The ones I didn’t know about was the purpose of the boot covers, and the nod to female genitalia in the design of their clothes/uniforms... lol I’ve done WAAAAY to much background research on this show 😅
@Shy'mFan2007 I believe that it was stated in the book that red is highly visible to most people and could be used to recognize any Handmaids who try to escape.
Atwood said that every aspect of Gilead was something that existed in reality at one time or another. Her biggest influences were the Iranian revolution, Nazi Germany, and the Soviet Union. You can really see that come through in the show too. The female citizens being forced to dress modestly and having no voting rights (Iranian revolution), the Aunts look very similar to "brown shirts"/Sturmabteilung as well as the hatred for Judaism and Catholicism which was prevalent in Nazi Germany, and the "colonies" share many similarities to the gulags/forced labor camps of communist countries/the Soviet Union. That's why there's long been a debate if Atwood's novel is a critique on fascism, communism, white supremacy, etc. Honestly, I see it as a critique on authoritarianism, regardless of politics. Radical regimes never end well, regardless if it's left or right.
Here's what I'd like to know. Has anyone here wondered why they gave this dystopian country within a country the name "Gilead"? The company that owns Pfizer is named "Gilead". In light of the science fiction novel we've been living in for the past two years I wonder if that's just a coincidence. Get back to me if you have a chance to read it before it's wiped. Oh, with regard to aunt Lydia, I'd like to take her face off with a cheese grater. Dowd is fantastic in that role, almost too good if you catch my drift.
@@Mike-yg8ig Gilead is the location in the bible that Jacob travels to. It’s considered a ‘fertile’ place and as its Jacobs last location where he met with Laban, and the church in Handmaids tale is called the ‘sons of Jacob’ that’s probably why Attwood chose it.
One of the best series I've ever seen in my whole life. Very intensive, deep and breathtaking. There was no one single moment of boredom, so much unexpected turns. You can't look away. This chilly and icy atmosphere in every minute. I hope they make more parts than only the three ones.
@@SB-vt4uw Season 4 is awesome. They were starting to lose me at the end of S3, it's a hell of a thing to become desensitized to, but S4 expands everything substantially.
@@furiousapplesack Handmaids Tale is LITERALLY (sometimes word for word) the Future Atheist-TH-camrs wanna prevent. Its a Theocracy, which real Americans really and for real request right-now. The Show even literally says the Bad-Guys replaced the Constitution with the 10 Commandments. Am i the only one who recognizes this to be an actual Thing that COnservatvies in fact fight for and that A-Channel fight-back against?
The attention to detail created a sense of horror I've never felt in any other dramatic series. The Handmaid's Tale is terrifying because it so easily come true here in the West, in the same way freedom for women and men in Iran was destroyed by conservative Islamic theology coupled with an old man's fear of the female.
Well, you don't have to worry about that anymore. It now has an old man and a vice president who will unite all strong, powerful, independent women under the equality, poverty and oppression that comes with communism. Congratulations.
@@remc0s Thank you. We're very pleased with the election results AND the knowledge that Trump will be gone in less than a week. Sounds like someone feels that his Natural White Christian Male Superiority is no longer part of the dynamic. Poor lil' snowflake.
@@krisaaron5771 Snowflakes are liberals by default, and i am not even remotely religious. You sound like a very prejudiced, hateful and intolerant person. And did you just assume my gender?
@@remc0s "...prejudiced, hateful and intolerant" -- if you say so. But I'm not crying like a little bitch because my actions on January 6th got my ass put on the no-fly list! th-cam.com/video/4-EUOw9_IUg/w-d-xo.html
When America finally devolves into this type of dystopia, I will be on the wall. I couldn't even do blue eye/brown eye in high school. I'm too stubborn to be pushed around. I only pray that my children and grandchildren get out first, r that we are all long gone before it happens. And I truly believe that life imitates art and there are pockets of people who are thinking of doing this right now.
@@dvh3113 As a man, I have to say I grew substantially as a person watching it and wept many times. And almost every woman I know has told me about abuses. Right-wing evangelical types want that world and the scene where they overtake congress is way too reminiscent of january 6th. I would be proud to be on the wall.
As someone who has done years of costume design, let me tell you, this insane attention to detail is like, obsessively indicative of someone who lives and breathes cloth haha. The content of this show is painful. But I love to pause it and delve into the stiches and textures of the costumes.
@@athairn I think the TV Lydia doesn’t really sync up with book Lydia 100% though. Her flashbacks on the show showed her getting swept up in the fundamentalist tide, turning into a true believer. It’s been a while since I read The Testaments so I’m fuzzy on small details but I don’t think they’re quite the same person. I absolutely love that version of Lydia though. I think it’s a bit of a love letter to Ann Dowd’s performance. If you go back and read the first book, Lydia’s scenes read like a novelization. That’s how amazing Dowd’s performance was, these incredibly specific, poetic descriptions of her demeanor, her facial expressions... you could tell someone the show came first and they’d believe it. So I kinda felt that Atwood was in turn inspired by that performance and specifically had Dowd in mind when she wrote The Testaments.
I was late coming to this show … didn’t have Hulu 🤷♀️ But I’ve caught up and can hardly wait for the Season 6, Final. This has brought ALL the feels: Terror, Anger, Tears, Laughter & a heaping helping of Anxiety ! My God, could this really happen? I’m scared the answer is “yes”
After watching nearly every show on Netflix I decided to give this show a shot. It’s so good I ended up watching all 3 1/2 seasons in a little over 2 days. Can’t wait for Wednesday
I did that. I got all 5 seasons on DVD and was staying up until 4am watching, almost every night until season 5 finished. Fortunately it was a vacation week so I could sleep until noon....only to watch more until 4am again 😀
No mirror in her room was also practical in that Handmaiden’s couldn’t shatter it and use shards to slit their wrists or necks. Pretty sure that’s in the book as well.
This show has changed my life and made me a stronger woman. I will teach my daughters to be loud, to stand with oppressed minorities, to choose partners who know and display that women are equal.
tbh there's plenty of ways for handmaid and really any woman in gillead to take herself out. there's glass windows, bottles, cutlery, you can jump off high places like Janine did, you can drown yourself in a bathtub of you're really desperate. so shoelaces probably wouldn't matter much. but the psychological pressure of your means of control being taken away on such a mundane level is very true
Season 1 states that the windows are shatterless, and, in the books at least, handmaids are not allowed access to knives. The windows dont open fully to prevent jumping out, and handmaid's are not allowed out unsupervised, so jumping off a bridge isn't that easy.
@@dvh3113 physically, yes, but for most people the brain refuses to allow that. People have the physical ability to bite a finger off, but most people can't even bite their own finger and draw blood.
If you read The Testaments, Atwood's sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, you can see that Lydia is NOT a sadist, she was abused and trafficked like every woman in Gilead.
Hadn't read The Testaments yet… on my list. But I knew Aunt Lydia was not a sadist. She's got anger issues, for sure, stemming from her own oppression. Takes a guy to label a woman with something negative… that way he avoids discussing her humanity.
Abused yes. But not trafficked to the degree that the other women were. She manages to hold on to some semblance of power by agreeing to help traffick other women.
@@candicefrost4561 All of the women in Gilead were trafficked (however, in the case of the Wives, it's a bit more fuzzy). They were violently removed from their communities, isolated, and forced by threat of violence to perform some function to the men in Gilead. Each class of women had different roles which allowed the sons of Gilead to exploit them for specific purposes (sex/children, cooking/cleaning, maintaining order, etc). There are multiple forms of trafficking -- Sex trafficking, labour trafficking, trafficking for criminal exploitation. I would say the Aunts were absolutely trafficked just like the Handmaids, just to perform different roles. She only reaches for the power you refer to in order to survive.
@Shy'mFan2007 I second this, I loved The Testaments. Aunt Lydia's back story was fascinating and I actually felt a little empathy for her towards the end which I didn't think was possible
@@beth6717 I’ve always found her character conflicting. I genuinely think she believes in what’s she’s doing is holy and right, and I believe she does care about the girls to an extent, but she’s also fucked up and nuts.
There's a drawing of a woman & child to the left of the door in Serena's bedroom or the nursery; it was drawn by Kathy Kollwitz (? I think that's her last name, & she was German ?). She's famous for her drawings of women & children together - with simple sweeps of charcoal, she expresses the intimacy between woman & child, mother & child, grandmother & child - she offers a vision of what life is from that point of view. Beautiful choice, but twisted, too, as Serena let her desire for a child warp her so much that she stopped caring about ANYTHING else. Maybe she never did...
I don't think Aunt Lydia is a sadist. Women in Gilead had little to no power, and a very limited range of duties - Wives to watch over the household and be mothers, Handmaids to give children, Marthas to cook and clean and Aunts to watch over the Handmaids and keep them in line. As Atwood said in her book, women were expected to know their place. In such a totalitarian and harsh reality where women were some sort of lower citizens, they wanted to feel needed and important in some way. It's a bit like the meme "you had one job". When you screw that up, it feels like you are useless and torn apart. Lydia wanted to carry her mission in Gilead as an Aunt, and we can see how determined she is to do so. When her authority fell down in the eyes of society, she feels endangered and loses herself - it could be the fear of consequences for not being able to fulfill her duties too. We see in season two (in her life before Gilead) that she is not heartless and cold. In season five she cries over Janine, prays to God and asks for forgiveness for her mistakes. The lack of love and loneliness brings out an evil person in her, who contributes to little Ryan being taken away from his mother. Gilead makes you insane, it takes away all your humanity. It made Lydia as she was expected to be seen.
This is one of the few creations that captivated my attention from the beginning. Great cast, wonderful performances from all of them. No, the details I did not notice but I do appreciate you for bringing them to light. I will, definitely, binge on this program, again. Great day to everyone.
As a gun enthusiast I can tell they actually paid attention to detail pretty well. I only noticed a few faux pas like 1 rifle with no sights and a pistol that magically reloaded.
One of the major things everyone misses is the Handmaid's names. It's not 'OFF-red', it's OF-Fred. She belongs to whatever Commander is using her at any given time. That's absolutely critical to understanding Atwood's work. OF-Warren, OF-Jim Bob, OF-Kyle, OF-Tom, OF-Dick, OF-Harry. The Handmaids are vessels, slaves, subhumans, rentals, if you will. They get three chances, then it's off to the Colonies. And Her name isn't June. Also, there are no POCs in Gilead. I love Samira and Amanda, but they would not have been in Gilead. The powers that be are exclusively white, Fundie Christian men who want to breed white Fundie babies. Taking that liberty took something away from the horror of the whole story.
From what I understand, Attwood was against that too because the book sons of Jacob were also racists. The show runners convinced her otherwise because if they did that, it was essentially a racist show where no person of color could be hired or work.
I knew it was Margaret Atwood that slapped her. I actually paused it to prove to my friends it was her when it originally aired. I rewatched the series before season 4 came out and I couldn't stop crying. Maybe it's the oppressive times we live in now. Or myself I have PTSD from all the real life trauma I have seen on TV news over the past few years but it got me thinking that I just might need some help.
One thing I do wonder about, since this is in a modern day setting, is where are the celebrities and hollywood stars. I think it would be a cool element to see actual movie stars become commanders, handmaids, wives, etc. To me that would make it more relatable cause they have taken over 90% of America by season 4. I wanna see what it would be like to have celebs playing themselves but taking the roles assigned to them in Giliad
i believe california is still california and not ruled by gilead so i’m sure most celebrities are still considered americans. plus they’re probably just following what’s in the book but that would be interesting!
They got out in time, as many others must have done? Maybe prior warning or just rich enough to buy flights that must have had a very high price on them. Writing this after watching the takeover of Afghanistan confirmed yesterday, and watching the desperation of people at the airport. Really shocking. Margaret Atwood certainly observed the world well. 11 days to take an entire country with really difficult terrain. Something that could only have been accomplished by buying off some of their opposition. They would have had to crush it in some places but there is no way they fought their way through, maybe a lot of people actually wanted America to go. Whatever, there were serious resonances with the establishment of Gilead, including billboards with women being whitewashed over.
@@lindyashford7744 China and Russia are already looking to make deals with the Taliban, I think that is very telling how they were able to take over in such a short period of time. China and Russia are obviously looking to be their allies.
I completely disagree with Aunt Lydia being a sadist. She has stated countless times how much she loves the Handmaid's and I think she's also made it very clear that any punishment that she delivers is because its 'what God wants' and all that crap. If anything (and Ann Dowd has even stated this), Aunt Lydia is just extremely misguided. She sees the abuse as tough love or that she is basically an extension of what she thinks is God's will - but does she derive sadistic pleasure from it? Not at all
Also, when she does something extraordinarily cruel like beating Janine at the party, she is visibly disturbed by her behavior. She regrets her harsh actions at times. June even uses her care for the girls to taunt her.
@@cb5484 such a conflicted character - I honestly completely understand why Ann Dowd says she *loves* Aunt Lydia, as strange of a thing that might seem at first
Brilliantly written book and a stunning television adaptation. It is a strong, cautionary tale rooted in history and just some dystopian fantasy novel.
Handmaids Tale is LITERALLY (sometimes word for word) the Future Atheist-TH-camrs wanna prevent. Its a Theocracy, which real Americans really and for real request right-now. The Show even literally says the Bad-Guys replaced the Constitution with the 10 Commandments. Am i the only one who recognizes this to be an actual Thing that COnservatvies in fact fight for and that A-Channel fight-back against?
This show is my addiction I had ever heard of it my friend turned me on to it and I banged watch 13 seasons it was totally awesome hands down the best show and I can't wait till wesnday nights I only pray that there will be season 15. I'm ready bring it plez thank you all all the hard work that you all do to bring us the gift of the Handsmaid tale I Love u all
I recall that Lydia was Aunt Lydia's real name because, unless I am imagining it, it was her name in the flashbacks of her life. Can anybody confirm that?
I was here to find out about the sign in the thumbnail. Why are there religious symbols of so many religions on that board? I thought following any religion other than Christianity is not allowed in Gilead. When I first saw that sign board outside the church in an episode I tried to find information about it, but nothing was available.
The symbol at the top is most likely that of the one and only true (and allowed) religion in Gilead: "Blessed be the fruit - May the Lord open". It looks like all the other symbols are crossed out with a faint red line, meaning they are forbidden. www.reddit.com/r/TheHandmaidsTale/comments/bzy3y8/can_i_get_some_help_deciphering_the_symbols_on/
@@offspring1001 and on that note, you’ll see the the triangle is also the sign for homosexuality, showing that it is forbidden. I think that’s the same symbol the nazis used tbh
This show has given me a breakdown, emotionally and mentally. Not hyperbole either. I literally believed I needed to hide because The Waterford's were after me. Sick minds are the only ones that could create this type of material.
Not a sadist and I’ll tell you one episode to prove it is when they were gonna trade handmaids to another country and ms Waterford wanted “the bad apples in the back” out of sight. Lydia was proud like they got them through the will of god and they should be proud of it cause it made them who they are which was sweet, compliant, and duty full. No sadist thinks like that. Aunt Lydia is fully devoted which in my eyes means blinded by faith and delusional.
Very interesting about the artwork being stolen paintings from the Boston Museum, I didn't notice that. Most of the other things were pretty obvious to me. Aunt Lydia uses her real name because in the flashbacks in season 3 we can hear her colleague from school calling her Lydia. I'd like to know more about the Margaret Atwood cameo slapping June. Which episode was that?
I honestly always wondered (and yes, I am aware of the bells) why there wasn’t a clock, or a service bell a là downtown abbey, or a bell for Serena to ring whenever she wanted her. This began with my never hearing a wake up bell. I know that my circadian rhythms would be screwed if I couldn’t read. { I stayed at a monastery, (you can’t speak, but you CAN leave any time) and they woke us up off of our cement beds after four hours of sleep, with a gong. }
Wow, a real life Monk (ex)? Or just a student? Either way, you have a strong will to do that for any length of time. I'm not talkative by any means but to know I CAN NOT? I'd all of a sudden want to be Chatty Cathy. Cement bed? Seems a bit much. I get the concept but why does a GOD want a human to suffer to prove their devotion or worthiness? I believe that if you live a life of kindness towards other living beings then that should be good enough for GOD. If a soft resting place is a sin, then that's not a GODLY requirement, it's the work of a tortured demon.
@@dvh3113 God doesn't WANT people to suffer to prove anything. SOME WANT to suffer to join their suffering with His. After all, He suffered for us. He gives us the opportunity to willingly suffer in this wide in order to show our love for Him in this life,, and receive more of a reward in the next. It's sort of how parents make sacrifices for the sake of their children, or children for the sake of their parents.
I interpreted the scarlet dress code of the handmaids to represent the harlot of the apocalypse, their symbol is also a woman with the 'moon at her feet'.
Awesome show, so horrifying, but yet it gives you the feeling of live in the moment and show love to people around you. I'm crying every episode of season 4 right now ;-). I've noticed a couple of the details shown in this video. But what's with the "Funny" Handmaids sketch at 5:23 and a couple more times?
I knew almost all of these, except the Oprah one! Very cool. I am excited for Season 4, and hope the plot doesn't move slow like s3! Thanks for the vid
I knew it was Oprah... it had me thinking about where do the other celebrities fit in if this was to actually happen lol like would Beyoncé be a handmaiden since she is fertile? 😂🤣😂🤣😂
@@ms.craftycapricorn9475 I don't think she would be a handmaid since she is married with children. If she did something against the bible, then she would be condemned. Such a interesting thing to think about!
I was watching recently and had pretty much the same thought. I'm glad it's not just me! It sure makes it hard to see some of the details in the scenes. They use a lot of candle light, maybe there are restrictions on electricity in Gliead?
I love Handmaids Tale....cant wait for season 10....I think thats the last one for now....I think we have to wait maybe 1 year or more for new episodes....in the meantime, I'll be waiting.......patiently!
I don't see Aunt Lidia as a sadist, I see her as a true believer and she is willing to use conversation tactics which she feels will be effective. Like a Jailer is not a sadist.
Many jailers are sadists. So are many “true “ believers. Lydia enjoys her power to do just about everything no matter how much pain she causes. That’s called sadism.
Great content. Just offering a little correction...in number 4 you mention Boston's MFA, but show a picture of the institute of contemporary art. Was this on purpose to see if anyone would notice?lol
The show gives me chills that is for sure Great job and I'm gonna buy my mom the book so she'll read it then want to watch the show because I know She will want to see the show I know it lol just know it
The outfits of the Handmaids reminds me of the book the scarlet letter. A giant red A on her chest for everyone to see that she was a sinner. Another thing I noticed in the show and the book is how the use the story of Jacob Rachael and Leah to justify there oppression of others. The problem with this is, that story is so much deeper than one paragraph about Rachael giving her Handmaids to her husband cause she was barren. Jacob sinned everything that happened to him was him reaping what he sowed and then having to repent to god. The show does a really good job at making the oppressors of Gilled reap what the sow. Ironic.
I'm pretty sure the creators worked hard not to use words, symbols, names in the way that ANY religion uses them. They really tried to be as generically "Christian" as possible - almost not Christian at all. Sorry it turned out that way for you guys, but I think it was an honest mistake.
Is there anywhere those of us in the deaf community can read a transcript of this video? Or do you not want us to learn this information? I read "The Handmaid's Tale" as soon as it was published; how strange to be closed off from this content.
Did you notice any of these details before?
Yes I knew them all except for Oprah.
The ones I didn’t know about was the purpose of the boot covers, and the nod to female genitalia in the design of their clothes/uniforms... lol I’ve done WAAAAY to much background research on this show 😅
Of course Oprah asked to do a voice over 🙄
@Shy'mFan2007 I believe that it was stated in the book that red is highly visible to most people and could be used to recognize any Handmaids who try to escape.
was the SNL skit edited onto this clip on purpose?
Atwood said that every aspect of Gilead was something that existed in reality at one time or another. Her biggest influences were the Iranian revolution, Nazi Germany, and the Soviet Union. You can really see that come through in the show too. The female citizens being forced to dress modestly and having no voting rights (Iranian revolution), the Aunts look very similar to "brown shirts"/Sturmabteilung as well as the hatred for Judaism and Catholicism which was prevalent in Nazi Germany, and the "colonies" share many similarities to the gulags/forced labor camps of communist countries/the Soviet Union.
That's why there's long been a debate if Atwood's novel is a critique on fascism, communism, white supremacy, etc. Honestly, I see it as a critique on authoritarianism, regardless of politics. Radical regimes never end well, regardless if it's left or right.
Also in the USA, similar things have happened in the USA
Here's what I'd like to know. Has anyone here wondered why they gave this dystopian country within a country the name "Gilead"? The company that owns Pfizer is named "Gilead". In light of the science fiction novel we've been living in for the past two years I wonder if that's just a coincidence. Get back to me if you have a chance to read it before it's wiped. Oh, with regard to aunt Lydia, I'd like to take her face off with a cheese grater. Dowd is fantastic in that role, almost too good if you catch my drift.
@@Mike-yg8ig Gilead is the location in the bible that Jacob travels to. It’s considered a ‘fertile’ place and as its Jacobs last location where he met with Laban, and the church in Handmaids tale is called the ‘sons of Jacob’ that’s probably why Attwood chose it.
No idea why a biomedical company chose to name themselves after it though
Authoritarianism for sure. A truly disgusting thing.
One of the best series I've ever seen in my whole life. Very intensive, deep and breathtaking. There was no one single moment of boredom, so much unexpected turns. You can't look away. This chilly and icy atmosphere in every minute. I hope they make more parts than only the three ones.
S3 tbh didn’t work for me :(
That's because its happening to you right now look for the one eyed symbolism
@@SB-vt4uw Season 4 is awesome. They were starting to lose me at the end of S3, it's a hell of a thing to become desensitized to, but S4 expands everything substantially.
@@furiousapplesack Handmaids Tale is LITERALLY (sometimes word for word) the Future Atheist-TH-camrs wanna prevent.
Its a Theocracy, which real Americans really and for real request right-now.
The Show even literally says the Bad-Guys replaced the
Constitution with the 10 Commandments. Am i the only one who recognizes
this to be an actual Thing that COnservatvies in fact fight for and that A-Channel fight-back against?
@@furiousapplesack So? Go suppor them!
People like Holy Koolaid and Telltale Atheist!
I'm pretty sure just about everyone noticed that Aunt Lydia is a sadist.
Ya, I was here thinking "no sh*t Sherlock".
I dunno, that was pretty subtle. I'm sure that stove just happened to be on.
She's a true believer...devoted and obedient to the system. There are people like that all over the place
@@chavaristicus apparently none of you have read The Testaments....
Actually, she isn't.
Red also makes it easy to spot them, if any try to run away. in, Gilead, it's not very easy to find different clothes., although some managed it.
The attention to detail created a sense of horror I've never felt in any other dramatic series. The Handmaid's Tale is terrifying because it so easily come true here in the West, in the same way freedom for women and men in Iran was destroyed by conservative Islamic theology coupled with an old man's fear of the female.
Well, you don't have to worry about that anymore.
It now has an old man and a vice president who will unite all strong, powerful, independent women under the equality, poverty and oppression that comes with communism.
Congratulations.
@@remc0s Thank you. We're very pleased with the election results AND the knowledge that Trump will be gone in less than a week.
Sounds like someone feels that his Natural White Christian Male Superiority is no longer part of the dynamic. Poor lil' snowflake.
@@krisaaron5771 Snowflakes are liberals by default, and i am not even remotely religious.
You sound like a very prejudiced, hateful and intolerant person.
And did you just assume my gender?
@@remc0s The fact that you sound like a snowflake is de fault of... de SKULL!!!
@@remc0s "...prejudiced, hateful and intolerant" -- if you say so.
But I'm not crying like a little bitch because my actions on January 6th got my ass put on the no-fly list! th-cam.com/video/4-EUOw9_IUg/w-d-xo.html
This show has changed my life and made me a stronger and more outspoken woman. I have determination to pass this on to my daughters.
👯♀️ 200% agree.
When America finally devolves into this type of dystopia, I will be on the wall. I couldn't even do blue eye/brown eye in high school. I'm too stubborn to be pushed around. I only pray that my children and grandchildren get out first, r that we are all long gone before it happens. And I truly believe that life imitates art and there are pockets of people who are thinking of doing this right now.
@@dvh3113 With how the government managed to control people with covid, a scary dystopia like this is not far off from happening.
@@dvh3113 As a man, I have to say I grew substantially as a person watching it and wept many times. And almost every woman I know has told me about abuses. Right-wing evangelical types want that world and the scene where they overtake congress is way too reminiscent of january 6th.
I would be proud to be on the wall.
@@749260 Handmaids Tale becoming real is something a lot of Videos of 'Some More News' are about without EVER mentioning the Show at all.
As someone who has done years of costume design, let me tell you, this insane attention to detail is like, obsessively indicative of someone who lives and breathes cloth haha. The content of this show is painful. But I love to pause it and delve into the stiches and textures of the costumes.
I wish one of the flashbacks would highlight the crusades. Maybe a little backstory on Nick?
Lydia is her real name. That's what her student and his mother called her when she had flashbacks.
Bump
Also, if you read the Testaments you get more of Aunt Lydia's back story
@@athairn I really loved they had her story. Even better than Dowd read Lydia's section in the audiobook.
Testaments was a very worthy sequel. It explains pretty well why Lydia is the woman she is in Gilead.
@@athairn I think the TV Lydia doesn’t really sync up with book Lydia 100% though. Her flashbacks on the show showed her getting swept up in the fundamentalist tide, turning into a true believer. It’s been a while since I read The Testaments so I’m fuzzy on small details but I don’t think they’re quite the same person. I absolutely love that version of Lydia though. I think it’s a bit of a love letter to Ann Dowd’s performance.
If you go back and read the first book, Lydia’s scenes read like a novelization. That’s how amazing Dowd’s performance was, these incredibly specific, poetic descriptions of her demeanor, her facial expressions... you could tell someone the show came first and they’d believe it. So I kinda felt that Atwood was in turn inspired by that performance and specifically had Dowd in mind when she wrote The Testaments.
I was late coming to this show … didn’t have Hulu 🤷♀️ But I’ve caught up and can hardly wait for the Season 6, Final. This has brought ALL the feels: Terror, Anger, Tears, Laughter & a heaping helping of Anxiety ! My God, could this really happen? I’m scared the answer is “yes”
After watching nearly every show on Netflix I decided to give this show a shot. It’s so good I ended up watching all 3 1/2 seasons in a little over 2 days. Can’t wait for Wednesday
@Niamh De Na Crainn Arda gT3244
I as well I even watched right through night one and into the next evening before I had no choice but to give in to my exhausted eyes
Netflix… it’s on Hulu here. I don’t even like Hulu…
I did that. I got all 5 seasons on DVD and was staying up until 4am watching, almost every night until season 5 finished. Fortunately it was a vacation week so I could sleep until noon....only to watch more until 4am again 😀
No mirror in her room was also practical in that Handmaiden’s couldn’t shatter it and use shards to slit their wrists or necks. Pretty sure that’s in the book as well.
There's the Handmaids, the Martha's, the Aunts & the Commanders plus more.The commanders wives should be The Karen's.
Agreed
DR Conly • 🤣🤣🤣
Agreed. We have the Jezebels too 😂😂
There's also the jezebels, econopeople, the eyes, and the unwomen. Plus all the men who fill the roles of doctors.
Hahahaha
The Handmaid's Tale is phenomenal. A very addictive series. 👍👍👍
Her name was Lydia before she became Aunt Lydia. Season 3 episode 8.
Thank you! Came here to say this
Yes Lydia Clements (teacher)
The last two episodes were sooo well done!!! It’s gotten better and better!
It is a dope show. Ready for the next season to drop.
Me2!
Me two!! It’s my favorite show!
Meeee tooooo!!!!
I’m pretty sure season four drops April 28
episode 4 comes out in 22 minutes EST! Titled “Milk” LETSGOOOOO #underhiseye
I binged watched all 3 series in 4 days! LOL ready for season 4 and they just got season 5 too!!! wooo hoooo
Under his eye hahahah
Seasons 4 and 5?
My Hulu is not showing anything past 3.
Did I misread that you have access to these?
@@teambrad3777 no they're not out yet but the cast are working on them
OMG me too!! Waiting for the next season!
@@ashwiniks6703 Same! Have A Blessed day ;)
@@jamnoise722nd3 U too👍
The changing of the labels at the store reminded me how fast the labels and signs were changed and printed for covid19
This show has changed my life and made me a stronger woman. I will teach my daughters to be loud, to stand with oppressed minorities, to choose partners who know and display that women are equal.
tbh there's plenty of ways for handmaid and really any woman in gillead to take herself out. there's glass windows, bottles, cutlery, you can jump off high places like Janine did, you can drown yourself in a bathtub of you're really desperate. so shoelaces probably wouldn't matter much. but the psychological pressure of your means of control being taken away on such a mundane level is very true
Season 1 states that the windows are shatterless, and, in the books at least, handmaids are not allowed access to knives. The windows dont open fully to prevent jumping out, and handmaid's are not allowed out unsupervised, so jumping off a bridge isn't that easy.
@@kateg9437 I could chew through my own wrist and bleed out. I'm 100% positive of that.
@@dvh3113 physically, yes, but for most people the brain refuses to allow that. People have the physical ability to bite a finger off, but most people can't even bite their own finger and draw blood.
If you read The Testaments, Atwood's sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, you can see that Lydia is NOT a sadist, she was abused and trafficked like every woman in Gilead.
Periodt
Hadn't read The Testaments yet… on my list. But I knew Aunt Lydia was not a sadist. She's got anger issues, for sure, stemming from her own oppression. Takes a guy to label a woman with something negative… that way he avoids discussing her humanity.
Abused yes. But not trafficked to the degree that the other women were. She manages to hold on to some semblance of power by agreeing to help traffick other women.
@@candicefrost4561 All of the women in Gilead were trafficked (however, in the case of the Wives, it's a bit more fuzzy). They were violently removed from their communities, isolated, and forced by threat of violence to perform some function to the men in Gilead. Each class of women had different roles which allowed the sons of Gilead to exploit them for specific purposes (sex/children, cooking/cleaning, maintaining order, etc). There are multiple forms of trafficking -- Sex trafficking, labour trafficking, trafficking for criminal exploitation. I would say the Aunts were absolutely trafficked just like the Handmaids, just to perform different roles. She only reaches for the power you refer to in order to survive.
Having been abused does not necessarily make a person a sadist. And she is a sadist, regardless of the "reason" she is one.
Detail: Aunt Lydia is a character with traits.
@Shy'mFan2007 I second this, I loved The Testaments. Aunt Lydia's back story was fascinating and I actually felt a little empathy for her towards the end which I didn't think was possible
@@beth6717 I’ve always found her character conflicting. I genuinely think she believes in what’s she’s doing is holy and right, and I believe she does care about the girls to an extent, but she’s also fucked up and nuts.
@@beth6717 The system as laid out ruins everybody, but it's harder on women.
There's a drawing of a woman & child to the left of the door in Serena's bedroom or the nursery; it was drawn by Kathy Kollwitz (? I think that's her last name, & she was German ?). She's famous for her drawings of women & children together - with simple sweeps of charcoal, she expresses the intimacy between woman & child, mother & child, grandmother & child - she offers a vision of what life is from that point of view. Beautiful choice, but twisted, too, as Serena let her desire for a child warp her so much that she stopped caring about ANYTHING else. Maybe she never did...
@@f.b.8700 : Thanks 🙂
Gotta love that you added a clip from snl parody there. 😄
I don't think Aunt Lydia is a sadist.
Women in Gilead had little to no power, and a very limited range of duties - Wives to watch over the household and be mothers, Handmaids to give children, Marthas to cook and clean and Aunts to watch over the Handmaids and keep them in line. As Atwood said in her book, women were expected to know their place. In such a totalitarian and harsh reality where women were some sort of lower citizens, they wanted to feel needed and important in some way. It's a bit like the meme "you had one job". When you screw that up, it feels like you are useless and torn apart. Lydia wanted to carry her mission in Gilead as an Aunt, and we can see how determined she is to do so. When her authority fell down in the eyes of society, she feels endangered and loses herself - it could be the fear of consequences for not being able to fulfill her duties too.
We see in season two (in her life before Gilead) that she is not heartless and cold. In season five she cries over Janine, prays to God and asks for forgiveness for her mistakes. The lack of love and loneliness brings out an evil person in her, who contributes to little Ryan being taken away from his mother.
Gilead makes you insane, it takes away all your humanity. It made Lydia as she was expected to be seen.
I love the shots of the SNL parody of the handmaids😆
Oh cool I have to look for it
@@ichaffee1 Glad you caught the SNL clip. At first I did a double take.
I thought it was rather hilarious too.
I was wondering if anyone else spotted that. Was it on purpose?
I don’t think it was on purpose lol unless they were trying to see if anyone watching was paying attention to the details
This is one of the few creations that captivated my attention from the beginning. Great cast, wonderful performances from all of them. No, the details I did not notice but I do appreciate you for bringing them to light. I will, definitely, binge on this program, again. Great day to everyone.
As a gun enthusiast I can tell they actually paid attention to detail pretty well. I only noticed a few faux pas like 1 rifle with no sights and a pistol that magically reloaded.
I'm a simple person I saw Janine ✖️👄👁️, I clicked
Oh boy, I'm going to hell for laughing at that.
One of the major things everyone misses is the Handmaid's names. It's not 'OFF-red', it's OF-Fred. She belongs to whatever Commander is using her at any given time. That's absolutely critical to understanding Atwood's work. OF-Warren, OF-Jim Bob, OF-Kyle, OF-Tom, OF-Dick, OF-Harry. The Handmaids are vessels, slaves, subhumans, rentals, if you will. They get three chances, then it's off to the Colonies. And Her name isn't June. Also, there are no POCs in Gilead. I love Samira and Amanda, but they would not have been in Gilead. The powers that be are exclusively white, Fundie Christian men who want to breed white Fundie babies. Taking that liberty took something away from the horror of the whole story.
From what I understand, Attwood was against that too because the book sons of Jacob were also racists. The show runners convinced her otherwise because if they did that, it was essentially a racist show where no person of color could be hired or work.
I'm pretty sure everyone understands the basis of the Handmaid's given names. 😂 Duh.
Literally thinking of rewatching in prep for S4
I knew it was Margaret Atwood that slapped her. I actually paused it to prove to my friends it was her when it originally aired. I rewatched the series before season 4 came out and I couldn't stop crying. Maybe it's the oppressive times we live in now. Or myself I have PTSD from all the real life trauma I have seen on TV news over the past few years but it got me thinking that I just might need some help.
One thing I do wonder about, since this is in a modern day setting, is where are the celebrities and hollywood stars. I think it would be a cool element to see actual movie stars become commanders, handmaids, wives, etc. To me that would make it more relatable cause they have taken over 90% of America by season 4. I wanna see what it would be like to have celebs playing themselves but taking the roles assigned to them in Giliad
Jennifer Anniston finally has a baby! (Sorry, bad humor! I'll slap my own face tyvm)
i believe california is still california and not ruled by gilead so i’m sure most celebrities are still considered americans. plus they’re probably just following what’s in the book but that would be interesting!
They got out in time, as many others must have done? Maybe prior warning or just rich enough to buy flights that must have had a very high price on them. Writing this after watching the takeover of Afghanistan confirmed yesterday, and watching the desperation of people at the airport. Really shocking. Margaret Atwood certainly observed the world well. 11 days to take an entire country with really difficult terrain. Something that could only have been accomplished by buying off some of their opposition. They would have had to crush it in some places but there is no way they fought their way through, maybe a lot of people actually wanted America to go. Whatever, there were serious resonances with the establishment of Gilead, including billboards with women being whitewashed over.
@@lindyashford7744 China and Russia are already looking to make deals with the Taliban, I think that is very telling how they were able to take over in such a short period of time. China and Russia are obviously looking to be their allies.
@@crankyc2117 They court every country in Asia, one way or another.
I completely disagree with Aunt Lydia being a sadist. She has stated countless times how much she loves the Handmaid's and I think she's also made it very clear that any punishment that she delivers is because its 'what God wants' and all that crap. If anything (and Ann Dowd has even stated this), Aunt Lydia is just extremely misguided. She sees the abuse as tough love or that she is basically an extension of what she thinks is God's will - but does she derive sadistic pleasure from it? Not at all
Exactly.
She is a spiritual narcissist...yes...that exists...😊
Also, when she does something extraordinarily cruel like beating Janine at the party, she is visibly disturbed by her behavior. She regrets her harsh actions at times. June even uses her care for the girls to taunt her.
@@cb5484 such a conflicted character - I honestly completely understand why Ann Dowd says she *loves* Aunt Lydia, as strange of a thing that might seem at first
Also "Any punishment I give you is less than someone else will give you."
Can't wait until April to watch this. I have everyone hooked on this show
just found this show and binge watched all 3 seasons in 3 days!!!❤️
I need more June and Nick moments
i love well thought world-building. Too many producers just smash things togeher or ignore the circumstances in their stories
I'm finally binge watching this and I'm halfway thru season 3. A great series..Moss is excellent as are a number of others...love it!
This show creeped me out from the first trailer.
It's not just handmaids that can have babies in Gilead, but the handmaids are the ones who are to have babies for the leaders.
Only women bleed, men cannot have babies!
Another thing a noticed was the painting The Milk Maid by Vermeer in Joseph Lawrence's house. She kind of resembles a handmaid.
He's the creepiest MO-FO in the entire show. I can't stand him or his harpy wife.
@@dvh3113 I think he's a brilliant actor. I liked him in Get Out
I didn’t know about all the symbols.Just finished the series, Wow🔥🔥🔥❤️
Brilliantly written book and a stunning television adaptation. It is a strong, cautionary tale rooted in history and just some dystopian fantasy novel.
Handmaids Tale is LITERALLY (sometimes word for word) the Future Atheist-TH-camrs wanna prevent.
Its a Theocracy, which real Americans really and for real request right-now.
The Show even literally says the Bad-Guys replaced the
Constitution with the 10 Commandments. Am i the only one who recognizes
this to be an actual Thing that COnservatvies in fact fight for and that A-Channel fight-back against?
I knew every detail except the inverted “v”… but I’m obsessed!
This show is my addiction I had ever heard of it my friend turned me on to it and I banged watch 13 seasons it was totally awesome hands down the best show and I can't wait till wesnday nights I only pray that there will be season 15. I'm ready bring it plez thank you all all the hard work that you all do to bring us the gift of the Handsmaid tale I Love u all
May the lord bless you with his light
I am currently watching this series and OMG!!! It’s good
NO, BUT I LOVE HANDMAID'S TALE, CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEW SEASON, IT IS BREATH TAKING.
I recall that Lydia was Aunt Lydia's real name because, unless I am imagining it, it was her name in the flashbacks of her life. Can anybody confirm that?
I've read that the lady that plays Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) is one of the nicest people in real life
I was here to find out about the sign in the thumbnail. Why are there religious symbols of so many religions on that board? I thought following any religion other than Christianity is not allowed in Gilead. When I first saw that sign board outside the church in an episode I tried to find information about it, but nothing was available.
The symbol at the top is most likely that of the one and only true (and allowed) religion in Gilead: "Blessed be the fruit - May the Lord open".
It looks like all the other symbols are crossed out with a faint red line, meaning they are forbidden.
www.reddit.com/r/TheHandmaidsTale/comments/bzy3y8/can_i_get_some_help_deciphering_the_symbols_on/
@@offspring1001 and on that note, you’ll see the the triangle is also the sign for homosexuality, showing that it is forbidden. I think that’s the same symbol the nazis used tbh
This show has given me a breakdown, emotionally and mentally. Not hyperbole either. I literally believed I needed to hide because The Waterford's were after me. Sick minds are the only ones that could create this type of material.
One of the Best series I have ever seen. Hope to see more👌🏾👍🏾👏🏾❤🌈
10:00 “the writer of the EPERSODE”
Not a sadist and I’ll tell you one episode to prove it is when they were gonna trade handmaids to another country and ms Waterford wanted “the bad apples in the back” out of sight. Lydia was proud like they got them through the will of god and they should be proud of it cause it made them who they are which was sweet, compliant, and duty full. No sadist thinks like that. Aunt Lydia is fully devoted which in my eyes means blinded by faith and delusional.
How would anyone not notice every single one of these things lol
Very interesting about the artwork being stolen paintings from the Boston Museum, I didn't notice that. Most of the other things were pretty obvious to me. Aunt Lydia uses her real name because in the flashbacks in season 3 we can hear her colleague from school calling her Lydia.
I'd like to know more about the Margaret Atwood cameo slapping June. Which episode was that?
I can't wait for season 4 and more to come.
I cannot WAIT until tomorrow! Praise be!
Blessed Be The Fruit Loops.
No. Lydia is her real name. She is called Lydia in the flashback to her life before Gilead.
I honestly always wondered (and yes, I am aware of the bells) why there wasn’t a clock, or a service bell a là downtown abbey, or a bell for Serena to ring whenever she wanted her. This began with my never hearing a wake up bell. I know that my circadian rhythms would be screwed if I couldn’t read. { I stayed at a monastery, (you can’t speak, but you CAN leave any time) and they woke us up off of our cement beds after four hours of sleep, with a gong. }
Wow, a real life Monk (ex)? Or just a student? Either way, you have a strong will to do that for any length of time. I'm not talkative by any means but to know I CAN NOT? I'd all of a sudden want to be Chatty Cathy. Cement bed? Seems a bit much. I get the concept but why does a GOD want a human to suffer to prove their devotion or worthiness? I believe that if you live a life of kindness towards other living beings then that should be good enough for GOD. If a soft resting place is a sin, then that's not a GODLY requirement, it's the work of a tortured demon.
@@dvh3113 God doesn't WANT people to suffer to prove anything. SOME WANT to suffer to join their suffering with His. After all, He suffered for us. He gives us the opportunity to willingly suffer in this wide in order to show our love for Him in this life,, and receive more of a reward in the next. It's sort of how parents make sacrifices for the sake of their children, or children for the sake of their parents.
Absolutely love this show! Thanks for the cool info!
Now I’m going to have to watch it all again. Also, I want to see the vulva detail on their uniforms.
It's actually the whole outfit, the dress with the coat over it, looks like a vulva when you look down at it from the top.
You'd think that this video would have shown this, rather than just mention it.
@@Olive_O_Sudden It didn't show it because the guy couldn't find it, as per usual.
@@Bexinmo And the narration was messed up, like it was done by a computer that doesn't pronounce things properly.
@@Bexinmo lmfao
I spotted Margaret Atwood the second time I watched the series. Omg could you imagen how hyped I was when I noticed 😂
Love the show!
I love this show, ty. Please dont stop.
You notice when you have watched it as many times as I have!
I interpreted the scarlet dress code of the handmaids to represent the harlot of the apocalypse, their symbol is also a woman with the 'moon at her feet'.
I love this guy for posting these.
Thx 🥰
My question is does Janie's room have a Denny's table since she worked at Denny's before hand?
Hilarious.
I KNEW IT WAS OPRAH IN THAT DAMN CAR RADIO
I keep getting chills when people say aunt Lydia since I'm Lydia
Sorry, Aunt Lydia 😁
@@MicahiLove oh my god I can never be an aunt!!😂
I was hoping they would show us a Magdalen colony but nope . They escaped and ran past the train. Never showed us the colony and never explained it
They maybe saving it for a future episode. Praise be...
I’d give anything to have a pair of those Handmaids boots. I think they are great looking!
Me2! Sturdy,functional, and comfortable when broke in..
Omg yes!
Omg - yeeess!! Glad im not the only one who had her eye on these boots lol :)
I thought the same they look so cool and comfy
Blessed be...love the boots too.
This show has been well planned for decades! Wake up folks!
Awesome show, so horrifying, but yet it gives you the feeling of live in the moment and show love to people around you. I'm crying every episode of season 4 right now ;-). I've noticed a couple of the details shown in this video. But what's with the "Funny" Handmaids sketch at 5:23 and a couple more times?
If you have only seen the first season maybe be weary of watching this, the short clips used contain spoilers.
Loved information about detail,amazing
Handmaids Tale becoming real is something a lot of Videos of 'Some More News' are about without EVER mentioning the Show at all.
Speaking of details, the clip of the "Museum of Fine Arts" is actually the Boston Institute of Contemporary Art.
I knew almost all of these, except the Oprah one! Very cool. I am excited for Season 4, and hope the plot doesn't move slow like s3! Thanks for the vid
I knew it was Oprah... it had me thinking about where do the other celebrities fit in if this was to actually happen lol like would Beyoncé be a handmaiden since she is fertile? 😂🤣😂🤣😂
@@ms.craftycapricorn9475 I don't think she would be a handmaid since she is married with children. If she did something against the bible, then she would be condemned. Such a interesting thing to think about!
Pity the entire show is shot in the dark and I can’t see %75 of the detail..... TURN A FUCKING LIGHT ON !
I was watching recently and had pretty much the same thought. I'm glad it's not just me! It sure makes it hard to see some of the details in the scenes. They use a lot of candle light, maybe there are restrictions on electricity in Gliead?
Great analysis..very informative 👍👏
Thx :)
I love Handmaids Tale....cant wait for season 10....I think thats the last one for now....I think we have to wait maybe 1 year or more for new episodes....in the meantime, I'll be waiting.......patiently!
I don't see Aunt Lidia as a sadist, I see her as a true believer and she is willing to use conversation tactics which she feels will be effective. Like a Jailer is not a sadist.
Aunt Lydia gets way too much understanding. She clearly enjoys it when she gets to torture the handmaids.
Many jailers are sadists. So are many “true “ believers. Lydia enjoys her power to do just about everything no matter how much pain she causes. That’s called sadism.
Great content. Just offering a little correction...in number 4 you mention Boston's MFA, but show a picture of the institute of contemporary art. Was this on purpose to see if anyone would notice?lol
The show gives me chills that is for sure Great job and I'm gonna buy my mom the book so she'll read it then want to watch the show because I know She will want to see the show I know it lol just know it
Just watching this...did anyone notice footage of some of an SNL handmaid's sketch?
Awesome Show 10 on a scale of 1-10 Catch up on Hulu !
The outfits of the Handmaids reminds me of the book the scarlet letter. A giant red A on her chest for everyone to see that she was a sinner. Another thing I noticed in the show and the book is how the use the story of Jacob Rachael and Leah to justify there oppression of others. The problem with this is, that story is so much deeper than one paragraph about Rachael giving her Handmaids to her husband cause she was barren. Jacob sinned everything that happened to him was him reaping what he sowed and then having to repent to god. The show does a really good job at making the oppressors of Gilled reap what the sow. Ironic.
I just got into the show last month, why did I wait so long?! I recognized Oprah's voice!
This is over all good content i just feel like the upbeat background music is really out of place for the somber climate of the handmaids tale
I didn't know these things but now I need to rewatch it lol.
The only one I noticed was Oprah! She is trying to sound like the radio presenter in the Warriors Film lol
Oprah is very evil!
@@tinamaruco4920
Definitely IRL
Gilead is what the Jehovah Witness's call they're missionary schools.
I'm pretty sure the creators worked hard not to use words, symbols, names in the way that ANY religion uses them. They really tried to be as generically "Christian" as possible - almost not Christian at all. Sorry it turned out that way for you guys, but I think it was an honest mistake.
Who knew Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) was Cookie Kelly's mother in Freaks & Geeks lol
Is there anywhere those of us in the deaf community can read a transcript of this video? Or do you not want us to learn this information? I read "The Handmaid's Tale" as soon as it was published; how strange to be closed off from this content.
Why you make it sound so malicious? They probably have other stuff to do, it’s not like they purposely didn’t put transcripts in.
Most of the time the YT subtitles are wildly incorrect. YT does no favours to the hearing impaired it seems.
I absolutely love Handmaids 💕❤️💕
too bad there isnt caption option for deaf people to watch this.