Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was disappointed a bit after last week's great episode. The whole bit about Serena seeing Nichole really bugged me. I hope the Canadians are just trying to keep her buttered up so they can exploit her knowledge of Gilead and that they don't intend to ever have any formal role in Nichole's life.

It doesn't make sense to me that June would let Elinor die. Yes, she's out of her mind and could let info slip, but she's easy enough to keep secluded. Everyone knows she's crazy and often confined anyway. There's no reason that they can't keep her shut in for one week. If the other wives come to visit, no one would raise an eyebrow at being told that she was indisposed and unable to visit.

Elinor was the motivating reason for Lawrence to go along with June's scheme. He already backed out on her once and tried to cross the border without her. Plus, how can he not be suspicious that June didn't kill her after the way June yelled at her during her crazy rant? It seems to be that Lawrence's morals are squishy and unreliable. Only his devotion to his wife was reliable.

Without Elinor and with cause for suspicion, I think June is much worse off having let the suicide succeed.

Agreed! And June should have tried to help her!

Agreed on both counts. I thought Lawrence's look at the end of this episode and the sneak peak suggest he will no longer be a reliable ally. Not sure he gives a sh*t without his wife anyway. She was the one who kept him pulled toward the good.

Anonymous wrote:I find it hard to believe they would give Eleanor such an honorable funeral in Gilead. It if wasn't deliberate suicide, her downing in meds and OD-ing would be a major sin against God.

But I wonder if the Marthas has anything to do with her death. Remember when they told June that they could kill her and make it look like a suicide? Perhaps they were afraid that Eleanor would spill the beans on the escape plan - jeopardizing the children, and also the Marthas themselves. So they killed her, making it look like an overdose.

It wasn't about Eleanor but she was a commander's wife. They ignore the suicide and anything that doesn't meet their needs. Sin is only cared about as a way to control people.

Anonymous wrote:I can't tell if the writers are trying to get people to sympathize with Serena? She has ZERO RIGHT TO NICOLE!!! Ugh. I cannot STAND her. Also, the scene with Luke punching fred did not last nearly long enough. Finally... I think I've watched way too much West Wing because whenever there's a scene with June and Lawrence, I cannot stop thinking "hey, there's Josh and Zoe, how nice."

They are using her to set up her husband and the only leverage they have is Nicole. Luke would be her legal father as he was married to June at the time of the birth.

A let down after last week even with Moira power. I laughed out loud at the crazy eyes close up at the end.

I got the impression from the Moira/Luke dialog that they had agreed to the visitation deal Serena had negotiated with The Hot American. Of course it's much more than she deserves but Fred is a big prize. I didn't believe that they would let Luke talk to Fred though.

The best scene from the episode was when Fred asks Serena if she'd been hurt and she says "of course not" because it's Canada, still operating by the old rules. Just a pretty powerful thing for someone from Gilead to say and well written/played IMO.

The June thing...I'm just over her character and I don't feel like they're giving her good writing. Even June isn't insane enough to feel smug/proud of the kids on a plane scheme. Hopeful? Terrified? Not smug. I would have liked it more if she had smothered Eleanor with a pillow. It might have been more humane and it certainly would have been more strategic than what she did. Although I guess an autopsy would be a possibility? But they made it seem as if the death was a political BOOST to Lawrence, which seems unlikely given the party line on drugs and suicide.

Anonymous wrote:I find it hard to believe they would give Eleanor such an honorable funeral in Gilead. It if wasn't deliberate suicide, her downing in meds and OD-ing would be a major sin against God.

But I wonder if the Marthas has anything to do with her death. Remember when they told June that they could kill her and make it look like a suicide? Perhaps they were afraid that Eleanor would spill the beans on the escape plan - jeopardizing the children, and also the Marthas themselves. So they killed her, making it look like an overdose.

Good point. Suicide is a sin (according to the Bible), and I would think Gilead would be pretty severe in its view of it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was disappointed a bit after last week's great episode. The whole bit about Serena seeing Nichole really bugged me. I hope the Canadians are just trying to keep her buttered up so they can exploit her knowledge of Gilead and that they don't intend to ever have any formal role in Nichole's life.

It doesn't make sense to me that June would let Elinor die. Yes, she's out of her mind and could let info slip, but she's easy enough to keep secluded. Everyone knows she's crazy and often confined anyway. There's no reason that they can't keep her shut in for one week. If the other wives come to visit, no one would raise an eyebrow at being told that she was indisposed and unable to visit.

Elinor was the motivating reason for Lawrence to go along with June's scheme. He already backed out on her once and tried to cross the border without her. Plus, how can he not be suspicious that June didn't kill her after the way June yelled at her during her crazy rant? It seems to be that Lawrence's morals are squishy and unreliable. Only his devotion to his wife was reliable.

Without Elinor and with cause for suspicion, I think June is much worse off having let the suicide succeed.

Agreed! And June should have tried to help her!

I think June saved hundreds of lives by not helping Elinor. All those Marthas would have been on the wall.

I find it hard to believe they would give Eleanor such an honorable funeral in Gilead. It if wasn't deliberate suicide, her downing in meds and OD-ing would be a major sin against God.

But I wonder if the Marthas has anything to do with her death. Remember when they told June that they could kill her and make it look like a suicide? Perhaps they were afraid that Eleanor would spill the beans on the escape plan - jeopardizing the children, and also the Marthas themselves. So they killed her, making it look like an overdose.

Anonymous wrote:I was disappointed a bit after last week's great episode. The whole bit about Serena seeing Nichole really bugged me. I hope the Canadians are just trying to keep her buttered up so they can exploit her knowledge of Gilead and that they don't intend to ever have any formal role in Nichole's life.

It doesn't make sense to me that June would let Elinor die. Yes, she's out of her mind and could let info slip, but she's easy enough to keep secluded. Everyone knows she's crazy and often confined anyway. There's no reason that they can't keep her shut in for one week. If the other wives come to visit, no one would raise an eyebrow at being told that she was indisposed and unable to visit.

Elinor was the motivating reason for Lawrence to go along with June's scheme. He already backed out on her once and tried to cross the border without her. Plus, how can he not be suspicious that June didn't kill her after the way June yelled at her during her crazy rant? It seems to be that Lawrence's morals are squishy and unreliable. Only his devotion to his wife was reliable.

Without Elinor and with cause for suspicion, I think June is much worse off having let the suicide succeed.

Agreed! And June should have tried to help her!

Anonymous wrote:I was disappointed a bit after last week's great episode. The whole bit about Serena seeing Nichole really bugged me. I hope the Canadians are just trying to keep her buttered up so they can exploit her knowledge of Gilead and that they don't intend to ever have any formal role in Nichole's life.

It doesn't make sense to me that June would let Elinor die. Yes, she's out of her mind and could let info slip, but she's easy enough to keep secluded. Everyone knows she's crazy and often confined anyway. There's no reason that they can't keep her shut in for one week. If the other wives come to visit, no one would raise an eyebrow at being told that she was indisposed and unable to visit.

Elinor was the motivating reason for Lawrence to go along with June's scheme. He already backed out on her once and tried to cross the border without her. Plus, how can he not be suspicious that June didn't kill her after the way June yelled at her during her crazy rant? It seems to be that Lawrence's morals are squishy and unreliable. Only his devotion to his wife was reliable.

Without Elinor and with cause for suspicion, I think June is much worse off having let the suicide succeed.

Except she probably needed medical attention, and Lawrence would not leave with her in the hospital. She could have ended up comatose, hospitalized for months. He also wouldn't let the plan go on because it would put Elinor in danger. Also, what if they took her to the hospital and she started to get better and blab?

I honestly thought June was going to suffocate her.

I was disappointed a bit after last week's great episode. The whole bit about Serena seeing Nichole really bugged me. I hope the Canadians are just trying to keep her buttered up so they can exploit her knowledge of Gilead and that they don't intend to ever have any formal role in Nichole's life.

It doesn't make sense to me that June would let Elinor die. Yes, she's out of her mind and could let info slip, but she's easy enough to keep secluded. Everyone knows she's crazy and often confined anyway. There's no reason that they can't keep her shut in for one week. If the other wives come to visit, no one would raise an eyebrow at being told that she was indisposed and unable to visit.

Elinor was the motivating reason for Lawrence to go along with June's scheme. He already backed out on her once and tried to cross the border without her. Plus, how can he not be suspicious that June didn't kill her after the way June yelled at her during her crazy rant? It seems to be that Lawrence's morals are squishy and unreliable. Only his devotion to his wife was reliable.

Without Elinor and with cause for suspicion, I think June is much worse off having let the suicide succeed.

Anonymous wrote:That social worker was MVP of the episode.

"It's stranger anxiety."

"Don't use terms like that [mama], Mrs. Waterford. You'll confuse her."

Heh.

I was underwhelmed with this as the lead up to the season finale. The best was Serena gently breaking it to Fred that she sold him out. I find that relationship very real - they've been miserable for a long time, but keep trying to turn it around, but when the sh*t hits the fan they are back at each other's throats. Moira got the best line with "You're the gender traitor!"

I think Lawrence ends up on the wall in the end. June - I can't say. She can't turn down the chance to leave again, but I am wondering if she gets the chance. I think the best ending for this season is the beginning of revolution or the action moves to Chicago with June as a resistance fighter and not as a Handmaid. Season 4 has been announced. I think it will have to be the last. There's not a lot left to explore here.

I can't tell if the writers are trying to get people to sympathize with Serena? She has ZERO RIGHT TO NICOLE!!! Ugh. I cannot STAND her. Also, the scene with Luke punching fred did not last nearly long enough. Finally... I think I've watched way too much West Wing because whenever there's a scene with June and Lawrence, I cannot stop thinking "hey, there's Josh and Zoe, how nice."

That social worker was MVP of the episode.

"It's stranger anxiety."

"Don't use terms like that [mama], Mrs. Waterford. You'll confuse her."

The closeups are seriously getting out of control! Do we think Commander Lawrence had anything to do with his wife’s death? He didn’t seem that broken up, and his comment about the border control seemed a little suspicious. Totally annoyed that Fred & Serena are not in jumpsuits, but loved Serena’s betrayal reveal.

Man, I had to suffer through some pretty unbearably boring episodes this season and way too many June-face close ups, but this last episode was thrilling! Now I can’t wait for 12 and the finale.