The Handmaid's Tale: Season 1

I wasn't a big fan of the movie 25 or so years ago, and I'm afraid I never read the book, but wow, this series is incredible. The society and culture are unnervingly believable, and I love that everything isn't explained clearly, that we have to piece together what happened. I hate when shows overexplain. The use of pop music is also fascinating, especially in the closing credits of each episode. Elizabeth Moss is astonishing. Almost every minute of the first episode focuses on her face, and I'm amazed that her face is so expressive that it can bear that weight. I've never seen "Mad Men," though I recognized her from previews I've seen of that show. So this is the first I've actually watched her in action. I can't praise her skills enough. The third episode of the first season was so gripping that I was frightened. I was shaking so hard on the sofa that my husband turned to look at me. Usually, scary or suspenseful movies are really kind of fun, like a roller coaster you know is safe but thrilling. But that third episode...wow. I was truly scared. I think because of my past history with religion (I was a Mormon missionary in a former life) and because I'm gay, I can relate to the horrible prospect of a theocracy. This scenario is all too real, and while watching this show can be emotionally exhausting, I think it's important and worthwhile to do. And, as a man, I appreciate the scenes where we see that even "loving," "well-meaning" men are still so often complicit in the oppression of women.

No wonder this show was nominated for so many awards! It’s unbelievable! If you love movies/books about the holocaust, slavery, and women’s rights, and period pieces set in the 1600’s (think Salem, Massachusetts for costumes, speech, and sets). Now picture leadership by Old Testament men with their infertile submissive wives using fertile women (hand maidens) to grow their families. Disobedience in this society will cause you to lose an eye, hand, or discipline with a cattle prod! These hand maidens may have been married (gay or straight), had children, and been successful in their jobs. Everything has been taken away from them. Their loved ones taken or murdered; think holocaust; Germany. There’s an “underground railroad “ that is sometimes successful with Canada as the destination. I watched all episodes from seasons 1-2 (season 2 has 2 episodes left), in 2 days!

I had read The Handmaid's Tale when it originally came out in the 80s, thought it was good, but wasn't "blown away". But I had heard good things about the series and read The Testaments. So I started with Season One and got hooked in on Elizabeth Moss' take on it. It's very powerful and quite addicting. I am waiting now for Season 4. Not sure how much my attention is held by the constant straight on head shots of Moss, but there is a certain hypnotic effect to the whole thing. Is the feminist message valid today? Not as much except for the obvious warning about how easy rights can be removed. It is also an interesting take on a post Climate Change world. Note the details, nothing throwaway there; the grocery is devoid of excess packaging or consumerist life. It's austere. Still thinking about the predominance of Victorian architecture as a statement. Season 2 gives a view of the Econowives and cheaper lifestyle.

Great site to purches

WOW....Exactly the things I had heard about! Big Changes in the US People Flee Govt Control Woman have no rights, But well what if you are the only fertile femaies left and regardless whom you were before you are most not likely that Now, you've become A "HandMaide"! So are you special or yet treated worse because you can give a child? This Series is one to just watch all at once, great story, great characters ones you will love and ones you will love to hate! Until I get this next season....

Atwood is a storytelling genius, so I'll admit I was skeptical how the producers and writers would handle it, but I'm positively amazed how true they were able to stand by the original story, its details, and its tone. I understand how the smaller backstory tweaks had to be made to keep relevancy in the way a war like this, and its aftermath would be fought today- even only a mere 30+ years after the original book. The visual details, the claustrophobia, the blacks, sepia browns and reds and close up shots enrich the discomfort of the material. They even kept the sparse dialog and empty space to unsettle you. Cool. I almost never say a feature is better than a written original, but this is damn close- this world is unsettlingly real and possible now, imaginable now that I've seen how it would play out. That so rarely happens when artistic liberties are taken, but i feel that Atwood herself could have made this series, and I MAD RESPECT MGM and Hulu for doing that here. Props.

These TV series is remarkable on every level: the direction, the writing, and especially the acting. Elizabeth Moss is brilliant in this. I thought she couldn't be any better than she was in MADMEN. Well, she has topped herself. The series deserves all of the Emmys it received. I can hardly wait to binge Second Two. Warning: Binge watching this excellent TV film just might send a chill down your back. I know it did mine. Watch it!!!

This is a show that like the old movie "Fried Green Tomatoes" is sold as a "Chick Flick," but has a lot to offer guys. Most guys pass on FGT until they find out about the Train Robbery, the Lynching, the Lesbian Love, and the Cannibalism. Then all you have to do is start chanting, "Train, train, train," at the right moments and it's a great guy film. The Handmaid's Tale is much the same. Sister Lydia is my new hero, and the Patriarchy of Gillahaid offers the perfect solution to our current political and cultural problems. I've only seen the first disk so far, but there's rape, torture porn, murder, domestic violence, massacres, and kidnapping galore, all in the name of keeping women in their place. Barefoot, pregnant, and on their knees in submissive positions. Cain't wait for season two to be released.

Excelente serie. El envío bien como siempre, una de las mejores adquisiciones del año. Espero con ansias el resto de la temporadas.

Loved the amazon service and the dvd series it’s brilliant. Thank you

J'ai découvert cette série par pur hasard et j'ai été bluffé par une réalisation hors pair, une histoire crédible et inquiétante avec en plus des acteurs au top de leur forme. Au niveau du genre je dirais que c'est un mélange entre le film Le Village (de M. Night Shyamalan) et les bouquins Divergente (de Veronica Roth). Le Village pour le style visuel et inquiétant : des images sublimes mais des couleurs en général ternes, la présence d'arbres et de forêts pleins de mystères ainsi que des personnages investis d'une sorte de mission pseudo religieuse. Quant à Divergente, c'est le côté monde totalitaire dans lequel chacun doit apporter sa contribution qu'on retrouve dans The Handmaid's Tale. Cette série m'a beaucoup plu par son réalisme avec des éléments (le fanatisme religieux, la place des femmes dans la société, l'hypocrisie des dirigeants, ...) qu'on retrouve dans notre monde actuel. J'ai trouvé le monde décrit dans cette série tellement réaliste et crédible que ça fait vraiment peur parce qu'on se dit qu'on pourrait bien vivre dans un monde pareil dans un futur (très) proche. Au niveau réalisation, images, scenarii, jeu des acteurs, bande son, ... tout est parfait excepté le nombre trop réduit d'épisodes (10 !!!). Vous trouverez également 2 bonus d'une durée totale de 12-13 min qui sont intéressants mais pas transcendants non plus.

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The handmaids tale is a series which I throughly enjoyed watching. It’s mainly revolves around the life of offred a woman who was kidnapped to become a handmaid against her will. I saw a few episodes of season 2 first and thought I need to see the beginning so I ordered season 1 from amazon and that’s where the plot and other characters all fell into place for me. This is a must see series but if you are squeamish you might want to give it a skip.