The Handmaid's Tale: Season 2 2018

     This series is based on a book written by Margaret Atwood and she was inspired by George Orwell’s 1984.  The United States has been renamed The Republic of Gilead and it is a religion-based autocracy.  Women are second-class citizens and divided into groups.  The top group is the wives of the Commanders, at the bottom are the housekeepers and the handmaids.  The housekeepers are called Martha’s and the handmaids are named after the first name of the Commander they live with.  June lives with Fred Waterford and his wife Serena Joy.  June's name has been changed to Offred because she is “of Fred.”  Many of the Commanders are sterile and consequently their wives cannot have children.  Some are not but it is unknown the numbers of Commanders who cannot produce a child.  The handmaids are able to get pregnant and this is the most important mission of Gilead.  The lucky Americans able to escape to Canada are spared the murders, class segregation and oppression in Gilead.

     The handmaids wear red robes and a white head covering that acts as a blinder similar to those used on horses.  The Martha’s wear gray and the wives of the Commanders wear a teal blue.  Offred has only three goals in her life, escape to Canada, take her new baby with her and also her first child Hannah.  Another family in Gilead is raising Hannah as their daughter.  Many times I wondered how June could take the oppression and especially the contempt of Serena Joy?  She is not serene or joyful and she hates the sight of Offred!!  Elizabeth Moss is very expressive with her face and you can feel what she is thinking but cannot verbally convey.  The penalty for anything out of line is death!!  4 ½* (I really liked this series.  

       

TV Series Season Two, 12 episodes, 60 min each created by Bruce Miller with Elisabeth Moss, Max Minghella, Yvonne Strahovski, Joseph Fiennes, Ann Dowd, Amanda Brugel, Madeline Brewer, O-T Fagbenle, Nina Kiri, Samira Wiley, Alexis Bledel, Bahia Watson Jenessa Grant.

Note:  Imdb 8.6 out of 10, Rotten Tomatoes 93% critic 80% audience, Metacritic 86 out of 100 with 28 critics 7.4 out of 10 with 78 reviews, New York Times 4.6* out of 5* with 656 reviews.

Special Note:  Film in Cambridge, Oshawa, Toronto, Hamilton, Cinespace Film Studios, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  There was a renewed interest in Atwood’s book because of this series.  Some customers paid up to $100 for an original copy and other copies were also in demand.  Four of the five directors in Season One are women with Mike Barker the only man.