Hulu’s award-winning drama The Handmaid’s Tale is finally headed towards its endgame. The series has been renewed for a sixth and final season ahead of its fifth season premiere next week. Series creator, showrunner, and executive producer Bruce Miller said, “It has been a true honor to tell the story of Margaret Atwood’s groundbreaking novel and chillingly relevant world, and we are thrilled to bring viewers a sixth and final season of The Handmaid’s Tale, … We are grateful to Hulu and MGM for allowing us to tell this story, which unfortunately has remained as relevant as ever throughout its run, and are in awe of our incredible fans for their unwavering support, and without whom we never would have gotten to this point.” The announcement was made via cast video, which was posted to social media.
Based on Margaret Atwood’s seminal 1985 novel, The Handmaid’s Tale is a dystopian drama set in a future where the United States of America has been overturned by a theocratic fascist government and renamed the Republic of Gilead. As fertility levels plunge, fertile women in Gilead are imprisoned and raped to provide children for Gilead’s elite Commanders and their wives. Both the novel and the series have become eerily relevant in the ensuing years, especially in light of the 2016 election, the rise of American Christo-fascism, and the recent overturning of Roe v Wade, which set women’s rights back half a century. Protesters have even taking to donning the famous red cloaks and white bonnets that the handmaids wear in the series. The series premiered after Trump’s inauguration, and quickly became a popular meme to criticize his presidency and a genuine pop culture phenomenon.
The Hulu series, which premiered in 2017, was the first show to win an Emmy for outstanding series for a streaming service. The series stars Elisabeth Moss as June, Joseph Fiennes Commander Waterford, Yvonne Strahovski as Serena Joy, and Samira Wiley as Moira. The show’s first season won eight Emmys, including Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Elisabeth Moss), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Ann Dowd), and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (Alexis Bledel). The series has also won Golden Globes and various critics awards for both the series and for Moss’s standout performance.
While the series has had its ups and downs over the years (and has veered into misery porn for several episodes) the drama remains a compelling watch. This is thanks to the excellent cinematography and production design, but the real credit goes to the phenomenal performances from the talented cast. While The Handmaid’s Tale may have run too long, we’re excited to see how the series wraps up and what comes next for June and the women of Gilead.
The fifth season of The Handmaid’s Tale premieres on Wednesday, September 14th on Hulu.
(featured image: Jasper Savage/Hulu)
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