User reviews

The Handmaid's Tale is a lot better than I expected it to be. It has a 8.4 rating for a reason. As good as the show is there are a few problems with it. The biggest problem with it is it's gone on for to long. It probably should have ended a season or two ago. I'm glad they're finally ending it next season, hopefully it will have a decent ending. Also, even though the story is very interesting, it can get pretty slow at times. There are filler episodes that doesn't move the story forward at all. And the last negative is there far too many close ups of Elizabeth Moss' face. It feels like there's 10-15 per episode and it actually starts to get distracting. Having said all that, I still really enjoy this show. I usually wait until all the episodes are released and then binge the entire season over a weekend.

The Handmaid's Tale is one of the most infuriating, depressing, and most difficult to watch shows I've ever seen. You keep waiting for things to turn into June's favor or all the terrible people in the show to get what they have coming to them but it just never happens. It just keeps getting more and more depressing and hopeless! There are little victories along the way but it takes until the end of Season 4 before you finally get some satisfaction. Having said all that it's still an incredible show that is so well acted and written that it is always nominated for all the major awards. June is a character the changes so much throughout the show. She's almost unlikable by the time season 3 & 4 arrive. There is no doubt that some of the show is excruciatingly slow but it's worth it to stick with it. It's probably time for the show to come to an end soon and I hope it has a satisfying ending.

I've just finished (binge) watching season 4. From the start, the story of a dystopian future in "North America", plagued by religious zealots with sadistic personality disorder is gut wrenchingly hard to watch, yet the viewer can't help but continue. The heroes (mostly females) refuse to be broken in spirit, forming alliances to fight the evil system, never abandoning hope for victory.

My reason for withholding the 10th star for a perfect rating is a clear contradiction no one seems to be addressing at all: The "necessity" for this whole "child bearing machine" is a declining birth rate, yet people are executed for the most ridiculous infractions. If children are scarce and precious things, why are adults so expendable? It seems that for each new child born, 10 adults are "hanged on the wall" like wet clothing on a line to dry. How (in God's Name) does THAT help stave off the fear of a shrinking population?

If I may start 'off-topic' for a moment. I am male, mid sixties, and have watched, like many others, all the great (and not-so-great) horror films. After watching the ten episodes of 'The Handmaid's Tale' I can safely say that THIS is a real horror story. It makes the entire horror genre seem like cotton candy. After each episode I find myself shaking, often with tears in my eyes. I'm not going to talk about the story. I am going to tell you that the acting is beyond reproach. In almost every movie, every TV series, there are at least one or two characters that don't fit or are poorly portrayed. Not so here. I simply cannot find fault with the performances of the entire cast. Stellar! The sets, the direction, the camera work, the intensity all fit together seamlessly. This is a story of a good world...gone very wrong. This is a story about faith, twisted by evil intent, then thrust upon the common people. For me it is truly horrifying. I'm sorry I can't find better words to describe how this show affects me. I will say this: My daughter is currently attending university in the U.S. and I can tell you I fear for her safety every hour of every day. Not because this story is happening now...but because it is so close.

I jumped onto The Handmaids bandwagon pretty late; I started the series a couple of weeks ago & just finished with seasin 4. I chose to disregard the plethora of negative reviews about the last 2 seasons because I wanted to make my own conclusions about the show, as a whole. While many of the negative reviews do make valid points, such as some of the scenes being too slow & the (way) too many unnecessary close-ups of June, I thought the overall show was excellent!!

As an individual who: 1- raised in an extremely strict, religious setting 2- a victim of sexual abuse for many years 3- trapped in very tightly controlled & highly abusive relationships & 4-had a child ripped from my arm because I was deemed "unworthy" of being a mother simply because the grandparents were more financially stable at the time, this show truly resonated with SO MUCH of what I've gone & been through & what I've overcome & recovered from...hence the title of my review.

I understand that my review doesn't give much in reference to the show, itself, but it is a testament not only to those of us who've endured similar circumstances, but a testament to what strongly held beliefs, such as religion can do & the impact it can have on those who do not have those same beliefs.

It is OKAY to have differences of opinions. It is OKAY to have different beliefs. It is OKAY to be who we are, as individuals, but it is NOT okay to be persecuted for those differences. We do not all have to or need to agree with one another, but we all MUST learn to respect one another & accept people for who they are.

I've never written a review in my life. After seeing this and then looking for more information about it, I came across IMDb and instead of finding intelligent reviews from intelligent people, I find a few that scream of ignorance.

It is pretty easy to understand why.

As the 20th century began, human evolution was at a turning point. Science fiction of the day predicted a future that was more enlightened, civilized and more intelligent. But as time went on, things seemed to be heading in the opposite direction. A dumbing down of society began to occur. How did this happen? Natural selection, the process by which the strongest, the smartest, the fastest, reproduced in greater numbers than the rest and in which the weakest or not-so-intelligent were culled, a process which had once favored the noblest traits of man, now began to favor different traits. Evolution began not to reward intelligence, but to coddle and save the weakest. With no natural predators to thin the herd, it began to simply reward those who reproduced the most, and left "Intelligent Man and Woman" to become an endangered species. One need not look far within these comments to see that in effect. It's not that hate which is shown in some of these reviews that is killing the world. I think that up to a certain point all of us possess some level of hate. It is not having the mental acuity or aptitude to recognize it within ourselves, and to not let ourselves be led by it. Some of these so-called reviews are downright scary when you stop to think that is the actual mentality of the person who wrote them. One guy decrying interracial couples and gays to the point of not watching a television program that has them. A woman who says this could not happen and in the next paragraph goes on to detail how it could happen, only not as Christianity. Who cares what it is called, if you admit it could happen?

As for this series itself, it is relevant. For now. In this time. More than ever.

Beyond that, it is beautifully filmed and acted.

Do not fall for the negative reviews of those fanatics and zealots who are purposefully trying to bring down the ratings and who are so lost they cannot even practice the very laws of a god they are trying to defend.

This series is a masterpiece.

They have an interesting story but it happens in super-slow motion. They have about 2 seasons worth of storyline but they are trying to stretch it into 6-7 seasons by spending half of each episode zooming into people's eyes, showing people's empty faces and characters moving at slow motion. Each episode has about 4-5 minutes of story development and 40 minutes of zooming into people's faces and eyes.

This show was meant to be watched at 2x or 3x speed. If you are watching it at regular speed, you are actually watching it in slow motion.

Each episode: zoom into someone's face, zoom into someone's eyes, zoom on the ceiling, zoom on the walls, zoom back into someone's eyes, zoom into another character's face....20 minutes gone, another 20 left to go. Zoom some more until we fill 40 minutes. Then 5 minutes of actual story development.

To begin, I believe that most people visiting these pages are intelligent enough to tell the difference between those that are reviewing this series with honesty versus the ones who for reasons other than the viewing experience, wish to tear it down. As someone has already mentioned, the negative reviews are fraught with fear and the worst kind of delusion that exists: self delusion (the delusion a person hides behind and convinces themselves of in order not to see the truth).

The Handmaid's Tale is a series that presents what could happen were women's rights reverted or taken away. There is nothing in my previous sentence that is not true. Let me type it again. The Handmaid's Tale is a series that presents what could happen were women's rights reverted or taken away. Is it an extreme depiction? Let's study that for a moment. In a Puritanical society, the Bible was the sole authority. Puritans believed it applied to every area and level of life. The Salem Witch Trials are one such example of Puritanical beliefs in action. Were it not for historical documentation, you would have people negating those as well. So, as to the question of whether it could or couldn't happen, the people most decrying it and stating that it could not happen, are the ones that most believe it can. Don't let them fool you.

The Handmaid's Tale takes you into this dystopian future, and it has never felt more real. I had to pause it on a couple of occasions to catch my breath. No, it doesn't hit you over the head every so often with good scenes; the beauty of it is that it is equally haunting, strong and breathtaking in its entirety.

To grab from another review: "The echoes of resemblance to the United States' current political administration create another layer of exceptionalism. Make no mistake, this is a political work. But it makes its case in a way that, like George Orwell's 1984 reflect our world back at us in a mirror that is both familiar and perverse", and because of it, it is extraordinary.

Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★★ Excellent

I have never watched a show that has changed me so quickly. I will never be the same after watching the show. I have never rewatched a show until this. It is so moving and captivating. The acting is phenomenal. The plot and character relationships are so intense. I love her so much and will be buried with her. I have never read the book before but I intend to one day in my life. If you need a show that will really make you question what lengths the government could go to, watch this show. The perfect dystopian concept where women have troubles giving babies so they round up all the women who are able. You need to watch love her and leave her and watch her again and again and again.

Strong is the word for this series, and little, weak people detest strong so be prepared for the fake reviews and thumbs down across the actual reviews for it. Fear is a powerful thing.

The Handmaid's Tale is perhaps one of the the best Television accomplishments of not only the year (hands down), but of the decade. It is a profound glimpse into a future that could very well happen were it not for people like most of you and me.

In three unforgettable episodes, so far, women such as Offred ("Of FRED", since she belongs to Fred), played by the inimitable Elisabeth Moss, are coerced through bodily harm to be both concubine and scape/punching goat for well to do families. These women are subjected to physical, emotional and mental abuse in the name of God, or if not so much in the name of God, under the twisted word of god, by man. This is not to say that it is a Christian-bashing show, but it depicts what could happen under a theocratic society.

What is most outstanding is that the acting is so amazing, that its quietest moments may be its most powerful. In fact, at times, the series can be emotionally overwhelming and draining — but isn't that a characteristic of a superb and masterful viewing experience?

Don't turn away from it.

After 3 and half seasons of the same thing happening over and over, of characters acting irrationally against their own best interests, of June's very sophisticated facial expressions, of one cliff-hanger per episode to keep your curiosity up through the feet-dragging and fake depth... it's probably time to acknowledge that this lemon has already been squeezed dry and move on.

... I am a 48 year old female, living in Central Europe. This is what I want to start... because I always wonder what the background of those who rate something is.

As for this series: What catches me is how real it is, how easily this can happen and has happened. And is actually happening right now in some parts of the world.

Combine the Third Reich, North Korea and IS - that's what you get.

I have yet to read the book, but the TV adaption is haunting and not for the faint hearted, and I am assuming it transports what the book was about.

I was not sure if I should give it a 9 or a 10. A 9 for unnecessary lengths (I fast forwarded some scenes), a 10 for the actors and the message it tells.

I went for 10 as this should be a warning for all of us and a reminder how things were, are and could become. Just depending on where you live.

In a world that resembles "Children of Men", tormented with ecological disasters and a vision of human extinction - there is a country where citizens decided to take strong actions to prevent from the vision of the grim future. Men are put in charge and women are relieved from their constitution and freedom rights to serve for one purpose only - giving birth to children in a utopian society that follows the rules of Bible. But this show is not just about this - but most of all - it's a study of how a totalitarian regime is born. How a simple and dangerous idea is pushed from the deepest parts of frustrated minds to become a basis for a new society whose happiness is assured by rifles, severe punishments, eradication of basic education and fellings - a society free of any critic thinking, fully devoted to the state. Where fear is the main tool to keep the state united. But like any totalitarian regime - it also starts to eat it's own founders. It's a study of how ordinary people are being corrupted when given absolute power. And it's a study of people who can't stand up and agree to become victims of the cruel ideology. Sounds familiar? This is the show that will help just a little understand the history of the 20th century.

The first two seasons were indisputably iconic. The rest is Savior Complex on steroids. After season two, I have a theory that each episode would only last about 10 minutes if all of the long silent closeups of June's face were removed. It's obvious that after the book ended and the writers had to get creative, they simply reverted to an old stale plot hole-filled savior complex formula from which apparently American cinema will never evolve.

Brilliantly written and amazing acting. TV shows like this show a dystopian view of society which seems unrealistic, like it could never happen to us. What is happening during covid times shows exactly how easy it is for a governent to become totalitarian, authoritarian and down right dangerous to our rights and freedoms. We should take a show like this to heart and never let it happen today. This show is scary and full of horrors.

SEASON-1 A masterpiece! Put feminism aside for a moment, this is a brilliantly told story whether you are watching it for empowerment or just as a leisure activity. Each and every character, supporting or lead, hero or villain, is well-written and gets his or her own chance to develop. Season One is slow in parts, but each carefully framed shot is purposeful and powerful. There is no holding back in The Handmaid's Tale, and as the story progresses, there are twists and turns that you have never before seen on T.V. SEASON-2 Season Two of The Handmaid's Tale is the perfect continuation of Season One, yet it comes back even stronger with new, shocking conflicts. Moss, Fiennes, and Strahovski all have incredible chemistry together on screen, and this season, the tension is stronger than ever. The Handmaid's Tale manages to get better and better with every episode as the writers and actors push their talents to a whole new level. SEASON-3 I almost gave up on this show after season 2. I am so glad that I didn't. There are so many parallels in our world to draw from. The Underground Railroad of the 1860s, the persecution of Jews in the 1940s and the persecution of women in the modern Middle East all serve as inspirations and are ripe with tales of rebels, agitators and heroes. In a day and age when most of our heroes wear capes or have billion dollar steel armor it's refreshing to see the plain old human spirit alive and kicking ass. Great 10/10

I have watched seasons 1 to 5 within 2 weeks and I can't wait for season 6. This is an absolutely horrific story. I think this actually could happen and that's the most scary part. There are no bad actors in this TV show. I see a lot of reviews that claim the show is slow. And I guess they're right, but for me it doesn't annoy me at any point. Junes's camera faces annoying? Not at all. This is woman is mad as hell!

I hope I can hold myself to reading the book before this show comes to an end. It's beautiful, stunning and horrific at the same time and I think it's the best show I have ever seen.

If you haven't seen it yet or haven't read the book let's try to set the scene without spoilers;

Mankind is failing, most women are sterile because of industrial pollution (or Mother Nature just having enough of us parasites). Birth rates are plummeting. An ultra religious cult see it as their God given mission to 'save mankind'. They seize power by staging a fake terrorist attack against the US government, impose marshal law and set about rebuilding American society.('War On Terror' anyone?) They use The Old Testament as their blue print, but with some totally wack interpretations and distortions. Fertile women become the property of the state. Brain washed and farmed out to the new ruling elite as baby makers, slavery and subjugation is all they can hope for.

Margaret Atwood, Canadian hero, social commentator, environmentalist, activist, feminist, tech inventor, business woman and visionary always maintained that this isn't sci-fi, but 'speculative fiction', things that have a chance of happening in the near future. Written in the '80's it's probably more profound now; the Neo Con Christian's have become a powerful force in US politics. Could there be a Tea Party without the ultra religious Republicans? Probably not. Maybe it takes a next door neighbour from Canada to really see what's happening with the totally dysfunctional family next door? It has always been a source of debate about how a country so entrenched in the ideas of freedom and liberal philosophy can also be the home of such obvious bigotry and divide? Surely teaching Creationism instead of proved science in some State's schools is a warning sign? Maggie may well ridicule this dogmatic un-thinking, however it's far from funny when she points out the possible end game and consequences for society and women in particular.

The book, although heavy going at first, is one of those you can pick up every few years and just dive right in (thanks to Una for making me read it back in '87). I was worried that this TV adaption wouldn't do it justice. How wrong I was. It's slightly different, and relies on a lot of flashbacks like the original narration; however this narration helps to smooth over the cracks nicely. So it still sticks faithfully to the principles and main events of the story, albeit in a roundabout 'more up to date' way. The subtle creep up and takeover of government and power has been well handled so far. I am enthralled, totally impressed and on tenterhooks with Bruce Miller's adaption. The direction is also smart, (the hanging scene seen from the back of a van was powerful stuff). Every image is a perfect composition, nothing is wasted, it's real art in the hands of skilled camera operators.

The feminism is subtle, not the clumsy and overt 'all men are bad, all women are good little victims' like of some of the more hardcore feminist literature. Maggie recognises that some women can be bad too, and some men will die to do the right thing, as you will see. Her book made a point that this could only happen if most women were willing parties too, and that a 2,000 year old book of moral tales can hold a massive amount of power when deliberately abused in the wrong hands.

It's also highly commendable that the cast are just 'normal folk', no super skinnies, models, hunks or pretty boys are in sight. This makes it all the more believable, it could happen to you and me. The lead, 'Offred' (Elizabeth Moss) absolutely nails it. No spoilers, but she will impress you with her canny nouse and determination to survive despite many obstacles and traps. I haven't seen one bad actor in here so far, they've obviously got bags of talent and emotional range. The design and resurrection of 'The Shaker Movement', as in the book, harks back to an American and European age of persecution and religious fervor.

Adhering to Maggie's descriptions of the colour coded dress, the production designer's subtle placement of now highly valuable Shaker furniture here and there helps; the muted drab colours, even in the opulent wealthy homes, take us sub consciously back to the times of Salem, witch trials, mass hysteria and life devoid of 'modern vices' like free speech, self determination, free love and modern relationships.

I can't wait to see how this progress', although I know how it ends (can't tell you, but get ready for some shocks!). It's been made fresh for me. I hope you will all love it too.

The Handmaid's Tale is a chilling & gripping series set in a dystopian world where the USA is transformed into a class-based society, with emphasis on fertile women who are treated as property for reproduction. The shows does a great job at depicting brutality, repression, authoritarianism, but also how these acts are justified in various forms. The acting really captures the cultish behaviors that can be found on both left & right extremes of today's ideological spectrum. Season 1-3 are definitely top-tier for those who enjoy dystopian/post-apocalyptic genres with high production.

Season 4 however is a snoozefest. The show has lost steam, there's not much storyline development left and it just drags with no objective or goal. Even the good acting & cinematography can't salvage what was once a solid 8-9.

For starters, i watch promising TV alone, so i can let myself be caught by a good story with no reserve and no distraction. This is important here because the story has enough intensity to distort the perception of time. And it's a real dive. The pacing that may seem slow if you're on the surface is actually impeccable when you are under the spell.

Every second of it, i spent bracing myself with both dread and hope for the next second, the next pronounced word the next piece of this world disclosed, wondering how little it would take nowadays for even a western society to fall into this nightmare, for decent people to become blind to their own cruelty, how hard it would be to reinvent one's own values to be able to endure.

Every episode left me exhausted, I couldn't even binge it as I needed to digest a bit between episodes.

Since then Moss has featured in many other shows, and aesthetic shots from above have been used by other productions too, Roe v. Wade has been overturned, so it might hinder a bit the novelty aspects for newer viewers, but damn, this was quite a journey.

I wanted to like this series and had actually watched up to Season 2, midway, but I got overwhelmed and just plainly put off by Elizabeth Moss's constant close ups!!!

My exact thought echoed here by several reviewers so apparently I am not alone! Just got tired of her face's weird projection that comes off like she is about to transform into an alien or monster or head about to explode as she semi lift her head with matching head/neck twitching, big ugly stare and pursed lip breathing.... so annoying and distracting!!! I just had enough of her face and felt overdosed that I needed to stop watching the show to get a much needed withdrawal from her.

This story is terrifying (especially if you are a female). Imagine what happens when the world goes completely crazy and some new completely sadistic world order emerges who claims their acts of incredible cruelty, murder, control , oppression and slavery are all in the name of some mystical God that no one has seen, spoken to or has any proof exists and yet uses the name of God to justify the most horrific and barbaric atrocities.

Without spoiling this is the story about this new world where women who are still able to bear children after the most of society is rendered infertile are made to be handmaidens/slaves to wealthy women who want to have babies but can't. Despite their unique baby making abilities they are still treated like the lowest life form on earth and the only reason they even get to live is because of this ability.

Elizabeth Moss and Alexis Bledel are amazing in their performances along with the rest of the cast. They broadcast the first 3 episodes on Hulu last night and of course I had to binge watch. It made me cry and made me incredibly sad to see how cruel a species humans can be.

Season 1 was great; really ran with the concept and made the dystopian world of the book believable with much better detail than the 80s film did.

Season 2 was almost as good, necessary backstories shown and resistance began to foment.

Season 3 the show started going off the rails. Instead of having the tone of a show for pay-cable it started resembling the type of dumb sci-fi action shows on the SyFy channel.

I really hoped Season 4 would get back on track of the quality of the earlier seasons, but no, it's even dumber than S3. I'm done. And--good lord--it appears this has been renewed for a 5th season, too! Man, some people are starved for entertainment it seems.

I'm giving it a 5 overall rating just because of the quality of the earlier seasons.