series The Primetime Emmy Award for O ...
as Annie (season 2), Luke's ex-wife. *
Rebecca Rittenhouse Rebecca Rittenhouse (born November 30, 1988) is an American actress. She has played Cody LeFever in the ABC prime time soap opera ''Blood & Oil'', Dr. Anna Ziev in the Hulu romantic comedy series '' The Mindy Project'', and Maggie in the '' Into ...
as Odette (season 2), a doctor, and Moira's deceased fiancée. * Laila Robins as Pamela Joy (season 3), Serena's mother. * Deidrie Henry as Lori (seasons 3–4), a Martha who Nick uses for intel in Gilead. * Sarah McVie as Lena (season 3), a Swiss diplomat negotiating the hostile conflict between Gilead and Canada over Nichole. * Emily Althaus as Noelle (season 3), a young single mother whose son Aunt Lydia taught before the rise of Gilead. * Laura Vandervoort as Daisy (season 4), a Jezebels worker who aids June. * Alex Castillo as Dawn Mathis (season 4), the Waterfords' defense attorney. * Reed Birney as Lieutenant Stans (season 4) a Gilead officer who interrogates June. * Omar Maskati as Steven (season 4), the leader of a resistance group in Chicago. * Carly Street as Iris Baker/Aunt Irene (season 4), a former Aunt who attempts to make amends with Emily. * Christine Ko as Lily (season 5), a former Martha who is now a leader in the Canada-based resistance movement. In the second season,
Oprah Winfrey Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954), or simply Oprah, is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and philanthropist. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', b ...
has an uncredited appearance as a newsreader on a car radio.


Episodes


Production

Hulu Hulu () is an American subscription streaming service majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, with Comcast's NBCUniversal holding a minority stake. It was launched on October 29, 2007 and it offers a library of films and television series ...
's straight-to-series order of ''The Handmaid's Tale'' was announced in April 2016, with Elisabeth Moss set to star. Based on the 1985 novel of the same name by
Margaret Atwood Margaret Eleanor Atwood (born November 18, 1939) is a Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, teacher, environmental activist, and inventor. Since 1961, she has published 18 books of poetry, 18 novels, 11 books of non-fiction, ...
, the series was created by Bruce Miller, who is also an executive producer with Daniel Wilson, Fran Sears, and Warren Littlefield. Atwood serves as consulting producer, giving feedback on some of the areas where the series expands upon or modernizes the book. She also played a small cameo role in the first episode. Moss is also a producer. In June 2016, Reed Morano was announced as director of the series. Samira Wiley, Max Minghella, and Ann Dowd joined the cast in July 2016.
Joseph Fiennes Joseph Alberic Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes (), known as Joseph Fiennes, is an English actor of film, stage, and television. Journalist Zoe Williams observed that "he seemed to be the go-to actor for English cultural history". Fiennes is particul ...
,
Madeline Brewer Madeline Kathryn Brewer (born May 1, 1992) is an American actress. She is known for her role as Tricia Miller in the Emmy award-winning series ''Orange Is the New Black'' (2013), her role in '' Hemlock Grove'' (2014–2015), and her lead role a ...
, and Yvonne Strahovski were cast in August 2016, followed by
O-T Fagbenle Olatunde Olateju Olaolorun "O-T" Fagbenle ( Yoruba: ''Ọlátúndé Ọlátẹ́jú Ọláọlọ́run Fágbénlé''; born 22 January 1981) is an Emmy-nominated English actor, writer, and director. He has appeared in several films, stage, and ...
and Amanda Brugel in September 2016. In October 2016, Ever Carradine joined the cast, and
Alexis Bledel Kimberly Alexis Bledel ( ; born September 16, 1981) is an American actress and model. She is known for her role as Rory Gilmore on the television series ''Gilmore Girls'' (2000–2007), and Emily Malek in '' The Handmaid's Tale'' (2017–2021) ...
was added in January 2017. Filming on the series took place in
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
,
Mississauga Mississauga ( ), historically known as Toronto Township, is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is situated on the shores of Lake Ontario in the Regional Municipality of Peel, adjoining the western border of Toronto. With a popu ...
,
Brantford Brantford ( 2021 population: 104,688) is a city in Ontario, Canada, founded on the Grand River in Southwestern Ontario. It is surrounded by Brant County, but is politically separate with a municipal government of its own that is fully independ ...
,
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilto ...
, Burlington, Oakville, and
Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
,
Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, from September 2016 to February 2017. Hulu released the first full trailer of the TV series on
YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
, on March 23, 2017. The series premiered on April 26, 2017. On May 3, 2017, ''The Handmaid's Tale'' was renewed for a second season which premiered on April 25, 2018. Moss told the news media that the subsequent episodes would cover further developments in the story, filling in some of the unanswered questions and continuing the narrative already "finished" in the book. The second season consists of 13 episodes and began filming in fall 2017. Alexis Bledel returned as a series regular. Showrunner Bruce Miller stated that he envisioned 10 seasons of the show, stating, "Well, you know, honestly, when I started, I tried to game out in my head what would ten seasons be like? If you hit a home run, you want energy to go around the bases, you want enough story to keep going, if you can hook the audience to care about these people enough that they're actually crying at the finale." Season 2 was filmed in Ontario, primarily in Toronto, but some scenes were shot in Hamilton and Cambridge. On May 2, 2018, Hulu renewed the series for a third season, which premiered on June 5, 2019. Season 3 started production in Toronto in October 2018. Scenes for season 3 were also filmed in Cambridge and Hamilton, Ontario as well as in Washington, D.C. Season 3 saw the show's long-serving Director of Photography,
Colin Watkinson Colin Watkinson is an English cinematographer. He won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour) for " Offred", the pilot episode of '' The Handmaid's Tale'', and was nominated in the same catego ...
, make his directorial debut with the episode "Unknown Caller". Cambridge, Ontario was nominated by the Location Managers Guild International for "Outstanding Film Office" for their work on this season. This was the first time that a Canadian Film Office was nominated for this honor. On July 26, 2019, the series was renewed for a fourth season. Season 4, consisting of 10 episodes, began production in March 2020, with Elisabeth Moss filming her directorial debut, but work had to be halted after only a few weeks, due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
. In June 2020, Hulu announced that the fourth season would premiere in 2021. Production on season 4 resumed in September 2020 and wrapped on February 25, 2021, with Moss having directed three episodes. On December 10, 2020, ahead of the fourth season premiere, Hulu renewed the series for a fifth season. Season 5 started production in Toronto in February 2022 and continued through July 2022. In May 2022, Alexis Bledel departed the series ahead of the fifth season, and stated, "After much thought, I felt I had to step away from ''The Handmaid's Tale''". On September 8, 2022, ahead of the fifth season premiere, Hulu renewed the series for a sixth and final season.


Broadcast and release

The first three episodes of the series premiered on April 26, 2017; the subsequent seven episodes were released on a weekly basis. In Canada, the series is broadcast weekly by CTV Drama Channel and the streaming service Crave; the first two episodes premiered on April 30, 2017. In Scandinavia, the series is available on
HBO Nordic Home Box Office (HBO)—originally established on November 8, 1972, as a premium cable television network in the United States—has, since 1991, expanded into a family of international pay television channels presently owned by Warner Bros. Di ...
. In the United Kingdom, the series premiered on May 28, 2017, on
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...
. In New Zealand, the series was released on the subscription video on demand service Lightbox on June 8, 2017. After satellite service provider Sky acquired Lightbox and merged it into its streaming service
Neon Neon is a chemical element with the symbol Ne and atomic number 10. It is a noble gas. Neon is a colorless, odorless, inert monatomic gas under standard conditions, with about two-thirds the density of air. It was discovered (along with krypt ...
on July 7, 2020, Neon acquired the distribution rights to the series in New Zealand. In Australia, the series premiered on the TV channel SBS's video streaming service
SBS on Demand SBS is a national public television network in Australia. Launched on 24 October 1980, it is the responsibility of SBS's television division, and is available nationally. In 2018, SBS had a 7.7% audience share. As of 2022, SBS is the lowest ...
, on July 6, 2017. The series also released on the subscription video on demand service Stan on December 12, 2018. In Ireland, the series premiered on February 5, 2018, on
RTÉ2 RTÉ2 is an Television in the Republic of Ireland, Irish free-to-air television channel operated by public service broadcaster RTÉ. It was launched in 1978 as the Republic of Ireland's second television channel. History In the 1970s, the Iri ...
, with a showing of the first two episodes. RTÉ also became the first broadcaster in Europe to debut Season 2, Season 3 and Season 4 following its broadcast in the US and Canada. In Brazil and Latin America, the series premiered on March 7, 2018, on Paramount Channel. In India, the series premiered on February 5, 2018, on AXN and ran for the first two seasons before moving to
Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming and rental service of Amazon offered as a standalone service or as part of Amazon's Prime subscription. The service pr ...
for Season 3, which made all three seasons available for viewing on January 31, 2020. In Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, the series premiered on September 15, 2018, on HBO Asia through
HBO Go HBO Go is a partly-inactive authenticated video on demand of the pay television service HBO. The service allowed subscribers to HBO via television providers to access its programming on-demand via the HBO website, mobile apps, and digital medi ...
. The first season was released on Blu-ray and DVD on March 13, 2018, the second season on December 4, 2018, and the third season on November 19, 2019, by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. The fourth season was released on DVD only (no Blu-ray) on April 5, 2022, by
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc. (formerly known as Warner Home Video and WCI Home Video and sometimes credited as Warner Home Entertainment) is the home video distribution division of Warner Bros. It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Video ...
.


Reception


Critical response

''The Handmaid's Tale'' was ranked as the 25th and 38th best TV series of the 21st century by ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...
'' and '' BBC'', respectively. On the
review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
website
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wan ...
, the overall series has an approval rating of 83%. While on
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
, another aggregator website, it has an average score of 81 out of 100.


Season 1

On
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wan ...
, 94% of 259 reviews are positive for the first season, with an average rating of 8.65/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Haunting and vivid, ''The Handmaid's Tale'' is an endlessly engrossing adaptation of Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel that's anchored by a terrific central performance from Elisabeth Moss." On
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
, the season has a weighted average score of 92 out of 100 based on 41 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". Daniel Fienberg of ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly large ...
'' called it "probably the spring's best new show". Jen Chaney of ''
Vulture A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and ...
'' gave it a highly positive review, and wrote that it is "A faithful adaptation of the book that also brings new layers to Atwood's totalitarian, sexist world of forced surrogate motherhood" and that "this series is meticulously paced, brutal, visually stunning, and so suspenseful from moment to moment that only at the end of each hour will you feel fully at liberty to exhale". There was much debate on whether parallels could be drawn between the series (and by extension, the book it is based on) and American society during the
Presidency of Donald Trump Donald Trump's tenure as the 45th president of the United States began with his inauguration on January 20, 2017, and ended on January 20, 2021. Trump, a Republican from New York City, took office following his Electoral College victory ...
. Comparisons have also been made to the
Salafi The Salafi movement or Salafism () is a reform branch movement within Sunni Islam that originated during the nineteenth century. The name refers to advocacy of a return to the traditions of the "pious predecessors" (), the first three genera ...
/
Wahabbi Wahhabism ( ar, ٱلْوَهَّابِيَةُ, translit=al-Wahhābiyyah) is a Sunni Islamic revivalist and fundamentalist movement associated with the reformist doctrines of the 18th-century Arabian Islamic scholar, theologian, preacher, a ...
extremism of
ISIS Isis (; ''Ēse''; ; Meroitic: ''Wos'' 'a''or ''Wusa''; Phoenician: 𐤀𐤎, romanized: ʾs) was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. Isis was first mentioned in the Old Kin ...
, under which enslaved women of religious minorities are passed around and utilized as sex objects and vessels to bear new jihadis.


Season 2

On Rotten Tomatoes, 89% of 340 critics have given the season a positive review, and an average rating of 8.35/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Beautifully shot but dishearteningly relevant, ''The Handmaid's Tale'' centers its sophomore season tightly around its compelling cast of characters, making room for broader social commentary through more intimate lenses." Metacritic assigned the season a weighted average score of 86 out of 100 based on 28 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". Some critics perceived the second season's depictions of violence as excessive. ''
The Atlantic ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...
''s Sophie Gilbert wrote: "There came a point during the first episode where, for me, it became too much." Lisa Miller of ''The Cut'' wrote: "I have pressed mute and fast forward so often this season, I am forced to wonder: 'Why am I watching this'? It all feels so gratuitous, like a beating that never ends." ''
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was f ...
''s Rebecca Reid admitted she had an anxiety attack watching an episode of the show.


Season 3

For the third season, Rotten Tomatoes reports that 82% of 301 reviews are positive, and the average rating is 6.9/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "''The Handmaid's Tale''s third season reins in its horrors and inspires hope that revolution really is possible – if only the story would stop spinning its wheels and get to it already." Metacritic compiled 14 critic reviews and an average score of 68 out of 100, signifying "generally favorable reviews". Kelly Lawler of ''
USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' gave it a positive review, scoring it three out of four stars. She claimed it is an improvement over the second season, "that rights many – though definitely not all – of Season 2's wrongs." Overall, she wrote, "The new season is more propulsive and watchable, although it doesn't quite reach the heights of that first moving season. But ''Handmaid's'' regains its footing by setting off on a new path". Daniel Fienberg of ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly large ...
'' wrote a generally positive review, praising Elisabeth Moss's performance and the cinematography, but criticized the plot "that has become frustratingly repetitive". Overall, he wrote, "Still occasionally powerful, but rarely as provocative".


Season 4

On Rotten Tomatoes, the fourth season earned positive reviews from 70% of 46 critics, with an average rating of 7/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Elisabeth Moss is better than ever, but scattershot plotting and an overbearing sense of doom may prove too grim for some viewers to really enjoy ''The Handmaid's Tale''s fourth season." According to Metacritic, which collected 18 reviews and calculated an average score of 62, the season received "generally positive reviews". Kristen Baldwin of ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular ...
'' gave it a "C+" grade and wrote that the series "delivers on some long-delayed promises, but ultimately it's too little, too late." Matthew Gilbert of ''
The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' wrote, "the dystopian drama has exceeded the natural lifespan of its story, as it plows forward with nothing new to say, tinkling cymbals and sounding brass." In a more positive review from Jen Chaney of ''
Vulture A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and ...
'', she wrote, "Thankfully, season four finally regains some momentum and forward motion. Based on the eight out of ten total episodes made available to critics, this is the best ''The Handmaid's Tale'' has been since its first season."


Season 5

On Rotten Tomatoes, the fifth season earned positive reviews from 81% of 27 critics, with an average rating of 7.55/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "''The Handmaid's Tale'' has lost its urgency after spreading its once-arresting premise thin in a season focused on vengeance's consequences, but the women of Gilead are still played with compelling exactitude." On Metacritic, it received an average score of 63 out of 100, based on 7 reviews, indicating "generally positive reviews". Critics were given the first eight episodes of the season to review. Writing for '' IGN'', Tara Bennett gave it a "good" score of 7 out of 10 and wrote in her verdict: "''The Handmaid's Tale'' remains the canary in the coalmine of TV shows .. Elisabeth Moss continues to give a livewire performance as former handmaid/now Canadian refugee June Osborne. ..But overall, the series continues to suffer with very measured storylines that can't seem to recapture the kinetic energy of the first two seasons." Abby Cavenaugh of ''
Collider A collider is a type of particle accelerator which brings two opposing particle beams together such that the particles collide. Colliders may either be ring accelerators or linear accelerators. Colliders are used as a research tool in particl ...
'' graded it with a "B-" and said, "Season 5 is full of scarce highs and really low lows, lots of heavy-hitting drama, and emotional scenes. Some of the biggest events of this season lead to some pretty uncomfortable viewing, but viewers who stick with it will be rewarded with some huge moments that will have repercussions for the final season."


Awards


See also

*
List of original programs distributed by Hulu Beginning in 2011, streaming service Hulu began to produce its own original content. The first production released was the web series '' The Morning After'', a light-hearted pop-culture news show. In 2012, Hulu announced that it would begin air ...
*
Sex and sexuality in speculative fiction Sexual themes are frequently used in science fiction or related genres. Such elements may include depictions of realistic sexual interactions in a science fictional setting, a protagonist with an alternative sexuality, a sexual encounter betwe ...


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Handmaid's Tale, The 2017 American television series debuts 2010s American drama television series 2010s American LGBT-related drama television series 2020s American drama television series 2020s American LGBT-related drama television series Dystopian television series English-language television shows Hulu original programming Lesbian-related television shows Nonlinear narrative television series Post-apocalyptic television series Rape in television Television shows based on Canadian novels Television series by MGM Television Television shows filmed in Toronto Television productions suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic Television shows set in Massachusetts Television shows set in Toronto Television shows set in Washington, D.C. Works about sexism Works about totalitarianism Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series winners Primetime Emmy Award-winning television series Best Drama Series Golden Globe winners Television series based on novels