Handmaid's Tale Season 3

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I clearly am not familiar at all with the trauma that Emily experienced, and the aftermath of processing it, but didn't it feel odd to anyone else that she wouldn't stay in her wife's home and begin the process of re-establishing herself with her family? I just found it so strange that she'd stay in a hotel. The emily scenes broke my heart into tiny pieces.

I think at little space upon reentry allows everyone to process emotions at their own speed and helps avoid overwhelming both Emily and their son. It seemed a little odd to me too at first and maybe would be IRL but it helps to illustrate how difficult the readjustment processes would be.

I think it's this. I didn't think it was that odd. She's undergone tremendous trauma, I wouldn't expect for her to bounce right back into everyday life and a romantic relationship. I think space gives her some room to process the trauma in a healthy way. She basically doesn't know her son, who knows what's happening with the wife, she's undergone torture and rape for years....space and re-acclimating in smaller doses with solid alone time to process seems smart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spoilers for episode 4

I did warn you guys

Why in the ever-loving frack did Luke *GO ON TV* with Gilead's most wanted baby?!?!

It's not like he was accidentally caught on camera!!! He did an interview!! It's like he doesn't think they'll try to assassinate him to get that baby back.

Totally agree. You’d think he’d consider how being visible with Nicole could endanger June and Hannah. Totally failure on behalf of the writers. I hope that won’t continue to compromise believability to advance the plot.

Luke seems like a great guy, but I think it's believable that he'd be clueless enough to do that.

And June seemed happy to see him doing that, so presumably she hasn’t thought it through yet either.

I thought the same at first - why would he purposefully go on camera?! But, maybe he wanted it to get back to June that she successfully got the baby out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spoilers for episode 4

I did warn you guys

Why in the ever-loving frack did Luke *GO ON TV* with Gilead's most wanted baby?!?!

It's not like he was accidentally caught on camera!!! He did an interview!! It's like he doesn't think they'll try to assassinate him to get that baby back.

Totally agree. You’d think he’d consider how being visible with Nicole could endanger June and Hannah. Totally failure on behalf of the writers. I hope that won’t continue to compromise believability to advance the plot.

Luke seems like a great guy, but I think it's believable that he'd be clueless enough to do that.

And June seemed happy to see him doing that, so presumably she hasn’t thought it through yet either.

I thought the same at first - why would he purposefully go on camera?! But, maybe he wanted it to get back to June that she successfully got the baby out?

Unfortunately for June it is strong evidence that the “kidnapping” was her doing.

I love the show but Luke and Moira both getting face to face time with the Waterfords despite huge crowds and security (last season) followed by Luke conveniently being video recorded in a crowd and June happening to stumble upon the recording while it is being played is a little far fetched. No access to electronics for her, but she happens to be in the right place at the right time to see the very video that she would most want to see.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spoilers for episode 4

I did warn you guys

Why in the ever-loving frack did Luke *GO ON TV* with Gilead's most wanted baby?!?!

It's not like he was accidentally caught on camera!!! He did an interview!! It's like he doesn't think they'll try to assassinate him to get that baby back.

Totally agree. You’d think he’d consider how being visible with Nicole could endanger June and Hannah. Totally failure on behalf of the writers. I hope that won’t continue to compromise believability to advance the plot.

Luke seems like a great guy, but I think it's believable that he'd be clueless enough to do that.

And June seemed happy to see him doing that, so presumably she hasn’t thought it through yet either.

I thought the same at first - why would he purposefully go on camera?! But, maybe he wanted it to get back to June that she successfully got the baby out?

Unfortunately for June it is strong evidence that the “kidnapping” was her doing.

I love the show but Luke and Moira both getting face to face time with the Waterfords despite huge crowds and security (last season) followed by Luke conveniently being video recorded in a crowd and June happening to stumble upon the recording while it is being played is a little far fetched. No access to electronics for her, but she happens to be in the right place at the right time to see the very video that she would most want to see.

Also, why didn't she lie when the guards asked her to confirm Luke's identity?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spoilers for episode 4

I did warn you guys

Why in the ever-loving frack did Luke *GO ON TV* with Gilead's most wanted baby?!?!

It's not like he was accidentally caught on camera!!! He did an interview!! It's like he doesn't think they'll try to assassinate him to get that baby back.

Totally agree. You’d think he’d consider how being visible with Nicole could endanger June and Hannah. Totally failure on behalf of the writers. I hope that won’t continue to compromise believability to advance the plot.

Luke seems like a great guy, but I think it's believable that he'd be clueless enough to do that.

And June seemed happy to see him doing that, so presumably she hasn’t thought it through yet either.

I thought the same at first - why would he purposefully go on camera?! But, maybe he wanted it to get back to June that she successfully got the baby out?

Unfortunately for June it is strong evidence that the “kidnapping” was her doing.

I love the show but Luke and Moira both getting face to face time with the Waterfords despite huge crowds and security (last season) followed by Luke conveniently being video recorded in a crowd and June happening to stumble upon the recording while it is being played is a little far fetched. No access to electronics for her, but she happens to be in the right place at the right time to see the very video that she would most want to see.

Also, why didn't she lie when the guards asked her to confirm Luke's identity?

Maybe she thought that his identity could be easily proven so lying would work against her.

[Anonymous]

Upon further reflection about Aunt Lydia’s breakdown, I think she has come to realize that her life is and will always be a very lonely one. The handmaids and Marthas can and do connect with each other, and the commanders and their families have each other (however gross those relationships are), but she is alone. She thought that she had made some connections with the handmaids prior to her attack, but now she sees those connections as false. The commander level people don’t want to socialize with her. She is aging, disabled, disliked, and alone, and it’s her own doing. Probably not what she envisioned when she took her place in that society.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I clearly am not familiar at all with the trauma that Emily experienced, and the aftermath of processing it, but didn't it feel odd to anyone else that she wouldn't stay in her wife's home and begin the process of re-establishing herself with her family? I just found it so strange that she'd stay in a hotel. The emily scenes broke my heart into tiny pieces.

I think at little space upon reentry allows everyone to process emotions at their own speed and helps avoid overwhelming both Emily and their son. It seemed a little odd to me too at first and maybe would be IRL but it helps to illustrate how difficult the readjustment processes would be.

I think it's this. I didn't think it was that odd. She's undergone tremendous trauma, I wouldn't expect for her to bounce right back into everyday life and a romantic relationship. I think space gives her some room to process the trauma in a healthy way. She basically doesn't know her son, who knows what's happening with the wife, she's undergone torture and rape for years....space and re-acclimating in smaller doses with solid alone time to process seems smart.

During those scenes, I couldn’t help but remember the time Emily spent in the colonies. Unlike June and Miora, she’s the only survivor of Gillead who has been subject to the toxic waste and the mindF that goes with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I clearly am not familiar at all with the trauma that Emily experienced, and the aftermath of processing it, but didn't it feel odd to anyone else that she wouldn't stay in her wife's home and begin the process of re-establishing herself with her family? I just found it so strange that she'd stay in a hotel. The emily scenes broke my heart into tiny pieces.

I think at little space upon reentry allows everyone to process emotions at their own speed and helps avoid overwhelming both Emily and their son. It seemed a little odd to me too at first and maybe would be IRL but it helps to illustrate how difficult the readjustment processes would be.

I think it's this. I didn't think it was that odd. She's undergone tremendous trauma, I wouldn't expect for her to bounce right back into everyday life and a romantic relationship. I think space gives her some room to process the trauma in a healthy way. She basically doesn't know her son, who knows what's happening with the wife, she's undergone torture and rape for years....space and re-acclimating in smaller doses with solid alone time to process seems smart.

During those scenes, I couldn’t help but remember the time Emily spent in the colonies. Unlike June and Miora, she’s the only survivor of Gillead who has been subject to the toxic waste and the mindF that goes with it.

I’m sure that is one of the biggest things that she has to grapple with upon re-entry to normal life. The colonies were supposed to be a death sentence. I believe that she thought that she was going to die soon from cancer anyway, so what did she have to lose attacking Aunt Lydia? Then she’s immediately swept up in something like a miracle and finds herself safe from Gilead, and the doctor gives her a clean bill of health (!) How to process going from a death camp to hearth, home, and loving family in the snap of a finger?

[Anonymous]

Think about how much trouble soldiers with PTSD have reintegrating into their normal lives. It's not an automatic thing, takes time and patience. After everything she's been through, including having had a clandestine lover who was hanged in front of her before she was taken for genital mutilation, it would be much stranger if Emily somehow jumped back into her old life.

[Anonymous]

I am guessing the reason Luke went on TV, and why June was ok with it, is because they feel wiling to sacrifice themselves to shine a light on what is really happening in Gilead.

[Anonymous]

I found the Emily scenes to be heartbreaking but also I'm getting a little frustrated with the narrative. I just think Emily as a character deserves to do more than look beautifully traumatized now that she's in Canada. I hope they give her something more to do.

Similarly, Luke and Moira are going to all these protests but they're not connected to the resistance? Are we supposed to believe that the refugee community there just shows up with signs and chants but there's no connection to the active military conflict or underground resistance in conquered Gilead? That just makes no sense to me. Moira made it at Jezebels and killed people, etc, but now she sees her place in the struggle as just volunteering at the refugee office or something? I'm not saying that's wrong for her to do, I'm just saying they've not explained it.

It's been clear that Canada isn't willing to confront Gilead, but it is willing to take refugees, but they haven't really explained that tension imo. Plus there was that guy pitching to Serena at the hotel bar who I gathered was government-connected? That's pretty high-level interference for a country that seems to be trying to remain neutral? I know they're about to explore this hopefully with the whole baby custody struggle.

Finally, Canada seems fine. How is it possible that a fertility/environmental problem could topple the US and lead the Mexican government to buy slaves but Canada seems fine? They haven't shown any abandoned cities or serious shortages or whatever else would seem likely. At a minimum their consumer goods should be all f&*ed up, right? Oil seems fine? Cars driving around? Medical supplies have no problem replacing America? Just seems very unlikely.

[Anonymous]

Also I am here for the WASPy house porn and I don't even feel bad about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I clearly am not familiar at all with the trauma that Emily experienced, and the aftermath of processing it, but didn't it feel odd to anyone else that she wouldn't stay in her wife's home and begin the process of re-establishing herself with her family? I just found it so strange that she'd stay in a hotel. The emily scenes broke my heart into tiny pieces.

I think at little space upon reentry allows everyone to process emotions at their own speed and helps avoid overwhelming both Emily and their son. It seemed a little odd to me too at first and maybe would be IRL but it helps to illustrate how difficult the readjustment processes would be.

I think it's this. I didn't think it was that odd. She's undergone tremendous trauma, I wouldn't expect for her to bounce right back into everyday life and a romantic relationship. I think space gives her some room to process the trauma in a healthy way. She basically doesn't know her son, who knows what's happening with the wife, she's undergone torture and rape for years....space and re-acclimating in smaller doses with solid alone time to process seems smart.

During those scenes, I couldn’t help but remember the time Emily spent in the colonies. Unlike June and Miora, she’s the only survivor of Gillead who has been subject to the toxic waste and the mindF that goes with it.

I’m sure that is one of the biggest things that she has to grapple with upon re-entry to normal life. The colonies were supposed to be a death sentence. I believe that she thought that she was going to die soon from cancer anyway, so what did she have to lose attacking Aunt Lydia? Then she’s immediately swept up in something like a miracle and finds herself safe from Gilead, and the doctor gives her a clean bill of health (!) How to process going from a death camp to hearth, home, and loving family in the snap of a finger?

And don't forget that Emily found love with another...remember didn't she get married to another woman in the colonies? That's why she was mutilated, right? Gender traitor? So beyond all the awfulness she experienced, she also has to grapple with the fact that she was unfaithful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I clearly am not familiar at all with the trauma that Emily experienced, and the aftermath of processing it, but didn't it feel odd to anyone else that she wouldn't stay in her wife's home and begin the process of re-establishing herself with her family? I just found it so strange that she'd stay in a hotel. The emily scenes broke my heart into tiny pieces.

I think at little space upon reentry allows everyone to process emotions at their own speed and helps avoid overwhelming both Emily and their son. It seemed a little odd to me too at first and maybe would be IRL but it helps to illustrate how difficult the readjustment processes would be.

I teared up when her kid said that he’s not supposed to hug her until she’s ready.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I found the Emily scenes to be heartbreaking but also I'm getting a little frustrated with the narrative. I just think Emily as a character deserves to do more than look beautifully traumatized now that she's in Canada. I hope they give her something more to do.

Similarly, Luke and Moira are going to all these protests but they're not connected to the resistance? Are we supposed to believe that the refugee community there just shows up with signs and chants but there's no connection to the active military conflict or underground resistance in conquered Gilead? That just makes no sense to me. Moira made it at Jezebels and killed people, etc, but now she sees her place in the struggle as just volunteering at the refugee office or something? I'm not saying that's wrong for her to do, I'm just saying they've not explained it.

It's been clear that Canada isn't willing to confront Gilead, but it is willing to take refugees, but they haven't really explained that tension imo. Plus there was that guy pitching to Serena at the hotel bar who I gathered was government-connected? That's pretty high-level interference for a country that seems to be trying to remain neutral? I know they're about to explore this hopefully with the whole baby custody struggle.

Finally, Canada seems fine. How is it possible that a fertility/environmental problem could topple the US and lead the Mexican government to buy slaves but Canada seems fine? They haven't shown any abandoned cities or serious shortages or whatever else would seem likely. At a minimum their consumer goods should be all f&*ed up, right? Oil seems fine? Cars driving around? Medical supplies have no problem replacing America? Just seems very unlikely.

Because June is a handmaid, we can only see into lives of the elites in Gilead. The commanders and their families wouldn't be the ones suffering the consequences of food or medicine shortages. For all we know, the Waterford/Lawrence families live in a gated community where everything looks normal but once you're outside the gates, it's a different story. We don't really know other people live in this society.

But to be fair, I think the source material was more of a dystopian fable than anything else. Atwood never did enough world building to explain the practical details of how this world worked. It's unfortunate limitation carried over into the tv series.