A lot of ppl have been saying Ann's acting in this scene was overacting but it's perfect. This is how people react in real life. Even from s1 we can always see Aunt Lydia had a soft spot for Janine, and when you've been holding in your emotions for so long it all comes out in gasps for air and cries. Her acting was perfect and realistic.
It seems too much because it’s not how Aunt Lydia usually behaves… but that’s what makes it so powerful. It’s as of this is the first time we have seen her without her armour. Ann Dowd is an amazing actor.
@@kitm141 I agree! When I first saw it I was in shock cuz we are so used to them stone face and strict. To see her wall crumble and reveal how she is was amazing
I feel like in her own twisted way she actually DOES care about the girls and for some reason actually believes in the system. She has some sort of blind faith in it. But I think she took Esther’s assault especially hard like it was a wake up call to the cruelty of what these girls go through. As correct me if I’m wrong but Esther would be the youngest handmaiden they had had right? Ergo she hadn’t been tainted by the previous world order- before Gilead was formed. She was “truly innocent”. So I THINK it’s different seeing an adult woman who had been “promiscuous” before Gilead go through those things as opposed to Esther who was just a child still technically. So it’s like having it happen to a child made it real as opposed to a grown woman who was “impure” before Gilead. I forget exactly why they make some women handmaidens and others wives. I thought handmaidens were women who were fertile but were unmarried or living “in sin” by not being married and living together or having kids with their bfs or by being gay. Basically women who weren’t married to a man and was fertile and was considered promiscuous.
She’s by far the most complex character on this show. As the seasons have played out it’s become clear she believes she’s genuinely trying to protect people she cares about, while serving a regime she knows deep down is monstrous and wants people to survive in by abiding by their rules… … but I think after this season she’s finally done with that.
You rarely see someone in a movie or tv show realistically crying,but damn feels so real. Deepest respect for this actress. Although she acts like a monster most of the time, she shows some humanity here.
Here we see the creative genius of Ann Dowd. Through great acting we see a character arc that has reached apogee. Empathy for Aunt Lydia would have seemed impossible in the first seasons. Now, some in audience are left to wonder. Will she truly redeem her sins?
Straight up, Ann Dowd, Madeline Brewer and Mckenna Grace are the best things about this new series. I'm engaged with Aunt Lydia's redemption arc in ways that I'm just not that bothered with June and Serena's psychodrama (big respect to Elisabeth Moss and Yvonne Strahovski, though).
this is literally one of the few scenes ever (from a movie or show) that I've sought out to re-watch merely because of the acting... the sobbing, the stuttering, the fists, the moving back and forth ... she left me speechless. I love this scene. I can FEEL how much her chest aches during this scene.
@@michalvozarik3176 what are you blabbering?? I’ve read the original novel and watched the series, there are too many huge plot changes from the Novel, there is no guarantee they will follow it for the sequel….so what the heck does googling have to do with it
I knew that the only thing that could break Aunt Lydia would be something happening to Janine. Watching her react like this This made me so emotional. 🚨‼️SPOILER ALERT‼️ 🚨When I first read the sequel book . I wondered what could’ve changed her and I thought to myself, “Janine”. Something happened that made her see things differently. And although there was no real relationship between Lydia and Janine in book 1, I figured they would use this to spin off of when going into the New series after this show ends next season. But book 2 doesn’t tell you what happened that made such a shift in aunt Lydia’s consciousness.
It is this scene where I started to believe Aunt Lydia is turning towards the other side and finally starts to understand what she's part off. I think Esther gave her the last poke. She must have remembered all the things Emily and Janine told her about how bad the pace is for them. This is why I think in season six she will have a big part together with Lawrance and Nick bringing Gilead down from the inside out. At the same time June ans Serena will fight together from the outside, with their orhter allies. I can't wait and I hope so much not to be dissapointed.
What wonderful acting. Her emotions seem so real. She plays a sniveling, cruel, petty, self-delusional villain so well. She just can't face that she burned, gouged, mutilated, whipped, stoned, violated and humiliated those women because she likes power.
@@letolethe3344 That's exactly my point. Hence the "🙃". Lydia truly believes that she loves Janine and is keeping her safe. I have to be honest and say I'm not precisely sure that's untrue. Left to her own devices Janine would have been dead long ago. BUT, medicine can be both toxic and life saving.
Spoiler Alert Aunt Lydia it is you're fault and you're responsible for hurting Esther and Janine you abuse the handmaid's harshly and swiftly you are horrible you better turn things around Aunt Lydia I hope OfMathew's son's are safe as well 🧒🏾🧒🏾🧒🏾🧒🏾 I hope they are great 100% and supporting Gilead by separating Ryan from his mother is payback and lies haunt you 100% she dated married men but that is never a good reason to punish a mother for having sex with men infidelity was a crime long ago and is pardoned by God and Jesus forgive and forget transgressions and love no matter what God judges not us true words
@@eden20111 It's pretty good! It takes place fifteen years in the future. The three main characters are Hannah/Agnes, Nichole(who goes by Daisy), and most surprisingly, Aunt Lydia. In the book Agnes becomes an Aunt to avoid getting married.
I hate this so much. I just refuse to give in to the writers' attempts at making Aunt Lydia seem like anything but a monster just because they are keen to keep Ann Dowd in the show. I refuse to forgive this character for all the monstrous things she has done and condoned.
There is NO redemption for this character and she really loves being sadistic. She knows that Esther's ancient Commander husband initiated having his friends r*pe her when she was already his proper wife. That definitely caused mental illness in Esther. Lydia hit unconscious Ester but she and the Commanders are to blame for their part in making her mind deteriorate to such a point.
A grande dame of the state begs god to not take the life of a prisoner. Beautiful writing and powerful performance from Dowd. It’s like something out of an opera.
A lot of ppl have been saying Ann's acting in this scene was overacting but it's perfect. This is how people react in real life. Even from s1 we can always see Aunt Lydia had a soft spot for Janine, and when you've been holding in your emotions for so long it all comes out in gasps for air and cries. Her acting was perfect and realistic.
It seems too much because it’s not how Aunt Lydia usually behaves… but that’s what makes it so powerful. It’s as of this is the first time we have seen her without her armour. Ann Dowd is an amazing actor.
@@kitm141 I agree! When I first saw it I was in shock cuz we are so used to them stone face and strict. To see her wall crumble and reveal how she is was amazing
Totally agree!
I agree, have you never cried like this yourself? I have, I have cried exactly like this, brilliant acting 😮
@@Parttimetravellingmanc I have too and it really felt real and raw. Beautiful acting.
Ann Dowd KILLED it this scene. She needs another Emmy!
Even knowing how monstrous Lydia is, it’s hard not to get emotional watching this. Incredible performance.
I feel like in her own twisted way she actually DOES care about the girls and for some reason actually believes in the system. She has some sort of blind faith in it.
But I think she took Esther’s assault especially hard like it was a wake up call to the cruelty of what these girls go through. As correct me if I’m wrong but Esther would be the youngest handmaiden they had had right? Ergo she hadn’t been tainted by the previous world order- before Gilead was formed. She was “truly innocent”. So I THINK it’s different seeing an adult woman who had been “promiscuous” before Gilead go through those things as opposed to Esther who was just a child still technically.
So it’s like having it happen to a child made it real as opposed to a grown woman who was “impure” before Gilead. I forget exactly why they make some women handmaidens and others wives. I thought handmaidens were women who were fertile but were unmarried or living “in sin” by not being married and living together or having kids with their bfs or by being gay. Basically women who weren’t married to a man and was fertile and was considered promiscuous.
She’s by far the most complex character on this show. As the seasons have played out it’s become clear she believes she’s genuinely trying to protect people she cares about, while serving a regime she knows deep down is monstrous and wants people to survive in by abiding by their rules… … but I think after this season she’s finally done with that.
You rarely see someone in a movie or tv show realistically crying,but damn feels so real. Deepest respect for this actress. Although she acts like a monster most of the time, she shows some humanity here.
VERY powerful performance by Ann Dowd as Aunt Lydia !!
Here we see the creative genius of Ann Dowd. Through great acting we see a character arc that has reached apogee. Empathy for Aunt Lydia would have seemed impossible in the first seasons. Now, some in audience are left to wonder. Will she truly redeem her sins?
She will if they follow The Testaments.
Straight up, Ann Dowd, Madeline Brewer and Mckenna Grace are the best things about this new series. I'm engaged with Aunt Lydia's redemption arc in ways that I'm just not that bothered with June and Serena's psychodrama (big respect to Elisabeth Moss and Yvonne Strahovski, though).
this is literally one of the few scenes ever (from a movie or show) that I've sought out to re-watch merely because of the acting... the sobbing, the stuttering, the fists, the moving back and forth ... she left me speechless. I love this scene. I can FEEL how much her chest aches during this scene.
God knows Janine doesn’t deserve Gilead.
Janine didn't deserve to have a lot things happen to her, Lydia...
But Ann's performance is phenomenal.
I wonder if this is going to be the turning point for setting her up for the Testaments.
Aunt Lydia is unredeemable…there is no guarantee they will follow the Testaments at all. The original novel differed hugely from the series
@@krislv9219 she is redeemable and the Testaments show has been confirmed
@@michalvozarik3176 there is absolutely no guarantee they will follow the Testaments, they differed with the first book in many ways, many key ways
@@krislv9219 u know that google is free, right?
@@michalvozarik3176 what are you blabbering?? I’ve read the original novel and watched the series, there are too many huge plot changes from the Novel, there is no guarantee they will follow it for the sequel….so what the heck does googling have to do with it
I knew that the only thing that could break Aunt Lydia would be something happening to Janine. Watching her react like this This made me so emotional.
🚨‼️SPOILER ALERT‼️ 🚨When I first read the sequel book . I wondered what could’ve changed her and I thought to myself, “Janine”. Something happened that made her see things differently. And although there was no real relationship between Lydia and Janine in book 1, I figured they would use this to spin off of when going into the New series after this show ends next season. But book 2 doesn’t tell you what happened that made such a shift in aunt Lydia’s consciousness.
act to Aunt Lydia, deserve to an the Oscar, perfectly movement
It is this scene where I started to believe Aunt Lydia is turning towards the other side and finally starts to understand what she's part off. I think Esther gave her the last poke. She must have remembered all the things Emily and Janine told her about how bad the pace is for them. This is why I think in season six she will have a big part together with Lawrance and Nick bringing Gilead down from the inside out. At the same time June ans Serena will fight together from the outside, with their orhter allies. I can't wait and I hope so much not to be dissapointed.
Give her oscar please!
Now it's like aunt Lydia see Jannie as her own daughter
What wonderful acting. Her emotions seem so real. She plays a sniveling, cruel, petty, self-delusional villain so well. She just can't face that she burned, gouged, mutilated, whipped, stoned, violated and humiliated those women because she likes power.
When Lydia begged and Janine woke up she had to keep her promise to the God she prayed too.
That's the brilliance of Ann Dowd, she can play such a vile character. Then there are these pitch perfect moments where she's disturbingly human.
Wow she is a great actrices ❤️🔥
I think that this scene is when Aunt Lydia finally opens her eyes
She beat Janine the most because she loved her the most.🙃
And this is sadly, tragically, toxically, incredibly true in real life too.
That's not love. That's enjoyment of possession and power over someone; it's love of control; obsession or even possibly hidden lust. But not love.
@@letolethe3344 That's exactly my point. Hence the "🙃".
Lydia truly believes that she loves Janine and is keeping her safe.
I have to be honest and say I'm not precisely sure that's untrue.
Left to her own devices Janine would have been dead long ago.
BUT, medicine can be both toxic and life saving.
Spoiler Alert Aunt Lydia it is you're fault and you're responsible for hurting Esther and Janine you abuse the handmaid's harshly and swiftly you are horrible you better turn things around Aunt Lydia I hope OfMathew's son's are safe as well 🧒🏾🧒🏾🧒🏾🧒🏾 I hope they are great 100% and supporting Gilead by separating Ryan from his mother is payback and lies haunt you 100% she dated married men but that is never a good reason to punish a mother for having sex with men infidelity was a crime long ago and is pardoned by God and Jesus forgive and forget transgressions and love no matter what God judges not us true words
Exactly
I always felt that jeaine was aunt lydia's favorite, even tho she was mean to her sometimes. Aunt lydia always had a soft spot for her.
She was always so hard on Janine at times I think because Janine was her weakness and she couldn't stand being faced with it.
I loved this
Will this scene lead up to the Lydia that we see in The Testaments?
What testaments?
@@eden20111 The sequel to The Handmaid's Tale is called The Testaments.
@@mariakai I honestly didn’t know there was a sequel to the book lol
@@eden20111 It's pretty good! It takes place fifteen years in the future. The three main characters are Hannah/Agnes, Nichole(who goes by Daisy), and most surprisingly, Aunt Lydia. In the book Agnes becomes an Aunt to avoid getting married.
There is no guarantee they will follow the Testaments. They differed hugely with the original book as well
The last cry of a desperate soul. But she had gone too far.
What happened?
So she survived after all
I hate this so much. I just refuse to give in to the writers' attempts at making Aunt Lydia seem like anything but a monster just because they are keen to keep Ann Dowd in the show. I refuse to forgive this character for all the monstrous things she has done and condoned.
There is NO redemption for this character and she really loves being sadistic.
She knows that Esther's ancient Commander husband initiated having his friends r*pe her when she was already his proper wife. That definitely caused mental illness in Esther. Lydia hit unconscious Ester but she and the Commanders are to blame for their part in making her mind deteriorate to such a point.
Right!!
i don't see it as a redeeming, its lydia trying to delude herself into thinking she's a good person
Read The Testaments.
@@terrib627 no
I wanted aunt Lydia gone when she was stabbed in the back. Why are the writers keeping her!
Because she is critical to the follow up series, The Testaments.
Because she is interpreted by an awesome actress
A grande dame of the state begs god to not take the life of a prisoner. Beautiful writing and powerful performance from Dowd. It’s like something out of an opera.