When it comes to novels being adapted for the small screen, it is extremely rare to see a show succeed past one or two seasons. Sure, Game Of Thrones may be an obvious go-to, but consistency between seasons has always been the challenge, especially when the show starts to go beyond its source material. There is one exception to this rule though and that is Hulu’s adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. This is a series that has somehow defied expectation and gotten better with each season. Which is no easy feat.
Premiering in 2017, The Handmaid’s Tale took the world by storm by its deep narrative, haunting imagery, and powerful social commentary. It unsurprisingly swept the Emmys that year. After that hugely successful debut, the pressure was on for Season 2, and fans were clearly on edge as to whether it could match the impact of that first season. (God knows we’ve all been scarred by far too many subpar sophomore seasons. Heroes anyone?) But here we are, in Season 5, with more consistent greatness in every episode that this series churns out. The Handmaid’s Tale might just be the exception that proves the rule.
The King is Dead. Long Live the Queen.
Now, before I get into this review, I should warn you that there will be SPOILERS for the first two episodes of Season 5, as well as for the end of Season 4. So, if you haven’t had the chance, go watch it and come back to us when you’re ready.
Episode 1 picks up immediately from the Season 4 finale, with June Osborne finally – and brutally – destroying Commander Waterford. The season hits the ground running with the aftermath of that horrifically satisfying death. Now we know what the focus of this season is going to be. June is going to have to deal with the repercussions and consequences of her actions. Nothing like this had ever happened in the novel. We could have never predicted that Fred, the primary villain of this piece, would meet his demise. We often wished it, but we never thought it would happen. But the showrunners proved us wrong and it has shaken the narrative to its very core.
With each and every season, I am always anxious with regards to how much the show will deviate from the novel and how successfully it pulls it off. Killing off Fred Waterford is like killing off Vodermort or Joker. He is the quintessential archenemy. How could the story continue without him? What I hadn’t realized, however, was the clever sleight of hand the writers had pulled off. Because that mantle of nemesis has since been passed onto his wife. Which I should have seen coming given how her arc had developed in Season 4.
Therein lies the genius of this show. No twist is taken for granted. There is no deus ex machina here. All throughout, the writers have taken their time to truly and organically prepare us for this shift. It is smart. It is subtle. But most of all, it doesn’t play the audience for a fool. (I’m looking at you Season 8 of Game of Thrones!)
Elizabeth Moss is Everything!
Elisabeth Moss once again delivers as June. She has not missed a single beat since she first took on the mantle. Everyone in this ensemble is fantastic (and it truly is an ensemble), but there is something truly electric about Moss. For an actor, it is an incredibly challenging balancing act to emote using nothing but your face, but Moss is a connoisseur at it.
A great example of this being a moment in the second episode. When June discovers that she will not be prosecuted for her crimes, as the camera slowly zooms in upon her still face, with a simple turn of her mouth, you can immediately distinguish that shift from “joy of doing the right thing” to “utter devastation.” Words cannot describe how stellar she is in that fleeting moment, and the fact that she hasn’t won every Emmy for her performance as June is an utter crime.
What’s more, these first two episodes of Season 5 were also directed by Moss. Which is a brilliant move on the part of the creators. There is no other person who embodies the show more than she does and it really shows in her directorial vision. Her choice of angles and style, as well as the tone she brings to every scene, channels everything that makes this series so incredibly unique. All it takes is a single frame and you immediately know that you’re watching The Handmaid’s Tale.
Cracking the Code
How this series hasn’t had any sort of slump after all this time is beyond me. To move so far away from the source material and yet maintain the integrity of its characters, while creating a world of their own, is honestly really refreshing. With so many shows these days laser focused on staying true to their source material, The Handmaid’s Tale has seemed to crack the code of how to keep a story going long after the book has ended. Other writers rooms should really take note.
Now I have no idea where this story will go with its next eight episodes, but it has certainly started out with a bang. It goes without saying that I will be glued to each and every moment. Trust me when I tell you that if you give it a chance, The Handmaid’s Tale will be your next great watch.
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