The Handmaid's Tale

(series)
  • Australia The Handmaid's Tale (more)
Trailer 1
USA, (2017–2025), 57 h 27 min (Length: 42–60 min)

Creators:

Bruce Miller

Based on:

Margaret Atwood (book)

Composer:

Adam Taylor

Cast:

Elisabeth Moss, Alexis Bledel, O.T. Fagbenle, Joseph Fiennes, Max Minghella, Yvonne Strahovski, Samira Wiley, Amanda Brugel, Ever Carradine, Madeline Brewer (more)
(more professions)

Seasons(6) / Episodes(66)

Plots(1)

Adapted from the classic novel by Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid's Tale is the story of life in the dystopia of Gilead, a totalitarian society in what was formerly the United States. Facing environmental disasters and a plunging birthrate, Gilead is ruled by a twisted fundamentalism in its militarized 'return to traditional values'. As one of the few remaining fertile women, Offred (Elisabeth Moss) is a Handmaid in the Commander's household, one of the caste of women forced into sexual servitude as a last desperate attempt to repopulate the world. In this terrifying society, Offred must navigate between Commanders, their cruel Wives, domestic Marthas, and her fellow Handmaids – where anyone could be a spy for Gilead – all with one goal: to survive and find the daughter that was taken from her. (HBO Europe)

(more)

Reviews of this series by the user Malarkey (1)

The Handmaid's Tale (2017) 

English Originally, I looked forward to this series a lot. But somewhere around the middle of the series I started reading through the reviews at this side and wondered whether it would go in a slightly different direction. In the end, book-wise, I was surprised by one reader’s opinion, who compared the book this series is based on to a feminist version of the 1984. The writer actually wrote The Handmaid’s Tale in the year 1985. And it probably fits. Ever since the beginning, it is clear that there will be mostly heroines in the story, rather than heroes, which I didn’t mind. On the contrary, it strengthened the fact that Americans currently prefer heroines to heroes, which is very good and a nice change. I also really liked the way this series was filmed. You can see that the creators put a lot of work into it. For example, the cameraman is in his peak form. Some shots are flawless and as soon as some murder appears in the scene, count on it being a brutal shock for you. What is worse is how the creators are stretching the series. The first season is just about for four stars. But God knows in which direction the second season will go. It could be a lot more action-packed, but if it continues in a similar vein, I don’t know if I will be able to manage the utterly apathetic appearance of the main character, who is played by Elisabeth Moss. And make no mistake. She plays her amazingly. But the apathy she portrays is so unbelievable in the context of that world that if I were her, I would much rather put a bullet through my head than try to keep myself alive. You will not experience such a harsh approach to women as in the Republic of Gilead. Almost absurdly brutal. ()