The Handmaid’s Tale
Cast & Key People
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Our Review
Cast & Key People
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Our Review
The Handmaid's Tale (2017) is a drama and science-fiction series from Hulu. It has built a run of 66 episodes. It premiered on April 26, 2017. Viewers rate it 7.4 out of 10. It is currently ended. It runs 6 seasons.
What The Handmaid's Tale Is About
The Handmaid’s Tale is the story of life in the dystopia of Gilead, a totalitarian society in what was formerly the United States. Facing environmental disasters and a plunging birthrate, Gilead is ruled by a twisted fundamentalism in its militarized ‘return to traditional values’. As one of the few remaining fertile women, Offred is a Handmaid in the Commander’s household, one of the caste of women forced into sexual servitude as a last desperate attempt to repopulate the world. In this terrifying society, Offred must navigate between Commanders, their cruel Wives, domestic Marthas, and her fellow Handmaids – where anyone could be a spy for Gilead – all with one goal: to survive and find the daughter that was taken from her.
What to Expect When You Watch
The format keeps each instalment self-contained enough to drop into, the full run covers 66 episodes, spread across 6 seasons and it leans into its drama/science-fiction roots while leaving room for the quieter character beats.
Performance-wise the series leans on Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski and Ann Dowd to carry the emotional weight, with the rest of the ensemble filling out the world around them.
Cast and Creative Team
Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, Ann Dowd, Max Minghella, Samira Wiley and Madeline Brewer lead the cast.
Key roles include Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne / Offred; Yvonne Strahovski as Serena Joy Waterford; Ann Dowd as Aunt Lydia; Max Minghella as Nick Blaine; Samira Wiley as Moira Strand.
Why It Stands Out
Fans of drama and science-fiction have a clear reason to give this one a shot. It sits comfortably alongside Hulu’s other originals, a 7.4/10 audience score puts it in steady company and it commits to its premise instead of hedging between tones.
Released in 2017 and carried by Hulu with the series still ended, it lands hardest with drama and science-fiction viewers.
How The Handmaid's Tale Compares
If The Handmaid's Tale lands for you, the next stops are Breaking Bad, Firefly and The Wire, which share its drama/science-fiction lean.
Each of those sits at a different point on the same spectrum, so they make a natural follow-up once you finish the run here.
Where to Stream
The Handmaid's Tale comes from Hulu. Check your preferred platform for current availability, since regional rights move around.
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On the whole The Handmaid's Tale is the kind of series that rewards a patient watch, with Elisabeth Moss and Yvonne Strahovski doing the heaviest lifting, a tone that stays true to its drama/science-fiction roots, It has held up since 2017 and so if the premise sounds like your lane, the execution holds up.
The Bottom Line
The Handmaid's Tale is a safe bet for anyone already inside the drama and science-fiction lane, at 66 episodes it is an easy run to work through, the audience score holds around 7.4/10 and so there is little risk in starting it tonight.
Verdict: 7.4/10. Watch it if you want drama/science-fiction you can settle into.
