The Handmaid’s Tale

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Samoan
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The Handmaid’s Tale

Postby Samoan » 30 May 2017, 19:00

Sunday evening on C4, I watched the first episode (of 10) of the TV version of Margaret Atwood’s horrifying, dystopian story of an alternate America, The Handmaid's Tale. It was utterly chilling and from the reviews and various viewers' remarks pretty shocking. Elisabeth Moss plays Offred and the cinematography and musical score is pitch perfect.

Highly recommended. Is anyone else watching it ?

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/may/29/handmaids-tale-review-best-thing-youll-watch-all-year

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Re: The Handmaid’s Tale

Postby Sneelock » 30 May 2017, 19:05

I'm going to renew HULU mainly just to watch it. I'm VERY fond of the source material and the ads look very promising.
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Re: The Handmaid’s Tale

Postby Samoan » 30 May 2017, 19:06

Here's how Episode 1 went down, to great critical acclaim -

Spoiler alert: this recap is for people watching The Handmaid’s Tale on Channel 4 in the UK.

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/may/28/the-handmaids-tale-recap-episode-one-blessed-be-the-fruit
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Re: The Handmaid’s Tale

Postby Tactful Cactus » 30 May 2017, 23:07

I'm seven episodes into it and Im hooked. Its chilling, beautifully shot and there's an enough space left to think for yourself, no spoon feeding like lesser shows.

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Re: The Handmaid’s Tale

Postby mentalist (slight return) » 31 May 2017, 02:18

I like Margaret Atwood's cameo. It's broadened from the book obviously but it all works well. Utopia for some creeps I imagine.
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Re: The Handmaid’s Tale

Postby Penk! » 31 May 2017, 11:55

We've watched three or four and it is very, very well-made. Beautifully shot and acted, with a great atmosphere of paranoia, fear and suspicion, although the pacing is a little slow: I read the book a long time ago but it seems they are very much streeeeeeetching the plot out, and the fact that a second series has already been commissioned for a book with no sequel is a little concerning.
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Re: The Handmaid’s Tale

Postby Geezee » 02 Jun 2017, 08:54

I love this quote from Michelle Wolf, something like "watching Handmaiden's Tale now is like watching Jaws on a small boat in the ocean".
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Re: The Handmaid’s Tale

Postby Hugh » 11 Jun 2017, 23:27

It seems a step closer to reality under our new DUP-supported government.

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Re: The Handmaid’s Tale

Postby ChrisB » 12 Jun 2017, 10:14

Difficult to find fault. Riveting.

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Re: The Handmaid’s Tale

Postby Tactful Cactus » 17 Jun 2017, 16:58

slightbreeze wrote:Difficult to find fault.


If there's one flaw, it's that Fred seems uncharacteristically thick. He's a senior member of the new state, which says something, yet he's too easily manipulated by Ofred. You could argue that women are his weakness and his own instincts are repressed and fucked up by the states oppression of women, but still, it doesn't sit well.

That aside, it was superb, the finale doesn't disappoint and Moss should get a telly Oscar.

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Re: The Handmaid’s Tale

Postby Samoan » 02 Jul 2017, 22:54

That was yet another astounding episode tonight.

The Tale is right up there with Wolf Hall and Boss as one of the most impressively produced and acted recent TV series, by my reckoning.
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Re: The Handmaid’s Tale

Postby ... » 07 Aug 2017, 11:08

If not the best scripted and acted new series of 2017, then surely the best art directed and photographed.

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Re: The Handmaid’s Tale

Postby Samoan » 18 Sep 2017, 13:38

A good evening at last night's Emmy Awards -

The outstanding lead actress in a drama went to Elisabeth Moss for her portrayal of Offred in The Handmaid’s Tale, which had a brilliant night with Ann Dowd (Aunt Lydia) also winning supporting actress in a drama series.
The show also had wins for guest actress in a drama series, Alexis Bledel (Emily/Ofglen , later Ofsteven) and writing (Bruce Miller) and directing (Reed Morano).

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Re: The Handmaid’s Tale

Postby driftin » 18 Sep 2017, 13:54

It's a great adaptation of a great novel. It's my favourite television of the year so far and one that I think will stay in high regards for years to come.

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Re: The Handmaid’s Tale

Postby pcqgod » 18 Sep 2017, 15:19

Still haven't had a chance to see this. Hope it's out on dvd soon, 'cause I'm not really interested in the streaming tv thing.
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Re: The Handmaid’s Tale

Postby Samoan » 20 May 2018, 11:17

Nonsense to the aggressiveness, I've seen more aggression on the my little pony message board......I mean I was told.

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Re: The Handmaid’s Tale

Postby pcqgod » 29 May 2018, 15:28

I must say that while I found this a fairly compelling series filled with great performances and moments that make the viewer think, I found some of the major plot developments very predictable.
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Re: The Handmaid’s Tale

Postby KeithPratt » 29 May 2018, 15:35

I must be one of the only people who finds it dreadfully dull.

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Re: The Handmaid’s Tale

Postby Samoan » 25 Jun 2018, 10:07

That was an astonishing and revealing episode last night and it concluded with the perfect choice of music -

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Re: The Handmaid’s Tale

Postby Geezee » 10 Aug 2018, 13:55

Toby wrote:I must be one of the only people who finds it dreadfully dull.


I'm not sure dull is the right word for me, but I certainly get impatient and/or frustrated with it sometimes. So many lingering close-up shots of June going crazy, or of Nick standing by his car washing the windows looking sad and/or conflicted (Minghella Jr does not seem to be the best of actors I'm afraid - and looks like a baby which jars with the incredibly senior/critical position he holds), or of the Commander staring sweetly but menacingly...and perhaps what's been getting more and more on my nerves are all the long shots of Serena Joy's increasing disillusionment. It has the effect of trying to build up sympathy for the character - so frustrated by knitting and gardening, and of course even more so after the punishment she received from her husband. This makes zero sense to me - she was one of the leading figures in a brutal civil war and countless massacres in the name of her faith, but now, after hundreds of thousands of executions, having achieved everything she ever hoped for, she's suddenly a bit bored and doesn't like Gilead anymore? And we're supposed to in any way have sympathy for that!? Of course there's the whole "be careful what you wished for" thing - but this is one 100% evil person, and they are spending an awful lot of time trying to humanise someone who is, or should be, irredeemable.

As with most series I also find a few inconsistencies pretty jarring - notably when June disappears and it must surely be obvious to anyone with half a brain that it must be Nick who enabled it (considering the fact that he's the father of June's baby was at least known by Serena)...and yet instead of following/targeting him and finding June on Day 1, they have to wait several months. Also, June has escaped twice and done all sorts of crazy stuff, and yet has barely been punished - OK for the second time she was pregnant but surely as soon as the child is born it should be clear that she will be executed or sent to the colonies - instead at worst it seems they are just planning tomove her to a different family. what is up with that?
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