I love that Serena felt immediately worthless when she found herself in a position of a handmaid. Even when it is herself, she is brainwashed AF, she can't stop believing "God's will" lies and treat herself as shit unconsciously. It's sad how a totalitarian patriarchal theocracy traps your mind. It was funny though watching how Serena met medicine and evolution.
It was also nice how June, as a woman, was forgiving and didn't seek revenge from mother at the cost of a baby (possibly thought about it), but Luke went just directly there. I don't say it wasn't justifiable but I feel like writers put a little nuance there about the way men seeking revenge/power, maybe? After all, Gilead is born because of men who wanted a power game for a bunch of men.
The only problem was I couldn't make sense the flashback scenes. As if Serena and June were besties at first and shared a connection? All those feely glances? I'm OK with Serena bouncing between empathetic and heartless, but I don't remember there was such a friendly vibe between them at S01. The Serena that I know of would feel conflicted after the handmaid's death, but also be outraged by June's glance and would never show June her guilt. I don't mind if writers are trying to push us an alliance (it's still a bit rushed), but it is weird when they try to change the past to support it.
Damn it, writers! You made me feel sorry for that horrible, horrible woman. This episode was hypnotic, amazing acting.
"This is not Gillead, and I'm not you"
Sometimes forgiveness and showing kindness is the only way to know peace. Then Luke had to go and ruin everything. Or maybe it was "god's will." Anyways, such a great episode. Perfectly executed and acted. (minus the flashback scenes. that was some bullshit.) Feelings were felt. Tears were shed. Give Yvonne all the awards. Literally. All of them.
No denying that the acting is good, and the dialogue is also pretty decent - June and Serena had some good conversations in this episode. But none of that changes the fact that the writing in this show has deteriorated to bad fanfiction level. The idea that these two characters are even out here in this situation in the first place is absurd. A lot of the scenes this season could have been really great... had they been earned. But the big problem I have with this season, and also a lot of the last one, is that the writers are essentially forcing characters into interesting situations very quickly, without actually taking the time to make those situations come about in a natural and nuanced manner. It's like when the final two seasons of Game of Thrones suddenly started having characters teleporting all over Westeros every episode, when prior to those seasons, it would take a character multiple episodes of traveling to get to those places in the first place. You can't just throw characters into big moments and expect us to care, or think it's good - these things must be built at a steady pace that makes sense.
One of my favorite TV episodes of this year. The focus on Serena and June only was so earned at this point in the story and riveting to watch. Changed the dynamics in such a cool way and Luke’s moment at the end was also perfect. Loved it.
damn just full body chills
Now they are both psychologically in "no man's land", it's a fantastic symbolic title, for the literal and figurative space June and Serena have been in. Both ambivalent about their decisions and actions toward one another, both sympathetic but bitter. It's also some heavy dissonance, I think, we, the viewers, share about our own feelings toward the show... I'm entertained and fascinated by the artistry, but also disturbed by the dark (and darkly realistic) places it goes.
This episode was incredibly difficult to watch. Brilliant in composition, the cinematography has remained consistent throughout the seasons, and though the story quality has wavered, the dialogue is still really rich, which helps...
We're on the last stretch now.
Finally, not only a good, but a great episode. Probably the best in the last few seasons. And now the show is intriguing once more. Still not convinced it shouldn't have ended and that it needs another season, but now I have hope that at least some of it will be interesting.
Finally, some more one on one time between June and Serena. I could watch them forever but mostly Serena. Yvonne Strahovski is magnetic... I don't mind the close up shots of her at all.
So Serena gets a taste of her own medicine... what will June do now? Luke is right that it's justice but June wants to be better than Serena, than Gilead. So will she let this play out? Honestly I think it's just dumb that June drove her to the hospital instead of directly to Mark's doorstep. If anyone could've protected her (and wanted to) it would've been him.
No sympathy for Serena from me. Sorry.
That was a good ending at least.
Probably my favorite ever episode of The Handmaid's Tale. I've been waiting for Serena and June to forgive one another and pair up, and this was the perfect transition from enemies to almost-friends. Maybe now June can finally move on. (After she helps Serena get her baby back, of course.)
At least something major happens. Doesn’t matter if I agree to the actions.
Was not expecting such an amazing episode!
I hope for sure that this episode's events are a turning point for June, that she starts living again instead for subsisting on hatred and revenge. There were some moments there where I wasn't sure where she would go, i.e. when Noah was born whether she'll take him away or give him to Serena most noticeably, but I really hope that she'll move forward as a character now. Not sure about Serena and her redemption-arc, though. I mean she gets a small taste of being a handmaid (without the rapes even), gives birth, and suddenly wants to do better? She's one of the masterminds behind the idea of Gilead, not sure if it's so easy to just abandon that idea. Unless she ends up married to Lawrence after all and in his proclaimed New Bethlehem of which we still don't know much. But who knows, her manipulative character might reassert itself momentarily and she'll have all the IRS-officers wrapped around her finger in no-time.
I love June and Serena outthinking and outmanipulating each other. There's a bond there that's forged by fire, and that's being reforged every time they meet. It's a fascinating dynamic, that's for sure. And it's the reason why neither can kill the other.
The flashback doesn't make much sense. First of all, why's there any empathy or even secret kinship between Serena and June? I don't remember that from season 1 at all. And secondly, didn't we already see this scene in season 1?
Luke, on the other hand, goes down the revenge route right now. Sorry, still not sure if he even has any rights to go down that road - granted, he lost his daughter and wife to Gilead (for a time at least), but he himself was free. Other than the funeral and showing off Hannah back there, Serena's been some abstract concept for him. Let's not forget how he reacted to June's violent tendencies in the previous season, now he gets consumed by rage himself. I still think he's poorly portrayed. He had 3 (and more) years before June's arrival in Toronto to actively engage in the resistance (which Moira did), and he didn't do anything. It's a little late to join that party and still have some credibility left. Siccing immigration of Serena is petty - it might be understandable revenge, but it's not justice in any way.
I can see June taking in Noah... not sure how Luke'll react to that - but honestly, he can just shut up.
Really turning this into a soapie now ... lost it's edge and potential.
The whole repentant Serena thing is complete nonsense ... she should've lost the baby and gone on to question her faith.
It's really time to stop.
Shout by GusaVIP 2BlockedParent2022-10-19T18:35:38Z
Two actresses acting at top level. What a thrill ride.