The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu

[Anonymous]

I thought Epi 4 was a bit of a drag.

[Anonymous]

Come on guys, take your political posts to the other forum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought Epi 4 was a bit of a drag.

When was epi 4 released?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought Epi 4 was a bit of a drag.

When was epi 4 released?

Today-- there is a new episode every Wednesday

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Come on guys, take your political posts to the other forum.

It's difficult to discuss without politics, it's an inherently political show.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Come on guys, take your political posts to the other forum.

It's difficult to discuss without politics, it's an inherently political show.

To a point, yes. But if I wanted to talk about shit going on IRL I'd be in the other forum.

[Anonymous]

I assume this goes back to the book since the series supposedly stays true to its source material but one thing I don't understand is why the infertile wives are kept around at all. With the way that society dismisses life it makes no sense that infertile wives aren't just disposed of in favor of the fertile women. In the show they seem to try and show that perhaps the wives are more traditionally beautiful and refined (maybe) but since they can't pass along their supposedly more refined genes, then what's the point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I assume this goes back to the book since the series supposedly stays true to its source material but one thing I don't understand is why the infertile wives are kept around at all. With the way that society dismisses life it makes no sense that infertile wives aren't just disposed of in favor of the fertile women. In the show they seem to try and show that perhaps the wives are more traditionally beautiful and refined (maybe) but since they can't pass along their supposedly more refined genes, then what's the point?

Divorce is illegal. (I think?) If the wives are "infertile," then there's some kind of biblical basis for the husbands to use handmaidens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I assume this goes back to the book since the series supposedly stays true to its source material but one thing I don't understand is why the infertile wives are kept around at all. With the way that society dismisses life it makes no sense that infertile wives aren't just disposed of in favor of the fertile women. In the show they seem to try and show that perhaps the wives are more traditionally beautiful and refined (maybe) but since they can't pass along their supposedly more refined genes, then what's the point?

Because the whole ceremony is sanctioned by the Bible story with Rachel. I don't this she was dumped by her husband, they just used the maid as the surrogate.

[Anonymous]

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

[Anonymous]

^were spared

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought Epi 4 was a bit of a drag.

Really? I loved it. I will not go into detail as to why, as I do not want to spoil it for others. But the last line of the episode was awesome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought Epi 4 was a bit of a drag.

Really? I loved it. I will not go into detail as to why, as I do not want to spoil it for others. But the last line of the episode was awesome.

It seemed like a flip to me. Now we have the notion of solidarity among the handmaidens. Whereas before they were completely isolated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I assume this goes back to the book since the series supposedly stays true to its source material but one thing I don't understand is why the infertile wives are kept around at all. With the way that society dismisses life it makes no sense that infertile wives aren't just disposed of in favor of the fertile women. In the show they seem to try and show that perhaps the wives are more traditionally beautiful and refined (maybe) but since they can't pass along their supposedly more refined genes, then what's the point?

It was part of the earliest negotiations of Gilead's formation, at a point where changes couldn't have passed if wives weren't on board (safe). It also keeps to the Bible. Remember, June's DH had been married and divorced before, so they were both considered "adulterers."

Also, they parsed the role of women, splitting them into birth machines (Handmaids), housekeepers/nannies (Marthas), teachers (the Aunts), and wives (the Wives). Thus it was ordained that women should hold these roles, separately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought Epi 4 was a bit of a drag.

Really? I loved it. I will not go into detail as to why, as I do not want to spoil it for others. But the last line of the episode was awesome.

It seemed like a flip to me. Now we have the notion of solidarity among the handmaidens. Whereas before they were completely isolated.

I think the problem is not total isolation -- Offred was becoming friends with her partner before she was taken away -- but that they don't know who they can trust.

I don't understand how Moira escaped during training, yet let June go back with the cops. Since her presence was enough to escape notice earlier, why didn't she say to the cops, "Hey, she's with me."