18 Comments
User's avatar
Krista (she/her/goddess)'s avatar

This episode was my absolute favourite because it showed how ORDINARY the final blow was. How easy.

Expand full comment
Dr Stacey Patton's avatar

Yes, that's the most chilling part of it. And we've been unknowingly participating in it. Setting ourselves up for it even.

Expand full comment
Rachel LaFave's avatar

From what I understand from the things that I've read, the Heritage Foundation has been making moves for decades to get us to where we are right now.

Expand full comment
Catherine Logan's avatar

… and the book was published in 1985. This has all been a long time coming. Fun fact: It’s required reading in Canadian schools.

Expand full comment
Christina's avatar

You make me want to watch it but at the same time not. I feel like I'm watching the live action version play play out in real life in front of my eyes instead. While fighting against what I can via voting, protests, discussions, etc. I am also preparing with ammo, range time and physical training. I wish it were a joke. I'm preparing to fight for every other woman out there by any means necessary. My daughter, my nieces, myself....but especially women of color. I hope I'll never need to use any of it. But I'd rather be somewhat prepared for when Sh*t truly hits the fan.

Expand full comment
Maggie Mae's avatar

It's... very well done, phenomenally acted, and absolutely fucking gutwrenching. And terrifying, because we are watching it unfold in real time.

Expand full comment
Dee Wills's avatar

Funnily enough, I saw the writing on the wall when Hillary lost. It was from then that I knew that the US is regressive and would only get worse. It was then that I started plans to leave.

Expand full comment
Kari Bentley-Quinn's avatar

Same. Except my dumb ass didn’t leave

Expand full comment
Michelle Taylor's avatar

Uggghhh, I never thought I was prejudice, but as a whole, I truly hate white people. How the fuck you separate the good from the bad. Just horrible shit.

Expand full comment
Rachel LaFave's avatar

You can't. That's the exact reason that I don't take offense if a black person seems weary of me. They don't know me & have no reason to think I'm not one of the "bad ones". I don't get offended. It makes me sad. Not for myself. But for the way our government & a large part of the population continues to treat black people. And brown. And LGBTQ. And anyone else who isn't white cis.

Expand full comment
Ellen Osburn's avatar

Margaret Atwood has said that all the horrors committed against the women in her book have already happened to women somewhere in the world. And continue.

Expand full comment
Glorya Cabrera's avatar

I have not watched the series deliberately. But clearly there is a war on women happening and it has been happening. what is going on this country is frightening. I live in New York City and I grew up in California and I am watching my Gente under attack. now Trump wants to do away with citizenship, I can be picked up. I’m a citizen. I am indigenous to this land. My people go back to the early 1800s in New Mexico and yet because my last name is Spanish because I identify as Chicana Mexican-American Latina indigenous I can be deported too. where would I go because this is my country. since I’m passed the age of child bearing would I be considered useless made into a slave?

Expand full comment
Natraya Taylor's avatar

This review was on point💯 The eyes are always watching😞 This is reality. Cant nobody tell me different. Although they will argue "This will never happen" while its already happening 🙄

Expand full comment
Monica's avatar

I’m enjoying your critique of the show so much! Yup, this was the episode that made me lock in. I wanted to get past the early shock of the series and prepare my nervous system for the slow, steady and inevitable, sudden collapse of our country should Trump prevail in the election last year. I binge-watched the whole series and mission accomplished. Of course, every mediocre man wants to be a commander, and I could feel in my bones that young white women would see themselves as handmaids but the ones over 30 would proudly go the way of Serena Joy and Aunt Lydia. Proximate power must be a helluva drug. 😒

Expand full comment
Jennifer Henson's avatar

Yes, it’s happening.

Expand full comment
Rachel LaFave's avatar

I'm not embarrassed to admit that I've had the same thoughts about money as you. Well, not the pirate treasure part (which was amazing, btw) but I'm gonna call it that now.

I can remember sitting stock still listening to this part of the book because I didn't think "it could never happen". Oh no, I thought "how easy it could happen".

Expand full comment
Kari Bentley-Quinn's avatar

I’ll never hear that peaches song the same again. I just rewatched this episode recently and it’s chilling as fuck.

Expand full comment
Kathleen Gubbins's avatar

All of this. 💯

Your words have cut straight to the heart of the horror.

Expand full comment