alexvillage

This sums up my feeling about the show perfectly. I can't see the storyline, I can only see what it could have been, so I don't really feel like watching the episodes anymore.

Going back to what I said before, about the missing opportunity concerning "Marthas' Underground" - I just read the prologue of a new book on politics. It is a little summary of, among other things, how the Underground Railroad was one of the pieces that helped the abolitionists start what would become the Civil War that ended slavery (the fact that there is so much still to be done is another story). The slaves that escaped the south told their stories up north and public opinion started to change. Why aren't the people who escaped Gilead telling their stories? Why can't the writers use this to actually tell a story that is not full of holes, that makes sense - and use the talent they are wasting? Then Fred and Serena would not be on TV, with the sex slave standing in the corner, as if they can claim anything from anyone.

I meant the spending in military and intelligence were not at the same levels of today. Sorry if I wasn't clear. And that's why it doesn't make sense. If Gilead has all the power that The U.S. had, they also had all the leverage to get whatever they wanted instead of simply trying to get deals with Mexico. We know that Gilead has shortage of food. Nonsense writing.

They do. And to think I was so excited about the possibility of a Underground Railroad of Marthas that would develop into a real story. Instead we got June ordering them around for a day, then nothing. Same with Emily. They could expand on her need to heal and build up her relationship with her wife and son, and maybe the urge to fight for the people who were left behind. She was a rebel in Gilead. So many possibilities for one character. Not to mention the waste of Samira Wiley. Seriously, I would love to see the scripts she gets for the character's lines. Probably only a couple of pages long for all three seasons so far.

Gilead as a superpower that absorbed the United States ridiculous military power is absurd. As already pointed out, NATO would have to engage in action against Gilead. And again, the writers managed to tell a bad story. At the time the book was written, our Military wasn't as powerful as today, the technology wasn't like it is now. The United States already had a lot of nuclear weapons and yes, it could have destroyed the planet. But this didn't happen. So, if they are going by the book's time - which they are not - they would have destroyed the whole planet, or engaged in war with several other former allies. This didn't happen. If they are using the technology and weapons of mass destruction of today, other countries would be afraid of engaging with Gilead, so the commanders would have the upper hand to get the goods they want, even to get more women to become handmaids. We know this is not happening either, so it makes no sense. From the point of view of a super militarized cultist nation, all they have to do is threat to decimate a country to get them favors. But the writers don't engage in the nuances of this possibility either. Maybe Margaret Atwood left us in the dark on purpose, because it wouldn't make sense for Gilead to simply absorb the powers of the U.S. but still be deprived in so many areas. Or maybe I need to read the final chapter again. My point still is: the writers don't have any idea of what they are doing, maybe that's why the long pauses for close ups. They need to extend things a bit.

To me, those two points are a clear indication that the show has tanked. Maybe it will survive a few seasons but as a story they want to tell it will go down as a waste of resources.To the first quoted comment, I agree. There are so much they could do with what Margaret Atwood left us to imagine, they could have at least tried but then they turn to Second quoted comment: beautiful shots and torture porn. Directing is one of the things that I enjoy in movies and shows but I cannot watch bad writing for too long, so I think I will keep missing the beautiful shots. When a show is relying on big shots and creative ways of introducing a scene - sometimes they also fail at this - or on shocking images like torture porn, porn porn, in the case of this show the overuse of close ups and slow motion, it is a bad signal. And if they overwhelm one episode with all the beauty + torture porn, added to the nonsense writing, then it is really bad. I still don't want to watch it.

So, everything that matters when telling a story? What attracts me more than anything in a show is the writing. Then the directing. But I cannot enjoy the directing if the writing turns me down.

The more I read this thread the less I want to watch the episode. I actually have this afternoon off but cannot make myself move to watch it. This is not a bad thing, because I am having a blast with some of your comments here.

Never watched Game of Thrones and haven't watched the episode but I have seen the photos of winged One. It is like every photo of every person who sees wings painted, or a sculpture that has wings, and steps in front of it for a photo. I have several friends who have done that, at different times and places. It is the opposite of original, or artsy.

All the suspense about Callie getting the results of her Bar exam when everyone knew she was going to fail was a waste of time. Of course, they cut a little bit on the slow motion sex scenes that were annoying and not sensual at all, so maybe that's how they decide to fill it up. I agree with the Malika thing. It was really pointless for Malika to do that too. She accomplished nothing. There were cameras outside, she could have yelled at the judge via TV. It would at least be something some other lawyers could try to use when dealing with him, question his impartiality in a very publicized trial. I actually laughed in the beginning when Callie was looking for a job (?). She would never be the kind of lawyer the ACLU hires. She believes she knows best and forget that the law applies to everyone, even the laws that suck. She wouldn't last half a case. And those stilettos will not do Callie. That's not how you visit your marginalized, poor, sometimes destitute clients in jails, prison, airports and detention centers. Stilettos are not for the literal foot work. I am with you. I don't get why shows cannot have opposite sex friendship that is intimate without being romantic or sexual.

In the writers' mind, Canada is probably "in the dark" because you know, clitoris reconstruction is available for those women who probably lost them while masturbating or something. Nothing to do with mutilation as torture that only happens to women in a cultist country. Noooo, not at all. And they are also fleeing Gilead because the cold, darkness and gloom in Boston is not enough for them, and the like hockey, or whatever. Hey, it goes with the 'splainning the what-is-his-name about Serena being shot and all.

I am surprised nobody has posted here yet. I probably have more thoughts but seeing Mariana ask for help with her bra was just silly directing, as in "we need to have Cierra kind of showing her body a little". Meh.

I am with you. In fact, I might be out right after watching this episode, if I decide to watch it. By the comments here, it was a clusterfuck even bigger than the usual clusterfuck.

This is based on the real world, like today's real world, like in today's United States, in the White House, as in the VP's world. Gilead is just one step removed from it.

Reading this before watching the episode makes me think that this is it for me. I have been hate watching this since last season, I might just give up entirely.

Your post makes sense but it is based on a nonsense developed by the writers of the show. At the time the book was written, warfare was not as invested in the technology we have today. The writers, as usual, didn't give any explanation for how Gilead, today, would maintain the power and be able to have relationship with other countries that would be mocking the cultists without any real manpower or the latest technology. I mean, we do have a similar situation developing but the Real Life Cult is still a superpower and still has control of the money and lethal resources to end the world many times over. But to think that cultists that are anti-intellectual thugs don't have a leadership that can be very smart when their interests are on the line is a mistake. Again, there is a Real Life Party that is completely ignorant of so many things - or at least their public view is of complete ignorance and Jesus!, yet they currently control much of everything and this has been slowly, then fast, developing for a long time. Add to that interests (usually financial) that other supposedly opposing parties are deeply invested in, you have the perfect storm for an oppressive regime to remain in power. Adding even a little bit more: resources that benefit people will always be diverted to support whatever is a show of power, in fiction or real life. Gilead could be using all the money to advance the drones and surveillance, and to make weapons. Now, in the book Gilead survives for a long time. Maybe the writers will make the fall come faster in the show.

Just one more thing: It was the real rapist and murderer who actually caused the truth to come out think about it - a convicted criminal, someone who raped and murdered several women had more of a conscience than the thugs at the NYPD and DA’s office, plus all the mothefuckers who jeered the children. when I say the police are part of a criminal organization it is because there is evidence of it

This series still haunts me, Just thinking about what happened to the kids - children - makes me cry all over again. Then I decided to watch the documentary about the case and I am so angry and feeling vindictive. I am struggling with myself because part of me wants revenge, while the real victims are just out there, living their lives and, by all accounts, doing a lot of good. But let me vent about my vindictive side: I want all law enforcement to be locked up at Rikers and experience the same treatment countless poor, mostly black and brown, mostly men in this country experience. I ant them to feel every pain they have inflicted. I want them to fear for their lives and for their families. I want them to never have a moments of peace or a few minutes of a sleep without a night mare. And I want this for every single person who works in a law enforcement that protects those thugs, everyone who works for ICE and CBP, every prosecutor who simply ignores the mostly corrupt police. Maybe it is unfair to bundle all of them together but not more unfair than what has been happening in this country forever, without real punishment for the real criminals. Good people don't work for ICE and CBP. Good people don't work for those police departments of DA's offices. Now, I am hanging on to a sliver of hope that some new prosecutors are willing to hold PD's responsible, and that we can simply abolish what needs to be abolish (the terrorist organization in control of our immigration system) to REALLY start to move this crap in a different direction. It is the least I can do in solidarity with all who don't have the same privileges I do - even tough I am part of some groups that are not so privileged as the WASP's and the likes. I am tired and depressed so I will hold on to this for now.

Margaret Atwood wrote a dystopia that is also a criticism on white male power. The show is something that rushed to do an adaptation in the first season and then lost itself. I guess Atwood was kind of a consultant in the first season and maybe the deal was that she would sell the rights of the book but after the first season she would not have a say on the direction the show took. I am still holding on to my theory that her upcoming book is a way for her to separate herself from this clusterfuck of a series.

Yeah, it is confusing because the writers never gave us any back story or context. If Canada recognizes the US government, then the logic would be that they condemn Gilead for the coup. I find it hard to see how this mess works in the minds of the writers. They just want us to accept that they might fuck up, but fucked up the story will be.

I am not a big BW fan, I think he is on the positive side of average, but not a great actor. You are right, though. He is capable of much more. The thing is, no actor, average or great, can do much with bad writing. Add bad direction and bad editing, the talent goes unnoticed. That's how TV works. On the other hand, his "I think Lizzie is giving the performance of a lifetime" fell totally flat. Not necessary to exaggerate Bradley. We know you are friends but we also watch the show.

You are right on your points but at the same time, that part made sense to me. Gilead is a place of cultists, they do believe others will see them as they see themselves. They are self righteous, god has their back. Another take would be to compare the world's current situation: the biggest superpower in the world normalizing terrible treatment of refugees, other countries following on the same footsteps, if not openly, behind the scenes; a country that is ruled by monarchs openly decapitating dissenters, beating women and still having a pass everywhere. Seriously, which country has even condemned Saudi Arabia about their abuses, their prince ordering the murder and dismemberment of a journalist, women being stoned for daring to speak up? I don't know of any sanctions from any country against that regime. I could go on and on. This shit happens. Canada being silent and complying to demands to a place like Gilead would not even be dystopia anymore.

Agree with all you said. Margaret Atwood wrote a dystopian novel and left a lot of questions unanswered - which I think is part of the book's appeal. Then the writers come in and completely "raped" the book. They could have done a good job, being thoughtful and thinking things over, developing plausible plots that would be consistent with the book. Instead, they decided to rush through things because they wanted to: Achieve fame? Make money? Annoy the viewers? Inflate their own ego? Who knows? The result sucks.

Yeah, that's part of what corporate journalism has become: sensationalism.

But then the writers don't do anything with him. It is like he is there to make us smirk at his one-liners. If Canada offers refuge, there is not extradition. Extradition is for crimes and a refugee is not a criminal. We saw Canadian officer asking Emily if she was seeking refuge, so that would be another writer's mess up - therefore totally possible. But Canada can have their shady people too, people who support Gilead's cult. As an example, wha tis happening now to Assange and the UK courts: in theory, the UK will not extradite anyone for political reasons. The United States is charging Assange for espionage, chichis political. Yet, some people in the UK are in total favor to ignore the extradition terms and send Assange to his death. So, nothing is certain anymore.