It’s Time!

by

In an unexpected twist, “The Handmaid’s Tale” concluded its previous season on a suspenseful note. The penultimate episode’s dramatic finale, titled “Safe,” scripted by creator Bruce Miller and helmed by Elisabeth Moss herself, saw the intricate relationship between June (played by Elisabeth Moss) and Serena (Yvonne Strahovski), along with their babies, boarding a train bound for the unknown alongside other Gilead refugees. The episode concluded with a series of expressions on June’s face that culminated in a sly smile.

In the final analysis, June appears helpless. Due to the car accident, she’s struggling to walk and is left to care for her baby alone, enduring great suffering – she seems to be at rock bottom,” Miller shared with The Hollywood Reporter, summarizing the challenging season. However, he added a ray of hope regarding the future: “Consider how many individuals are influenced by her actions. Now, she’s a leader and the fruits of the seeds she sowed are blossoming.

Following the final episode, which aired in November 2022, Miller expressed his hope that viewers would ponder over the enigmatic smirk for several months to come. He explained, “I spent a considerable amount of time contemplating the dynamics between June and Serena – their relationship and how each character feels about the other, especially June in that particular moment.” This reflects the core relationship on the show, which involves the former handmaid and former Gilead wife.

However, as a result of the Hollywood strikes in 2023, months transformed into years. Now, the Hulu story is back for its sixth and last season, allowing viewers to witness the blossoming of those planted seeds. The first three out of the final ten episodes have been released and are now available for streaming.

Based on what the trailers hint at, a significant uprising with a red theme seems imminent. This movement has been carefully orchestrated over many years.

Prior to the airing of season five’s finale, it was confirmed that the sixth season would indeed be the last for “The Handmaid’s Tale” series. Nevertheless, the world of this show will carry on with a spin-off series titled “The Testaments“, which is based on Margaret Atwood’s follow-up book to her renowned novel and unfolds after the narrative of June’s story has concluded.

As the creator of The Handmaid’s Tale, I remained an executive producer during the final season, but now I’ve moved on to showrun The Testaments. For season six, my longtime colleagues Eric Tuchman and Yahlin Chang have stepped up as co-showrunners, taking over the reins. Moss, who stars in the series and serves as an executive producer, continued her role behind the camera, directing not only some episodes, but also the first two and final two of season six.

Originally, Miller proposed that “The Handmaid’s Tale” would run for five seasons, but as they approached season five, the plan shifted. (THR was told this by Miller.)

Chang told THR, “During a small retreat before the start of season five’s writers’ room, we were conversing with Bruce. He suggested, ‘I believe there are two more seasons left.’ He proposed, ‘Let’s do two more.’ And we responded, ‘Alright, let’s give it a go. We’ll proceed with two more.’

Moss mentions, “I recall discussing that season five might be our final one, and I believe it was a question of, ‘Shall we try for one more?’ [smiles]. I’m not sure if we knew how to reach our intended destination within the timeframe available in season five.

Miller maintains that his original vision for the ending remained unaltered, despite adding a new season. According to Moss, the only adjustment made was subtly shifting the location of that closely guarded finale.

Apparently, when I suggested the series and remarked, ‘I believe this is where it concludes,’ that’s precisely what transpired,” Miller notes. “I proposed it right from the start, and it was one of those instances where I thought, ‘Let’s strive for that conclusion.’

Moss clarifies that with the extensive cast of their dystopian series, consisting of Bradley Whitford, Max Minghella, Ann Dowd, O.T. Fagbenle, Samira Wiley, Madeline Brewer, Amanda Brugel, Sam Jaeger, Ever Carradine, and Josh Charles this season, they felt it necessary to have another season to fully develop each character.

Perhaps my shift to directing during season four is why I think the narrative took off and became intriguing with a multitude of characters. As we delved deeper into various characters’ stories, it felt like there was an abundance of untold tales, not just for June but for all these other individuals as well. Six seasons seemed insufficient to explore everything fully, which led to the decision for a sixth season.

She mentions, “Well, it seemed as if I was the only one saying, ‘Seven? Is anyone up for seven? No? The cheese is on its own then? Alrighty!’ *(Laughs*) At that point, I thought, I suppose we’ve reached a conclusion.

Season five focused on June’s quest for revenge and Miller’s description of this was “finding a way to exact revenge that feels right and restores balance in the world.” In season six, her character moves towards becoming someone capable of making a difference and influencing change. Miller often describes the show as simple: “The story revolves around June, who wants back what was taken from her at the start of the series, which is essential to her identity. And that’s the essence of the show.

In the sixth season, the story revolves around June and her husband Luke (Fagbenle), as they struggle to retrieve their eldest child Hannah (originally Jordana Blake), now known as Agnes and still residing in Gilead, who was taken from June in June.

The central motif of the last season revolves around standing tall, and much like its premiere eight years back, The Handmaid’s Tale is making a return during significant periods in history.

The series has been labeled as a warning story by many, but it seems to me that not enough heed was paid to this warning, and now, following an election with significant and startling outcomes, we find ourselves in a similar situation,” Tuchman tells THR, drawing parallels between the initial and final seasons. “I never could have foreseen us ending up here. Yet, here we are.

Chang, who came aboard in season two, expresses shock, saying, “I find it hard to believe that as a woman, my rights are fewer now than when I first appeared on the show in 2017. I never imagined that Roe v. Wade would be overturned. It feels like something you’d concoct for a storyline. Given that I was part of a production where we create narratives, it seemed like society was making significant strides at that time, especially with the #MeToo movement, as it appeared we were progressing significantly.

Chang explains that while creating characters for “The Handmaid’s Tale,” the writers try to understand the mindset of authoritarians. She states, “It’s about envisioning the actions of the most malicious individuals if they were in control. You have to consider what you would do if you had no moral guidance and were solely driven by greed, selfishness, cowardice, and self-preservation. In this way, current events seem quite comprehensible and predictable to a certain degree.

Despite the gloomy outlook, the team is prepared to bring about another delight: increased positivity. According to Tuchman, it’s high time we provide the audience with something they’ve been eagerly anticipating.

He expressed that this season should embody Yahlin’s term of ‘triumph and inspiration.’ With many somber and unsettling narratives in the past, it now being the last season, he emphasizes that it’s a time for resistance, determination, bravery, courage, and optimism. The moment has arrived.

I’m excited to say, “We’ve weathered some tough times together, our dedicated fans. It’s high time we return their unwavering passion and commitment with an exceptional season. We’re ready to make it worth their wait!

The Handmaid’s Tale is now streaming the first three episodes of season six on Hulu.

Read More

2025-04-08 18:55