Handmaid’s Tale season 4

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm team Luke, but I was at least entertained. After such a slow season, that's something.

I don't really believe any of it any more so I'm not as horrified as I maybe otherwise would be. I'm happy for a twist.

They should end the series there.

I go back and forth on Luke, but I really hated him this episode. He wants his traumatized wife to just move on. And where are the real therapists in Canada.

I thought his reactions were perfectly understandable. June was offered therapy and has not taken advantage of it. Sometimes traumatized people are not ready for therapy.

The therapy was Moira's therapy session. Those sessions were BS. When did Moira become a therapist. She would not allow the women to vent anger and frustration. The way Moira dealt with her trauma is okay for her, but that does not work for everyone else. When she tried to make or guilt Emily into accepting that Aunt's apology without anger and hate was ridiculous. The reaction of all the other female victims of Aunts were more realistic when Emily finally said she loved that the Aunt committed suicide. She was angry.

As for Luke, he is a weak ass. After all, he did leave his first wife when she could not give him a child and committed adultery with June. I wonder if you would think your husband's reaction to tell you that it is time to move forward and get over it is perfectly understandable after you have experienced seven years of torture, rape, and abuse physically, emotionally and mentally.

[Anonymous]

Team Disappointed here.

First, it is completely implausible that a country would not fulfill a deal. No one would ever make a deal with them again.

Second, a gang beating? In the dark woods? Facilitated by Nick and Lawrence (who certainly slide in and out of Canada easily)? Defies even fantasy reasoning.

The only aspect I liked was that Gilead so damaged June that it’s clear there is no coming back for her. Even if/when she gets Hannah back, June is too damaged to ever be a real mother again. She’ll never have her family back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This was awful, I’m done with the series.

Reading all these comments I thought I was the only one who thought this ending was horrific.

The lesson I took from this is if someone oppresses you then you have every right to murder. Have we really gotten to this point in our society? June's actions should not be celebrated. I don't think it is far-fetched for her character to do this based on the path we have seen this season, but her actions shouldn't be lumped into a "girl-power-isn't-this-awesome" kind of thing that is being spelled out in all the reviews/interviews.

In all honestly, it would have felt more poetic for the women to not kill him...yet still send the finger to Serena...and let Fred go back to Gilead. He was not going to have a great reunion and likely would have ended up the wall as his fellow commanders no longer welcomed him. Why not let him see his whole life spiral out of control first.

Did you not watch the last scene? That’s the point. She decided to be a murderer but now…she’s a murderer. And you can argue that there’s a place for that in war and revolution but by doing so, she has forfeited her chance to live as a refugee in her reconstructed family. She knows, Luke knows, that’s the point of the last scene.

+1 The lesson is that violence and rage begets violence and rage. Look at the history of conflict in any part of the world. You don't oppress without creating a cycle of oppression. The desire for revenge is too powerful. Joseph is right, too, that it won't ultimately satisfy June. The triumph will be temporary, and she will still be unhealed. The tragedy of Gilead includes its legacy in the lives of those who've escaped.

While I don't disagree, I feel that the producers are doing a disservice by going around in interviews saying that June choose "justice" for what she did to Fred. It would be much more interesting if instead the show made more of a point to showcase how Gilead destroyed June's conscience and created a rage in her that cannot currently be fulfilled. Instead, they filmed it in a way that seemed to glorify her violence and even excused it as necessary because again it was just "justice." That is what I take issue with.

“Though justice be thy plea, consider this. That in the course of justice, none of us shall see salvation”. — Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hated it. I wish the show was more world building and geopolitical like it was in the beginning. Now it just feels like a Lifetime Movie. Or even a trying too hard and wannabe Tarantino movie. The part with the whistle in the woods and the aerial shots with them in a neat circle around Fred. They want to make these beautiful shots but it just felt silly to me. The writing has gone way off the rails at this point.

I didn’t love the circle at first, but that was how the handmaids were trained to mete out punishment via stoning in Gilead- a neat circle with the victim in the middle. More poetic justice, I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Team Disappointed here.

First, it is completely implausible that a country would not fulfill a deal. No one would ever make a deal with them again.

Second, a gang beating? In the dark woods? Facilitated by Nick and Lawrence (who certainly slide in and out of Canada easily)? Defies even fantasy reasoning.

The only aspect I liked was that Gilead so damaged June that it’s clear there is no coming back for her. Even if/when she gets Hannah back, June is too damaged to ever be a real mother again. She’ll never have her family back.

US is no longer a country.

[Anonymous]

Ugh. It's all just SOOOOOO slooooooowwww. I'm so tired of slo-mo closeups of June's face. Elisabeth Moss is a brilliant actress but these episodes aren't doing her any favors. I've seen her make all of these facial expressions before. What's with the weird shot framing where they're all on the edge of the screen? Why not show other characters' responses? When she and Emily were talking outside why didn't we get to see Emily's reactions?

Not to mention how unbelievable it all is plot-wise. Lawrence and Nick just do whatever they please and flit in and out of Canada? The Handmaids from Canada just sneak into the woods?

And I'm just tired and grossed out by all the old rapey abusive footage. Yes, I get the importance to the narrative but it's just gross and I don't want to see any of that anymore. Joseph Fienes looks like an emaciated gorilla.

We watched episode 2 of Loki after this and I think more happened in the first 3 minutes than happened in the whole hour-long Handmaid's episode. Ugh.

[Anonymous]

Agree that these episodes are not doing Moss any favors. I'm so tired of the long close-ups; they've become a distraction from the story. In addition, I have lost interest in seeing Moss in anything else now. I've just seen enough of her face for the foreseeable future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Team Disappointed here.

First, it is completely implausible that a country would not fulfill a deal. No one would ever make a deal with them again.

Second, a gang beating? In the dark woods? Facilitated by Nick and Lawrence (who certainly slide in and out of Canada easily)? Defies even fantasy reasoning.

The only aspect I liked was that Gilead so damaged June that it’s clear there is no coming back for her. Even if/when she gets Hannah back, June is too damaged to ever be a real mother again. She’ll never have her family back.

Truello appears to be a less than 100% ethical agent, working for a dysfunctional nation in tatters to boot, but he did tell Fred that returning him to Gilead was in keeping with their agreement. He and Serena had feelings for each other, with hints of an affair that the viewer didn’t see. When she started making ridiculous demands and told him that she was planning to make a future with her family (rather than with him), he didn’t take it well. He got what he wanted from Fred and then exercised a fine print option to get him out of the way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Team Disappointed here.

First, it is completely implausible that a country would not fulfill a deal. No one would ever make a deal with them again.

Second, a gang beating? In the dark woods? Facilitated by Nick and Lawrence (who certainly slide in and out of Canada easily)? Defies even fantasy reasoning.

The only aspect I liked was that Gilead so damaged June that it’s clear there is no coming back for her. Even if/when she gets Hannah back, June is too damaged to ever be a real mother again. She’ll never have her family back.

US is no longer a country.

Early in the series the US had complete control of Alaska and Hawaii. Anchorage became the US capitol. There was still civil war going on in a lot of places, particularly along northern and southern borders. Although Gilead had control of most of the former US, there was still some US left, and Tuello is an official representative. I don’t recall if anything changed over the course of the series about the remaining US territories.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. It's all just SOOOOOO slooooooowwww. I'm so tired of slo-mo closeups of June's face. Elisabeth Moss is a brilliant actress but these episodes aren't doing her any favors. I've seen her make all of these facial expressions before. What's with the weird shot framing where they're all on the edge of the screen? Why not show other characters' responses? When she and Emily were talking outside why didn't we get to see Emily's reactions?

Not to mention how unbelievable it all is plot-wise. Lawrence and Nick just do whatever they please and flit in and out of Canada? The Handmaids from Canada just sneak into the woods?

And I'm just tired and grossed out by all the old rapey abusive footage. Yes, I get the importance to the narrative but it's just gross and I don't want to see any of that anymore. Joseph Fienes looks like an emaciated gorilla.

We watched episode 2 of Loki after this and I think more happened in the first 3 minutes than happened in the whole hour-long Handmaid's episode. Ugh.

Agree with most of this, but Nick, Lawrence, and other “friendlies” have established clandestine control of certain parts of the border. Hopefully this is just one step in a much bigger takedown of Gilead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Team Disappointed here.

First, it is completely implausible that a country would not fulfill a deal. No one would ever make a deal with them again.

Second, a gang beating? In the dark woods? Facilitated by Nick and Lawrence (who certainly slide in and out of Canada easily)? Defies even fantasy reasoning.

The only aspect I liked was that Gilead so damaged June that it’s clear there is no coming back for her. Even if/when she gets Hannah back, June is too damaged to ever be a real mother again. She’ll never have her family back.

Truello appears to be a less than 100% ethical agent, working for a dysfunctional nation in tatters to boot, but he did tell Fred that returning him to Gilead was in keeping with their agreement. He and Serena had feelings for each other, with hints of an affair that the viewer didn’t see. When she started making ridiculous demands and told him that she was planning to make a future with her family (rather than with him), he didn’t take it well. He got what he wanted from Fred and then exercised a fine print option to get him out of the way.

Why on earth would someone whose mission in life is to take down Gilead want anything to do with a principal architect of its theocracy? Makes zero sense!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Team Disappointed here.

First, it is completely implausible that a country would not fulfill a deal. No one would ever make a deal with them again.

Second, a gang beating? In the dark woods? Facilitated by Nick and Lawrence (who certainly slide in and out of Canada easily)? Defies even fantasy reasoning.

The only aspect I liked was that Gilead so damaged June that it’s clear there is no coming back for her. Even if/when she gets Hannah back, June is too damaged to ever be a real mother again. She’ll never have her family back.

Truello appears to be a less than 100% ethical agent, working for a dysfunctional nation in tatters to boot, but he did tell Fred that returning him to Gilead was in keeping with their agreement. He and Serena had feelings for each other, with hints of an affair that the viewer didn’t see. When she started making ridiculous demands and told him that she was planning to make a future with her family (rather than with him), he didn’t take it well. He got what he wanted from Fred and then exercised a fine print option to get him out of the way.

Why on earth would someone whose mission in life is to take down Gilead want anything to do with a principal architect of its theocracy? Makes zero sense!

Tuello and Serena at one point worked together to take down Fred. I guess she charmed him when they were working towards the same goal and he didn’t expect her to return to the dark side. Dunno.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Team Disappointed here.

First, it is completely implausible that a country would not fulfill a deal. No one would ever make a deal with them again.

Second, a gang beating? In the dark woods? Facilitated by Nick and Lawrence (who certainly slide in and out of Canada easily)? Defies even fantasy reasoning.

The only aspect I liked was that Gilead so damaged June that it’s clear there is no coming back for her. Even if/when she gets Hannah back, June is too damaged to ever be a real mother again. She’ll never have her family back.

Truello appears to be a less than 100% ethical agent, working for a dysfunctional nation in tatters to boot, but he did tell Fred that returning him to Gilead was in keeping with their agreement. He and Serena had feelings for each other, with hints of an affair that the viewer didn’t see. When she started making ridiculous demands and told him that she was planning to make a future with her family (rather than with him), he didn’t take it well. He got what he wanted from Fred and then exercised a fine print option to get him out of the way.

Why on earth would someone whose mission in life is to take down Gilead want anything to do with a principal architect of its theocracy? Makes zero sense!

Tuello and Serena at one point worked together to take down Fred. I guess she charmed him when they were working towards the same goal and he didn’t expect her to return to the dark side. Dunno.

Well whatever happened between them, it’s clear he saw her for what she was in that last exchange. She’s in for a rude awakening. She’s an opportunist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. It's all just SOOOOOO slooooooowwww. I'm so tired of slo-mo closeups of June's face. Elisabeth Moss is a brilliant actress but these episodes aren't doing her any favors. I've seen her make all of these facial expressions before. What's with the weird shot framing where they're all on the edge of the screen? Why not show other characters' responses? When she and Emily were talking outside why didn't we get to see Emily's reactions?

Not to mention how unbelievable it all is plot-wise. Lawrence and Nick just do whatever they please and flit in and out of Canada? The Handmaids from Canada just sneak into the woods?

And I'm just tired and grossed out by all the old rapey abusive footage. Yes, I get the importance to the narrative but it's just gross and I don't want to see any of that anymore. Joseph Fienes looks like an emaciated gorilla.

We watched episode 2 of Loki after this and I think more happened in the first 3 minutes than happened in the whole hour-long Handmaid's episode. Ugh.

This description is so spot on. And at this point I find her face unpleasant to look at. It's hard to explain but I just think in my head 'there's Elisabeth Moss scowling again or shaking in anger again'. It really takes me out of the moment of the show.

[Anonymous]

What disappoints me is all you whiners talking about how disappointed you are at June and Co's violent dispatching of Fred.

Hello? Don't you realize that you want this character to "suck it up" like every other abuse victim ever when faced by a patriarchal system?

You are being the patriarchy here. And that is more scary than any fiction on the screen.