I seriously toyed with bailing out on the second season of "The Handmaid's Tale" after five episodes. The show continues to be a very tough watch, with storylines full of abuse and oppression. I'd run across a few spoilers that suggested that the main narrative was going in directions I found very unappealing. However, the show remains one of the most queasily topical, if not outright prophetic pieces of media currently running, and it's all exceptionally well done. In fact, the show I find myself constantly comparing it to is "The Crown." Minor spoilers ahead.
This year of "The Handmaid's Tale" is still largely still following June/Offred in her role as handmaid to the Waterfords. Most of the season's big developments involve her pregnancy and attempts to escape Gilead. We also follow Emily and Janine, who have been exiled to the Colonies as "Unwomen," and Moira who is living with Luke in Canada. Flashbacks and new characters continue to shed light on Gilead's history and the current state of affairs. The character with the most interesting arc this year is Serena Joy, whose faith in Gilead is tested by several traumatic events and impending motherhood.
I'm being very intentionally vague, because there are a lot of twists and turns this season that it's better not to know about in advance. This includes major new characters, guest stars, and of course the state of June's baby. I was impressed by how much story the creators were able to pack into each episode, and the status quo often changes drastically from week to week. Like "The Crown," installments are often built around certain events or characters in ways that let us see the wider social implications. The Waterfords going on a diplomatic trip to Canada obviously gives us an opportunity to see Gilead's relationships with its neighbors, but even the smaller incidents like a baby falling ill can highlight the painful contradictions and injustices of Gilead's society. The show's writing is very good on both the micro and macro levels.
The acting continues to be a major draw. Elizabeth Moss is still a powerhouse, but Yvonne Strahovski is on fire this year. Serena Joy continues to be a contemptible tyrant who is fun to hate, but she's also occasionally sympathetic as she realizes how little power she actually has. Her slow coming-to-terms with the nightmare world that she helped to create is equally as compelling as June's struggle to keep resisting. The two of them share a couple of really intense scenes together that make the rougher parts of the season worth powering through. I don't think the other major characters had material that was up to the same level, though Samira Wiley and Alexis Bledel get a couple of good moments apiece. It's also helpful that there are none of the odd episodes focused on the male characters this year. Nick, Luke, and Fred are still very present, but the focus stays firmly with the women.
Unlike the previous season, this one is entirely based on original material, but it would be hard to tell if you were unfamiliar with the book. The quality is very consistent, and in some ways I like this season better. Gilead gets fleshed out quite a bit, and there are multiple episodes with a ripped-from-the-headlines quality to them and echoes of the recent antics of the Trump administration, though some of this was apparently a coincidence. Nevertheless, the show addresses current events in a way that few others do, and I find it very satisfying to see a piece of media that reflects how I've been feeling about the state of the U.S. lately. I also enjoy the unusually frank depictions of pregnancy, childbirth, nursing, and early motherhood.
And yet, the prospect of another season gives me pause. I found the ending of this year's finale absolutely infuriating, even though I knew it had to happen. There is a significant danger of "The Handmaid's Tale" becoming drawn out and repetitive if it keeps going along in the same vein. I'd love to see how this tale concludes, but if it takes more than another season or two of depressive misery to get there, I may have to call it quits for good.
---
No comments:
Post a Comment