Based on the 1985 novel of the same name by eminent author Margaret Atwood, the dystopian TV show The Handmaid’s Tale is revered as one of the best dramas of recent years, with its multiple Emmy nominations and wins reflecting that.
The Handmaid’s Tale has five seasons, with a sixth and final season set to release in 2025. Season 5 premiered in September 2022, with the last episode releasing in November. As per reports, Hulu and MGM are also collaborating on developing a sequel series, The Testaments, based on Atwood’s 2019 novel of the same name. It will be set 15 years after the events of The Handmaid’s Tale.
The show is created for television by Bruce Miller, who executive produces with Daniel Wilson, Fran Sears, and Warren Littlefield. Atwood serves as a consulting producer, giving input on the creators’ attempts to modernize the book. Elizabeth Moss (Mad Men), Joseph Fiennes (Shakespeare in Love), Yvonne Strahovski (Chuck), Alexis Bledel (Gilmore Girls), Madeline Brewer (Orange is the New Black), Ann Dowd (The Leftovers), Max Minghella (The Social Network), and Samira Wiley (Orange is the New Black) star in leading roles across the five seasons.
The plot features a dystopian world in the aftermath of the Second American Civil War, where a totalitarian government takes over and forces fertile women into child-bearing slavery. The show’s premise and themes have often been brought up in political protests. Parallels have also been drawn between the show and the Christian reconstructionist movement’s attempts to blacklist women from working.
The Handmaid’s Tale has 76 Emmy nominations, 15 of which are wins. The most notable triumphs include an Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series win for Elizabeth Moss in 2017 and Ann Dowd’s victory in the same year in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series category.
Interested viewers can watch The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu, Disney+, Fandango at Home, Prime Video or Apple TV.
