THT Spoilers

[Umbelina]

This is intended as a thread for the broadcast show spoilers.  I decided to add book talk spoilers as well, since it's highly unlikely someone would click on a show spoiler thread and object to some relatively minor book spoilers.  Mods please switch it around if you wish.

Just found a pretty big spoiler in a general article about the show, obviously the reviewer has seen at least one more episode than we have.  http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/05/22/a-cunning-adaptation-of-the-handmaids-tale

Since it's a first post I'll do the caution thing here, this is a show spoiler, not just from the book, so stop now if you don't want to know.  Note, that article also includes book spoilers.

-

-

-

 

Quote

There’s an episode for Serena Joy, who, like Mellie on “Scandal” or Claire on “House of Cards,” is softened by a backstory; then we visit Luke, a brave rebel up in Canada.

Wow, they really are bringing him back.  I'm not sure how I feel about that, hopefully he's realized by now that men taking care of women is seriously not the point here and grown up some. 

[Umbelina]

So over 40 views but no comments? Ha.

Anyone going to be glad to see Luke back?  Do you think they will rehab his character a bit?  I guess that could have happened in the book as well, so I'm not too fussed, other than the actor hasn't exactly wowed me yet.

I hope we get more spoilers before next season, I think this one was a mistake.

[Shaynaa]

Interesting, for sure.  Luke definitely needs to be redeemed to me.  He was just placid and flat.  The trailer for next week does show stuff leading up to their original escape attempt we saw in the pilot.  At least he will have more to do.  Just as long as we don't end up with an annoying love triangle.  I am wondering if the season will end with June being taken away but maybe rescued like in the book.  I want June to be reunited with Luke at the very least because she has been through hell and deserves it.  assuming he deserves her.

[Umbelina]

He's been, by far, the only weak link in the show for me.  But again, flawed people, and by now, maybe he's learned and isn't so passive or misogynistic. 

She loves him, even if she sees his flaws by now, and it would be nice to think of them happy, escaped, once this is all over.  Living out their lives in peace and obscurity maybe...

[boes]

18 minutes ago, Umbelina said:

He's been, by far, the only weak link in the show for me.  But again, flawed people, and by now, maybe he's learned and isn't so passive or misogynistic. 

She loves him, even if she sees his flaws by now, and it would be nice to think of them happy, escaped, once this is all over.  Living out their lives in peace and obscurity maybe...

I don't know how it will work out, but the actor is more than capable of delivering better than the writing has given Luke so far.  He was only a supporting character in "Loving" but IMO he delivered maximum emotional punch when he was onscreen.

I hope they give him the same opportunity here.

[chocolatine]

24 minutes ago, Umbelina said:

She loves him, even if she sees his flaws by now, and it would be nice to think of them happy, escaped, once this is all over.  Living out their lives in peace and obscurity maybe...

I don't know that I want a "happy" ending for the show, because it would be unrealistic. Yes, I want June (and all other Handmaids) to be freed, the Commander and Serena Joy to pay for what they did, for June and Luke to be reunited with Hannah, etc. But I don't think there can be unadulterated happiness immediately after the hell that was Gilead. I picture it like the Holocaust survivors I know, who went on to live productive lives, but the horrors of what they had experienced have always stayed with them.

[Umbelina]

Just now, chocolatine said:

I don't know that I want a "happy" ending for the show, because it would be unrealistic. Yes, I want June (and all other Handmaids) to be freed, the Commander and Serena Joy to pay for what they did, for June and Luke to be reunited with Hannah, etc. But I don't think there can be unadulterated happiness immediately after the hell that was Gilead. I picture it like the Holocaust survivors I know, who went on to live productive lives, but the horrors of what they had experienced have always stayed with them.

I wouldn't expect that either, no matter what, they will have lost their daughter.  Sorry, I will never buy it if somehow she is rescued as well.

Happiness is relative.  Making it to Canada and freedom, or England, or any other free country, and being with a newly enlightened and not passive Luke would be a happy ending for June, not everyone.

We know the commander is killed, yay for that, and we know Gilead ceased to exist, and we know from the newly released revised book ending that

Spoiler

things get much worse for the women in Gilead before it disappears.

So, published in 1986, takes place in the "not too distant future" and the show seems to place it around now, or at least they included Tinder.  Book ends in 2195 talking of Gilead as a society from a long time ago if I remember correctly, so it's possible that society really didn't last very long.  Perhaps long enough for June to die of old age, but maybe not even that, if she does live and escape completely. 

It just felt like, in his talk, Gilead had been dead for at least a century, but that may simply be my impression and based on nothing.

[Anela]

4 hours ago, Umbelina said:

So over 40 views but no comments? Ha.

Anyone going to be glad to see Luke back?  Do you think they will rehab his character a bit?  I guess that could have happened in the book as well, so I'm not too fussed, other than the actor hasn't exactly wowed me yet.

I hope we get more spoilers before next season, I think this one was a mistake.

I wondered if they would bring him back, since we didn't actually see him get shot. He could have been wounded, or they made it seem like he was dead, so that she might have less fight in her, thinking that she was really alone now. 

I don't remember much about what happened at the end of the book. If the commander dies, then I wonder if they'll change that, since I heard they have been renewed for a second season. I don't want a love triangle, I loathe them. And if Luke is a rebel, I guess he has grown up a bit. Being a part of that, doesn't sound like a passive response to what's happening.

[Eureka]

8 hours ago, Umbelina said:

 

  Hide contents

 

So, published in 1986, takes place in the "not too distant future" and the show seems to place it around now, or at least they included Tinder.  Book ends in 2195 talking of Gilead as a society from a long time ago if I remember correctly, so it's possible that society really didn't last very long.  Perhaps long enough for June to die of old age, but maybe not even that, if she does live and escape completely. 

It just felt like, in his talk, Gilead had been dead for at least a century, but that may simply be my impression and based on nothing.

I've also been thinking about the timeline and how that's going to factor into the epilogue. Is Gilead supposed to be 2017 or "before" was 2017? Because if Gilead is present, it can't go on much longer (relatively speaking) before 2195 is less than 100 years in the future. I always assumed that the regime lasted more than say, 10-20 years (just arbitrary numbers I'm choosing)

[Eyes High]

1 hour ago, Eureka said:

I've also been thinking about the timeline and how that's going to factor into the epilogue. Is Gilead supposed to be 2017 or "before" was 2017? Because if Gilead is present, it can't go on much longer (relatively speaking) before 2195 is less than 100 years in the future. I always assumed that the regime lasted more than say, 10-20 years (just arbitrary numbers I'm choosing)

When June is at the Red Centre, the graphic showing the birth rate decline ends in 2015, so making allowances for June's postings I'm guessing they're supposed to be in 2017 or later in the present timeline.

As for Luke, while I'm looking forward to seeing Handmaid world Canada because I love the worldbuilding stuff, I'm a bit annoyed at the show wasting a precious hour out of 10 on a male POV. I get that they're probably trying to stretch the book into 10 episodes, and that they've already burned through a fair amount of book plot, thus the Serena Joy POV, but yeah, not a fan.

Edited May 18, 2017 by Eyes High

[Umbelina]

Serena Joy's plot was in the book though, this is just a more fleshed out version of it, or rather, we are seeing behind the scenes and more detail about what June remembered about her from the past.  I don't think they every mentioned whether there was any certainly Luke died or survived though, didn't she look for him on the wall sometimes?

Yeah, I felt like Gilead lasted between 20-50 years at most, again, just a feeling.  It probably died more out of economic stagnation than revolt, but I guess we'll find out if Atwood really is

Spoiler

writing a new book as hinted in the 10 questions and answers.

They could make Luke much more aware now without stretching credulity, not a hero-type, I hope they stick to ordinary people, but ordinary people can and do heroic things when needed.

[Eureka]

Do I need to hide spoilers for the book in this area? I will in case:

Spoiler

In the book, we never know what happens to Luke for certain. She does look for him on the wall, because she has no idea where in the world (literally) he may be. And in the book, Serena Joy was much more televangelist a la Tammy Faye Baker than just conservative whatever they were making her out to be here. I don't recall if in the book she wrote a book or just appeared on tv. 

While I was happy to see the Serena Joy backstory (even fleshed/out changed), to me it didn't seem as effective with a much younger person, but the show is making Serena Joy more alive and resentful or even maybe bitter, I guess I'd say. She clearly wasn't done having her moment before the regime cut her off. I think the original older Serena Joy was just riding it (Gilead) out, she had had her life and now here she was and that was that. I may be alone in that view.

[Umbelina]

No, book spoilers and show spoilers are allowed.  I DID hide the just out revised book spoilers in mine as an excess of caution though.  ??

[LaChavalina]

You can find the preview for the next episode on Hulu. It looks to me like it's going to center on the storyline of how Luke gets "woke" to the fact that he and his family are genuinely in danger. There's a part of the clip where June berates him a bit for them not trying to escape sooner.

I don't know how I feel about Luke being cast as a hero. Honestly, I didn't hate him in earlier episodes. I just thought of him as a frog in slowly boiling water who didn't understand how bad things were getting. I also like the complexity of the idea that June and Luke are both flawed people--and that's OK, because people can be regular and flawed and yet they are still deserving of basic human rights and dignity.

[Umbelina]

Those look like all flashback scenes to me.

Edited May 18, 2017 by Umbelina

[Eyes High]

1 hour ago, Umbelina said:

Those look like all flashback scenes to me.

Yes. There were a few interesting shots in this promo, like what looked like the inside of an ambulance as it rolled over, an overhead shot of an overturned ambulance next to a creek, and a bunch of hanged bodies inside a church.

I looked carefully at the 1x07 promo, and there's a shot of Luke's hands as he fumbled with bullets. The jacket/sweater he was wearing is the same from another shot from the official series trailer, which shows the torso of someone with that same jacket/sweater as they're touching a bleeding stomach wound. 

Maybe Luke escaped from the ambulance after it crashed?...Although I can't think of a good reason why he wouldn't have been summarily executed.

I rewatched the official series trailer, and there's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it shot of a Handmaid, clutching what looks like a baby, standing on the ledge of a bridge in winter. I haven't watched 1x06 yet, so I don't know if it's from that episode, but maybe a Handmaid commits suicide...?

Edited May 18, 2017 by Eyes High

[EC Amber]

22 hours ago, Eureka said:

While I was happy to see the Serena Joy backstory (even fleshed/out changed), to me it didn't seem as effective with a much younger person, but the show is making Serena Joy more alive and resentful or even maybe bitter, I guess I'd say. She clearly wasn't done having her moment before the regime cut her off. I think the original older Serena Joy was just riding it (Gilead) out, she had had her life and now here she was and that was that. I may be alone in that view.

Good point, I hadn't considered this but it would make for a far more bitter character than the one in the book. It's one thing to get to have all your power and exercise it through your younger years and then sink into angry obscurity... it's quite another to be on a full head of steam and have all of that taken (given) away. That she says "it is what it is" as a meek acceptance of being shut out only feeds an unconscious fire. Could she, or anyone in her position, really forgive themselves for what they did to themselves? We are our own worst critics - do you think Serena has a moment of conscious awareness of the role she played in her own misery? Obviously she cares very little about what her actions have done to the lives of others... 

[boes]

55 minutes ago, EC Amber said:

- do you think Serena has a moment of conscious awareness of the role she played in her own misery? Obviously she cares very little about what her actions have done to the lives of others... 

Oh, I devoutly hope so.  Serena could do much to alleviate, at least, the suffering of the women in her household.  At least.  But instead she makes it worse.

But then Serena bears some responsibility, even if she took no direct action, for the slaughter of the U.S. government.  The woman doesn't just have blood on her hands, she's neck deep in it.

Edited May 19, 2017 by boes

[Shaynaa]

So based on the preview and ep description we get to see the Jezebels next week as well as flashbacks for Nick.  Maybe Moira flashbacks in episode 10 although we have already seen her in June's flashbacks.

[Umbelina]

Yeah, my bet is Jezebel's and Moira.

They've been running an ad on Facebook, and in it June has somewhat garish make up on, very red lips, and tears in her eyes, so I'm assuming that's at Jezebel's.  Perhaps after she sees that Moira was caught.

[AnswersWanted]

It will be nice to see Moira again, if they follow the path of the book for this portion of the show. I hope they do because I really don't think they could improve on it or come up with another idea better or more interesting than Margaret's original direction.

It also seems that we might get a bit more backstory on the Offred before June arrived. I saw a glimpse of Rita coming upon the girl after she hung herself (supposedly) in that cage they call their bedroom.

I think there is another scene where her body is being carried out on a stretcher and Nick is looking on, at least I think it's him, I know I spied Serena Joy, Fred, and Rita, so maybe that is going to prove significant to his story. Was he too having an affair with that Handmaid or had feelings/affection for her? Was he perhaps just a stupid mule to the cause of the Regime up until that point, when this poor woman's death opened his eyes to the truth and he finds himself starting to fight against the system.

I am intrigued for next week heh, it's good to see Offred/June back in the forefront.

[chocolatine]

Just saw this on FB:

It shows Emily in street clothes with her hair down, talking about Mayday. Not sure if it's from a flashback or if she survived her marketplace joyride. Hoping against hope that it's the latter.

[NoSpam]

On 05/18/2017 at 9:23 AM, Umbelina said:

 

Yeah, I felt like Gilead lasted between 20-50 years at most, again, just a feeling

  Hide contents

 

Chiming in late here.

In the book, the professor mentions that Offred was part of the first wave if handmaids, who remember the time before Gilead. So that would indicate that at least one more generation lived as handmaids, possibly more. I always assumed Gilead lasted at least 50 years, since a generation is roughly 20.

[Umbelina]

Good catch.

Has anyone listened to the new book with the added 10 Q& A from the professor?  I think it's only available as an audio book, and it's about $30!

I found a couple of the answers and questions but they were very vague.

Because it's a revised book I will spoiler tag this part, even though this thread includes spoilers and book talk.  This one has only been out for a couple of weeks.

The three things I remember from my hunt, and we did discuss this somewhere in this forum are:

1. Spoiler

    

   1. Thing get "a lot worse" for the Handmaids and others.
   2. The Jezebel clubs expand and some of the women there become rock-star famous (presumably only to the elite men allowed to participate.)
   3. It sure sounds like Atwood is writing a sequel, hoping for a release date within 2 years.

    

   http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/handmaids-tale-audio-book-10-questions-991282

Edited May 26, 2017 by Umbelina
tried to remove the 1. unsucessfully

[chocolatine]

6 hours ago, NoSpam said:

In the book, the professor mentions that Offred was part of the first wave if handmaids, who remember the time before Gilead. So that would indicate that at least one more generation lived as handmaids, possibly more. I always assumed Gilead lasted at least 50 years, since a generation is roughly 20.

Since the show chose to make the Commander and Serena Joy much younger than they were in the book, I hope they live long enough to see the end of Gilead and be made to answer for the atrocities they inflicted on the world, Nuremberg Trials style.

[Umbelina]

9 minutes ago, chocolatine said:

Since the show chose to make the Commander and Serena Joy much younger than they were in the book, I hope they live long enough to see the end of Gilead and be made to answer for the atrocities they inflicted on the world, Nuremberg Trials style.

Imagine if they were older?  That might have been fun.  Using Donald Sutherland and Faye Dunaway, or Christine Baranski, or Susan Sarandon, or even Jane Fonda?

Odd, the guy I picture is Donald Sutherland and I can't shake that enough to choose another actor.  Ha.

[chocolatine]

1 minute ago, Umbelina said:

Odd, the guy I picture is Donald Sutherland and I can't shake that enough to choose another actor.  Ha.

Now that you've put it out there, let's hope the Hulu execs read these forums and make it happen. :)

[Umbelina]

 

Holy crap!  I found the questions and answers!  Starts at about 5:50

ETA

The Q and A aren't very interesting besides what's already been mentioned, but the afterword with Atwood talking about her book is very interesting.

Edited May 26, 2017 by Umbelina

[Anela]

54 minutes ago, Umbelina said:

Imagine if they were older?  That might have been fun.  Using Donald Sutherland and Faye Dunaway, or Christine Baranski, or Susan Sarandon, or even Jane Fonda?

Odd, the guy I picture is Donald Sutherland and I can't shake that enough to choose another actor.  Ha.

He is good at playing creepy characters. I could see him, and Jessica Lange. 

[boes]

10 hours ago, Umbelina said:

 

Holy crap!  I found the questions and answers!  Starts at about 5:50

ETA

The Q and A aren't very interesting besides what's already been mentioned, but the afterword with Atwood talking about her book is very interesting.

Thank you so much for this.

[Eyes High]

On 5/18/2017 at 4:51 PM, Eyes High said:

I rewatched the official series trailer, and there's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it shot of a Handmaid, clutching what looks like a baby, standing on the ledge of a bridge in winter. I haven't watched 1x06 yet, so I don't know if it's from that episode, but maybe a Handmaid commits suicide...?

I think this shot is from 1x09.

The 1x09 promo features Janine becoming Ofdaniel and entering a new residence. Janine expressed a delusional belief a few episodes ago that Warren was in love with her, and she still seems to have this belief in 1x09, as she tells June in the 1x09 promo "He's coming for me." Maybe Janine realizes that Warren is never coming for her and somehow abducts her baby and jumps off a bridge to her death?

There's also a hushed exchange between June and another Handmaid in the 1x09 promo:

June: I want to help.

Handmaid: We need you to go back.

June: What?

Handmaid: I'm trying to get a package out of there.

June: How?

Handmaid: I don't know! Figure it out.

The next scene shows June buttering up with the Commander with how she can't stop thinking about when they went out.

I'm guessing June tries to angle for another trip to Jezebels.

[Shaynaa]

Trailer for 1x10 seems to show a stoning....Jeanine?  We actually see Moira which suprised me.  I figured her fate would be unknown.  Of course she could be in ep 10 but they leave her ending up in the air.  I'm leaning toward June's ending being like it was in the book.

[Umbelina]

I'm trying to remember if there was ever stoning in the books.  I don't think so.  Anyone?

[chocolatine]

15 hours ago, Shaynaa said:

Trailer for 1x10 seems to show a stoning....Jeanine?

I don't think so, since she still has a fertile womb. I hope it's Putnam.

14 minutes ago, Umbelina said:

I'm trying to remember if there was ever stoning in the books.  I don't think so.  Anyone?

I don't remember stoning, only hanging and Particicution.

[Umbelina]

I've watched and watched that preview, and I'm still not sure what the Aunt is actually saying before the stoning.  Anyone?

http://www.elle.com/culture/celebrities/a45476/elisabeth-moss-profile-handmaids-tale-season-2/

Really nice interview with Elizabeth Moss who, in another interview I posted with the entire cast seems to be more outspoken about feminism and politics than she chose to be in the pre-series publicity interviews. 

Quote

But she also hints that Nick and Offred's no-strings assignations are on their way to becoming something more, a change that would mark a radical divergence from the show's source material. The novel version of The Handmaid's Tale is many things, but it's not a love story. "It's part of the reason that I'm really excited about a season 2, she's in this position where she might be in love with two people. Honestly I think she does love Nick—if I can speak for her—but I don't know if she knows that she does, yet. But she has a husband who she also loves, who's the father of Hannah, who she also now knows is alive. It's the most complicated Real Housewives episode you've ever seen." She laughs. "The Real Housewives of Gilead is gonna have a great reunion after episode 10."

It's funny, but in reading and listening to the book, I always thought there was a bit of a love story between Nick and June, especially because of the ending of course.  In the book we only have her perspective, and obviously, she's very wary and hesitant to trust anyone in Gilead, especially a man.  This particular change might be OK, if the actor and director quit with the long pouty, possessive, hurt, soulful lingering looks from Nick.  As others have said, his pain is really not the point.

I don't have a problem with the character of Nick being in pain though, nor of us seeing that.  It's not his fault that he was born with a penis, and I do think he's both Mayday and an Eye, which is a damn risky position for anyone to be in.  If correct, he is working behind the scenes to help these women, slowly, and dangerously, and if he is in the position now of actual personal feelings for one of them, that could hinder his effectiveness as well as make his very life even more precarious.

Handled well?  It could work, and it's not a huge departure from the books.   Handled poorly, it will be a disaster.  The showrunners have been a bit spotty there, so we shall see.

Let's just hope he doesn't suggest a threesome with Moira.

[kermitmissesjim]

8 hours ago, Umbelina said:

I've watched and watched that preview, and I'm still not sure what the Aunt is actually saying before the stoning.  Anyone?

"The price of his love is sometimes high, but it must be paid."

I'm surprised we never saw Emily hanging from the wall; while I hope Putnam is the object of stoning (to see how that plays out for his wife and baby as well) I would like to know Emily's ultimate end. Could she be the one in the circle?

[Smylie1]

In the preview, right before Aunt Lydia appears, it looks like two soldiers are bringing a handmaid onto the field--look to the right edge of the screen.

It might be Emily, but I read an interview where Alexis Bledel said she could possibly come back in Season 2. Of course, that could be misdirection.

If Janine gets stoned, I may be done with the show. And I'm not a big fan of the character or usually that scared of dark plotlines.

[Becks]

I stumbled across this video with stills and a very brief synopsis of the season finale. Some very interesting photos here - why is June sporting a rather nasty cut to the forehead, and what is up with the one of her and Nick at 0:59?

 

[chocolatine]

4 minutes ago, Becks said:

I stumbled across this video with stills and a very brief synopsis of the season finale. Some very interesting photos here - why is June sporting a rather nasty cut to the forehead, and what is up with the one of her and Nick at 0:59?

In the Hulu preview, SJ smacks June so hard that June's head hits the doorframe on the opposite side.

I noticed a baby mobile in one of the preview pictures of SJ and Fred. It's possible that if Putnam was found guilty of "ruining" a successful Handmaid he was executed immediately, his wretched wife was sent to the colonies, and the Waterfords got baby Angelotte. 

[Becks]

Ah, thanks - haven't watched the preview yet. So that may explain the Nick/June pic I mentioned - she looks like she's in the same sweatshirt/smock thing she wore at the doctor's office, maybe a hospital visit due to being knocked around.

[chocolatine]

3 minutes ago, Becks said:

Ah, thanks - haven't watched the preview yet. So that may explain the Nick/June pic I mentioned - she looks like she's in the same sweatshirt/smock thing she wore at the doctor's office, maybe a hospital visit due to being knocked around.

She wore the same sweatshirt in the kitchen scene with the Mexican ambassador and the ambassador's assistant (who later in that scene told her that Luke is alive). I think it's just part of her wardrobe and she's allowed to wear it over her dress when it's chilly in the house. 

[Umbelina]

Check Out The Handmaid's Tale: Episode 10 Sneak Peek on Hulu.
(

I still can't see who they are bringing in.

Found out how to link the sneak peeks though, hit share, copy paste what comes up here.

[Becks]

9 minutes ago, chocolatine said:

She wore the same sweatshirt in the kitchen scene with the Mexican ambassador and the ambassador's assistant (who later in that scene told her that Luke is alive). I think it's just part of her wardrobe and she's allowed to wear it over her dress when it's chilly in the house. 

Did she? I don't remember it at all - can I blame it on how dark this show is most of the time? Yeah, that's what I'll do...

[Anela]

50 minutes ago, Umbelina said:

Check Out The Handmaid's Tale: Episode 10 Sneak Peek on Hulu.
(

I still can't see who they are bringing in.

Found out how to link the sneak peeks though, hit share, copy paste what comes up here.

I can't make it out, either. I hope it's the commander Warren. 

Oh, of course Serena is beating up June. :( She knows she has to do what she's told. 

[Umbelina]

It's at 00:21 if anyone has a giant screen and can look.  Anyone see a flash of red?

[Anela]

I can't tell if they're wearing a white hat/bonnet, or if that's snow on the edge of the roof. 

I really hope it isn't Janine, or Emily. 

[Umbelina]

So we get to see a Gilead style trial of one of the insiders.  I wonder if Serena Joy found lipstick on her blue coat collar?

[Becks]

I keep trying to pause the promo at the right point to see if I can make out anything about who's being led over, and the little Hulu popup keeps positioning itself right where I need to see - gah! I have a terrible feeling that the victim of the stoning will somehow be Janine - the wording of the synopsis, 'The Handmaids face a brutal decision', keeps bringing me back to her for some reason.

Over on the episode 9 thread, I made a post about how the package could be just a test, to see if June could rock being a Mayday operative. But now that I see the clip in the promo showing June opening the package with a rather strong response, I had another thought - could it be Hannah's stuffed bunny, sent as Luke's response to her note? It looks about the right size, and he still had it when he got on the boat back in episode 7. Just a thought...

14 hours ago, Umbelina said:

It's funny, but in reading and listening to the book, I always thought there was a bit of a love story between Nick and June, especially because of the ending of course.  In the book we only have her perspective, and obviously, she's very wary and hesitant to trust anyone in Gilead, especially a man.  This particular change might be OK, if the actor and director quit with the long pouty, possessive, hurt, soulful lingering looks from Nick.  As others have said, his pain is really not the point.

I don't have a problem with the character of Nick being in pain though, nor of us seeing that.  It's not his fault that he was born with a penis, and I do think he's both Mayday and an Eye, which is a damn risky position for anyone to be in.  If correct, he is working behind the scenes to help these women, slowly, and dangerously, and if he is in the position now of actual personal feelings for one of them, that could hinder his effectiveness as well as make his very life even more precarious.

Handled well?  It could work, and it's not a huge departure from the books.   Handled poorly, it will be a disaster.  The showrunners have been a bit spotty there, so we shall see.

I agree re: Book Nick and June. I think there's a lot to be read from her statement that he seemed indifferent to what she had to say, but watched her very attentively while she said it - and then in the end, his actions on her behalf really only have a couple of interpretations, the most obvious and strongest being that he loved her. I actually think the show could do something ballsy with this, beyond the typical trite love triangle. But whether the writing is up to it is anyone's guess at this point.

[AllyB]

15 hours ago, Umbelina said:

Let's just hope he doesn't suggest a threesome with Moira.

I just laughed so hard at that.

[Umbelina]

I'm so glad!  It still makes me giggle and there is nothing worse than being the only one that laughs at your own jokes.

1 hour ago, Becks said:

I keep trying to pause the promo at the right point to see if I can make out anything about who's being led over, and the little Hulu popup keeps positioning itself right where I need to see - gah! I have a terrible feeling that the victim of the stoning will somehow be Janine - the wording of the synopsis, 'The Handmaids face a brutal decision', keeps bringing me back to her for some reason.

Over on the episode 9 thread, I made a post about how the package could be just a test, to see if June could rock being a Mayday operative. But now that I see the clip in the promo showing June opening the package with a rather strong response, I had another thought - could it be Hannah's stuffed bunny, sent as Luke's response to her note? It looks about the right size, and he still had it when he got on the boat back in episode 7. Just a thought...

I agree re: Book Nick and June. I think there's a lot to be read from her statement that he seemed indifferent to what she had to say, but watched her very attentively while she said it - and then in the end, his actions on her behalf really only have a couple of interpretations, the most obvious and strongest being that he loved her. I actually think the show could do something ballsy with this, beyond the typical trite love triangle. But whether the writing is up to it is anyone's guess at this point.

Luke would be stupid enough to risk all those lives just to send a teddy bear and tell her not to open it.  Nah, not even Luke is that dumb.