Handmaid’s Tale season 4

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has this already been covered?

Was Janine really with June during the blast? Or was June just imagining her there because they had been through so much together.

What makes you think that? I think Janine was there, but either buried in rubble or taken away before June woke up. We don't know how long June was out. I saw nothing about the time they were together that made me think it was a hallucination.

This episode was better but the "port check" bothered me. I get that it gave some nice interaction with the soldier (I thought that actor did a great job BTW and so did Samira Wiley), but it's hard for me to ignore the fact that they didn't have a passenger manifest? If this is all tightly controlled enough for these checks and whatever, wouldn't Gilead have a record of who went in? It's near future, right, you shouldn't be able to just "print out an ID" and away you go. It would have been more convincing if they had hidden her. Still could have had some sort of interaction with the soldier and Samira. It just feels like the writing is lazy.

I have no real reason for my Janine theory- just that June was in such shock that it would be kind of an interesting twist if she imagined Janine being there because she was afraid and needed that push to keep going. It could be kind of cool for Janine to strike out on her own- I think they played that arc well in showing she isn't the fragile flower that June thinks she is. Maybe she stays with Stephen's crew or goes and finds that other group and leads the resistance from the front lines. More likely she gets dragged back to Gilead so we know whats going on there since June is in Canada.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Samira Wiley’s performance was so strong that I wish they’d gone deeper into her story with her girlfriend in Canada and the aide organization rather than reverse engineering old drama between Luke, June, and Moira.

I don’t care about the GF but agree SW was wonderful. The old drama was dumb and unnecessarily dilated the storyline. Could have been compressed to 1/2 the allotted screen time so we could have seen more action elsewhere. I think this may have been the single worst written episode of the series.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Samira Wiley’s performance was so strong that I wish they’d gone deeper into her story with her girlfriend in Canada and the aide organization rather than reverse engineering old drama between Luke, June, and Moira.

I don’t care about the GF but agree SW was wonderful. The old drama was dumb and unnecessarily dilated the storyline. Could have been compressed to 1/2 the allotted screen time so we could have seen more action elsewhere. I think this may have been the single worst written episode of the series.[/quote]

Agreed. Also I agree with the poster above who exposed how flimsy the storyline was when they went from considering handing her over to "printing out an ID" WTF?

Also agree Samira Wiley is an incredible actress, the way she embodies vulnerability and absolute strength in almost every situation. I love her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Her reunion with Luke made me cry so hard. “I’m sorry it’s just me” was a punch to the gut. As a mother, I absolutely felt her pain in that moment.

Completely. This show has had three moments that I just felt so hard: 1) when June gave Nichole to Emily and stayed; 2) when Moira found her last week; and 3) the reunion scene with Luke. So painful.

I feel like this could have moved a little faster, but it was really beautifully done with the flashbacks.

Still no Janine, but I think that bodes well for Janine. It also allows us to see what's happening in Chicago - it looks bad based on this week. I'm very confused how this ragtag group of people are holding off Gilead.

Kind of loved Moira blowing up her relationship for June.

Good midpoint of the season - can't wait for the rest!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Her reunion with Luke made me cry so hard. “I’m sorry it’s just me” was a punch to the gut. As a mother, I absolutely felt her pain in that moment.

Completely. This show has had three moments that I just felt so hard: 1) when June gave Nichole to Emily and stayed; 2) when Moira found her last week; and 3) the reunion scene with Luke. So painful.

I feel like this could have moved a little faster, but it was really beautifully done with the flashbacks.

Still no Janine, but I think that bodes well for Janine. It also allows us to see what's happening in Chicago - it looks bad based on this week. I'm very confused how this ragtag group of people are holding off Gilead.

Kind of loved Moira blowing up her relationship for June.

Good midpoint of the season - can't wait for the rest!

I'd sub Emily's making it to Canada with Nichole for 1) but otherwise agree.

[Anonymous]

I’ll be the voice of dissent. I thought the episode was way too drawn out and boring right until the end.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Samira Wiley’s performance was so strong that I wish they’d gone deeper into her story with her girlfriend in Canada and the aide organization rather than reverse engineering old drama between Luke, June, and Moira.

I don’t care about the GF but agree SW was wonderful. The old drama was dumb and unnecessarily dilated the storyline. Could have been compressed to 1/2 the allotted screen time so we could have seen more action elsewhere. I think this may have been the single worst written episode of the series.[/quote]

Agreed. Also I agree with the poster above who exposed how flimsy the storyline was when they went from considering handing her over to "printing out an ID" WTF?

Also agree Samira Wiley is an incredible actress, the way she embodies vulnerability and absolute strength in almost every situation. I love her.

Also agree not a well written episode.

[Anonymous]

I think during the next episode I’m going to count June’s close-ups. Maybe turn it into a drinking game. It’s really putting a damper on my enjoyment. It is sooooo overdone

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think during the next episode I’m going to count June’s close-ups. Maybe turn it into a drinking game. It’s really putting a damper on my enjoyment. It is sooooo overdone

Agree. I’m hoping things move faster from now on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has this already been covered?

Was Janine really with June during the blast? Or was June just imagining her there because they had been through so much together.

I think she was there. And as bummed as I was to lose Alma, this was a good move on the writers/showrunner's part. Tightens up the story and adds a new angle.

But speaking of hallucinations, I listened to a podcast where one of the commentators thought the Nick/June scene on the bridge was a hallucination - the light was all dreamy, it seemed out of sequence, etc. I don't know if I buy that, BUT I really need an explanation of who Nick really is in Gilead. He was supposedly Waterford's driver, but was clearly much more than that. Now he's a pretty high-ranking commander. Like, I need some backstory on that.

Kinda hoping to see Agent Truello (or whatever his name is) debriefing June in the next episode. You're going down Waterfords.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Samira Wiley’s performance was so strong that I wish they’d gone deeper into her story with her girlfriend in Canada and the aide organization rather than reverse engineering old drama between Luke, June, and Moira.

I don’t care about the GF but agree SW was wonderful. The old drama was dumb and unnecessarily dilated the storyline. Could have been compressed to 1/2 the allotted screen time so we could have seen more action elsewhere. I think this may have been the single worst written episode of the series.

I loved Moira always, but this episode was exceptional. Also, Samira Wiley and her wife just had a baby!

I was so mad that June stole that pitcher. I think that it shows her pettiness at times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Samira Wiley’s performance was so strong that I wish they’d gone deeper into her story with her girlfriend in Canada and the aide organization rather than reverse engineering old drama between Luke, June, and Moira.

I don’t care about the GF but agree SW was wonderful. The old drama was dumb and unnecessarily dilated the storyline. Could have been compressed to 1/2 the allotted screen time so we could have seen more action elsewhere. I think this may have been the single worst written episode of the series.

I loved Moira always, but this episode was exceptional. Also, Samira Wiley and her wife just had a baby!

I was so mad that June stole that pitcher. I think that it shows her pettiness at times.

I thought that the pitcher stealing scene actually showed that she really valued her times with Moira.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. She is a great actress and killing this role. She lasso directed some of the early episodes. And all we can talk about is her weight. This doesn’t happen for men. Who cares what she weighs?

Well in this show it makes a difference. When she is kissing the commander on the bridge she looks like she could be his mom. We are supposed to believe she is desirable and loved by multiple men. When she starts looking beefy like a farmer, it is less convincing.

Clearly this poster has internalized the value system of Gilead. Women are objects for the visual, sexual, or reproductive needs of others. Good job really bracing the source material

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Samira Wiley’s performance was so strong that I wish they’d gone deeper into her story with her girlfriend in Canada and the aide organization rather than reverse engineering old drama between Luke, June, and Moira.

I don’t care about the GF but agree SW was wonderful. The old drama was dumb and unnecessarily dilated the storyline. Could have been compressed to 1/2 the allotted screen time so we could have seen more action elsewhere. I think this may have been the single worst written episode of the series.

I loved Moira always, but this episode was exceptional. Also, Samira Wiley and her wife just had a baby!

I was so mad that June stole that pitcher. I think that it shows her pettiness at times.

I thought that the pitcher stealing scene actually showed that she really valued her times with Moira.

I really hated the flashbacks in this episode. Dumb, petty, who cares. The convo on the steps with Luke and the baby Hannah flashback would have sufficed perfectly well. Give Moira something better to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. She is a great actress and killing this role. She lasso directed some of the early episodes. And all we can talk about is her weight. This doesn’t happen for men. Who cares what she weighs?

Well in this show it makes a difference. When she is kissing the commander on the bridge she looks like she could be his mom. We are supposed to believe she is desirable and loved by multiple men. When she starts looking beefy like a farmer, it is less convincing.

Clearly this poster has internalized the value system of Gilead. Women are objects for the visual, sexual, or reproductive needs of others. Good job really bracing the source material

I am pretty sure that's just the Hollywood value system, which you seem pretty happy to buy into otherwise.