S03.E04: God Bless the Child

[Deputy Deputy CoS]

Quote

June negotiates a truce in the Waterford’s fractured relationship.

Edited June 12, 2019 by Deputy Deputy CoS

[Deputy Deputy CoS]

June, their recently sex slave, negotiates a truce in the Waterford's relationship. 

Emily is the only redeeming thing left of this show 

[Brn2bwild]

"This is awkward."

Yes, seeing the wife who was forced to stay behind in Gilead as a sex slave, who had sex parts removed, and who spent months slowly dying in a toxic wasteland, yet somehow finally managed to miraculously escape after all these years, is awkward.

I get that this was never going to be a super happy reunion situation, but it seems like the wife could at least acknowledge the hell Emily has been though instead of acting as though she was seeing her again for the first time after a bad breakup.

Edited June 12, 2019 by Brn2bwild

[rideashire]

Wait, why is June pondering how she doesn't hate Fred? What the hell else would she feel for him? Then she says it's not love and I'm over here thinking...well I sure hope not, considering he raped you multiple times and tried to steal your child.

Weird. 

On another note, I feel for Emily. The fact that the show didn't tie her family life up in a bow and are allowing it to be awkward seems realistic. The adjustment is bound to be difficult, but damn I just wanted someone to cuddle her for about six months straight, I don't know. The girl needs 100 hugs, a fluffy blanket, some hot coco, (insert whatever other comfort thing you want here) and probably a lifetime of therapy. Her wife felt a little cold about it all.

Edited June 12, 2019 by rideashire

[AnswersWanted]

Okay, this whole fucking episode should have been about Emily reuniting with her family, full stop. 

None of that other bs really mattered, it was regurgitated season 2 B roll footage.

But the scenes with Em and her family, geez, their scenes ripped my heart out. Such good work from the actresses and the little boy was just perfectly innocent and precious.

I could literally feel the pain, regret, and sorrow that shrouded both women. There was so much each wanted to say but couldn't or wouldn't, not yet ready, not yet stable enough to face it all, to speak about their separation and all that came after it into existence. 

Although I will say that Ann needs all the awards as usual for her work as Aunt Lydia. Holyshit balls she is incredible.

Why couldn't Fred have choked to death on a deviled egg? 

[Deputy Deputy CoS]

16 hours ago, rideashire said:

Wait, why is June pondering how she doesn't hate Fred? What the hell else would she feel for him? Then she says it's not love and I'm over here thinking...well I sure hope not, considering he raped you multiple times and tried to steal your child.

😞

They have completely jumped the shark with June/Waterfords. They have made me hate Gilead scenes.

The dynamic has morphed from a toxic sex slave to a frighting familiarity that is sending a dangerous massage about the core of the show.

June having this kind of dynamic with the Waterfords is unacceptable. Talk about normalizing everything they stand for. I am a bit concern more critics haven't raised alarms over it. Good acting/visuals doesn't make the message they are sending acceptable 

Edited June 12, 2019 by Deputy Deputy CoS

[rideashire]

1 minute ago, Deputy Deputy CoS said:

They are completely jumped the shark with June/Waterfords. They have made me hate Gilead scenes.

The dynamic has morphed from a toxic sex slave to a frighting familiarity that is sending a dangerous massage about the core of the show.

June having this kind of dynamic with the Waterfords is unacceptable. Talk about normalizing everything they stand for. I am a bit concern more critics haven't raised alarms over it. Good acting/visuals doesn't make the message they are sending acceptable 

I feel the same, it's strange and really difficult not to tilt my head and go "wait, what?!" every time they're chatting like old friends after everything that happened. 

I can accept it easier between June and Serena because she needs her help and it makes sense that Serena might be looking for a nudge to be the hero and June is ready and willing to give it. But, it makes zero sense with Fred. I'm still shocked he apparently forgave her so easily for just stealing the baby and then returning without it. It's like she spilled some coffee instead and he waved it off. 

[AnswersWanted]

4 minutes ago, rideashire said:

Her wife felt a little cold about it all

I felt that the wife was following a script that she'd been given, probably by one of the groups who help the former handmaids reintegrate back into normal society. 

She seemed like she was trying to get everything right. Not pressing Emily's interactions with her or their son, giving her space and privacy, being overly cautious and overthinking everything. 

I think that her uncertainty and fear adds to the heartbreak factor in their scenes, because it really hits you just how much has been stolen and taken away from them.

In a way Gilead has made them strangers, they have to get to know each other again. They have to rebuild trust and openness, they have to start over again and regain their former intimacy.

[Deputy Deputy CoS]

26 minutes ago, rideashire said:

I feel the same, it's strange and really difficult not to tilt my head and go "wait, what?!" every time they're chatting like old friends after everything that happened. 

I can accept it easier between June and Serena because she needs her help and it makes sense that Serena might be looking for a nudge to be the hero and June is ready and willing to give it. But, it makes zero sense with Fred. I'm still shocked he apparently forgave her so easily for just stealing the baby and then returning without it. It's like she spilled some coffee instead and he waved it off. 

What does she need Serena's help with that only Serena can/will provide? See this is a manufactured need by the writers. Whatever Serena could provide June with, her male counterpart can. Because Fred is actually the one with any power between the two of them and he's shown more signs of willingness to catapult to June than Serena has. If it has to be either one of them, why is June not focusing her efforts on him? She will go to any lengths and here is the guy with power who've more or less declared his love for her. 

Here is why. It is because this show is exploiting the era of empowered women and they are hoping that we'll get swept up into the "YEAH Women Power!" with Serena Joy and June teaming up to bring down the evil doers of Gilead. It has worked in large part because the Serena Joy/ June pairing has gone over rather well. Regardless of the present. Not even near past because as long as she remains in Gilead and her Hannah is not with her, June continues to be their victim.

[tennisgurl]

Emily's son is so adorable with his drawings and his fossils and wanting to wait to hug Emily until she is ready! Every time we cut back to Gilead, I just wanted to go back to Emily. The dynamic with her wife is really interesting, because on the one hand you can see her wife trying to respect Emily's boundaries, not overwhelm her or push her into anything, like she has been prepped for this or read a pamphlet or something on this. But on the other hand, you would think she would come off as happier or more relived to see her, or more excited to have her wife back after probably thinking she could be dead now. I really think watching them get to know each other again could be interesting, and see Emily really trying to get back something close to a normal life. I think they need to really unpack things and everything Emily went through, but its probably too soon for that right now. 

So now June is playing marriage counselor with the Waterfords? Seriously, what the ever loving fuck?! Did the more recent writers even watch the first season and a half or so? Did they totally forget that toxic ass dynamic? So now June is so awesome that even her abusers need her to handle their shit? When does she get her superpowers? Maybe her constant glares of defiance with gain heat vision by the end of the season?

Edited June 12, 2019 by tennisgurl

[AgentRXS]

This show has jumped the shark. While the other handmaids are forced to follow the strict rules of Gilead, June gets to act like she runs the show. She gets to have private conversations with Wives and Commanders (she even gets to have a cig break with one), she can order an Aunt to stop the brutality, she can hang back and eavesdrop on Commander conversations, and now her husband has been found with her baby, and its all okie-dokie. But other Handmaids have died just for looking at an Aunt the wrong way.

I am so over this shit. I'll be watching for Emily, but I've really had enough of June, the most specialist snowflake of all of Gilead.

Edited June 12, 2019 by AgentRXS

[charmed1]

I’ve had enough of June, Rory Gilmore, and watching Luke and Moira play wet nurses to Holly/Nicole. Enough of the June/Luke flashbacks. I’d like to learn more about Rita or Aunt Lydia, or some of the other handmaids.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I rolled my eyes when all the wives seemed horrified that Aunt Lydia was beating Jeanine. These women have witnessed the ritualistic rape of handmaids every month but somehow THIS is what is unseemly? Did they think the handmaids all complied with the monthly rape out of the goodness of their hearts? How do they think the handmaids became so compliant? Do they really believe it's the result of Aunt Lydia giving the girls nonstop hugs?

And WTF, June? You don't hate Fred and your feelings for him are complicated? Is this fucking Stockholm syndrome?

Why on earth did June admit that she knew Luke when they showed her that footage of him holding Nicole at the rally? That alone implicates her in Nicole's disappearance because no one with half a brain would think it's a mere coincidence that Nicole ended up in Canada with June's husband.

And how did anyone recognize Nicole from that video? I know everyone wants to believe that their kids are special and unique but Nicole looks like every other baby. Is Gilead using facial recognition software on every baby in the world? And who would shoot that much footage of a random guy holding a baby at a protest/rally?

[Anela]

3 hours ago, Deputy Deputy CoS said:

June negotiates a truce in the Waterford’s fractured relationship.

WHAT??? This is seriously too much.

Edited June 12, 2019 by Anela

[Poohbear617]

I was really annoyed by the not hating Fred comment. I then watched the 2 minute Inside the S3E4 extra. The producer or director said that that line is in the book. They have all had trouble believing it but because it was in the book they decided to put it in . 

[Umbelina]

4 minutes ago, Poohbear617 said:

I was really annoyed by the not hating Fred comment. I then watched the 2 minute Inside the S3E4 extra. The producer or director said that that line is in the book. They have all had trouble believing it but because it was in the book they decided to put it in . 

Interesting, but honestly, book Fred hasn't done the shit to her that show thread has.  Personally, I think it would be pretty tough to get over being raped while ready to deliver a baby.

That said, Fred has been, and still could be, useful to her, so there is that.  He did let her see her Hannah, and that was huge for her.

[LordOfLotion]

OK.. the nerve of Fred standing there all repulsed at Aunt Lydia beating the crap out of Janine when he beat Serena and HAD HER FINGER CUT OFF. But Lydia takes a couple of whacks at Mad-Eye Moody and and that's going too far. 

And this show jumped the shark with June and her super powers when she negotiated Janine handing off that baby on that bridge in season one. It was all downhill from there. June is the only one who can do that stuff, and it seems like whenever the Putnams are involved, June's people powers intensify. When June is in the Putnams' house, June is all glowing and her hair is blowing around like Dark Phoenix. 

[IndyMischa]

20 minutes ago, LordOfLotion said:

OK.. the nerve of Fred standing there all repulsed at Aunt Lydia beating the crap out of Janine when he beat Serena and HAD HER FINGER CUT OFF. But Lydia takes a couple of whacks at Mad-Eye Moody and and that's going too far. 

This is perfection. 

[AnswersWanted]

June's thoughts about Fred this episode came across to me as nothing more than the writing team's desire to keep June and her rapists linked. 

She mentions her feeling during one of her voiceovers, so this opinion is meant to reflect some kind of internal conflict within her. The bullshit of it all is almost baffling. 

If she were merely trying to keep manipulating Fred for access or favors because he is a man, and he is the only sex with power in Gilead, that's one thing.

But now she isn't "sure" how she feels about her captor and rapist and friend rapist (Moira at Jezebel's) because...more reasons?

Personally I am leaning towards it being just fucking ridiculous plot driven dribble that makes no sense whatsoever, and actually proves just how off the mark the show has become. 

This show wants to keep June and the Waterford's together like the most unholy threesome.

They no longer can write out bedroom rape scenes, so now we get Fred and June conversing in a stranger's kitchen unbothered  and then Serena and June taking a smoke break out by the pool. 

Frankly this whole angle that June is working them both at the same time without any suspicion or hesitancy from the other two, it implies that Serena and Fred are either completen morons who are totally unaware of June's incredibly basic manipulations, or yet again it's Super June to the rescue, her magical powers of persuasion going to work yet again to save the day. 

Yawn.

Also, she stood up to Aunt Lydia and screamed "no!"at her during Janine's beating and...nothing happened? No cattle prod to the ribs? No getting hauled back to the center for more indepth punishment for insolence?

Oh, but of course, this is June we're talking about. She who is the oh so famous repeat offender handmaid, the one who causes the most trouble and conflict and disobedience, but I suppose even Gilead has given up on trying to keep her in line. Clearly she's "a woman on a mission".

Next time she will wrestle a guard or steal a car and everyone around her will be powerless to stop her.

I'm tired.

[rubinia]

 

 

 

11 hours ago, Deputy Deputy CoS said:

June negotiates a truce in the Waterford’s fractured relationship.

The show jumps the shark.

Fixed it for you 🙂

[nodorothyparker]

I didn't hate this one.  There were definitely some interesting ideas at play as to how the individual women are each coping with a system that "honors" them for breeding like livestock but doesn't expect them to have normal human feelings or reactions to the results of that breeding.  I also spent quite a bit of time being just baffled by how despite segregating them from the rest of the party guests nobody seemed to be keeping track of the handmaids at the afterparty from hell and how much freedom of movement June had to flit around as the only spot of red in a sea of teal dresses and black suits with seemingly no one noticing.  It's funny to me that so much of the writing about the show has lamented how much it seems to revel in torture porn or violence against women when it weirdly feels like the show itself has largely backed away from it to the point that as a Vox reviewer remarked, the sense of dread that's previously marked these quieter domestic episodes is almost entirely absent until Lydia snaps and begins wailing on poor Janine.  And even then it mostly fizzles out with a bit of tut-tutting from the onlookers who have gleefully sanctioned such cruelty in the past and seemingly no consequences at all for June putting herself in the middle of it and defying Lydia.  Maybe that's still coming, but given the direction of the show lately, probably not.

I also don't know what the show is going for in having June voiceover that she doesn't hate good old Commander Fred.  Fine, feelings are complicated things and feel what you will.  But leave it unsaid for ambiguity's sake because paired with scenes with where she was clearly probing and trying to position both him and Serena into place where she thought they might be useful to her own ends, it doesn't fit.  Serena is well placed in their society, but June astutely realizes the powerless beaten down version of Serena she's been dealing with these last episodes isn't likely to be any good to her.  June knows her well enough to know that a Serena with a purpose is one who gets shit done. 

In the end, it got her information on where Hannah goes to school, but it was almost immediately followed up with Serena remarking that Janine's outburst is why the segregation of the classes of women exists in the first place, a stark reminder that for as awful as this system is proving for all women up to and including Lydia and Serena, they still buy into it more or less.   Horrifically, there's almost a terrible sense of logic to what Serena's saying as we see here that the blurring of those boundaries to let her see or briefly hold the child she birthed isn't helping Janine at all.  Ofmatthew is worse, revealing that she's had three babies stolen by Gilead as casually as if she's discussing the weather and resolutely clinging to rules of the setup as seemingly to protect herself from feeling anything about it.  

They obviously already knew that Luke was the man on the video, but I really wish June hadn't confirmed it for them.  This now runs the danger of turning into an international kidnapping thing that looks bad for Canada because good old Commander Fred is still Nichole's legal father of record regardless of what everyone thinks they know about Gilead's handmaid setup.  I doubt that occurred to June in her obvious relief to see them okay and together, but I hope Luke has his papers in order and Canada doesn't give any ground.

The Emily scenes were really lovely with all their hesitation and restraint so as not to overwhelm her and I wish we'd gotten more of them.  The scene of such a simple thing of trying to read a book to her son after Gilead had taken that too was exquisite.

[revbfc]

First of all, I’m not crying, so stop your fucking lies.

Second, I hope Aunt Lydia’s shame shatters her.

[dmc]

Sorry but fuck Fred, when you cut off your someone’s finger or beat them they may hate you.  

[LordOfLotion]

1 hour ago, nodorothyparker said:

I didn't hate this one.  There were definitely some interesting ideas at play as to how the individual women are each coping with a system that "honors" them for breeding like livestock but doesn't expect them to have normal human feelings or reactions to the results of that breeding.  I also spent quite a bit of time being just baffled by how despite segregating them from the rest of the party guests nobody seemed to be keeping track of the handmaids at the afterparty from hell and how much freedom of movement June had to flit around as the only spot of red in a sea of teal dresses and black suits with seemingly no one noticing.  It's funny to me that so much of the writing about the show has lamented how much it seems to revel in torture porn or violence against women when it weirdly feels like the show itself has largely backed away from it to the point that as a Vox reviewer remarked, the sense of dread that's previously marked these quieter domestic episodes is almost absent until Lydia snaps and begins wailing on poor Janine.  And even then it mostly fizzles out with a bit of tut-tutting from the onlookers who have gleefully sanctioned such cruelty in the past and seemingly no consequences at all for June putting herself in the middle of it and defying Lydia.  Maybe that's still coming, but given the direction of the show lately, probably not.

I also don't know what the show is going for in having June voiceover that she doesn't hate good old Commander Fred.  Fine, feelings are complicated things and feel what you will.  But leave it unsaid for ambiguity's sake because paired with scenes with where she was clearly probing and trying to position both him and Serena into place where she thought they might be useful to her own ends, it doesn't fit.  Serena is well placed in their society, but June astutely realizes the powerless beaten down version of Serena she's been dealing with these last episodes isn't likely to be any good to her.  June knows her well enough to know that a Serena with a purpose is one who gets shit done. 

In the end, it got her information on where Hannah goes to school, but it was almost immediately followed up with Serena remarking that Janine's outburst is why the segregation of the classes of women exists in the first place, a stark reminder that for as awful as this system is proving for all women up to and including Lydia and Serena, they still buy into it more or less.   Horrifically, there's almost a terrible sense of logic to what Serena's saying as we see here that the blurring of those boundaries to let her see or briefly hold the child she birthed isn't helping Janine at all.  Ofmatthew is worse, revealing that she's had three babies stolen by Gilead as casually as if she's discussing the weather and resolutely clinging to rules of the setup as seemingly to protect herself from feeling anything about it.  

They obviously already knew that Luke was the man on the video, but I really wish June hadn't confirmed it for them.  This now runs the danger of turning into an international kidnapping thing that looks bad for Canada because good old Commander Fred is still Nichole's legal father of record regardless of what everyone thinks they know about the Gilead's handmaid setup.  I doubt that occurred to June in her obvious relief to see them okay and together, but I hope Luke has his papers in order and Canada doesn't give any ground.

The Emily scenes were really lovely with all their hesitation and restraint so as not to overwhelm her and I wish we'd gotten more of them.  The scene of such a simple thing of trying to read a book to her son after Gilead had taken that too was exquisite.

Right after the promo there's an "inside the episode." They explain that the "I don't hate him but I don't love him" line was from the book. They say that they don't understand it either but they wanted to put it in, so they did. We're on season three now, way past the end of the book at this point. There's no reason to be putting book material like that in, especially if it does not make sense. The time for this would have been sometime in season one, not after all that stuff in season two.

As for Luke, I forgot to say it in my other post, but IT IS DUMB in a general sense to be taking a baby to a rally, or any crowded public place in this world. With the birth rate being what it is, there's a high motivation for someone to kidnap your child. But on the bell curve of intelligence, Luke is walking in the valley of the damned. He even had someone try to kidnap a child of his own once before. On top of that, he knows the "lawful" parents in Gilead are important political figures who know where he lives.  So he's out there flaunting the little MacGuffin in the streets and waving at the cameras so that everyone can see them. This man has a serious brain deficit. 

[nodorothyparker]

6 minutes ago, LordOfLotion said:

Right after the promo there's an "inside the episode." They explain that the "I don't hate him but I don't love him" line was from the book. They say that they don't understand it either but they wanted to put it in, so they did. We're on season three now, way past the end of the book at this point. There's no reason to be putting book material like that in, especially if it does not make sense. The time for this would have been sometime in season one, not after all that stuff in season two.

That may be the single stupidest justification to include a line I've seen and I sat through this last nonsensical season of GOT.  Every line of dialogue should be there for a reason and they should know what that reason is.  Especially as TV Commander Fred and book Commander Fred are not really the same animal after a point.

[AnswersWanted]

9 minutes ago, LordOfLotion said:

Right after the promo there's an "inside the episode." They explain that the "I don't hate him but I don't love him" line was from the book. They say that they don't understand it either but they wanted to put it in, so they did. We're on season three now, way past the end of the book at this point. There's no reason to be putting book material like that in, especially if it does not make sense. The time for this would have been sometime in season one, not after all that stuff in season two.

...they are trolling us, straight up trolling us now, I am convinced of it. 

[DiabLOL]

How stupid is Luke to show up on TV with a "stolen" baby especially with June still in the colonies and Emily running away. Like there won't be any connection to June with all that let alone the WTF of June straight up admitting to knowing him?!?

[Baltimore Betty]

14 minutes ago, DiabLOL said:

How stupid is Luke to show up on TV with a "stolen" baby especially with June still in the colonies and Emily running away. Like there won't be any connection to June with all that let alone the WTF of June straight up admitting to knowing him?!?

I was trying to figure out that whole thing too, Luke looked like he was being filmed for family movies while a protest was going on...strange, what was that supposed to accomplish?  It would have been better if Luke had a sign with June's name on it like when the Waterfords were leaving Canada.

June now tells Commanders, Wives and Aunts how and what to do?  She reminded me of a mob consigliere from the Soprano's. I did like Lydia breaking down and suddenly realizing how horrid she is and the situation has become, it could have been a good time for a back story flash back, Lydia seems like she had a complicated life before Gilead. 

As comfortable as June is getting with SJ it could blow up in her face big time, SJ can turn on a dime and might if she can get what she wants and then June is left in the wake to fend for herself.

June continues to insert herself in to situations, like hanging out in the door ways, how is this girl not on the wall or had a hand cut off or an eye plucked out?

[Baltimore Betty]

15 hours ago, Brn2bwild said:

"This is awkward."

Yes, seeing the wife who was forced to stay behind in Gilead as a sex slave, who had sex parts removed, and who spent months slowly dying in a toxic wasteland, yet somehow finally managed to miraculously escape after all these years, is awkward.

I get that this was never going to be a super happy reunion situation, but it seems like the wife could at least acknowledge the hell Emily has been though instead of acting as though she was seeing her again for the first time after a bad breakup.

I think it is being handled pretty well, I could not imagine being in Emily's shoes and trying to get used to freedom is one thing but trying to deal with the mental and physical brutality might take a bit of time.  I hope there is some good conversation for them, both actresses are great and they make me forget about the bullshit story June is moving slowly thru.

[DiabLOL]

15 minutes ago, Baltimore Betty said:

I was trying to figure out that whole thing too, Luke looked like he was being filmed for family movies while a protest was going on...strange, what was that supposed to accomplish?  It would have been better if Luke had a sign with June's name on it like when the Waterfords were leaving Canada.

June now tells Commanders, Wives and Aunts how and what to do?  She reminded me of a mob consigliere from the Soprano's. I did like Lydia breaking down and suddenly realizing how horrid she is and the situation has become, it could have been a good time for a back story flash back, Lydia seems like she had a complicated life before Gilead. 

As comfortable as June is getting with SJ it could blow up in her face big time, SJ can turn on a dime and might if she can get what she wants and then June is left in the wake to fend for herself.

June continues to insert herself in to situations, like hanging out in the door ways, how is this girl not on the wall or had a hand cut off or an eye plucked out?

Huge YES to your entire post. It also brings me to how the hell is Janine still alive let alone allowed anywhere near her baby again???

[ElsbethTascioni]

The scene with Lydia beating up Janine made sense to me. The commanders and wives watched in horror not because they didn't know this crap was going on, but because they want to pretend everything is nice, and everyone plays their part willingly. It's no different than any other fascist who pretends that his vote or his actions don't directly cause harm to someone else. What Lydia realized was that not only was she a shitty human being, but that she sold her soul for people who want them to do their dirty work but still treat her like garbage (not that she deserves better). It's also an aspect of the whole cognitive dissonance going on with this society.

Luke is an idiot. I'm sick of June. I'm sick of this June/Serene friendship, and I'm not here for any of this Fred BS. 

Ann Dowd is brilliant, and so is Alexi Bledel. 

[AnswersWanted]

The writers just don’t give a shit anymore. 

Luke took the baby to the protest because otherwise the ending couldn’t happen, the end.

There is no other logical reason for him to have been there with the baby, zero. Plot bullshit is all it is, it’s mostly all that’s been happening so far all this season.

Common sense and character development can fuck right off for this bunch, they are going to have Luke act like an imbecile so they can make the story work the way they want to. 

June will get to slink around and play Ms. Marriage Counselor to Serena and Fred, Janine is still hanging around as batshit crazy and unstable as always.

These characters lost their validity ages ago but they cannot be done away with because they’re “mains” and therefore untouchable.

I am ready to borrow Aunt Lydia’s scooter and track down the writers. 

[kieyra]

3 hours ago, AnswersWanted said:

...they are trolling us, straight up trolling us now, I am convinced of it. 

With a male showrunner, I worry that this is literally true.

[DuckyinKy]

As if Luke's character needs an extra glass of haterade, he gets doused with it this week like he won the Superbowl. Honestly, what a douche move. His wife is still being held against her will in Gilead but he's dancing around "Baby's First Protest!" Like, c'mon douche, what are you thinking??

[jenn31]

17 hours ago, Deputy Deputy CoS said:

June, their recently sex slave, negotiates a truce in the Waterford's relationship. 

Emily is the only redeeming thing left of this show 

It’s laughable at this point. It reminds me of a skit I saw with a high powered business woman behind her desk, holding her bawling baby, while chopping carrots for dinner. Soon they’ll have June doing 3 (or more likely 10) things at once. 

[AnswersWanted]

16 minutes ago, kieyra said:

With a male showrunner, I worry that this is literally true.

This show has become the biggest middle finger, to me, in regards to the subject matter. 

Was that line supposed to be their snarky way of putting in “more of the book” like many fans have been asking or wishing for? 

It made literally no sense whatsoever to include that line at this stage, it’s insulting that they would so obviously give no fucks about any of this making sense anymore. 

11 minutes ago, jenn31 said:

It’s laughable at this point. It reminds me of a skit I saw with a high powered business woman behind her desk, holding her bawling baby, while chopping carrots for dinner. Soon they’ll have June doing 3 (or more likely 10) things at once. 

Well...we can assume that she and Nick did the nasty before he got sent off so there is a chance there’s another bun growing in her oven.

The new baby might propel her to super invincible status, she might even learn how to juggle and knit booby traps. 

Honestly at this point if June doesn’t hand deliver every single man, woman, and child currently trapped in Gilead to safety using Aunt Lydia’s scooter and cattle prod I will call shenanigans. 

[Baltimore Betty]

Seems that we are all on the same page with our opinions of the sham of a season thus far. 

I won't stop watching but it may be hate watching now.

[Andyourlittledog2]

The pithy little one liners June throws out in her narratives make me want to punch her in the face. I am so sick of them.

On a side note, the constant whispering for dramatic effect to set the mood of the show makes me crazy. I have to turn the sound up ridiculously high to just hear 99% of anything anyone says on this show. Something as normal as 'pass the milk, would you?' is said with breathless whispers as though it were a secret tryst they were trying to hide. And they all do it. It is either some new acting posture or the director is making them all do it but I want to strangle them for it.  Talk like a person, dammit.  /end rant

[kittykat]

Welp, June's Ye Olde Plote Armour is stronger than ever.  Probably not even going to lose an eye (not that I condone such punishments but it happened to Ofglen 2) and Janine is going to be fast tracked to the wall.  Sigh.  I am expecting no consequences doled out for June, why do the writers think it is a good idea for her to just futz around the whole house and no one cares?  All in the name of defiance?  Can she please just grab Hannah and get the hell out of Gilead so we can focus on a new handmaid?  I want to learn more about OfMatthew the salty, pious one.  Is she a true believer Eden status?  Or is she playing a smarter long game than June?  I'm glad, unlike the other handmaids, that she's not buying June's holier-than-thou attitude.

Aunt Lydia and Janine was just brutal.  When Janine got tons of screentime and a sunny demeanor I knew it wasn't ending well.

For once in her life Naomi Putnam wasn't the coldest person in the room.  She even seemed to kind of like the kid this time.

I am so over Serena and her "make us think she is going to do the right thing until she doesn't" routine.   Cancel the Waterfords, back to the Lawrences please.

For all the ways June pisses me off I didn't blame her for correctly identifying Luke.  She knows too well that when Eyes/Angels come around that they already know their answer and are testing their subject to see if they lie.  But there seems to be this formula with each episode this season that June gets herself in trouble, almost learns lesson, gets final scene confirmation that her stinky attitude is worth it, lather rinse repeat.  This is getting old!

That being said, Emily's bittersweet scenes saved the episode from being a total clunker.

[rubinia]

2 hours ago, Baltimore Betty said:

As comfortable as June is getting with SJ it could blow up in her face big time, SJ can turn on a dime and might if she can get what she wants and then June is left in the wake to fend for herself.

How many times in the past seasons has June gotten close to Serena only to be “surprised” when Serena turns on a dime and treats June cruelly again?

Agree that we need more of Lydia’s backstory.

[ferjy]

18 hours ago, AnswersWanted said:

I felt that the wife was following a script that she'd been given, probably by one of the groups who help the former handmaids reintegrate back into normal society. 

She seemed like she was trying to get everything right. Not pressing Emily's interactions with her or their son, giving her space and privacy, being overly cautious and overthinking everything. 

I think that her uncertainty and fear adds to the heartbreak factor in their scenes, because it really hits you just how much has been stolen and taken away from them.

In a way Gilead has made them strangers, they have to get to know each other again. They have to rebuild trust and openness, they have to start over again and regain their former intimacy.

That’s what I gathered from it too. I didn’t think the wife was cold. I think it was superbly played. Not overly dramatic Hollywood-style. In that sense it was even more emotional.

[ferjy]

17 hours ago, AgentRXS said:

This show has jumped the shark. While the other handmaids are forced to follow the strict rules of Gilead, June gets to act like she runs the show. She gets to have private conversations with Wives and Commanders (she even gets to have a cig break with one), she can order an Aunt to stop the brutality, she can hang back and eavesdrop on Commander conversations, and now her husband has been found with her baby, and its all okie-dokie. But other Handmaids have died just for looking at an Aunt the wrong way.

I am so over this shit. I'll be watching for Emily, but I've really had enough of June, the most specialist snowflake of all of Gilead.

I was shaking my head so much at that scene, I have whiplash. Why not just go out partying on the town together?

[ferjy]

3 hours ago, DiabLOL said:

How stupid is Luke to show up on TV with a "stolen" baby especially with June still in the colonies and Emily running away. Like there won't be any connection to June with all that let alone the WTF of June straight up admitting to knowing him?!?

Honestly, what are these writers smoking?

[ferjy]

5 hours ago, LordOfLotion said:

Right after the promo there's an "inside the episode." They explain that the "I don't hate him but I don't love him" line was from the book. They say that they don't understand it either but they wanted to put it in, so they did. We're on season three now, way past the end of the book at this point. There's no reason to be putting book material like that in, especially if it does not make sense. The time for this would have been sometime in season one, not after all that stuff in season two.

As for Luke, I forgot to say it in my other post, but IT IS DUMB in a general sense to be taking a baby to a rally, or any crowded public place in this world. With the birth rate being what it is, there's a high motivation for someone to kidnap your child. But on the bell curve of intelligence, Luke is walking in the valley of the damned. He even had someone try to kidnap a child of his own once before. On top of that, he knows the "lawful" parents in Gilead are important political figures who know where he lives.  So he's out there flaunting the little MacGuffin in the streets and waving at the cameras so that everyone can see them. This man has a serious brain deficit. 

Of all the material to use as a tribute to Margaret Atwood, that is the line they choose?? One they can’t decipher to boot! Lord give me strength.

[ferjy]

2 hours ago, AnswersWanted said:

The writers just don’t give a shit anymore. 

Luke took the baby to the protest because otherwise the ending couldn’t happen, the end.

There is no other logical reason for him to have been there with the baby, zero. Plot bullshit is all it is, it’s mostly all that’s been happening so far all this season.

Common sense and character development can fuck right off for this bunch, they are going to have Luke act like an imbecile so they can make the story work the way they want to. 

June will get to slink around and play Ms. Marriage Counselor to Serena and Fred, Janine is still hanging around as batshit crazy and unstable as always.

These characters lost their validity ages ago but they cannot be done away with because they’re “mains” and therefore untouchable.

I am ready to borrow Aunt Lydia’s scooter and track down the writers. 

Can we come with you? I snitched Aunt Lydia’s cattle prod.

[ferjy]

44 minutes ago, kittykat said:

Welp, June's Ye Olde Plote Armour is stronger than ever.  Probably not even going to lose an eye (not that I condone such punishments but it happened to Ofglen 2) and Janine is going to be fast tracked to the wall.  Sigh.  I am expecting no consequences doled out for June, why do the writers think it is a good idea for her to just futz around the whole house and no one cares?  All in the name of defiance?  Can she please just grab Hannah and get the hell out of Gilead so we can focus on a new handmaid?  I want to learn more about OfMatthew the salty, pious one.  Is she a true believer Eden status?  Or is she playing a smarter long game than June?  I'm glad, unlike the other handmaids, that she's not buying June's holier-than-thou attitude.

Aunt Lydia and Janine was just brutal.  When Janine got tons of screentime and a sunny demeanor I knew it wasn't ending well.

For once in her life Naomi Putnam wasn't the coldest person in the room.  She even seemed to kind of like the kid this time.

I am so over Serena and her "make us think she is going to do the right thing until she doesn't" routine.   Cancel the Waterfords, back to the Lawrences please.

For all the ways June pisses me off I didn't blame her for correctly identifying Luke.  She knows too well that when Eyes/Angels come around that they already know their answer and are testing their subject to see if they lie.  But there seems to be this formula with each episode this season that June gets herself in trouble, almost learns lesson, gets final scene confirmation that her stinky attitude is worth it, lather rinse repeat.  This is getting old!

That being said, Emily's bittersweet scenes saved the episode from being a total clunker.

It was certainly the smart thing to do. Which is why I'm surprised June did it. 😀

[ferjy]

3 hours ago, Baltimore Betty said:

I was trying to figure out that whole thing too, Luke looked like he was being filmed for family movies while a protest was going on...strange, what was that supposed to accomplish?  It would have been better if Luke had a sign with June's name on it like when the Waterfords were leaving Canada.

June now tells Commanders, Wives and Aunts how and what to do?  She reminded me of a mob consigliere from the Soprano's. I did like Lydia breaking down and suddenly realizing how horrid she is and the situation has become, it could have been a good time for a back story flash back, Lydia seems like she had a complicated life before Gilead. 

As comfortable as June is getting with SJ it could blow up in her face big time, SJ can turn on a dime and might if she can get what she wants and then June is left in the wake to fend for herself.

June continues to insert herself in to situations, like hanging out in the door ways, how is this girl not on the wall or had a hand cut off or an eye plucked out?

Someone remind me, did we see a flashback to Aunt Lydia's life pre-Gilead in a previous season? I seem to remember  her in regular street clothes, but I might be mixing it up with Ann Dowd in The Leftovers.

[kittykat]

2 hours ago, ferjy said:

Someone remind me, did we see a flashback to Aunt Lydia's life pre-Gilead in a previous season? I seem to remember  her in regular street clothes, but I might be mixing it up with Ann Dowd in The Leftovers.

No. We have had pre Gilead flashback episodes with June, Luke, Moira, Emily, Nick and the Waterfords but not Aunt Lydia.  I really want that backstory.

[BrindaWalsh]

So I know the answer to this question is "no, never," and for all of the obvious reasons, but can we please get one happy reunion? Just one?

If I can suspend common sense and accept that June is still alive, I can also suspend common sense and accept a happy reunion.  Really, I'm okay with it, just for an episode or 2.

[ferjy]

1 hour ago, kittykat said:

No. We have had pre Gilead flashback episodes with June, Luke, Moira, Emily, Nick and the Waterfords but not Aunt Lydia.  I really want that backstory.

Thanks. It looks like they’re leading up to it. That crying was probably a sign of more to come with Lydia. 

Edited June 13, 2019 by ferjy
Don’t want the Grammar Police after me.