The handmaids tail
Discussion
Hmm.. Stealing a car - didn't go very well last time! I'm surprised how many people I know have read the book, I'd never heard of it though in fairness I'm hardly a bookworm. A group of women were doing the rounds in Handmaids garb on Tynwald day in protest at abortion still being illegal in the IOM. Just wish I could photoshop them in place of the token totty at the start of the TT races, it seems insane that this inept Father Ted style tinpot dictatorship still has control of what a woman can do with her body, health etc.
Rant over. Enjoying the series
Rant over. Enjoying the series
Colonial said:
Scarily possible as well.
Do you think so? I felt like I was having to suspend disbelief at the basic premise of the series. It didn't make any difference to my enjoyment, and it's almost a prerequisite for a lot of the sci-fi stuff I watch, but my first reaction was to wonder to myself just how what appears to be a relatively small group carried out a coup which decapitated not only the federal government but also the federal judiciary and presumably individual state authorities too. I know the Bible Belt is still a strong political force in the US but even so..... You'd have to have a fundamentalist majority in the Supreme Court too to make it even remotely possible. Still, not without the realms of possibility, I suppose.
Either way, I didn't let it bother me overly. I enjoyed the series for what it was, without lingering on the details too much.
I'll agree with that.
My wife's been watching it and I find the whole premise very far fetched. Maybe years and years in the future, possibly. Maybe if Gilhead was a small city state that had somehow left the USA or maybe if the rest of the world and indeed the USA had gone to s
t, ala V for Vendetta.
But it's seems only a year or two has gone by and women are happily being raped left right and centre and everyone's just going along with. There's no way 50% of America just rolls over and goes along with it.
My wife's been watching it and I find the whole premise very far fetched. Maybe years and years in the future, possibly. Maybe if Gilhead was a small city state that had somehow left the USA or maybe if the rest of the world and indeed the USA had gone to s
t, ala V for Vendetta.But it's seems only a year or two has gone by and women are happily being raped left right and centre and everyone's just going along with. There's no way 50% of America just rolls over and goes along with it.
One thing I like about the book and that has been carried over to the series, its not very clear if the Republic spans the whole of the former United States, or perhaps just a chunk of it, there is room for interpretation. We don't really know much beyond what we see, which echo's the women characters, we only know what is shown or drip fed from the male authority.
Although the chances of a fundamentalist group (however cunning their plan) undoing 200 + years of checks and balances is a little difficult to rationalise, the attitudes prevalent are not difficult to find nor difficult to believe. I find the book more of a warning now than I did when I first read it.
Although the chances of a fundamentalist group (however cunning their plan) undoing 200 + years of checks and balances is a little difficult to rationalise, the attitudes prevalent are not difficult to find nor difficult to believe. I find the book more of a warning now than I did when I first read it.
zygalski said:
Incredibly uncomfortable viewing most of the time,
Indeed, the first five minutes of series two were pretty horrific and there weren't even any words spoken. Went to watch episode two yesterday and my wife really didn't feel up for watching. It's uncomfortable for sure.
zygalski said:
I'm surprised there is not more comment on this series.
Just started S2 and this is fantastic stuff. Incredibly uncomfortable viewing most of the time, given the current political climate in the US.
Season 2 seems to be moving away from the mindset of Attwood and is knocking the gloss off some of the characters and giving some background on the "baddies". As for this US thing, this could happen in any country and others are much closer to it than the US.Just started S2 and this is fantastic stuff. Incredibly uncomfortable viewing most of the time, given the current political climate in the US.
"Blessed be the fruit loops rodericb said:
Season 2 seems to be moving away from the mindset of Attwood and is knocking the gloss off some of the characters and giving some background on the "baddies". As for this US thing, this could happen in any country and others are much closer to it than the US.
Parts of Syria have pretty much been there already with ISIL in charge. As for the US, I like to think it would never get that far, but when you look at Mike Pence and his beliefs, it starts to look a little too close for comfort. Brilliant show though. I can also highly recommend the book.
Just when you didn't think it could get any darker they throw arranged (what looks like) child marriages into the mix. How did June end up outside? And can we take it that her new robot persona is indeed a veneer to get through until whatever her next move is? If she couldn't escape Gliead on her own she's no chance with an infant. She would be as well trying to sneak out with a travelling circus..
I find the interactions between Aunt Lydia and Serena Joy interesting. Serena seems to be getting increasingly disillusioned with Gilead- a state she played a key part in forming. Aunt Lydia presumably was a midwife before the events that lead to the coup. I can't work her out. Most of the time she's a mean bh but sometimes you see glimmers of compassion.
I think she jumped to try to trigger a miscarriage after being forced to watch the arranged marriage to Nick, or she thought she'd already had a miscarriage and didn't want to face the consequences of what was coming next- the baby is what's keeping her from being executed or sent to the colonies. She seemed surprised in the hospital that she was still pregnant. But that may have spurred her on to have another escape attempt.
h but sometimes you see glimmers of compassion.I think she jumped to try to trigger a miscarriage after being forced to watch the arranged marriage to Nick, or she thought she'd already had a miscarriage and didn't want to face the consequences of what was coming next- the baby is what's keeping her from being executed or sent to the colonies. She seemed surprised in the hospital that she was still pregnant. But that may have spurred her on to have another escape attempt.
Edited by lufbramatt on Monday 18th June 13:48
I'll hold my hands up and admit that I'm like a lot of men when it comes to women's intimate problems. I prefer to look the other way and hum to myself.
I'm not wholly sure what happened last night. Has she had a period, and is therefore not pregnant, or was this some sort of miscarriage? In which case, why did she mutter that she'd get "them both" away from Gilead ?
I'm not wholly sure what happened last night. Has she had a period, and is therefore not pregnant, or was this some sort of miscarriage? In which case, why did she mutter that she'd get "them both" away from Gilead ?
Same, men are from Mars & all that - though unless Always come in beach towel size that wasn't a monthly event.. As you rightly say, the end of the baby would almost certainly mean the end of Offred but offing herself with child & not succeeding in the twisted world of Gilead means death by stoning and she knows that.
We saw her think about going downstairs covered in blood maybe to tell Serena, maybe being "found" was the only way out?
Still early days in the series, one thing is for sure: June's road ahead is going to get any easier any time soon!
We saw her think about going downstairs covered in blood maybe to tell Serena, maybe being "found" was the only way out?
Still early days in the series, one thing is for sure: June's road ahead is going to get any easier any time soon!
Having read the book and enjoyed it I watched season one and found it to be a very good recreation of the feel of the book, without going too far away from it. You can see why the series won so many awards for the acting and direction etc.
Season two we then binge watched and you can see the freedom given to do as they wish will work.
Have to say that the "hanging scene" at the start of season two was one of the best worked scenes/music I've seen in a long time. Truly horrific and believable.
https://youtu.be/vbhMu8L50KE
The Kate Bush song just sets the tone.
Season two we then binge watched and you can see the freedom given to do as they wish will work.
Have to say that the "hanging scene" at the start of season two was one of the best worked scenes/music I've seen in a long time. Truly horrific and believable.
https://youtu.be/vbhMu8L50KE
The Kate Bush song just sets the tone.
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