The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu

[Anonymous]

I hope the ending is not going to be disappointing like the one in the book

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hope the ending is not going to be disappointing like the one in the book

I don't think there is any way they could get away with a TV show that has an ending as ambiguous as the book's ending. And based on the last episode it doesn't seem like it's heading in the book's direction anyway. SPOILER ALERT BELOW...


With the revelation that June's husband Luke is alive -- and sounds like he's part of the MayDay resistance movement, maybe? -- seems like the show is planning to do a sort of "escape from Gilead"/underground railroad kind of thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope the ending is not going to be disappointing like the one in the book

I don't think there is any way they could get away with a TV show that has an ending as ambiguous as the book's ending. And based on the last episode it doesn't seem like it's heading in the book's direction anyway. SPOILER ALERT BELOW...


With the revelation that June's husband Luke is alive -- and sounds like he's part of the MayDay resistance movement, maybe? -- seems like the show is planning to do a sort of "escape from Gilead"/underground railroad kind of thing.

I wonder if June will escape and leave Hannah behind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hope the ending is not going to be disappointing like the one in the book

The show has deviated from the book all along. I don't see any reason why it would remain true to the for the ending. Plus, if I recall correctly, they need to set themselves up for a second season. Easier to do that if they stray from the book.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand why the cleaning up toxic waste threat seems unrealistic. This is a society that suffered at least partial economic collapse and has limited ability to trade, so it seems unlikely Gilead could invest in massive amounts of high tech equipment to clean contaminated areas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why the cleaning up toxic waste threat seems unrealistic. This is a society that suffered at least partial economic collapse and has limited ability to trade, so it seems unlikely Gilead could invest in massive amounts of high tech equipment to clean contaminated areas.

Honestly I don't think they really go to clean waste. I think they are told that and then they are killed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why the cleaning up toxic waste threat seems unrealistic. This is a society that suffered at least partial economic collapse and has limited ability to trade, so it seems unlikely Gilead could invest in massive amounts of high tech equipment to clean contaminated areas.

Because it's set in the future, so right now today, we already have the technology.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The infertile of the new ruling class was spared. Regular infertile women were sent to work camps to clean toxic waste.

Yeah that should have been updated bc it makes no sense. What does that even me "clean up toxic waste"
Since they talk about websites and people have cell phones it's clear the time frame they are using is right now or in the future. Right now we don't need people to clean up toxic waste bc it's mechanized. It wouldn't make sense to undue that and would cause more harm to everyone.

What would be great is if they reveal that the camps are just basically boring type suburbs but the use the whole threat of toxic waste to keep the handmaids in line and too scared to escape.

The book was written in 1984, so no cell phones then. It's just now being updated so everything might not fit perfectly 30 years later. I'm sure there will be a storyline that shows the other, older women, including Offred's mom.

I am aware of that and read the book back back then. My point is they are using as reference for timeframe either present day or future so it doesn't make sense to include the toxic waste scenario. They should have updated that too.

And also, the whole idea of the Handmaid and how that worked should have been updated since IVF treatments between the early 80's and today have significantly changed. It would make more sense if "The ceremony" actually involved some at home insemination process since again this would be a well known thing at this point as opposed to when the author wrote the book.

OMG, no! That is the horror of the scene in which the Handmaids first learn about the ceremony! Moira kept talking about a turkey baster situation, but when the reality of humiliating ritualized sex (actual penetration and being held down) became clear, they face a whole new level of horror. Also, it is 1. more in keeping with the Bible talk they use throughout Gilead, and 2. consistent with the anti-tech sensibility of that world, with the Marthas making everything from scratch with no use of modern devices (not even a hand mixer or microwave). "Traditional values" y'all!!

Yes, but it's also humiliating for the wives as well. And I think it's far worse to realize that you will continually have babies that will be torn away from you at birth.

It would have been a better show if they had not choosen to remove so much of the technology that was clearly available and needed since they want to have kids. I mean test tube babies are already a thing and there are plenty of frozen embryos around today.

It's just too hard to suspend my disbelief at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The infertile of the new ruling class was spared. Regular infertile women were sent to work camps to clean toxic waste.

Yeah that should have been updated bc it makes no sense. What does that even me "clean up toxic waste"
Since they talk about websites and people have cell phones it's clear the time frame they are using is right now or in the future. Right now we don't need people to clean up toxic waste bc it's mechanized. It wouldn't make sense to undue that and would cause more harm to everyone.

What would be great is if they reveal that the camps are just basically boring type suburbs but the use the whole threat of toxic waste to keep the handmaids in line and too scared to escape.

The book was written in 1984, so no cell phones then. It's just now being updated so everything might not fit perfectly 30 years later. I'm sure there will be a storyline that shows the other, older women, including Offred's mom.

I am aware of that and read the book back back then. My point is they are using as reference for timeframe either present day or future so it doesn't make sense to include the toxic waste scenario. They should have updated that too.

And also, the whole idea of the Handmaid and how that worked should have been updated since IVF treatments between the early 80's and today have significantly changed. It would make more sense if "The ceremony" actually involved some at home insemination process since again this would be a well known thing at this point as opposed to when the author wrote the book.

OMG, no! That is the horror of the scene in which the Handmaids first learn about the ceremony! Moira kept talking about a turkey baster situation, but when the reality of humiliating ritualized sex (actual penetration and being held down) became clear, they face a whole new level of horror. Also, it is 1. more in keeping with the Bible talk they use throughout Gilead, and 2. consistent with the anti-tech sensibility of that world, with the Marthas making everything from scratch with no use of modern devices (not even a hand mixer or microwave). "Traditional values" y'all!!

Yes, but it's also humiliating for the wives as well. And I think it's far worse to realize that you will continually have babies that will be torn away from you at birth.

It would have been a better show if they had not choosen to remove so much of the technology that was clearly available and needed since they want to have kids. I mean test tube babies are already a thing and there are plenty of frozen embryos around today.

It's just too hard to suspend my disbelief at this point.

Anti-tech and anti-science are defining characteristics of Gilead's culture. So even though there is technology that can alleviate their fertility issues, they have ideological objections against its use. Think of Jehovah's Witnesses and blood transfusions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The infertile of the new ruling class was spared. Regular infertile women were sent to work camps to clean toxic waste.

Yeah that should have been updated bc it makes no sense. What does that even me "clean up toxic waste"
Since they talk about websites and people have cell phones it's clear the time frame they are using is right now or in the future. Right now we don't need people to clean up toxic waste bc it's mechanized. It wouldn't make sense to undue that and would cause more harm to everyone.

What would be great is if they reveal that the camps are just basically boring type suburbs but the use the whole threat of toxic waste to keep the handmaids in line and too scared to escape.

The book was written in 1984, so no cell phones then. It's just now being updated so everything might not fit perfectly 30 years later. I'm sure there will be a storyline that shows the other, older women, including Offred's mom.

I am aware of that and read the book back back then. My point is they are using as reference for timeframe either present day or future so it doesn't make sense to include the toxic waste scenario. They should have updated that too.

And also, the whole idea of the Handmaid and how that worked should have been updated since IVF treatments between the early 80's and today have significantly changed. It would make more sense if "The ceremony" actually involved some at home insemination process since again this would be a well known thing at this point as opposed to when the author wrote the book.

OMG, no! That is the horror of the scene in which the Handmaids first learn about the ceremony! Moira kept talking about a turkey baster situation, but when the reality of humiliating ritualized sex (actual penetration and being held down) became clear, they face a whole new level of horror. Also, it is 1. more in keeping with the Bible talk they use throughout Gilead, and 2. consistent with the anti-tech sensibility of that world, with the Marthas making everything from scratch with no use of modern devices (not even a hand mixer or microwave). "Traditional values" y'all!!

Yes, but it's also humiliating for the wives as well. And I think it's far worse to realize that you will continually have babies that will be torn away from you at birth.

It would have been a better show if they had not choosen to remove so much of the technology that was clearly available and needed since they want to have kids. I mean test tube babies are already a thing and there are plenty of frozen embryos around today.

It's just too hard to suspend my disbelief at this point.

I thought there was also an epidemic with babies not surviving birth? The Handmaids are the only ones that can give birth to healthy babies. Maybe IVF conceived babies weren't surviving. Agree with PP that talked about the rape/ceremony being used as a terror tactic, too. Also seems to torture the wife too. But what do you expect in a patriarchy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why the cleaning up toxic waste threat seems unrealistic. This is a society that suffered at least partial economic collapse and has limited ability to trade, so it seems unlikely Gilead could invest in massive amounts of high tech equipment to clean contaminated areas.

Because it's set in the future, so right now today, we already have the technology.

They don't have money to buy and maintain equipment, they don't have supply chains for materials and parts for equipment. Why doesn't North Korea have high tech farming equipment? It's not because the technology doesn't exists-they don't have the money or the access to trading partners.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The infertile of the new ruling class was spared. Regular infertile women were sent to work camps to clean toxic waste.

Yeah that should have been updated bc it makes no sense. What does that even me "clean up toxic waste"
Since they talk about websites and people have cell phones it's clear the time frame they are using is right now or in the future. Right now we don't need people to clean up toxic waste bc it's mechanized. It wouldn't make sense to undue that and would cause more harm to everyone.

What would be great is if they reveal that the camps are just basically boring type suburbs but the use the whole threat of toxic waste to keep the handmaids in line and too scared to escape.

The book was written in 1984, so no cell phones then. It's just now being updated so everything might not fit perfectly 30 years later. I'm sure there will be a storyline that shows the other, older women, including Offred's mom.

I am aware of that and read the book back back then. My point is they are using as reference for timeframe either present day or future so it doesn't make sense to include the toxic waste scenario. They should have updated that too.

And also, the whole idea of the Handmaid and how that worked should have been updated since IVF treatments between the early 80's and today have significantly changed. It would make more sense if "The ceremony" actually involved some at home insemination process since again this would be a well known thing at this point as opposed to when the author wrote the book.

OMG, no! That is the horror of the scene in which the Handmaids first learn about the ceremony! Moira kept talking about a turkey baster situation, but when the reality of humiliating ritualized sex (actual penetration and being held down) became clear, they face a whole new level of horror. Also, it is 1. more in keeping with the Bible talk they use throughout Gilead, and 2. consistent with the anti-tech sensibility of that world, with the Marthas making everything from scratch with no use of modern devices (not even a hand mixer or microwave). "Traditional values" y'all!!

Yes, but it's also humiliating for the wives as well. And I think it's far worse to realize that you will continually have babies that will be torn away from you at birth.

It would have been a better show if they had not choosen to remove so much of the technology that was clearly available and needed since they want to have kids. I mean test tube babies are already a thing and there are plenty of frozen embryos around today.

It's just too hard to suspend my disbelief at this point.

Being humiliating/controlling for the wives is also part of the point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The infertile of the new ruling class was spared. Regular infertile women were sent to work camps to clean toxic waste.

Yeah that should have been updated bc it makes no sense. What does that even me "clean up toxic waste"
Since they talk about websites and people have cell phones it's clear the time frame they are using is right now or in the future. Right now we don't need people to clean up toxic waste bc it's mechanized. It wouldn't make sense to undue that and would cause more harm to everyone.

What would be great is if they reveal that the camps are just basically boring type suburbs but the use the whole threat of toxic waste to keep the handmaids in line and too scared to escape.

The book was written in 1984, so no cell phones then. It's just now being updated so everything might not fit perfectly 30 years later. I'm sure there will be a storyline that shows the other, older women, including Offred's mom.

I am aware of that and read the book back back then. My point is they are using as reference for timeframe either present day or future so it doesn't make sense to include the toxic waste scenario. They should have updated that too.

And also, the whole idea of the Handmaid and how that worked should have been updated since IVF treatments between the early 80's and today have significantly changed. It would make more sense if "The ceremony" actually involved some at home insemination process since again this would be a well known thing at this point as opposed to when the author wrote the book.

OMG, no! That is the horror of the scene in which the Handmaids first learn about the ceremony! Moira kept talking about a turkey baster situation, but when the reality of humiliating ritualized sex (actual penetration and being held down) became clear, they face a whole new level of horror. Also, it is 1. more in keeping with the Bible talk they use throughout Gilead, and 2. consistent with the anti-tech sensibility of that world, with the Marthas making everything from scratch with no use of modern devices (not even a hand mixer or microwave). "Traditional values" y'all!!

Yes, but it's also humiliating for the wives as well. And I think it's far worse to realize that you will continually have babies that will be torn away from you at birth.

It would have been a better show if they had not choosen to remove so much of the technology that was clearly available and needed since they want to have kids. I mean test tube babies are already a thing and there are plenty of frozen embryos around today.

It's just too hard to suspend my disbelief at this point.

It's a faith-based society. The specific bible verse the idea of using the Handmaids for child-bearing is Genesis 30:1-3, “And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her” (King James Bible). Very literally, the Commanders "go in unto" the Handmaids while they lay "upon [the Wife's] knees." That's why the babies are made this way, and without any technology.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, but it's also humiliating for the wives as well. And I think it's far worse to realize that you will continually have babies that will be torn away from you at birth.

It would have been a better show if they had not choosen to remove so much of the technology that was clearly available and needed since they want to have kids. I mean test tube babies are already a thing and there are plenty of frozen embryos around today.

It's just too hard to suspend my disbelief at this point.

You might not be aware, but according to many churches today, in 2017, IVF is considered a sin.
The lack of reproductive technology in Gilead is clearly a "moral" choice not a technological one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, but it's also humiliating for the wives as well. And I think it's far worse to realize that you will continually have babies that will be torn away from you at birth.

It would have been a better show if they had not choosen to remove so much of the technology that was clearly available and needed since they want to have kids. I mean test tube babies are already a thing and there are plenty of frozen embryos around today.

It's just too hard to suspend my disbelief at this point.

You might not be aware, but according to many churches today, in 2017, IVF is considered a sin.
The lack of reproductive technology in Gilead is clearly a "moral" choice not a technological one.

If it's only a moral choice then why would Mexico want to buy the Handmaidens? I think it's both a moral and technological choice.