The Handmaid's Tale (2017)

The Handmaid’s Tale (2017) is a dark, tightly wound dystopian drama that follows June Osborne—renamed Offred—after a theocratic, authoritarian regime called Gilead seizes control of what was the United States. In response to a global fertility collapse, the state strips women of rights and forces the few fertile women into sexual servitude as “handmaids,” assigning them to bear children for elite, childless officials. Separated from her husband and daughter, June must navigate daily humiliation, brutality, and the constant threat of punishment while trying to survive and find a way to reclaim her family. Watching the series feels intense and immersive: expect a slow-burning, suspenseful narrative with frequent emotional payoffs, bleak and haunting imagery, and moments of raw, gutting performance. The show emphasizes atmosphere and moral complexity—power, resistance, complicity, and the cost of survival—so viewers will likely feel anger, sorrow, tension, and empathy as June’s story unfolds. The tone is often oppressive and unsettling, with occasional flashes of hope and defiance that drive the series forward. The Handmaid’s Tale is both a personal story of one woman’s struggle to protect what she loves and a broader political allegory about fanaticism, patriarchy, and the erosion of civil liberties. It’s powerful and sometimes difficult to watch; viewers should be prepared for mature, disturbing subject matter and emotionally charged scenes. For those who can handle its intensity, the series delivers a provocative, thought-provoking experience that lingers long after the episode ends.

Actors: Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, Joseph Fiennes

Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller

8.4 /10 8.4 /10