FTA-TV The Handmaid’s Tale

[JackNah_8]

It’s never been an easy watch. Is it finally time to give up on Handmaid’s Tale?

Two TV critics argue whether the fourth season of the dystopian drama has lost its way or is as gripping as ever.

www.theage.com.au

Craig Mathieson argues the case against the show

The Handmaid’s Tale is a good television series that I have absolutely no further interest in watching. That’s a rare scenario, for there are many – far too many – bad shows to be avoided in the age of Peak TV, yet somehow still not enough great ones. Nonetheless, the thought of returning to the sombre, scarred landscape of this dystopian drama leaves me as cold as the barbaric acts of punishment it habitually depicts. It has nothing left to give.
There is no specific blame to apportion to its portrait of life in the theonomic dictatorship that has blackened this alternate America: Elisabeth Moss, whose enslaved character June Osborne has been stripped of even her name, is a remarkable actor, while the supporting cast are astutely deployed, and the visual language has a grim symbolism. But the show is less than the sum of its parts, and prone to running on the blood-soaked spot. Wading in to the fourth season is for devotees only.

I feel the same, I havent watched the new episodes yet but the show needs to change the narrative or come to end

 

[pjcrows]

The first 4 episodes of Season 4 have been fine but apparently it's been picked up again for a Season 5. I doubt I will bother. Show needs to end. Typical US drama.

 

[GhostofJimJess]

I'm right up to date for season 4 but my wife's just started watching from the very beginning. Any idea how long SBS will keep up their on demand stream before pulling down S4E1?

 

[Borough Blood]

I'm right up to date for season 4 but my wife's just started watching from the very beginning. Any idea how long SBS will keep up their on demand stream before pulling down S4E1?

App says they’re available until April 2022.

Glad I’m not the only one a bit over it. First season was magnificent but it’s been getting worse and worse. Please stop with the closeups of June.

 

[GhostofJimJess]

App says they’re available until April 2022.

Cheers BB

 

[U2tigers]

They need to make the show about the revolution. Let June become a leader of the resistance or something like that...

 

[JackNah_8]

Does this show even rate well anymore in the USA?

 

[The Flying Belgian]

They need to make the show about the revolution. Let June become a leader of the resistance or something like that...

Have a feeling that's where it's going. If we've learned anything about the show though, it won't be rushed though.

 

[Gasometer]

Have a feeling that's where it's going. If we've learned anything about the show though, it won't be rushed though.

I read a Review of this Season that the tide starts to turn Ep 6.
I will believe it when I see it

 

[_VXV]

Have renamed this to Closeups of June much to Ms V’s chagrin.

 

[Catfish Alley]

The whole show is full of close-ups. Most of them do a good job of showing the tension etc but, yeah, it’s overused a bit.

 

[Gasometer]

I don’t get why posters come in here if they’re just not into it.

I like it, there’s not much around to get invested in this genre atm

Pity there’s not more chat about what’s going on in the Season I guess is what I am saying.

 

[Catfish Alley]

That’s true. I’m a couple of episodes behind (just watched 3rd episode of the season) and haven’t really noticed any spoilers so not much being discussed.

I’m waiting for some sort of bigger rebellion or international assistance. Even just seeing a bit more of the west would be interesting.

It’s not the show it was when it was following the book but still got enough to keep me watching for now.

 

[Split pea]

Watched seasons 1 & 2. Season 3 reviews said it was in a holding pattern and I haven't heard otherwise since.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

Spoiler: OK, wasn't expecting that ending

I'm guessing the aid workers aren't allowed to take anyone out, But guessing Moira will want to, but June will want to stay.

 

[cartwright]

Spoiler: OK, wasn't expecting that ending

I'm guessing the aid workers aren't allowed to take anyone out, But guessing Moira will want to, but June will want to stay.

Spoiler: Hmm

yeah I think Janine might be hurt or unable to leave and she won’t abandon her…..basically there’ll be some reason she won’t leave

 

[U2tigers]

Pretty boring last 2 episodes.

As much as I got tired of her being a persecuted handmaiden, and being re-captured all the time, I still want her to fight Gillead. I really did want this to be about the resistance or something.

Not sure I will keep watching past a couple more episodes.

 

[The Dice Man]

'I'm not a mushroom, you can't keep me in the dark', after jumping into a tanker of milk and miraculously finding the portal to empty milk so they didnt turn into butter.. Oh and how they escaped, that hole at the top was remarkably closer to the bottom at the end of the scene than it was at the start.

Confirmed Shark Jump.

 

[Gasometer]

Thought Ep 6 and Ep 7 were top notch

 

[Punchy Bassett]

OOO boy wowee

 

[GhostofJimJess]

Finally got up to S4 E9 last night, so just tonight's ep to go for me.

After being a massive fan of each of the first three seasons, especially the first, I was really underwhelmed with the opening handful of episodes in Season 4. And I've been trying for the last week of binging to catch up to figure out why? The acting and dialogue have still been first class, and the story continues to progress at a really satisfying rate, continuity etc all pretty much on point, and any self-referencing to earlier story arcs have been pretty consistent. June's still there, Serena & Fred, Lydia, Janine and the rest of the gang are all still involved, but it just hasn't hit the mark for me.

But I think I've finally put my finger on it. For most viewers, the leading character is clearly June, surrounded by plenty of those aforementioned great supporting characters, just about all in some way directly connected to June's story. She's the handmaid they're referring to in the title, and it's essentially her tale. And Season 4 has continued to honour June and her story, as she struggles with the conflicts of recovering her former life and family, often at the expense of her own self-preservation.

For me, however, the best character had been Gilead itself - that disturbed, dystopic and bizarre alternative society. And the simple fact is, it just hasn't featured very much in the first half of Season 4, at least not nearly as much as during those earlier seasons. Was this a covid season thing, shot in close quarters out of necessity, and hence the story line had been tinkered with to accommodate this situation? Whatever it was, I reckon the absence of Gilead has been what's left me a bit under-nourished by it all.

Until about episode 6. The most recent few episodes of S4 up until the end of E9 have been totally absorbing, and the show is back with a vengeance (so to speak).

 

[Leon]

Excellent season this most recent one.

Finally exploring some new dynamics with June, Serena, Fred all out of Gilead.

The show needed a different direction other than”June in Gilead, June is a bad ass, June gets caught and goes back to being a handmaid” formula that was the first three seasons.

Spoiler: Spoiler

The ending with Fred dying was very good and also a sign of the show moving in a new new and better direction

Characters to see more of next year:

- Tuello
- Janine
- Lawrence
- Aunt Lydia

 

[Leon]

Finally got up to S4 E9 last night, so just tonight's ep to go for me.

After being a massive fan of each of the first three seasons, especially the first, I was really underwhelmed with the opening handful of episodes in Season 4. And I've been trying for the last week of binging to catch up to figure out why? The acting and dialogue have still been first class, and the story continues to progress at a really satisfying rate, continuity etc all pretty much on point, and any self-referencing to earlier story arcs have been pretty consistent. June's still there, Serena & Fred, Lydia, Janine and the rest of the gang are all still involved, but it just hasn't hit the mark for me.

But I think I've finally put my finger on it. For most viewers, the leading character is clearly June, surrounded by plenty of those aforementioned great supporting characters, just about all in some way directly connected to June's story. She's the handmaid they're referring to in the title, and it's essentially her tale. And Season 4 has continued to honour June and her story, as she struggles with the conflicts of recovering her former life and family, often at the expense of her own self-preservation.

For me, however, the best character had been Gilead itself - that disturbed, dystopic and bizarre alternative society. And the simple fact is, it just hasn't featured very much in the first half of Season 4, at least not nearly as much as during those earlier seasons. Was this a covid season thing, shot in close quarters out of necessity, and hence the story line had been tinkered with to accommodate this situation? Whatever it was, I reckon the absence of Gilead has been what's left me a bit under-nourished by it all.

Until about episode 6. The most recent few episodes of S4 up until the end of E9 have been totally absorbing, and the show is back with a vengeance (so to speak).

I kind of agree with you about June.

Elisabeth Moss is brilliant, and as you say, it is “The Handmaid’s Tale” and June as the central handmaid and character it is her story.

But for mine, the show would be better off exploring different characters such as Lawrence and Tuello. Not to say June should become a background character, but we need more of characters that haven’t been as well developed as June.

 

[Gasometer]

Idk think another season of Life in Gilead was warranted and glad there was a move towards some resolution. It’s like watching a war movie on the Nazis, there’s only so much barbarity that one can tolerate in condensed time on film before you want some hope to emerge, otherwise it’s just mayhem.
Unsure about the final 10 minutes..

Spoiler

Hanna was central to most of the season and I don’t know why she wasn’t brought into the exchange? Perhaps those last 2 eps were Covid impacted?

 

[footyfan1978]

I'm right up to date for season 4 but my wife's just started watching from the very beginning. Any idea how long SBS will keep up their on demand stream before pulling down S4E1?

I've only started catching up with season 4 this month. So it still on there thankfully.
I think I got 3 or 4 episodes to go and just read there must be a 5th season, which is good to hear as I thought if it only had 3 or 4 episodes to go from where I'm up to it seems like not enough to cover so many things I want to know about.